The Most Important Work I’ll Ever Do
The most important work I’ll ever do…
is to teach them the Gospel.
is to cuddle with them on the couch.
is to kiss the scraped knee when they fall.
is to grab a chubby toddler out of his crib.
is to change another diaper.
is to nurse a newborn in the wee hours of the morning.
is to listen to a five-year old’s jokes.
is to read the Bible story again before bed.
is to dance like a ballerina with a three year old.
is to color in the “my little pony” coloring book.
is to tickle a rough little boy.
is to bathe a sweet-smelling newborn.
is to cook their favorites (pancakes and cornbread)
is to take them to church.
is to wipe another nose.
is to show them what this life is all about.
is to let them be kids.
is to be that example.
is to take them outside.
is to read to them.
is to show them Jesus all around.
is to protect their hearts.
is to show them how to have love and compassion.
is to do all this and so much more with a smile that proves these little people are the most important work I’ll ever have the chance to do on this earth.
Agree? Subscribe and Share!
Lavender and Diaper Rash with Recipe
My second little girl battled with horrible diaper rash when she was a baby. We switched diaper brands, watched what she ate, and tried every ointment from the store you could imagine. At one point when she was on antibiotics for an infection and her diaper rash was so bad that her bottom bled. They prescribed me a very expensive steroid cream and told me to mix it with another popular brand of diaper cream that also contained a slew of harmful ingredients. Being naive I took their word for it. It took almost a week before there were any improvements.
As I have had children and am learning and falling in love with natural remedies…never again will I treat a diaper rash the same way. I have found ways to support their tender skin and prevent breakdown.
Lavender is the secret essential oil for their bottom’s support.
Let me tell ya why Lavender essential oil works so well and why you have to use it! The first man to realize how awesome the stuff was is a scientist named Rene Gattefosse. His arm was severely burned in a lab accident. When he applied lavender to his arm he saw its amazing ability to promote and support healing of his skin.
Let’s move this into a diaper rash scenario. The bottom is inflamed, red, soar, has possibly blistered the skin and is at high risk for infection. Your baby is very cranky and is screaming every time there is a diaper change.
Here is where the lavender is so wonderful… Not only does it support our skin but the scent of lavender has a calming and relaxing effect for the crankiness. Lavender isn’t called the “Swiss army knife” for nothing!
Top 3 Tips for applying:
Dilute 1 drop of lavender in 1 Tbs of a carrier oil and apply to the rash after every diaper change.
Add 40 drops of Lavender oil to a couple of ounces of pure water into a spray bottle. Coat their discomfort in spray at every diaper change.
Apply a homemade mixture by using cornstarch with 20 drops of lavender. The lavender will act to repel moisture while the powder will absorb it.
*update* I came up with a baby butter cream specifically for diaper rash. This stuff is amazing! If I am out of this cream then I still use one of the above methods.
Baby Butter
1/4 cup of shea butter
1/8 cup of coconut oil
1/8 cup of jojoba oil
12 drops of lavender
-Place the shea butter and all of the oils together in double broiler to melt. (Except the lavender essential oil)
-Refrigerate until it turns white.
-Add in the lavender essential oil and blend with electric mixer until it gets fluffy. This cream is so soft I have even made some extra to use on my face. LOVE it!
I only recommend Young Living Essential Oils. I trust in their quality and purity and have had great results. Learn how to sign up for a wholesale account here and save 24% on your oils! You are not required to sell oils to others, you can simply buy them for yourself at a discount. If you decide you would like to partner with me and share your essential oils with others you can do that as well. Sharing is caring!
Check out my other essential oil post! To not miss any more subscribe!
How To Buy Essential Oils On A Budget
Must Have Essential Oils Postpartum
Combat With Essential Oils (Colic)
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for helping a sister out!
Combat with Essential Oils (Colic)
photo courtesy of David Castillo Dominici/freedigitalphotos.net
The official diagnosis for colic is when a baby between the ages of 3 weeks and 3 months cries more than 3 hours at a time, 3 days a week, for 3 weeks in a row. The crying spells are said to be due to digestive issues rather that be reflux, gas, allergies, or an immature digestive system. Talk about traumatic for parents and baby! Colic is no joke!
I would venture to say that most mamas have claimed that one of their children have had spouts of colic during infancy. Rather their diagnosis is true or not, an unhappy, fussy baby is heart breaking and is not fun for anyone.
Let me tell ya about some natural, healthy tips to relax that squirmy baby in your arms and in turn help to ease your shoulders and keep you from pacing the halls with a screaming baby.
Top 5 Tips:
Diffuse one drop of lavender with two drops of peppermint. Lavender has a calming and relaxing effect for you and the baby. The peppermint is fresh and opens you up. These oils combined are a wonderful combination.
Apply 1 drop of dill to 1 Tbs of a carrier oil and rub it in a circular motion on your baby’s belly and back. Dill is also a wonderful oil to support their digestive system. Since Young Living essential oils are easily absorbed and cross the cell membrane, applying the oils to the skin is one of the quickest ways to give your baby relief.
Apply 1 drop of Di-Gize to 1 Tbs of a carrier oil and rub in a circular motion directly to their belly and back. This oil blend supports the digestive system as well.
One of my favorite tips is to take a drop or two of lavender on a cotton ball and place inside your shirt so when you are carrying around and snuggling the baby they are breathing in that wonderful relaxing scent and feeling your warmth to make it that much more fragrant.
Peace and calming is another oil blend that is beneficial for mama (though it helps baby too). Peace and calming promotes relaxation and a deep sense of peace. It relieves tensions and uplifts spirits. Assuming your still walking around with the baby, just open up the bottle and directly inhale when you think about it. Once your baby is finally asleep put 2-4 drops in your bath water to take the edge off.
As a note…Due to the sensitivity of babies skin be sure to dilute in at least 1 TBS of your favorite carrier oil. Diluted peppermint is not safe to apply directly to baby’s skin.
I only recommend Young Living Essential Oils. I trust in their quality and purity and have had great results. Learn how to sign up for a wholesale account here and save 24% on your oils! You are not required to sell oils to others, you can simply buy them for yourself at a discount. If you decide you would like to partner with me and share your essential oils with others you can do that as well. Sharing is caring!
Obviously I am not a doctor so please use your own discretion as to what is safe for your baby.
Feeling Like A Failure
I have always tried to be 100% honest with my writing in hopes to find others that can relate and be encouraged. Here is my attempt on that as well as a description of the heavy heart I had earlier in the week and how God is once again chiseling.
I was on such an adrenalin rush after the birth of my son. It is true what they say about the hormones and the bonding. It was magical. I felt the biggest relief of it just being over…the anticipation, the pain, all of it.
After the first week of healing in my room with my sweet baby, reality started to settle in and the devil started whispering in my weak moments. As I type this I can see what a vicious lyer he is, but in the midst, it’s hard to block him out. I started to hear the word failure over and over. A failure to not heal as quickly as I had hoped, a failure to not be able to take care of my three other children, a failure because I felt the patience I once had was GONE, a failure because I was tired of visitors and people offering to help, a failure because I wasn’t having joy that I know was mine to claim.
This past Monday night the fake smile melted away to some hormonal tears in my room clenching my Bible knowing that time with Him, with shift in perspective was the only way to clear the fog.
I cried out to God in desperation to help me break this cycle of self-pity. Immediate relief came. I know this is not always the case, but in that second it did. I realized something…When I am on top of my game, when I have the patience of Job, when I am in shape and healthy, when I am full of hospitality, when I am juggling all of the many jobs as wife and mother…it not because of me. It is only through Christ when I have it all together. Pressure is off. The devil had one part right, I CANT DO IT! I do know who can. He lives in me with the key to joy unspeakable. He equips me with it all. My job is to trust and walk hand in hand with Him.
The next day I let God help me. What a difference when you don’t rely on your own strength. I am sure to some this may all seem a bit dramatic…the devil is real and is out lurking around to steal what God has given freely to those that love Him. Don’t give him another second of your life by believing the lies, instead hold on to God’s truths. This does not mean every day will be perfect, I am fully aware of this, but I know whose hand to grab to pull me back up.
Encouraged? Subscribe and share!
Must Have Essential Oils Postpartum
Once you’re not carrying around a watermelon in your belly anymore most women’s greatest missions is to get to feeling like themselves again. With every passing day I am looking for ways to feel a little more normal. Since baby number 4’s arrival, this is the first time I have used essential oils postpartum and I can tell a big difference. It’s all about being proactive. Before his birth I did my research on the most effective and natural ways to speed along recovery. Here are my favorites!
Top five oils I have used the first two postpartum weeks:
Lavender- This oil has been amazing for my after birth cramping. I have been applying it with coconut oil as my carrier and rubbing it on my lower abdomen for additional support and comfort before I started to nurse. I had heard that with every child the cramping gets worse, but the support from the lavender made those first 72 hours much more tolerable. This is the first time after pregnancy I haven’t used Motrin! Big deal for me people!
Panaway- About a week after labor I walked around a little too much and was having a lot of lower pelvic pain from my organs settling back down. I elevated my hips on some pillows and applied Panaway with my carrier oil to my lower abdomen and within 5 minutes the achiness was gone. No OTC meds for this girl or my nursing baby!
Lemon– As I was healing in my room with the baby I had this diffusing the entire time. Not only does it clean the air to keep me and baby boy healthy but it is a mood elevator and a fantastic emotional oil. It was a great way to be proactive in fighting against any baby blues that try to creep up on ya around that third day of sleep deprivation.
Peppermint– I added this to my face moisturizer in the morning to wake me up and invigorate me after a long night with the baby. A study done at the University of Cincinnati found that inhaling the peppermint oil increased mental accuracy by 28 percent. I need all the help I can get!
Frankincense– I diffused this a few days when my other little boy had a fever the very day after the baby was born. This oil supports the immune system. I wanted us all to have a boost to keep things running smoothly those first few days. His fever only lasted two days and none of his other siblings had any symptoms. Whew!
These oils never cease to amaze me. I love knowing I am doing something good for my family.
I only recommend Young Living Essential Oils. I trust in their quality and purity and have had great results. Learn how to sign up for a wholesale account here and save 24% on your oils! You are not required to sell oils to others, you can simply buy them for yourself at a discount. If you decide you would like to partner with me and share your essential oils with others you can do that as well. Sharing is caring!
Interested in buying these oils and saving money? Check out this post.
Be sure to subscribe to not miss any of my essential oil post. I will be tackling common health problems we all have and how to use Young Living Essential Oils instead of the bottle of pills!
Lavender and Diaper Rash With A Recipe
Combat With Essential Oils (Colic)
Why Essential Oils Are A No Brainer
A Whole New Crazy
Let me tell ya, four kids 5 and under is a whole new kind of crazy! Just like with every new baby there are a lot of adjustments, and you wonder if life will ever be “normal again.”-or at least I always think that.
Through the fog of healing, feedings, and sleep deprivation the Lord has still shown me the beauty of a little life. With each child I have realized how quickly the stages pass by and I am trying with every ounce of my brain to memorize his newborn cry, soak in every grin in his sleep, and to hold onto the feeling of a head buried in my shoulder. I want to bottle up his newborn scent and carry it around for the rest of my life.
Although it’s a crazy time in life right now, and I’m wondering how in the world we will manage. I look at this sweet face and embrace this whole new kind of crazy.
How To Buy Essential Oils On A Budget
If your like me, your always looking for a bargain, or a way to save money on your families favorite products. That is what this post is all about. This explains the best way to get top quality essential oils and save money at the same time. Not to mention saving money on doctor visits and the amazing satisfaction of keeping your family healthy. The top oils I recommend are Young Living.
Why do I recommend Young Living?
As part of my passion for real food, I support local farmers. My family and I often visit them to ensure where our food is coming from. This is for everything from the raw milk we consume to the grass-fed beef we seek out to purchase in bulk once a year. I want my own soy free and GMO free eggs from chickens who eat grass and bugs. All of this has taught me one thing – know where things come from and how they are raised. The same goes for essential oils. Young Living offers this promise – they own their farms and they run a very tight supply chain. I trust their essential oils above all others because they are pure and unadulterated and are manufactured for therapeutic use not just for smell.
Ok, so here’s the deal. You can get the essential oils I recommend in one of two ways: Wholesale (signing up as a ‘distributor’) or Retail (signing up as a ‘customer) via the Young Living website.
Why buying retail isn’t smart
You might also see these oils for sale on Amazon or eBay but there is no way of knowing if those oils are authentic and unadulterated. When you sign up with me, you will get personal support. All you will get when you buy retail is the oil itself (and no guarantee it is unadulterated). You also will not get any support on how to use the oils. Pleases join the Facebook community I am apart of to get the real time support you need and get the questions answered that you have. When you sign up via the Young Living site as a retail customer you pay 24% more than wholesalers for your essential oils.
But what does becoming a distributor entail? Sounds complicated!
The absolute best way to buy oils is by joining ‘the discount club‘ as a distributor to get amazing discounts (24% off) on every product that is offered. Think of it as similar to joining a buying club like Costco or Sam’s.
You might be thinking: But the word ‘distributor’ sounds like a huge responsibility! Not so – As a member of this club you only have to agree to order a minimum of $50 per YEAR. That’s it! One bottle of Thieves Oil costs $44 Retail. That same bottle is only $33 through the wholesale club! If you bought only that and one other item in a year you would hit your minimum!
Read on for step-by-step instructions…
Have more questions? Young Living Independent Distributor and Wholesale Pricing FAQ
Why Should I become an Independent Distributor?
Becoming an Independent Distributor can get you wholesale pricing which is 24% off retail price! You also gain the option of sharing the oils with your friends and family in order to earn commissions and participate in promotions for free oils.
Is there a monthly order minimum?
No. You do not have to order monthly in order to benefit from being an Independent Distributor. However, there is an autoship program that you have the option of participating in if you would like to earn more points on your orders and potentially more product.
I don’t really want to sell oils. Do I have to Sell Young Living Products to be a Distributor?
Of course not. Since there is no monthly order requirement you can simply just order whenever you and your family need it. There is no requirement to have a business. But, becoming a distributor is still most beneficial for your family rather you want to make it a business or not.
What do I need to do to get started?
To begin as a distributor you start with purchasing an enrollment kit. There are three options to choose from. I personally recommend the Premium starter kit. This is what I started out with. It’s an awesome deal! You get 11 bottles of the top used essential oils, a home diffuser, and many other extras. Basically everything you need to get started.
Simply follow the below steps in this link to JOIN YOUNG LIVING OILS and enjoy these amazing benefits.
I will be starting a series on some of my favorite essential oils, how I use them, and my favorite recipes. Subscribe to not miss any!
Easton’s Home Birth Story
There was extremely high anticipation for this day. This was to be not only my very first home birth but my very first unmedicated birth as well. I told very few people about our plan because this was a decision we had prayed about and felt confident in. We didn’t want to feel distracted by others opinions. This has been an experience I will never forget and as I look back to write on it I cringe at the thought of the pain, but I am once again in awe of how God made our bodies to work and all of His goodness and blessings to us.
Brace yourself this post may be long winded…just as my labor was.:)
Tuesday night I went to bed at 41 weeks and 3 days. This was the longest I had ever been pregnant. As the days went on I was becoming more anxious. To say I was excited when I awoke to contractions around 1 am would be an understatement. Through the excitement I tried to sleep longer. I awoke Tim around 2 am and told him I thought this was it. He popped up just as excited as I was and began to time a few contractions. They were not very painful but were 3-5 minutes apart. We decided to walk around downstairs and see if they became stronger. They stayed about the same so I went ahead and gave my midwife the heads up. We then dozed on and off on the couch while watching some old “Friends” episodes my friend Michelle from work let me borrow:)
My midwife arrived around 6am and I was still pumped and ready to get the show on the road. Unfortunately, when she showed up my contractions grew further apart. She assured me this was normal and they would pick back up soon. My mom came around 7:30 to pick up the other kiddos who were very excited. I told them that baby Easton would see them that afternoon. Little did I know the long day and night ahead of me! Once the kids got out the door Tim and I went on a walk to get labor going. That is an awesome memory of us walking hand hand knowing our baby was on the way.
Let me tell ya I was one determined girl! I power waked up hill through contractions, would get to the bottom, then do it again. When we got back home I climbed my stairs 10 times. I walked and walked and walked… Not knowing the long road I was in for I burned up a lot of precious energy.
Around 11 am we decided to rest for awhile through my contractions. At this point I am still waiting for things to pick up. I remember telling them that I was ready for the intensity! (Oh my I was stupid). I knew the harder it got, the closer I was to the end and seeing my baby. We continued to walk, watch TV, laugh, and snack. Quite fun actually…
I was still feeling so great I was wondering if I had made any progress at all. She checked me and I was 6 cm! I was so excited to hear that! Hear I was no epidural, and was a 6! Glad I didn’t know how much loner I had! I had been warned that knowing how many centimeters you were could fool ya.
Around 3:45 contractions were getting more painful but still very tolerable. We decided to run a few errands close to home. What??? This made me love home birth! The freedom was amazing! So away we went. We picked up Tim’s lawn mower blades at the local shop, went to a little diner, then to DAIRY QUEEN for ice cream! Oh yeah! Once we left there I was ready to get home because I couldn’t fake it thought the contractions anymore. (People were starting to stare) I was scared someone might call 911, and I wasn’t about to get in any ambulance!
When we got back we went on yet another walk. They are still 5 minutes apart but are definitely getting stronger. I keep wondering when the intensity would come. I was starting to grow impatient. I assumed my baby wold have been there by then.
From 9 pm to about 5:30am I labored. I tried to sleep only to awaken to the jolt of a strong contraction. I walked, squatted, got in every position possible to work the baby down. Contractions were very painful at this point and I was doubting my body and wondered if it would ever turn the corner. I was deeply frustrated and knew very soon the sun would be up again.
The Breaking Point
Around 5 am I made up my mind. Enough is enough! This baby is never coming, I am exhausted, I am in agony, I am going to the hospital! I’ll drive myself! I told Tim to grab my contacts case and glasses and meet me downstairs. I was NOT having another contraction in this house…well that didn’t last long.
I confronted my midwives. They were sooo understanding as I have now been up for well over 24 hours. They talked me into letting them check me again before I made the decision. I reluctantly agreed with Tim’s support. To my surprise I was at a 10 with no urge to push! There is no telling how long I had been that way. We are now assuming that he is in a funny position and that is the reason I have had no urge to push.
This is the part that pains me to type. I pushed for 4 more hours. His positioning was not helping all of my efforts.
Finally, with the strength of only God and my husband I pushed out an amazing human being who came out face up, looking at the world, and screaming. The world stopped. My heart became flooded with a sacrificial love that nothing can compare. Tim who was behind me had tears streaming down his cheeks. We did it! I will never forget that moment. Even typing this out and remembering every detail of pain 4 days later I can say it was so worth it. I am so thankful to everyone for their support, prayers, and encouragement as Tim and I set off on this journey of the unknown of natural home births.
Of course I can’t write about all of this without a section being contributed to my husband and what this experience has done for our marriage. His strong support through my most painful memories and fears is the most amazing thing I have ever felt. I can’t really even put into words the new-found respect we have for each other and for life. It truly is a beautiful thing. It is amazing how God orchestrated childbirth to give you all of the different emotions wrapped up in one life changing experience.
God is good!
Sharing this with: The Prairie Homestead, A Mama’s story, Raising Arrows, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Growing Home, Time Warp Wife, Thankful Homemaker, Mamal Diane, Teaching What is Good, Mom’s the word, conerstone cofessions, A proverbs 31 wife, Some of the best things in life are mistakes, Let this mind be in you, A Wise Woman Builds her home, Deep Roots at Home, Graced Simplicity, Raising Homemakers, Women Living Well, Hope in Every Season, Jill’s Home remedies, Little Natural Cottage, Our simple country Life, Raising Mighty Arrows, The Purposeful Mom, Happy and Blessed Home, Homemaker by Choice, Your Thriving Family, My Joy Filled Life. New Life Steward, Hometead simple, Let this Mind Be in You,
He Is Here!!
Meet Easton Taylor Styron! Weight was 7 pounds 6 ounces and height is 20.5 inches.
This sweet little baby boy was well worth the wait! Our hearts are so full and we all feel so blessed that he is here.
God is so good!
His natural home birth story is on the way…including the part where I told my midwives I was leaving and going to the hospital:) Glad they talked me out of it!
Against The Grain (Pharmaceuticals)
Hey everyone! I have the privilege of guest posting at my friend Kara’s blog today called Lifesanity where I am talking about taking our families health back into our own hands through my recent discovery of Essential Oils.
Join me over at Lifesanity to see how and why I jumped over the fence from conventional medicine to the basics of essential oils. These oils are amazing!
Here is an excerpt:
On the other side of the fence the grass is pretty darn green. Medical training is only good for the understanding of how our bodies work. Natural herbs and essential oils that have been practiced for centuries are abundant and CURE. The thought of popping another Tylenol 4 hours later repulses me, and nope the doctor doesn’t know best. -There I said it! *Disclaimer* Before any one knocks me over the head, there are times when medical intervention is necessary. Unfortunately, it has been abused for far too long. Our bodies are paying the price.
Here are my other post in my “Against The Grain” series.
Against The Grain (Birth Control)
Against The Grain (Industrialized Food System)
Subscribe and share in the conversation!
Sharing this with: The Prairie Homestead, A Mama’s story, Raising Arrows, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Growing Home, Time Warp Wife, Thankful Homemaker, Mamal Diane, Teaching What is Good, Mom’s the word, conerstone cofessions, A proverbs 31 wife, Some of the best things in life are mistakes, Let this mind be in you, A Wise Woman Builds her home, Deep Roots at Home, Graced Simplicity, Raising Homemakers, Women Living Well, Hope in Every Season, Jill’s Home remedies, Little Natural Cottage, Our simple country Life, Raising Mighty Arrows, The Purposeful Mom, Happy and Blessed Home, Homemaker by Choice, Your Thriving Family, My Joy Filled Life. New Life Steward, Hometead simple, Let this Mind Be in You,
Hey Y'all! My name is Brittany Styron. Sweet Country Roots is a place I hope to encourage, inspire, and bring a chuckle. Grab yourself a cup of coffee and join conversations about marriage, babies, homeschooling, frugal living, good food, and an old fashioned way of thinking.
