after-sun spray

It’s summer. You’re in the garden, you’re at the beach, you’re on the soccer field, you’re sipping wine on a patio. Wherever you are, you’re likely soaking up the sun.

So, with that in mind, I’m here’s a quick DIY to help your skin recover just in case you’ve maybe stayed out a bit too long. ;)

This After Sun Spray is my favorite! It’s easy to make, cool and refreshing for your skin, and healing as well. It’s made with just four simple ingredients - witch hazel, aloe, spearmint essential oil, and lavender essential oil. While all of these ingredients can be easy to find, I encourage you to read the labels carefully. I’ve seen many brands of witch hazel that include other ingredients such as stabilizers and fragrances. The same is true of aloe. Your aloe should not be green. It comes out of the aloe plant as a clear gel, so if your aloe gel from the store is green, coloring has been added. Fragrance is often added to aloe as well. I like using T.N Dickinson’s witch hazel because it’s 100% witch hazel extract in alcohol, it’s affordable, and easy to find. (I usually buy mine at Target.) For aloe, I love this brand of Aloe Gelly and I like to buy it from Azure. For essential oils, I use doTERRA because I love the quality and purity of their oils and feel comfortable using them on my face and on my kids.

After-Sun Spray

Pour the witch hazel and aloe into the glass bottle. Add the essential oils. Shake well before use and spray directly on face and skin to cool and moisturize skin that has been overheated or over exposed to the sun.

setting intentions

I love January. Cold, dark, crisp, cozy January. After thoroughly enjoying the Christmas season, I love how spacious, fresh, and tidy our little home feels after all of the decorations are put away and how we settle into the simplicity of the new year. For me, the turn of the calendar is a time of reflection - what were the joys of the past year, what were the challenges (as it was 2020, we all know there were many challenges!)? But more than that, I love to look forward to what the new year holds and I love to lean with intentionality into how we can live this new year to its fullest. There are many opinions about setting resolutions, goals, intentions - call them whatever you want - but I find that taking time to set intentions for what I want our year to hold is so very beneficial. I think it gives vision and direction to the year. It provides an opportunity to put priorities in order and to come together as a family and establish what our true values are. I think to live life well, especially with a family, it is helpful to live life intentionally. So with that, I thought I’d share a few of my intentions with you in an effort to encourage you to take time this year to be intentional - to live the life you want you and your family to live, no matter the outside circumstances. It is your life, your year. What do you want it to look like?

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Intention #1: OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that we love to spend time in the woods. We have a weekly homeschool group that meets in the woods where the kids run wild and free. We try to get outside everyday, but it can be challenging with errands to run, toddler naps, meal times, early sunsets, and aaallllll the snow gear that winter in Minnesota requires. That being said, the benefits of being outside are immeasurable. And I don't use that word just for emphasis, scientists have still not been able to fully measure/define the benefits that we receive from being out in the natural light. It’s phenomenal! Some of the benefits include bringing balance to our circadian rhythms thus providing better sleep, boosting our immune systems through vitamin D from the sun, strengthening our microbiome through microorganisms in the air and dirt, grounding our bodies by connecting our bare feet to the earth, increasing physical balance and confidence as we move our bodies over unpredictable surfaces such as a rocky path in the woods, the list goes on and on.

So, this year I decided to be more intentional about our time outside in two different ways. First, we’ve decided to join the 1000 Hours Outside Challenge. You can print your own hour tracker on their website and they also have a TON of resources for why spending time outdoors is so good for us, and especially good for our kids. This challenge is going to be a stretch for us as it’s is a lot more hours than what we are used to doing, but I’m so excited for how it is going to grow us, challenge us, and increase our love for being and playing outside.

The second way is that I’m committing to quick sunrise walks several mornings per week. This is something I’m doing all by myself (at least when Dan is not traveling). The benefits for being out in natural light within two hours of the sun rising are fantastic - even if it’s just for a few minutes. So, for now, I’m taking a few minutes before breakfast each day to take a quick walk around the block for some fresh air and bright morning sunlight.

If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of the sun and being outdoors, here are some podcasts and articles that have been helpful for me:

  • https://wellnessmama.com/56086/nature-health-benefits/

  • https://wellnessmama.com/91779/blue-light-improve-health/

  • https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/sunlight-and-vitamin-d-theyre-not-the-same-thing/

  • https://www.westonaprice.org/podcast/why-getting-cold-this-winter-is-a-good-idea/

  • https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/blog/exposure-to-morning-sunlight

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Intention #2: BREAK UP WITH MY PHONE

Ok, I’m not actually going to completely break up with my phone, but I’m putting some serious limits on our relationship. Gross. The fact that we can even say we have a relationship with our phones is gross. Isn’t it?!?

First, we bought analog, battery operated alarm clocks. They haven’t arrived yet, but I’m so excited! I found these solid wood ones on Etsy that have a gentle beep and the hands of the clock do not glow in the dark, making them a great choice for sleeping without artificial light (which is very beneficial, btw). Once we have our alarm clocks, we are hoping to keep our phones out of our bedroom. This will reduce our exposure to blue light before and after sunrise, which is beneficial for proper melatonin production and good sleep, and it will also reduce our exposure to EMF’s (electro magnetic fields), which can be harmful for our bodies in many ways.

Second, I’m committing to not checking my phone before sunrise and before spending time with the Lord in the mornings. I’ve actually been doing this since August when I participated in an Instagram challenge called #wordbeforeworld hosted by Well-Watered Women Co. For 30 days I spent time reading the Bible in the mornings before looking at my phone and I’ve kept it up ever since as I found it was a FAR more fulfilling way to start my day. Now I’m taking it a step further by not allowing myself to look at it until after the sun has risen (which really only applies in the winter for me here in the frozen north), or even better, until after my morning walk. It is beneficial to receive the full spectrum of light that we get from the sun before exposing our brains and eyes to the blue lights from our screens.

Several of the links above go into more depth on the importance of full spectrum sunlight verses blue light. Here are some resources about EMF exposure:

  • https://www.westonaprice.org/podcast/272-the-shocking-truth-about-electricity-emfs-with-arthur-firstenberg/

  • https://wellnessmama.com/129645/emf-exposure/

  • https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/emfrf/

  • https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/emfs-wifi-radiation/

  • https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/03/15/emf-home-remediation.aspx

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Intention #3: Read More Books - Real, Paper-Bound Books!

We read a lot in our home. It’s hasn’t always been this way, but the past 5 years have seen exponential growth in the amount of time we spend reading and it’s one of my favorite things. Our boys LOVE books. When I bring new books home from the library, it’s like Christmas! They can’t wait to sit down and page through each one. Oak spends time almost every day listening to audio books of his favorite chapter books in his room during his quiet time. And Dan and I have both started reading so much more fiction in the past couple years and we often end our days together reading before bed. The past few years have included a lot of travel for us and so I had started reading more ebooks in an effort to simplify travel. I still think this is a great option for travel, but since 2020 tethered us to our homes, I decided to put the ebooks away and to reach for the paper-bound books instead. I think a pretty paper-bound book is so much more inviting than another screen at the end of the day (and then there’s the whole screen/blue light thing again…)

Last year I made a goal to read 8 novels. I read 7.5 and I’m technically giving myself until the middle of January to finish that last book. My goal, my rules. Once I finish that last book I’ll set my 2021 goal. I’m thinking I’ll go for another 8. I also read a lot of non-fiction and would like to set a goal of reading a non-fiction book every month of two this year. One of the things I’m most excited about reading this year is the Bible. Ha. I’ve read the Bible most days of my life since I was a teenager, but it’s been a long time since I’ve read it through in a year and this year I’m going to do just that! I think reading the Bible in it’s entirety in a year gives us an opportunity to see the love story of God as it has been woven throughout history and it helps us to see our place in that story - which is a beautiful thing to behold. This is the plan I’m using this year.

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Intention #4: Foster more independence and family helpfulness

I love the mindset that raising kids is really about raising adults. How do we raise adults who are loving and kind humans and who also know how to and desire to meaningfully contribute to society?? As Oak nears the age of 5 we are working on fostering more independence in him while also helping him to see and understand his role in this family. Simply put, he’s learning how to do chores! Ha! But the deeper side of that is that we want him to learn the why behind the chores. It’s not “because I told you so.” It’s “because you used a dish and so now you clean it up because we all have a role to play in order to live well together as a family.”

Some resources that I’ve found helpful on this topic are:

  • Parenting with Love and Logic, by Foster Cline and Jim Fay

  • Loving Our Kids on Purpose, by Danny Silk

  • https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/how-to-raise-an-adult/

  • https://farmhouseschoolhouse.com/rhythm/whistle-while/

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Cheers to you and yours as you begin 2021. May it be a year of growth, intentionally, and purpose. We get one life to live. Let’s live it well.

birth blends

I apologize to all of you readers out there who are not interested in all of the baby things that I've been posting lately...but they are consuming my thoughts and life and so there has been little else to post about!  Ha!  As we prepare for birth and to welcome this little one into our home and arms, I wanted to make a few essential oil blends that would aid us in that process.  As I've mentioned before, I love essential oils, but I'm not a fan of the hype that often surrounds them.  They have fabulous uses, but I like to keep it on the simple side and I buy brands that are readily available and affordable to me.  You can read a bit more about my take on essential oils here.  With that being said, I also love to make my own blends!  It's so fun to learn about all of the different oils and then to blend them together to make just the aroma that I'm looking for.  So, for baby and myself I made two different blends.  

The first one I made I called Sleep, Baby Sleep.  It's a calming blend that promotes sleep, calm, and peace for the new little one (as well as us).  I have a feeling that a few drops of that in the diffuser will likely become a regular bedtime ritual in our home.  

The second blend I called Mama Love and I plan to diffuse it and possibly use it topically during labor, birth, and in the weeks following.  The blend is very similar to the Sleep, Baby Sleep blend as it also promotes calm, rest, and relaxation.  However, it also includes Clary Sage which is a good oil to promote labor and lactation.  I also plan to use this blend in the future for a mood lifter and pain reliever during that trying time of the month.  

Sleep, Baby Sleep

50 drops lavender

40 drops rose geranium

30 drops bergamot

30 drops lemon

30 drops sweet orange

20 drops roman chamomile

20 drops ylang ylang

Mama Love

25 drops bergamot

25 drops clary sage

25 drops lavender

25 drops sweet orange

10 drops lemon

10 drops rose geranium

5 drops roman chamomile

5 drops ylang ylang

How about you??  Are there certain essential oils or blends that you love to use for these purposes or other purposes?  I'd love to hear about them!

baby bottom salve

The baby creations and preparations continue around here!  This is one that I'm excited to try and see how well it works.  Having read quite a lot about herbs that are good for skin dryness and rashes, I came up with this mixture of herbs and oils and turned it into a salve to be used both as a baby bottom salve and a nipple salve.  The herbs in the mixture are calendula flowers, which are known to promote healing of rashes and skin issues, as well as calm and soothe the affected area, plantain leaves, which are great for treating any kind of skin issue or irritation, and chickweed leaves, which are great at soothing skin irritation.  I was able to find all of these herbs in my backyard!  The calendula I grew this summer and the plantain and chickweed are both considered weeds and I was able to find both in my yard.  You can also find all of them online in dried form at Mountain Rose Herbs.  After letting these herbs infuse in some olive and almond oil for awhile, I mixed them with some beeswax and essential oils.  I chose lavender and tea tree for my essential oils.  Lavender for its smell and soothing/calming qualities, and tea tree for its antiseptic properties.  The salve that I ended up with has a faint scent to it and can easily be applied to skin.  I'll let you know in a few months how well the finished product works!  Stay turned for the update!  

How about you??  Do you have a favorite natural remedy for diaper rashes??

Baby Bottom Salve

1 cup of oil (I used half olive oil and half almond oil)

a small handful of calendula flowers, plantain leaves, and chickweed leaves

1-2 tablespoons of beeswax

15-20 drops of lavender essential oil

5-10 drops of tea tree essential oil

Pick the flowers, plantain leaves, and chickweed and let them wilt in the sun for an hour or so.  After they are slightly wilted (and some of the water has evaporated out of them) combine them and the oil in a glass jar and close tightly with a lid.  Let infuse in a warm sunny place for 4-6 weeks.  After the infusion is complete, strain out the herbs and place the oil and 1 tablespoon of the beeswax in a double-broiler.  Heat until the wax has melted and been thoroughly incorporated into the oil.  Place a small amount on a spoon and put into the freezer until it has cooled.  Test the salve for consistency and add more beeswax, if needed, to reach the desired consistency.  Once you are satisfied with the consistency, add the essential oils, stir to combine, and pour into jars.  

put up and put away

It's official!  The canning season in this house has come to an end!  My canning supplies have been crowding our kitchen for the last few weeks in hopes that a batch of apple butter would somehow find its way into my canner and onto my shelves, but this past weekend, I resigned myself to the reality that we're not going to have apple butter this year (nor any jam for that matter...darn strawberries and raspberries!).  And so, with that sigh of resignation, I moved the canner and it's accompanying parts back down to the basement and put them away.  Away until next June when the strawberries return and the gardens begin to once again produce their bounty.  

Along with that sigh of resignation, however, came a sigh of relief.  THE CANNING IS DONE!!!!  Hooray!!!!!  This means that winter is on its way and with it will come a much slower pace--quieter weekends, quieter evenings, and more time to knit, sew, and read.  Yes, a sigh of relief, indeed!  I love August and September and my many hours spent in my kitchen prepping veggies and such in order to preserve them, but after awhile, it gets a bit exhausting to plan my life around ripe tomatoes and the like.  The freedom that follows putting that canner away is quite lovely--not to mention the shelves full of preserved summer goodness!  

This summer, I was able to put up jars of tomatoes, tomato soup, tomato sauce, salsa verde, corn, applesauce, pickled tomatoes, pickled cucumbers, pickled mixed veggies, and fermented jalapeños, as well as a gallon of frozen blueberries, a gallon or so of frozen green beans, and a few different types of dried herbs.  Running down to the basement to grab some of that home-preserved goodness never gets old!  I find it rewarding each and every time I open a jar, add its contents to a meal, wash it up, and put it back on the shelf for next summer.  It feels so fulfilling, so resourceful, and so very satisfying.  

Yes, putting away the canner for the season is good, but by the time next summer comes around, I'll be very ready to take it back out again and start the process over.