Simply organic by roundy yogurt

This was good yogurt. Simply organic by rounds. It is free from antibiotics and synthetic hormones. I am picky about yogurt but this tasted great and was affordable! $1.19 per container! Only 20 cents cheaper than Chobani which is gmo 

Organic oatmeal

I'm not a fan of oatmeal, but my 5 year old loves it. Not only does she ask for it for breakfast, but she loves it for a snack as well. We picked up a new brand to review this week. Wholesome happiness natural foods.  She loves the fruit and nuts within here and a majority of the ingredients are organic. Kid approved ✌🏻️

Organic full circle raspberry fruit spread

I'm not a fan of jelly or jam but my daughter loves it.  I bought some of this for her and being organic I didn't have to worry about any pesticides added ingredients in there.  She absolutely loves it and is always asking for more.  

Organic raspberries

If I had to describe these in one word I would use the word "yum"!!! I'm not a fan of frozen fruit at all. I always buy fresh fruit and nothing else but that.  However, these raspberries caught my eye.  I saw that they were organic and I thought I would try them. Let me tell you, they taste just like fresh raspberries! So delicious and bonus that they are organic! 

Puffins peanut butter cereal review

I picked up some of this puffins peanut butter cereal. It is DELICIOUS! Everyone in the family loves them. They taste like Reese's peanut butter cereal without the added junk since they are non gmo verified. Definitely worse trying! 

Several hours have passed since I ate these and I don't feel the slightest bit sick.  Yay for non gmo cereal

Organic skincare doctor tea tree oil body wash

Normally I use an all natural bar of body soap to wash my body, but when i saw this on sale for $7.99 I couldn't pass it up.

The tea tree oil actually really helped out my ezcema. It actually completely cleared it up.  Cost wise, I think a bar of soap is better, but for the price of this, it was quite the steal.

This tea tree body wash is made by "Organic Skincare Doctor" and includes natural ingredients such as tea tree oil obviously, aloe Vera juice, Apple fruit extract, which hazel leaf extract and peppermint oil.  Like all the washes I purchase it is free from sls, artificial colors and harsh preservatives.  It so doesn't have any parabens or phthalates in them.

8.5 ounce for pure goodness!  

Making Your Own Dishwashing Tablets

I have been making my own dishwashing tablets for my dishwasher for a while now.  No more chemical smell lingering in the air and it is a super cheap formula!  I absolutely love it!

You don't need many ingredients to make this formula and you most likely already have many of them in your house.

*Salt (Optional, only if you hard water)

*Vinegar

*Baking Soda

*Borax

*Essential Lemon Oil (Optional, but it smells amazing and adds antibacterial cleaning properties to your dishwasher)

*Ice Cube Tray

Mix two cups of the baking soda with an equal two cups of borax into a bowl.  Add a quarter cup of salt and a half cup of vinegar.  The mixture will harden up a little bit and clump together.  You can now add as much lemon oil to the mix as you would like.  I usually add 5-6 drops.  Make sure the dishwashing detergent  is fully mixed together.

Press a spoonful of the mix into the ice cube.  I would recommend filling them halfway full of the tablets will be too large.  Pop them out immediately, but very gently and allow them to dry for at least 12 hours before you use them.  I have tried leaving them in the ice cube tray to dry and then popped them out, but they tend to fall apart a lot easier.  It is important to be very gentle with these tabs because they are super fragile.

After the tablets are dry, put them in the soap area in your dishwasher and wash as normal.  I also add a splash of vinegar to the bottom of the dishwasher for an extra boost,  This comes to 7 cents a load!

Organic Penne

I just picked up this penne and we gave it a try last night for dinner.  It was really good!  I was amazed at how different it tasted than the regular store bought noodles.  They are made in Italy, so you know this Italian noodle has to be delicious and made with quality.  It was only a couple bucks for the box.  I was able to get a meal and a half for my family so I didn't think the price was too bad!  Feed your family organic and boost their health!

Raw Crunchy Organic Kale Review

I picked up some organic, vegan, gluten free Brad's raw crunchy kale the other day.  It was really delicious so I figured I would make a blogpost reviewing it.  Usually we make our own kale chips, but this was so much more convenient with excellent flavor.  I got the vampire killer flavor which was made and seasoned with sunflower seeds, cashews, vegan cheese and garlic.

It is non-GMO verified which is great.  My five year old and I really enjoyed this healthy snack.  I would definitely recommend picking this up as it is a decent price at the store as well.  We will definitely be buying this product from Brad's again.

Sanitize and Bleach Your Cloth Diapers Naturally With The Sun

Cloth diapering has really made a comeback within these last few years.  We cloth diaper for several reasons; it's cheaper, it's better for their skin and it's better for the environment.  The Honest Company does have nice chemical free diapers, but those too can be pricey for disposable.  With my first daughter I did a lot of the pocket diapers.  This time I'm using more prefolds with the covers.  My favorite brand so far are the rump-a-roos.  They tend not to leak and the elastic by the legs keeps the prefolds tucked in tightly.

Anyways, the sun has a natural way to bleach and sanitize your prefolds.  If you have any cloth diapers with stains, the sun will definitely get them out.

These are my cloth prefolds, right after washing.  As you can see, the poo stains are still there.  With the lighting, it is kind of hard to see, put if you look close enough they are definitely there.

Lay them in the sun for a few hours and they magically disappear!

I know a lot of mamas only sanitize and bleach their diapers once a week, but I do it every washing just so I'm left with white prefolds for the next changing.

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Organic Insecticide Review

Those are two words you probably never thought you would hear together "organic" and "insecticide".  Fortunately EcoSmart makes an organic pesticide that is safe around kids and pets as it is non toxic.  I was a little worried that this would be ineffective, but it turns out that it works out really great, especially on ants.  The main ingredients in this bug killer are peppermint and rosemary oil.  I love the fact that this is non toxic and you don't have to worry about inhaling toxic fumes.  I would give this spray a 5/5.

How to Properly Prepare a Placenta and Turn it Into Powder

In this blog post, I will teach you how to properly prepare a placenta and turn it into powder.  You can use that powder to make a lotion (great for stretch marks, nipple cream and diaper rash cream), to encapsulate it, or to mix the powder in with some of your smoothies.  If you are not going to consume your placenta raw, making a powder is a very good option.

Preparing a placenta is very easy to do and requires not much more effort than cooking a steak.

The first thing you want to do is to thaw the placenta out thoroughly.  To get the most out of your placenta, you will want to do this process within the first two weeks of delivery.  Thawing out the placenta usually takes a good 18-24 hours in the refrigerator.

Placenta completely thawed out.

The next thing you will want to do is make your placenta art work.  Some people prefer to put the cord down, and others the cord up.  Position the cord how you want it.  This may take several sheets of paper to complete as the first batch may be too soaked in blood.  You should use watercolor paper if you have it to get the best results.

Peel off the outer bag of the placenta and cut the cord off.

You will now want to rinse the placenta really well.  Not all of the blood will drain off, which is fine, but you will want to get the most of it off.

You will now want to take some skewer sticks or toothpicks and poke the veins to drain the veins. 

Rinse well again.

It should look similar to the picture above once the blood i completely drained and rinsed off.

There is a thin layer attached to the placenta that you will want to peel off before you cut it up.

Start cutting in thin strips.  The thinner you cut the placenta, the faster it will cook.  Place on your dehydrator.

The entire process takes about 12-24 hours to completely dehydrate.  It will look similar to beef jerky when it's finished.  You will know when it is done when it breaks like a chip.  You should not be able to bend it at all.

Place it in a coffee grinder and grind the cooked placenta pieces up into powder.  You can now do what you wish with the powder.  Put a teaspoon or two into a smoothie or make a cream with it!

Why I Ate My Placenta and Why You Should Too

It is pretty amazing that a human body can grow a whole entire organ in 9 months while pregnant.  There are many benefits to eating your placenta.  While some women eat their placenta raw, others prefer to encapsulate it.  Some people make art with their placenta and others will bury their placenta in their garden on the baby's first birthday to celebrate life.  

The placenta makes sure your baby is getting enough oxygen and nutrients during your pregnancy.  After pregnancy you will delivery our placenta and you may do as you wish with it as your body does not need it anymore.  Although your body doesn't need it internally, it can be a big help to consume it for many reasons.

-Increases milk supply.  Ingesting the placenta is known to increase the milk supply in a mother's breast milk.

-Increase red blood cells.  During birth we lose a lot of blood.  Ingesting our placenta will replace what we have lost so we don't become anemic.

-Increases energy levels.  Being a new mom, you may feel fatigued and have low energy.  Consuming your placenta will increase your energy levels so you can feel like a normal person again.

-Gets rid of postpartum depression.  Many new mothers will struggle with postpartum depression after they give birth.  The placenta will help this struggle.

It's strange to me that there aren't more people who don't ingest their placenta.  We are the only mammals on earth that don't regularly ingest our placentas.  I will be posting step by step instructions on how to properly prepare a placenta if you don't plan on eating it raw.

Birth Plan

It is important to have a birth plan in place whether you are delivering at a hospital or a birthing center.  A birth plan will let your midwife or doctor know what you want in regards to delivering your bundle of joy.  This is an example of my birth plan.  Feel free to copy it and/or change it up to better suit your desires.  I am happy to report my midwife had no problems with my birth plan and followed it to a T.

No pitocin

If C-section is necessary I’d like to make sure all other options have been exhausted.  My husband is to remain with me the entire time and for him to hold the baby as soon as possible, and I’d like to breastfeed in the recovery room.

I’d like to deliver the placenta without assistance from midwife when ready.  Do not rush delivery.

I’d like to keep the placenta after removal.  Please store in bags provided.

I'd like to hold my baby skin-to-skin immediately after delivery.

I’d like for my baby to stay in the same room with me, no nursery time.

I'd like to wait until the umbilical cord stops pulsating before it's clamped and cut and I’d like my husband to cut the cord.

If my baby must be taken from me to receive medical treatment, I'd like my husband to go with him or her.

I wish to birth in different positions as I see fit.

I plan to exclusively breastfeed my baby while in the hospital.

If my baby's a boy, I do not want him to be circumcised.

Pediatrician must examine baby in my room.

No bathing

No hat

No Vitamin K

No eye ointments

No hepatitis B vaccine

NO VACCINES PERIOD

Choosing a Midwife Over a Doctor

A week ago, I had a baby.  Her name is Lenora.  We had a tough time deciding on a name, but we were finally able to.  We wanted to keep with the J's and L's and finally came to an agreement on Lenora.  She is so sweet and sleeps all day long.  

The delivery was very unexpected.  I went in last Friday for a regular check up and they wanted to induce me early because of my high blood pressure.  After weighing out the pros and cons with my midwife we decided to go along with the induction.  My appointment was at 11:30 and the whole process started at 2:00 in the afternoon.  After I got to 7 cm dilated I opted for the epidural and started pushing at about 10:00 p.m.  I had my little girl at 12:13 a.m.  

The actual birth went along really nice.  With my midwife and a nurse being the only medical staff in the room, the dimmed lights and a peanut ball I was able to birth on my side instead of the traditional way on your back.  I really wanted to stand up, but it wasn't possible with my epidural.

Deciding between a midwife and a doctor is a big decision.  There are many benefits to hiring a midwife.

-Remember they work for you, not the other way around.  Doctors seem to want to push you into doing things you may not want to do.  With a midwife they are okay with you denying any tests you don't want to do as well as going along with your birth plan.  Midwives are much more laid back than doctors.  I decided not to drink the glucola drink to check my blood sugar levels, since that alone can give you gestational diabetes.  I also refused the pap smear and pelvic exam, like I always have.  My midwife was perfectly fine with that as it can lead to infections and rupture cancer cells which can ultimately lead to cervical cancer.

-Midwives use a more natural approach.  They will first try to diagnose any issues you have and cure them with natural remedies.  After all of the natural ways have been exhausted, they will then give you a prescription if you choose to go that route.

-Midwives can deliver at home or in the hospital.  You choose the setting you want and the midwife will help deliver the baby where you want them to.

-In America only about 3% of the population uses a midwife.  That means 97% of patients use a doctor for the birth of their children.  America has the highest still birth death rate.  Many countries that uses strictly midwives have very little still births.

-C section rates are much higher with regular doctors.

-Midwives rarely induce.  Unless you have a medical issues like I did, midwives will rarely induce labor.  They believe in the mom's ability to go into labor naturally.  You wouldn't believe all the stories I have heard of doctors inducing patients early just because they are heading on vacation or want to have their baby on a certain date.  Inductions definitely increase the chances of a C-section.

Here is a picture of my baby :) I just did her newborn pictures a few days ago.  I'm anxious to post them!

Free Sweet Orange Oil

Back in January, Barefut oils offered a sweet orange for free.  They are now offering this oil free again in addition to the Nature blend.  Stop on over to Barefut oils and get your free oil.  Simply pay for shipping.  There are many great benefits to sweet orange oil that will be beneficial for you.  To make this oil, the part of the fruit that is used is the peel as it is pressed.  I love using it for cleaning and it blends well in a diffuser with grapefruit oil, if you choose to diffuse your citrus oils.  Many people prefer not to diffuse citrus as it breaks down the plastic.

Free Oil - Nature Blend

Another free oil this month from Barefut Oils; nature blend.  The blend includes balsam fir, scotch pine and cedarwood.  This blend is said to help with skin conditions, metabolism and other health issues.  It also decreases stress and increases a better and more positive attitude and mood.  The antibacterial properties in this blend are so great it would make for a good cleaner as well.

I am really excited to try out this new oil.  I have never tried this blend before so it will be a new one for me.  The last few free oils from this company have been a citrus type, which is great, but it is also great to have change as well.  Also, they say that citrus essential oils break down the plastic, so I haven't been using them in my diffuser as much as I've been applying them on directly.

Head on over to get your Nature Blend for free and pay $3.99 for shipping.

Gardening Progress

It is important that we eat our fruits and vegetables, but it is also important that we know where our produce is coming from.  If we grow our own produce, it ensures us that we know exactly what we are eating and they are grown without the need of pesticides.  This year we built our own garden bed out of some 2x4 pieces of wood.  It turned out nice, but it is a bit smaller than I hoped it would be.  Next year I want to built another the same size right next to it.

We kept the same herb garden we have always had.  In there we have some chives, green onions, garlic and basil.  I am still trying to grow grass around in the rest of the old garden area.

I also planted my strawberries in a pallet this year.  It worked pretty well and I have more strawberries coming up than ever before.  Of course, they have been running so I definitely should have more strawberries each year.

In my new garden bed I have a few different varieties of tomatoes and peppers as well as green beans and beans.  I also have some broccoli and cauliflower.  I am trying my luck with some brussels sprouts this year as well.  This is my first year with the brussels so I am anxious to see if I have any luck with them.  

My garden is looking pretty good.  All of the seeds have turned into actual plants and it looks like we will be in for a great season!

Why I Didn't Change My Last Name And Why I Regret Getting Married

This really doesn't have anything to do with living free from chemicals, but I thought I'd blog on the topic anyways.

I am married.

I didn't change my last name.

Did you know that over 92% of women change their last names when they get married?  Why?  I don't understand the logic behind it.

There are many reasons why I didn't change my last name.  One of the many reasons is because my last name defines who I am.  When I give up my last name, I give up everything that I have worked for in the past 22 years.  Your last name is part of your identity and I wasn't ready to give that up just because I got married.

As mentioned above, 92% of women change their last names.  I am so sick of the cultural obligations that we are pushed to follow through with. Why is it that women are pushed to change their last names?  What about men?  What happened to equality?  Why isn't there any push for men to change their last name?  What if the man and woman hyphenated their names?  Would that be more acceptable?  It sounds like a bigger pain to me but would that make them more unified?  Why can't people just realize that they are their own person and keep their own last name as it was intended?

Someone once said to me that it would confuse the children.  I think kids have a lot more to worry about than a mom who teaches them to think for themselves instead of being a follower.


The second point is that I regret getting married.  I didn't even want to in the first place and I am disappointed in myself for giving in to the peer pressure.  It was mostly my family that wanted me to get married since we had kids.  I was sick of the constant asking and nagging when we are going to get married.  I tried putting it off for as long as possible thinking that they'd stop asking, but they never did.  We wanted to do common law marriage, but unfortunately it is still illegal in Wisconsin.

So here I am, for the last five years, tied to the state with a contract I signed.  When you sign a marriage license you are contracted to your husband AND to the state.  Once you sign that marriage license your children become property of the state.  You no longer own your kids.  You are still able to raise them and maintain custody of them, but they aren't legally yours anymore.  I actually thought about just getting divorced but unfortunately, once you sign the marriage license, it is too late to go back.  Even if you do get divorced, your contract is simply modified, but it is still in place.  Instead of having a contract between you, your husband and the state, it becomes one between you and the state.

It is a twisted trinity, with the state on top instead of God.  That is not how it was ever intended to be.  Even if you do get married in a church, by a pastor, they still put the state on top.

It makes me sick to my stomach thinking about it and I really wish I would have never followed through with it.  If you are thinking about getting married, rethink the decision before you do.

Free Barefut Oil - Grapefruit

Barefut Oils has changed their free oil again.  Right now, the free oil is grapefruit.  I actually almost bought a grapefruit at my local health food store the other day, but am glad I waited.  Now I'll have my own free grapefruit oil.  Just pay $3.99 for shipping!  Grapefruit oil has many benefits including it being rich in antioxidants, great for acne, works amazing as a disinfectant and great for muscle stiffness.  Grapefruit oil also boosts the immune system.  Head on over to the website to order your free oil before the month of May is over.

How to Make Your Own Almond Milk

As kids we were all forced to drink a cup of milk at dinner.  I remember it as a kid.  I could not stand the taste of milk and would often times sit at the table well beyond the time my family was done eating just to try to drink my glass of milk.  "It is good for your teeth and bones," my mom would say.  However, did you know that it actually does the opposite of what it's supposed to?  Cow's milk actually makes us calcium deficient.  Since milk is alkaline, when we ingest it becomes acidic, breaking away all the calcium it had in the first place.  We still do drink cow's milk from time to time.  My daughter requests it as a special treat when we go out to dinner and we enjoy it in a bowl of cereal every so often, but we try not to make a habit of drinking it.  There are much better choices.

Cow's milk was intended to be for baby cows, but overtime people have been drinking it.  Cow's milk is so terrible for you, even the organic milk.  It is filled with pus and even though it is heated, it is not clear, so you are literally drinking dead pus cells.  Dairy in general is not good for your body and if you limit your intake, you will notice a drastic change in your body overtime.    A better choice would be coconut or almond milk.  The problem with store bought almond milk is that it only contains a few almonds and it has more sugar in it than what you would expect.  Making your own almond milk is by far the healthiest choice.  You only need a couple things to make the almond milk:

-water
-cheesecloth or a nut bag
-blender
-raw almonds

First, you will want to soak the almonds in some water overnight.  This will soften them up and loosen up the toxins.  The next morning, rinse the almonds well with some tap water.  You don't want to use the water you rinsed them in because you are trying to drain out all of the toxins.

Next, add water and the nuts to your blender.  I use about 1 cup of raw almonds to 4 cups or water.  Blend until it is smooth.

You will then want to take your cheesecloth or your nut bag and pour your milk into it, straining out all of the almond pulp.  There are lots of recipes you can use with the pulp, or you can just toss it.  Once almond pieces are out, that's it!  You can now drink your delicious almond milk.  Enjoy!

Free Cedarwood Oil

Barefut Oils has a free cedarwood oil this month.  It isn't the best smelling one for the diffuser, but it is a great way to repel ticks or to mix with your bug spray while camping.  We make our own homemade bug spray using eucalyptus, cedarwood, peppermint, lemongrass and rosemary.  I can post the recipe in the nearby future if I have anyone who is interested.  Stop on over to Barefut Oils and order your free cedarwood oil.  They usually have two free oils for the month, so be sure to order your oil before the new free oil comes out.

New Oil This Month LAST DAY

Sorry that it has been a while since I have blogged.  I've been busy preparing for the new baby and keeping my five year old busy with various activities.  This month Barefut Oils had two free oils again.  At the beginning of the month the oil was clementine and now it is Energy Eternity blend.  I am really excited to get this blend as it is blended with rosemary, eucalyptus, peppermint and lemon.  This should be a nice one in the diffuser.  Today is the last day to order this free oil of the month so get it now while it is still free!  Tomorrow there will be a new free oil.

Free Oil of the Month: Lime

Barefut Oils company is yet again giving away a free oil this month as long as you pay the $3.95 for shipping.  I got mine in the mail a few days ago.  The original price is $13.69 for this oil so getting it free is quite the steal.  This month it is a 15 ml lime oil.  It smells like the other citrus oils; just like the fruit and without that chemical smell.

Lime essential oil has many benefits including increasing a person's appetite, preventing and treating viral infections, reducing joint pain and boosting person's immune system.  If applied to the skin, with a carrier oil of course, it can fight off an infection caused by a wound.

Check out Barefut oils and order your lime today!

Why is There Bleach in Our Dishwasher Soap?

Before I started making my own dishwasher soap I tried to get soap that would properly clean my dishes, but one that had less chemical ingredients in it as well.  I found this one and since I was in a hurry I just grabbed it.  It is Palmolive brand and since it is phosphate free and eco friendly I thought it would be safe.  At the time, I didn't even think about looking at the ingredient list.

Recently I spilled something on my stove and nothing was cutting through the grease so I tried this soap right on the stove.  I grabbed  towel and scrubbed it.  After washing it, I realized that my towel was stained!  THIS DISHWASHER SOAP BLEACHED MY TOWEL! WHY is there bleach in our dishwasher soap????

I checked the ingredient list on the back and there was none.  I tried researching the ingredients online and couldn't find the full ingredient list but I did find that there was ammonia in there. This is a problem.

The Cause of Peanut Allergies

I recently saw a post that stated, "Why can't I bring peanut butter to school, but you can bring preventable disease?" This statement just basically contradicts itself.  I guess I should call it a question, but I know their intent.  They were trying to make it a statement.

The person who posted this is absolutely correct!  We should definitely keep those who are vaccinated out of schools.  According to the inserts right from the manufacturers, vaccines shed and they are getting healthy unvaccinated children sick.  Vaccinations cause outbreaks not healthy kids without diseases.

Secondly, your vaccinations cause peanut allergies in the first place!

The main reason why so many kids are allergic to peanuts is because they are injected with the vaccination which has peanut oil in it at such a early age.  They have been using peanut oil in vaccinations since the 1960's.  You can look up the statistics, but before this era it was extremely rare for people to have peanut allergies.  Now it seems like half of the children in America have this type of allergy.  Many people suffer from this allergy so terribly that they need an Epi-pen.

Injecting the child with peanut oil at such a early age causes hypersensitivity in the child.  This will cause a person to be allergic to peanuts for a lifetime.  It's not a risk I would be taking.

Anti Vax Stickers FREE - Just pay for shipping

I just received about 150 of these awesome anti vaccine stickers in the mail for free as well as a 5 piece logo to stick on my car to spread the word about the dangers of vaccines!  I plan to give some of the stickers away to a close friend who also refuses vaccines as well as stick them on my mail when they go out.  I am especially excited to put one on a medical bill and send that along in the mail.  I know more healthcare workers are opening up to the idea of the dangers of vaccines, but there are still many people that still choose to inject their children with poisons.  If you are interested in a free set of stickers for yourself or a car piece head over to the site here and contact them asking for the stickers.

http://www.vaclib.org/

Honey and Lavender as a Facial Cleanser

Cetaphil, Deep Clean Neutrogena, Clean and Clear foaming, Clean and Clear deep action, Clean and Clear Advantage are just a FEW of the many facial cleansers that I have used in my early teen years.  My acne never improved.  In fact, over the years it actually got worse.  Why?  Because all of these "facial cleansers" have nothing but garbage in them.  Chemical and chemical after chemical.  It's no wonder I had all the skin problems I did.  I tried all of the kits with the cleanser, black head scrubber, toner, and moisturizer and that made problems worse.

In my teen years, I figured out that I was allergic to perfumes and artificial fragrances.  I eliminated all of that out and tried a few natural facial cleansers at my local health food store.  Nothing was as effective as my honey/lavender mixture.

I have found all natural RAW honey mixed with a good quality of essential oil to be an amazing facial cleanser.  Make sure it is local.

For a toner I use Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar.  It is raw and unfiltered and definitely better than the cheaper apple cider vinegar you would find on the shelf.

I did actually hear that you need a moisturizer to train your skin to produce the right kind of oils.  It also protects your face.  I have always hated the way moisturizer felt on my face, but the natural moisturizer is definitely the way to go!  For a moisturizer I use a little bit of coconut oil.  You really don't need a lot, because a little goes a long ways!

So there you have it- a great facial treatment for any skin type is honey/lavender as a cleanser, apple cider vinegar as a toner and a coconut oil as a moisturizer.

I have noticed great improvement in my skin's appearance in just a short amount of time with this method.  I still do have skin problems including acne, but it is much more controlled now that it ever has been.

My Expanding Oil Collection

I have been using eucalyptus oil for about 4 or 5 years now in replace of VICKS when I feel congested.  However, over the past year I have been exploring in other oils as well.  I made my own bug spray last year, which is pretty costly but it' a lot better than spraying the chemical filled spray onto my skin.

My collection is growing rapidly.  I love using orange and lemon in my diffuser when I'm cleaning as it leaves my house with a clean scent.

Lavender is one of my favorites for relaxation.  Running this essential oil through my diffuser puts me to sleep quickly and peacefully.

I'm looking into getting a few blends including "clear air" which purifies the air.  It's great during this cold season!

I personally like the NOW brand.  It is more affordable than most brands, yet it is made with superb quality.  I have done my research and won't buy the cheaper oil brands, yet I find Young Living extremely expensive.  It is almost triple the cost of NOW and provides you with the same benefits.

Below is a view of my oil collection.  What are your favorite oils and what brand do you prefer?

What are some of your favorite essential oils?

Babies Are Born Perfect Already. Please Keep Them That Way

Circumcision.

I have been wanting to blog about this topic for a while now, but avoided it since it is pretty controversial.  I also recently found out that I am having a little girl, not a boy.  This takes the heat off of me since I WOULD NEVER  cut my innocent child.  I am thankful that I do not have to get bullied by doctors about this, however, I am still extremely passionate about this topic.  I will continue to influence uneducated mothers about this.

WHY  do moms insist on circumcising their infants?

WHY is it considered socially normal to circumcise a baby boy? I DON'T get it!

"It's just a little cut" I recently heard. WRONG! "A little cutting?!?!!" I wanted to scream back.

You do realize they used to circumcise girls, right?  That's right. Genital cutting of little girls used to be legal in the USA.  They have now made it illegal in America, but continue to cut boys.  Why??? Why can we mutilate boys but not girls?
Also, if girls can keep themselves clean, why can't boys?

Reasons why I feel circumcision is wrong???

It is NOT your body. Mothers make the choice everyday whether they want to cut their little boy or not. They make the choice for their little one.  How is this fair at all for the little one?  Once they are cut, there is no going back. It is not the mom's body!!!! Who owns the body and what rights does the baby have?  If you cut him, that innocent baby will be forever altered.

It's all a guess. There is no scientific way for the doctor to properly circumcise a baby.  It is all a guessing game.  Doctors can cut too much or too little and this leads to my next point.  This causes problems.

Circumcision causes problems Not just for the child as an infant, but for them as an adult as well.  Infections,  gastric rupture, loss of oxygen, injuries from the clamp, and even death can occur.  Infants who are circumcised sleep more often than normal uncircumcised babies and they also may develop colic.

It's not pain free Pain from circumcision can last 7-10 days. Infants are strapped down and the foreskin is literally ripped from the glans.  It has been determined that infants who are circumcised also have a lower pain tolerance threshold.

The baby was already made perfect. Foreskin is not a birth defect.  The baby was born with it for a reason.  Your baby was already born perfect. Why mess with the perfect body God already gave him??? Would you do surgery on a perfectly healthy child? Of course not, it's not logical.  Well, how come millions of parents are doing it everyday?

Most importantly, the bible does not want us to circumicse. That's right all of your religious nuts!  You simply believe what people tell you.  How about you read the bible yourself?


Galatians 5:2 "Mark my words! I, Paul tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all."

Galatians 5:3 "For I testify to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law."

Galatians 6:13 "And even those who advocate circumcision don't keep the whole law themselves.  They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples."

Philippians 3:2-3 "Look out for the dogs.  Look out for the evildoers.  Look out for those who mutilate the flesh.  For we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh."

Titus 1: 10-11 " For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain."


I could go on... 1 Corinthians 7:17,  Galatians 5:11-12.


Doctors push this because there are products made and sold to us with baby's foreskin.  For every circumcision they do, they make money.  SICK. It's all a money maker and a game to them.

There are many useful resources out there, but one short video I can suggest watching is "Elephant in the Hospital".

Baby cutters.....I will never understand them or the cultural ignorance. Please, if you are currently expecting and are thinking about circumcision, do some research and keep your baby intact.

STOP INFANT CIRCUMCISION!!!

Lemon Honey Throat Drops

I've been sick these last few days with a miserable sore throat and a stuffy nose.  It is awful.  I made my own throat drops instead of relying on Halls and they work fabulous.  They give me relief so I'm not constantly coughing.  You probably know that honey has great medicinal benefits for you, however, in this case it is really not about that.  In this recipe you have to bring the honey to a boiling point and when you do that you take out all the medicinal value of the honey.  It still has great flavor though and is very soothing.

You will need a half cup of honey, 2/3 cup of sugar (I used xylitol to help with my teeth) and 2 tablespoons of water.  You will also need the zest of one lemon.  Be sure when you are skinning the zest off that you only get the yellow lemon skin and not the white part of it because it will be bitter.

Mix the three ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat, cover the pan and wait until the mixture reaches about 265 degrees.  If you have a candy thermometer, great!  If not, you can look up how to do the cold water test, which is what I did.  I would recommend a candy thermometer as it is more accurate though.  Once it reaches this degree, remove the cover and allow it to cool down for about five minutes.  This will give the mixture time to thicken.

Drop dab of this mixture onto your wax paper and allow to cool and harden for about 20 minutes.  They turned out great and have a bit of a lemon and honey flavor to them.

Sorry about the poor image quality.  My kitchen lights burnt out so I had to make this under my microwave light and a lantern :)

Barefut Oils Free Oil of the Month

Every month, Barefut oils gives away a free oil.  All you have to do is pay the $3.95 for shipping.  This month the free oil is sweet orange.  Normally this oil is over $13 so getting it for just under $4 is a great deal.  It is 100% pure and undiluted and is a 15 ml size, which is a decent size.  I got mine in the mail and absolutely love the scent!  It smells so real without the chemicals hidden inside.  100% pure orange oil.

My favorite benefit of the orange oil is the anti-inflammation properties which help relieve inflammation both inside and outside.  It is also a great natural anti-depressent and anti-septic.  I have noticed great relief in digestion and has been known to help cure constipation as well.  Orange is definitely one that I love to have in my oil collection.

Head over to Barefut oils this before the end of January to get your free orange oil and stay tuned as to what free oil will be offered for the month of February.

It's a Girl!

We are having another little girl.  I am excited I can buy more pink.  I had an ultrasound last friday where it was determined that I am carrying a girl.  The little stinker didn't want to open her legs so it was hard to get a good view, but it was finally determined towards the end of the ultrasound and the technician said she is 99% sure.  I got a cute ultrasound picture as well.  Wasn't able to get the entire face because she was facing my spine.  It is amazing how they can do the 4d pictures now.

Bathroom Cleaner - Simply Safe

Clorox, Lysol and Scrubbing Bubbles...These were the chemicals I used to use to clean my bathroom. Did they do a great job? Yes! Did they kill all the germs? Most likely, yes! Were they free of chemicals and safe for your body? Absolutely NOT!

Every time I used these bathroom cleaners my eyes would burn, my throat felt as if I couldn't breathe and I had a sore throat for days.  Most people clean their bathrooms every week or every other week, which made for many sore throats!  I also developed a painfully itchy rash on my wrists and hands from being exposed to these chemicals.  I was to the point where my husband was forced to clean the bathroom, and after he did, I would have to use the spare bathroom for two days because of the lingering smell that would still irritate my skin and my eyes.  My body definitely disapproved of these products.  What was causing these reactions?

There are chemicals found in these popular products that are banned in Europe if they contain more than 3% of the chemical.  These products contain more than 10% of the chemical and are known to cause inflammation of the lungs.  Now, the whole sore throat thing is really making sense!

Butoxydiglycol, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, Cocamidopropylamine oxide, dimethylethylbenzyl ammonium chloride.  Try saying these ingredients out loud.  Can you pronounce any of these chemicals?  My rule is, if you can't properly pronounce every ingredient in the list, you should not be using it.

What is a safer and healthier alternative?   Simply Safe.

Do the benefits outweigh the risks? YES!!!

I have been using "Simply Safe" bathroom cleaner.  Purified water, non-ionic surfactants, preservative, fragrance oils and other organic ingredients are the ingredients.  Those ingredients sound much better and the scent is so light I can barely smell it when it is used but it does a fantastic job!

I would definitely recommend this brand!

Natural Bar Soap For Sensitive Skin - Magnesium Soap

Magnesium is said to be a great supplement against to fight against eczema.  I do take it in liquid form, but there is just something different about applying it to the skin and it works so much better!

After I had all the knowledge I do now about chemical free soap, I switched to Kiss My Face soap and they had many great natural scents.  I still love the soap, but since my recent eczema break out, I have found something else a little more beneficial for my skin.  The soap is called Magnesium Soap by the brand Life Flo.

It is made of coconut, palm, avocado oil and castor seed.  There are also magnesium chloride flakes, clay and rosemary oil extract.  I am really impressed with the ingredients and love how it makes my skin feel.  There is no scent to this soap as it is great for those with sensitive skin. If you suffer from eczema, I would definitely recommend going this route!

The Peer Pressure Starts Young...

I can't tell you how many times my daughter was offered candy or junk food in the last 24 hours.

We went to the post office and the man being the counter said, "Do you want a sucker?"
Luckily, I have a daughter who knows how awful this junk food is for you so she declined.

We then went to go visit a lady from church and her husband offered my daughter a Starburst.  "We don't give her candy." I politely responded.  "You don't?!?! Why not?"

Then, at school today she her friend offered her gum.  Her other friends were telling her that candy is okay to eat.  My daughter tried to convince them that it is not okay and is bad for your health and teeth. Her friends obviously won the battle because it was all of them against one.

Why don't parents teach their kids better eating habits?  I assume they get the eating habits from their parents, but when does the vicious cycle end?  Do they not realize the damage they are doing to their bodies and to their long term health?  It's like giving your kids junk food these days is so common.   Please tell me I'm not the only one that thinks this way.