Taking Care of Some Housekeeping

Do you have a hard time leaving comments on blogs from your phone? Several times the Engineer has desired to comment on my blog . . . just to stop me from desperately begging him to stroke my pride . . . but he can’t. 

If it isn’t quick and easy . . . well, he won’t do it.  I won’t for that matter either.  He is a busy grad student, you know.  (I’m so proud.)

There might be a reason you can’t leave a comment.

If you want to leave comments on my blog  (or anyone’s blog who uses Disqus) with your phone, you need to install an app for that.  Find it on the android market.  Disqus for iPhone is coming soon! 

Show some love.  Get the app for your phone!

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Looking for a new cookbook?  Sign up to receive The Homemakers Challenge in your inbox and receive an awesome cookbook . . . if I do say so myself.  (I feel honored to be “in” the collection of kitchen secrets!

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Need a new Bible study to do with your kids?  Check out what Grapevine Studies has recently released!  I can’t wait to start it!!!

Introducing Old and New Testament Bible Timelines! 

Beginning with Creation your students will stick figure chronologically through the Old Testament to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem by Nehemiah.  Students will also count the generations from Adam to Jesus.  Beginning with the Birth of John the Baptist students will stick figure to The Judgment. Your students will draw the major characters and events of the New Testament and learn how the books of the Bible relate to the timeline.

All the timelines will be on sale throughout January.  To receive FREE SHIPPING  on any order until January 31,2012, use coupon code: JANFS

Stay tuned for a giveaway.

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And if you like points, money, and gift cards . . . gear up for the Superbowl and the Swagbucks Spirit Party! 

I wonder if I can get some Swagbucks just by living in the Superbowl host city? 

Get your pom-poms ready, my readers, because starting on Monday Swagbucks is holding Spirit Week!  Every day next week they will be celebrating a different holiday.

Each day will be filled with fun, activities, and surprises.  They'll be announcing every holiday the evening before in the Swagbucks blog.  Make sure you keep track of each day's Swag Codes, as you will need them at the end of the week in order to earn a big, juicy reward.

It's the most fun you can have getting your reward points for free stuff!

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Vivid

GO

The kitchen sink is white.  I know not how old it is, its heritage, or how it came to have the a chip.  A black chip on a white surface. 

Yesterday the sink was scoured by hands that hold the beginning of my earliest memories.  She walks around my house, familiar.  Her handwriting with its big loops followed by ten stickers that my children eagerly anticipate. 

She busied herself.  Blooming in the present moment.  Engaged in birth, I floated oblivious.  Hand discovering God’s most recent thought come to earth.  She grappled my smallest stainless steel pot.  The one used for chai.  With it she would lovingly scoop out an overflowing pool.

As the water lowered, the sequence of new memories began. 

STOP

Note:  This creative writing actually took a different turn than I anticipated.  Dare I tell you the details?  I think not.  I hope you can figure out the setting and the action taking place over two drastically different time periods.  I long to include more detail and to expand on this writing session, but I am opting to stick to the rules.  Five minutes of unedited creativity.

What was I going to write?  The Engineer and I lay chatting in bed last night at a terribly late hour that seems to lure good conversation out.  Memories.  I had been remarking how certain times, certain memories stand out to me in such vivid, poignant, and stark contrast from 10 years ago, while living in Colorado . . . compared to  something that happened two weeks ago.

Linking up with The Gypsy Mama for 5 Minute Friday.

Joining Forces

Naomi and Gabe are joining forces.  Together they are a dynamic team, leading the way in a new feature over at Totally Tots, called Montessori at Home. 

Here is a sneak peak:

There is a pull to purchase new items when it comes to the school room.  But I am going to challenge you to stay home.  Don’t even think about walking over to your computer to jump on Amazon or Oriental Trading.  Your only task after reading this blog post is to create a simple learning moment that is relevant to your child.

Your child.

Not mine.  Or your neighbor’s.  Or Sally’s son who goes to pre-school.

To read the rest, head on over to Totally Tots.

Using Thieves Oil

Most people eventually want to know why and how to use Thieves Oil when they see the results for themselves.  I find they want to be anointed with oil on the spot.

I am not just talking about any Thieves Oil, mind you. The only Thieves Oil that I will recommend has to have two qualifiers:

1. therapeutic grade (pure, medicinal, steam-distilled essential oil containing all desired therapeutic compounds)
2. a seed to seal promise attached (meaning from start to finish -- the actual seeds used to grow the plants containing my essential oil, the cultivation, the distillation, the testing, and the packaging process – all aspects of manufacturing maintain the purity and potency of the essential oil until it arrives on my doorstep)

You put all that together, and it points directly to Young Living Thieves Oil.

The first question I always get with Thieves is “what’s up with the name ‘Thieves’?”  The EODR (Essential Oils Desk Reference) describes the legend of Thieves as follows:

It was created from research based on legends about a group of 15th-century thieves who rubbed oils on themselves to avoid contracting the plague while they robbed the bodies of the dead and dying.  When apprehended, the thieves were forced to tell what their secret was and disclosed the formula of the herbs, spices, and oils they used to protect themselves in exchange for more lenient punishment.

After the crooks gave up the formula for Thieves, it has been passed down through the centuries keeping sickness at bay like a barbed wire fence around your body. 

Its no coincidence that the thieves’ formula was so effective.  It turns out that it is rich in antiviral, antiseptic, antibacterial, and anti-infectious properties.  Today, instead of making your own Thieves or borrowing some from a robber, you can purchase Thieves Oil from Young Living in convenient half fluid ounce bottle (that will last you a surprisingly long time).

Thieves is most effective when diluted with a carrier oil.  A carrier oil is an oil that is used to “carry” the oil onto or into the skin. It dilutes the essential oil (EO), making the EO more effective because it can be spread over a larger area. There are a variety of carrier oils that you can use that might actually be lurking in your pantry, such as olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, or jojoba oil. After experimenting with all of the aforementioned carrier oils, I prefer V-6 (unless the essential oil is going on a baby’s bottom – then I use coconut oil). V-6 has a long shelf life, doesn’t clog pores, and won’t stain your clothes.  You can purchase V-6 (along with any other Young Living product) on my Essential Oil website.

(Promotional plug: it is way cheaper if you sign up as a distributor as opposed to a customer.)

The making of diluted Thieves

According to the EODR, Thieves Oil should be diluted at a ratio of 20-80. According to my calculations, that is 1 part essential oil to 4 parts carrier oil.

Storage and Containers

To store my diluted Thieves solution, I purchase extra bottles at Abundant Health.  They have many styles of bottles and applicators to choose from.

With the amber glass bottle pictured above, simply pop the orifice reducer cap off, add 1 part Thieves oil to 4 parts V-6. 

You could count the drops but I lack the discipline to count such a tedious amount.

I typically fill my bottles three-fourths full and add 15-20 drops of Thieves Oil for a half-ounce bottle.  You can go green by recycling your empty Young Living Essential Oil bottles to store your Thieves solution. 

Simply add V-6 and Thieves Oil in the proper ratios to the recycled bottle and then cap it off with a Young Living Roller Fitment for easy application.

Application and Usage

If your bottle has an orifice reducer cap instead of a roller ball applicator, drop 1-2 drops of diluted Thieves in the palm of your left hand, rub clockwise three times, and apply to the bottoms of your feet . . . or someone else’s feet. 

Diluted Thieves is gentle enough to do this every day.

In fact, Naomi is a daily Thieves user (with a little help from me.)  Each morning, before I put Naomi’s Rock Star boots on, I rub Thieves Oil on her feet using the recycled roller fitment bottle.

Serious Fighting Power

Now, when the Engineer and I get sick, sometimes we skip the diluted protocol and go right to the Thief Bomb.  (Disclaimer: please remember that I am not a doctor or an herbalist so use Thief Bombs at your own risk.) 

What is the Thief Bomb?  Using Naomi’s daily discarded gelatin capsules, we add several drops of Thieves Oil to the capsule.  We take this pill orally with water to blast whatever is wrecking havoc to our immune system.

Additionally, when the kids are sick, we will add one drop of Thieves to water kefir soda, fresh squeezed juice, or elderberry syrup.

Stay healthy!

Interested to know more about Young Living Oils and products?  Shoot me an email at thegranolamom4 god at gmail dot com.

Other Essential Oil posts:

• Why we use Essential Oils
• The Headache Solution:  lavender, peppermint, Aroma Sieze
• Enable quick blood clotting:  Helichrysum
• Lavender shortbread cookies
• The solution for poison ivy:  Joy
• Essential Oils and memory
• Homemade cleaning products
• The solution to your underarm stink problem:  deodorant

 

Wordless Wednesday: Faces

 

They must take after their father. 

Hooking up with Wordless Wednesday over at 5 Minutes for Mom, even though it is SOPA Black Out Day.