ah-ha home remedies.

We all love "ah-ha" moments (especially when we've found that they've benefitted our health). And, well, I've had quite a few of them lately and I just need to share. Just be aware: this is a lazy version. I won't be getting into the "why" of how all of these remedies work. If you google your question, I promise you'll find your answer. :) Here we go...

Golden Australian + Lavender + Geranium:

After having Jameson, my left ring finger started to get irritated. I mean horribly sore, itchy, raw, gross, waking me up in the middle of the night etc... I couldn't believe it. I never, ever had any type of eczema, dry skin issues (EVER). Turns out post-second-baby hormones were the culprit.

I finally remembered that I had some leftover lanolin that I used for those first few weeks of breastfeeding Jameson. Golden Australian Lanolin (purchased from Amazon). I can't even begin to describe how well this stuff works. So, naturally, I put a big glob of it on my poor little finger and I started to feel some relief. But wait. Next to the lanolin sat my stash of essential oils (oh, yes). You better believe that geranium and lavender went directly into that lanolin. And don'tcha know I literally witnessed my cracked skin mend and any itching I felt dissipated immediately. So there ya go. Golden Australian Lanolin plus lavender and geranium for eczema/dry skin.


Breast Milk:

We can all agree it's a pretty wondrous thing, no? Little did I know that it can completely take away all signs of yucky conjunctivitis within 3 days. Yep. It worked for my sister, my son and myself. Just get some from yourself or a lactating friend, a dropper and put 2-3 drops it in the infected eye(s) approx. 3x a day. It really does the trick!


Apple-Cider Vinegar/Thieves Oil:

This combination will literally flush a cold out of your body. If you feel a cold/flu coming on, fill a 16oz bottle with half apple-cider vinegar and half water. Them put in about 10-15 drops of Thieves Oil straight in there. I literally drank this concoction throughout the day until I felt completely better. You can even gargle it to fight a sore throat! It totally works, guys.


Coconut Oil and Thieves Oil Blend:

Another cold/cough remedy. So far, I've used just used this for my babies (babes need to be 6 months +), but it works for adults too. Place about 10 tablespoons into a mini mason jar and add 20-30 drop of thieves oil in there. Mix it up and seal it. Scoop out a tablespoon worth and spread some on your child's chest and on the bottom of his or her feet. I did this for my kids each and every time they went down for a nap and at bedtime. It totally cured their icky coughs in about three days (no doctor visit needed!)

You can get thieves oil on Amazon, or better yet, find a Young Living rep. and sign up under them to get the wholesale price. It's worth the investment, friends.

That's all my tips for now. So thankful for all these God-given wonders. Please give some of these a try! And if any of you fine ladies have any other remedies, do share.


Cheers Everyone!

Jenna

"mommy, sit down with me."

As January approached, all I could think about was how to simplify more… how to embrace slowness without those busy, anxious thoughts floating in the background. New year, less things. Less hours working, less time spent on meaningless things and thinking meaningless thoughts. More time laughing with my babies, more time in prayer, more cuddle time on the couch with Christopher, more hand-lettering, more creations in the kitchen… sucking the marrow out of each day. It's not easy, friends. It takes discipline to be fully engaged. It's something I'll be working on for the rest of my life.

I'm realizing this a whole lot these days with Elleanora. Her main expression of love (and how she feels loved) is pure quality time. If too much time goes by where she is playing by herself, she starts to get restless. Whining mode kicks in and the big "NO!" becomes her default response (no matter what is offered!) What she really wants is someone right next to her...someone teaching her the alphabet or chasing her around the room making the most ridiculous noises or stacking wooden bowls on top of one another. Undivided attention. As soon as I stop cleaning or (dare I say it) get off instagram to come alongside her, the room instantly lights up with her smile. It's amazing.

For example, last night the kids and I were at home by oursleves. I threw together some sauteed garlicky kale with quinoa pasta (topped with grated parmesan, of course!) Elleanora sat across from me feeling like a big girl; we ate, laughed our little hearts out and soaked it all in. As soon as I got up to put our dishes in the sink, she sweetly uttered, "Mommy, sit down with me." Naturally, I popped right back in my chair, and out came a huge sigh of relief from that little mouth of hers. My heart shattered into a thousand pieces. This is everything. Making her feel loved is everything.

So all in all, the phrase that drives most of the moments of my day is this:

If I'm going to this motherhood thing, I'm going to do it whole-heartedly. (God helping me).

xo Jenna