New Year.....New Resolutions.

Happy New Year my Enlightened Homemaker friends! I hope you all had a great Christmas and are ready for a great New Year! I love the new year. I love goals and the chance to sort of start a new. I love looking back on the year to see where I started and where I ended up. There were set backs along the way, but all in all, I feel I did travel in an somewhat upward path. I feel that I learned so much and gained a deeper testimony in the miracles of God and the love he has for me as an individual. I have learned that this life is a blink and that what we do with it has tremendous repercussions. I have realized that life moves much faster the older you get and that amid the chaos and craziness we must stop and enjoy the moment. We are expected to work hard in this life, but we are also taught that we must have joy. Finding that balance is the challenge. Always a challenge. I have realized the blessing of good friends and influences in my life and a sincere "thanks" goes out to all of you who have sustained me in my efforts and nourished me along the way. This blog has been my journey of enlightenment this past year and I thank you for not only being on the journey with me but contributing greatly along the way with inspiration and insight. Sisterhood is a wonderful thing. We all need each other to get through this life and to become the mothers we want to be. Thanks for sharing. May we continue in 2009 to become even better!

As far as goals for this upcoming year, I have pondered what I need to focus on; what my family needs, what I need, what my relationships need. There are always the basic goals of shedding the winter coat and getting ready for swim suit season, but those goals seem so trivial compared to the tasks we have at hand this next year. We all know that this world is a different place than the world we grew up in and it will only continue along that downward path. Raising our children in this environment is tough, scary and exhausting. We have not only the influences of the world on them to worry about but also the effect of the economy in providing for them. My thoughts continually go to the idea of FORTIFICATION (please read that carefully) . Our job is to make our homes the refuge from the storm. I cannot control the value of the dollar, the cost of a gallon of gas or the lack of morality in the world but I can at least attempt to control what happens inside the walls of my home. To fortify my home I must do so both spiritually and temporally. Spiritually will entail a more valiant effort at scripture study, prayer and family home evening. It will entail a monthly meeting with each child to see where they are and the personal progress they are making. It will entail understanding what is going on in their worlds and how to best protect them from what is out there, ie, internet, cell phones and other influences. It will mean I need to work on my own ability to be inspired so I can know what I need to be doing to make this all happen. Temporally I need to make sure that no matter what happens with this troubled economy that I will be able to provide for my family. I need to make sure that my shelves are well stocked for meals for the year , general supplies are on hand and savings are increased. These goals have always been important to me but this year I feel a more of an urgency that it needs to happen now. I know we all feel this and procrastination needs to not be an option. This year will be a dedication on my part to self reliance. Our crazy world right now has the idea that our government should be the ones to take care of our every need. Pay off our debts, schooling, food. We are in charge of ourselves, our families. It is our job. I am not going to be waiting for Obama to deliver a basket of fruit to my door when the world is starving. I hope that we are all taking this seriously.

May we all be inspired this upcoming year and continue on the upward path. May we focus on what is truly important and what we need to be doing as mothers of these incredible little spirits. I am thankful for another year. Another chance at growth and becoming who I need to be.

Happy New Year!

Oil Uses Books are here....

I have limited access to some of the oil uses books. If you want one, please email me asap! They are $35 each.

Welcome Back, Cockroaches.....mi casa es su casa

I do really hate cockroaches and all of their little friends...the ants, crickets, black widows, etc. I don't like them anywhere near my home or surrounding fence line. The enemy. However, after today, I will welcome them back. Maybe not with open arms but I will no longer be using all means necessary to ban them from mi casa. Here goes the story, a story I must tell because no one is home for me to vent to and I have already cried my eyes out to the corporate office for the pest control company. Maybe I overreacted, you decide, but I am still one angry mama bear.

I have always had my home sprayed but after Tate was diagnosed with autism, I became aware of the dangers of pesticides and chemicals so I switched to an earth friendly company. I made sure that they sprayed only on the fence line or house line, no where near toys, fruit trees or the garden. They assured me that they would never spray in that area. So, I went with it. Then, a cute little college bound boy came soliciting his bug spray company and in pity , I decided to go with him. He assured me that they would never spray near my garden, trees or heavy traffic areas. I felt OK with this as we have black widows and I don't want them sharing my backyard picnic bench with me or my children. I know I should probably do away with the pest control all together, but I thought I was getting sprayed responsibly. Today I realized that I made a mistake.

I came home from my 1st graders class party and saw the bug spray truck outside. First, I noticed that my entire driveway and walkway was completely hosed down, soaking wet. My front door, the handle, the windows, the stroller next to the door. All of it, drench. I went in, taking off my offending shoes and looked in horror at my back yard porch. All drenched. Kids shoes, bikes, picnic bench, toys, etc. Nothing left untouched. Then, I thought in horror....my garden. Please, don't be in the garden! He was headed out back to his truck. I ran to him and asked if he was in the garden.

"Oh, no mam. I knew that looked like food you would eat so I only sprayed around it and on the soil by the plants. I only sprayed the bottoms of the fruit trees, not the leaves also."

My heart sank. I went in, shocked. I looked in the back. My soil was soaking. My plants, misted. My fruit trees, wet with chemicals.

Call to the company. I want my service cancelled. I explained why. He informed me that I couldn't get out of my contract. I was still under control at this time. I asked for a supervisor. He said he would have one call me.

Heather from corporate called and said she talked to "Daryl" the bug man and repeated what Daryl had told me. She said that the chemicals do not hurt humans. Here is where I came unglued. Here is where I lost it altogether.

SAFE! Are you kidding me? Are you going to take a drink of it or let your children sit in a stroller drenched in it? Do you want to eat lettuce from the garden that you planted months ago and nurtured daily so your children can eat food that has not been sprayed with bug spray only to get that hard work stolen from you? Do you understand... Heather.....that a little bug spray goes along way and that for children with autism it is even worse? Do you understand that I have paid thousands of dollars in bio medical treatments to get these pesticides out of Tate's body and paid $600 for special orthopedic shoe inserts that were just hosed down with chemicals!

I was a nut case at this point. I could barely talk. Tears streaming down my face. How could she understand. How could she understand that everyday I am fighting a battle to remove autism from my child's life and in this one small instance of a routine pest control spray she just knocked us back one giant leap to recovery. I wanted her to know that what the world deems as "SAFE" is a joke. That there are 1 in 100 , at least with autism and that it is because we are making that happen. I wanted her to tell her employees that spraying our food, our toys , our strollers is NOT ok.

She was sorry. I asked again....I want my service canceled. She reminded me that I would have to deal with bugs. I told her, ma'am....I will take my cockroaches if that means I will have clean lettuce to eat.

Welcome back little pesky friends. Until I find a natural solution to rid you off my premises, enjoy your stay. It may be short. Please stay out of my house, a nice warm bush will be sufficient.

Wheat Sale.

My friend, Tracey Adair and owner of Preparing Wisely in Mesa has let me know that the Montana Gold White Wheat is for sale through December. 50 lb bag is $30. This is the best wheat for baking. Also, they carry large cans of wheat gluten and also great items for your year supply! Great stocking stuffers!

Thanks for the info , Tracey!

(Check out her blog to the right for more info)

More on Vitamin D from Dr. Mercola.....

If you don't visit Dr. Mercola's site, try it out. He is incredibly knowledgeable and informative. I love this lecture he did on Vitamin D. Please take a minute to get educated about how important a little sun exposure is in our lives.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/12/16/my-one-hour-vitamin-d-lecture-to-clear-up-all-your-confusion-on-this-vital-nutrient.aspx

Reindeer Names.....

Just in case you too have little elves who like to shake, rattle, hold to the light or any other means of gift guessing the wrapped present under the tree.....here is a great little idea I implemented years ago. The children are all given reindeer names,different ones each year. They have no idea which reindeer they are until Christmas morning. That way, I can put names on all the presents so I know who they belong to , but they have no idea. They can rattle all they want, they don't know if that gift is for them so it takes the fun out of it. Sure, they are all confident each year that they are the reindeer with the most gifts under the tree, and this becomes a game in and of itself of figuring out who is who. They haven't been right yet. Nonetheless, they try. So, if you too have the rattlin', peakin' elf syndrome at your home, you are free to borrow the reindeer name game. Copyright lifted.

Oil Sale...

FYI....ForeverGreen has their oils on sale this weekend only until stock runs out for any wanting to try some out. They are selling out quickly. I am placing another order today. Check out their link for what is available and email me if you want to find out what oil is best for your situation. This is a great time to try them out with each oil being 5-10 dollars cheaper.

Accountability

I have had several conversations this past week with different moms about health situations. Many layed blame upon Dr.'s for what they prescribed and how their child and/or their illness was treated. In the Autism world, we blame Dr.'s for the fact that THEY have given our child too many shots, too much antibiotics and no clue how to fix it. It is a cycle of blame but here is the problem; accountability. Who is accountable for these little children? Who is accountable for our health and our well being. It isn't these Dr.'s that we so quickly blame. It is OUR bodies, OUR children. WE are accountable and until WE get it, health care will never change. We wait until we are sick, then head straight to the DR. and demand an antibiotic. We want the quick fix. We don't want to research, prevent or ride it out. In turn, we are slowly destroying the amazing body that we have been given. Dr.'s are there for a purpose. If I was in a car accident, I would be most grateful for the Dr. who stitched me up. Likewise, I am eternally grateful for the wonderful Dr.s who have saved my blue, breathless asthmatic ; repaired broken arms, hands and stitched chins. But, if we continue the cycle of "treating our body badly, eating horribly, not an ounce of prevention then covering it up with an antibiotic", we will be the ones who suffer, not the Dr.s. The medical community is finally seeing the picture. They are understanding that the overuse of antibiotics and quick drugs are breeding a whole new world of superbugs. They are also causing the stomachs to be ruined and a whole myriad of conditions to arise. The problem is that they have so many moms in their office demanding these drugs that they give in. They know that this is a world of quick fixes. The truth is that most people don't want to know how to prevent something or heal it on their own. They don't want to do the work. The body is an amazing thing. It lets you know what it needs and their is an amazing amount of self help information out there at your finger tips if you spend a little time. If we don't do the work, the blame lies with us. I learned this early on in my mothering career with my first child who had chronic ear infections. After 8 straight months of ear infections with 8 straight months of antibiotics I knew that there was something that wasn't right about treatment. Not once was I asked why he was having this problem. No one tried to prevent or find a solution. It was only a paper prescription. It felt wrong and the last prescription was the last straw. I tore it up, went to the book store and within one week, my little child was healed and never had an ear infection again. I didn't have a medical degree. I was a mother and that was the only degree I needed. I could be inspired, I could be educated by information out there. I learned at that moment that the responsibility of the health of my children and myself was up to me; not the primary physician, but of the primary mom. My son is now almost 15 and he has never had antibiotics since. He has never needed them because I have learned that the body gives clues before it gets sick. The first tickle in the throat hits before the full blown strep. When treated immediately, it goes away before the epidemic hits. An ear infection or constant runny nose most often will indicate that there is an allergy going on. Constant headaches tell you that your body isn't getting something it needs or too much of something it doesn't. There is not a magic pill. It is hard work, it is worth it. The repercussions are illnesses that can be lifelong, illnesses that can be heartbreaking. I look at so many children I know with autism and know that it probably could be prevented. We cannot expect the Dr.s to be our health care director. WE are the ones accountable. It is time to stop laying blame solely with the Dr.s. It is time to be accountable. If not for ourselves, for our children. The first thing to do is concentrate on what we are putting into our bodies to begin with. You can't feel good if you fill up with junk. It isn't possible. Your children can't hold still if they live off of sugar cereals and fishy crackers. Ritalin isn't the cure. We need to take control, fix it from the ground up.

I know this is another one of my blog novels. That is my prerogative. I just have learned first hand that medicine many of the times is not the answer. Since I stopped seeing a primary care physician to be our medical directors, I have been the one to heal eczema, stop strep in its tracks, get a severely asthmatic child off of all medications, cure headaches without Tylenol, prevent colds and flu and decrease allergies. My Dr.s couldn't do this. They haven't been trained. It isn't their fault. It is how the medical schools teach. They are great at writing prescriptions if that is what you are into. They are great for trauma and disease when it has gotten out of hand. They shouldn't be the ones to go to first. They should be the ones you go to as last resort. We wonder why health care costs are out of control. It is our fault.

I love the quote from Benjamin Franklin, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Boy how I wish that I realized that before I had my first son. I would have saved him and myself 8 months of grief. Listen to your bodies. Feed them right. Clean them out. Take care of them today so you can be healthy tomorrow. It works.

FYI; I have 8 extra sets of liver cleanse coming in this week, a lavender, eucalyptus, defense and physical thera P for any takers. I have been doing this for a month and my allergies are down considerably and I feel great. My children have the same results. Such a cheap treatment!

Are we paying attention?

Growing up, my father always would comment that we had twenty years left and things were going to hit the fan. Well, twenty years came and went, we are on to the next twenty year time line and he is still saying it . As he says, "one day I will be right." There is wisdom in his words, however. Maybe it isn't 20 years, maybe it is 100, maybe it is 4. But, we should prepare like it is going to happen. If it never does, which is very unlikely, what are the repercussions? Food, savings, peace. I'll go with that.

Most of us are keenly aware of the situation in the world right now. It happened almost overnight it seemed, although it really was a work in progress. Many have been hit hard already, many just waiting to see how they will be affected. I think about this all the time. What are WE doing to prepare our homes, our families, our neighbors with the hard times that are to come? Are we the type to be the one thinking that if a hurricane came, we would just sit in our homes and hope that it would pass us by? Or, are we boarding up, preparing, getting ready so that IF the storm hits, we would be fortified.

My thoughts go in so many places on this topic and I really can't stop thinking about preparation these days. I think about our materialistic world, one in which I am present in and participate in. If you look at it from the outside, we have too much and waste too much. I was at the cabin last year working along side my grandpa Reid who is a child of the depression. I was using a rake, one which had to be from that era itself and the handle snapped. I told him that I would put it in the garbage and grab another one of the 20 plus rakes that he keeps around (he never throws anything away, another depression trait). He told me, "Don't throw it away, I will just put a new handle on it from a scrap I have laying around." I thought about the 20 plus rakes. I thought that surely we didn't need another one. Then, I thought about why he has so many. He values things. Our generation gets rid of something the minute it has a little scratch or problem. We are quick to replace instead of repair and reuse. I long for that society. The old saying "Eat it up, wear it out, use it up or do with out" should be back in style. The main reason our world is in such a mess is because we have shunned this saying altogether. We have spent more than we should, we waste food, money and think we need things that we don't. What have we been teaching our children? We want it all. We will now reap what we have sowed. There is hope. We can start now. We can teach our children what is important and correct our habits. We have started this in our family. We are watching what we spend even moreso and the children understand why. They get it. Our income may not be affected greatly now, but I am not going to wait. If you aren't the one affected now, great, but use that opportunity still to stock up, save and prepare because you can always then be in a position to help another in need. Besides, who knows if you will be spared. I think we are all to be touched by a little hardship.

It is overwhelming to think of where to start especially if you are in a financial hardship right now. But, it can be done little by little. First thing, start organizing your home so that you can find places to put extra supplies in. I junked out everything I could and even though I am the farthest thing from a pack rat, I still had several bags of donations to take out. I found extra space that shelves could be added. I created space I didn't think I had by eliminating things that I think I needed. This was all free. Next, start listing what you need to store. I love the website of Wendi Dewitt. You can check it out here. She breaks it down simply and tells you how to make a meal list and what to store. You can spend time learning how to can meats, fruits and saving for the equipment. There is another important thing we should be doing. Learning. Learning skills that we don't learn anymore. Learning to be resourceful. Do you know how to sew a hem? Cut bangs or little boys hair? Take care of a garden? Cook healthy meals on a budget?Make Bread? We need to get back to the basics and we need to create a network of friends who are willing to share their talents to teach these things if needed. This is all free. We can lean on each other more and utilize what we have here. Co oping with others who may have skills in areas that we need and offering up our services. My mother's ward had a neet program a few months back. They had a free rummage sale, so to speak. They had the members bring all items they wished to donate and made a store. They put up signs in different rooms for children's clothes, adults, household items, etc. People were then free to "shop" for what they needed for no cost. Consecration of goods. She lives in a nice area and thought this may be a bit of a pride issue for people. They got the hang of it and came out with some great things. We should be doing this type of thing in our communities. Helping each other out. Learning to be resourceful and share. Our society is out of practice.

This is a lot of rambling. But, I needed to get it off my chest. I read a very sober article last night. You can read it for yourself. It is from an interview with a man named Gerald Celente. He is a CEO of a trendsetter forecasting company who is famous for forecasting with accuracy the stock market crash of 87, the collapse of the soviet union and the current mortgage crisis. He is known as the modern day Nostradamus.I do not take this for prophecy but it is from a man who researches and gets it right. He gave this speech below on Fox news a few weeks back and even if he is only 1/4 right, it is scary. Take it for what you want, but at the very least, do something. No one was ever hurt by being prepared.

Gerald Celente
"The man who predicted the 1987 stock market crash and the fall of the Soviet Union is now forecasting revolution in America, food riots and tax rebellions - all within four years, while cautioning that putting food on the table will be a more pressing concern than buying Christmas gifts by 2012.
Gerald Celente, the CEO of Trends Research Institute, is renowned for his accuracy in predicting future world and economic events, which will send a chill down your spine considering what he told Fox News this week.
Celente says that by 2012 America will become an undeveloped nation, that there will be a revolution marked by food riots, squatter rebellions, tax revolts and job marches, and that holidays will be more about obtaining food, not gifts.
"We're going to see the end of the retail Christmas..we're going to see a fundamental shift take place..putting food on the table is going to be more important that putting gifts under the Christmas tree," said Celente, adding that the situation would be "worse than the great depression".
"America's going to go through a transition the likes of which no one is prepared for," said Celente, noting that people's refusal to acknowledge that America was even in a recession highlights how big a problem denial is in being ready for the true scale of the crisis.
Celente, who successfully predicted the 1997 Asian Currency
Crisis, the sub-prime mortgage collapse and the massive devaluation of the U.S. dollar, told UPI in November last year that the following year would be known as "The Panic of 2008," adding that "giants (would) tumble to their deaths," which is exactly what we have witnessed with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns and others. He also said that the dollar would eventually be devalued by as much as 90 per cent.
The consequence of what we have seen unfold this year would lead to a lowering in living standards, Celente predicted a year ago, which is also being borne out by plummeting retail sales figures.

The prospect of revolution was a concept echoed by a British
Ministry of Defense report last year, which predicted that within 30 years, the growing gap between the super rich and the middle lass, along with an urban underclass threatening social order would mean, "The world's middle classes might unite, using access to knowledge, resources and skills to shape transnational processes in their own class interest," and that, "The middle classes could become a revolutionary class."
In a separate recent interview, Celente went further on the
subject of revolution in America.
"There will be a revolution in this country," he said.
"It's not going to come yet, but it's going to come down the line and we're going to see a third party and this was the catalyst for it: the takeover of Washington, D. C., in broad daylight by Wall Street in this bloodless coup. And it will happen as conditions continue to worsen."
"The first thing to do is organize with tax revolts. That's going
to be the big one because people can't afford to pay more school tax, property tax, any kind of tax. You're going to start seeing those kinds of protests start to develop."
"It's going to be very bleak. Very sad. And there is going to be a lot of homeless, the likes of which we have never seen before.
Tent cities are already sprouting up around the country and we're going to see many more."
"We're going to start seeing huge areas of vacant real estate and squatters living in them as well. It's going to be a picture the likes of which Americans are not going to be used to. It's going to come as a shock and with it, there's going to be a lot of crime. And the crime is going to be a lot worse than it was before because in the last 1929 Depression, people's minds weren't wrecked on all these modern drugs - over-the-counter drugs, or crystal meth or whatever it might be. So, you have a huge underclass of very desperate people with their minds chemically blown beyond anybody's comprehension."

The George Washington blog has compiled a list of quotes attesting to Celente's accuracy as a trend forecaster.

"When CNN wants to know about the Top Trends, we ask Gerald Celente."
- CNN Headline News

"A network of 25 experts whose range of specialties would rival many university faculties."
The Economist

"Gerald Celente has a knack for getting the zeitgeist right."
- USA Today

"There's not a better trend forecaster than Gerald Celente. The man knows what he's talking about."
CNBC

"Those who take their predictions seriously . consider the Trends Research Institute."
- The Wall Street Journal

"Gerald Celente is always ahead of the curve on trends and
uncannily on the mark . he's one of the most accurate forecasters around."
-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Mr. Celente tracks the world's social, economic and business trends for corporate clients."
- The New York Times

"Mr. Celente is a very intelligent guy. We are able to learn about trends from an authority."
- 48 Hours, CBS News

"Gerald Celente has a solid track record. He has predicted
everything from the 1987 stock market crash and the demise of the Soviet Union to green marketing and corporate downsizing."
- The Detroit News

"Gerald Celente forecast the 1987 stock market crash, 'green
marketing,' and the boom in gourmet coffees."
Chicago Tribune

"The Trends Research Institute is the Standard and Poors of
Popular Culture."
The Los Angeles Times

"If Nostradamus were alive today, he'd have a hard time keeping up with Gerald Celente."
New York Post

So there you have it - hardly a nut job conspiracy theorist
blowhard now is he? The price of not heeding his warnings will be far greater than the cost of preparing for the future now.
Storable food and gold are two good places to make a start."

My two cents (and Gerald's) for the day. Take something from it. Start somewhere today. I do not get discouraged by this information. I get motivated and I find peace in knowing that if I am prepared, I need not worry. I look forward to the opportunity we have to grow as a family in learning to become more resourceful and to value even more what we have been given. It is a lesson for all. Are we listening?

Canning Apple Pie Filling.....

I wish these were my cans of apple pie filling but mine are yet to be made. They are on the schedule of the "to be done". Apples are cheap right now if you can find the right deal and will be even cheaper soon. With Azure Standard you can get a 20 pound box of the tastiest Organic apples for under $20 bucks. Now is the time to can these delicious little treats. I have canned them plain, now I am going to can some apple pie filling. It is easy and tastes delicious. If you too are feeling adventurous and want to add a little sweet to your year supply, here is your recipe.

Apple Pie Filling

For seven Quarts:

6 Quarts fresh apples sliced 1/4 inch thick.(perfect size in the apple peeler)

5 1/2 C Sugar

1 T Cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg (opt)

2 1/2 C cold water

5 C. Apple Juice

3/4 C bottled lemon juice

3 C. Ultra Gel

Peel, core and slice apples; place in water containing ascorbic acid or fruit fresh. Blanch no more than 2 quarts at a time in boiling water for 1 minute and keep warm.

Combine sugar, spices , water, apple juice and lemon juice in large kettle. Add ultra Gel gradually with a wire whisk and stir until smooth. Cook until thick and bubbly. Fold in drained apple slices. Fill jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

Adjust lids and process immediately in water bath or steam canner for 35 minutes or per your canners instructions.

**Ultra Gel can be ordered online or purchased locally at Shar's Bosch Center in Gilbert. Also, if anyone has info on if this stuff is horrible for you , let me know. I know this is a corn byproduct and is better for you than cornstarch. I know any corn byproduct isn't great but either is sugar. I can't find out any more info so enlighten me if you can. Until then, I will use it sparingly when needed.

To all my spice girls....

For those of you with the spice of life, just a note. If you are sick, you can go full force with the spice of life. You can get veggie capsules at health food stores and put 3-5 drops of oil in one of them and take it up to 3 times a day. You can just put it in water also. Thanks for all of your emails regarding what results you have seen with these oils. I am glad you are loving them as much as I do. For those of you who wonder where the miracle is in these oils, remember, these are not always a quick fix. You are fixing your body from the ground up, not just covering up the symptoms. Patience.

Holiday Boutique...

Just in case you need something to do Thursday Night, this is at my SIL's house in Mesa. Wish I could be there!

Got Warts? Croup? Headaches?

I have been busy testing out oils for you all and I have a few new favorites. But first, if any of you would like a list of oil uses emailed to you, let me know. It is a couple hundred pages of symptoms so you can look up what oils you would want to try. They are great reference pages. You can go to the Forever Green link on the right to look up the oil price or email me. I can mail out of state also. Forever green also has some great packages right now to save on oils. I love the first aide kit that has 7 oils in it. It is a great starter and saves you almost $40. They have the Eucalyptus on back order right now but it should be in this week. Now, on to my new favorites.

Lemongrass

We have a few children with wart problems in my house. We see a dermatologist and can't seem to get rid of them. There are a couple different oils for warts, depending on the type of wart, but for the general raised wart, lemongrass is working for us. You want to put it on the wart 2 times a day and it is best if you put it on a cloth or gauze and cover it so it maintains saturation. I made the mistake of putting it on a band aid and covering it. The finger turned orange from the band aide. I would recommend a clear band aide or something else! I have even just been putting the oil directly on the wart and not covering it and they are still shrinking daily. I am sure this is a slower process but works for the lazy person. I am impressed, and... it smells great!

Exchange

I am sure many of you are up at night with little ones with croup, coughs or general congestion. It is the time of year. I also have a child with asthma so anything regarding the chest is an issue for us. I have decided to take my son off all asthma medication this year as it is very hard on the liver. However, since asthma has landed him in the hospital a good 4 times a year, this had to be a gradual process. It has taken me two years, but we just kicked the last of the meds and he is asthma free. He has been for two years. I owe it to liver cleanse, vitamin B, Spice of Life and exchange. You need to keep them healthy to begin with so if they do sink to the asthmatic level, they don't sink so low. Boost them up. Hopefully this eliminates the problem altogether but if they hit the low, exchange is a good blend for lung issues. You can also make a tea with peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus. One drop each. Add warm water, a little honey and sip. For the little croup kids, you can ever so tenderly go rub some exchange on their chests and throats when they are sleeping to help them open up. You can also use eucalyptus and even across the bridge of their noses. I hold my hand above their nose for a bit so they can inhale it. It works great. Infants can use this but weaken in a bit in some coconut oil.

Lavender

Lavender is a great calming oil. It has so many uses, one of the most versatile of them all. It is an antiseptic, calming oil to help with anxiety and depression, headaches and migraines, hypertension and earaches. Great for throat infections, bronchitis, asthma, sinus congestion and provides allergy relief. Helps stimulate production of gastric juices and aids in digestion. I love it for its calming effects. Put a few drops in a bath, rub some on the soles of the feet of the little colic child or toddler who needs to relax a bit. It will help the asthmatic calm down in an attack. It is great for headaches especially when mixed with peppermint and rubbed on the forehead and the back of the neck. It is a natural insect repellent and helps with bites and stings. It is a great oil to have on hand.


I am placing an order this week if anyone is interested to save on shipping. The cost is as follows:

Lemongrass $20
Exchange: $29
Lavender: $24
First aide kit: $110
(includes Lavender, peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, tea tree, spice of life and fysical thera p)

I can order anytime if you want to order at a later date, just let me know. Check out the website and look at all the oils. Great stuff!

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you all had a very Happy Thanksgiving as I did. Thanks to Megan and Joanna for a beautifully decorated table! Thanks to Kevin and Wendi for hosting the party. Thanks to all who contributed to the food fest and congratulations to .....

the 2008 turkey king.... Mr. Eric Lee! Although, I have to say, they were all three delicious and very hard to choose just one. We had one BBQ'd, one smoked and one herb roasted. Great work boys! I had a great time just hanging out all day with my entire family. I have six very funny brothers and six beautiful sister in laws all made possible by some incredible grandparents and a set of the best parents possible. Thank you all for being my family! And, because I ate quite a large handful of candy corn and never once said my thank you's, here you go....

I am thankful for....

Of course, my family. My Sweet wonderful husband who has never said an unkind thing to me in his life even when I have deserved it. Who never talks about anyone in any unkind way. A husband who lets me be sassy and still somehow thinks I am "it." A husband who lets me stay home and be a mom and even with puffy eyes and chubby thighs still makes me feel like a super model. I am thankful for my children and their many, many talents. For their desire to please and succeed. For their good hearts and desire to choose the right. For the way that my children are patient and loving with our little Tate. I am especially thankful that this week Tate started to say "mom", or sometimes "om". Either way, the most beautiful music there is.

I am thankful for my home and the beautiful neighborhood that I live in. For such great neighbors and friends who support me in all I do. I am thankful for my health and my energy. For grocery stores on every corner and cars to get there. I am thankful that I can go to church and worship how I please. I am thankful that I have faith that there is a God in heaven who loves me and wants me to succeed in life. Who is there when I am sincerely "done".

I am thankful for the wonderful friends that I have made from this blog who have taught me so much. Who have inspired me to learn more and share. I am thankful for it all. I have had such a blessed life and can't wait to see what the next year has for us! We all talk about what hard times these are, economically, emotionally, politically. But, we can't look past what plentiful blessings we have daily. Our freedom, our family, our church our health. We are blessed. I am thankful!

For a little something now to share....
I made some delicious pumpkin pancakes Thanksgiving morning and thought I would pass the recipe along. This is a great time to stock up on canned pumpkin. I bought several for $1 per can. These are good until the end of 2011 so stock up! They would be a welcomed addition to the year supply for a bit of variety. Here you go....

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups whole wheat flour
3 T brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. allspice
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2 T. vegetable oil
2 T. vinegar

Mix together milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir into pumpkin mixture just until combined. Add more milk if necessary. Cook on griddle.

Get Outside and Play....

My husband and I early on decided, much to the dismay of our children, that video games were something that we would not have in our home. We recognized the fact that many children, including the personality of some of ours, could play hours upon hours and would need our constant reminder and scolding to remove themselves from the hand controller. It would be a source of contention and we firmly believe that as we were brought up, a child's place should be in the beautiful outdoors soaking up the sun and exploring, playing and getting sweaty. You see, while I don't believe that a small monitored amount of video mania will hurt, (and I know my children get plenty of this at friends homes) there seems to be an epidemic of pale, shadowed eyed zombie kids that prefer nothing else. When these little ones are supposed to be learning skills, getting exercise and enjoying conversation, they are instead battling James Bond or trading real football games for electronic John Madden. I didn't want to have to constantly monitor how long they were playing and constantly remind them to get out of the house and play. My children have now made comments that they are glad now that we didn't succumb. It took years for this sort of thanks but even a few weeks ago my teenage boy commented about his appreciation. Sort of. He commented that he can't start a band because none of his friends play the guitar. He said that they are all caught up on Guitar Hero and think they can play. They have traded real skills for pretend ones. He was glad that he practiced his "real skills" even though at the time he really wanted the guitar hero. I know these games are fun, I don't knock anyone who has them, I just don't want them to enslave me as the XBOX patrol. There is more to this story besides real life skills. It is another aside to the video game mania. Vitamin D. We get Vitamin D from the sun. Yes, we do get it from a few other foods, ie. salmon, Tuna, Milk, Eggs , Beef and cheese, but not in the same way or dosage as the sun. Vitamin D plays and essential roll in cell growth. It boosts the body's immune system and strengthens bones. Hmmmm. Maybe this is another reason why the Goodman children are so healthy. We get our sunshine. It is also important to let the little ones get outside without sunblock. It takes at least 15 minutes of sun for the UV rays to trigger Vitamin D production in the skin. Tate's specialist even recommended that we take off his shirt and have him go out in the sun for 30 minutes at least a day with no sunscreen. Of course, this does not mean in the middle of the 115 degree day. Use sense. But, today so many of us are slathering our children in sunscreen the minute they hit the outdoors. This has a whole other source of issues with it which I won't get into, but just think about the amount of toxins you are putting on their biggest organ, the skin, which just drinks it up. Ick. The bottom line, get outside. Turn off the games and go play them. Feel the weather and life. As adults we are equally as guilty. I am trading my indoor gym days to the outdoor gym days. I need my D too. I feel so much better when I get outside. In AZ we have no excuse. You cold weather people have a little more challenge ahead of you.Let us all get our daily dose of D. What are you going to do with your recommended 15 minutes minimum of sun soaking today? I will be trimming our bushes.....but... I think I will keep my shirt on.

Fresh & Easy Coupon....

In trying to keep the coupon deals in the know, here is your deal of the day. Click on this like here for Fresh & Easy and print a $6 off coupon when you spend $30. It is good until the 23rd. I went the other morning and they just put out several still very pink roasts for half off the sale price giving me them for only $1.30 per pound! I used my coupon and practically stole them from them. What a deal of the day. Add that to all of my $.50 butter and $1.00 toothpaste deals. What a bargain shopper I am. Thanks for your tips. Does all that extra butter and pot roasts make my food storage look fat?

Sunday Dinner.....

My sister in law made this great lasagna one night we visited her in California. I made it this past week and just had to share. It fed us for a couple nights. I also made a little salad dressing with my homemade raspberry jam that I have included. My kids gobbled it up. Just in case you didn't have any plans for your Sunday dinner! Enjoy!

Lasagna

Sauce:

1 lb mild Italian sausage (jimmy dean)
½ c. Finley chopped onion
¼ c. olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 ½ quarts diced tomato
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp lawreys seasoning salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar

Other ingredients needed to make lasagna:

1 ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese
¾ lbs noodles
1 lb cottage cheese

Directions:

Saute onion in olive oil. Add sausage and cook until brown. Drain oil. Add the spices and sugar and blend well. Add tomato paste and tomato sauce. Fill each can with water and add to meat. Add diced tomato’s (including the water).

Simmer 1 hour uncovered (there have been times when I haven’t had time to simmer for an hour and it still tasted great)

Cook noodles, drain and rinse in cold water.

In a 9x13 pan cover bottom with some sauce. Place noodles side by side, top with ½ cup Parmesan, ½ cup sauce and spread around, ½ cup mozzarella, ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup sauce. Repeat steps and end with a layer of noodles and put the remaining sauce and Parmesan cheese and garnish with mozzarella.

You can cover and chill for 2 hours or over night.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Yum. This is a runny lasagna! Mmmmm!

Raspberry Dressing:

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

1/4 cup sugar

2 T white wine vinegar

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 T raspberry jam

I used baby greens and spinach, pears, strawberries, candied pecans, cucumbers, shredded carrots, feta and green onions.

Liver Cleanse FYI...

Just a quick note on the liver cleanse for those of you starting the journey.... make sure that if you are taking medication that you wait 2 hrs after you take the cleanse in the morning. I was reminded about this in our fabulous class tonight! It was wonderful. Thanks, Terri! I am making another order in the morning if you want anything without paying the shipping cost. Let me know.

Don't Forget......

Oils Class Tonight!! 7pm.

A Time for Thanksgiving....

(The glasses contain cranberry juice!)

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love to relax and enjoy family without all the stress of presents, costumes or other holiday mish mash. I have such fond memories as a child of gathering at grandma's yellow house with all the cousins. We would have nut cups at each plate and there were candy corns mixed with them. We would go around the table and say what we were thankful for when we ate a candy corn. I don't know why, it was just what we did. Now, we still have the tradition but instead of nut cups, my sister in law made some beautiful silk nut pouches filled with M&M's, candy corns and nuts for each plate. Because I have 6 very funny brothers, the beautiful nut pouches were affectionately called the "nut sacks" and you can only imagine how many jokes were made from that alone. ie...."Don't touch my nut sack, leave your brother's nut sack alone, why is Shari's nut sack bigger than mine, etc...... Maybe a tradition gone bad. Regardless, it is something that makes Thanksgiving fun and memorable. This year, all my family will be together which has been a while and I am really looking forward to it. My mother was a little concerned that we needed to have more than one turkey so she came up with a clever idea being the very clever lady that she is. She called my brother Jeff up and asked him if he wanted to have a Turkey Throwdown with my dad. My family is very competitive and he was in. Brother Eric heard what was going on and he had to jump in too with a BBQ version of a turkey. So, we will now be casting ballots upon entering the festivities for Turkey A, B or C. May the best man win. Way to con them, Mom! Anyways, I have stuffing, sweet potatoes and a couple pies. Here is my plea.... please share any fabulous Thanksgiving recipes you have. For any dish. Also, if you have a great tradition you would like to share, leave a comment. I would love to hear them all! May you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving and feel free to borrow the "nut sack" tradition!

Oils are Here...

I have your oils in my hot little hands. I will mail off the out-or-towners tomorrow. Any who are close are welcome to pick them up tonight or at the oil class on Thursday. If you need me to get them to you, please let me know. Also, I have one extra bottle of Spice of Life up for the taking.

The Liver Cleanse....

The liver is a massive organ that is the first line of defense against all the toxins and poisons that surround us. The liver produces vital digestive juices that help us to digest our food properly and clean our blood. As we know, our world is full of harsh and dangerous chemicals that we intake daily in our food, our air and in our water. The liver does its best to clean our systems of these toxins but it can only do so much before it is overloaded and needs to be cleaned out itself, much like our air conditioning filters. Can you imagine if you never cleaned your car air filter? The car would only work at a minimal level and the engine could suffer severe damage. So it is with our bodies. Our liver needs to be cleaned or the toxins are stored and our bodies react. We may be suffering such things as fatigue, rashes, depression, obesity, hormonal imbalances, PMS, allergies, jaundice , nausea, headaches, drowsiness after eating, weak muscles and difficulty loosing weight just to name a few. For my family, allergies are a big problem around here. I have been excited to start the liver cleanse to help clear us of these problems. If the liver can work properly, toxins are cleared and allergies are diminished. We shouldn't have allergies. They are a by product of an unhealthy body and environment. I have learned this with Tate as we have fixed his eczema by cleaning out his damaged body and stomach. Now , many foods that once triggered allergies do not pose that problem any longer. His body is much healthier and can get rid of the problems.

We all started the liver cleanse this week officially after starting and stopping a few times. It takes commitment. You need to stay on it for at least 28 days, resting a week and continuing again. Depending on how toxic your body is, you may want to stay on it for a year or more, perhaps even forever. As the liver begins to be cleansed, you feel pretty horrible for a little while. So far, Randi and I and are the ones with the worse side effects. Randi has a sore throat and swollen glands, I feel like I have the stomach flu and am extremely tired. I know it is worth it. Already I have noticed a decrease in allergies. I line up the cups every morning for their liver cleanse cocktail. You must drink it on an empty stomach, first thing.No one is very excited but they drink it down. We follow it with a lick of spice of life and a neti pot cleanse. It is our goal to have another sick free winter. I'll keep you posted.

Here's how you do it:

1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 drop lemon oil

1 drop peppermint oil

a little purified water just to dilute it a bit.

Drink up! You can add some honey if you need to for the little ones. For those little ninos who have a hard time drinking the cocktail down, you can put the peppermint oil and lemon oil on their feet and putting some lemon juice in their smoothie. It isn't quite as effective but still helps. You need a good quality oil. If you don't buy the pure oil, you never know how the oil has been processed. Many are processed chemically and who wants to add more chemicals to your body when you are trying to get them out in the first place? That is why I support forever green products. I have 8 sets available this week if anyone is interested. It is $35 total for both oils combined, lemon and peppermint (the set will be $40 when I am out of these 8 extra oils, I was able to get a rebate for making such a big order this week so I used that to pay the shipping and tax, next order I won't have that luxury and will have to charge you) . Both of those oils are great to have on hand for other uses as well including:

Peppermint oil: relaxes and soothes; anti inflammatory, eases menstrual cramps, muscular aches and pains, sciatica, arthritis, toothache, sinusitis, mastitis, relieves itching with eczema. Stops pain from bites and injury. Cleanses and purifies. Helps with acne and gingivitis. Tightens capillaries, stimulates white blood cells to strengthen immune system infections, can relieve morning sickness and aid in labor an delivery.

Lemon Oil: Helps decongest the chest, anti-viral to work on colds and flus, assists in weight reduction, helps reduce cellulite and improves circulation. It is also great to clean with.

For me, I have personally had great effects with these oils. I love to add the lemon with some orange oil to clean with in a few cups water in a spray bottle. I also used the peppermint in some water to stop a stomach ache and on my temples to stop a head ache. They smell great and have great effects by just sniffing them alone. I love these oils. I am continually impressed by all the oils that I have used. I have hopes to have all medicines cleared out of my cabinets and having only oils for my first aide.

Let me know who wants some. I will have them in this week. Also, if any of you have certain symptoms and want to know what oils you should use, email me and I will let you know.

How to can butter.....

My friend, Tracey, told me that she had canned butter and honestly I had never heard of such a thing. What a wonderful idea! I happen to have lots of butter that is overflowing my freezer from the great Fry's sale. I would love to store it for long term use. I found this information on how to can butter properly on a blog called "End Times Report." This is so simple and better yet requires no special equipment. I have been trying to can items twice a month at least so this is my next project. I feel at peace to see all these cute filled jars in my pantry. My husband is adding a new shelf in my pantry just to hold my beautiful jars of nutrients. Thanks, Babe! So, if you too have some extra butter and want to put them into a proper resting place, here you go.

1. Use any butter that is on sale. Lesser quality butter requires more shaking (see #5 below), but the results are the same as with the expensive brands.
2. Heat pint jars in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes, without rings or seals. One pound of butter slightly more than fills one pint jar, so if you melt 11 pounds of butter, heat 12 pint jars. A roasting pan works well for holding the pint jars while in the oven.
3. While the jars are heating, melt butter slowly until it comes to a slow boil. Using a large spatula, stir the bottom of the pot often to keep the butter from scorching. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes at least: a good simmer time will lessen the amount of shaking required (see #5 below). Place the lids in a small pot and bring to a boil, leaving the lids in simmering water until needed.
4. Stirring the melted butter from the bottom to the top with a soup ladle or small pot with a handle, pour the melted butter carefully into heated jars through a canning jar funnel. Leave 3/4" of head space in the jar, which allows room for the shaking process.
5. Carefully wipe off the top of the jars, then get a hot lid from the simmering water, add the lid and ring and tighten securely. Lids will seal as they cool. Once a few lids "ping," shake while the jars are still warm, but cool enough to handle easily, because the butter will separate and become foamy on top and white on the bottom. In a few minutes, shake again, and repeat until the butter retains the same consistency throughout the jar.
6. At this point, while still slightly warm, put the jars into a refrigerator. While cooling and hardening, shake again, and the melted butter will then look like butter and become firm. This final shaking is very important! Check every 5 minutes and give the jars a little shake until they are hardened in the jar! Leave in the refrigerator for an hour.
7. Canned butter should store for 3 years or longer on a cool, dark shelf. [It does last a long time. We have just used up the last of the butter we canned in 1999, and it was fine after 5 years.] Canned butter does not "melt" again when opened, so it does not need to be refrigerated upon opening, provided it is used within a reasonable length of time.

Yipee! The Spice of Life is In!!!

Finally, the Spice of Life is in and ordered. I should have it next week. Here is the list of those who ordered it from me, if I have missed you, email me asap. I did order 5 extra bottles if you still want some. You can also order anytime, just let me know. The total is $35 which includes shipping and tax. If you order online, the base price is $35.95 plus tax and $10 shipping. If you are out of state and you want some, it may be cheaper for me to order and ship it to you.

Tracey Simas
Tracey Adair
Mary Porter
Kelli Brown
Megan Lee
Rachel Robison
Paula Smith
Lindsey Wynia
JTribe
Brooke
Robin Hicks
Laurie Lee
Kristy
Deena
Raygon (2 bottles)

For those of you who ordered other oils, I placed that order also so I will get them all to you next week. If I don't know your number or address, please email them to me.

Stay tuned.....I will be blogging about a liver cleanse with oils and also about a cookbook.

Coupon Deals

My new best friend, Raygon from Idaho emailed me about a great deal here in AZ. At fry's this week you can get Land'O Lakes butter for $1.50 when you do the mi x and match thing of ten items. In addition to that, go to a website called youcancan.blogspot.com, link at the right, and she gave a post today about coupon sites where you can print coupon's for .$.55 off the butter which will then be doubled. Therefore, you are paying only .$.50 cents for the butter.(I can do math, they only double up to a dollar) This is a great way to stock up and can butter. I am going to blog about that later. I will also give you a link to the right for safely gathered in. These are two great blogsites to help us get our food in order. Thanks! For you gluten free chicks, Safely Gathered In also has GF recipes. Thanks for the info, Raygon! If you know of any great deals, give a shout out! Love to hear them all.

Sister Savings

Need to save a little of this? Or, want to start adding to your year supply? Check out the sister savings link to the right for weekly ad specials. For those of you who have not tapped into this great little website, take a peak. It is for AZ and UT gals who want to know where to go for the specials of the week. You can also take this with you to Walmart for Ad matching. For instance, for those of you wanting to stock up on Breyers ice cream for Thanksgiving.... You can get it for $1.50 at Fry's with a purchase of Ten mix and match items! Woo Hoo! I also bought 30 cans of evaporated milk for 50 cents each. This is a great way to find sale items and start stocking your shelves. We know that times are going to get even rougher so do not procrastinate getting your homes in order! It's not just the crazy Mormons talking about this anymore. Pick an item or two a week and buy a bunch. It feels good to see my pantry full. I am off to can pears today, hopefully it will go better than my apple canning went!

Essential Oils Class...

The date for the evening class is November 20th at 7pm. It will be at my home so email me if you want directions. I STILL cannot get the spice of life, everyone is waiting for it. I am checking daily and will stock up. A few of you are waiting for other oils and I am trying to place the oil order together. I will place them separately by the end of the week if the spice of life is not it. Sorry, it is just too popular and the company selects only the best ingredients. They too have to wait for the crops. It should be very soon. I will be blogging about more oils next week when I can place orders. I have been trying them out for you so I can confidently blog about why you all need them. Stay tuned....

LOYALTY

I have had the same bank account since I first opened it when I was 16, the same auto insurance company since I first started driving, I have the same red comb that I have had since I took it from my mom when I was 15 and I use the same brand of eye liner ever since I started wearing make up. I am a loyal person.... well, except for those few friends in High School that I may have betrayed for a boy or something frivolous like that, don't comment please. I like familiarity. I like knowing that people know me on a personal basis and can call me by name. I like knowing that when I walk into the Guadalupe Farmers Market in Gilbert, owners TJ and Julie will say "Hi Cutie!" They will call me at home to let me know that they just received a box of my favorite organic pears and will keep a case for me. I like the fact that Bret at my Fresh & Easy will let me know when I walk in that he has some New York strip steaks for half price in the back for me. I like knowing that our family dentist will wave fees that our insurance won't pay just because we are long time clients. Being loyal has its' perks. I don't really care if Geico can save me a few bucks, I will never change my auto insurance as long as my company has kept up their side of the loyalty bargain. And, they have. I am taken care of. I love that feeling. America has in general lost that small town feeling. It is about cost and convenience, not quality or customer care.

I went to a breakfast club meeting at Joe's farmhouse grill the other morning and we noticed that Joe himself was there. I had to go over and introduce myself to him. I had to let him know how much I love his restaurants and all that he stands for. He has worked hard to preserve the landmarks around here. He has restored some old buildings, kept up his farmland and uses his own produce in his restaurants. I wanted to thank him for that, for keeping things real and not selling out. He is the real deal. It just so happened that that day they were giving out 3000 free 1/2 pound burgers, fries and a drink for the locals. That is just how he is. I of course came back and got my free burger along with a coupon for a free breakfast and another talk with Joe. I shook his hand and with that I will be his new loyal friend. He has his farm stand now open for the public on Saturday mornings and Wednesdays at Agritopia for those who also want to be his loyal friend.
What is my point? We need to take care of each other. We need to support those businesses that go the extra effort and don't sell out to the "man". In return, we will be taken care of. It may take an extra buck here and there, but when you are in need, you have the loyal friends behind you. You will have a real person to deal with, not an automated system that never gives you a real person. I should have been a 50's housewife and lived in a small town but since I am not, I have made my own small town by getting to know those who I do business with and sticking with them. Thanks for all of the perks my loyal friends! Thanks for knowing my name! Thanks for the free burger ,Joe and for the pears, Julie and TJ! They were ever so sweet!

So, here is the deal. Since we all need to take care of each other, especially in these times, let me know on this blog if you have a business that you want some loyal friends to come to. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you have to offer. You can let us know any great deals you have or offer a discount by mentioning this blog. Free advertising. One big happy blogging family. Thanks to all my loyal friends out there! Love ya.

Spice of life, delayed.....

So, the Spice of Life was not in on Friday. They are really hoping it will be in this next week. I have your orders down and will order as soon as I can. I will let you know when I get them and will collect the money then. Sorry for the mess. Also, I don't think they are letting you use my member number so I can order for you if you live close to me.

Thanks for being patient. I promise, it is worth it! I will be blogging weekly about other oils to use.

Spice of Life in today

I just called Forever green and they said the spice of life will be in sometime this afternoon. I will make a big order but email me asap if you want one. The price ordering from me will be $35. Also, the book called Nature's Pharmacy can be purchased by calling 1-801-794-2633.

Thanks!

P.S.

Another great use for Spice of Life is for cleaning. You can take 10 drops in 2 1/2 C. water in a spray bottle. Shake and spray. Shake to mix before use each time. It is a great disinfectant and can be used to clean floors, counters , tubs, etc. Did you know that 1 gallon of pinesol has enough phenol to kill and adult 3 times over! It is also very easily absored through the feet after mopping and any residual on the hands. I learned in the oil class that our feet have over 300 pores per square inch. Wow. Think of all the chemicals we soak in. That is another reason why putting essential oils on your feet work so well.

Stop, Listen, Breathe....

First off, I loved the oil class today. I learned so much and my love grew even more for the oils. I can't wait to order some more tomorrow. The word on the street is that the Spice of Life will be in tomorrow so I will try to order some extra. Let me know if you want some. If you get them from me, they will run $35.00. If you order them online, you will add on about $13 for shipping and tax. They will be out of stock quickly so order up. I am putting together a night class for the oils, tentatively 11/20 at 7pm. Also, for those of you wanting to dive into this, they have a great book that lists your ailments and what oils you need. This is my oil bible. They have a new shipment available for those of you at the class and wanted to buy one. More info to come on oils. Now on to tonight's topic: Stop, Listen, Breathe.....

I watch as my oldest sits at the table doing his homework, connected at all times to the cell phone ,interrupted every few minutes with the buzzing of a new text message. He is always at the phones beck and call. The I Pod is in his ear, always a sound in his head. I get in the car,quickly tune into Rush and Hannity, my stress level rises as I stress about our countries future. I go to they gym, quickly plug into the radio or TV filling my head with more noise and unbeneficial info. My phone rings, I run from hear to there, listen to children's complaints, get on the Internet, stuff my brain with too much info, etc.... So goes the day. I wonder, now with everything always at our fingertips, do we ever stop to just listen? Are we ever just still and think? Are we so filled with noise in our lives that we don't leave time for thoughts and inspiration? Do you remember the days before cell phones when the times that you left the house no one could call you? You were alone, no interruptions. You had time to think. The time before the internet when you didn't spend your time blogging or surfing. The time before I pods when you went for a run you were only left to your thoughts. My concern is that we are so filled with other peoples' thoughts that we don't think for ourselves. I have been pondering this idea and turned it off for a day. No noise in the car. No noise at the gym. No noise on my walk. I just listened. I thought. I enjoyed it. I thought about how much I love my family. How much I am blessed. What wonderful friends I have and how much I have learned in my life. I felt relaxed. My head was clear. I felt free.

I am grateful for the internet and cell phones. I can tap into such great information at my fingertips desires. I can call my children on my cell phone when I am not home to see how they are. Technology is wonderful. But, we need to be silent. We need to let our brains rest and let us be inspired. Inspiration does not come to those minds who are too busy to receive it. I remember an experience some years back as I was going about my daily chores, hurrying as usual to get them all done before I needed to leave for the day. I was hauling laundry furiously back and forth from the laundry room to the bedrooms. My little one year old was crying. I kept repeating, "one minute, let me finish." I was on a sprint, folding, dusting, wiping. I didn't want to stop. He was still crying. I didn't stop. He was finally silent. I kept going. Then, as I was still in my sprint with laundry in my hand, a voice almost audible said "stop!" I did. I was inspired. Go check on your baby! I listened. I found him. He was silent. He was blue. He wasn't breathing. I was too busy to check on him before. I gave him CPR and he started to breathe. I was so intent on getting the master list done. On working constantly, on always staying busy and "noisy" that I didn't listen until I was practically yelled at. Until it was almost too late.

So, I think... what are we missing by being so filled with noise in our lives? Whether it be noise from radios, cell phones, computers....noise from our busy lives and constant, unrelenting agendas. Always in a rat race to get things done and use every minute in our days if not more. We need to "Stop!" We need to just listen. We need to be inspired. Meditation works miracles to stress levels. We can become renewed. Ready for what comes our way. We can dump info that crowds our head before we fill it with more. Even the Lord took a day of rest after he created the world. We so need to give ourselves a rest. Turn off the radio. The election is over. Go for a run without the i pod. Turn off the cell phone for an hour. Just listen. Think. See what comes to YOUR mind before someone Else's voice blurts in. My two cents for the day.