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      • Oil Usage and Tips
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Growing up, moving on, removing goo

9/28/2016

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When your kids were little, did you go out and buy all the safety tools imaginable to baby-proof your house? I know we did. And with good reason, right? I swear, we must have made the Safety 1st company, and Target, a bunch of money the first year we had our little bird! I tend to like to clean or get chores done to music, and this one was a great one for baby-proofing.

It's been four years since we brought our first baby home from the hospital. Now our youngest is already two and half! We've slowly but surely been selling or donating the baby items we no longer need. This year we said goodbye to the crib. Our little bean was a too skilled a climber to keep it any longer. She looks so tiny in her twin bed, but at least we know she can't hurt herself if she falls out. She did go through a period of adjustment where she'd end up on the floor almost every night. Sometimes she'd wake up and call me, sometimes she'd just sleep on through (crazy!) Now though, she's pretty consistently in bed. We also sold off the Bob. It served us well, but our girls are big enough now that they walk or ride in a backpack style carrier if needed. The baby gate's ready to be donated and the cloth diapers ready to be posted for sale. Definitely the end of an era, sniff, sniff. 

The other day I was in the kitchen and I saw these lovelies still hanging out on our fridge and oven. The straps long since were taken out, but I'd never gotten around to taking off the clips. I was a little worried about the stainless steel, and honestly, it wasn't hurting anything to leave them on, so I just kinda procrastinated.

And procrastinated...

And procrastinated
...

For some reason, today was the day. It was about time!


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If you've used these safety straps to deny access to your littles, you know the sticky pads on the back are pretty dang sticky. I had to first pry it off with a butter knife, then peel the remaining clip off, and was still left with a rather large amount of pad and residue stuck to fridge...on both sides...and the oven door! Not exactly attractive, hey? 
​

Enter Lemon essential oil. Why? Citrus oils help cut grease, and stop the stick, when cleaning. Citrus oils are often the active ingredient in a lot of the newer eco-friendly cleansers, and are a great solvent for nasty, petrochemical-based gunk. They are also a perfect substitute for those commercial orange cleaners that harness the natural cleaning power of oranges (aka citrus sinensis oil) and then adulterate it with a bunch of other ick you don't want around your house.
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First I soaked the remaining pad-portion with lemon oil and let it sit for a bit. Then I gently scraped it off with my trusty butter knife. I just noticed the reflection in the knife. Kinda artistic, for a picture of sticky goo and a knife I suppose!



To remove the rest of the residue, I grabbed a paper towel, added a few drops of Lemon oil, and a bit of elbow grease. I was curious if any citrus oil would have the same effect, so I switched out the Lemon for Wild Orange. That was just as effective, which made me think Grapefruit or even Bergamot might be as well, but I didn't actually test them. Let me know if you do! 

After a few swipes it was obviously coming off, and in the end it was a complete success! No more random Safety 1st clips hanging about for no purpose. One more item crossed off the to-do list. One last remnant of babyhood taken down and put away. 
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The fridge looked fine, no scratches or discoloration, but I wanted to give it a good wipe down anyway. This is the first time we've had stainless steel and I am AMAZED at how many little hand prints end up on there by the end of one day, even one morning! I pulled out my glass cleaner because it works so well on the stainless. It's equal parts white vinegar and water, with a few drops of both Lemon and Peppermint. 
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By this time, my kitchen smelled great, my appliances were clean, and I was getting a little teary thinking that our little bean was our last baby. Being a mom is no joke. It is a crazy up and down every day. It's a constant push and pull. It is an overwhelming love that knows no bounds, and then a rising frustration at not being able to sit and eat your dinner in your own chair with no one on your lap. Sometimes I think about baby number three, but then I think... 

"We'll just host an exchange student and gain a pseudo big sister or brother, grow our international family even more! "


Not a bad idea, hey?

​Have you tried citrus essential oils on a sticky situation? Share and let us know!
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Stinky sink, stinky sink, my mama's got a stinky sink...

9/26/2016

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Anyone else have toddlers? If you do, you probably started singing the title of this post! 

We've got a garbage disposal, which I love. I'm pretty good about cleaning our the sink most nights. I don't like to leave dirty dishes in the sink. I tend to run the dishwasher at night so everything can dry overnight and then put it all away in the morning. But every once in a while...

the garbage disposal stinks. 
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If you have been reading my blog, you know I like to make my own cleaners with non-toxic, every day things you've got in your home. The reason I started making my own was because of my girls. We've got two little girls who like to explore just about everything. They like to play in the kitchen and pretend to mix things together. Sometimes that pretending leads to opening, which leads to all kinds of interesting combinations!

Because I never want my girls to ingest, poison, or burn themselves with something toxic and harmful, I started using a lot of vinegar, baking soda and the like. So began my journey with essential oils. They definitely help take care of the vinegar smell, but so many also have fantastic cleaning properties: antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal...
​


So, what's a gal to do? Whip out the baking soda once more!

Rosemary Lemon Disposal Detox
Equal parts baking soda and lemon juice (fresh or concentrate)
1-2 drops Rosemary essential oil (or a few sprigs fresh)

Method
  • In a bowl, mix together baking soda, lemon juice and Rosemary oil. I would use 2-4 tablespoons of each, depending on your needs. 
  • It will start to fizz due to the acidity of the lemon juice. Pour it down the disposal and let it sit for 5-10 minutes 
  • This is a great time to scrub out your sink while you're there! Shake out 2-4 tablespoons baking soda and a squirt of castile soap into you sink. Scrub away. Rinse when you're ready to run the garbage disposal.
  • Let cold water run and leave the disposal on for up to a minute
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My favorite granola, three ways

9/24/2016

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Ah homemade granola. It's a tough one to get exactly how you want it. There a million recipes out there on the web and in cookbooks, and many great options in the stores. I've tried different toasting times and temperatures, varied the ingredients, and I think I've finally found a recipe that I love, and three ways to tweak it!

I like granola that is a little more chunky, that has some clusters to it, not just loose oats. These recipes have that. They are pretty dang tasty!
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Basic granola recipe
3 cups rolled oats (gluten free if you need)

3 Tbsp ground flax seeds
3 Tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp honey or maple syrup
pinch of sea salt, colored if you've got it

Method
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees ( I live at about 5,600 feet, so you might need to modify this)
  • In a large bowl combine oats, flax, coconut oil, honey or maple syrup, salt, nuts or seeds and wet ingredients, inlcuding essential oils
    • Reserve any dried fruit add-ins until after toasting
    • For stronger flavor, reserve the essential oils until after granola has cooled, then add and stir to combine
  • Use your hands or a large spoon to mix until well-coated and clumpy 
  • Spread out the mixture onto a large baking sheet and place on the middle rack. Bake for 15-20, stirring at 10 minutes
  • When toasted to your preference, remove and allow to cool. Add in dried fruit and store in an air-tight container

Tweak #1: Apple Spice Granola
To the basic recipe above add: 
  • 2/3 cup unsweented chunky applesauce
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried apples
  • 1 drop each Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Cardamom and Black Pepper essential oil

Tweak #2: Pumpkin Spice Granola (PSG)
To the basic recipe above add: 
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, dried cherries, or both
  • 1 drop each Cinnamon and Ginger essential oil

Tweak #3 Banana Granola
  • To the basic recipe above add: 
  • 2 very ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup chopped cashews
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 drop each Cardamom & Wild Orange essential oil
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​I think my new favorite way to eat granola is with a simple chia pudding and vanilla whole milk yogurt, sometime I add some fresh fruit as well. It is just as tasty with milk or any nut milk! I can pop this in a snack bag and munch on it when we're out and about, and I'm thinking it could even be  combined with dates to create a nice bar, though I haven't tried that yet. I will have to keep you posted! 

How do you do your granola? 
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Plum Strawberry Chia Pudding

9/11/2016

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I love traveling. It's something that has always been a need for me, not just a want. My first international trip was to the Bahamas when I was 16, thanks to my mom. Since then, I've circumnavigated the globe. To date, I've visited 26 countries and counting. I love the adventure of it, exploring new places, trying new foods, meeting new people. Now I love taking our girls on those adventures, seeing them make sense of the world and the things they encounter. 

What does that have to do with chia pudding? Well, when you're traveling, you make modifications. You probably eat out a lot more. We ate out a lot in England, especially in London. Being out and about most of the day meant looking for easy to access options that our girls would actually eat, and were relatively healthy. Now, our chickadees aren't super picky, but some of our choices didn't go over as well as planned. That's ok. They don't have to like, but they do have to try it! 

Usually when you're traveling you don't have a kitchen, let alone your regular staples. There is something absolutely lovely about coming back home, especially to my kitchen. We spend a lot of time there. Whenever people are over or we have some sort of get together, it seems we always end up there. It's probably my favorite part of our home. I suppose it helps that I love to cook and create new tasty things. Now that we are back to our own kitchen, I get to be creative again. I also get to eat a bit more healthy. So, now that I'm somewhat back to my own timezone, it's time for chia pudding!
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This recipe is super easy to adapt based on seasonally available fruit, what you prefer for nut butters, and other mix-ins. 

Simple Chia Pudding
  • 1 can coconut milk (full fat vesion)
  • 5 Tbsp chia seeds 
  • 3 drops Lemon essential oil or lemon zest 

Plum, strawberry and coconut compote
  • 1 plum, chopped
  • 5-6 strawberries, chopped
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened dried coconut
  • 1/2-1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 drop Ginger essential oil or fresh ginger
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • pinch sea salt 

Optional add-ins
  • sunflower seeds
  • pumpkin seeds
  • hemp hearts
  • nut butter
  • nuts (almond, cashew, pecan, hazelnut or walnut)
  • bee pollen 
  • granola
  • yogurt
  • pumpkin puree

Prepare your chia pudding: 
  • Combine coconut milk, chia seeds and Lemon essential oil or zest in a bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes or more. Stir every now and then. You can make in the evening and leave it over night to set. It will be ready when it is thick and the chia seeds are plump.
Prepare plum strawberry compote: 
  • Chop plum and strawberries. Heat coconut oil in a pan. Sautee fruit and dried coconut until soft, 5-6 minutes. Stir in ginger oil and turmeric.
Prepare your breakfast (or snack...or dessert!): 
  • Place a few spoonfuls of chia pudding to your container of choice. Add a dallop of nut butter, some the fruit compote, and any other add-ins you like. Repeat. Top with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup for a bit of extra sweetness. 

Seriously, I could eat this all day. It's that good. It's filling enough to tide me over until lunch. A smaller version would be great for a healthy snack, or even a dessert! How do you like your chia? Comment and share with us!
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    Welcome!

    I'm Tonia, a Midwesterner transplanted to Colorado. I'm a mom of two lovely littles,  a yoga instructor, DIY-er, teacher, stay at home mom, and a doTERRA Wellness Advocate.  I blog about a little bit of all of these and everything in between!

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    Are you looking for natural health options, but don't know where to start? Book a 1-on-1 appointment with me! We'll spend about 30 minutes getting to know your health goals and concerns, learn a bit about doTERRA, and go over the most commonly used oils that meet your needs. You don't have to buy anything, but if you see something you like, of course I can help you!

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