February Monthly Promos

Well, its February, and we have our monthly promo, as usual. And, as usual, there are some really great ones that you just might want to take advantage of with your Essential Rewards order! If your Essential Rewards order date has already passed and you've missed out on these, there's still time to get a quick order in and get some of these!

Let's take a closer look at the monthly promotions:

If you're enrolled in our Essential Rewards program, and place a qualifying order then you're really going to benefit this month. Well, lets be honest.. you benefit EVERY month if you're enrolled!

100PV

The first tier is at 100PV. For a qualifying order on Essential Rewards, you'll receive an 5-ml bottle of Lemongrass, which is used for purification and aids with digestion. It also supports the circulatory system and promoting lymph flow.

190PV

With an order placed with 190PV, you'll receive a 15-ml bottle of Wintergreen. If your order is placed thru Essential Rewards, you'll also receive the 5-ml Lemongrass as well as a 15-ml Eucalyptus Radiata.   

 Wintergreen is a great oil to incorporate after exercise to help soothe those tired muscles! You can add a few drops to a lotion and apply it that way. 

Eucalyptus Radiata is a fantastic oil for supporting the respiratory system. 

250PV

The next tier brings all of the oils already mentioned, plus: 20 Essential Reward points and a 5-ml bottle of Palo Santo, which comes from the same botanical family as Frankincense, and has a deep-rooted tradition in which it was used by the Incas to purify and cleanse the air of negative energies and for good luck. {Palo Santo means "holy or sacred wood"}  Its also been beneficial in supporting joints and knees. I'd highly suggest you looking this oil up to learn more!

If you're not enrolled on Essential Rewards, sadly, you will miss out on almost all of the oils that have been mentioned. But, you can still place a qualifying order without Essential Rewards and still receive the Palo Santo and the Wintergreen essential oils. 

300PV

With our last tier, an additional 20 Essential Reward points will be added (along with the 20 from the previous tier) for a total of 40 points! Y'all...that's essentially $40 of free product! PLUS. a 5-ml bottle of Panaway. Both of those in addition to all the other oils that I've already talked about. 

Panaway was formulated by our very own founder of Young Living, Gary Young. This is another fantastic oil to help soothe muscles after exercise. Its a blend of Wintergreen, Clove, and Helichrysum essential oils, making it a force to be reckoned with! Believe me, your body will thank you. 

If you are unfamiliar with how our Essential Rewards program works, please don't hesitate to contact me so that I can better explain it to you. Its a fabulous program and really helps you get all the oily goodness that you so desire!

January = A New Start

Hello everyone! Its been a about 5 minutes since I last posted. Haha!

I can't believe 2017 is already in full swing and January has come and gone! I hope it has been a fantastic month for you all!
I just wanted to send out a reminder that even though today is the last day of the month, it is not too late to still get a chance to earn our awesome promotions for January.

If you have any questions with how you can get all of these oils for FREE, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'd hate for you to miss out on these amazing promotions!

Lastly, with the start of a new year, a lot of us make new weight loss goals, and Young Living has an incredible program and products to help you achieve those goals! Check out our Slique in 60 challenge and let Young Living help you surpass those weight loss goals in 2017!

Are you ready to kick off February? I am! Let's go!!

Oily Goodness

Five of My Favorite Essential Oils

Those who know me, know that I am in love. In love with essential oils. Young Living essential oils, to be more specific. 

And because of that love for these little oily goodies, to narrow it down to my absolute, most favorite oils. So instead, I'm going to just share 5 of my favorites. 

My hope in sharing these with you, is that maybe it sparks an interest or excitement to try these oils too!

So...here we go!

Release

This oil. Ahhh... I love to diffuse it, day or night. And I love to add it to bath times. Especially on those nights where its been a long, stressful day. It helps me to unwind and relax. This blend combines uplifting, calming oils that help to stimulate a sense of peace and emotional well-being. Which then helps us in our ability to release anger/frustration. No one needs to keep anger or frustration bottled up inside. That can actually lie at the root of many health concerns. who wants that? The answer? No one. Release helps to promote harmony and balance in the mind and body.  And as a mom, I say, "Yes, please!"

Purification

Think of this oil as the "Odor Annihilator". Seriously. Its amazing in its ability to get rid of stinkiness. I have three kids and a husband. Odors arise, people. And they aren't always pleasant. Purification becomes my best friend when those aromas begin to fill my sensitive nostrils. This is almost always a part of my diffusing as it dispels those unpleasantries and clears the air of impurities. I've used it to make a carpet deodorizer. I apply a few drops to my wool dryer balls for laundry to give our clothes a fresh, clean smell. I combined this oil with a couple others to make a room spray for the bathroom. You could use the same spray as a laundry spray, or an ironing spray. I've used it to freshen up the mattresses. Its uses are just about endless. Want a clean home? Add this into your cleaning routine! 

 Lavender

This is referred to as the "swiss army knife" of essential oils. Its probably one of the most versatile oils ever. If you never know which oil to pull out in a given situation, pull out Lavender. I've diffused this during the daytime help create a clean smelling, calm atmosphere. And at night to help relax and get ready for bed. Its an oil that is in a "Nighttime Blend" I made. I  have bathed in Lavender. I've simply opened the bottle, just to take a few deep breaths to relax and calm me in moments of Momsanity. I've added it to hand cream. You can also add it to shampoo or other skin care products. Its uses go far beyond what I can even say. Its a must have!

 Panaway

This "wowzer" oil actually is a best-selling blend that Young Living's founder, Gary Young, formulated. You did good, Gary. You did good. This has come to my rescue after some hard-core exercise. Specifically, long runs. While training for a half marathon, this made all the difference when I'd rub it on my legs. Combined with another extraordinary oil, Copaiba, it was oh-so-wondrous...mmhmm..

Sorry..I was reliving that moment. It was wonderful and soothing! I could easily have an entire body massage with this oil. Now I want a massage. It has a stimulating aroma, with ingredients such as the naturally occurring constituents methyl salicylate, menthol, eugenol, and gamma-curcumene. This is considered a "hot" oil, so you may want to use a carrier oil with it. 

Stress Away

I really don't need to say anything about this one. The name says it all. Remember when I mentioned Cobaiba earlier? Its in this blend. As well as Lime, Vanilla, Cedarwood, Ocotea, and Lavender. Winning combo right there! This can be worn as a perfume if you want. Its the oil that will more than likely draw someone's attention when you open the bottle and they catch a whiff of it. Be prepared to share if you dare to open it in public! This is another favorite of mine to diffuse. Or to just bust out when I'm feeling stressed. 

Whewww! I did it! I managed to ONLY list five oils. I could easily keep listing more and more oils. They're all great. No..they're all fantastic... No... they're all phenomenal! I think you get my drift. If you haven't tried them, I encourage you to give them a shot! And I'd be the worst person in the entire world (ok, ok.. I can tend to get carried away with the dramatics) if I didn't offer you the link to get your own oils! 

And want to know a secret? Well, not really a secret, but something exciting? Four out of these five oils I've talked about are some of the oils included in the Premium Starter Kit! You get 11 total and a diffuser!!! So get to clicking! Here comes the link!

Click Here if you can't handle being without these little bottles of oily goodness even for one moment longer. 

If you've clicked the link, or if you're about to, don't you worry your precious little head. I'll be here right along side you through this awesome, oil-tastic journey you're about to start! Please don't hesitate to contact me for questions/concerns. Or if you just want to talk excitedly about oils together! 

Current Loves: Beauty Edition

One of my favorite types of videos to watch on YouTube or blog posts to read are beauty favorites. Where someone shares their current favorite products. I've actually found a lot of amazing products from watching or reading those.

So, I wanted to do the same. This is geared towards makeup this time. I may expand later and include other beauty products, like hair and body. 

So let's get into it!

These are my everyday makeup products. And together, they make up my everyday routine. 

Let's start with foundation. I've been very impressed with the brand tarte. Tate uses high performance naturals. None of the bad, icky ingredients that are harmful to the skin. Instead, they use healthy, natural ingredients that are actually beneficial to you, all the while providing amazing, long lasting coverage and color payoff.  How amazing is that?! 

My favorite combo for foundation has been to use a light layer of the tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Full Coverage cream foundation first using the Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation brush. Then with a separate brush (also the Airbrush Finish brush), I apply a light layer of the tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation. This, to me, really sets and locks in the cream foundation and gives just a little added boost of coverage. I don't use any other powder product over this. I use the Airbrush foundation to set. It lasts all day with only a minor touch up if I'm heading out for the evening. 

Shades from left to right: Exposed and Dollface

Moving on. Blush. My most reached for blushes usually are also from tarte cosmetics. They last all day and have great color payoff. There's a good variety of color options. They are the Amazonian Clay 12-Hour blushes. 

My bronzer of choice has been the It Cosmetics CC+ Radiance Ombre Bronzer. It gives you a natural looking warmth and glow without looking orange or fake. It Cosmetics also uses better-for-you ingredients. The formula is anti-aging and is also clinically proven to be waterproof, so you know it'll last all day. With living in Texas, that's a major selling point when buying makeup!

For my brows, I've been using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz pencil in Ash Blonde. They've renamed it to 'Taupe', so if you see that, don't be alarmed! Its the same. It works great for filling in my brows and keeping them looking natural. Its a dual end pencil. One end is the pencil and the other is a spooley so you can brush out your brows and help blend the color for a natural finish.

 **Oh..by the way..excuse the terrible manicure! I was way overdue!**

Moving on to the eyes. My absolute favorite palette is this Dior 5 Colour palette in Rosy Tan. Its the perfect natural. The colors are velvety and smooth and are long wearing. I can't say enough about this product! The sad news? I believe it's been discontinued. I'm going to go through some of my other palettes and see if I can find dupes for these colors, cause I'm going to be super upset when this is gone! 

For eyeliner, I've been using the Kat Von D Tattoo Tattoo Liner in the shade Trooper. Its an ink black color. There's no parabens in it so that's a plus! It has a brush tip as opposed to felt tip liquid liners. So, it won't fray. It hold its shape to provide an effortless line. And its true! This is coming from a girl who has never had any luck with using liquid liners. EVER. And this liner is just about as fool proof as you can get, in my book! I love it! 

And lastly, mascara. I have been absolutely in love with Chanel Le Volume De Chanel. It gives amazing volume and lift to my lashes. The formula is fantastic and is super black in color. And the wand is great too. I will definitely repurchase this once I get close to running out. 

So there you have it! These are my current beauty favorites! I hope you've found this helpful. Like I stated earlier, these types of posts or videos are my favorites. I've provided links where available to purchase if any of these products have caught your eye! What are YOUR favorite beauty items? 

*post contains affiliate links

Young Living Essential Oils

Photo Credit: YL Creative Commons

Essential Oils?

You may have begun to hear about the essential oils craze lately. Maybe you've known about them for months, years..maybe eons. 

Or perhaps you've never heard of them before. 

If that's the case, let me start there. 

What is an essential oil?

By definition, an essential oil is the vital fluids found within many shrubs, trees, flowers, roots, bushes, and seeds. They are the 'lifeblood', or immune system, of the plant. They are called essential because they're necessary for the life of the plant.  Essential oils are usually extracted through steam distillation. 

They've been around for centuries and were actually mankind's first medicine and completely compatible with the human body. There are 188 references to the use of essential oils in the Bible. Essential oils are an all natural choice and a first line of defense option when it comes to keeping you and your family/friends healthy. 

Essential oils have been documented through research to be anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant, immune support in, and regenerative. They're uplifting, relaxing, and support overall emotional well-being. 

They can be applied directly to the skin, inhalation, diffused in the air, added to food/water, and can even be taking internally. They absorb quickly through the skin and carried by the bloodstream to every cell in the body within a matter of minutes! Amazing, huh? 

Essential oils are very concentrated so it doesn't take a lot to get the job done. Just a single drop of peppermint oil is equivalent to 28 cups of peppermint tea. That's insane! So, along with the benefits to your health and well being, using essential oils can be very economical since you only have to use small amounts of the oil. 

Why Young Living Essential Oils? There's so many brands and companies of essential oils. How do I know which is the best for me?

Personally, there's no debate for me. Young Living Essential Oils is by far, in my humble opinion, the best. The cream of the crop. 

Why? 

Purity. Plain and simple.

I can't vouch for other oil companies regarding the purity of their products, but I will tell you this: Young Living is the only company that offers the Seed to Seal™ Process, so I know that I know Im getting the highest and the absolute purest quality of essential oils. No other company can make this claim. 

In fact, about 95% of the world's essential oils are created for industrial use, so many of the oils found on the market, even those found in health food stores, are of low quality.

Young Living owns four farms in which nothing is outsourced or wasted. They combine ancient and modern techniques when distilling and carefully and thoroughly test them before sealing the bottles to send out for distribution. They are completely dedicated to producing the finest quality essential oils in the world, supporting health and wellness at all levels. They are powerful, safe, and non-toxic.

Not only that, but they also produce essential oil enhanced supplements, food products, and personal care products, which are unsurpassed in their quality and effectiveness.

And...they work. 

Simply put, essential oils work! 

Using therapeutic grade essential oils and oil-enhanced products every day can help us live longer, healthier, and happier lives! They really do help support your health! Who doesn't want this?

 They're the best thing to turn to first when you are facing any type of health challenge or issue. They're 100% natural. And maybe some of the best news? There's no harmful or dangerous side effects! You can't say that for a lot of other products out there. You can't overuse an oil! 

They're what I go to first. I'm ridding my household of harsh chemicals or any kind. Its not an overnight thing. For me, its a gradual process of weening ourselves of chemicals and replacing them with natural choices. 

They're for everyone. 

No one is excluded when it comes to the benefits of essential oils. They can be used on babies or the elderly. And everyone else that falls in between. They may work different on each individual because our body chemistries are all different. 

I can't think of anyone who wouldn't benefit from oils in some way or the other. They're just amazing. Honestly. 

I haven't even begun to go into detail on what these oils and products that Young Living offer are capable of. Even beyond the scope of your physical health and wellness, they have an entire line of chemical free and highly effective products devoted to cleaning your home.

I want to know more!

I'd love to talk with you and tell you more about these amazing oils. I'm constantly learning more and more. I'm like a sponge. I just want to soak it all up. And I love that essential oils aren't something that's just going to be "popular" for a while and then fall off the radar. They are here to stay. Because health and wellness will always be a focus for people. And Young Living offers the best products to achieve a healthier you. 

Feel free to check out the Young Living Blog where you can look further at the products and oils offered.  You can search out specific oils and learn more about them as well. 

I WANT! How do I get my hands on these oils? 

With Young Living, there are two ways you can purchase their therapeutic grade essential oils. You can buy as a Wholesale Member or a Retail Customer thru the Young Living website. I highly recommend buying Young Living essential oils by joining as a wholesale member. Wholesale members get a 24% discount off every single product that's offered. As a wholesale member you only have to agree to order a minimum of $50 per year. 

And there's no obligation to sell. There's no hidden agendas with Young Living. You do, however, have the OPTION to sell, if you choose. Only if you choose. 

Ready to sign up? 

Photo Credit: YL Creative Commons

Head on over here if you're ready to get started!

Here’s what you need to know:

• I recommend purchasing the Premium Starter Kit . It costs $150 and is about a $300 value. For some, $150 is an investment, but it’s truly an amazing kit with every oil you'd use on a daily basis.  
• Within that kit, you’ll get a home diffuser, ELEVEN 5mL bottles of different essential oils and samples of the Ningxia Red antioxidant drink, samples of oils to share with friends and family, plus literature and information on getting started.
• Like I said earlier, you aren’t required or obligated to sell oils in order to be a member and to receive the 24% discount. Young Living will, however, ask for your social security number in case you do decide to sell and sign up people under your distributor number and end up making enough money through sharing the oils to require a tax form. In its 20 years, YL has never had a security breach on these numbers and will never share or sell your SSN with anyone else. 

Steps for a Young Living Member Sign-up

STEP 1: Click this Link and then fill out your information completely. Remember, your social security number is asked for in the event you sign up people under your distributor number. They need this in case you will receive a check! 

STEP 2: Agree to terms and conditions.

STEP 3: Create a username and password.

STEP 4: Choose the Premium Starter Kit, which is the kit I mentioned above.

STEP 5: Choose your favorite Young Living products or Essential Rewards Kit worth at least 50pv (personal volume)– if you CHOOSE! It is not required! You can sign up with ER at any time during your membership. It helps you to earn free points to redeem towards products and allows for discounted shipping. 

STEP 6: Enter your credit card information, click next.  Be sure you confirm your order, and your oils will be shipped out soon! 

And welcome to the oil craze I first mentioned at the beginning of this post! You're on your way to changing your health, as well as your family members and friends! 

A Surprise Delight- Paleo Slow Cooker Sausage, Pepper & Onions

School is back in! (Enter: Hallelujah chorus)

And with that starting back up this week, I wanted to focus on easy,  simple, but delicious and healthy dinners. So, after scouring my cookbooks, Google and Pinterest, I made up a meal plan for a week's worth of dinners. 

All starring, the ever-amazing, crock pot (or slow cooker)!  

Let's face it. My life runs just a little bit smoother when I meal plan, and using the crock pot on top of that makes it a little more simple. Which I need with a husband and three children to look after! 

I made two lists. One list was the seven meals that I'd be making every day. Complete with the website or cookbook and page number that I found the recipe so I could go back and look up when it was time to put that meal together. 

The second list was my grocery list. 

And then I was ready to go! With list number two in hand, I bought all my groceries and headed back home to start meal number one. 

Last night was meal two and it was a new one for us. My husband is working nights right now (gotta love shift work) and I was unsure if my picky children were even going to eat it, but I was shocked and thrilled when they all loved it! My three year old ate up her plate and asked for more. My extremely picky five year old ate without complaint...or gagging. And my eleven year old gobbled up his plate with hardly a breath between bites. And I clearly will need to double the recipe next time I make it. It was gone in a flash!

This meal is a keeper and so I thought I'd share it with you guys as well! Its healthy, grain-free, and super yummy!

 Paleo Slow Cooker Sausage, Pepper & Onions

                                

Ingredients: 

• 1 12-16 ounce package of sausage (I used Italian Style sausage) 
• 1 red, green & yellow bell pepper 
• 1 small yellow onion 
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes 
• 4-6 garlic cloves minced 
• Italian Seasoning 
• salt and pepper  

Directions: Cook on LOW in slow cooker for 8 hours

This meal can easily be freezer for cooking at a later time as well. Just combine all the ingredients in a ziplock and freeze. When it comes time to cook, no thaw is needed. 

Also, while I didn't serve it with anything else, you could easily serve this over rice as well. 

Easy peasy.

Let me know if you decide to try it out! Hope you enjoy!

  

Braised Chicken in Artichoke-Mushroom Sauce

Against All Grain by Danielle Walker, page 132

I tried out a second paleo recipe tonight and it was a really big hit! I listened to my oldest son "mmm" repeatedly throughout the meal. We had one piece of chicken left over when it was all done. 

I posted a picture of my meal on Facebook and had requests for the recipe so here it is! 

It came out of the same cookbook (Against All Grain) that my last blog post for the Korean Beef Noodle Bowls recipe came from.  

Again, I had to substitute a couple of ingredients. Until I can make it to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, I have to make do with what I have available to me. In this case, I sent my husband to the store, so I had to make do with what he brought back to me. Ha! 

Braised Chicken in Artichoke-Mushroom Sauce

prep time: 45 minutes   cooking time: 60 minutes    yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

6 tbsp bacon fat, ghee, or unsalted butter, divided

2 lbs chicken leg quarters 

2 lbs chicken drumsticks

1 tea sea salt, plus more for finishing

1/4 tea cracked black pepper

1/2 tea paprika, plus more for finishing

1/2 lb sliced cremini mushrooms, stems removed 

3/4 cup chicken broth

1&1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tea honey

1 tbsp coconut flour

2 cups marinated artichoke hearts

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2.Place 4 tbsp bacon fat (I used butter) in a large Dutch oven or stockpot and heat over medium-high heat.

3.Rinse and dry all the chicken, then sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and paprika.

4.Add the chicken to the pot and cook for 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes to brown evenly on all sides.

5.Remove chicken and set aside.

6.Add the remaining 2 tbsp of bacon fat (I used butter) to the pot, then add the mushrooms, and sauté for 5 minutes.

7.Stir in the broth, vinegar, honey, and coconut flour and simmer for 10 minutes.

8.Return the chicken to the pot, and then scatter the artichoke hearts around it.

9.Spoon a bit of the sauce over the top of the chicken and artichokes, cover, and place in oven to bake for 40 minutes.

10.Remove from the oven and finish with a pinch of salt and paprika. 

I hope you try it and enjoy!! I know we did! 

My dinner ready to eat!