5 Essential Oils to Replace OTC Meds.

 Essential oils are definitely sweeping across Pinterest and I am so glad I discovered them. This is something very new to me but I am so excited to have found out about these unbelievable natural oils that can not only help with symptoms of sickness and pain but can also heal the source of it. There are so many I can't even name them all. They all are beneficial in so many ways but there are 5 that everyone should have in their medicine cabinet to replace pretty much all of your OTC medications. Anti-inflammatory, fever reducer, anti fungal, pain relievers and so much more.

I've never been an "all natural" type of person when it comes to food and medications but the more I am learning about the natural healers out there, the more I want to find out about them and try them for myself. It really does make so much sense to me that these natural oils work, when I think about it. I believe that God created the earth and everything in it. How did people back in bible times live so long and not have so many of the horrible diseases that we have in our world today. They didn't have all of the synthetic medications and food products, additives in food, pollution and people that care more about being successful than being healthy.

God created these things on this earth for our benefit and most of us just pass it on by and label it as being "weird" or "radical" because they are not the norm. Well I think they should be the norm and I hope by sharing this that more people will realize that these natural oils are the way to go instead of stuff made of synthetic chemicals and toxins.

Here are the 5 essential oils that everyone should have in their medicine cabinets and what to do with them.

What can you replace with Lavender?

*Neosporin, Elidel, Ambien, Motrin, Aleve, Tylenol, Pepto Bismol, Imodium AD and Solercain.

•         Diffuse in a room or apply to bottoms of feet to sooth anxiety and rest. 
•         Apply topically to calm irritated skin, including burns and cuts
•      Use internally for a natural antihistamine. 
•      Apply topically to ease the pain of bee stings and bug bites. 
•           Apply topically to relieve headache pain.       

What can you replace with Lemon?

*Children's Tylenol, Abreva, Throat Lozenges, Mylanta, Tums, Tylenol Cold, Compound W and Dr. Scholl Wart Removers 

• Add a drop to honey to soothe a dry or sore throat.
•   Diffuse in room to neutralize odors and elevate mood.
•   Disinfect kitchen countertops and brighten stainless steel appliances
• Add 2 drops to a glass of water for anti-oxidant and detox properties.
• Swipe a little Lemon on each side of a runny nose to dry up symptoms.
•  Dab on cold or fever blisters to shorten duration.
• Apply to warts for gentle and natural removal (great for kids).

What can you replace with Peppermint?

*Aleve, DayQuil, NyQuil, Tylenol, Tums, Motrin, Prevacid, Alka Seltzer, Claritin, Zyrtec, Mouthwash and Breath Freshener. 

•   Apply to neck and forehead with Lavender for headache relief.
•  Combined with Lemon and Lavender to create a powerful antihistamine for allergies mild to severe.
• Put 2 drops in small glass of almond milk and drink to stop heartburn in its tracks.
• Apply to back of neck for cooling effect.  To reduce fever, apply Peppermint with carrier oil to torso.  Peppermint can drop fever by 2 to 3 degrees in minutes.
•  Inhale deeply to invigorate lungs and increase alertness.
•   Breathe freshener!

What can be replaced with Tea Tree (Melaluca)?

*Neosporin, Chloriseptic, Abreva, Dandruff Shampoos, Rubbing Alcohol, Acne Remedies, Anti-fungal creams, Anbesol

•  Apply to toenail fungus for superior anti-fungal results.
•  Add 2 to 3 drops to a bottle of your favorite shampoo to quell dandruff and scalp issues.
• Apply to skin blemishes and rashes as part of a daily treatment routine.
•  Dab on canker sores to ease the pain and heal.
•  Apply to feet after showering, swimming or working out to help with athlete's foot and other fungus.  (gym bag must have).
• Kills Staph Infection ~ effective against MRSA virus.

What can be replaced with Frankincense?

*Expensive anti-aging skin products, Neosporin, Anti-cancerous properties, Migraine medications, Regenerative products

•    Combine with Lavender and/or Peppermint for severe headache relief.
• Use with a carrier oil for beautiful, radiant skin.
• Apply to bottom of feet or 2 to 3 drops under the tongue for strong immunity support.
•  Use topically or *internally to benefit from its anti-cancerous properties.
• Diffuse with Lavender for their calming and grounding properties.
• An excellent go-to oil for anything!  When in doubt, use Frankincense  

It's no surprise to me that Frankincense is one of the most powerful essential oils. Frankincense and Myrrh,  which is also an essential oil, were the gifts that the Wise men brought to Jesus after he was born. Only the best for Jesus and that's what he wants for us.

Get these and other essential oils at Botanic Choice.

Coconut Oil Remedies

Just imagine yourself in the beautiful, warm sunshine, laying on a beach, palm trees swaying in the warm breeze, sipping a cool refreshing drink with the smell of coconut in the air.....well probably from the suntan oil you slathered yourself with. Sounds so wonderful right now doesn't it. Since most of us probably won't be doing that any time soon you can at least enjoy the aroma of coconut and picture yourself there.

Virgin Coconut oil is another all natural product that has some amazing qualities and benefits to the body. It has been used for thousands of years in the Philippines and other tropical places where they are generally in good health compared to many western nations. It can be used externally on the body or internally, each way has different health benefits. From a moisturizer to hair revitalizer, gets rid of fungus and can decrease or even reverse the affects of Alzheimer's which is now categorized as a type 3 diabetes. Type 1 and 2 diabetes sufferers have seen positive results for years from using coconut oil. 

I can't even begin to try to put all of the research that has been done for the benefits of coconut oil, on my blog. So here is the best source of info I have found for coconut oil. Coconutoil.com

I have personally been using it on my face as a moisturizer and I have used it as an oil treatment on my hair.
To use it as a moisturizer rub the coconut oil onto your face and let it sit and absorb into your skin for 15 to 30 min, then wash your face with a mild facial cleanser. Also you can use it as an exfoliant by mixing 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 Tbls. of Coconut oil. Use the same instructions for use as the moisturizer. It makes your skin feel so great.
 To use it on your hair, make a part in your hair and take a scoop out with your hand and rub it into your scalp. Keep moving around your head parting your hair and rubbing it in to your scalp and then rub it into the rest of your hair. Don't get it too thick into your hair or it will be much harder to wash out. It should look greasy but not wet. Let it sit for about 30 minutes and then wash your hair twice and condition. Make sure you wash it twice or it will not get all of the oil out. This will leave your hair feeling so silky soft and it will also help with hair growth and regrowth, keep your hair from falling out excessively and keep your hair and your scalp moisturized. You can do this 1-2 times a week.

Update 11/9/2012: Recently one of my kids had lice. I was not about to use those chemical shampoo's that most of the time don't even work. Actually I heard that the lice are becoming resistant to all of those chemical shampoos.That's ok with me. Natural home remedies are much better anyway.
  I used coconut oil and tea tree oil on her hair overnight covered with plastic. I Washed it out in the morning and then saturated a towel with vinegar and wrapped that on her head for about 30 minutes. That helps release the glue that the nits are attached with. Then I washed her hair again and blow dried it with hot air. That kills and gets rid of any remaining lice. Lice was gone in one day and most of the nits were too. Make sure to check the head for the next week to make sure no eggs hatched. If so repeat process.

I just love this stuff and I know you will too. Please come back and share your comments.

Enjoy!

Kid Friendly Taco Cones

I was looking for something to give my toddlers for lunch the other day. So I looked in the fridge and saw some taco meat that I had recently made. They like tacos so I decided to make them a taco with half of a flour tortilla and what I ended up with was a Taco Cone. I was pretty impressed with myself.

So here is how you make it. This is so simple...

Cut the tortilla in half.

Scoop a small amount of taco meat on each half.

Take on corner and fold it to meet the top.

Fold the edge of the tortilla under.

Fold the other corner on top.

Cut a small slit in the side of the tortilla. Make sure you make the cut under the corner of the tortilla that is folded over.

Tuck the corner inside the slit and push it down to secure it.

Here you have the cone with the taco meat.

Next is the toppings. Which can be whatever you or your kids like

My kids just like lettuce and cheese. So here is how it turns out. I think it's pretty cut and my kids loved it because they could hold it without the meat and toppings falling out all over the place.

If your kids don't like tacos you could use chicken or a wide variety of other fillers and toppings if you prefer. Oh and they are adult friendly too so be creative. :)

The Power of Hydrogen Peroxide

I hope you liked the last post about Aloe Vera. It has such amazing qualities. I have been using it as a moisturizer on my face and my face feels great. I'm just hoping it will help some of the wrinkles go away, ha ha. I have been using the Aloe consistently for about a week and a half now and I have noticed that my finger nails have been growing very nicely since then, so I am totally thrilled with that. I also tried it on my hair we'll see how that turns out. Let me know how you use it and what you think about it.

 3% Hydrogen Peroxide or H2O2. It is sold in most stores in the first aid section. You can also get it at the Dollar Store. Sweet huh! Useful and inexpensive. That is the way I like it. Once again I have a list of uses for Hydrogen Peroxide with a little help from One good thing by Jillee. These uses are only for the 3% Hydrogen Peroxide and are not recommendations from any Dr. This is a list of things that consumers just like you and me have used it for and have found that it works. So if something doesn't work for you, I'm sorry but please let me know what didn't work for you or what did. Also if anyone knows of other uses that are not listed please feel free to share.

Uses for 3% Hydrogen Peroxide

Wash vegetables and fruits with hydrogen peroxide to remove dirt and pesticides. Add 1/4 cup of H2O2 to a sink of cold water. After washing, rinse thoroughly with cool water.

 In the dishwasher, add 2 oz. to your regular detergent for a sanitizing boost. Also, beef up your regular dish soap by adding roughly 2 ounces of 3% H2O2 to the bottle.

 Use hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash to freshen breath. It kills the bacteria that causes halitosis. Use a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water.

 Use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to make a paste for brushing teeth. Helps with early stages of gingivitis as it kills bacteria. Mixed with salt and baking soda, hydrogen peroxide works as a whitening toothpaste.

 Soak your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide between uses to keep it clean and prevent the transfer of germs. This is particularly helpful when you or someone in your family has a cold or the flu.

 Clean your cutting board and counter top  Let everything bubble for a few minutes, then scrub and rinse clean.

 Wipe out your refrigerator and dishwasher. Because it’s non-toxic, it’s great for cleaning places that store food and dishes.

 Clean your sponges. Soak them for 10 minutes in a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water in a shallow dish. Rinse the sponges thoroughly afterward.

Remove baked-on crud from pots and pans. Combine hydrogen peroxide with enough baking soda to make a paste, then rub onto the dirty pan and let it sit for a while. Come back later with a scrubby sponge and some warm water, and the baked-on stains will lift right off.

Whiten bathtub grout. First dry the tub thoroughly, then spray it liberally with hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit — it may bubble slightly — for a little while, then come back and scrub the grout with an old toothbrush. You may have to repeat the process a few times.

 Clean the toilet bowl. Pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl, let stand for 20 minutes, then scrub clean.

 Remove stains from clothing, curtains, and tablecloths. Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a pre-treater for stains — just soak the stain for a little while in 3% hydrogen peroxide before tossing into the laundry. You can also add a cup of peroxide to a regular load of whites to boost brightness. It’s a green alternative to bleach, and works just as well.

 Brighten dingy floors. Combine half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with one gallon of hot water, then go to town on your flooring. Because it’s so mild, it’s safe for any floor type, and there’s no need to rinse.

 Clean kids’ toys and play areas. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe cleaner to use around kids, or anyone with respiratory problems, because it’s not a lung irritant. Spray toys, toy boxes, doorknobs, and anything else your kids touch on a regular basis.

 Help out your plants. To ward off fungus, add a little hydrogen peroxide to your spray bottle the next time you’re spritzing plants.

 Add natural highlights to your hair. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide so the solution is 50% peroxide and 50% water. Spray the solution on wet hair to create subtle, natural highlights.

 According to alternative therapy practitioners, adding half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide to a warm bath can help detoxify the body. Some are skeptical of this claim, but a bath is always a nice way to relax and the addition of hydrogen peroxide will leave you – and the tub – squeaky clean!

 Spray a solution of 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide on leftover salad, drain, cover and refrigerate. This will prevent wilting and better preserve your salad.

Sanitize your kids’ lunch boxes/bags.

 Dab hydrogen peroxide on pimples or acne to help clear skin.

 Hydrogen peroxide helps to sprout seeds for new plantings. Use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution once a day and spritz the seed every time you re-moisten. You can also use a mixture of 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 32 parts water to improve your plants’ root system.

 Remove yellowing from lace curtains or tablecloths. Fill a sink with cold water and a 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Soak for at least an hour, rinse in cold water and air dry.

 Use it to remove ear wax. Use a solution of 3% with olive or almond oil. Add a couple drops of oil first then H2O2. After a few minutes, tilt head to remove solution and wax.

 Helps with foot fungus. Spray a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water on them (especially thetoes) every night and let dry. Or try soaking your feet in a peroxide solution to help soften calluses and corns, and disinfect minor cuts.

 Spray down the shower with hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria and viruses.

 Use 1 pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide to a gallon of water to clean humidifiers and steamers.

 Wash shower curtains with hydrogen peroxide to remove mildew and soap scum. Place curtains in machine with a bath towel and your regular detergent. Add 1 cup full strength 3% hydrogen peroxide to the rinse cycle.

 Use for towels that have become musty smelling. 1/2 cup Peroxide and 1/2 cup vinegar let stand for 15 minutes wash as normal. Gets rid of the smell.

 Use hydrogen peroxide to control fungi present in aquariums. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt your fish. Use sparingly for this purpose.

 De-skunking solution. Combine 1 quart 3% H2O2, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 teaspoon Dawn dish detergent, 2 quarts warm water. 

The Natural Way

In the past few months I have taken a huge interest in natural remedies and natural products that can be very helpful and healing to the body. As I have been learning more about these natural products I have been thinking how much sense it makes that these things made naturally in this world that God created are the things that can help, heal, improve our bodies and improve our way of life the most. That's what these things were created for and God wants us to take full advantage of these things that he has created to help and to heal us.
 There is no doubt that man made things are necessary and some just make life easier and enjoyable but I am really starting to question some of the man made products that are supposed to heal and relieve symptoms of pain and sickness. I still have much to learn but I really want to get the word out about these natural remedies. Not only are they natural and safe but can be so much less expensive. These days everyone loves things that are inexpensive.  I sure think it is worth trying and I actually have.

100% Aloe Vera gel is fabulous stuff. You can also use Aloe Vera straight out of the plant. Just break a piece off an squeeze the gel out the open end or slit it down the middle and scrape the gel out. Just a word of caution about the gel right out of the plant. It smells pretty bad! The stuff in the bottle has no smell. I'm sure there are certain things that the gel from the plant is good for though. So here is a list I have found of fabulous uses for Aloe Vera. If you know of any others please share.

Uses for Aloe Vera

• Body Scrub Slice aloe leaves lengthwise and use the inner sides as a biodegradable body scrub in the                 shower.
• Treat burns from minor mishaps in the kitchen — from grease splatters or hot utensils — with a mix of aloe gel and vitamin E oil.
• Soothe and heal sunburns. Aloe contains cooling properties similar to menthol.
• Take the sting or itch out of insect bites.
• Foot Mask For soft feet make an exfoliating foot mask by mixing together a half cup of oatmeal, a half cup  of corn meal, four tbsp. of aloe vera gel and a half cup of unscented body lotion.
• Swab over blisters for quick relief.
• Replace creams and lotions as a general moisturizer for dry skin. Aloe is fast absorbing!
• Reverse signs of aging skin and wrinkles. Cleopatra did!
• Exfoliating  Make skin new again with an exfoliating, organic sugar scrub by mixing together 2 tbsp. of aloe vera, 2 tbsp. of organic brown sugar and 1 tsp. of organic lemon juice.
• Salt scrub For rougher patches of skin, mix together an organic salt scrub using two cups of sea salt, one cup of aloe vera, one cup of organic coconut oil and two tbsp. of local, organic honey.
• Alleviate asthma Boil Aloe leaves in a pan of water and breathe in the vapor to alleviate asthma.
• Prevent/Fade Stretch Marks, Age Spots, Freckles Begin massaging aloe vera on your stomach twice a day and continue throughout your pregnancy and after delivery for a few months until any stretch marks fade.
• Hemorrhoid Relief The very same anti-inflammatory constituents that reduce blistering and inflammation in burns also help reduce the irritation of hemorrhoids. Break off a piece of the aloe vera leaf and apply only the clear gel to the hemorrhoids.
• Intestinal Problems Remedy Taken internally, it heals stomach ulcers and heartburn, and in general soothes the digestive tract. Adverse effects reported from ingesting Aloe Vera include diarrhea and kidney trouble. 
• Strengthen Weak Nails Gently massage aloe on your nail beds every day for a few weeks and watch them gain their former luster.
• Soothe Razor Burn. Rub onto razor burns for some much-needed relief!
• Makeup Remover Safely removes eye makeup and is gentle on the delicate skin around your eyes.
• Skin & Sunburn Soothe Acne, eczema, and skin irritation respond well to the natural antiseptics in Aloe. Apply gel 2-3 times a day to the area until it is healed. Aloe also contains cooling properties similar to menthol which makes it a great way to sooth sunburns. It acts as a protective layer on the skin and helps replenish its moisture. When the skin is hydrated, then it will recover faster from the sunburn.
• Natural Shaving Gel and Aftershave Aloe Vera is anti-inflammatory thanks to its enzymes and with its high water content, it is very hydrating. It provides a smooth surface on your skin giving you a very close shave. Aloe also can be used as an aftershave to prevent razor burn.
• Wrinkle Repair Skin loves Vitamins C and E which are present in Aloe, helping to improve skins firmness and keep it hydrated. Combining virgin coconut oil can make a creamier way to supplement nutrients, essential fats and moisture. Aloe Vera gel penetrates skin almost four times faster than water, and its super emollient qualities help it moisturize the under layers of skin.
• Cold and Flu Aloe Vera boosts the immune system. It contains a long list of Phytonutrients. It contains Vitamin A, B, C, E. It contains a long list of minerals, plant sterols and enzymes.
• Energy Booster Another medicinal use of aloe vera is boosting energy levels. This is due to the vitamin b complexes and other nutrients that aid in converting a higher percentage of the food in your stomach to energy.
• Eliminating Dandruff Mix it with your shampoo, hair conditioner, and other hair care products. Or….before bedtime wet hair thoroughly with aloe vera juice and allow to dry. Rinse thoroughly in the morning.
• Menstrual Cramps Aloe vera gel and black pepper: Take a spoon of the gel with a pinch of pepper three times a day till you get relief.
• Hair Smoother Aloe vera gel fights frizz in hair and is a great replacement for expensive styling products.
• Natural Hand Sanitizer Combine 5-10 drops lavender essential oil; 30 drops tea tree essential oil; 1 Tablespoon witch hazel; 8 ounces 100% pure aloe vera gel. Add several drops of Vitamin E oil as a natural preservative to increase shelf life of this product. (It will also help soften hands!)
• Leave-in Conditioner/Scalp Soother Mix aloe vera gel with a little rosemary essential oil and a few drops of Vitamin E oil, squirt on scalp and ends of hair.  Do not rinse, and this mixture soothes an itchy scalp and softens hair.

• Natural Mouthwash Make a homemade aloe vera mouthwash by mixing 2 ounces of Aloe Vera Gel; 3 teaspoons of baking soda; 1 ounce of water, preferably room temperature; 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 5 – 10 drops peppermint essential oil.  Rinse..and repeat!
• Regularity Booster A daily intake of 2-3 tablespoons of aloe vera gel will act like a general tonic and as a mild regulator of the bowels.
• (In)Digestion Aloe vera juice can be effective in aiding digestion, soothing an upset stomach, and providing relief for heartburn.
• Cholesterol Lowering Studies have shown that drinking aloe vera juice can safely lower cholesterol over time.
• Psoriasis and Eczema Aloe Vera gel softens and soothes this painful and itchy skin conditions.  Just apply the gel directly on the skin three times a day for about a month. Studies show an almost 85 percent effective rate of these diseases.
• Acne Treatment Aloe Vera clears acne by removing the dead cells, thus opening the skin pores and removal of the blocked oil. Apply directly on the outbreak. Scars that have been left by acne can also be treated with aloe.
• Shingles Shingles which is the adult version of chickenpox, usually occurs in adults with a low immune system. Aloe Vera can be used on painful shingles caused by the herpes virus. By applying aloe directly on the open sores it dilates the blood vessels, which aids in healing the wounds.
•  Sunscreen Aloe Vera protects against both types of ultraviolet rays that cause premature aging and that cause sunburn and skin darkening of the sun.
• Personal Lubricant Aloe Vera works as an excellent personal lubricant. Not only does it soothe and heal the delicate areas around the sexual and reproductive organs in both men and women but also provides great natural moisturizing.
• Deodorizing Body Spray Make a refreshing deodorizing spray from aloe and citrus. Combine 7 oz distilled water; 1 oz aloe vera gel; 60 drops mandarin essential oil (or sweet orange). Spray onto hands and/or feet as needed to remove sweat or stickiness. Let dry naturally.
• Dyed Hair Treatment Use aloe after dying your hair. It moisturizes and gives it a brilliant and healthy look without the greasy feel of other balms.
• Hair Detangler Mix one teaspoon of aloe vera gel with a couple drops of glycerin and grapefruit oil, half a teaspoon of grapeseed extract and eight ounces of clean water. Keep this solution in a spray bottle, spraying lightly while in the shower. Keep in mind that citrus oils are sensitive to sun rays, so use caution before heavy sun exposure.
• Eliminating Canker Sores Aloe vera contains vitamins as well as amino acids that help repair damaged tissues. Research has found that canker sore sufferers who applied aloe vera gel healed about 50 per cent faster than those who didn’t.
• Vaginal Yeast Infections You can treat a vaginal infection by applying Aloe externally and by drinking the gel for its anti-fungal properties. Four to six ounces aloe vera gel daily can help manage Candida colonies in the body naturally and to help keep Candida in check. Moreover, continued use may prevent further infections from occurring.
• Pet Care Aloe vera gel makes a great cleaner for your dog’s ears. It cleans, deodorizes and acidifies your pup’s ears so they stay healthier. Place a small amount of pure aloe vera gel in your pet’s ears. Allow your dog to shake head and dab any excess away with a cotton ball. Use once a week and after swimming. Use aloe gel to treat your pet’s flaking, itching skin or to soothe poison ivy and poison oak rashes. Aloe vera juice has been used internally to treat arthritis in older dogs.
• Nail-Biting Solution Brush a child’s fingernails with aloe vera juice, which has a very bitter taste to discourage nail biting.
• Weight Loss Researchers have found that drinking aloe vera juice lowers blood sugar, a positive effect for those with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Scientists believe that by keeping blood sugar low, you’ll lose weight.
• Dark Armpits Rub some aloe vera gel under your arms to get rid of dark skin under the armpits.
• Reduce Pore Size Remove the peel from one cucumber and chop the cucumber roughly. Combine the cucumber, 50 grams of aloe vera gel and 50 milliliters (a little more than 1.5 ounces) of water in a blender. Mix until the ingredients are smooth and creamy. Smooth the aloe vera cream mixture over your face. Do not rinse it off. Keep the cream on your face overnight. Rinse the cream off of your face in the morning. Wash your face and apply a toner to remove any leftover residue. Let the toner dry and apply a moisturizer as the last step.
• Combating Anemia Using aloe vera promotes the production of more red blood cells in your body and fight off anemia.
• Relieving Arthritis Pain Because of its anti-inflammatory properties you can reduce the inflammation of the joints and the resulting pain by applying aloe vera gel to the area where you are experiencing the pain.
• Alleviating Earaches A few drops of aloe vera juice can bring a good amount of relief if you are having ear pain.
• Speed up hair growth by massaging aloe into the scalp, letting it sit for 30 minutes, and rinsing.
• Shrink warts
• Fight Athlete's Foot

I really hope that you discover many of these uses for Aloe that work for you. I'm excited to try some I have not tried yet. I will keep you updated. Talk to you soon.

The Chocoholic in Me.

I don't know about you but I have a major sweet tooth. I am a big time chocoholic and I'm really not afraid to admit it. Milk Chocolate, dark chocolate, almost anything with chocolate. Brownies are my #1 fav, and who doesn't love the good old chocolate chip cookie.

So of course I was browsing Pinterest the other day and I saw a picture of a double layered cookie. It was chocolate chip on the bottom and brownie on the top.  So I clicked on it because I wanted this recipe. What a disappointment! The link was to a website that was selling a mix for the cookie for like $16.95. No Thank You!! I figured it couldn't be too hard to figure out so I decided to wing it.

Here is how they turned out!!

YUM!!!

I made them 2 different ways. First I put the cookie dough on the bottom and covered it with the brownie batter on top. For the next set I put a little bit more cookie dough on the bottom and then put a little spoonful of brownie batter in the middle. They were amazing both ways.

I used a GHIRARDELLI Double Chocolate Brownie mix and I used GHIRARDELLI Semi-Sweet chocolate chips for my cookie dough.

It really is super easy. All you do is prepare the brownie mix as the package says and you make chocolate chip cookie dough from the back of the chocolate chip package or however you like to make them. Put about a Tablespoon of cookie dough on the bottom of a non-stick muffin pan and layer the brownie mix on top. You can try them different ways as I did. Put the brownie on the bottom or put them side by side. I baked them at 375 degrees for 14 mins.

I highly recommend these cookies! A chocoholics dream cookie.

Organizing and DIY 101

 Hi there Mom Ez! So happy to finally get this blog posted. Just a quick, silly story about my Blog account..... I worked so hard on this blog post and it was almost done. Well I logged out and my blog was saved but not posted yet. I had a busy couple of days and then I went back to finish my blog...well... I could not remember the email that I used to sign up for my blog. So, I tried everything I possibly could to try to get into my blog to no avail. I just wanted to cry. So after a week and a half I sat down at my computer to try again and out of the amazing, miraculous blue sky it just came to me. I remembered the email. So needless to say I am a very happy Mom E right now. Note to self...Write down your new email and passwords in case you forget!

So now you get to hopefully, enjoy my Everyday Mom E Solutions...

A few months ago I discovered something that has literally changed my life. I'm sure most of you have discovered it too. It's called P i n t e r e s t!
When I first heard of Pinterest I was not enthusiastically interested, but I signed up anyway to check it out. I looked through the posts for a couple days and thought it was a neat idea but I quickly lost interest. Then about a month ago I had noticed through email, that I was getting more and more followers. Why, I didn't know, but I logged on again and realized that there was much more of a variety of interesting things posted than what I saw last time. Probably because I had so many new people to follow.

Well since then I am a huge Pinterest lover! There are so many interesting things that people post about. I think it's neat because you can see things or find out things that you have never seen or heard of before. I enjoy the recipe's, inspirational quotes, adorable and funny pictures of animals and kids and decorating ideas but the thing I love the most are the DIY projects for almost anything you can imagine.

The reason I said it has changed my life is because I am not the most organized and tidy person. I love my house to be clean and organized but with two teenagers, a school ager and two toddlers it has been quite an overwhelming and frustrating task. So when I started seeing organizing and cleaning tips, DIY( which is Do-it-yourself for those who don't know) projects and Homemade everything products, I started getting really motivated and excited about getting organized and doing these things in my home.

 At first I thought, oh this will probably only last a week and it will all get messed up again just like always. But it has actually been about 3 weeks and things are still looking pretty good, except for right now since I have let the dishes go and have not picked up the toys since yesterday because of all the sickies. I'm sure I will be feeling back to myself again by tomorrow and I can tidy it all up.

It is so much easier to clean up an organized house. If everything has a place you don't have to wander around wondering what to do with it or stash it somewhere it doesn't belong. Not that this is at all a new concept. Most people have probably been doing this for a long time but when you have A.D.D. it is so much harder to process these things in your head and stay motivated. I'll talk more about the A.D.D. aspect  another day.

I have always been a frugal shopper. I want the best deal on everything I buy and I am not afraid to stay away from the brand names. So when I saw all of the products that you can make yourself at home and how easy they were to make, I had to start trying them. Not only am I saving money but I also feel like I am protecting my family a little more by not using all of those chemicals that no one can pronounce. I'm sure that's something that every mom can appreciate.

So I want to share a few things that I have learned the last few weeks. I will share the projects and homemade products that I have completed so far and as I do or make more I will share that valuable info with you.

The first thing I started with was organizing my kitchen cabinets and Pantry. I saw this post from the Delightful Order blog about organizing Everything! It really got me excited about all of the things that I can do in my home to simplify, create, organize and decorate.

I started with my food container cabinet. Here is what it looked like before: 

and after:

It is so much easier to find what I need quickly. I added 2 clear bins. One for the lunch totes, and one for the food containers and the things that were not in bins were stacked neatly

Next was my cabinet under the sink . This is such a difficult cabinet. It's the biggest one in my kitchen but it's in the corner which makes it hard to fit bins in right to organize. Also my sink has a disposal so there are a lot of pipes and stuff hanging from the top. Makes it much more difficult to reach the stuff in the back. So here is what it looked like before:

 there was a lot of space in the back that was not used because it was too hard to reach, but by adding the bins you can just pull the bin forward to get what you need. So this is what it looked like after:

 It's a little hard to see how it is organized nicely. What I did was add 5 blue bins.
 -One for garbage bags
 -one for floor cleaning products
 -one for disinfectants and deodorizing products
 -one for dish soap and dishwasher detergent
 -one for household cleaners.
There is also:
-a small basket for dusters and a few other miscellaneous items
-a small basket for air freshener products and refills
-a small basket for sponges and scouring pads.

I'll be adding more organizing projects as I get to them. Here are a few DIY  product recipe's I have tried so far.

Powdered Laundry Soap

1 bar of soap (Ivory, Fels-Naptha . I used Zest because I liked the smell.)

1 cup Borax

1 cup Washing Soda

Finely grate bar of soap. Mix in Borax and Washing Soda and that's it ladies and gentlemen. Super easy! Found this one on Jillee's One Good Thing

Mine is a little chunkier because I did not have a fine grater yet.

 Still works great and looks pretty too. Lol

I used an empty dishwasher pod container.

 It's perfect, it has a flip up lid and you can easily scoop your detergent out. (You may want to make your own pretty label if you like your detergent box pretty. lol )  

One more thing I want to tell you about today is the foot soak that I tried. 

I am a no shoes person in the summer when I am outside, so my feet get pretty disgusting with calluses and dirt in every crevice (sorry that sounds kinda gross). I have hated my feet in the summer for that reason, but I have found a wonderful solution to my horrible looking feet and it helps detox my body.

Relaxing Detox Foot Soak

1 cup of Epsom Salt  ($ store)

1 cup of Sea Salt
2 cups of Baking Soda

Mix these ingredients together and store in an airtight container. When you are ready to use it, scoop out
1/4 cup of the mixture and pour in to hot water. Make it as hot as you can handle. Soak for 30 minutes...AHHH!!!,  dry feet and wash with soapy water, dry feet again and apply only 100% Aloe Vera. Try to stay away from pretty smelling lotions because they have additives that can put toxins back into your body after a foot detox. (That is really hard to do because Aloe Vera does not have a pretty smell.) You can also add a few drops of essential oil  to your foot soak like Lavender, peppermint, basil or rosemary which all have added benefits. Or even rub a few drops right on your feet to make them smell better afterwards.

I'm so excited to share this blog with you and I hope you find some things that are helpful to you Everyday.

Thanks for checking out my blog. Please keep coming back. I will have more great Mom E Solutions soon!