My Maternity Photos

I am so excited to show you the best of my maternity photo shoot! I was so disappointed when I did not get to show them to you when I got them. It was after I had David, due to me being induced. But all is good now and I want to share them with you. Because why take photos and not share them?!?!?!

I know you think I am crazy for posting the last one but my dog Scamp is just too cute! <3 He needs his 20 seconds of fame. I am so happy with how all of these turned out. It made me feel so good in my skin and so happy to pregnant. I love these memories. I miss the kicks and every magical moment. I praise God for blessing Daniel and I with baby David!

The Answer to an Oh so Happy Valentines Day!

Valentines day is now only 2 weeks away! I hope you are already thinking about what to do with your loved one. I know I am. I want an amazing date night and to spend some good quality time with my man. I would love to dress up and get out of the house baby free! I want to eat some amazing food and have good quality conversation with my husband. And like most of you I am ready for some good bedroom fun!

I am going to be 100% straight forward with you so if you want to bail on this blog post you can before it is too late. I am going to give you my tips that I have learned to use oils for romantic moments. So now that you are warned I am excited to teach you. First and for most I have to give Lucy Libido credit for opening my eyes to what oils can do in the bedroom and encouraging me to give it a try. She is the author of a book all about how oils can help you in the bedroom. I have been in a class of her's on Facebook and loved it so much good information. Today I am not doing to share with you her tips but the ones I know work. But first I have to share her book with you! Order it!! Seriously you will learn so much more than just what I am sharing with you!

 Okay so I have just a few tips for you! I am just recently getting started with using oils for romantic use. But I had to share with you ASAP because you need a happy and fulfilling life!! Not to mention God made loving for us to enjoy and he made us oils too!

• Joy: Use Joy essential oil at the beginning of your day. It helps keep your mind positive and makes sure even a bad day can't ruin your evening with your hubbie. Also if your man tends to get stressed out at work, put a few drops of joy in his underwear and problem solved!!! And you do not have to tell him, just do it when folding clothes. 
• Stress Away: Use this oil to help calm both of you down and help you relax. It is great after a long day at work or just a busy day. It makes bedroom time stress free and clears your head so you aren't thinking of what item you're missing on the grocery list. 
• Shutran Shaving Lotion: Obviously having Shutran oil on hand is ideal but it is like $75 a bottle. So for us I bought Daniel the after shave which was cheaper to start with. I am planning on ordering the oil ASAP. It smells super good and I honestly like it more than cologne. Shutran is often described as making women go crazy for their man and some women won't let their husband wear it when they aren't with her.
• Ylang Ylang: This one is amazing just trust me. History shows that back in the day in India, they lined the newly married couples bed with Ylang Ylang to make for an amazing wedding night. They had good reason for doing that!!! Apply to the wrists, back of the neck or inner thigh. 
• Sensation Massage Oil: First off I totally think the label should be pink!!! Why green?!?! But anyways this blend of oils will CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!! Apply to you and your hubbie's inner thighs. Trust me. 

Follow exactly what I said and you will be having an Oh so Happy Valentines Day!

Your Welcome!! xoxo

The Top Ten Ways I Show my Husband that I Love Him

One of the hardest issues in Daniel and I’s relationship has been learning how to show each other love. We were great at showing each other love in our own love language but awful at speaking the others. We did the love language quiz and Daniel was 3 and I was the other 2. No real common ground and few over lapping answers. We would have been 100% screw if we did not work at helping each other see what our love languages were and how to show each other love. I hint to Daniel what I need/want and he does the same for me. I highly suggest you order The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts and read it to start off with so you know for sure what your husband’s love language is.

For Daniel though he loves quality time, physical touch, and words of affirmation. I have learned through tons of brainstorming and talking to Daniel what to do. It was 100% a learned sort of love. Because for the first few month of our relationship I showered him in gifts and did tons of cooking for him. I thought he was going to be full of love tokens but really it only worked so much. So here are my top 10 ways I show Daniel I love him.

1.       Love Notes: I sometimes make Daniel’s lunch for work. When I get to do this I will write a sweet note to him or put a piece of candy in his lunch box. It is easy and so quick to do, but it really means a lot.

2.       Learn to enjoy his Interests: This comes to play big time in what we watch on TV. Daniel is an action and scary movie guy. I am a romance, comedy, and drama girl. I have learned to enjoy UFC fights. I try to understand football. We have found shows that I can dig that are his kind of shows. Here are a few: Timeless, Lethal Weapon, and Super Girl.

3.       Pray for Him: I know to Daniel this probably means so little because he honestly has NO idea how often I do it or what I say. But I make a priority to pray for him as often as I can.

4.       Massages: Daniel works hard and stands up all day painting. He comes home sore and tired and sometimes I get to show him love in a massage. I enjoy giving a massage and love using the oils with it. I do though tend to grumble and complain about this one. But if I focus on how much I love him, all of my attitude falls away.

5.       Let Him be a Man: I HATE HATE HATE this one. As a woman I want him to be home as much as he can and be around me all the time, till I need alone time. But he on the other hands needs time outdoors and loves to camp. I love that too but I am not going camping with a 3 month old. I am not crazy. So I have to sacrifice some time with him so he can go be a man. He needs to use his machete, build a fire, and be a man. It stinks and is lonely but a man needs to feel like a man.

6.       Cuddles: I either HATE cuddles or really need them. Daniel is the same way. Sad thing is when he needs cuddles 9 times out of 10 I so do NOT want to cuddle. It is like Satan in action. But giving up my personal space and feel squished for a little bit is worth it to make your man feel loved. Not to mention once I get over myself cuddles are truly the best!

7.       Encouragement: I constantly try to affirm Daniel in what he does. Well the good things he does. I want him to know how good of a father he is, how amazing of a worker he is, and how great of a husband he is.

8.       Doing the Tasks he Hates: Daniel doesn’t like paying bills, doing paper work, budgeting, or making appointments. I don’t LOVE doing those things but I can do them. I would rather do those things than see him unhappily doing them.

9.       Oil him Up: One way I show him love is staying in tuned with how he feels. When he is depressed I will cover him in Joy, Stress Away, and Valor. When he is in pain I put Deep Relief and Orthosport on him.

10.   Brag About Him: Being your husband’s cheerleader is a common topic anymore. I think lots of women try and do it in the home. That is good and all but you should be so proud of him that you are screaming about it from the rooftops. No one else in the world is just like your husband, NO ONE! You should be bragging about how amazing he is. For Example: Daniel has a really good singing voice though he would never admit it, Daniel’s real laugh is so contagious its crazy, or Daniel is so good at learning new trades and rocking it. Share those traits with your friends when you talk about your husband.

I am by NO means perfect at loving my husband. You can ask him! He will tell you many days I fail miserably. But the point is I try. I have set down and pinpointed what I do that he receives as love. I have tried many love actions and failed many times because say gifts don’t show him love or I thought he liked a certain food and he did not. I want to make him feel more loved and accepted than he has ever felt in his life. Why? Because I know how it feels to be lonely, I know how it feels to feel worthless, and I know what it feels like to think no one really loves me. I never want him to feel that way. I never want him to feel like he doesn’t matter or isn’t one of the most important people on the planet. Because to David and I, he the most important person!  

Natural Girls Gift Guide

Who else gets stuck when making their Christmas Wish list??? I know I do every year and I literally spend weeks figuring out what the heck I want and editing my list! So I have compiled some of the best things I have found this year for those natural girls out there. So if you are like me here are a few items you will LOVE!!

1. Piperwai Natural Deodorant: I have read reviews that this is one of the best natural deodorants out there. I have not used it yet but it is on my list and I am so ready to give it a try.

2. Peach Tea: This is seriously one of my favorite loose leaf teas! It has a sweet warming flavor to it!

3. Monat The Champ Dry Shampoo: It is all natural and all the videos I have seen with it have amazing results! This item is definitely on my list and I am praying I get it. If you don't think that this is a must have go read the ingredients on your Dry Shampoo bottle and you will want to try this! This is a MLM and I am going to post below the amazing lady I follow who uses it. I have learned so much about hair from her page! Seriously, She is worth following! Her name is Kendall Welden.
Dry Shampoo

4. Yoga Starter Kit: I love yoga and I hope you do too! It is amazing for your health! This starter kit is on my list.

5. Night Cream by Hardtfeltskincare: This is one of my favorite Etsy buys!!! I used it on my belly for stretch marks and love it as my go to moisturizer. I know it is for your face but I use it for my whole body.
Night Cream

6. Essential Oil Diffuser: I love this one with the bamboo look and changing colors. It will be a lovely addition to your home.

7. Core De Force: It is a MMA workout program. I am hoping my hubby will do it with me.  Couple workout time is the best in my opinion. Go to shop>Fitness Programs>Core De Force. You will get added to my most recent fitness support group when you order your program!
Core De Force

8. Salt Lamp: I love these things! I have mine on right now as I am writing this. They promote a good immune system, help you relax, clean the air, and much more.

9. Northern Lights Black Spruce 5ml: This essential oil seriously has the best scent. It is winter in a bottle. My husband and I love diffusing it at night. It seriously makes it feel like you are camping. We love it. It also helps with dry skin so it is the perfect winter time oil.
Northern Lights Black Spruce

10. Activated Charcoal for Whitening Teeth: I have heard such amazing things about this! I am ready to try it. Scared to see how it tastes but this one is flavored thankfully. White teeth is a great Christmas present.

That concludes my list! I hope you found some amazing inspiration and even have some items you are adding to your list! Ladies send this to your hubby as your Christmas wishlist! You will LOVE Christmas day!

Top 5 Must Haves for the Christian Woman

My whole life I have loved spending time with the Lord and keeping my focus on Him. I remember as a young girl I would sit in our sitting room and color pictures while singing songs to the Lord. I would sing songs to Him for hours and hours. Now days with being married and having a 3 week old newborn it is a little bit harder to find time to keep my focus on the Lord. We haven't been to church since maybe 2 or 3 weeks before the baby was born. So I have had to work really hard on keeping my focus on the Lord. I am going to share with you the five main things I believe will help you in your journey of seeking the Lord.

 1) Have a laptop, phone, or Bible ready in all of the places you spend time in. I have a couple examples of how this has been useful to me in the past few months. At the last job I worked I always kept in my bag a a Bible or Bible study; so when life got hard and I needed an encouraging boost I had God's word ready. I also keep one of those easy to read devotionals in my bathroom for potty breaks and bath time. One of the biggest things for me right now is having the bible or any device with the Bible in all the places I breastfeed David. Many times breastfeeding is the only way to calm him down when he is fussy even though he just falls asleep. I get tired and frustrated, but when I pray or read God's word it calms me down. So keep God's word in the places you will need it most.

2) Get a prayer journal. I just recently ordered one and started using it. I must say it has been a HUGE help. I love being able to write my thank yous, requests,and praises down before I pray. It helps me stay focused and I feel more powerful when I pray because of it. I also love reading my past prayers and seeing what God has done in my life as well as seeing the unanswered prayers that I am happy about. My prayer journal I have now is pink leather and has a scripture on every page. I highly recommend getting this one it is simple but just what you need. Click on the picture to order it!

3) Get a day planner that is Christian based. I used to get those day planners that were full of motivational quotes that inspired me. Now that was all good and fun but it had no depth or profound effect on my life. I spend a good 2 hours searching to find myself the perfect day planner and I have found it! It has scripture verses, themed months, and quotes from Christian authors. It helps me keep my priorities straight when planning my week. I also find that the month's themes seem to always be just what I need. This months theme is prayer and I am LOVING it. Click on the picture below to go check it out!

4) Have a playlist on Pandora or Youtube full of your favorite Christian music. Sometimes when we are driving, cleaning, or just to busy to read; it is soothing to the soul to listen to your favorite Christian music. I am super picky though, I hate the songs they play on the local Christian radios. They just aren't my style. That is why on Youtube I made a playlist of my favorites. Many of those songs are country songs that focus on God. I get chills while listening to them because they speak to my soul. I highly recommend making your own playlist to enjoy, but here is the link to mine if you want to check it out! My Christian Playlist

5) The final and most important thing I believe you need isn't something you can buy or put together really fast. It takes time and being mindful to add to your life. You need to have a deep heartfelt desire for the Lord. You need to be at a place that when the hard times come your first instinct is to cry out to the Lord for help. You need to have an awareness and knowledge about what the Bible says our role is as a woman and you need to figure out how to act accordingly. I am going to be truly honest, I am no where close to mastering this step. It is hard. But every time I work at it, I reap amazing rewards in my life,

Before I close this blog I would like to leave you with a few scriptures to help you on your journey to being a better and more mindful Christian woman.

Proverbs 21:9 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. 

1 Timothy 3:11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 

Proverbs 11:16 A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches. 

Proverbs 31:20-21 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. 

Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 

Proverbs 14:1 The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.

Why Meal Prep and Plan as a Stay at Home Mom?

So many times I am asked this and even ask myself this question, it seems pointless. Why cook ahead for the week when you are going to be home all week? It can even be hard to find time to do it on the busy weekends. It used to be my life line! When I was working full time and running an at home business, cooking was something I had NO time for. I would always meal prep a ton of food for the whole week. Now I still try and meal prep for my husband while he is working. I also do a bit of meal prep for myself on Saturday and Sunday. Let me explain why: Here are my three top reasons for meal prepping while being a stay at home mom.

1.       I Run out of Energy: All the time I run out of energy. Or I am so busy and focused on something that I am doing I have no clue I am getting hungry. Then all of the sudden BOOM I have a killer headache and feel as if I am going to pass out if I don’t get a good meal in me right now! Meal prep helps me in my many uh-oh I am hungry situations.

2.       When I Need a Snack or Quick Fix I Naturally go for the Junk Food: I am a HUGE easy meal person. What are the easiest meals? Junk foods! Frozen pizza, frozen dinners, chips, PBJs, Grilled Cheese, Quesadilla, and so on. I can’t do that all the time. Now YES I eat all of those, but I can’t afford to mess up on my meal plan daily. So meal prepping provides a way for me to have an “easy” meal and it be extremely healthy.

3.       Appointments Run my Life: I have so many appointments each week and the easiest solution is to have fast food before I leave or on my way home. My body doesn’t need fast food though after every appointment. So meal prepping gives me the ability to throw say already cooked mixed veggies in the microwave for 45 seconds and grab a Greek yogurt and be on my way.

Like Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Having those go to already cooked foods is one of my way of planning to be successful in my health and fitness journey. I also wanted to share with you my free bonus tip!!! I started this just last week and it has seriously been revolutionary. Below I have it pictured. I write out what I have available to eat each week by food groups. So I am never stumped on what to eat. Or I know exactly what I have in stock. It makes sure NO food is wasted and that I never catch myself say, “There is nothing to eat in this house.”

My friends today I am encouraging you to start planning to succeed instead of planning to fail. I would like to extend an invitation to you to join my 5 Day Free Meal Prep for Success group starting on October 17, 2016. It will be hosted on my Facebook page and will be full of amazing information to help you learn to do what I do! Comment below if you want to join with your email address! Also if you are learning about this after the above date Check out the tabs section of my Blog my goal is to soon have these easy short Free Classes available through download and also open up some exclusive health and wellness courses.

Just had to share with you what I made today! I made Lentil Soup, 5 Grains, and Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Muffins. Take a look at the finished product! You can find these recipes on my Pinterest page under the board Hunger Time.

Top Tips for Crushing Heartburn During Pregnancy.

My heartburn has been almost unbearable during this third trimester. Nothing seems to help for over an hour. I always seem to end up feeling hopeless and unprepared. Lately though I have been following an amazing plan of action. I am able to ward most of the heartburn off without taking too much medicine, getting fat, or drinking tons of soda.

• Have Rolaids always at the ready. Make sure to take 2 before bed to make sure you can sleep. Don't take more than 8 in a 24 hours time span.
• Have a case of sprite on hand. Make it a goal of only drink 2 a day max. Sip them when you drink them.
• Have sparkling water always on hand. You can find some fun drinks on Pintrest to make. This week I am making virgin mojitos. Sparkling water give you the save effect as sprite but you can make it healthier. 
• Eat mini meals all day. Eat healthy as well. You can eat a lot more healthy foods like salad, fruit, and veggies than you can unhealthy food. You won't have the ridiculous weight gain if you eat mini healthy meals all day to help ward off  heartburn.

Don't let heartburn ruin your pregnancy. Just work smart and get through it.