Must Have Monday: Instant Pot

I recently purchased the Instant Pot on Amazon while it was on an incredible sale. Oh. My. Word. It's amazing! It makes cooking and food prepping a breeze! You can cook an entire frozen chicken in two hours! It also cooks rice and dry beans. No more soaking beans! It's a pressure cooker, but it also has the option to slow cook. 

I got mine HERE. (Remember readers, Must Have Mondays are not sponsored. I don't get endorsements for talking about products. I just promote them, because I genuinely love them) 

Crunchy Mom Life Hacks

In the not-so-crunchy world we live in, sometimes being a health conscious mama is difficult. Here are some ways to make your journey in crunchy parenting a little easier. ;)

Coconut Oil Diaper Cream

Many name brand creams and lotions are loaded with toxic junk and synthetic fragrances. An easy way to treat a diaper rash the natural way is with some good ol' coconut oil. I found a one ounce jar with a screw on lid, melted coconut oil, poured it in, let it solidify and then I stuck it in the diaper bag. (I added Young Living Lavender to mine, but this is totally optional.) The great thing about coconut oil is that it's so versatile. You can use it for rashy skin, dry skin or even for boo boos. And best of all, if you're a cloth diapering parent like myself, it's CD safe! ;)

Essential Oil Key Chain

Parents on the go, you all understand how hard it can be to forget essential items for the kiddos. That's why I LOVE my essential oil key chain! You can clip it to your keys, purse, diaper bag, ect. It can hold 8 sample viles or 2 roll on bottles. I personally chose to carry 2 roll on bottles. I have a "boo boo" roll on (Frankincense, Lavender and olive oil) and I have my immune boosting roll on (Thieves, Oregano, Tea Tree and olive oil). Obviously my "boo boo" roll on is there for those accident prone moments. Bumps, scrapes or bruises - that's when the "boo boo" roll on comes out! My immune boosting roll on is for moments in the grocery store, public playground, day care or any place when germs are at an all time high, and I want a little boost of protection.

You can find the black one (hold 8 sample bottles or 2 roll ons) at AbundantHealth4U.com or get a super cute patterned one (holds 1 roller bottle) at WeCanOilIt.com

Baby Wearing

There's a common misconception that baby wearing ends after a year. I beg to differ. At 18 months I still strap Ronny into our Infantino carrier. This is a life saver! The toddler year between age 1 and 2 is chaotic to say the least. This is the year that babies are too old to stay in one place (bouncer, play mat, exersaucer, high chair, ect.) but still too little to have much of an attention span. So this leads to lots of climbing, running, getting into things...and a whole lot of headaches for mom and dad. When we go places where I know Ronny will get bored and get into things (which is pretty much every where), I bring our carrier. He LOVES it! He starts getting excited when I get it out, because he loves riding in it. It's a simple way to keep him contained and entertained at the same time...which is GOLD in the parenting world! (Side note: Isn't it hot when you see a man baby wearing?! I think my hubby is looking fierce in this picture!) ;)

Food Prepping

I can't even begin to tell you how much stress and unhealthy choices meal preparations saves my family! I am a victim of convenience, and we all know that the crunchy life isn't always convenient, especially when it comes to eating. If eating healthy was convenient, we wouldn't have a country with obesity on the rise. So I had to take the healthy lifestyle and adjust it to my needs, which absolutely includes planning and prepping our meals. I go on Pinterest, I find my clean meals, I prepare them, then freeze them. I usually make 4 to 6 freezer meals a week. These are the choices we go with on busy nights instead of ordering pizza or going through the drive thru. I also prep lunches as well. Mason Jar salads have become my go to lunch! You can find my meals and recipes on my Pinterest page by clicking here

Thieves Spray/Wipes/Hand Purifier

I am a germ conscious mama (because that sounds way better than germ freak-a-zoid) Anything antibacterial used to be my best friend. But it turns out, the crunchier my lifestyle became...the less I loved antibacterial soaps and gels. Insert Thieves products here. :) Thieves is a product line through Young Living. It's made of essential oils and plant based ingredients. It is a germ fighter, but also completely safe to use on your kiddos and yourself. We use the wipes or the spray for shopping carts, restaurant tables, and anything gross. I use the waterless hand purifier as a hand sanitizer (although truthfully, you can use the wipes or the spray for this as well!)

So there are a few of my life saving hacks. I may add more as they come to me. What are some awesome tips you have for crunchy parents that make life a little easier? Let me know in the comments!

Must Have Monday: Cloth Diapering Essentials!

Where are my cloth diapering parents at? This post is for you! We all know where our mind goes when we hear someone say "cloth diapering" - we immediately go straight to the poop factor. Sure, throwing a wet cloth in the diaper pail is easy...it's the poop that's not so easy. I kept going to and from cloth diapering for months, because of the poop factor. And then I was introduced to two incredible tools that have changed my cloth diapering experience for the better...the WAY better! ;)

First off, here's the diaper sprayer. I LOVE having a diaper sprayer! It's high pressure, so there's no dunking or scraping poo here. You simple just spray. I got the Bum Genius brand on EBay for a great deal, but you can find a variety of brands for around $50. (I have also seen some people make their own sprayers from tools from the Hardware store, but I am mechanically challenged, so I just bought my own) ;)

BUT...no sprayer is complete without this handy dandy AMAZING tool to go with it...

The Spray Pal is undoubtedly the BEST diapering invention ever! You literally don't have to touch the diaper at all after placing it in the Spray Pal. Here's the pictured instructions that come with the Spray Pal when you purchase it...

It takes the poop out of cloth diapering, which made all the difference for me. I purchased the Spray Pal for around $20. Buying these two tools together is a bit of an investment, but I promise you, it pays off! Throwing down $10 or more dollars a week on disposable diapers is just not as cost effective as cloth, no matter which way you slice it. (No shame to the parents who do use disposables!) I know the thought of handling dirty diapers is gross to say the least, but these two tools are a must have in my book. ;)

Must Have Monday: Car Diffuser

It's no secret that I'm an oily fanatic. So when I saw these diffusers online, I went a little nuts inside with excitement. I have tried several ways of diffusing oils in my car. I have an actual oil diffuser that goes in the cigarette lighter, but doesn't blow the oils into the air. It has fabric pads that you drop oils on, and it diffuses by a fan that fans the oils from the pad into the air. I like it alright, but it doesn't work amazingly well. I have also tried clipping a clothespin with oil-sprinkled fabric onto the car vents. That works alright as well, but this diffuser is my favorite of the three methods...

How cool is that?! An actual diffuser for the car! I just got mine in the mail today, and it came at the perfect time. We had a three hour car drive today, in which I got to test out our new car diffuser. I love it! I am a visual person. I like being able to SEE that the oils are being dispersed into the air. It's a festive little addition to our new vehicle. You can buy them here 

(Once again I'd like to remind you that I am in NO way getting paid for endorsing this product. My Must Have Moday rants are simply just products that I love that I think my crunchy readers may enjoy as well!) :)

Young Living on a Budget

The number one complaint I hear about Young Living is that their prices are too high. Believe me when I say, I get it. When I was first introduced to Young Living, my husband was supporting our family of 3 (which soon became 4) on a minimum wage job. To say that we had to stretch our dollar is an understatement. In fact, it took me a year to buy my first Premium Starter Kit, because I had to wait for our tax money in order to make the purchase. So, trust me, I know what it feels like to look at the prices of oils and feel your stomach drop. I also know what it's like to live in a home that relies on the over use of antibiotics, over the counter medications, toxic filled cleaning products and synthetic fragrances that are harmful to the body. The more facts I learned, the more I realized that this lifestyle change was absolutely necessary, and more importantly, worth it. I quickly learned that people spend money where their passions and priorities are. Some people gawk at the prices of our oils, but will spend a few dollars a day on gourmet coffee without blinking an eye. I'm not at all bashing those people, I'm simply just making a point. When you have a desire, your priorities follow.

I don't want this post to be too salesy, but I do want to add that when you purchase Young Living Essential Oils, you are purchasing quality. You could absolutely find a cheaper brand of essential oils. I won't lie to you, they are out there at every health food store. BUT...you get what you pay for. If you want to spend your money on oils that are safe and effective, there's no compromising. You can learn all about Young Living's incredible quality at their website www.seedtoseal.com


Now on to the fun part of this blog...the part where I tell you how to purchase Young Living and save money doing so.

1. Become a Wholesale Member
When you purchase from Young Living, you have the option to be a Retail Customer or a Wholesale Member. You can start a Wholesale account for as little as $45, but the recommended kit to purchase is the Premium Starter Kit. (Yes, I'm aware that it's a bit ironic that I'm telling you to purchase a kit for $160 to save money, but it is an incredible value) When you become a wholesale member, you get 24% off the retail price, which adds up fairly quickly when you start making purchases. The Premium Starter Kit gives you 11 of our most used oils, a diffuser and the membership discount. It's the best money-saving deal we offer for people wanting to incorporate oils into their daily life.

2. Get on Essential Rewards
Essential Rewards (ER) is a monthly autoship program. Now, I know what you're thinking...I'm trying to stretch your dollar and I'm talking about spending money each month. How does that make sense? Well, when you're on ER you actually have the opportunity to get FREE oils. Each month when your ER order processes, you receive 10-20% back in reward points. (10% for the first 6 months on ER, 15% for months 7-12 and 20% after a year on ER) So you can use your ER points to purchase free products. I have purchased some incredible products with my ER points!! Essential Rewards required a minimum of 50PV (this usually equals about $50) per month, with an option to skip one month a year. The best way to participate in ER while on a budget, is to combine orders with a friend. Get some close friends or family members who are wanting to order oils, and add their order to yours. That allows you to meet your 50PV minimum, get your reward points for free products and share Young Living at the same time. (And you also get reduced shipping on ER orders, so that's another money saver!)

3. Score the Monthly Promos
Every single month Young Living gives away FREE products, and they aren't booby prizes. Young Living has given away free diffusers and even the entire Every Day Oils Kit in the past. You can score free products when you reach different PV levels. 190PV, 250PV and 300PV. So you don't have 300 dollars lying around? Grab some friends and family, have them add some products they want to your order and you get the free monthly promos (on top of reward points if you're on ER) when you hit a certain amount.

4. Stretch Your Oils
Restocking the oil cabinet and purchasing new oils can be tricky on the budget. Making your every day oils last is a big help in saving money. Carrier oils, roller ball tops, spray bottles and DIY recipes are your friend. :) Pinterest has TONS of DIY recipes for creating every day household products with essentail oils. This will save you a lot of money when you're purchasing your oils! You can find empty glass spray bottles and roller bottles at health food stores and online. Trust me when I say, if you can learn to make your own products, your pocket book will thank you! ;)

5. Transfer Buying
Here in the Young Living world, we have a phrase called "Transfer Buying". This basically just means to transfer the products that you would normally buy in the store (toothpaste, dishsoap, ect.) and purchase it through Young Living instead. If you're on ER, you'll get a percentage back to spend on free products. Our Thieves Household Cleaner is a huge money saver! It's concentrated, so you only use a cap full per spray bottle (my 14oz bottle of Thieves Cleaner lasted over 2 years) There are ways to stretch your household items as well. (Empty foam pump bottles are great for soaps, body washes and face wash)

6. Buy 5ml Bottles
Young Living has a new line of oils called their Vitality oils. They are sold in 5ml bottles, which is around half the price as the larger 15ml bottle. While not ALL Young Living oils are in the Vitality line, there are some incredible options such as Frankincense and Endoflex, and classic favorites like Peppermint and Lemon! (You can score a 5ml bottle of Lime for around 5 bucks if you're a wholesale member!) We are talking fantastic prices!


7. Spread the Word!
Young Living gives you a thank you paycheck when you introduce your friends to their products. When a friend or family member wants to sign up, have them enter your member number as their enroller and sponsor, and Young Living will compensate you for that. (Awesome, right?!) There are some people who do not actively sell Young Living, but have enough friends that they have personally enrolled, that their monthly oils are covered.

Want to start your Young Living journey? Join my team by clicking here

I hope you found these tips helpful. If you have a thrifty idea for saving money on Young Living Essential Oils, comment below!

Must Have Monday: Genesis Hand and Body Lotion

My hands become incredibly dry during the winter months, to the point of cracking and bleeding. If you're a regular follower of my blog, then you know how much I loath and despise synthetic fragrances. It's really hard finding a great lotion without added fragrance, and even ones that are fragrance free, still have other added junk in them. I decided to treat myself to Young Living's hand lotion. They have a few different scents to choose from, but my favorite is Genesis Hand and Body Lotion.

I'm in love with this lotion! It absorbs right into the skin, which I love. A lot of other lotions are thick and leave my hands feeling waxy and greasy. This doesn't give me that feeling at all! It's super smooth and feels great on the skin! I don't use lotion on a daily basis, so this bottle will last awhile for me, (You can order yourself a bottle of Genesis Hand and Body Lotion here)