Nurse Kim - Essential Oils Part 2

Growing up, my Aunt would have her herbal remedies and little natural tips that would help in any time of need, whether it was a stomach ache, headache, sore muscles, cold, etc. It seemed interesting and a little funny but I used what she would give and it would always work. As I’ve grown up and had a munchkin of my own, I’ve realized how amazing all natural remedies really are.

It’s that first time that your little one gets sick and you can’t give them anything because they are young or as a breastfeeding/pregnant person that gets sick and you can’t take anything. Whew, that stresses me out. I think it’s also the fact that I know that I can’t take anything and then I worry too much that I can’t.

I’ve used essential oils before, when I had a sore throat or got a cold and would put oregano under my tongue or I’ve used lavender on skin rashes or to calm my little munchkin, or eucalyptus in a humidifier to help a little one with a cold. They work great and I love them. That has been the extent of my knowledge with these magic potions.

Lately though, I’ve really gotten into the fact that there are tons of oils that fix tons of ailments. I love it!

You can use them to cook, clean, sanitize, help your house smell good, and make you feel better. Uh, does it get any better?

My first moment of “ah ha” was when little Zac was sick for weeks and it wasn’t getting better. He had an eye infection, congestion, cough, all of the yucky stuff and after a day and a half of my magic potions, “Poof,” all better.

These oils that have been used for centuries by our ancestors have gotten lost in world of medicine. Not that going to the doctor is bad, it’s not.

The other oils that I’ve used were good but, since then, I have started using doTERRA. There oil is a different than most because it is certified pure and therapeutic grade. It is safe to ingest and put on your body. They also have blends, which is nice because you can buy less instead of more. You can use other brands and most health food stores carry oils.

Here are some uses for the oils that I can’t live without!

Lemon:
You can take Lemon and some baking soda and sprinkle on carpet. Leave for 30 minutes or so and then vacuum it up. Smells fantastic!

10-15 drops of lemon
1 cup water
1/8 cup vinegar

Add to a spray bottle, shake, and apply to windows and then wipe clean.

You can add a few drops to water for a refreshing drink that will help clean up the liver.

Lavender is used to relax and prepare for sleep. Calms Zac right down when he gets in crying fits. My bro used this on that rash that people get on the back of arms and he no longer has that rash. You can use this for any skin rashes or burns too.

On-Guard (Wild Orange, Clove, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Eucalyptus) helps with immune building and aid in fighting off harmful bacteria, mold, and viruses. This is one of my favorites!! I apply this to Zac’s feet and the rest of my family takes it under the tongue to help our bodies fight sickness during cold and flu season.

Deep Blue (Wintergreen, Peppermint, Blue Tansy, Chamomile, Helichrysum, Osmanthus) helps with any sore muscles or aches. It truly is miracle oil. They have a rub that combines this oil in lotion and it's like Icy Hot on steroids.

Breathe (Laurel Leaf, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Lemon, Ravensara) is a respiratory blend and works so well in helping with congestion and to open sinuses. I love putting this on Zac’s little chest and it does wonders.

Melaleuca or tea tree oil (it's one in the same) is one that helps with infection or wounds. I gargled this after I had two cavities filled and my teeth hurt; the pain was gone in seconds. This also helps with sore throats along with On Guard. This can also be rubbed on eczema.

Digest-Zen (Ginger, Peppermint, Tarragon, Fennel, Caraway, Coriander, Anise). This is what I use for nasty stomachaches. Put a few drops on my tongue and it takes the stomachache away very quickly. My grandpa had pancreatitis and gallstones and thought he had just majorly bad stomachaches. He was using this oil and it would help for a little while and then it would hurt again, he would take more and it would help. Obviously, he should have gone to the doctor. He ended up needing his gallbladder removed but I couldn’t believe that this oil helped him at all.

Past-Tense is a headache blend. You just apply to your temples and/or forehead and your headache will be gone. Awesome!

Wild Orange is an oil that I wish I could attach to strings and have it always dangling under my nose. It makes me happy and smells so good. You can cook with it too!

Hopefully you have learned something new and find your own ways to use essential oils. If you do, I hope you’ll share!

Recipe - Best Grilled Cheese...Seriously!

The other day we were craving a grilled cheese sandwich and Mark decided to get crazy with it :).

Ok, it's not really that crazy or complex, but it tasted so freaking good! Maybe it just majorly hit the spot for us, but I swear it was the best sandwich. Tell me what you think...

Here goes:

2 pieces of bread (we used a multi-grain, but any is fantastic)
Cheddar Cheese from the block (I'm sure shredded would be just as good)
Honey
Butter

First, you are going to butter one side of each piece of bread, this will be the outside of your sandwich.

Then, you will butter one inside piece.

Next you will put some honey on the other, non buttered, inside piece.

Put your cheese in between the buttered side and the honey side and cook your sandwich like any other grilled cheese.

We did it in a non-sick pan on our stove. Cook until the cheese is melted.

I seriously have been asking Mark to make one of these for me every single day, and NO, I'm not pregnant :). Enjoy! Sorry that I don't have a pic to share. I ate them all too fast...

doTERRA Essential Oils - LOVE

Let's start the year off right! Are you interested in making over your medicine cabinet with safe and all natural products from doTERRA? 

If you have any questions or would love more info, then message me here or go to www.mydoterra.com/kimstanford.


We have parties too if you are interested in coming and learning, trying, and hanging out with friends! If you want to host a party then you will receive some oils free too, does it get any better? I think not!

I am seriously in love with these oils. My cute little munchkin had been sick for two weeks with congestion, cough, eye infection, etc and it didn't look like it was getting any better. I put some oil on his chest and he was better in a day and a half - AMAZING!!!

Elf on the Shelf

Ok, everyone, The Elf on the Shelf is the cutest tradition and I would love to start this with my family. The amazing Jane, from See Jane Blog, has a giveaway for one of these cute Elves. So, if you go to www.seejaneblog.co, then you can enter too. Enjoy!

Growing up!

My little squirt is 6 months old today! I can't believe it. I also think that I am officially the worst record keeper of all times. Do I know the exact date of when Zac rolled over, nope, how about the exact date of when he started babbling? Not a clue.  I thought it would be easier to record but it definitely is not.

Maybe I'm all alone and everyone is pro at this but I am definitely not. What I do know is that when little dude was 4 months old, he loved baths and loved cuddling in his towel after.  He started rice cereal the day he turned 4 months and was a pro. I was so proud. He does this cute little thing where he would lift his shirt for you when you go to change his bum. He had rolled over both ways but didn't do it all of the time.  He smiled a lot and was sleeping through the night, mostly, and as "through the night" as you get. At his 4 month appt he was 25.5 inches long and 13 pounds 9.5 ounces. 

Now, he is 6 months. He is seriously my bestest buddy and we have fun together. He'll fake cry or do something silly and we both look at each other and laugh.  He loves kicking his legs. I have a feeling he is going to skip crawling and one day just start running.  One of his favorite things is to have you old him and just let him jump up and down for hours on your lap. It kills me and is making my arms very strong :). He is eating rice, oatmeal and we just started with squash. So far, so good with that! He talks and babbles, smiles all of the time, rolls over a lot more. He doesn't like rolling from his stomach to his back though as much. We're working on it.  He sits up with a little help or by himself for a few seconds and is getting thoughts of getting up on his knees but not hands.  At his appt he was 26.8 inches long and 15 pounds 4 ounces.

Love this little dude with my entire heart!!

Tummy Time

Zac hates tummy time or maybe it's just so boring to him that he tries to make it more exciting! And for how often he rolls from his back to his stomach, you'd think that he loved it. Who knows?! Silly boy...

This is how most tummy times end. He spits up and rubs his entire face in it. This one actually wasn't that bad.

Ecolife

So there I was, driving on the freeway, on my way to work.  I had been following this truck with a flat bed trailer for most of the time but never really paid attention to what was on that lovely trailer.  There was a slight funny smell but I wasn't alarmed because a lot of the time you can smell the garbage dumbs or whatever else they've been cooking in Pleasant Grove.

I then noticed things bouncing on the trailer and actually looked at what was on that thing. To my surprise, it was heaped with dead animals. Nope, they weren't tied down and nope, they weren't covered. Heads were hanging out of the sides and all. How I didn't notice this before is probably worrisome! I then watched the reactions of those around me when they realized what was going on and I definitely had my laughs for the next month.

I've always wondered what happens to the animals that are hit and you find them laying on the side of the freeway. You might see the same animal there for days and then they are magically gone another. Well, that's where our handy Ecolife comes in.  They are the team that drives around and picks up our helpless critters. I wanted to do a shout out to our friends at Ecolife, "Thank you for keeping our roads clean of road kill, but maybe, just maybe, a tarp and rope would do a lot of good!" Just a thought.