Weekend happenings

We had another great weekend.  Somehow everything seems a little better when it's above 30 degrees and there is a hint of sunshine, am I right? 

We took Gavin to get his first pair of shoes!  We went to the same old-school shoe store where we took Emily for her first pair and where Steve got all of his shoes from toddler- high school.  It's family run and the owners are the ones fitting people's shoes, it's a great place.  Gavin is a walking machine now, he took to it much faster than Emily did.  But when I put shoes on him he seems unsure and just stands frozen in one place. Hilarious. 

While we were at the shoe store Miss E decided she wanted a pair of shoes too. (really?? the same girl who has insisted on only wearing her pink converse for over a year?)  So we jumped on that one as fast as we could and let her pick out her own pair.  She hasn't taken them off since we left the store.  Win, I guess?

After shoe shopping we took a chance on going to a restaurant....it was interesting.  Thank God for the ipad and lemons and ice cream and grandparents.  Emily loves lemons, Gavin isn't as in love.

Since the polar vortex took a couple of days off, we took the kids out for a couple of walks without freezing our eyeballs.  The fresh air did us all some good.

A super exciting part of the weekend was when I took advantage of a triple nap (Steve, Emily, and Gavin) and decided to mop all of our hardwoods.  I threw together a recipe using essential oils (of course) and it worked really, really well. 1 gallon warm/hot water, 3T white vinegar, 5 drops lavender, 5 drops Lemon.  I chose Lavender because it is antimicrobial and Lemon because it is antiviral and refreshing.  I also ate some chocolate without hiding in a corner and watched the Vanderpump reunion in silence.  It was pretty great.

And now for the most important part of this post. It is my Grandpa's 92nd birthday today.  He is the most amazing man you could ever meet.  He's the kind of person who can sit down and talk to anyone about anything and you are thoroughly entertained the whole time.  He's the best story teller, a hard worker and an all around wonderful man.  I'm so proud to be his granddaughter.

Happy birthday Grandpa, you have worked hard to build a family & a farm that we are all blessed to be a part of.  We love you!

 

Our Weekend

This weekend was a perfect mix of getting stuff done, relaxing, and a night out with my husband. 

I won't lie, I love getting things done around the house- laundry, cleaning, groceries- I love them all.  It makes me feel accomplished and the control freak in me loves to see everything in it's place, even if it's only for a couple of minutes before the kids get a hold of everything again.  Am I the only one who feels this way?

It was snowy and cold so we didn't leave the house much and that was fine with us.  I'm also a fan of relaxing, but that doesn't happen much when there are two toddlers running/crawling/jumping/climbing around.  Keeping them contained in the bathtub is a winning strategy.

those curls kill me

Emily and I made french toast for breakfast, she loves helping in the kitchen.

Saturday night Steve and I had valentine's dinner at a new-ish restaurant and the food (and company) was fantastic. I somehow missed the photo op of both of us showered and dressed up- fail.  You'll just have to use your imagination?

Sunday was spent playing and reading and doing puzzles (29,000 times).  Emily is in love with her closet.  She sits in here all the time and orders everyone to get in the closet to read together.

Most importantly,  this happened.... my baby boy is trying to grow up.

** Last chance to take advantage of the $100.00 in free oils promotion!  It ends tonight, so let me know if you want to place an order or if you need clarification on anything.**


Follow">http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3142906/?claim=ny4p8dax64z">Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Gavin's 1st birthday party- winter theme!

I figured I should probably do a post about Gavin's first birthday party before he's 2. 

On his actual birthday we had Grandma and Grandpa G. over for dinner and cupcakes.  Gavin was more interested in the candle burning than the cupcake- until he realized he could eat it.

That weekend we had a small get together at our house with family and friends, it was a perfect day minus the blizzard that was going on.  We were worried no one would be able to make it but thankfully everyone did!

I decided on a winter theme and loved how everything turned out!  Of course, pinterest and etsy were my best friends during the planning/purchasing.all.the.cute.stuff phase.

the invites- with his name- obvs

adopt a penguin, snowman lollipops, snowflake chocolate covered pretzels

the hot chocolate bar- yum!!

happy birthday penguin banner

and the cupcakes with toppers

We had so much fun celebrating Gavin!

Grandma and Grandpa G

Emily sneaking chips and dip

Gavin's godfather, Aaron, and his wife, Mara, came all the way from Maryland!

and Grandpa Mark came all the way from Illinois!

Our baby boy is ONE!

Gavin was so excited that he got more singing and another cupcake!

hand it over mom!

I love cupcakes! And mommy loves my shirt!

Even Emily was excited for Gavin- the whole week she kept saying, "it's G-booty's birthday!"  Until she realized we weren't singing to her and she wasn't going to blow out a candle....then she got sad.  So, Grandpa and I had to have a sidebar birthday song for big sister. 

It was a great day with family and friends, thanks to everyone who came!

Medicine Cabinet Makeover Registration Link

Here is the link to register for the doTERRA Medicine Cabinet Makeover online class that I wrote about here on Friday.

http://webinarjam.net/webinar/go/2284/3935dd8cb7

Just click the link above, enter your information, save or bookmark the event link and you are ready to attend the class online-  Wednesday, February 12 at 8:00pm Eastern Time.

There will be so much good information, I'm looking forward to it!

If you have any questions or issues with the website let me know.

Essential Oils- Part Two- How We Use Essential Oils

First, I want to talk about why I chose doTERRA oils over other brands of essential oils.  The following comes right from their FAQ section on their website, and I think it's important- because I wanted an oil that was safe to use on my children. 

"Although there are good essential oils available to consumers, many products claiming to be essential oils often are not pure aromatic extracts and often contain fillers and non-aromatic compounds. Furthermore, there are no current regulatory standards for the descriptive use of the “therapeutic grade” for products labeled as essential oils. The CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® mark represents dōTERRA’s own internal standards for sourcing and testing pure aromatic botanical extracts using independent laboratory analysis. The dōTERRA brand and registered CPTG® mark represent dōTERRA’s guarantee of pure essential oil extracts that meet high standards for both purity and material composition and for accurate product labeling."

"We have found that a primary key to superior essential oil quality is the location in which the plant is grown. For this reason, we carefully source our essential oils from all over the world, rather than from a few locations that are not native habitats for the plants. For example, our Lavender is grown in the high altitudes of France, our Lemon comes from Italy, and our Frankincense is sourced from Oman. Because our management team is trusted and respected by global producers, we are able to secure precious crops for essential oil production from preferred suppliers."


I've talked to a lot of people over the past couple of weeks about how wonderful doTERRA essential oils have been for my family and their first question is usually, "how do you use them??"

There are three ways to use doTERRA oils and I have tried all three with success-

1.  Aromatically-  diffusing oils into the air or simply rubbing oil in palms and breathing in the scent.  Certain oils can be stimulating (I use these in the morning), and others can be calming (I use these after work/school). Diffusing certain essential oils can also purify the air in your home or office (cigarette smoke, pets, smelly dinner) and can rid your home/office of some airborne pathogens. Essential oils can also be used to clean your home (all purpose cleaner, laundry detergent, dish washing soap, etc.).

**  I diffuse Peppermint and Wild Orange in the morning and it is amazing how quickly it wakes me up.  I used to need my coffee immediately after waking up and now I don't feel that need anymore.  After we get home from work/school I diffuse Serenity or Lavender in whatever room we are playing in with the kids and it calms everyone down after a busy day.  On the days I am home with the kids I usually diffuse On Guard or Purify since we have been stuck indoors and the air can get stale.  I want to mention that you can't use just any diffuser for essential oils.  You should use low or no heat diffusers so you don't change the chemical properties of the oil you are inhaling through the air.

I have just started using the oils for cleaning and laundry and I'll do another in-depth post about that later. Let me just say- no harsh chemicals and toxic bottles to hide from the kids is a great thing!!

2.  Topical Uses-  essential oils are easily and safely absorbed by the skin because of their natural molecular composition and because of this composition, the oil is absorbed into the bloodstream for internal benefits throughout your body. When you apply oil to an area of concern it can have an immediate benefit- I've seen and felt this many times. Each oil has many different uses and they have restorative and calming properties. They are also natural disinfectants. Essential oils have been proven to kill the flu virus and MRSA.  DoTERRA's On Guard blend has been published as being the leader in killing 17 different strains of viruses and stopping the H1N1 virus from replicating.  Amazing right?  We use it every.single.day.  I can't wait to try all of the On Guard products.

**  I use 1-2 drops of Balance, Serenity, On Guard & Frankincense on the soles of my feet every morning and night.  If I feel stressed or anxious during the day I just rub a couple of drops of Balance in my palms, take a deep breath of it and then rub it on the back of my neck.  For the kids, I use 1 drop of Balance and On Guard on their feet morning and night and I rub 1 drop of lavender behind their ears and down their spine before bed.  We have also rubbed DigestZen on all of our stomachs for tummy troubles and for Gavin's reflux.  Essential oils in the bath is another favorite for helping our kids relax at night.

3.  Internal Uses- essential oils can be used internally to support many health conditions. Some essential oils have powerful antioxidant properties and others help support healthy inflammatory response in cells. Many essential oils are safe for dietary use, but some oils should not be taken internally. The great thing about doTERRA oils is- if you can take it internally it has a dietary supplement facts on its label.  If you shouldn't take an oil internally there will be no dietary supplement label.

**  I haven't used my oils internally as much; but I have used Lemon in my water (amazing detoxifier) and I put a drop of peppermint under my tongue every morning to clear my sinuses.  I have some empty capsules on order so I can take some of the stronger tasting oils internally because I have heard great things about their benefits for depression, gut health, and many other uses. There is also an oil called Slim and Sassy that boosts your metabolism- I'll be getting that in my next order!!

The great thing is- you don't have to use much oil at all for it to work.  The oils are so concentrated that it only takes a drop or two to get the desired effect.  So one bottle of oil can last quite a long time!

A few other things I have found in my research/learning:

This video was shown to me when I was first introduced to doTERRA oils and it really amazed me. Watch it!!

The Oil RN is one of my favorite websites to learn about different uses of essential oils. 

I also want to let you know, I'm not getting anything for writing these posts.  I'm just so excited that the oils have been working for me and my family; I want to share my experiences with everyone!  And of course, I'm not a doctor- so do your research and educate yourself before trying anything new. 

I am just starting out as an LPC for doTERRA so if you would like to purchase any oils you can shop through my site here or you can contact me if you're interested in getting your oils at wholesale prices.

Gavin Dean- 1 year

Gavin turned one yesterday,
I swear this has been the fastest year of my life.

When I think back to where we were a year ago, I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.  Even though it was the scariest time of our lives and it lead to a very low point in my life; it could have been so much worse and I am beyond thrilled and forever grateful that Gavin's condition was able to be treated and he is a healthy and happy boy one year later.

At one year old, Gavin is:

30.5 inches tall
25.5 pounds
wearing 18 month clothes
walking with assistance
chasing his sister, the cats and the dog everywhere
so, so funny- the faces he makes are priceless
crying when anyone leaves the room
a daddy's boy
a very picky eater
a bottle lover
a good napper but a not so good night sleeper
not much of a talker, more of a pointer and grunter
master of splashing in the bathtub and soaking the bathroom
dancing any time he hears music
the baby with a million nicknames- G-buddy, G-booty, booty-boo, G-Raff, and the list goes on....

Dear Gavin,
We are proud of you in so many ways.  You are our fighter.  You have been through so much in your first year of life and you came through it all with flying colors.  Every time we see your doctors at Children's they can't believe the progress you have made and how healthy and happy you are.  You make us laugh every day and you bring so much joy into our lives.  Your dad, sister and I are so happy to be celebrating your birthday with you buddy, here's to many, many more.

We love you!
Mommy, Daddy, and Emily

Essential Oils- Part One- Getting Off Meds

Let me start at the beginning....about a month ago (I think? time has a way of getting away with me, it must be the two kids.)  my doctor and I decided it was time for me to wean off of one of my anti-depressant meds.  I have been on 3 since my post partum depression started- Celexa, Ativan and Seroquel.  I take Celexa every morning and it's my anti-depressant.  The Ativan and Seroquel I take at night because that's when my anxiety usually hits.  The Ativan is for anxiety and the Seroquel basically made me sleep.  Well, Seroquel has some undesirable long term effects and I decided that would be the one to get off first when I started feeling more like myself.

So I weaned off of it slowly and a month ago it was time to stop it completely.  When I stopped taking it- I could not sleep.  And that was making me very anxious, my anxiety was coming back during the day and at night and all I could think about was "am I going to be able to sleep?".  It was a vicious cycle and I was going down a dark path that I did not want to go down again.

I started researching- of course- that's what I do.  And I saw a lot of articles and studies about essential oils, but I knew nothing about them.  Then a friend on facebook shared something from another person's page about essential oils- strange how that happened right at the moment I needed it.  That's when I started emailing with a woman who has opened my eyes and truly helped me.   Her name is Julie, she is a Reiki Master and an Independent Product Consultant for doTERRA essential oils.  I talked to her a lot about my anxiety and my inability to sleep and she was nice enough to bring me a sample of Serenity oil and tell me how to use it.  I was totally skeptical and nothing happened the first night but I kept with it and after a couple of days I noticed I was feeling calmer during the day and before bed. Halleluiah!!

Two days later I met with her to talk about other oils that might help me.  Let me just tell you, it was amazing.  She told me that she would set out the oils that help with anxiety and depression and let me smell them.  Then she told me that my body would let me know what oils I needed because they would smell better to me than others.  And it really happened that way!! Serenity and Balance smelled so good compared to the others.  I also got a bottle of OnGuard (also known as thieves oil)- it is an immune boosting oil that can kills germs.

I've been religiously rubbing Balance, Serenity and OnGuard on my feet every night and every morning and I am sleeping again!!  I also have more energy and I am much calmer.  It has really been amazing.

The best part is that doTERRA oils are also safe for kids and I have been using them on Emily and Gavin before bed and each morning and I believe it has made them calmer and happier as well.  Another oil I tried is called Breathe.  Emily woke up one night with a terrible croupy sounding cough so I rubbed Breathe on her chest and feet and she stopped coughing almost immediately and was able to go back to sleep.

I'm going to go into more detail on my next post but I was just so excited to share this with you guys!!  I went from total skeptic to total believer in about a week!

If you have any questions or need an oil for anything and I mean anything at all- leave a comment or email me and I can ask Julie what she suggests. theloststork at gmail dot com

Or, if you want to look around at what's available and purchase oils, you can do that through my doTERRA store:  http://www.mydoterra.com/bridgetg/ and just so you know, I would get a small commission if you decide to buy through my site and I appreciate it very much!

There is also an opportunity to get these oils at wholesale price!  If you're interested in doing that, email me and I can walk you through it.

Acid reflux, anxiety, addiction, allergies, sore muscles, ear infections, stress, sinus infections, colds, flu, grogginess, PMS, mood swings, cleaning- the list goes on- there is seriously an oil for everything!!