When Life Hands you Lemons

............make lemonade, then keep the rinds, have them distilled and turned into an essential oil. Im totally kidding. If you havent figured out already, this post is about lemon essential oil and its many uses. If you are new to oils, lemon is a must have for several reasons. It is also one of the more economical oils in the oil family,which is a plus. Dont have any oils in your cabinet yet? Well lemon oil is a good place to start. Here are some reasons why:

1. Uh oh! Did you forget about the laundry in the washing machine for a couple of days? Not a problem. Just add a couple of drops of lemon oil and rewash the cycle. Your load will come out smelling lemony fresh

2.In a sticky situation? Lemon oil is excellent for removing sticky things like pine gum and tree sap, as well as any kind of gum or sticky adhesive residue.

3.Have greasy hands(or maybe you have a husband who does)? When soap just won't do, try mixing a little bit of lemon oil with it

4.Take care of leathers. lemon oil on a cloth is excellent to use on any kind of leather to keep it from splitting.

5.Lemon oil treated cloth is an excellent way to polish your silvers and keep them looking shiny

6.Got gum in your hair(lets hope not...lol)? Lemon oil can help you get it out.

7. Lemon oil makes a wonderful furniture polish.It leaves a nice shine,prevents finishes from drying out, and replaces lost moisture.

8.Is your toothbrush tired? Add a drop of lemon to perk it up.

9. Lemon oil is a natural odor neutralizer, great for smelly gym socks,a baby blowout,or the stinkiest thing you can imagine. Stick a few drop sin a diffuser and bing, bang , boom.

10.Shoes have scuff marks? lemon oil will take care of that.

11.Add a few drops of lemon to your dish washing soap, and your dishes will come out spot free!

12.Aphids! Control the aphids in your garden by spraying some lemon oil mixed with water on your plants, and keep your roses looking lovelier even longer.

Not only can lemon be used in cleaning, but it can be used in cooking as well:

13. add some lemon oil to your water for a refreshing boost. I do this daily and it's great!

14.Preserve your fruits and veggies: Spray a lemon oil/water mixture combo onto cut veggies to make them last longer

15.Give your food some pep: Whether it be fish or asparagus,or linguine and shrimp, add a drizzle of lemon to just about any dish to give it that little bit of zing.

28.(forgot to stick this in) Make lemonade!  Add 10-25 drops to a 12oz glass, depending on how strong you like it, and add a packet of sugar. Best lemonade EVER!

And for the body:

16.Give your hair natural highlights. Just put a little bit of lemon oil on the places where you want highlighted and then go out in the sun. Be careful! This works really well, so don't overdo it.

17.Got a small cough or scratchy throat? Add a drop of lemon to some honey. Lemon fights bacteria, as well as most viruses.

18.Lemon oil is great for nail fungus

19. having trouble getting your nails to grow? Rub some lemon oil on them.

20.Have a nasty cold sore? Put some lemon oil on it, and it takes the heat out.

21.Lemon oil makes a great exfolliant, and can help remove dead skin cells . Just add 4-5 drops to some oatmeal and water.

22.Got crusty toes? Rub some lemon oil on them and after a few days, they should soften right up

23.In a bad mood? Diffuse some lemon oil, it is also known for lifting your spirits.

24. Cant concentrate? Lemon oil is also great for focus and concentration, when diffused.

25.Got a pimple? Put a dab of lemon on it, it will take the redness out.

26.Allergies got you down? Try lemon mixed with peppermint and lavender. I swear by it!

27.Gargle with lemon oil and salt for a sore throat(another sore throat remedy)

28. see the cooking section

29.I have heard that a drop of lemon under the tongue is good for a hangover(I have never been nor will I ever have this problem, so if someone tries this, please let me know if it works for you)

and..................................#30 UTI Infections. A veggie capfull of lemon oil, as well as some in your water will help the symptoms to decrease faster.

I hope you have enjoyed my little compilation of lemon oil uses. If you have, please feel free to share. If you have any other uses to add, please comment below. Thanks soo much!

Essentially Yours,

Rachel =)

Skin Problems got you Down?

One of the main reasons that I wanted to start this blog is to share my own personal journey and testimonials.In this entry, I am going to talk about using oils for various types of skincare problems.One of the many health issues I have battled with is rosacea.Rosacea is basically chronic redness of the skin. People with Rosacea often look like they have sunburn.There are various things that can trigger rosacea, including stress, varying cllimates, and even certain foods. There is no cure for it, but it can be controlled. Mine tends to flare up immediately after I get out of the shower. I took the pictures above this morning. The one on top is before Roman Chamomile,the one below is immediately after.You cannot really tell in the pic,but there was a huge difference.Roman Chamomile is great for inflammation.

  Another issue I have dealt with is oily skin, more specifically, an oily nose. By about 10 AM, I have more oil on my face than a 10 ton oil rig. Grapefruit Essential oil has done wonders for this.Grapefruit is also especially great for treating aging or loose skin.

     In a couple of weeks, I will do more specific blog posts of both of these oils, but for now I would like to address some other skin concerns.

ACNE- we have all had a breakout at some point in our lives, but for some people it is a common everyday annoyance . The oils that have been found to be the most effective in the treatment of acne are as follows: Melaleuca, Purify Blend, Geranium, and Clear Skin Blend. . Melaleuca, also known as tea tree oil is best known for its antiseptic and antifungal properties. To read about a scientific study on melaleuca vs benzoylperoxide click HERE.  Geranium has an effect similar to Roman chamomile or Lavender, as well as a pleasant scent. The Blend Purify has the oils Cilantro,Citronella,Lemon,Lime,Melaleuca alternifolia and Pine in it, and can be applied topically to the skin. DoTerras Clear Skin Blend contains the ingredients Ho Wood,Eucalyptus globulus,Geranium,Litsea,Melaleuca, and Black cumin seed. This blend is also great for Athlete's foot,Facial Blemishes,Itchy Scalp,Infected Nails,Toe Nail Fungus,and Skin Lesions.

SCARS -If you are plagued by scars then you should try Frankincense or Helichrysym . It is suggested that you apply these topically with a carrier oil 3-4 times daily until you get the desired results. For research information on EOs and scarring click HERE

DRY SKIN(ECZEMA,PSORIASIS,DERMATITIS,AND OTHER SKIN DISORDERS)

Dermatitis is often caused by  irritants, Eczema is often hereditary, and psoriasis(my whole family has this) is often a lifelong condition  . If you have or know someone who has persistant eczema or psoriasis, it often needs to be treated within. I suggest doing a good cleanse,followed by an EO regimen. I use a spray of melaleuca and oregano for mine. Since the majority of mine is on my scalp, I often mix the oils in my shampoo.

I hope you have found this post somewhat helpful, And if you have any questions, please feel free to comment below. These are all regimens I have used with much success.

Essentially Yours,

Rachel =)

New blog with a New Mission

Hi everyone! Its been awhile. Just wanted to take the time to let you know that i am changing the name and theme of my blog. Instead of it being a blog where i just randomly post whatever it going on in my head, I am going to start gearing it to something I am very passionate about.......ESSENTIAL OILS! A few months ago I was introduced to them, and I have been pro-oil every since. I feel it is one of my missions in life to not only incorporate these into my home, but to educate and share with everyone else as well. So that is what I am going to do here from now on. They have been such a blessing to myself and my family,but I will get more into that later..............                                                                              
                                                                                                             Essentially Yours,

We Are the Misfits

Today I got to go back in time. To my childhood. More specifically to my early teen years. Early 90s. When the grunge look was in.Everyone you knew had a Yaga, No Fear, or Hypercolor T-shirt, or a pair of umbros.Back when television was still somewhat decent. You know,Beverly Hills 90212, Saved By the Bell, and the TGIF FRiday night line up. The shows you would totally rearrange your schedule for. Sayings like "Poof!, be gone"!, "Not", and "Talk to the Hand" were common everyday junior high jargon. Today I went back to that time period, and did so through my daughter.
      Being a teenager is rough. Being a teenage girl is even more rough. I am soo glad i don't have to relive those days and I would never in a million years. Soo much pressure to fit in, and just be accepted. Trying to conform to everyone elses ways just soo people will think your are cool and like you. We have all done it before, all the while feeling the need to put on a mask because we are worried people wont accept us for who we are. Don't deny it. Even if for a brief, fleeting second you have done it.Now add the word christian to the teenage girl, and gets even more complicated.It shouldn't be, but it is.The desire to befriend and form likeminded relationships with other girls who share your faith can often become even more difficult.
   Today I saw myself(my 13 year old self) in my daughter.I was about to see her off to church camp. Shes very shy, just as I was and has a hard time fitting in because of it. One of the girls said something very rude to her(a very common occurance), and it made her  upset.Typical jr High girl behavior. They tend to be catty and full of drama,full of hormones. Yeah, like i said, I would never want to go back there.Anyway, I pulled her to the side and said something like she couldnt focus on how people were treating her,and the fact that she was feeling left out and not accepted,because if she did, she would miss out on what God had for her.She just needed to pray for them. We exchanged tears and I hugged her and sent her on her way. This moment sent me back in time.
      As a young teenage girl, I was always trying to fit in. Especially with my fellow youth group peeps. As much as I tried,those relationships never fully developed.Never got past the surface. It was a "See you on Sunday/Wednesday" or at the next youth outing type of deal. I would sit with them at school at lunchtime on occasion. Never asked to go to their houses and spend the night or have dinner with their family.Although everyone else was. That has carried over to this day.I have friends,good christian friends who I know I can go to for just about anything,but we never call each other on the phone,never hang out, never get our families together for dinner or a fun outing.Its a deep unmet desire that has carried over from my childhood into my adulthood. There are times when I am standing in a room of like 200 people and feel soo alone. I think we have all experienced that at one time or another, for some it goes away and for others it doesn't.Its not like I haven't tried, I have put myself out there. I had a conversation with a friend of mine sometime ago, and the word that was brought up was misfit. I finally had a word to put with what i have experienced and felt for all of these years. Being a misfit though, is not necessarily a bad thing.Jeremiah 1:5 says

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” The dictionary defines the word misfit as a person not suited in behaviour or attitude to a particular social environment . In other words, a person who stands out,or is set apart. One whom doesnt blend in. As Christians, we were made to be misfits. We were made to walk differently, talk differently, to not act like everyone else acts.. As Christians, we are called to a higher purpose. We were made to stand out, to be set apart.  The enemy would love nothing more than to make you feel as if you are all alone and don't fit in. Especially among fellow Christians. This couldnt be further from the truth.I saw many young people earlier who were feeling this way, you could read it in their facial expressions and body language.I have witnessed many adults experiencing this. Like I told my daughter earlier if you arent't careful, and you dont become aware of this, you could miss out on something very important God has for you.We are all called to be misfits, to be set apart, to stand out. So do just that. And do it in a way that brings honor and glory to him.

 

Pinterest Party Part 1

Ok, so this summer I am picking 25 random things off of Pinterest(I may do more if time allows) that I want to do. These include everything from crafts i want to make, to organizing ideas, beauty things, whatever. This blog post is dedicated to the first half of my list. My goal is to have the first part of the list done by July. I am challenging all of my friends to do the same and blog about each pin that they check off of their list. These are in random order:

#1

Art   Wall
So, we are past the pre-k art stage( I think that may be what this pin was originally intended for) but I thought this would be a really great way for my 12 year old daughter, who happens to really enjoy art, to display her work. Pretty sure I am not going to do the buckets. Still not sure where we are going to put it, most likely in her room. You can find the link for this here.  I have recently discovered Jenn's Blog Clean and Scentsible on Pinterest, and I think you will enjoy it. My next pin comes fro her website as well.

#2

Lemonade Bar
also found off the clean and scentsible site, thought this was a really cute idea. Depending on what size basket you have, you could use some starbucks Frapachino bottles( I know I spelled that wrong), or some mason jars. You could also use more that three bottles for more options. She has printable labels on her site.

#3
Kitchen Command Center

Ok, so mine definately wont
't be this elaborate, being that there are only three of us, will probably only be half this size. But its definately going to happen. I am thinking this will probably be one of my more difficult projects to take on.......

#4

Apartment Therapy
I have a banister that looks somewhat similar to this. This wont take me long to do at all  =) Hooray for simple projects that make a huge difference!

#5

Pizza Box Organizer. Doesnt need much Explanation. This one is a little plain, Im sure mine will be decorated a bit more.......whew! halfway there.....

#6


I Love this!!! This one appears to have been done with paint pens. I think I just might tackle this one first.....

#7


What Pinterest Party would be complete without an Angry Bird Pizza .We may have to make some of his friends as well.

#8
Hot Dog Bar


and what summer would be complete without one of these? We have done something similar to these before, but it wasnt this fancy. Im thinking menus and everything........have family that will be down on the 4th so this should be extra fun.
#9
Greenhouse made from discarded windows
My parents recently remodeled their home, and have all of these old windows left over from that remodel. I told them to hold onto them,because I just knew that I could figure out something to do with them. Here we go! I cannot wait to tackle this. This will be a two person project, so I will have to have my husband help out. Not sure if Im going to make a big one or a little one yet, but it is going to happen!

#10
Necktie Pillows
for a list of  really cool necktie crafts visit here. These are going to be amazing.


So that, my friends, is part 1. I hope there will be a part 2, but I am not going to rush it, because I want to enjoy the experience. I look forward to posting pics of my creations.......

No Regrets

So, its official. I exhale with high velocity at this blogging thing . I mean, cmon, my last post was in August. Ridiculous.Last fall(2011) I started going back to school. This past fall, I actually started attending back  campus. Some friends thought it would be cool take a music theory course together. Music is something I have always wanted to pursue, and is a huge part of my life. I want to grow and get better at it. I have always been one to make up excuses why I couldn't and I finally got tired of that and started thinking of reasons of why I should. My biggest excuse was because it would be too hard, you know the theory and ear training part of it. Its definately been a challenging to say the least, but it has also been alot of fun. For example, this past November, i took part in an opera workshop. That was a first for me, i have never ever been exposed to opera on any level and thought that that was for a bunch of stuffy people =) but now I am in love with it to say the least.Same with jazz, had never really dabbled with that,but was able to this past spring. I was even able to attend an opera and a musical theatre show(Camelot) for the first time with my fellow students. I would not have been able to do all of this(and i am just getting started), had I continued to make up excuses. I try my best to live a life of no regrets. If there is an opportunity that comes about, and I know later that I will regret not doing it, then I do it.........
     So, why am I doing this? Well, Im glad you asked. To be honest, I have no idea....lol. I just felt led by God to do it. I dont know what plans he has for me as far as this goes, butI do know that they are good plans. I am staying very ministry focused, but alot of ideas are swirling in my mind. If I could do anything, I would want to perform. Eiether lead worship or just perform for a living, you know, make money doing it. But the reality of it is that most music majors go into some sort of teaching, so I may end up teaching voice. I wouldnt mind having my own studio......
  So,now that you know what I have been up to, in between going to school full time, and homeschooling(yes, we are still doing that,lucklily most of her stuff is eiether online or on the computer), I guess you can understand why i havent been on much. Plus my life really isnt that interesting anyway....lol.
Thats my story and Im sticking to it.

Do you beleive in magic?

     I am a woman of little words. Which is funny, being that I have a blog and everything. I am very opinionated and tend to keep my opinions to myself, because well, you know what they say about opinions,ahem. Everyone has one. It takes alot to get me upset. It really does. Currently there are two words that are getting under my skin. Those two words are Magic Mike. This movie has me all hot bothered and not in the way you would expect. What I am apalled by are the amount of married CHRISTIAN women who are flocking to the theatres to see it. I am going to address my frustration through several points of view;that of a fan, of a Christian, and that of a Christian wife and mother. I realize I may lose some facebook friends over this,but I cannot keep quiet any longer.
        For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about,let me fill you in.Set in the world of male strippers, Magic Mike is directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Channing Tatum in a story inspired by his real life. The film follows Mike (Tatum) as he takes a young dancer called The Kid (Alex Pettyfer) under his wing and schools him in the fine arts of partying, picking up women, and making easy money. It is soft porn or as I have heard some describe "mommy porn".Its disgusting.
         Channing Tatum. The very mention of his name makes women old and young alike swoon. I will admit, while I definately think he is a genetic gift to the world(after all everything God creates is beautiful), he is just a human being like the rest of us, and really isnt all that special. At least not to me. That being said I am a fan of his acting. I am also a fan of Matthew McConaughey, who co-stars in the movie. Or at least I was. He is one of my favorite actors.Speaking from a fan standpoint,Channing and  Matthew, what you did in this movie is nothing short of prostitution. Prostitution can be defined as to offer (a person, esp oneself, or a person's talent) for unworthy purposes. You guys are nothing but a bunch of glorified prostitutes in my eyes,offering your talents and your bodies in exchange for the almighty dollar. Because of you, women everywhere are cheating on their spouses(more on that in a second). It makes me soo sad.
   Its movies like this that lead women to have unrealistic expectations that will never be met. In the bible it says "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" . This scripture not only applies to men, but women as well. If you look at a man lustfully you have already committed adultery. You wouldnt be ok with your guy watching "Magic Marissa", and if you say you are, then you'd be lying.
    Id like to note, that before i end this that I wrote this over a month and a half ago....lol. But Im still pretty furious.......