5 Ways to Use Essential Oils in Your Home.

I am so excited to introduce you to my insanely talented friend Savannah, momprenuer and creative extraordinaire (read more below - you'll see what I mean). Today she's here sharing about one of my latest obsessions - using essential oils in the home and with your family! I'm excited for you friends to glean from her experiences. And make sure to check out her many endeavors on insta - @lindbergcandleco, @mamatribeoils and @savannahkwallace and give her some love in the comments!

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Hello friends! I’m so thankful to Kristen for allowing me to do a guest post on her blog while she spends time with her family and her new little one. What an incredibly special season for her!!

Let me introduce myself, my name is Savannah and I wear a lot of hats. (Don’t we all??) Mainly, I’m at home with my two little ones Soren and Aria… Soren is almost three and Aria is about to be one. They have more energy than I have ever seen in a human and they keep things interesting (and busy!) around here.  I also like to call myself a creative entrepreneur, I run a small candle shop called Lindbergh Candle Co., write a beauty column for A Beautiful Mess, host a YouTube channel and teach classes on essential oils! See what I mean about a lot of hats?!  

Kristen asked me to share a little bit about essential oils and I wanted to put together just a few basic and easy ways you can start using essential oils in your home! They are an incredibly amazing way to treat your family and home naturally and have an INCREDIBLE amount of benefits. They are non-toxic, smell wonderful AND if you’re totally into DIYs, you won’t be able to get enough. ;) 

Please note that all of my suggested tips are for pure therapeutic grade essential oils. ALWAYS check your labels and do research into any company before using their oils. I personally use and love doTERRA and have trusted them for years with myself, my home and my family. 

1. Diffuse!
An easy way to start using oils is by getting an oil diffuser, plugging it in and diffusing your favorite combination daily. I love mixing and matching different scents to create my own blends. Not only will it make your home smell wonderful but you’ll be able to get the benefits and goodness of the oils by diffusing them into the air! One of our favorite blends is OnGuard (an immune boosting oil that help protect against environmental threats) and Breathe (a respiratory support oil) such a great one for flu season! I also LOVE cardamon, cinnamon and wild orange during this time of the year…smells like orange cinnamon rolls, no joke! You can easily pick up an affordable diffuser on Amazon and get on the diffuser train!

2. All the Rollerballs!
To make using your essential oils easy, I highly suggest creating your own rollerballs. This makes daily use simple and easy to take with you on-the-go. Pick up a few rollerballs and some fractionated coconut oil (FCO = coconut oil that has no scent and stays liquid!) and plan an hour to make your own rollerballs. This is my favorite way to use essential oils on my little ones! Here are a few of my favorite easy recipes to try out. Just use a few drops of each oil listed and top off with your FCO. 

     Sleepy Baby - Roll on bottom of babies feet at night. Can use on yourself too of course!
     - Lavender

     Stay Healthy - Make this one part of your routine! Roll on everyone's feet and spine daily. 
     - On Guard
     - Frankincense

     Owie - The perfect blend for boo-boo’s, burns, bites, rashes…anything skin related. 
     - Melaleuca (tea tree)
     - Lavender

3. Perfume Alternative.
Find an essential oil that resonates with you and makes you feel happy, put a few drops in a rollerball, top off with fractionated coconut oil and keep in your purse. Use it as your new, natural signature scent that also happens to give you those happy feelings. 

4. No More Dryer Sheets.
Yikes! Did you know that most dryer sheets have tons of harmful and toxic ingredients? Since clothing is close to our skin and our little ones skin, we definitely want it to be safe and free of icky ingredients. We stopped using dryer sheets a few years ago and now use wool dryer balls. To give our clothing a nice clean scent, I’ll add 2-4 drops of my favorite smelling essential oils directly to the wool dryer balls and our clothes come out smelling subtle and clean. I love using lavender or one of my very favorites, Citrus Bliss! 

5. Natural Cleaner.
Having two little ones = messes everywhere! I quickly discovered that nothing is safe and everything is being cleaned constantly. We started making our own natural cleaner with essential oils and I LOVE that I can use it for everything… we’re talking counters, appliances, high-chairs, toys, floors, bathrooms AND fruit! Seriously! Just combine equal parts water and vinegar, 10-20 drops of Lemon essential oil and 25-35 drops of OnGuard essential oil in a spray bottle and you have your very own amazing smelling cleaner that is naturally antibacterial and helps protect against environmental threats. Plus, if your little one decides to start licking their newly washed high chair (been there done that) you won’t think twice about them consuming something they shouldn't.  

I know when I first started using oils it was a little bit overwhelming, but I hope you find these tips helpful! These are really just a few of the thousands of ways you can use oils in your home and for your family. I’m constantly making rollerballs, coming up with diffuser recipes, cooking with them(!), cleaning with them, making bath salts and natural beauty products. I love that they are safe, natural and kinda a lot of fun too!

If you’re interested in learning more and seeing some of my favorite tips and DIYs, come check me out on my essential oils Instagram account, @MamaTribeOils! I post daily ideas, facts and tips that are both educational and way fun. Also feel free to reach out to me at anytime with questions regarding essential oils, I would love to help! Thank you so much for reading and thank you Kristen for having me in your blog home! xox, Sav. 

5 Ways To Celebrate Christmas For Free (or on the Cheap!)

Hi sweet friends. As I take some time with my new baby love, I will be sharing some posts from esteemed and treasured blogging + entrepreneur friends. Today I'm excited to introduce you to my friend Jessica Huffman, certified StrengthsFinder life coach, personal stylist and most importantly - mama, sister and friend! She's here to share some super clever ideas for how to celebrate Christmas without inflating the budget.

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“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

That memorable classic serenades you in stores, shopping malls, and on the radio as the details of your to-do list pile up in your head. If you’re a mom, the tantalizing thoughts of parties, delicious food, and family tradition can easily be overshadowed by what it takes to obtain those “Instagram worthy" moments. In the motherhood hustle, it’s all too easy to forget to stop, breathe, and be present. If you haven’t given yourself permission yet, consider this blog your first form of encouragement to “lower the bar” on experiencing the holiday season with your loved ones. Say no to the next kids’ holiday party (you’ve attended 25 already), hit “decline” on that Ugly Sweater Facebook invite your cousin throws (it has terrible food anyway), and throw off the constraints of “have-to” demands in favor of the “get-to” moments you can savor with your family during Christmas. Most of the best ones are usually free, too!

Now look, if you are wanting perfection this holiday season then keep looking for some other airbrushed and poised mom and her kids, because this girl ain’t that! I’m real, honest, and on a mission to live my best life now; even embracing the terrible (my word of the year!) moments along the way. If you are like me (I’m not so secretly hoping you are… flawlessly popping another M&M in our mouths while we compare ourselves to strangers on the internet) then this season is about memories and experiences that will create fond memories of our family for years. Instead of chaos, opt for creativity; instead of maxing out credit cards, aim for simplicity and engagement. You might just find that it is TRULY the most wonderful time of the year! Below are my Five Ways to Celebrate The Holidays for Free (or almost free)!

1. Christmas Scavenger Hunt.
Do you like riddles? Then you can create your own “Christmas Scavenger Hunt.” If not, you can find a variety of great riddles very easily on Pinterest. What to do: Start the evening with dinner. After dinner organize the group into pairs (try and pair a child with an adult). Give each pair the list of riddles that, when solved, identify an item for them to take a picture or video of. Load everyone up in the cars and take them to an outdoor/indoor mall, local hotspot, or even a large department store that has a variety of Christmas themed items and people (Santa, Elves, Live Nativity Scene, etc.). Whoever finishes the list first must rush to get it back to a pre-determined spot and can be declared the winner, with total bragging rights (you guessed it…I am a terrible loser!) After everyone returns, celebrate with either hot chocolate or a dessert! This game is perfect for team work, cultivating healthy competition, and can be educational depending on what you learn from each riddle and clue.

2. Christmas Home Spa.
At the end of the day, make a mock schedule for the “(FAMILY NAME) SPA.” Set aside 30 minute increments for each child. Let them know that they have 5 minutes to prep for the spa in one of your bathrooms that has a bathtub. Run some water, grab bubbles, bath bombs, oils or any special bath toys (depending on age). Lower the lights, and then have each child request their favorite holiday movie on Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. Set up a laptop or iPad on an end table close to the tub but far enough away that it can’t be harmed by playful splashes. When your child arrives for their spa time, hand them a cup of hot chocolate, ask them to get in the spa and then press play on their holiday movie. Of course safety is key so, as the parent, determine the level of safety each child needs in a bath full of water. If you need to stay close, this might be the perfect opportunity to sit nearby on the floor, fold laundry, and watch your child become a diva in training.

3. Christmas “Tour De Subdivision”.
Often times, the most wonderful memories are the traditional ones that have a unique spin. When I was a child we would go look at lights in the surrounding neighborhoods. As I grew older, the family ventured out into other towns. Today, my family carries on this tradition with some added elements. The trick to this is introducing an element of surprise. For example, on an evening when your kids least expect it, have them prepare for bed in their warm pajamas. Just before bed announce that, instead of the same old routine, the family is going to have a Christmas surprise! Pile everyone up in the car with plenty of blankets, roll down the windows, and make your first stop any place that serves ice cream. Crank the holiday music as the kids enjoy their late night treat and slowly drive through your local subdivisions ohhhh-ing and ahhhh-ing at the lights. Make sure you turn off your headlights (if you can) for an even more dramatic impact. Don’t forget that this can be either long or short depending on the ages of your kid’s. As you gaze at the lights ask your kids questions. For example:

1. Which type of lights do you love the most - icicle, colored, white, blinking, etc.

2. Which one was your favorite home (of lights) and why?

4. Twelve Days of Christmas - Book Edition.
Create a simple calendar system for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Let the kids know you will be reading a holiday book of their choice each night together prior to bed (or when it works best for the family). Visit your local library and have each child pick out the books that are geared towards the Christmas season. On your return home, place each child’s name and book in the schedule day. Once you have your pre-determined time each day, let each child know it’s his/her day to pick their books and favorite spot to read. Make sure that the family knows this is done together each day so there’s no options or excuses not to sit and enjoy the book of choice.

5. Hot Chocolate Tasting!
This might not be free, but it is still cost effective and super engaging. It can be a good choice for a large family or even a friends/family outing. Set aside at least a three hour window of time on a predetermined a day. Select a driving route that takes you to at least three places that sell hot chocolate. Create a “Hot Chocolate” evaluation form where the name, location, and type of hot chocolate can we written down. Include a list of numbers to rate taste, creaminess, whip cream, etc. At each stop, ask for the small or kids size hot chocolate and then remind everyone to sip slowly (almost like wine, but that would be encouraging drinking and that’s not what this blog is about) and then talk about and write down how much they like/dislike it and why. Proceed on to the next location instructing everyone to do the same thing for each stop. At the last location, ask them to either choose their top pick for hot chocolate or decide together on a team “winner!”

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A little more about Jessica:
I'm a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, grace dweller, burrito lover, Netflix watcher, coffee consumer, and style obsessor. After 15 years in the non-profit arena, life choices thrusted me in to what felt like a mid-life crisis to what became an adventurous journey of answering the question, “What Now”? Traveling to DC to get my StrengthsFinder certification from Gallup, and attempting the Personal Stylist/Branding program with Sterling Style Academy, my struggle became my passion, and with this new venture, will become my purpose: helping others discover a life and work they love!

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I hope you enjoyed Jessica's savvy holiday hacks and make sure to visit her site and give a shout out on her instagram!

A Nursery for Bebe.

The diapers and wipes are stocked. The clothes are folded in the dresser. The tiny hats, the bitty socks. The pictures are hung and the monitor is set. Everett has done a fine job breaking in the room for his little brother to be - laying in the bouncer to "take a nap" and strewing the teething toys around the room. He even "plays baby" and lays in my arms and says he needs a bottle. Ha, yeah right kid. NOW he wants to take a bottle, even though when it mattered, he never took one. Ever.

I digress.

The nursery is ready. Now all we need is a little brother to occupy it.

Now, Daxton won't really be in his nursery for a while, since we have a space set up for him to sleep in our bedroom for the first stretch. I can't remember how long we had Everett in our room when he was a newborn, so I don't really have a grid for when Daxton will start regularly residing in his nursery. But it is ready for him! All ready. Come on, little baby. At 39 weeks, my belly is enormous and it's time for you to evacuate :)

I've linked below to some sources we used to decorate this room, most of which we already had for Everett. I love how neutral and simple the space is. Some might call it boring but it's really peaceful to me, and that's what matters, since I will be spending a lot of time in there in the coming year! Pinkblush Maternity was kind enough to send me this delivery/nursing robe, which I have been living in as I prep this babylicious space. Although I admit, I finally packed it in my hospital bag over the weekend, for fear of forgetting it when we leave for the hospital. A robe is something you don't want to be without! In fact, my sister-in-law makes fun of me for how much I love bathrobes - but I think you can never have enough! They are so great for lounging in, and this one will be my Daxton robe, so it's going to remain close to me at all times during this next season of being in newborn land and nursing. Make sure to visit my instagram for your chance to win one of Pinkblush Maternity's gorgeous robes (you don't have to be pregnant or a mama to enjoy one of these!) The giveaway will run through 12/18 and the winner will be announced on 12/19 on my Insta account.

Nursery Decor Sources:
Restoration Hardware Boucle Cloud Crib Bedding in Mist
Restoration Hardware Wool Felt Cloud Mobile
Aden & Anais Crib Sheet & Changing Pad Cover
Restoration Hardware Canvas Storage Bins in Blue Cloud
Garage Sale Glider, recovered
Crib, gifted
IKEA SANELA Curtains
Target Floating Shelves
Custom Name Print by Jenny Highsmith
Target Ottoman (similar here)

Any tips from you mamas on how to naturally induce labor? I've done all the "standby" methods and we have no signs of action over here. I'm ready to meet my little boy, so I am aaaallllllll ears my friends! xox

P.S. - Choosing Daxton's name, a tour of Everett's Toddler Bedroom and another look with Pinkblush Maternity :)

Trimming the Tree.

The memory is laced with the faintest scent of pine and cider and the melodies of the Amy Grant Home for Christmas album. I can see my sisters, the Santa hat atop Kara's head crushing her 80's bangs. Rachel is so little, wearing pink footie pajamas and mimicking everything I do. Because, you know, little sisters. We are decorating the tree and my mom is making popcorn in the kitchen and my dad is outside on a ladder, putting lights up higher on the house than my mom wanted. It's wonderful, it's warm, and we are happy.

Every time I go to decorate my own Christmas tree these adult years, I am overwhelmed with the rush of this memory, these glowing little moments. Me and my sisters, shimmying around the tree with the strange lava lights that mom insists were in style back then and draping our construction paper ornaments all willy-nilly. Mom, with her thick glasses and long fuzzy robe. Dad, fussing with the outdoor decor while his acoustic guitar awaits in the corner of the living room. Dad always came in and played some Larry Norman when he was done with his projects.

I am grateful.

Christmas is not always perfect. It can be stressful and fussy and can bring out some of the worst family dynamics. It can cost too much and somehow we eat too much and then in January we have to clean it all up and that is just sad. But the thing is - Christmas is memory. It's one of the strongest. And I don't really remember the difficult times as much as I remember the shocked look of joy of the faces of my family members, each as they unwrapped their dream gift. I remember my dad getting his big screen TV, my sister getting her sought-after leather Steve Madden boots, and my little Ray Ray, getting clothes. Nothing made her happier than just clothes. It's so funny.

Now I am in the phase of life where I am on the other side of the equation, planning and budgeting and baking and shopping. I am creating the framework for my own little family's memories. I am hanging the stockings, stuffing them with toothbrushes and chocolate (??) I am trimming the tree with my chosen ornaments - a mixture of glitter and gold and woodland themed aesthetics. I know that doesn't really go together but I'm the mom now, so I get to make that call. Just like my mom did with those strange lava lights. I love this phase of life more than I could have ever imagined. I can't believe how much I love being a mom and surprising my family with Christmas treats, all the while the Amy Grant Christmas album lilts in the background of my heart. I am happy. An emotional pregnant basket case about 1/3 of the time these days, but absolutely, decidedly, blissfully happy.

Stevie practically did everything to make Christmas happen this year, in terms of decorating. He put up the largest (and best!) tree we've ever had, smattered some extra branches on the mantle and draped the lights, but Everett helped me hang some of the ornaments lower on the tree and he was absolutely giddy. Just like he should be. I was so touched when Marked Moments Keepsakes reached out, wanting to send along a personalized ornament for us to hang on our tree this year. This wooded design is the perfect memory marker for what feels like another nostalgic year - this slice of life with my little family of three just moments before we balloon into a bustling crew of four. I am so smitten with these Christmas moments and I just want to simmer here for a while. And watch my little son hop like a frog in the glow of the lights while listening to Stevie strum the chords to a Johnnyswim song on his own acoustic.

This is it, you guys. These are the moments that make life the absolute "good old days", and I don't want to dismiss a single one.

What are your favorite Christmas memories from trimming the tree - the music? The lights? I'd love to hear about your own sweet holiday moments with your people. Merry Christmas to you, friends. xox.

P.S. - Our Christmas tree hunting experience this year and my NBD phone call with Jillian Michaels (enter the giveaway for her new book over on my instagram!)

Christmas Tree Hunting!

Oh, Christmas tree!

We had such a memorable time, hunting for our trees rather early this year. Since I am enormously pregnant at this point, I knew I wanted to have Christmas "ready" by Thanksgiving. So we went tree hunting the weekend before Thanksgiving, complete with a hearty Cracker Barrel breakfast prior to the mission. Those blueberry pancakes you guys.

We go to the farmer's market in Atlanta every year for our trees (yes, we get two - one tall beauty and one short kooky one), and this year we went with Stevie's parents and bro. Everett had such a blast, playing hide-and-seek with my brother-in-law Joshua amongst the trees while Stevie and I deliberated. I had my heart set on a super tall tree, while Stevie preferred to be less ostentatious. Story of our life, actually. But he agreed, the 13-footer was too much of a beauty to pass up, and because it was actually very cold and windy on this particular day (okay, cold for Georgia), we made quick decisions and were in and out of the market pretty fast.

Oh, a word on matching. When I found out I was having another boy, I decided to go ahead and attempt to match my kids for as long as they will let me. I have mayyyyybe another year of tricking Everett into thinking it's cool for us to wear matching gear. I might never have a girl, you guys! This could be my only chance! On this particular morning, I pulled out our matching Rocco+Norah beanie and mama turban and was like, "Everett, look! We can have matching hats today!" And he started laughing and smiling and then suddenly froze and was like, "Wait, what about Daddy? Where's Daddy's hat?", to which I responded stone-faced (and kind of evilly), "Daddy didn't want to match us."

Have I not mentioned that this last stretch of pregnancy has made me a terrible person? Just rotten.

How cute are these two??

I love this. Such a father-son moment.

I mean, how good looking are my in-laws? It's kind of ridiculous.

I hope you are all getting into the Christmas spirit! We finally completed decorating the house and I'll share our trimmed trees here on Monday. Have a beautiful, jolly weekend, friends! xox