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What It Feels Like Being Immunocompromised During The Coronavirus

If your immunocompromised than your probably like me and totally understand all these extra feelings, I recently came across this blog post and it’s too good not to share!

Our nation is in a public health crisis and some people are at a higher risk for serious complications than others, like the immunocompromised and …
What It Feels Like Being Immunocompromised During The Coronavirus

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With Love, Amy

Super Easy DIY Air Freshener

Listen, making and using your own non-toxic cleaners is super easy. Once you have your items gathered, it takes less than 5 minutes to make. Green cleaning is not only great for the environment but it’s also better for you and your families health.

You don’t have to take my word for it, check out https://www.ewg.org/ or do your own research on the dangers of toxic chemicals in our homes.

You’ll need:

1 cup Water

1/2 cup Everclear

20 drops doTERRA Essential Oil

16 oz Glass Spray Bottle (doTERRA’s Ultra Mist Sprayer would be even better for this recipe)

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in glass bottle and shake it, shake it like a salt shaker. Told ya it was super easy! Ignore my cheesy saying, this quarantine seems to be making me slap happy.

Get creative with your essential oil choices, I love Citrus Bliss Blend, it’s a lovely citrus blend (obvs) with hints of vanilla absolute. Ah it’s one of my favorites for air freshener and to diffuse.

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With love, Amy

5 Ways To Stay Healthy

I know it’s not always easy to just stay at home when you don’t feel good but, what may be a little cold to you could be severe in other people. Stay home and rest, especially now, we don’t have anywhere to go.

We know this, so, lets just wash em’ more often. Try doTERRA’s Foaming Hand Soap, it’s our fave!

Coughing and sneezing into your elbow helps to keep germs from flying out onto people or things. Having doTERRA Hand Sanitizing Mist is great to use while on the go germ fighter.

This is such a hard habit to break, most people (me included) don’t even realize they are doing it.

I’m going to pretend all y’all are little boys with cooties on the playground, no joke.

You’ve heard these or similar other tips a lot lately, but they are good ways to stay healthy and strong no matter the season or pandemic. Along with the above tips I also diffuse On Guard regularly to help keep our immune systems strong (learn more about On Guard here) I also take doTERRA’s number 1 selling product: Lifelong Vitality Pack. These supplements are number one because they work- and they come with a 30 day money back guarantee. I’ll be making a post soon with more details on what makes LLV so special.

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With love, Amy

6 Ways To Use On Guard

doTERRA’s Protective Blend, also known as On Guard is a favorite all year long. It’s also one of doTERRA’s most popular oils, which makes sense because not only does it smell great, but it also helps support healthy immune function. On Guard can also be used as a non toxic cleaner, when diffused it can purify the air plus its uplifting and energizing.

You can replace all the toxic chemicals in your life with one of doTERRA’s many On Guard Products, oh and they’ll ship your stuff straight to your door- which I obviously love. Yay for saving spoons where I can. They have On Guard Oil, Touch Roller, Tooth Paste, Mouthwash, Throat Drops, Beadlets, Soft Gel Capsules, Hand Sanitizer, Laundry Detergent, Cleaner Concentrate and even foaming hand soap.

Want some On Guard in your life? Yay! Follow this link to get started with a doTerra wholesale membership (Like Costco or Sam’s club) plus some On Guards products to get you started on ditching the toxic out of your life. No monthly charges, products are shipped directly to your door and you get to join all my secret education groups. Contact me with any questions or if you want to talk about other oil options.

Now I leave you with 6 additional ways to use On Guard..

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With love, Amy

Hot & Spicy Stay at Home Date Night Ideas

Listen up ladies, we don’t have to social distance from our significant others, that is unless they are sick then stay away, (Hello, common sense). Put the kids to bed mommas, grab some wine/tea and settle in for a few date night ideas plus my favorite bed-room essential oils- you will seriously have your mind blown with what I’m about to share with you.

It’s been 10 days since social distancing started, moms everywhere have been cooking second breakfasts, cleaning while trying to become teachers. I’ve drank an entire pot of coffee today and my hair is on day 3 of dry shampoo so, first things first, self care. Hot bath, wash my hair and shave my legs- I’ll plan date night for the next day because only other spoonies will understand when I say showers can be exhausting.

The last time I went to the grocery store I bought Popcorn and have planned movie nights for my husband and I, we also like to play cards, board games, and I once even got him to participate in a painting date at home! Listen there are millions of ideas on Pinterest, I’m more excited to share my essential oil love potions with you.

While we’re stuck at home, might as well spice up our love lifes. A happy husband might even help his wife finish her shiplap project (Don’t judge me, we’re married) so, order your oils here and get prepped for your date night, ENJOY these tidbits below.

Notice: I am in no way responsible for babies made because of my oil recommendations. (That is unless that’s what you wanted, then YAY!) We all know how babies get here so wrap it before you tap it, or whatever.

PS: The kit above is a starter kit with the 10 most popular oils, a diffuser plus to get you started with essential oils in the bedroom, Ylang Ylang and Clary Sage. If your interested in learning more about essential oils email me at: thebellwetherlife@gmail.com

With love, Amy

10 Life Hacks For Chronically Ill Moms

My husband always says “work smarter, not harder” and even though I’m rolling my eyes at all of his dad jokes this one means more to me now. When I have limited amount of spoons I have to get creative with my methods- as long as the end goal is accomplished it doesn’t matter how it gets done, right!? So here’s 10 little things that help make my life just a little bit easier, I hope it helps you too.

Most grocery stores offer curbside pickup and grocery delivery (Hello Kroger and Instacart). Being able to sit on the couch or lay in bed to grocery shop not only saves time, money and sanity for any mom but for the chronically ill mom it can mean saving valuable “spoons”.

Not sure what I mean by spoons? Check out this graphic.

Lists! Brain fog isn’t fun, neither is forgetting to refill the medicines or pay the water bill. As part of my nightly routine I write down a quick list of things I need and WANT to do, I can then prioritize my tasks based on that day’s activities or errands.
Cooking and cleaning generally take up a lot of my spoons, but I have found ways to make it easier for myself. I quickly jot down in my notebook meal ideas for the week, these vary based on sales etc. Once I have a general idea of our meals, I can then order our groceries online. Having a plan makes my weeks so much easier!
I have a Pinterest board FULL of slow cooker recipes and they get even more use now, it doesn’t get any easier than throwing everything in one pot and 4-8 hours later dinners done.
Having healthy snacks options is a must, especially with kids, they are always hungry. Batch cooking is where its at. I can spend a day or so whipping up things, chopping veggies, etc. then I have pre-prepped for easy to grab snacks and ingredients for dinners.
I’ve been slowly organizing and decluttering our house as I feel like it. When we don’t have as much clutter and “stuff” taking up our space, the less cleaning I need to do. Its already hard enough to keep our house clean with a husband, 2 kids and a 60-pound dog.
We can’t do it all anymore, and its OK. My kids have shocked me on how well they can wash dishes, sweep and fold laundry. Having help allows me to spend more time playing Xbox or board games with them later.
Before my health took this unexpected turn, I was a sewing fanatic, my kids had matching outfits for every occasion. I was extra, I know. I can’t sew like I used to now but it’s still an important part of my life. Blocking out time to print patterns and cut fabric on one day, so I can have projects ready to sew on other days. Find ways to keep doing what you love, even if you must find new ways to do them.
Just because your body wont physically keep up doesn’t mean you have to sit idle in front of the TV on those bad days. Distractions can be a huge help during flare ups, reading or learning a new skill like painting, knitting, embroidery, writing or blogging can offer you something else to focus on.
Give yourself grace. This is hard, life is hard, parenting is hard, marriage is hard. There’s no handbook for any of it, then you throw in chronic illness on top of it. Ask for help, say no more often, you’ve got this momma.

Do you have any life hacks/tricks you wish someone would have shared sooner? Drop them in the comments!

With love, Amy

5 Reasons Why I love doTERRA & You Will Too

Essential oils are everywhere now, you’ve seen them in your local supermarkets or health food stores, heck TJ Maxx even carries them ( I’m not hating on TJ Maxx either, you’ll soon learn just how much I love that store too), anyways not all essential oils are made equally.

When I first started my research into essential oils, I came across SO much conflicting information, my most important questions were:

How do I know the oils I’m purchasing are actually pure?
How do I know if I’m using the oils safely and correctly?
How does this company get their oils?

A company can put ‘pure’ or ‘all natural’ on their products but that doesn’t mean anything, there are currently no oversight into the manufacturing of essential oils to ensure purity so, DoTERRA has changed all that by creating a rigorous testing process.

Can you pass the test? Once doTERRA’s oils pass their testing they are labeled CPTG- Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade but, doTERRA goes even further by allowing everyone access to the test results from EVERY SINGLE BOTTLE! Say what? Use the ID number on the bottom of your bottle to see the results at www.sourcetoyou.com.
Ok so, I know my oils are pure but where do they come from? Every oil sold by doTERRA has been sustainably sourced with their Co-Impact sourcing Initiative. The commitment doTERRA has to its farmers, harvesters and distillers makes my heart so happy. DoTERRA sources its oils from over 45 different countries and over half of those are considered developing countries, this initiative allows doTERRA to cut out the middleman to create long term, mutually beneficial partnerships by creating sustainable jobs and offering fair, prompt payments.

By creating these partnerships doTERRA learned of many ongoing needs in these developing nations and created the nonprofit- doTERRA Healing Hands Foundation. The projects this nonprofit provides includes schools, health clinics, improved infrastructure and clean water systems.

As one of the top leaders in the essential oil industry doTERRA invests in research and testing. By partnering with research facilities, hospitals and universities doTERRA can remain at the forefront of essential oil science to learn more and more about the benefits of essential oils.
Yes, doTERRA is a network marketing company. BUT hear me out, during the planning stages of their business the founders wanted a way to provide their customers with education to make using essential oils safe and effective. When I first joined doTERRA 3 years ago I was clueless about using these oils safely for my family but thanks to doTERRA I was able to have a wealth of information I wouldn’t of been able to get if I would have bought them at the grocery store.

I could probably go on all day about why I love doTERRA but, you get my drift, so I wanted to leave you with WHY I even started using essential oils to begin with. Before my own health took a tumble I struggled with my kids issues (One kid had severe environmental and seasonal issues, the other from birth suffered from digestive troubles.) A facebook friend seen a post of mine asking for help, this chick sent me a free sample and stuck through the billion questions I had, what really shook me was the RESULTS, duh!

As we watched our youngests digestive issues get better, our oldest wasn’t experiencing normal seasonal annoyances any longer, we saw our immune systems get stronger and as a mom I had natural solutions for boo boo’s, upset tummies, bug bites, the sniffles, 3am fevers and even bad dreams.

With love, Amy

Want to learn more about essential oils? Contact me so we can discuss your health goals today.

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Boho Farmhouse Spring Mantle Decor

For the past 3 years we have been slowly renovating our small house, from installing our wood floors to putting up DIY shiplap. As a single income family, I’ve had to get creative with our home décor, almost all of our furniture has been purchased second hand via yard sales, Facebook marketplace, estate sales and online auctions. I usually always have an ongoing project, for example right now my ceilings need a second coat of paint and were still working on the dining room shiplap- but I only have so many spoons.

Over the years I’ve picked up art prints, Knick knacks, and other home décor pieces/accessories and when I move stuff around for the seasons I can “shop” my own house and find new ways to arrange things.

My home décor style is a mix between farmhouse/boho/lake house vibe- seriously, though I’m not sure what to call it. For my mantle I did splurge when I found this seagrass deer head at target for $39.99, it has become the star of the show. I purchased all the picture frames at hobby lobby a few years ago, they were of course on sale, the wildflower art prints were scooped up from a yard sale and I simply reframed them.

The rest of my mantle decor pieces were bought from local businesses or on clearance at my second home, TJ Maxx. Listen, I’m no expert on interior design my only qualifications include hours spent searching Pinterest and watching fixer upper, but I love it and hope my spring mantle decor can provide you with some inspiration.

Are you finished with your spring decorating? I’d love to see your DIY’s and projects, tag @thebellwetherlife on insta, so I can swoon while social distancing.

With love, Amy

10 Things to do while stuck inside

As a stay at home mom I’ve been well trained for social distancing but, with all the uncertainties that is surrounding this global pandemic it can be hard not to feel stressed at a time like this. Thankfully with today’s technology we can stay connected to our friends and families, our children can continue their educations and we could even use this “free” time to learn something new.

There are TONS of things you can do like:

Learn to sew
If you already sew, learn a new technique etc.
Learn hand embroidery, knitting or crochet.
Try out new recipes
Teach your dog new tricks
Play family board games
Read a book (or many)
Start your Spring Cleaning
Tackle a home project
Color (it’s a great stress relief) you could also learn to draw or paint.

I’ve learned throughout my life that, even in tough situations to look always look for the good, I GET to spend more time with my family, I GET to sleep in, I GET to finish my book. Having a positive mindset can do wonders for our moods and wellbeing. My favorite thing to do when my household is stressed or on edge is to diffuse various calming and relaxing essential oils to boost our moods.

I love to talk so, tell me what are you most looking forward to while we flatten the curve? ( We’re thinking positive, remember?) Are you going to pick up a new hobby or try an old one? Oh and have you tried any of these diffuser blends or do you have your own fave chill recipes?

With love, Amy

DIY On Guard Cleaning Wipes

So, if you don’t have your head in the clouds than you know that the store shelves have been empty of basically everything. I was extremely lucky to be able to get most of my normal groceries using Walmart’s curb side pickup but, it took 3 stores to find toilet paper.

My hippie ways have paid off, while most everybody else stares at the empty cleaner isles at the grocery store, I’m over here making all the natural stuff like On Guard Wipes. This is a quick and easy DIY, takes 20 minutes or less and I had all the ingredients on hand <- Don’t know what On Guard is? Don’t fret, I’m going to tell you, then I’ll share how you can get some too!

On Guard is doTERRA’s essential oil blend that is great for immune and respiratory support. Oh, and it smells like Christmas in a bottle, it includes oils like Cinnamon, Wild Orange, Eucalyptus, rosemary and clove. (See this post on why I love doTERRA essential oils)

DIY OG Cleaning Wipes:

Ingredients

1 roll premium paper towels

2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons fractionated coconut oil

3 drops doTERRA On Guard Protective Blend

3 drops doTERRA Lemon Oil

1-2 tablespoons doTERRA On Guard Cleaner Concentrate

Instructions

Cut paper towel in half widthwise with a serrated knife. You’ll be able to make more with the other half too!
Combine water, Fractionated Coconut oil, essential oils, and On Guard into a small bowl.
Put your half roll of paper towels into a container with airtight lid. (I used an old Tupperware container) then pour your mixture over the paper towels, let soak for 10 minutes, turn container over and sit for another 10 minutes.
Remove and discard the cardboard center. Pull wipes from the center of the roll when you’re ready to use

Seriously you are going to be amazed at the how well these babies work, you won’t want to go back to store bought. If you already love doTERRA than try these babies out, if not what are you waiting for? Follow this link to get started with the healthy habits kit. It includes everything you need to start diffusing and using essential oils, at an affordable price too!

With love, Amy