Homemade Carpet Deodorizer!

So I'll start out by saying that I normally am NOT the "clean freak" of the house.

Anyone who knows our family knows that my husband normally assumes that role.

But I'm trying to be better and have a different household cleaning chore each day on my list to do....whether or not I actually get that chore accomplished is another story!

ANYWAY, I reeeeally needed to vacuum today.  My 8 month old has just started crawling and I know that means he'll find countless crumbs and tiny toys that will go straight into his mouth.

Growing up, one of my chores was vacuuming.  (Hated chores)  And we always had some type of powdered carpet deodorizer to sprinkle all over the carpets before we'd vacuum.  I love the way the rooms smell after doing that!

However, those powders contain chemicals that are dangerous to inhale!  AAAnnddd....if you've ever used them, you'll know it's almost impossible not to inhale it while you're sprinkling it out!

SO, here's a very easy, very quick way to make your own using essential oils and baking soda!

This is completely customizable, use whatever Young Living essential oils you have on hand!

What you need:

• 1 Cup of Baking Soda

• 5 Drops of Young Living Essential Oil of your choice

• Container - I used an empty parmesan cheese container!  

*You can also use a mason jar with holes drilled into the lid.

*Or you can just put a piece of cardboard or cardstock or a paper bag scrap with holes punched in it and use it as a lid.

*Or you can use an old carpet deodorizer container!

*OR...use whatever else you might have that you can sprinkle powder out of!


Directions:

*Pour your baking soda into the container (You might need a funnel for this)


*Drop in your oil(s) of choice.

*And SHAKE!  Make sure it's mixed well, and there are no clumps.

Now sprinkle all over your carpets that your about to vacuum, let it sit a while if you can, then VACUUM it all up!

My house smells SOOOOO good right now!

I chose to use Purification, well, because I LOVE how it smells.
It is actually formulated to get rid of odor!  

If you diffuse it, any unwanted smells will be obliterated.
  
And if you put it in your carpet deodorizer, it will make your house smell amazing :)

I'll probably do Christmas Spirit next time!

Or Thieves!  That'll help kill any yucky stuff hanging around too.

Oh, or Peppermint!  

Ok...I'll probably use them all eventually :)


  

A Day with Essential Oils

Ok.  So during my Frankincense Giveaway, I received some feedback from friends and readers about the direction of my future essential oils posts.

Based on the feedback, I will be starting a series on the 11 essential oils that come in the Premium Starter Kit!

This will give you a better idea of the different ways you will be able to use the oils in your home!

I'll start by just giving you a glance into how we are using them on an everyday basis (assuming we're all healthy and not fighting any colds!)

Wake up.

*I get the family's vitamins out and take my daily capsule  of Peppermint, Lemon, and Frankincense.

I take the Peppermint and Lemon together to boost my metabolism and help to lose weight!  I've already lost a few pounds with almost no effort :)

I have started taking Frankincense for the amazing health benefits.  It is wonderful at supporting the immune system and is being tested for many other benefits!  

*Put a drop of Lemon in my water.

I usually drink water with whatever I'm eating and I like to put a drop or two of Lemon in it.  It also helps to kick-start my metabolism (especially on an empty stomach), it keeps my clear of mucous, detoxifies my body, AND tastes fresh :)

While the kids are sitting down for breakfast

*I try and remember to rub a drop of Thieves on all of our feet once or twice a day, ESPECIALLY during the colder months!

Afternoon Tension or Sinus Issues?

My headaches aren't showing up nearly as often as they used to, but when they do, I head to by oils basket.

If I feel like it's a sinus issue, (it usually is) then I rub R.C. into my temples, the bridge of my nose, forehead, and the sinus area around my cheeks.  I then rub it into the back of my neck.

I follow that with Peppermint oil, being careful not to get it into my eyes!  It's so strong that I usually need to keep my eyes closed for a few seconds...or at least look really dumb squinting until it passes :)

If the discomfort feels more tension related, I will use PanAway in place of the R.C. and use it the same way before I layer Peppermint after it.

I wrote a detailed post regarding headaches here.

Ouchie!

Have I mentioned I have 3 kids?  We see our fair share of booboo's and I don't have your typical first aid products to pull from anymore!  

For the kids, I know that Lavender is mild enough that I don't need to worry about diluting it.  So that's my "go-to" for the kids' owies. 

Lavender can help promote the natural healing process and it's really well known for the alleviating skin irritations...especially due to coming in contact with HOT surfaces!

I will also go to Frankincense for this purpose, but I usually only use that on Chris and I.

Skin irritation

Noelle has bad eczema.  It goes up and down, but we've battled her poor red, bumpy, itchy, burny skin since she was a baby.

We do have prescription ointment to use on her eczema patches, but we are transitioning to Lavender instead.

I just take a drop and rub it into her red patches!

For my skin irritations, I use Frankincense.  It's great for almost anything skin related.  I'll rub a drop into a any areas that need some help!

Tummy Troubles :(

So now that we are doing our best to keep dairy and gluten out of the girls' diet, we don't see digestive upsets as much.  However, we do see temporary constipation or other irritability sometimes. 

For any type of stomach issues: cramps, nausea, indigestion, etc, I use Peppermint.  I also use DiGize, which is a blend specifically formulated for anything digestion related, but if you get the starter kit, you'll for sure have the Peppermint on hand!

If they can stand it, place a drop of Peppermint under their tongue (it's too strong for Noelle but Joy likes it).  You can also put a drop in a little bit of milk or water.

I'll then dilute the Peppermint with a carrier oil and rub it into their tummy...wherever it's bothering them!

Also inhale the oil.  Rub a drop between your hands and have them breath deeply.

I follow the same steps if it's my tummy we're talking about!  But I don't dilute the Peppermint when I use it topically.

Sinus/Lung/Throat Support

Ok, so sometimes a part of our everyday life is the icky part of it.

So.  If we need some support for lung or sinus function, we usually use R.C.  This oil is not in the starter kit, but we will never be without it!  If you don't have R.C., you can use Peppermint or even Frankincense.  Dilute it with a carrier oil and rub it on your little one's chest and back.

Rub a drop or two into their feet and put socks on.

For an older child, you might be able to rub Peppermint on the sinuses of the face like I mentioned above for sinus discomfort...make sure they're old enough not to get it in their eyes. (I do this for Joy, she's 4)

This should help lung function as well.

Definitely diffuse it!!!

For a sore throat, I've found the best thing is to gargle a drop of Thieves in water or milk and swallow.  Joy will even do this!  (Although Chris hates it)
Another option is to mix a couple drops of Thieves in an ounce of water (in a GLASS spray bottle) and spray it in the throat.

You can also rub Thieves or Purification on you throat at the first sign of it.

I follow all these steps with the kids or us adults, but I generally don't dilute the R.C. or Peppermint before rubbing it on my or Chris's chest.

Bedtime.

The kids and I are really enjoying our new bedtime routine.
Once we're all set and ready to climb into bed, we sit and rub Peace&Calming and Thieves into their feet.  We talk about our day and what we're going to dream about and our plans for the next day.

After they climb into their beds, I come in and massage Lavender onto their backs.  Both Peace&Calming and Lavender are very calming.  It can really help them (along with a super relaxing massage) to wind down and get ready for sleep.  And I LOVE the smell of both of them!  And I try and get that one or two application of Thieves onto all of us each day to help our immune systems!

Other ways we use Young Living products in our home.

*Right now we have Thieves foaming hand soap at each of our sinks which I LOVE!

*I also use Young Living's Thieves Household Cleaner.  You can use it for EVERYTHING that you clean in your house!  I will not buy another cleaner....not for the floors, the carpets, the bathrooms, or windows.  I use it for everything and it's obviously NOT TOXIC!  I don't have to worry about my kids sniffing fumes!

*I use Rosemary essential oil in my apple cider vinegar hair "conditioner". It is really great for the scalp.

*IF we're needing an immune system boost during the colder months, Chris and I take a capsule with several drops of Thieves, a few of Frankincense, and a couple drops of Lemon a few times per day!

*To remove super pesky sticky labels, (or stickers that your children have put on your sliding glass door) just rub a drop (or less) of Lemon on it and let it sit for a minute.  I swear it works better than Goo Gone!  

*Swirl a "toothpick" of Peppermint into my hot cocoa!  It's so yummy! **for a toothpick amount, simply stick the toothpick into the oil stopper!  Swirl it around in your hot cocoa....or you can just use a whole drop of you like it more minty!

*I put 3 drops of Purification in a squirt bottle and add a few ounces of water and use as an air freshener and bug repellant!

*Put 3 drops of Thieves into a glass bottle with a few ounces of water and spray it on anything you want to disinfect!

*I haven't had a chiropractic adjustment for a few months, but the next time I do, I'll be rubbing Valor into my back and feet.  It can make the adjustment last longer!  Valor is actually nicknamed "A Chiropractor in a Bottle."

*I get achy knees and legs.  I know, I'm not even 30, I shouldn't have achy legs!  But I have gotten them for a long time and I don't know why.  Usually the ONLY way to get relief is Motrin.  But rubbing PanAway into my knees usually takes care of it now!!!

*I've also been trying to do a 30 day plank challenge.  Well...my youngest is 8 months old and apparently my abdominal muscles are still pretty darn weak...which causes my back to hurt after a plank.  I rub PanAway (or my husband does ;) into my lower back and it goes away pretty quick.

So there's a very brief list of ways that we use essential oils in our home every day.  But every day I find new ways to use them!  And better yet, I find ways to get rid of the toxic products in our home and replace them with these all natural, super beneficial oils!

If you are looking for accessories to use with your oils, such as glass squirt bottles, glass roll-on bottles, glass sample bottles, droppers, or vegetable capsules, check out abundanthealth4u.com.  That's where I get all mine and they are very reasonably priced!  They have sooo many products to help you on your essential oils journey!!

    ***I am in no way affiliated with abundanthealth4u.com, I am simply sharing where I get my accessories!


Read How we use Thieves Blend
How we use Peppermint Essential Oil 
How we use PanAway Essential Oil 


Other posts to check out:
How to buy your starter kit
How to battle a headache with essential oils
How to fight a cold with essential oils




  Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of my own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Frankincense GIVEAWAY! {Ended}

Giveaway has ENDED!

And the winner is......

Amy Adelseck!! 
Amy, contact me with your choice of either Frankincense or Sacred Frankincense!  Congratulations!!! 


So in this post, I mentioned that I'd be doing a giveaway soon!

And thanks to Young Living's November promotion, I have two free 5ml bottles of essential oils!

I have a bottle of Frankincense and
A bottle of Sacred Frankincense.

The winner of the giveaway will get to choose which Frankincense they'd like sent to them!!

Before we get into the giveaway details, let me tell you a little bit about Frankincense and how both of these Frankincense oils can benefit you and your family.

Frankincense
This Frankincense is the Boswellia carteri species and it is actually a resin obtained from the tree.  It has a sweet, warm, balsamic aroma that can be helpful in stimulating our minds and can help with focus.

It obviously has ancient origins as we remember it's what the wise men brought baby Jesus!

Young Living believes that they brought either this species of Frankincense, or the species that they extract their Sacred Frankincense from that was actually presented as the gift to Christ!



Sacred Frankincense

This oil is obtained from the Boswellia sacra tree and is distilled in Oman!  Its aroma is slightly softer and sweeter than that of the other Frankincense oil. 

**If you have sensitive skin, this oil is slightly milder on skin than the other. 

There are current studies that are showing that the Boswellia sacra species is more effective at cancerous tumor fighting than Boswellia carteri! 


So, how can Frankincense benefit you and your family?

 

Fight colds and flu
-Frankincense is super antibacterial, it can be taken in capsules a few times a day and rubbed on your feet to fight off whatever bacteria is causing you to feel unwell.
 

Clean cuts and scrapes
-wonderful for killing germs in wounds and promoting healing


Reduce wrinkles
-rub on your face to help fade wrinkles!
   *Some women (or men) make Frankincense a daily regimen for their face.  It can really improve the look and feel of the skin.


Banish skin warts, spots, stretch marks, and blemishes
!-apply to skin abnormalities daily to reduce spots and marks, and warts will usually just fall off after continuous application


Relieve itchy skin
-Apply to itchy patches of skin.
   I actually used this!  I have a patch of skin under my wedding ring that occasionally gets a rash.  It is itchy, red, and irritated.  I applied Frankincense for a couple days and it healed!


Oral care
-great for rinsing in the mouth to kill bacteria!

Enhance vision
-Ok, this is crazy.  You can apply Frankincense to the cheek and brow bones (NEVER put oils in your eye!) daily.  After a period of doing this for months, many people have eliminated the need for reading glasses!!!

-Also, you can rub a drop of oil in your hands, then cup them over your eye for 3 minutes and repeat that 2-3 times per day.  This can improve peripheral vision!
 Please note that I said "months."  This isn't an instant result!

Improve Concentration
-Rub on your temples to help you concentrate!

Brittle Nails
-Apply to your nails daily to help strengthen them!

Overall Health
-I have started adding a couple drops of Frankincense to my daily capsule for my health.  With all the things it can assist my body with, why wouldn't I???

***Please remember that this is ONLY recommended for use with Young Living Essential Oils!  It is NOT the same as oils from the health food store!


How not to use Frankincense
Anyone interested in essential oils will notice that there is a "spiritual side" that many use them for.  While I DO believe that these have the ability to assist in COUNTLESS areas of our lives, I do not believe that we should look to them for assistance in our spiritual lives.

Christ has overcome all for us.  And I think that if we are looking to something that He created for our ultimate fulfillment, instead of the Creator Himself, then we are looking in the WRONG place.  I don't use or recommend using essential oils for help in prayer, meditation, uplifting your soul, or any other like terms that you might see.  

That is a matter of the heart and bringing in anything else is opening up the door to "new age" spiritualism.

"His divine power has granted us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence."  2Peter 1:3

We don't need to look to an oil for our spiritual well-being, we just need to look to HIM!

Ok.  Now that that's cleared up, let's talk about how you can get a FREE bottle of Young Living Frankincense or Sacred Frankincense!!

How to Enter:

You have four different ways to enter.

1. Share this blog post on Facebook (comment on the blog or on the FB post that you shared it)

2. Share this blog post on Twitter (comment on the blog to let me know you shared it)

3. Follow my blog! (enter your email in the box on the right sidebar that says "Stay up to date and Follow us!"

4. Comment below on the blog and tell me what you'd like my next essential oils post to be about!

Rules:


-ANYONE can enter!  Local, non-local, friends, family, or not-acquainted!


-You can enter by sharing the blog post on Facebook or Twitter once per day! (meaning you have a chance to enter via either of these methods at least 4 times!  Make sure to let me know via the blog or Facebook that you did!)

-You can only enter one time via the 3rd and 4th option.


-I will use a random selector to choose the winner on Saturday, November 16.


-I will announce the winner Saturday at the top of this post and will share it on Facebook

-I will ship the winner their choice of 5ml bottle Frankincense or Sacred Frankincense on Monday November 18 if the winner isn't local.


***Example***
Wednesday: Follow the blog, share it on Facebook AND Twitter, then comment on the blog with this, "I shared your post on Facebook and Twitter, and I'd like to see you post something about how to use PanAway!"  =4 separate entries!

Thursday: Share the post again on Facebook and Twitter and comment again either on the blog or on my Facebook shares with, "Shared your blog post on Facebook and Twitter again!" =2 MORE entries!  

You can do this every day!

So....go ahead!  ENTER!


Remember, I give you the details of how to get your own starter kit in this post.


***A few articles to check out:
Frankincense and breast cancer cells 
Frankincense: Cure for cancer?


Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional.  I simply make decisions on how to care for and improve the health of my own family.  None of the statements on my blog have been evaluated by the FDA and any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Is My Husband my Soul Mate?

A couple months ago, someone shared this article on Facebook.

The title immediately intrigued me.

I read it, and read it again.

Both times I was left with a little bit of a sour taste in my mouth.

The author basically says that God did not ordain for her to marry her husband.  They CHOSE to marry each other and that is why they are together.  It wasn't planned beforehand by The Father, but BECAUSE they said "yes" to each other, it is now God's will for them to remain together.

Not really able to put into words WHY I had this sour taste after reading it, I shared the article with my best friend to see what she thought.

We went back and forth discussing our thoughts on it, and ended the conversation with neither of us feeling very confidant either way!

In the meantime, I talked with Chris about it.

I confessed that I was definitely one of those teen girls that thought God's ultimate purpose for my life was to find my husband that He had created for me.  I focused FAR too much on what God's will for my life might be in regards to things such as my future husband, college, career, children and family.  I wanted His will, but it had nothing to do with what His will was for my SOUL and heart.

Being under the teaching and study of The Word, I've come to the realization that yes, God has specific plans for our lives, but His ultimate purpose is for our hearts.

He desires our:

*SALVATION
*SANCTIFICATION
*RELIANCE UPON ONLY HIM
*GLORIFICATION OF HIMSELF

Now, there may be thousands of different circumstances surrounding each of these.

How many situations cause us to increase in our sanctification?  In fact, my best friend (who I referred to earlier) after the first few months of marriage, described marriage as "sanctifying."

There are countless issues that we face that cause us to turn back to Christ, rely on Him, proclaim His name to others, lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ, and be an example of a Christ follower to our family, resulting in us bringing Glory to The Father.

So my point in saying this is that

God has an ultimate purpose for our lives, and I don't believe it's the smaller things of life, but the four items I listed above.

HOWEVER 
He also puts these other circumstances in our path in order to bring about our SALVATION, SANCTIFICATION, RELIANCE UPON HIM, and our GLORIFICATION OF HIM!

Are we so proud to think that we brought about our own salvation?  Are we solely responsible for our sanctification?  And do we alone posses the strength to rely on Him in everyday life in order to bring Him glory?

We are in desperate need of divine assistance daily!  We receive it FROM HIM.

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares The Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

See, I believe that Scripture continually reminds us of our "smallness" and HIS greatness!

SO.

I understand more about His will now and what His purpose is in our daily lives.  

We have to look at the "bigger picture" in order to understand it...not the tiny areas of life that I solely focused on as a teenager.  It's not that they aren't important, it's that they aren't of FIRST importance.

Now, let me ask this big question.

Is my husband my soul mate?

First of all, I don't like the term "soul mate."  I feel like it puts a tarot card emphasis on our love life....could just be me and the term, but I don't like to use it!

So I'll ask this instead.

Did God PLAN or WILL me to marry my husband?

I believe the answer is yes.

Just look at it from a logical standpoint for a second.

Do you believe that God PLACES people or situations in your path for His purposes?  Even if you don't see His sovereignty in the moment until you view it in hindsight, I think that if we are all looking at our life in view of His grace, we see His hand in every small and large aspect of it.

Even our sin!

"And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Does He not work ALL things together????  Yes.

Does He want us to sin?  No.

Does He choose to allow us to?  Yes.

Does He choose to teach us through our own sin?  Yes.

Does He even choose to BLESS us in spite of our own sin????                   Wow, Yes!

So if we believe that He ordains and allows all things in our lives, why would we NOT believe that He ordained the most important earthly relationship that He CREATED???

He created Eve FOR Adam.  He didn't make her and see if they'd be compatible with each other.  He didn't make her and hope that they'd hit it off with each other.  She was made to BE his helper and mate.

Sure, there wasn't much to choose from, but that's beside the point!

Why do we want to be the sovereign one?

Why do we want to say that it was OUR choice?

Why is it hard for us to look back, see His hand and thank Him for being wiser than we are?

Do we make choices?  Yes.

Do we have "free will" in our everyday decisions?  Yes.

But as R.C. Sproul says, 

"We have free will, but God's will is 'freer'!"

Do we REALLY think that our free will is so powerful that it can overcome what God has ordained?  What HIS will is?

"Our God is in the heavens, He does all that He pleases." Psalm 115:3

I think it's all in the perspective.

We could say that we chose to be in a dating relationship with someone, that we chose to stay in the relationship, that we chose to say "yes" when he proposed, that we chose to go through with it on our wedding day, and that we choose to stay married. 

But what happens when we start thinking in "what-if's"?

What if I didn't go out with him?  What if I said no?  What if I got cold feet and fled?  Could I have met someone else and had a God-glorifying relationship with that person that led to marriage?

Let me tell you something that helped me see this clearly.  My husband reminded me of this very simple statement.

THERE ARE NO WHAT-IF'S WITH GOD!!!

We can't think about what-if's!  Why?  Because there AREN'T any!

He is in control and it's not because of coincidence! 

So do I believe that God planned for Chris and I to marry each other?  Yes.

Did I know that when I met him?  Nope.

Remember?  Hindsight!  

He allows us to see His hand in hindsight.  When we look back and see how He orchestrates EVERYTHING!

I DREADED moving up here to the foothills.  I MOURNED moving away from my best friend. 

What IF we hadn't moved here?

Well, I would have never met my husband, had my kids, or would have been adopting Tobias.  

My brother would have never met his wife or be expecting their baby girl.

Does God think that way though?  Does He sit back and say,

"Man, I'm sure glad the Jacksons moved up there so that things could work out so nicely"?

That makes God seem pretty darn small, and us little humans seem mighty large in the grand scheme of things.

God moved us.  He orchestrated certain things to bring us here, bring me to my husband, my brother to his wife, and all of us to this specific time in our lives. 

Did I know it then?  No.  But He allows me to look back and see His hand guiding us.

And the times I fail?  The times I CHOOSE to go my own way?

I see Him use it to teach me, bring me back to Himself, and still work out His ultimate purpose for me to be sanctified and Him to be glorified.

Remember Joseph?  Remember what his brothers did to him?  What did he say to them?

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." Genesis 50:20

Let's not give ourselves too much credit here.  We are only instruments of The Lord's hand, trying to make wise decisions that glorify Him....all the while accomplishing HIS will.

Do I believe my husband is my soul mate?
Well...if you're asking if I believe God sovereignly ordained for us to meet when we did, marry each other and start a family in the way that we did...

Then yes.  Yes I do.