Uncategorized – Five Little Duckies

Aroma…puncture?

Ok, so the name needs work. But the technique is clearly workING. Since we don’t yet have a name for this technique, let’s first describe what it is. A few brilliant–and might I add, probably “crunchy”–acupuncturists decided to add therapeutic grade essential oils to their practice. The result? Amazingly elevated results and highly enjoyable treatments for their clients. I am lucky enough to see one of these acupuncturists who has been open-minded enough to let me bring oils into my treatments (you all know by now about my love affair with essential oils!)…and WOW. The body knows what the body knows.

So let’s talk about this concept for a minute. As most of us in the holistic realm realize, not many studies with cold hard facts and statistics are being paid for so that we can see just how awesome all of our crunchy ideas are working. Enter Dr. East Haradin. This woman holds a doctorate in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and while she was obtaining that degree, she put her time and efforts into conducting one of the first documented clinical trials using essential oils in conjunction with acupuncture. But I won’t re-write her story here. I’ll let you read it in her own words here and I’ll see you back in a few minutes 😉

Now. This is exciting stuff, for sure. But naysayers will comment that one trial isn’t enough. Or that there are too many variables…ie, we don’t know which oils she used…we don’t know if these people had mental illness or any other underlying issues besides what’s presented in the study…we don’t know if purple monkeys live on the moon of distant planets…just checking to see if you’re still paying attention! 🙂 You may be shocked when I say this, but those naysayers aren’t wrong (well, hopefully about the monkeys). More trials do need to be done in this arena. And I hope more professionals will take this on (nudge, nudge to all those capable and willing out there!) so that the clients–the ones who really need these ideas to work–can reap the benefits of enhanced techniques. One note: Dr. Haradin cites three trials where oils were used with acuPRESSURE. So that’s another avenue to explore. When you go out trying to find information on marrying oils with acupuncture, be sure you are reading search results that address acupuncture and not acupressure.

This person is one of the few looking into our “aromapuncture” (surely this will not be the final name!). And I’m sure there are many other practitioners like her across the country. For instance, here’s a quick video of someone incorporating oils into her practice.You may be able to find lots of other videos like this is you spend some time using the right search words. For some words from a more credible source, this article in Acupuncture Today, written by Peter Holmes is weighty and speaks directly to professionals on the idea of adding essential oils to their practice. I love what Peter says in the last paragraph of this article when he speaks about quality of essential oils.

This part can get tricky because essential oils are not regulated by the FDA (not yet anyway) and as Mr. Holmes mentions, they certainly are NOT created equal. It is far cheaper for a producer–or a purchaser–to dilute pure oils with synthetics in order to keep costs down. This is why a bottle of rose oil is $25 in a big box store but a true, unadulterated bottle of pure rose essential oil will run you over $200 for 5ml. Sometimes the producer dilutes, the distributor dilutes, and then the final brand dilutes….how much therapeutic benefit are you getting from that oil? NONE point none. In fact, if an oil is severely diluted, it can cause adverse effects. Imagine putting alcohol or petrochemicals on your chi points and letting them seep in right before a treatment that will open up your energy sources and allow said chemicals to freely flow through your body…yikes! You have to find an essential oil company you TRUST. And you have to ask your practitioner about the oils she uses and WHY she chooses this brand. This is ok to do. A fantastic practitioner will be thrilled that you are so interested in taking charge of your health and learning more about what he/she is doing for your body, mind, and spirit!

I personally do not trust any company other than Young Living when it comes to essential oils. Young Living owns their own farms around the globe. They grow their plants at the source…has anyone ever seen a frankincense tree in Utah? Didn’t think so! That’s why we have our frankincense farm in Oman. This company has an open door policy–you can literally go visit any of their farms whenever you’d like (I’ve done it! See below pictures of me visiting the Young Living Lavender Farm last year in Mona, Utah. I was lucky enough to plant a yarrow seed by hand! This very seed will literally be bottled as an oil once the plant matures and is ready for harvest). The product does not change hands from seed to sealed bottle. It is tested by third parties for quality control. Learn more about Young Living’s Seed to Seal Guarantee and the quality of their farming practices.

Me planting a Golden Yarrow seed!

Breathing in the lavender at the Mona Lavender Farm in Utah.

Me standing in a field of Clary Sage!

For general information on essential oils or for information on ordering Young Living oils specifically, comment below. I am available and excited to answer any essential oil questions, as learning about these oils has been a passion of mine for the past two years. For acupuncture questions, you’ll have to reach out to your practitioner–or you can reach out to mine: Andrea Cohen (that forward-thinking practitioner who let me bring oils into my sessions whom I shouted out to earlier in the blog 😉 )

Now that you have the skinny on oils and how to find good quality, let’s talk about which oils may benefit you the most in your acupuncture sessions. Really, the possibilities are endless. Ideally you would be working closely with an essential oil distributor (this can be me if you need one!) and an acupuncturist (I know a great one!) and together they can come up with the best oils to compliment your treatments. Here are some oils that would work well for general and common issues:

Lavender. This oil is amazing for supporting normal sleep patterns. If your acupuncture sessions focus on sleep or any kind of issues related to stress, this oil may be the one for you. Lavender can also help support normal levels of relaxation. Remember that lavender essential oil is literally the lifeblood of the lavender plant, so if you have any allergies to lavender plants, you’ll want to find a different oil that can do the same things (there are many!).

Thieves. This is a blend unique to Young Living and it is amazing for supporting your body’s immune system. If you are having an acupuncture session because you feel a little off, this oil would be a wonderful addition to your session.

Lemon. This oil is high in limonene. The terpene limonene is amazing at breaking down petrochemicals. Petrochemicals are absorbed through all the toxins you put on or in your body and they are stored in the body because we are not designed to break them down. But limonene does just that! This is a great one to add to your treatments if you’re looking for some cleansing.

These three oils are just the tip of the iceberg. I can recommend oils that can help support your adrenal system, respiratory system, muscular system, oils that will help support normal energy and focus, oils that can support the nervous system, lymphatic system, digestive system…the list is endless! Young Living has over 200 essential oils so there is definitely one out there to compliment your treatments, whatever the focus! When starting out with essential oils, it’s important not to get overwhelmed. There is a mountain of knowledge. The best way to get started is to reach out to someone who can help you sort through the massive amounts of information associated with these amazing oils–that’s what I did. Make use of the resources offered to you! And if you really start to feel overwhelmed…grab a bottle of Young Living lavender oil and put a drop behind your ears. Ahhhh…. 😉

Happy oiling!

The Truth About Motherhood

I know…I used a crazy title to grab your attention. But this post really does discuss one of the little-talked-about truths of motherhood. Everyone goes on and on about how joyous it is to be a mother. You are celebrated throughout your entire pregnancy, all in anticipation of the little bundle coming your way. A child who will take all of your energy, cause you decades of countless sleepless nights for a plethora of reasons, a child who will test your limits and boundaries, who will make you take the closest look at yourself that you’ve ever taken…he or she will fill you with so much joy you want to burst and in the next moment make you walk the line between reality and clinical insanity. You will do breathing exercises to learn how to lower your blood pressure and stay calm without blowing a gasket. You will say and do things you’ve regretted like never before…that one night stand in college that you just couldn’t let go? Well…that’s got NOTHING on the guilt trips and regret you’ll have as a mama. This child will steal your heart, teach you about people, and show you life. He/she will make you angrier than any other human being ever has…and you’ll learn a new capacity for forgiveness that you never knew existed within you. You’ll feel happiness, joy, pride, fear, worry, sadness, stillness, craziness, love, hope, hopelessness, anger, embarrassment, confusion, faith, despair, complete fulfillment, loneliness, heartache…and grief. Yes, grief. And those last two–heartache and grief–are the two I want to talk about today.

newborn

1st birthday

2nd birthday

3rd birthday

4th birthday

Do you remember what everyone said when you were pregnant? So many people say so many silly things. I had some doozies said to me! “WOW…it must be twins! Are you SURE it’s not twins?!” (Um…yeah, I’m pretty sure I’d know if I was carrying twins but I’ll double check at my next ultrasound, thanks.) I won’t say who, but a family member once arrived at my door and as I opened it she said “Ooooo…you’re so fat!” (I’m pretty sure the PC term here is PREGNANT…but, again…I thank you.) I used to think “what is wrong with these people?!” And most of them were moms! I would say to my husband “how can they forget what all of this is like?! Do they not remember being pregnant!? She has THREE children…how can she be so out of touch?!” And then there are the things people say or the way they look at you when you’ve got toddlers…one time I firmly told my toddler he wasn’t getting a cookie and the Over 65 Knitting Club at the coffee shop nearly called the authorities on me with their ice cold glances. Never mind the fact that he threw a 25 minute tantrum over his socks that morning, screamed all the way to music class, smacked his brother when he wanted the same toy, and the only reason I’m in this coffee shop is to get that shot of caffeine I’m so desperately needing because my baby is teething and I only slept 2 hours last night.

Well, as my kiddos morph from cute little babies to even cuter toddlers to big kids….I’m starting to get it. It’s not so much that people forget or are out of touch. I truly believe that most moms are just in a constant state of heartache and grieving. I think moms choose not to forget, but to “blur” a lot of their precious memories because it is too painful to really–I mean REALLY–go back there mentally and emotionally. Some things become repressed. And others transform into memories much different than actual events and moments as a means of emotional survival. It’s heartbreaking, really. And no one ever talks about this. No one tells you this BEFORE you become a mom. I mean, who would feel comfortable saying to a newly pregnant friend or relative, “Oh! Congratulations! It’s TRULY wonderful and such a blessing…but hold onto your hat, lady, because you are about to experience loss and heartache like you didn’t even know possible.” Yeah…no one is going to say that. That’s why we’ve invented the luke-warm reply “Enjoy it! It goes by way too fast!” To that I say:

#1–yes it does.

#2–this is code for “I die a little bit inside each day that my child gets older but I’m going to go buy a nice handbag now instead of allowing all those emotions to smother me”

Sorry, mamas, but you know I’m right! No one told you that you’d cry the last time you gave a midnight breastfeed to the baby who’s been preventing you from sleeping for a year. No one said you’d have a moment when you realize your breasts will never EVER again be the same and you didn’t even get to say goodbye to them because you didn’t know they were on their way out! Same with the bikini body! No one said you would feel the loss of your “old life” and its freedoms and connections even though you are happier than ever holding your new little person. No one warned you that one day you’d weep because you realize that your cuddle bunny hasn’t asked you to snuggle in over a month. Never in your life could you imagine that you’d miss the familiar call from the potty “Mama! I’m done!” Nobody says “I remember bawling my eyes out the first time I took X to pre-school.” Mommies talk about these things, sure…but AS they’re happening. With each other. In grief. There’s absolutely zero preparation. Who knew you’d be sniffling at magazine ads and using an entire box of tissues for television commercials? How many of you give a deep sigh of relief when your toddler asks for uppy because you’re just counting down the days until he doesn’t want you like that anymore? Who squeezes those chubby, sticky little hands and prays for one more day’s worth of that closeness before the child is embarrassed by your affection? No one tells you a tiny piece of you will crumble the day your child walks into a drop-off class without you. My kids are 4, almost 3, and 1 and I sit and cry at night because I’m worried they won’t visit me once they’re married with their own families!

newborn

1st birthday

2nd birthday

It’s absolutely heart-wrenching being a mom. And it’s beautiful, too. I expected snuggles and giggles and stories and playgrounds and the sweetest hugs I’ve ever felt. I knew there’d be good days and tough days and yelling and screaming and crying and “I’m sorry” and tantrums and boo-boos. I knew I wouldn’t sleep for a decade. I knew my energy would be totally zapped for a long time. I knew it would all go by too fast…but I didn’t expect the constant stream of grieving. I grieved when I stopped breast feeding. I grieved when they went to preschool. I grieved when I got pregnant with my second and realized it would never again be just me and my first. I wondered how I would love them both with my whole heart. I grieved when my first son outgrew his baby clothes. And then when the second did…and now that the third is. I grieve a little bit every time I buy a bigger size for my oldest. I grieved when my son came home from school asking “Mama, what’s a gun?” I grieved when family members didn’t come through for my kids. I grieved when their friends made them cry. As much as I needed and wanted to sleep, I grieved when they stopped sleeping right next to me in my bed and I couldn’t feel their breath on my skin. Perhaps the deepest grief I’ve felt so far is the finality of having my third (and, presumably, final) son. I grieved for not getting my girl. I grieved for not having the birth I wanted. I grieved for it not being MY choice to be done. I grieved for all that time I lost with my baby when he was in NICU and I was home with the rest of our family. I grieved for his brothers, who didn’t get to meet him until he was 41 days old. I grieved giving away my maternity clothes and knowing I’d never wear them again. I’ve been grieving giving away his baby clothes and all his gear as he outgrows them–things that all three of my boys needed and used and loved. I remind myself daily that these are just things. But it’s still very tough. I grieve knowing that some day they won’t want to rush home and tell me how their days were. I grieve thinking about times when they’ll be locked in their rooms and I will be a stone’s throw away but they will want nothing to do with me. I grieve knowing that they will someday leave this home that we have all shared for so many years together. That I won’t be able to just walk down the hall and see them in the flesh. Or have a conversation face to face any time I want to. I grieve knowing that they will some day be too busy with school or friends to pick up the phone and check on me. I grieve these things because I know they will happen…as they always do when you allow your children to sprout wings and fly. I should know–I’m a prime example of nearly ALL of these things and now that I’m a mom, I understand what my own mother surely went through. And I’m not even past age four! So I grieve.

And I will continue to grieve…every day, every week, every month…every year. And if you are in the same boat, I just want to say IT’S OK. It sucks. It is part of the process. Of course, the happy moments far outweigh the sad ones. But this is heavy and it’s real. And it’s ok to talk about it. In a way I wish someone had warned me…but in a way I understand that this is something you have to come into on your own.

Newborn

1st Birthday

The other side of this message is that you can’t FOCUS on the grieving. It will literally kill you, in my humble opinion. It will cause you to shrivel into a shell of a person. It will overtake you and drown you. But most importantly…it will cause you to miss the happy moments of your children’s lives. And we don’t want that! For the happy moments…the ones that fill you to the top with pride, love, joy, happiness, excitement, fulfillment, contentment, hope…are the moments to savor. They’re the ones to keep in the ‘ol memory bank. They are the moments to burn into your brain and never let go of. Allow them to linger. Allow them to marinate. Allow them to soak waaaayyyy in. And when you are 45 or 55 or 65 and you see a vibrant, glowing young woman carrying her first child…you will think back on all those wonderful moments, forgetting (or blocking out) the bad ones and the ones that made you ache with grief and you will dreamily say “Awww…enjoy it! It goes by way too fast!” ❤ 🙂

Back to School Immunity Support

Ahhh…it’s time for back to school. We all love the long, hot summers with the kids, but let’s face it, a little piece of you is doing the happy dance when those crisp fall mornings roll around and it’s time to get little ones up and out in the morning for the school bus. What is NOT causing the happy dance is the plethora of yucky stuff lurking behind those school doors. The first two weeks of school are always like immunity bootcamp as kids come back together after a blissful few months of being healthy. Well get out your notebook because I’m about to hit you with an arsenal of ways to boost your and your family’s immunity for the fall and winter months!

As you all know, I love, LOVE essential oils. My first line of defense for yucky stuff is my beloved Thieves oil by Young Living. My favorite thing to do with the Thieves oil is diffuse it in the house. Using the Thieves vitality oil is a wonderful, easy way to support your immune system daily, but the added bonus here is that your home will be filled with a delicious cinnamon/clove scent that just screams autumn. We also apply Thieves oil to the soles of the feet every morning before school to ward off anything unwelcomed and if Mama starts feeling under the weather, the first thing I do is reach for my Thieves Vitality and make a nice, cozy hot tea with it. Young Living’s vitality line of oils is formulated specifically to support body systems, as they are labeled as dietary supplements. How cool is that?! Other essential oils that I absolutely NEVER go into the fall season without are RC (which stands for respiratory comfort), Eucalyptus Globulus (great for sinuses), Lemon (great for your throat), and Cinnamon oil (which according to this source and many others–but not according to me and not according to any essential oil companies out there–is said to combat viruses when diffused or ingested). Essential oils can be overwhelming. And it’s true–there’s A LOT of education out there. But that’s why I’m here 🙂 I’m happy to help anyone who has questions about these amazing oils–the lifeblood of pure plant matter–and their therapeutic benefits.

Even though I’m crazy about the oils, they aren’t the only thing I keep on hand for when school starts (though I must admit–they are by far and away the most effective and my favorite, for the record!). I also love having colloidal silver on hand. Follow the directions on the bottle and this will also help support and strengthen the immune system. One of my other go-to’s when we start to come down with something is elderberry syrup. You can pick this up at Mrs. Green’s or any other health food store but honestly, homemade is the best. Search your area for someone who makes this out of her kitchen or–better yet–make it out of your own! Here is a recipe 🙂

Ever wake up to the dreaded and panicked cry of “mom–I can’t open my eye!??!” That would be conjunctivitis! After trying lots of stuff and even using the antibacterial eye drops, I have found an extremely effective and simple protocol for pink eye. What you need to have on hand is plain (nothing added), organic green tea bags. Make a cup of hot tea, steep the tea bag for a few minutes, take it out and let it cool a bit, and then apply the warm tea bag to the eye. Bonus–you get to have a cup of green tea (add some honey for extra health benefits)! This is a win-win 😉

Immunity support is important, but there are a few other things would be remiss of me to skip over. One of my favorite back-to-school tips is to have Stress Away essential oil on hand. There is an entire list of oils I recommend for students–from supporting focus (Brain Power or Rosemary), to supporting normal sleep (Lavender), to supporting normal levels of stress (Frankincense), and even oils to help calm emotions associated with social situations (Acceptance, Peace and Calming, Gathering, Release, and so many more). But Stress Away is a favorite. My boys love it, as do I. I also recommend having Lemon Oil on hand for sticky situations–literally. One of its main constituents–limonene, which is a terpene–annihilates petrochemicals so it’s wonderful for removing glue, adhesives, honey or syrup, it even gets marker and paint off of most surfaces (from my own experience!)…and lemon oil smells lovely and uplifting when diffused. Need some of these oils? Have questions? Email me directly at fivelittleduckiesblog@gmail.com.

Well, now you have a plan for at least one aspect of back to school. If only this blog could purchase school supplies for you, get your kids new clothes, pack your lunches, sign all your consent forms, attend your teacher conferences, and play taxi for activities, you’d be all set! 😉 Happy back-to-school!

Anniversaries

I’m sitting here in my fancy dress, enjoying the peace and quiet of the rarely-witnessed double nap (my younger two) as we kill some time before heading out to a busy day of wedding festivities for my BIL’s big day. My husband and oldest son are both in the wedding so they are with the bridal party taking pictures and I’m not sure how long this little respite will last…

As my mind wanders, I look at the clock–10:32am. One year ago at this very moment, I was laying on a cold operating table, having an almost out-of-body experience as the doctors cut into me, rooted around, and pulled my baby from his warm, safe, nesting place an astonishing 10 weeks sooner than we both would have liked. As I lay there in a numb sort of trance, trying to keep my thoughts from crushing me, I heard what sounded almost like a kitten’s cry for help and I was slapped back to reality realizing this sound was coming from my baby. In a near-panic, I breathlessly asked the anesthesiologist, “Is that the baby?!” “That’s the baby,” he nearly whispered back to me. My heart almost burst knowing that he was breathing. He was whisked off where he’d meet his team of NICU doctors before he’d meet his mommy and daddy. Just then I started to fade out a little bit, trying to tell the anesthesiologist that my head felt funny. That’s when the doctors stopped talking about their weekend plans and the room got eerily quiet…again, I tried to exit my body and keep myself numb enough to get through whatever was happening and pretty soon the hush lifted, the doctors were once again discussing their after-hours plans, and I knew the baby and I were both in the clear–for the moment.

Laying in that recovery room, numb from the waste down and feeling exhausted and scared, all I could think about was the tiny baby whom I still hadn’t met, and how he was faring without me. I sent my reluctant husband away from me to go look after our son, who weighed in at just over 3 pounds–quite large for a 30-weeker, we were told. Those first 3 weeks were (pardon my French) hell as we went through the ups and down of the NICU–our son needed a pretty hefty surgery at 6 days old. He had lost a full pound with all of the issues he was experiencing. Sending your 2 pound baby into a 5-hour general-anesthesia-bathed surgery is not for the faint of heart. Barely released to face my own recovery from the emergency C-Section, I hobbled back to the hospital and sat alone at my son’s bedside (as hubby had to stay home and care for our two toddlers), waiting for them to wheel him down to surgery. I am oh-so-grateful to my pastor for unexpectedly showing up and sitting with me the ENTIRE day from the time my son went into surgery until late that night when he was out, had spent two hours in the recovery room, “woke up” (I say this lightly, because he was still very groggy when I finally got to see him but most of the anesthesia had worn off), and I was able to see him. My son spent 41 days in the NICU (but who’s counting?) and was able to come home several weeks before the initially projected date. Those 41 days were some of the most difficult I’ve ever endured. Not being near him 24/7 broke my heart but my toddlers needed me, too, and their lives couldn’t stop turning for over a month. The baby was receiving fantastic care at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital near our home. I learned to let go of the fact that I couldn’t be by his side every moment and to trust in the care of his NICU team. I focused on getting my milk supply up for his debut at home and I made the most of every single moment I was able to be with him in the NICU. We did a lot of kangaroo care and attempted to breast-feed as soon as my son learned to suck and swallow. Those precious moments alone with him in the NICU are engraved on my soul forever.

First time holding him.

Surgery Day!

First Halloween!

So…anniversaries. Sometimes they are happy. And sometimes they are sad. Sometimes your body or your mind or your subconscious will remember them before your conscious mind does. From the moment I woke up this morning, I was an emotional basket case–bursting into tears in the shower, getting emotional as I dressed my sons for the wedding, crying once hubby and oldest were out the door and the other two down for naps. In that moment when I sat down with my cup of tea and glanced at the clock (10:32am), it all hit me like a ton of bricks. Yes, there’s a wedding today (I’m not a typical wedding cryer…not even at my own), and yes, it’s my son’s first birthday today. But I knew this emotion was coming from a deeper place. The anniversary of the day my son and I will share until the end of time. An anniversary that, luckily for us, has a happy ending. But for many who have this same experience, it doesn’t. And that makes it a different kind of anniversary. On this day, I now feel that I share in the heartache with all those mamas, too. It’s a unique “club” to be in–one that certainly isn’t chosen but that chooses you.

Coming Home!

First time meeting brothers!

Proud Brothers 🙂

I count my blessings tenfold today and every day. I send out love to those mamas who don’t get to squeeze their little bundles on their first birthdays. I lift up my son in love and humble gratitude for his unwavering spirit and his infectious smile. And I embrace this anniversary as I would any other. I accept what it was at the time, what it is today, what it will be next year and what it will be every year to follow.

Photo by Little Whimsies Photography

Love ❤

Happy anniversary and happy 1st birthday to my third little light. May you always shine bright, sweet boy! ❤

Road Trip!

Ahhh….road trips. An integral part of my life from the get go. I remember road-tripping it all the way from Pennsylvania to Florida on family vacations. Not to mention the frequent 3-hour trips to my grandma’s house and the other multitude of vacation trips we took by vehicle since flying wasn’t in our budget for a family of four in the 80’s. Of course, this was back when a kid could sleep on the floor of the car, stand between the front seats, climb all over the back, or even sit in the hatch! Those days are over, my friends…kids are strapped in with limited movement and I can’t blame them when they get cranky. They can’t even shift in their seats!? Imagine that…how would you feel?! That’s why I’ve composed this blog to share some of our road trip tips. (The picture below is not my family!)

Full Bellies, Quiet Ride!

Here’s the mantra you want to repeat over and over again when the going gets tough…this, too, shall pass 😉 Seriously, though, the first tip I have is the lifeline of ALL of our trips– car or airplane. It’s the breath in our daily outings, the serenity during church, it’s every calm moment during every. single. day. I’m talking about the almighty SNACK. And man do I LOAD UP for road trips. So, this is a no-brainer and I know you’re thinking “I did not log onto this blog to be told to bring snacks in the car–everyone knows this!?” True. Very true. My main tip here is really in organizing the snacks. So you can go about this a few different ways…if you have the ideology that you will portion control and distribute the snacks on intervals, then you need to have the ENTIRE snack bag in the front seat with you at your feet. I used to put the bag-o-snacks behind my seat. After twisting and turning and getting carsick for the last time while blindly digging through the snacks looking for that one specific item my toddler saw me pack and is ten seconds from blowing a gasket unless I can produce it NOW….I decided to move the snacks to the center in the back. But then my two-year-old turned three. And he could SEE and REACH the snack bag. No bueno! Now the snack bag lives with me in the front seat. Annoying for leg room? Absolutely. Buy totally worth it when I can just reach down, pull out what I need, and pass it back to the gremlins.

More tips on this very important subject…in the same bag as the actual snacks, bring bowls, napkins, spoons, plates, straws, a knife for cutting, ziplocs for leftovers, a plastic bag for garbage, and anything else you might need for your particular snacks. Learned that one the hard way! “Oh I have this lovely box of crackers…and nothing to serve them to my messy, uncoordinated toddlers in ” Let me tell you, turning around every 3 minutes to refill a sticky little hand with 4 more crackers was no less obnoxious than digging blindly behind the seat for the whole trip! And the first time I brought bananas for a snack and didn’t have anywhere to put the peels? Let’s just say the car did not smell nice when we finally remembered that I had shoved them in the side of my door

So what if you are not the snack nazi and you just can’t be bothered and it’s a total free-for-all because hey–the kids are happy and quiet (and I am SURE I will totally be this person when the kids get a little older..in fact, I’m actually planning on it!). Here’s a very cool tip: use an organizing bin to prepare snacks the night before and just give each child one and let them have at it! (Still bring back-up and refill snacks, of course!)

To Screen or Not to Screen

Ok, you’ve got the snacks covered. Another no-brainer these days is the screen. Whether you have TVs in the car or each child has an iPhone or iPad, this can also save you. We have an iPad that we put in the middle for all three kids to watch as we roll along. My tip here is that Netflix has an amazing variety and it’s a monthly subscription so you don’t have to pay for each show or movie. You do need to have streaming capabilities with your data plan, though, so be sure to check on that! One other tip here is to ask each child to list three things they’d like to watch on the way and then bring that list with you so that once you get rolling you’re not looking down scrolling through tons of items and causing fights in the back seat “I want Daniel Tiger…NOOOO, we ALWAYS watch that. I want Paw Patrol!!! It’s not faaaaiiirrrrr!!!!!” Ugh, spare me! Much easier to go by the list and you can remind them that they DID pick these shows…remember??? If you have a no-screen policy, then just skip this one.

Be Prepared

If you have toddlers I recommend having a change of clothes separate from your giant suitcase (I know you all have one!) so that if there is a spill or accident, you aren’t unloading the ENTIRE car digging through everything to find a pair of underwear (I know I packed it somewhere…!!!?!??). If you have a baby, I recommend having two changes of clothes separate from your giant suitcase…probably in the diaper bag with the diapers and wipes and what-not. Don’t bury the diaper bag when packing the car!

It Takes a Village

Here’s one new to me, as previously all my children were too young to be helpers…if you have a baby and an older sibling, make sure they are next to each other in the back–No space between them (in my car, it’s not a problem because the kids are three seats across in the back!). Here’s why: big sibling is now your helper. What I’ve found is that big sibling will relish the responsibility you are giving him and you will have a deep sigh of relief when baby actually stops crying and takes the puffers from his big brother or sister. I always bring puffers (you know, those strange baby “snacks” that disappear in the baby’s mouth before they get a chance to swallow them), a bottle of milk, a sippy cup of water, some baby toys, and plenty of wipes–and of course you know I’ve got it all in the front seat with me for easy access 😉 Here’s my big boy giving his baby brother a bottle on the way to Grammy’s house!

Look Out for Number One 😉

Next up is actually prep for mommy and daddy, for you might need snacks too! Pack a snack for yourselves, some bottled water, and tea or coffee if that’s your thing. We all know that if the baby falls asleep or the older kids aren’t complaining…you’re not stopping! So don’t neglect yourselves.

Planning ahead

Map out places to stop for meals and/or coffee BEFORE you’re on the road. Nothing is more annoying than trying to get the Maps app to work on your phone when you’re in the middle of nowhere and all you want is a meal that’s not made from leftover animal parts. We are very fussy eaters and admitted food snobs so we always map out the healthier options and the coffee spots so that when it’s time to stop, we know what’s around within a 20 minute radius. It may seem tedious but, trust me, this will save you so much frustration and may even prevent meltdowns (since kids decide they are STARVING and absolutely CANNOT WAIT FOR FOOD in a matter of 3 minutes). And if you go the same routes a lot (ie Grandma’s house, the annual trip to the beach, etc), you will only have to do it once but you’ll use the info many, many times.

Don’t Get Weighed Down

So do any of you feel like your car looks like this (lefthand picture) when you’re finally ready to head out when you intended for it to look like this (righthand pic)?

LOL. Pack your car in layers. I always put the stuff we absolutely will not need until we’ve arrived at our destination into the trunk first. Then I work backwards. If there’s anything I think we might need to access–even on an off-chance–I put it in last.

The Old Standby

Of course, do pack some good ‘ol toys and books. My kiddos do love to look at books and play with some of their favorite toys in the car. As they get older, we will be able to do more creative things like I spy, count the blue cars, license plate bingo and all that fun stuff. And if your kiddos are young, they probably still want their stuffed animal friends and their pillows. Although I’m sure older kids still want their pillows. Heck who am I kidding, even I like to have my pillow in the car on long trips! The only recommendation I have here is to make sure there are a few blankets handy. Because at least one child always drifts off to sleep and then wakes up freezing.

A New Trick

You all know me…my “new trick” for you is to have your essential oils on hand right in the front seat with you! 🙂 Some oils I love to bring on vacations include Stress Away, Bergamot, Lemon, Peace & Calming, Lavender, Peppermint, Thieves, and Purification (oh you know I bring WAAAAAYYYY more than that! But those are a good starting point if you’re more of a beginning oiler). Tips here: bring a few cotton balls. When the car gets stuffy (peppermint) or smelly (purification), or when the kids are cranky (peace & calming) or hubs is on your nerves (lavender), or you get stuck in traffic (stress away)…put a couple drops of that oil on a cotton ball and stick it in your A/C vents! You can also apply these to your wrists and temples, of course, and add some lemon to your water (in a glass bottle, not a plastic one), to make your drink a little more refreshing. Need more info on essential oils? Email me! amo4piano@yahoo.com or check out this link.

I hope these tips have been useful for you! When you’re about to pull your hair out and you can’t even hear your husband over the screaming and crying, you may not be able to communicate with him but at least you will have a plan! 😉 Happy road-tripping!

The Constant Gardener

That’s what I feel like lately…like I’m constantly out in the garden. It is one of my happy places 🙂 In fact, after a long day with the kids, I like to go pull weeds or spray my homemade pesticide/insecticide, water everything, or just walk through the yard and check out how all of my “little ones” are doing. There is nothing like planting a seed and weeks later seeing it grow into a seeding and then weeks after that, harvesting your fruit and veggies that will then be brought to your table for a meal. And one of the amazing perks of spring and summer for me is constantly having a new, fresh vase of flowers on my table–fresh from our yard. I can’t take credit for that, though. The previous owners had a green thumb of their own and particularly loved flowers and decorative plants. My love is for cultivating herbs, fruits, and veggies but the existing plants that were in this yard are creating within me a love of flowers and other plants as well.

Here’s the bunch I got last week next to the one I got this week 🙂 As you can see, my irises are out in full force this week. Last week it was mostly wild flowers.

Anyway, back to edibles 🙂 I’ve been trying to take pictures of the progress of my beds but, alas, I’m not great at that. When I’m out in the garden, I want to just “be”. Today I’m going to show you the progress so far and share with you my non-toxic, homemade pesticide/insecticide recipe. I’ll also talk a little bit about companion planting, which I rely on heavily for the success of my crops and also for pest and insect control.

Here’s my largest bed weeks ago when I was still clearing and tilling the second half of it. Last year was my first spring in this house. I was only able to clear out what you see on the left side the previous summer and I did get a few things in the ground that summer (you can see my chives and, in the box, my mint–perennials that come back each year). The photo (left) is a picture from several weeks ago when I was tilling up the existing half of the bed and the photo to the right is from two weeks ago when I finally had everything tilled and ready and I was able to get my seeds and seedlings in (you can see that in that two weeks time, my chives flowered!).

My gardens are about 70% seed and 30% seedlings. But you can do it however you’d like, of course!

First let’s talk about pests.

I like to border my beds with fragrant herbs and flowers to keep pests at bay. We have a problem around here with chipmunks and squirrels in particular. Deer can be an issue sometimes (which is why I’ve got my berry bushes fenced in), but the little rodents are more of a problem for me! I border with potted herbs and fragrant plants/flowers–lavender, rosemary, chives, marigolds, mint, dill, cilantro, parsley, and oregano are my choices. If you’ve got little kids, be careful with your oregano, as it can attract wasps. Wasps can be a beneficial inset in the garden but they can also be aggressive so just be careful!

Once I’ve got my first line of defense up, I cage in some of the more vulnerable plants. For us, it’s tomatoes, hands down. Last year when I caught a chipmunk red handed with a big, juicy, ripe tomato in his paws munching away, my then-three-year-old said “it must be Alvin because he is NOT a good listener.” Well…I could not agree more, sweet boy! ❤ This little guy and his friends are NOT good listeners! So I cage my tomatoes. And even that doesn’t always deter but it helps tremendously. Other plants that may need caged, depending on which pests you have, include carrots, leafy greens, melons and other fruits, and berry bushes should always get netting…otherwise, you’ll provide a nice meal for the birds but nothing for yourself!

Next I mix up my non-toxic, homemade pesticide/insecticide, which is made with 100% therapeutic grade essential oils. You all know by now there is only brand of oils I trust–contact me if you want to learn more about this! I use a blend of 6 oils: Peppermint, Lavender, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Black Pepper, and Thyme. Why these oils? I have researched each of these oils for their pesticide and insecticide abilities. I am not going to go into every single oil here and what it repels (each of them repel MANY things, which is why they’ve been chosen out of the hundreds of oils out there!). I can’t say that I would recommend this book for any of its other chapters, BUT chapter 18 in The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy is an outstanding reference for gardening with essential oils.

You’ll need a home sprayer…the number of gallons doesn’t really matter. If you have a smaller sprayer, just adjust the number of drops of oils that you’ll use. It isn’t an exact science and as you all know, I like to eyeball things. 😉 So, here’s now I make mine…

Add a little water to the spray jug. Add 10 drops of each essential oil (listed above). Then fill the remainder of the jug with water. It’s that easy! Shake it up and spray, spray, spray! The quality of oils you are spraying MATTERS. Do not just walk into CVS and buy oils and spray them all over your edibles. They must be pure oils or they will not be non-toxic. I cannot stress enough that if you need more education about what a “pure” oil is, please contact me. For legal reasons, I cannot include any brand names in this blog so please contact me with questions! All of these oils (if pure!) are safe to spray on your edibles so go to town! In fact, certain oils have been said to enhance the flavor of certain plants. You can read about this in the above referenced book. Many of these oils have anti-fungal properties so if you see any kind of mold starting on your plants, get out there and pray them! I saved my yellow squash last year in exactly that way! This spray is not just a pesticide, it’s an insecticide, too.

Need some information on those essential oils? Email me!

So let’s talk about insects!

My main defense against insects is truly the homemade spray. Each oil has so many properties and can repel so many different unwanted insects that it’s really the perfect combination for any fruit, veggie, and herb garden.

In addition to my homemade insecticide, I rely on the herbs and companion planting. I highly recommend you check out Rodale’s Companion Planting guide for plant pairing when it comes to insects. This book has been my “Bible” for the garden. I rely heavily on the info between the covers to plan out my entire garden each year. Especially because I’m adding new plants each year and I like to rotate my crops to help diversify the soil (another tip you can read all about in the Rodale book). This book will help you with insect control but it will also teach you where to place your plants for optimum growth. If you have a year where something just doesn’t come to fruition for no apparent reason, you’ve probably got it next to an “enemy” plant! Certain plants actually thrive next to other plants. And certain plants will repel insects on behalf of other plants. A good blanket statement to live by is that herbs will deter pesky insets and attract beneficial ones.

For instance, plant some rosemary and mint next to your broccoli and they will keep cabbage worms at bay 🙂 Also, certain spiders, birds and yellow jackets will eat cabbage worms. So you don’t want to use a store-bought spray that will just kill any and everything in sight. You do need certain insects and birds hanging around in order to have a healthy garden. I keep a bird feeder right next to the garden. And we are very bee-friendly in this house. We never squash bees–in fact, one of the reasons I border with marigolds and other deer-resistant perennials is to attract our pollinating friends to my fruits and veggies. After all…no pollination, no fruits and veggies!

I hope this post has been helpful for you. I will be back in a few more weeks with another garden post to show you how my pesticide is working and how the crops are growing! 🙂 Until then, happy gardening!

Please comment below if you have questions about anything in this post or if you’d like to share what you’re doing in your own garden! 🙂

Frankincense

Can we just talk about frankincense for a minute? This ancient, sacred tree has been healing for centuries and we are just now beginning to see its potential in our modern times. Frankincense is specifically mentioned in the Bible 17 times and incense (which likely refers to Frankincense) is mentioned 113 times. And most of us know that one of the gifts brought to the baby Jesus was frankincense. In biblical times, frankincense was more precious and valuable than gold, believe it or not. I’d just like to add that many other oils are mentioned in the Bible as well…so when you add up every reference to essential oils, the Bible mentions essential oils and healing plants over 600 times! Obviously the use of plants and their oils was a common, every day practice.

Today we turn to man-made synthetic pharmaceuticals when we are ill. Why do we do that? Well, opinions vary but mine has to do with the giant cash cow that the pharmaceutical industry has become. But, once again, that is for another post! 😉 Did you know that essential oils were the main medicine before man-made drugs? And many man-made drugs are intended to imitate things in nature. Aspirin and other painkillers? They imitate wintergreen, for instance. And morphine was first derived from poppies. Once it was synthetically produced, it was chemically concocted in many forms.

As a person who has been seeking out holistic remedies for years and who, over the last year and a half, has discovered the amazing power of essential oils, I’m relieved to see the scientific community finally turning to some of these oils for answers. Frankincense, or Boswellia as its known in the scientific community (that’s the botanical name), is being tested for its mind-blowing affects on cancer cells and other ailments. I highly encourage you to visit www.pubmed.gov and search for Boswellia so you can read about the clinical trials that are going on with this oil and its eradication of cancer cells (heavily being tested on breast cancer cells at the moment…for anyone interested).

This is the tip of the iceberg as far as I am concerned. My hope is that soon the scientific and medical communities will turn to ALL of the essential oils for answers to unsolved problems.

So, frankincense. Here are some awesome facts…there are four species of Boswellia that produce what we know as frankincense resin and/or oil. The resin from the trees is available in different grades and the quality depends highly on time of harvest, soil, climate, and age of the tree. There is only one company I trust for its purity when it comes to essential oils. For legal purposes, I cannot list that company here, but if you want more information about how to get the purest essential oils, please email me. Much like maple syrup, the Boswellia tree is tapped by cutting the bark and the resin bleeds out and hardens. Resin is collected and literally hand-sorted for quality.

The frankincense tree is famous for being able to grow in extremely unforgiving circumstances–like out of solid rock! Don’t believe me? Check this out:

Pretty amazing, right? Most frankincense is harvested in Somalia. There are many, many uses for this oil. I encourage you to check out wikipedia and some other online resources to really delve into the health benefits associated with frankincense essential oil. I like to wear and diffuse the oil for a calming effect and my favorite thing to do is burn the resin when I’m praying, meditating, or doing yoga or anytime I just need to heighten my spiritual senses and reconnect.

You can also find frankincense burners–these are abundantly available–and high quality resin is available from the company where I like to purchase oils.

Here is my burner. You simply put the resin in the top…

…add the lid and turn on the burner. Within minutes you are transported to the ancient lands of Arabia. Perfect for praying, meditating, reading, yoga…whatever works for you.

If you have any questions for me about essential oils in general, click the contact tab on the blog homepage and send me an email. I love to talk about oils!

Frankincense–and other plants–just may hold the answers to many unresolved medical issues. I intend to keep my finger on the pulse of these clinical trials and will be blogging about results and applications so stay tuned for much more on this as the posts unfold! As for now…however it is that you reconnect, it is my hope that this post brings you inspiration to go meditate, pray, read, exercise, or whatever it is that you do to find a spiritual connection. Peace be unto you, and have a blessed day! 🙂

Oola-la

I had a very Oola day today 🙂 And what exactly do I mean by that? Everything was just in harmony and it all felt good. Thanks to Doctor Dave and Doctor Troy, I’ve been bringing Oola into our household. We’re trying to find that sweet spot where life is just good. All the time. Sounds nice, right?

Oola is “finding balance in an unbalanced world.” So there are 7 F’s of Oola: Family, Field, Finance, Fitness, Friends, Faith and Fun. The Oola guys, as Dave and Troy are lovingly known, are trying to “change the world with a word” (love their slogan!). They give you a game plan, complete with a goal map, so that you can step–or leap or sprint–toward your Oola life. This isn’t a new concept, obviously. But the way the Oola guys propose personal growth is easy to grasp, it’s fun, and most importantly, it’s coming from a place of love and humility. Which is perhaps why these two are able to spread Oola full time–people are just drawn to them and their stories. Their own personal battles and successes with Oola are what qualifies these two to be speaking about this concept.

Their awesome book (which is a totally quick and easy read–so pick it up even if you’re a non-reader!) talks about the Oola accelerators and the Oola blockers. Once you take a good hard look and can identify what’s blocking you from getting your Oola life, you can take the steps necessary to get those blockers out of your way. You may need to lose weight, you might want to become debt-free, you may need to work on your marriage, be a better parent, get the courage to start your business, stop sitting on the couch at night and get a social life, take a class…anything. Whatever your goals are for your life, you only get one chance. Dream big. And don’t let other people, things, or events take your dreams away from you.

When I was about 20 or so, I had an epiphany about other people and their effects on my life. It caused me to create this mantra for my life, which goes like this: “You can’t control what other people do or say. You can only control what you do and say.” That seems like a simple, obvious statement, right? But I can’t tell you how many times this mantra of mine has gotten me through some situations that were very difficult to process. And now that I’m “all grown up” with children, a home, and a complicated life to manage and care for (which involves all five little duckies 🙂 ), it’s amazing how much this mantra has really sunk in and is changing the way I’m able to care for myself and my children. And it’s totally Oola! If someone is just not in line with your Oola life, they’ve got to go. It can be tricky, for sure. But you have one life. And time is your hottest commodity. Once it’s spent, you cannot get it back. And you can’t create more of it. It’s a finite resource. So do you want to spend your precious moments on people, things, jobs, events, places, and actions that don’t contribute to your full potential? I sure don’t!

I HIGHLY recommend that you click here to check out the Oola mission, Dr. Troy’s and Dr. Dave’s stories, and their calendar of events. Dr. Dave and Dr. Troy travel around the country spreading Oola so maybe you’ll catch them when they stop near your home town. I am so, so very excited that I will have the chance to hear them speak and meet them next month when I’m in Utah for the Young Living convention.

To steal their sign off, “Be grateful, have faith, and go get your Oola life.”

Our birth story…

This journey began about 7 years ago when I was trying to become a mommy (which took two years and nine months, but that’s for another post!). On my path to motherhood, I ended up taking a good hard look at many aspects of my life: nutrition, stress, environmental toxins, emotional health, wellness and the pharmaceutical industry, the importance of relationships, the power of thoughts, mindfulness, environmentalism, and faith…just to name a few ;).

Something life-altering happens when you hold your newborn baby in your arms for the first time. Something crazy happens when you hold your second born in your arms for the first time. And something profound happens when your third-born arrives 10 weeks early, weighs a mere three pounds, makes it through an emergency delivery, and you hold him in your arms for the first time.

After a 41-day stay in the NICU and many hurdles to follow, venturing out alone with my three boys for the first time was a big step! As we walked down the sidewalk–me with the baby in a carrier and the rest all holding hands–I thought to myself we look like a family of ducks walking along. And so, Five Little Duckies was born.

Join me in our continuing quest to grow and thrive by getting back to our roots…naturally.