Oil Life, Happy Wife

Life has gotten soooo busy! Some days I literally feel like I have no time to even breathe. I work from home, so it seems like I should have a substantial amount of leisure time with my kids that other people don't have. That's not true though. I do still have a job that demands my time. There are errands and cleaning and waiting on my children's every need. The days seem to fly by in flash, and they are gone before we know it. Each day brings new hopes and expectations that often go unfulfilled. We are doing it though. We are pushing through the mud of life every day praying for a better future. Our kids are happy, proving that we aren't failing as miserably as it feels. Nap times are usually filled with house cleaning or the frantic writing of articles the kids wouldn't allow me to work on earlier. It easy to use that break in time to catch up on things undone, and it is often necessary. Do me a favor though, every once in a while take the time to lay be

Young Living really cares about you! They listen to you like no other company I have ever seen. They take you and your family seriously. Customer feedback is a huge part of how the people at Young Living operate their business. Most companies have a team of people who calculate which new products can make the most money. Those products are released and the job is done. That's not how YL operates. They care about how you feel about their products. Here are a few examples: *You said NO to MINK OIL! YL reformulated Rose Ointment and Animal Scents, and they no longer contain animal-derived ingredients. *You said NO  to WHEAT PROTEIN! YL reformulated Satin Facial Scrub Mint to NO longer contains  HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN or RETINYL PALMITATE. Also, Orange  Blossom Facial Wash was reformulated to remove  msm and wheat protein. *You BEGGED for an alternative while Valor and Peace & Calming were unavailable. YL heard you. They released Valor II and Peace & Calming II.

Hello! I'm Ashley, and this is my blog. I'm so glad you have found me here. Writing has been therapeutic for me. Since it seems like I'll be here often, I felt it was time to introduce myself. You can follow along with me through this crazy roller coaster of a life. I am married to a man who has always been my biggest fan, and most days he's the only one who holds me together. We have been together for almost 14 years, and I still enjoy (almost) every minute of him. I end each day wishing I had seen him more. I have two small-ish kids. We sometimes refer to our 9 year old Jordan as "Monkey." Leland, our 3 year old is "Frog." I have three bonus kids that we refer to as "the big kids. I have a pretty large extended family if you count my biological and adoptive families. Truthfully, the people I consider "family" are a mixture of the two. There are members of each who truly care and are present in our lives. The others I choose

IT'S SUMMERTIME! So, let's chat about sunscreen. Did you know that toxin filled sunscreen is doing damage to coral reefs and other ocean life? If it works in harmful ways in the water, what do you think it's doing to your skin? There are two types of sunscreen, chemical and barrier. Chemical sunscreen works by absorbing the UV rays, while barrier sunscreen blocks them out. Chemical sunscreens are made of smaller particles which are more easily absorbed into your skin causing increased production of free radicals, among other things. Ew. Mineral sunscreens are made of large particles that do not easily absorb into the skin, therefore creating a safe barrier. Young Living Mineral Sunscreen is HYPOALLERGENIC and CONTAINS NO parabens, UV chemical filters, phthalates, petrochemicals, animal-derived ingredients, synthetic fragrances or dyes. It comes in SPF 10 and SPF 50. I will admit that SPF 10 doesn't sound like much here in Florida, but let's consider what

Let's talk orifice reducers. An orifice reducer is the piece of plastic inside your bottle of Young Living essential oil. It allows you to pour the oil out one drop at a time. You might ask yourself, "Don't essential oils break down plastic?" Yes, they usually do, but not this kind. Young Living takes special care to only use really strong plastics with their oils to prevent leaching. You are not supposed to touch the orifice reducer. While it's true that YL essential oils don't expire, they can oxidize which will shorten the life of the oil. By touching the orifice reducer, you are shedding skin cells and dirt and whatever else into your oil. That will contaminate the oil and shorten its lifespan. Well, as Jen O'Sullivan says, "You have to know the rules, so you can break the rules." I touch my orifice reducers sometimes. However, I only do that with oils I know I'm going to use very quickly. If it's an oil that I replace every

Don't diffuse THAT oil! How many times have you seen someone using an inexpensive, store bought oil and tried to educate them on the importance of oil purity? A common response is, "Well I only diffuse it." Some people think aromatherapy is simply smelling an aroma that makes you feel warm  and fuzzy, and therefore it relaxes ☺️ you. That may be a part of it, but let's look at the science. When you inhale the scent of an oil straight out of the bottle or through the diffuser you are actually breathing in tiny molecules through your nose into the limbic system in your brain.  The limbic system is responsible for your memory, emotions, adrenals, etc. (That's why the smell of fresh baked cookies  can remind you of Grandma's house.) That system is directly connected to the part of your brain that controls your heart rate, digestion, and blood pressure. I don't know about you, but if I am smelling something directly into my brain, I definitely do no

When I first became a Young Living member I was given a list of "Hot Words" to avoid when sharing with others about Young Living. The list got shoved in a pile of other things I got with my kit, and I didn't give it much thought. As I started sharing my story with others in hopes my friends would improve their lives like I had, I started getting messages from my enroller about words I had used that were unacceptable. Grrr! It quickly became a source of severe frustration for me. The FDA has made it clear that we are not to make claims that our products treat, cure, or prevent any medical conditions. We are also not allowed to diagnose or prescribe anything. We cannot in any way discuss symptoms when sharing YL with others. Everyone's body is different and therefore responds to oils in a different way. Just because an oil does something for me, that doesn't mean someone else will respond to it the same way. As a mom and a writer being compliant was aggrava

Did you know that our bodies don't "get used to" or develop a tolerance to essential oils? Essential oils  do not work the same way as pharmaceuticals. Our bodies are organic and ever-changing. How well an oil works for you is based on many factors, including how healthy you are and how acidic your body is. Have you ever used an oil for its therapeutic properties for several days or weeks only to find that it doesn't seem to be affecting you as well? I have done that many times with myself  and with my children . Quite simply, it's not the oil that has changed, it is our bodies. I recommend doing your best to keep your body alkaline, stay away from toxins, and live a healthy, clean lifestyle. In addition to that, if you have specific oils you use regularly to support your health, you may want to start collecting other oils that are similar in action. It's likely that certain oils will work better for you on different days  or times . For example, we us

These oils are where our journey began. From now on, no matter what happens, we will not be without these two oils. I have other favorites, but these two are necessities. Leland's quality of life has improved immensely since we started using them daily. Breathe Again contains Peppermint, Myrtle, Copaiba, and 4 types of Eucalyptus oil. You can apply it to your chest and neck to promote a refreshing respiratory experience.  R.C. contains Cypress, Spruce, Myrtle, Pine, Marjoram, Lavender, Black Spruce, Peppermint, and 3 types of Eucalyptus oil. It provides an energizing aroma and promotes normal, clear breathing in stuffy environments. You can apply it topically, like we do, or you can diffuse it. Now, let's talk about Essential Rewards for a minute! I kind of rolled my eyes a bit at the thought of a monthly ordering service. The last thing we need on our budget is another bill. BUT, we discovered very quickly that we would need to have these oils all the time. Es

Last year our toddler spent the majority of his time below the wellness line. It was hard on the whole family. Watching your child struggle despite your efforts is unbelievably stressful. We had taken him to the doctor many times and tried all of their suggestions. Some of the medications we tried had horrific side effects. One of my friends is a distributor of Young Living Essential Oils. She had recommended the oils to me several times and had recommended I buy the starter kit for $160. To say that we live on a budget is the understatement of the century. Some people live from paycheck to paycheck. We live from paycheck to four days before the next paycheck. The $160 might as well have been $1000 because we there was no way we could afford it. My friend and I had been messaging back and forth about my son. She asked what we had planned for the day, and I told her where we were headed next. She said she'd meet me there. I was in with the doctor when she arrived, so I sent my h