DIY
essential oils
wellness
DIY Bath Bombs
Bath bombs! I made these and totally thought of my mama because she loves bath bombs and she loves Rose! I used Release, Rose and Grapefruit for these and they smell so so so good. Drake smelt them last night and asked to take a bath over a shower and when he got out he couldn't stop raving about how good they were and how his skin was soft and smooth like lotion but without lotion.
Here's your recipe to make these on your own at home:
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- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup citric acid
- 2 tablespoons epsom salt
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon water
- 4-6 drops essential oil of choice (I added 4 drops of each oil)
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Mix dry ingredients together thoroughly, add melted coconut oil, water and EO mix together. I used my hands at this steps because the consistency is crumbly. Pack mixture into molds tightly, transfer to a baking sheet and let sit 6-8 hours! I added dried flowers in the molds before putting in the mixture so when we popped them out they had something extra special!
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Can you say perfect Mother’s Day gift?! We’re doing another batch this week for the girls using food coloring and edible glitter. We’re calling them our unicorn bombs and using lavender and stress away in them!
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Who’s DIY-ing this fun recipe?!
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Aubrey Kinch ID: 11517995
Beauty
DIY
essential oils
DIY Body Polish with our Beloved Blue Tansy!
Okay sister. Let's talk skincare. We are always changing and evolving and in different seasons of life so depending on the amount of busyness happening, the foods we're eating, the activities we're doing - that can all help or hinder our skin and how it reacts to our products we're using every day. While I've kind of been a product junkie the last 6-ish years blogging and having the opportunity to try new things, it started showing on my face and body and I regret everything. Dramatic much?
Of all the things we invest in, our skin should be the biggest priority because - hi - we live with it for our whole life! Better take care of it well. Ya hear me?!
So let's talk about essential oils and how they can support your skin. After 18 months of only using oil on my face (gasp!) it's better than ever before. I thought that would be counter intuitive already having oily/combination skin and then adding oil to it...? I had no idea how that would even help but I gave it a try. Guess what? It worked. Better than anything I've ever used before - says the girl who used Acutane years before from cystic acne and horrible scarring. Yikes. so now all I put on my skin daily are a few oils and a cleanser along with clean, mineral makeup.
Here's the deal, we have oils that are much more budget friendly and we have oils that are what I like to call splurge oils but overall, these bottles make serums you can use for months at a time whereas buying high end products from Sephora or Ulta or Nordstrom, you're getting wayyyy less bang for your buck.
Another thing I should mention is how frugal and intentional about money I've become over the past hand full of months. I had an eye opening experience that changed so much of how I see things when it comes to finances and knowing I could do better topically and financially by DIY-ing my skincare routine was a no brainer for me.
That's where this body polish comes in. Blue Tansy is a high dollar oil coming in at $125 retail, $97 wholesale for a 5ml bottle. But hear me - that bottle will make me 12 months supply of the facial serum I use (here, but double the recipe) or 24 months supply of this body polish or lip scrub. BOOM. You listening yet? What's so great about Blue Tansy? Let me tell you!
Antioxidant + Anti-Inflammatory Properties
This is like gold when it comes to skincare. Helps reduce redness and irritation, can diminish the look of blemishes, calms the skin, reduces heat and supports skin ailments like eczema or acne (I have eczema, too!).
Emotional Support
It's harvested with tiny yellow flowers in the chamomile family and one of the key ingredients in Valor, Peace & Calming and JuvaFlex. All oils that are similar with their grounding, mood boosting properties that help support your emotional well being.
But what does it smells like?
Okay, it's actually one of the best smelling oils out there - truly! It has a sweet floral scent but I even feel like it has a hint of blueberry. It's so soothing and light but potent to do the job when used. My favorite was to diffuse this oil is with Stress Away or Dream Catcher.
Now let's get down to the recipe! This body polish is one I had to make because when season's change my skin flares up and the irritations I deal with are so extreme, I scratch and bleed often. I opted for a little vanilla extract in my recipe because it just ups the ante on the smell and I love it even more!!
1 cup white sugar
1 cup carrier oil (I like Vitamin E or Jojoba as they don't clog pores)
10 drops Blue Tansy
1 tsp Vanilla Extract (optional)
Directions: Mix everything together in a large bowl, can and store in a mason jar.
Who's going to make this dreamy polish? If you're not already a Young Living member and want to snag this oil at wholesale cost, grab your starter kit, here, and add Blue Tansy to your order. I'll send you some happy mail to welcome you to our team and you'll be able to DIY all the beauty recipes we're sharing in our online oily community this month in April!
Last Blue Tansy tip for you blondes out there, add 2-3 drops to your entire shampoo bottle and create your own "purple shampoo" without the chemicals! I like this Vanilla Copaiba shampoo and conditioner.
Happy DIY-ing!! Check out my favorite items to use for all our essential oil DIYs, here.
faster way to fat loss
homeschool
life
Homeschool, Life Lately + a Printable!
blanket, saranoni | ella the unicorn, cuddle & kind
Happy Thursday! Ever get in those funks you literally are drowning with all the things you have to get done? I am really good about consistency with lists and our calendar and how to add all the things to my plate but executing them on a timely basis and following through is where I always drop the ball. I have the highest hopes for myself and getting things in order and structured and systematized and then BOOM. Doesn't happen... it's totally my fault but I'm working on it!
We moved my work space from our master bedroom into the playroom last week and some may think that's actually insane but it's working super well for us right now. I say right now lightly because that could change tomorrow. Reason being, we're homeschooling the girls I ordered Emery's curriculum so having our oversized table my dad built all set up for myself and Emery with school keeps everyone happy and in the same space so we can be productive.
Which leads me into - I actually did meal planning this week - what?! I can't believe I actually did it, shopped and prepped so we're golden for at least a solid 6 days from now. Here's the print I made and print out to fill in with our meals and then post it up by the family calendar and the kid's chore charts so all can see. I really don't like the continued questions of "what's for dinner mom?" so having it where everyone knows is doing me a big favor.
I'll share some more on homeschool with our processes, curriculum, system and why we chose it for the girls next week. Also working on a post with some info about my current gym routine / life of how it's working for me and maintaining the lifestyle we have been the last 7 weeks.
Okay, talk soon!!
Mexico
Mexico 2018 Photo Dump
We're about 2 months out from this little vacation we took but it was a good one that deserves a little photo dump on the blog. We spent 6 days in Mexico with my parents, brother, sister-in-law and their son, Carter. We drive down from Arizona and it's about 4 hours from our place which makes it so easy to get access to a beach close to home without trucking to California.
One beach house right on the ocean was so peaceful and beautiful - just what we needed to end 2018 and start 2019! We've been going down to Rocky Point since I was Hollyn's age so it's a favorite place to visit and relax. Ironically, this was Drake's first time ever going with us (and Hollyn) but Emery has been 3 times now.
family
Family Photos 2018
PHOTOS BY
Jenna is amazing and such a doll. Ironically, last winter I had posted something about Andrew being home from work and we were so excited and she responded and said "Wait! Your husband just started at Discount Direct, huh?!" (that's the call center for Discount Tire) and he had!! So she had been a follower of mine and then recognized Andrew since he started working with her and we totally hit it off. I met her in person a month or so later at the company work party and she's so dang talented, she just had to shoot our family pictures!
We weren't even going to shoot family pictures this year since we had our Christmas cards done in September but I was so excited it all aligned to work out and get some updates ones to print and have around the house. These are JUST the sneak peeks she text me and I'm already dying. I had to share right away!
Similarly, let's talk through some tips for family pictures and how to coordinate without being matchy matchy, shall we?
Mix Patterns
You'll see here Andrew rocking buffalo check and I found this dress from PinkBlush and knew it would be a perfect fit to coordinate with him and then having all the kiddos in solids. Because the dress has the cranberries color, it went perfectly with Hollyn's tutu and the black in my dress and Andrew's shirt goes seamlessly with Emery's dress, too. Because I also have gray in my dress, it was a great fit having Drake in gray versus black or white, like the girls, so he stands out on his own, too.
Think Similar but Not Identical
The girls are both in whimsy styled outfits with Hollyn's little collared top and Emery's linen dress - similar, but not the same. Their Birks are coordinating with metallics and make for a great boho touch pairing with my dress, too.
Add Accessories
The girls both have Buffalo Check bows that coordinate with daddy and I'm in a gold necklace that ties with the girls metallic shoes. Win win! And Drake opted for my white converse instead of his black converse so he coordinated with Hollyn. Seamless pairing!
Think About Your Location
We knew we were going to be outside in the desert which is super boho and warm feeling so while it's not typically like me to go for a brighter dress like I have on, I knew it would pop so nicely against our Arizona background. Same with the cranberry tutu for Hollyn.
essential oils
sleep support
wellness
Essential Oils + Sleep
eye mask - Madly Wish | oils - Young Living | devotional - Jesus Calling | tray - At Home | diffuser - Young Living
When I ask people the area of life they're looking for support in from oils, 9/10 times the response is with sleep. It's pretty common in our world today sleep has taken a back burner and people don't make it a priority as much as they should. Evenings are spent dug into phones, TV's or tablets versus winding down without the blue lights stimulating their brains and in turn, keeping them up later or hindering their sleep altogether.
I've been time really figuring out which oils are best for Andrew and I plus our kiddos for really tailoring our sleep experiences to get as much as we can to be happy and healthy functioning humans so over the time doing that, I've found some favorites I wanted to share with you today!
Lavender //
The tried and true, the one everyone knows about for it's calming and grounding vibes but it's a great one for sleep. If there is one oil to get for sleep, Lavender is it. We diffuse this in every bedroom at night and other oils with it but we will never be without it!
Vetiver //
So great for supporting deeper and more restful sleep overall so this oil is one I use right on our feet at bedtime for extra love and we diffuse this with Lavender
Roman Chamomile //
Do you hear often how people tend to opt for a hot tea before bed, typically being chamomile? It's because it's a great resource and tool for aiding your sleep each and every night so this oil is a ticket right to that, as well. I got this oil originally as a promo and completely fell in love!
Dream Catcher //
Yes, this is pricey but honestly paired with Vetiver and Lavender, I don't think I could say we get good sleep regularly. The blend just mentioned is the go-to for our master bedroom and it's one I start about 20 minutes before I'm ready to head in there and when I do, it's so soothing, calming, relaxing and totally sets the night for restfulness.
Tranquil //
A roll-on blend with Cedarwood, Lavender, and Roman Chamomile so it's exactly what you need to apply directly on your wrists, and behind ears to dose off to sleep peacefully.
Raven //
Not sleep related but I love this oil each and every night for applying on my chest to support my breathing. It's similar to a vicks so it's icy/hot, invigorating feel opens airways so nicely and really has become a staple in my night.
Thieves //
Last thing I always use is Thieves for all the immune support. Again, not sleep related but I'll do all I can to avoid feeling "blah" so this goes down my spine and on the bottoms of my feet every morning and night.
Tips
Stay away from TV, phones, tablets... etc and opt for a book or devotional. I try to spend my evenings away from those things overstimulating my brain so I can promote better sleep. As a mom of three, working from home and needing to be "on" and a self starter, that always helps me be more productive and efficient the next day after sleeping well!
Do you have any oils you love for sleep or nightly routines you find helpful for catching those zzz's?
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Aubrey Kinch ID: 11517995
coffee talk
Coffee Talk Vol 3
How do you get yourself going with time management and being focused?
I block schedule my time and getting a babysitter was a huge deal for me. About a year ago, I was working a ton and didn't have Andrew home helping with the kids so I knew for myself to be productive and efficient with my current client work, I needed extra hands a couple days a week. We chose to have my cousin start watching the girls 2 days each week and that was valuable to me knowing I could schedule all my client calls, meetings, errands... etc during those 16 each week I had a sitter.
Similarly, while I had the extra hands, I made sure to use my time wisely. Scrolling IG can be such a time suck and to avoid that, I will Sunday night planning out my week and what needs to be accomplished in my planner and when it comes up during my days, I'll set a timer on my phone and focus only on one task at a time. For example, I'll start with emails so I'll do my timer for 30 minutes and only work on getting through my inbox during that time. Once it up, I'll break 2-3 minutes and set it for 20 minutes and work on scheduling social media posts. It proves to keep me on track and productive without getting side tracked!
Do you drink?
Alcohol? Yes! We aren't huge on drinking but will have the occasional one at dinner or events. I don't like beer but will do white wine or cocktails - typically a margarita of some sort.
How did you and Andrew meet?
I grew up dancing competitively so when I was 11 I met Andrew's sister, Alisha, who I was really close with all throughout my childhood and teen years. I met Andrew that way so it was a really easy transition to go from being friends to being lovers plus it gave us the opportunity to already be part of each other's lives as our teen years happened. I was in a bad relationship, he had a child at 18 so we already knew about all the extra and walk through it.
How often do you and Emery have "mommy and me" days?
Because Andrew works from home with me I typically plan my errands and grocery shopping midday when Hollyn is napping so I have the opportunity to take Emery with me to have some one on one time. It's not often we do additional things outside of those outings but we went to the movies last week, which she loved, and we've gone once or twice to get our nails down without her brother or sister in tow. Her love language is quality time so it means so much to her having me without fighting for attention.
Anymore babies? Your little girls are the cutest and I think you need another.
No more babies! We have sealed the deal on that one and won't be having another biological baby between us. We are really passionate about adoption and fostering so we're been praying and researching those avenues and what would be right for our home at this point. In our current season, we're feeling fulfilled and done but the future may change that!
How do you keep track of all your oil recipes?
I use the Notes app on my iPhone to track all my favorite, tried and true blends so I can duplicate and make it over and over again! I've also found cute notebooks, like this or this and will jot them down. I think that will be the better route to track them overall over time since it's something we're digging into and trying new things every day!
family
holidays
Signed, Sealed... + Almost Delivered
We are all set and ready to send our Christmas cards! Back in September we were working on a fun campaign with Hanna Andersson so it gave us an opportunity to shoot some family pictures all decked out in Christmas jammies and it was the perfect chance to jump on ordering our cards right then. We used Minted, which we have for a handful of years now, and couldn't be happier.
I used to stress and stress over if the card should have our whole family, if we should match, coordinate, only have the kids, include the dog, inside or outside... and then thinking about looking for a perfectly styled design was another thing to add to the bundle. Previous years, I spent days looking for the right card that eluded Christmas, our family, simple and classic, yet fun and unique and because we chose to jump on doing them early, I had no stress.
None.
I looked over Minted one night, picked 3 I liked on the first page of their Christmas card selections and popped our image in - BOOM - done. Picked it and ordered within 20 minutes. That's the way to do it. But all that said, I want to encourage you to enjoy the process of sending Christmas cards! Shouldn't it be a fun time being able to update family and friends with your year? Hopefully you can remind yourself that in the hustle and bustle this season brings.
Simple. Lovely. YOU.
christmas favorites
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