May Madness!

Many of you chose May as the month to introduce Young Living essential oils into your homes. Yippee!! I am so excited to have you as a part of The Pretty Oil! Not only did you empower yourself to take a healthy step for your families, you gained access to an amazing support system, and received the Essential Oil Pocket Reference Guide. (Through May 31st! So yes, May is an awesome month to start!)

So, you ordered your premium starter kit… but now what? I want to share a few tips on great things to know as you begin your oil journey. 

1.       The first month you order your premium starter kit, you have 100 PV. Whether or not you plan to grow YL as a business, you have a huge opportunity this first month to make a bit of $$$ by sharing oils. For every new wholesale member you sign up with a premium starter kit, you receive $50. 

2.       In May, The Pretty Oil Team will give all new sign ups the Essential Oils Pocket Reference Guide as a welcome gift! A $25 value. 

3.       When someone signs up with a wholesale membership under you, they also become part of The Pretty Oil Team. If they want to use and learn more about oils for their families, great! If they want to pursue a business opportunity through YL, awesome! They will find the support they need in three different ways: The Pretty Oil Facebook Group, The Pretty Oil Website (www.theprettyoil.com),  & The Oily Info Facebook Group. 

4.       The Pretty Oil Team created an amazing e-book that walks through the Everyday Oils Collection that comes in the premium starter kit. If you have anyone who is just curious for a quick way to see what oils are all about, I encourage you to share this link with them.  

http://issuu.com/theprettyoil/docs/the_pretty_oil-handbook-v.1 

5.       Your starter kit comes with samples and reference materials, but if you are looking for something else, The Pretty Oil Team creates awesome branded marketing pieces. All you have to do is ask, and they will help you find what you need to best share oils with your friends and family.

6.       Using your member number, I will create a link for you that opens a unique registration page on the YL website. You can share this on your social media pages, through email, as the caption in your pins on Pinterest… whatever works best for you! 

7.       The most amazing part of using oils is first and foremost, the changes I am seeing in my family. My kids are less snotty, my home is less-toxic, and my mood is elevated naturally. I don’t have to pretend I know all the answers, and neither do you! We have an amazing team to teach, share, and grow with through The Pretty Oil. 

8.       If you choose to join Young Living as a wholesale member, and you are ready to launch an amazing, fast-paced career, you’re on the right team. My journey with YL has been short, yet successful. I am here to help you grow as a part of  The Pretty Oil Team. We are in this together! 

9.       Social media is a great place to learn. Make sure you are following @lee_erika and @theprettyoil on Instagram.

 

 

Weekend in Fredericksburg

Ahhhh, sitting down to write this morning after such a crazy weekend feels nice. I'm taking just a few minutes to recap before jumping into another busy work week!

Justin hunts on a deer lease every year in Llano, TX. Last year he shot a nice buck and had it shoulder mounted (Ok, typing that sentence is still bizarre, even though I have come to terms with this 'hunting stuff' over the past couple of years). It was finally ready for pick-up, so Justin was planning to drive down and back on Saturday. Super long trip, and he wasn't looking forward to it. SO, we decided to make it a family trip and head to Fredericksburg from Llano - only about 40 minutes away! And, I love Fredericksburg. I was in.

We left McKinney at 5:30 AM on Saturday morning. Justin and I had loaded the car the night before, so we just woke up at 5, got ready, then woke the babies up right before we left. Changed their diapers and stuck them straight in the car. The first couple hours were great - the babies just chilled, dozed on and off, and played in their car seats with little squeaky bath toys. Yep, those are their absolute favorite things right now - soft plastic toys that fit perfectly in their little hands.

At 7:30, we gave them sippy cups of milk; we had packed a small cooler in the car, and just trucked along. When we got to this tiny itty bitty (not even a McDonalds) town called Harrisburg, the babies were ready - very ready - for breakfast. We stopped at the cutest cafe, grabbed a table on the porch, and ate a delicious home cooked breakfast. Another diaper change and we were back at it. We got to Llano around 11 am to pick up Justin's deer in town. Then, we kept driving out into the country to his deer lease. Justin had to do a few 'chores' at camp, and has been wanting to show me the new place they hunt for awhile. We saw deer, cows and a turkey. PS I would have never know the animal was a turkey - it looked like a giant buzzard creature. Then, back in the car to head to Fredericksburg. At this point, K & N were just about over it. I sat in the back between their car seats feeding them snacks. I was so happy that I brought my Joy essential oil with me too. It was a critical component to keeping my sanity during this leg of the trip! haha!

Finally, we got to Fredericksburg. Found a cute cafe, ordered some Sam Adams, food for us and the babes, and sat on our second patio with 13 months twins for the day. K&N were, literally, the talk of the town. I wish we had counted the number of times people stopped everything they were doing to come talk to us, ask if they were twins, talk to K&N, and tell us we have our hands full. Even though this happens a lot, there was an extreme anount of twin questioning going on this weekend.

After lunch it was nap time for the entire family. This was our first hotel stay with the babies! We set up pack n plays for a siesta. (We took turns dozing, except Noelle, who was not having it, at all). After naps, we loaded back up and walked the town, shopped, let the babies run around. Which is SO fun you guys. Keegan is walking everywhere. More like running. He has got.it.down. Noelle isn't too interested in walking, yet. She creeps along everything, stands on her own a bit, and walks great behind push toys. One day she'll decide to take-off, and for now I will enjoy only having to chase one toddler.

Fast forward a bit to our third patio meal for the day. This time there was a live band. And the babies loved it. They danced and clapped to the songs. And, Keegan made sure all of the tables around us were watching him. He would literally clap. Stop abruptly to look all around him. Then we he got the  recognition he was waiting for, he would start clapping again. Ham.

Everything about this picture is not right, but its all we got. Why do they each only have one shoe on? What happened to my shorts?

We kept the babies up a bit past their 7 pm bedtime, then eventually headed back to the hotel to put them down. We had a balcony off our room, so once they were sleeping Justin and I had a place to hang out without disturbing them. Literally, the whirlwind trip couldn't have gone any better.

The drive home on Sunday was pretty uneventful as well. Babies took two naps. We stopped in a few little towns on our way, grabbed lunch, and got back to McKinney around 4. Unfortunately, something must have been in the air that didn't agree with me. I usually don't struggle with allergies but last night was a bit rough. I rubbed a couple drops of peppermint on the back of my neck, and diffused the allergy bomb. Seriously, the relief was almost immediate. I am sitting here  this morning with the same combo diffusing, and ready to tackle my work day.

I am placing my monthly order of essential oils tonight at 8 pm. If you are interested in trying one or two oils, I can order for you at wholesale price and ship to you. Just email me, comment below, or send me a message on instagram (@lee_erika).

Or, if you are ready to really jump in with incorporating essential oils into your lifestyle and family, I suggest the premium starter kit. This kit comes with 10 popular oils and a home diffuser. It's the best value! You can order yours via the 'Order Oils' link above. Oh, and everyone who gets a starter kit in May will also receive a copy of the Essential Oils Pocket Reference Guide.

What I love about sharing my LOVE of oils with friends, is that I don't have to pretend to know everything... Because I surely do not. I use resources such as the reference guide, and my amazing team (The Pretty Oil) to find answers to each question I get. It's a win/win.

Have a wonderful week!

I am not a doctor, I just love using essential oils. Any information or advice given on this site is meant to help educate and inform, not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Statements made on this website about Young Living oils have not been evaluated by the FDA. You should always check with your health care professional before starting something new.

 

Medicine Cabinet Makeover

When I first joined The Pretty Oil Team, I read about the 'medicine cabinet makeover' challenge. I admit, I was a bit skeptical when I first started hearing about essential oils. Growing up, we took benadryl for allergies, tylenol for headaches, and pepto for tummy aches. And, they helped minimize symptoms. So, I am not standing on a podium preaching the hault of western medicine. There is a time and place, and I completely understand this. I currently take Humira (an injected medication) for an autoimmune disease with no plans to stop, because it is critical to my health and wellness. But, I was curious, and desperate for a lifestyle minimizing the use of OTC drugs. I want to start getting to the root of the problem instead of masking the symptoms of the problem.

Over the past few days, weeks and months, I have slowly started integrating essential oils into our home. I do it slowly, cautiously, and after a litte (ok a ton) of research to decide what is best for our family.

Here are a few very honest, personal ways we have started the Medicine Cabinet Makeover:

• Replaced Mederma with Frankincense on c-section scar
• Replaced Icy Hot with Panaway for sore muscles after gym time
• Replaced prescription cortisone with Peppermint for eczema
• Replaced OFF insect spray with homemade Purification insect repellent 
• Replaced soft drinks and energy drinks with Nixia Red or Lemon Oil
• Replaced Z Quil with Lavender and Valor
• Replaced (expensive) Bobbi Brown night cream with coconut oil and frankincense

 

 

I am not a doctor, I just love using essential oils. Any information or advice given on this site is meant to help educate and inform, not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Statements made on this website about Young Living oils have not been evaluated by the FDA. You should always check with your health care professional before starting something new.

Spring Cleaning Time!

Last night, Justin and I sat down and decided to conquer our spring cleaning strategically this year. I fully understand it’s the middle of May and might possibly be too late to do ‘spring cleaning,’ but we are. And it’s fine. We work full time, are raising twins, entertain out of town guests often… and therefore spot clean our house regularly. But it’s hard to do deep-cleaning in areas that aren’t staring us in the face. Our kitchen and bathrooms stay pretty dang clean, and most of the time I am OK with that.

So,we’ve decided to deep clean one room in our house a night. Starting tonight. Insert groan.  The babies go down at 7, so that’s when our fun spring cleaning adventure will begin. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t kiiiiiinda excited for this deep clean, because I am using my oils. Shocker, right?

Here’s a few ways we are eliminating toxic cleaners and replacing them with all-natural cleaning methods using  essential oils:

1.       Purification Oil

a.       Add 3 drops of purification oil to washing machine before a load of laundry.

b.      Diffuse purification in each room as we go.

c.       Drop purification oil on a cotton ball and place in game room and guest room to cleanse the air in rooms where air can get stale from infrequent use.

2.       Lemon Oil

a.       Use lemon oil and water mixture to clean hard water stains on stainless steel appliances. I never, ever remember to buy the fancy ‘wipes’ at the store and this works JUST as well.

b.      Mix white vinegar with 10 drops lemon oil as a floor cleaner OR window cleaner!

c.       Overnight, place sponges or dish clothes in a glass bowl of hot water with lemon oil to kill germs.

3.       Thieves Oil

a.       Mix 5 drops thieves with baking soda to clean tubs, showers and sinks.

b.      Mix thieves in a water bottle and spray on outside plants to deter bugs and spiders.

c.       Put 2 drops in a cup of hot tea for flavor and to maintain health. (Not a cleaning tip, but tea will be critical post-cleaning….)

 

These three oils (and 8 others!) are all available in the premium starter kit. This kit has catapulted my family into leading a healthier lifestyle, and I’m not turning back.

Spring Into Summer with Essential Oils

 

 

 

Problem: Sunburn

Solution: Mix lavender oil with coconut oil and rub on.

Problem: Bugs

Solution: Purification oil is a natural insect repellent!

Problem: Allergies

Solution: The allergy-bomb. Diffuse equal drops peppermint, lemon and lavender oils.

Problem: Summer Cold

Solution: Thieves oil – a drop in a glass of water, rub on bottom of your feet, and disinfect those countertops!

Problem: Your kids are 2 days into summer vacation and are already BORED….

Solution: Peace & Calming Oil – diffused, dropped in a bath, Inhaled… lets be honest, i suggest you stock up on this one.

To get your YOUNG Living premium starter kit with the everyday oils collection, a home diffuser and much more, click the order tab above.

***with your premium starter kit purchase in may, the pretty oil team will send you the essential oils reference guide as a welcome gift!

 

 

 

 

When Life Gives You...Lemon Essential Oil...

When life gives you lemon essential oil....You basically have been handed a little vile of awesome sauce.

****To celebrate a May!!, the first person to purchase a premium starter kit is getting a lemon essential oil on me! To get yours, click here!

Image and post compliments of The Pretty Oil Team! Follow them on instagram @theprettyoil

Lemon essential oil is cold pressed from the rind of Citrus limon. Lemon essential oil promotes clarity of thought and purpose and has a purifying citrus scent that is invigorating, enhancing, and warming and is known as one of the most fragrant essential oils.

PRIMARY BENEFITS: • D-limonene supports a normal immune system – Lemon contains d-limonene, an antioxidant that has been linked to healthy immune system function.
• Promotes clarity of thought and purpose
• Energizes and stimulates the mind and body – Studies show that inhaling lemon can actually counter occasional feelings of depression.
• Opens and releases emotional blocks
• Supports skin health – it may be useful for cleansing the skin and reducing the appearance of wrinkles.

Who Should Use Lemon Essential Oil?
• Those looking for focus and clarity when the mind feels cloudy or confused
• Anyone looking to maintain a healthy immune system
• Those seeking an uplifting and energizing boost throughout the day
EXTENDED LIST OF LEMON USES:
COUGHS- Breaks up mucus, fights infection, soothes throat
DISHWASHER- Add a few drops to help remove hard water spots.
GUM, OIL, GREASE, CRAYONS- Use 1-2 drops of Lemon oil to remove gum, oil, grease spots or crayon.
VARICOSE VEINS- Rub several drops of Lemon oil on varicose veins to improve circulation and relieve pressure on the veins.
LEMONADE- For homemade lemonade, in a blender mix 2 drops of Lemon oil, 2 Tbls. of honey and 2 cups of pure water. Adjust to suite your own taste.
FRESH FRUIT- To clean and increase shelf life of fresh fruit, fill a bowl with cool water and 2-3 drops of Lemon oil. Drop cleaned fruit into the water and stir. Be sure all surfaces of the fruit contact the lemon
COUNTER TOPS- Add 2-3 drops of Lemon oil to water and spray counter to sterilize. Also, degrease your pots and pans with a little lemon oil! (we recommend using an empty bottle of thieves spray)
DISHCLOTHS- Soak your dishcloth overnight in a bowl of water and a drop of Lemon oil to disinfect and kill germs.
BATHROOM DISINFECTANT- Rub a drop of Lemon oil on your hands after using a public bathroom.

So there you have it. And of course, Lemon is part of the Premium Starter Kit.