Just a reminder!!! My family and I love our essential oils. We use them daily. They have been such a blessing especially in helping me cut out tons of chemicals from our lives, keeping our family healthy, helping soothe and comfort...the list goes on! The amazing starter kit is an incredible price right now. This is a very valuable kit at an incredible low price point. I'd love to talk to you if you have any questions. If you've been thinking about a kit, this month is for you!! Young Living is definitely sharing the love!

One of the many reasons I started using essential oils was because I wanted to try to become chemical free in as many areas of my life that I could. I'm still working on it but have found some really great bath and body products that work well and are filled with wonderful ingredients including essential oils! I have been using most of these products for almost a year and really really like them. 

As most of y'all know, many bath and body products on the market are high in toxic ingredients. I was reading about an ingredient yesterday that's found in many face washes that is also used to make lacquer for wood and metal floors! YUCK! It doesn't seem like that should go into a product that you are putting on your face and is being absorbed into your skin. Hey, but maybe that's just me! 

Here is my list of products I currently use:

1. Brown sugar face scrub. There are a couple different face scrub recipes that I've seen but I like this one the best. It has brown sugar, coconut oil, tea tree essential oil and lavender essential oil. It leaves your face soft and silky. 

2. Thayers Witch Hazel( alcohol free ). This is technically a toner but I use it for a facial cleanser. I use it every night to take my make up off/cleanse my face. You can also use #5 as a face wash if you'd prefer something sudsy. 

3. Facial serum. I use this morning and evening. Sweet almond oil( or jojoba oil...I actually like both equally ), frankincense essential oil and lavender essential oil. 

4. I'm loving these little body butter discs right now. Whole Body sells them and you just rub them on instead of lotion. I also have made up at all times whipped body butter. There are several different recipes. Mine is coconut oil, vitamin E oil, and whatever young living essential oil you want to add. I like lavender, grapefruit, or stress away!! 

5. Dr Bronner's Castile Soap. Love this stuff...a lot! It contains all good ingredients!! I use this for my body wash and for the kids body wash and bubble bath. You can also use it to wash your face. Use it as is or add an essential oil of two( like tea tree or lavender ). It comes in 6 or 8 different scents. My favs are Lavender, Citrus and Rose. *i also use this Castile soap in my DIY hand soap I posted a few days ago. 

6. Giovanni Eco Chic Shampoo + Conditioner. I really like this brand. These products are both eco friendly and all natural. They have plant based materials and essential oils in them! I buy mine at Whole Foods but other stores might carry them. ( there are a few ingredients I still have been meaning to look up but none of them are on our "no go" list from earlier ). 

If you have any questions about recipes for some of these DIY products or questions on another product shown, let me know!!

This DIY Felt Fortune Cookie craft is so easy and is a really fun craft if you have kids...or just know of a fortune cookie lover. I decided to give this craft a try b/c Rowen( my 4 year old )absolutely loves fortune cookies. He asks if we can get chinese food for lunch or dinner several times a week and it's not because he loves fried rice! But he DOES love the cookies! He loves popping them open for the fortune even though he can't read yet! I think it's the pure excitement of a "prize" being on the inside of that almond flavored treat.

* several sheets of standard felt( I chose Valentine colors )

* Scissors 

* A marker or pen

Something to trace around to make your circles( I used a mason jar )

* Glue/some sort of sticky adhesive

* Pipe cleaners

Tutorial:

Place mason jar top down on your piece of felt and using your marker, trace around the mouth of the jar. 

I don't know what it is about the colder months but I have a hard time consuming enough water throughout the days during the winter. It's probably because it's cold outside and I'd rather be drinking something hot. I'm a cold nature person so I don't much like drinking a huge glass of ice water while freezing! I do however know the importance of drinking it. Water is so good for your body as you know. Its great for your skin and being hydrated gives you more energy and leaves you feeling less fatigued. 

I love having family pictures taken but it can be a a long tiring process with small kiddos! We hadn't had professional pictures taken in a little over a year but I knew I wanted an updated picture for our Christmas card. We didn't have a photographer that we used all the time so after stumbling across some professional pictures of a family at church, I happened to love what the photographer had done, her style, and just how lovely the pictures were. I booked a 30 minute mini session( we will be doing this for all our family pics from now on! )with her and off we went one November morning to a farm! 

Melanie is so good at what she does! Isn't it funny how photographers can always get your kids to smile when often it's almost impossible to get it done yourself! She was great with the kids, definitely guided us on posing, and got some really really great pictures. We got to choose 5 but I am definitely going to go back and purchase more! There were so many great pictures. 

Our 2015 Family Pictures:

For Melanie G Photography Info-CLICK HERE

Choose HEALTH this year. There are many aspects of healthy living...eating nutritious foods, exercising, drinking lots of water...and using essential oils! KEEP READING! The everyday oils in the Premium Starter Kit should be part of your "healthy lifestyle".

 These can be used for sleep( helping you shut off your brain, get to sleep quickly, and stay asleep ), for increasing your energy, boosting your immune system, keeping colds/sinus issues at bay, headache relief, calming/relaxing your body at the end of a stressful day...just to name a few things! Young Living essential oils can be diffused, applied topically, and can be ingested. 

If you are the slightest bit interested in essential oils, please let me know! I'd love to send you some info. I've been using essential oils for over a year and can't imagine life without them. I have made so many products with my oils and have cut out quite a bit of toxic products from our daily lives! Leave me a message her or feel free to email me at: rachelsimons82(at)gmail(dot)com

Happy 2016 friends! I kinda fell of the blogging wagon the past couple months but I'm back and ready to do justice to this ole blog of mine! I've got some fun things planned so make sure to keep reading and follow along if you don't already! 

I hope everyone's new year has gotten off to a great start! Ours definitely has. There's lots to share but for now, I'll leave you with a few New Year's pics...

 The one I do life with!!