Essential Oils - My Gateway Drug To All Things Healthy

In October of last year I became a huge fan of essential oils. I had tried them here and there over the years but it wasn't until last fall when a friend gave me some Doterra oils that I started replacing medicines in our cabinet with them. And now it's gotten to the point where nearly everything, if not everything, has been replaced with an essential oil. And not just because it's cool - but because they work BETTER.  It's pretty radical, actually. And so, I am in love.

And this love has brought with it some unexpected travelers. Not only am I in love with the oils so much that I actually became a rep, but it has opened me up to a whole new level of understanding of my body and my spirit and how the two work together to keep me healthy. The first change I noticed was that I started decreasing the toxic load I place on my body. I started looking around my home - at my toiletries, my cleaners, my food, and asking myself if it was a product that was aiding in the health of my whole self. And so I threw a bunch of stuff out, which I think is pretty cool. And the oils have made me look internally to see if my stress levels and moods are ones that are aiding not only in my health but in the health of my family. And I've started to make changes in the ways I deal with my loved ones as well as myself. And if you'd believe it, the oils have even helped me strengthen myself spiritually. They have increased my faith in the Lord because I've seen how well they work and it reminds me that He has provided for our needs. It has made me want to rely less in the "arm of flesh" in other ways and more on Him. It has helped me to see that "all things denote that there is a God"* and that many of those things will actually help us draw closer to him as well. And in that new found searching I have found beautiful quotes like this one from Parley P. Pratt on the effect of the Holy Spirit:

"It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being."

Isn't that beautiful?  I especially like the part where he says it invigorates ALL of the faculties and how he said it actually makes thing become more beautiful.  I believe that.  I really believe that as we have the spirit of God striving in our hearts it is working in each individual molecule in us.  Filling it with light and helping it to heal and work better.

In the end, I am so grateful that my journey into the world of essential oils has just begun and yet it has already opened my eyes and my heart to a whole new wellness - a truly holistic view of how to care for myself and my family.

And P.S.  Doterra oils are THE best.  The End.  

P.P.S.  Call me or email and I'll talk your ear off all about why.

*Alma 30:44

Truth: Farmhouses are messy in the spring.

I haven't blogged in forever but since my in-laws are coming in to town this evening and I've got T-O-N-S to do I thought now would be the perfect time!

It has been CRAZY here - we now have 39 chickens, a pony, two llamas, eight goats, three cats, and a dog living here.  Five of those goats are pregnant.  Actually - three have had their babies in the last 10 days - and goat kids are the CUTEST thing on the face of the planet.  I got to play James Herriot and deliver the ones that came so far - I will probably miss the other two births because I leave tomorrow to go to girl's camp - thus why my in-laws are coming to town.  They are VERY graciously driving up here to watch my four monkeys for the week - not to mention all of the animals.

I mentioned James Herriot and for real - because I am reading his series of books I was able to keep my cool.  If I hadn't read story after story of his where he has to reach his hand into an animal's rear end then I might have felt more squeamish about doing it myself.  But, thanks to James, I was good to go.

And with all of the animal births and other spring duties around the farm - my house has been a MESS!  I am not naturally a clean person anyhow but when you add like 50 chores to the list of to-do's you have to start prioritizing.  And unfortunately for the kitchen - birthing kids scores higher than dishes.  Luckily though, we're coming down from the craziness and the dishes are once again getting done.

And we've had a wonderful June.  My brother Weston and his lovely prego wife Alison came into town.  It was the first real visit from anyone and it made our house feel real.  After we moved it was almost like all of our friends and family in other locations stopped living and we entered some weird fourth dimension.  But having them visit seemed to pop that bubble.  And it was so nice to have someone come and see the beauty of where we live and like it too.  Not to mention seeing them. :)

And then the Wingers came into town and I have to say that it was one of the funnest weeks we've ever had as a family.  Their kids and ours played endlessly outside, we cooked, we ate, we made soap, we talked - it was the best.  And Sheree was such a gracious visitor that when she left it was like my fairy godmother had visited.  She cleaned my car top to bottom and filled it with gas and had showered me with birthday gifts while she was here.  Thanks, Sheree.  Best.friend.families.

So, where are all of the photos?  My camera is still on the outs - I have been a little lazy about sending it in to the shop.  So instead here is a movie the boys and I made a month or so ago.  It's life changing, I promise.

I *heart* Babies

A couple weeks ago I took some baby pictures of a friend's baby all on film.  He is an adorable chubby baby and I loved taking these.  And I still love film.  And now that I'm done having kids - I can't believe how much I want to hug and kiss and squeeze other mom's newborns.  And p.s.  Syrene has a days old baby and still looks AMAZING here!!!!!!!

Congratulations, Syrene.  Thanks for letting me be a part of it all!