Savings anyone?

So I’m a couponer, and clearance shopper (along with saving on my young living products by being on essential rewards), I like to save! Here’s a way to get something back for shopping like you normally do:

https://ibotta.com/r/cxhaccc

If you haven’t tried Ibotta app before, try it! So easy and a way to make back some money from your normal shopping. Use the link above.

The other way I save is by using Shopkick, I have earned so many gift cards to target, it’s amazing! All you do is scan items in the store for points, and earn when you open the app when you walk in. No purchases to earn!!! Here’s the code for that: Use code SAVE398385 or download https://getsk.co/save398385

Happy saving!

Lets celebrate them everyday

We hear all too often about “deadbeat dads”, or ones that don’t want to be an active parent. Unfortunately we don’t hear as often about the dads who step up, want to be a parent or are amazing single dads.

My dad happens to be one of the good ones. He raised my sister and I as a single dad when our biological mother walked away. I can’t imagine taking toddlers (I was a little over a year old and my sister was almost 4), as a single dad and raising two daughters. But he did, and when faced with a major medical issue with me, he did everything in his power to make sure I received the care I needed. That included multiple surgeries and a body cast for almost a year! Now he is an amazing “Papa” to my children and I can’t say thank you enough. If he didn’t step up I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

My husband is another unsung hero to our family. He is such an amazing dad and doesn’t get the credit deserved all the time for the work he puts in to allow me to be a stay at home mom. The sacrifices he makes by being away from us are not unnoticed, and appreciated every day. I couldn’t be the mom I am without his help and support.

I think we should celebrate great dads every day, not just one day a year. Thanks Dad, Dom, Lew and Dick. We appreciate all you guys do!

End of Month Special

Get your premium starter kit(any including the Savvy mineral starter kit, or Thieves kit) in the next 3 days through my link and get $20 in account credit! You also get entered into my epic November drawing for a free oil for 2 months and a special roller bottle blend the third month. (I chose the oils). AND you get a welcome package from me. The starter kits make a great Christmas present. Don’t miss out! Link to order:

https://www.youngliving.com/vo/#/signup/new-start?sponsorid=1436532&enrollerid=1436532&isocountrycode

And as promised, more Savvy Mineral makeup pictures. First picture makeup free, next right side of face done/left side of screen/left side of face no makeup. Last picture whole face now done.

No worries

Have you ever seen “play makeup” for little girls? The kind you find in Claire’s or other stores? It’s real makeup but advertised as kids makeup. It’s also horrible for your skin, and nothing I would want near my daughter. It’s filled with synthetic ingredients and lots of times made in China where you don’t know exactly what’s in it or if it’s made safely or not.

So what’s the better option? Savvy Minerals. This will be the only makeup my daughter is allowed to “play” with. I don’t have to worry if she tries to eat it, or uses too much or gets it in her eyes. (I’m not giving her brand new ones since I love mine so much, she will get my leftovers until she old enough for her own 😉 )There’s nothing bad or synthetic in it! She has beautiful fair skin and I wouldn’t want anything to harm it. She already loves mamas makeup, but will wait a few more years to try it. (Stay tuned for the next blog post, I’ll have more before and after looks, in the picture of Rocco and I, my makeup is all Savvy Minerals and really an easy look to do.)

Flash Sale!!!

***Update, sale is extended until September 18th!***

Well, if you’ve been waiting for a sale to get started with Young Living, you are in luck!!!

The premium starter kits are on sale now until Friday for 10% off. What a great deal!!! These kinds of sales only happen about twice a year, so don’t wait!! Don’t forget you also get some exclusive perks from me when you sign up…a welcome package with great reference material, access to exclusive groups and an entire team of people who can help answer any questions you may have on any Young Living products.

https://www.youngliving.com/vo/#/signup/new-start?sponsorid=1436532&enrollerid=1436532&isocountrycode=US&culture=en-US&type=member

Iron, ugh

So Brianna turned one a few weeks ago. Is it possible to be sad and happy at the same time, because that’s how I feel. It went by too fast!

She had her official one year check up and needed follow up blood work from 3 months before. The last time she was checked her iron was low so we increased iron rich foods in her diet hoping to address the issue. Unfortunately it did not work and it went down again. I didn’t realize this, but exclusively breastfed babies are at an increased risk for iron deficiency anemia. (Formula is iron fortified) We are still nursing and will continue to do so until she wants. So we were told she needs an iron supplement. Not a big deal…until 2:30 in the morning hits. For some reason thats when her little tummy can’t deal anymore and she’s awake with a horrible stomach ache. We have given her pear juice, water and all kinds of things to help. But I have to say the thing that has worked the best and fastest is Tummygize. I take a few drops and rub it around her belly button when her stomach is upset. It helps support normal digestion and is already diluted for little ones. The great thing is that it’s safe and effective.

She has another blood draw in 2 more months and we are hoping the supplement will fix the issue. Unfortunately she gets her anemia from me ,which I have been dealing with my whole life. Yay me. I just hope she grows out of it. What have you done with your kids to help soothe upset stomachs, from iron or otherwise?

Strep, seriously?

So a few days ago I woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and sore throat. I thought, hmm just a cold. Well, 2 days later and I couldn’t even swallow soup. It felt like knives going down my throat and I was hit by a bus. Off to the doctors I went and was diagnosed with Strep Throat. Ugh. I have no idea where I got it because nobody around me has been sick including my two kids.

So what was my saving grace? The only thing to help tame my burning throat? Young Living Thieves cough drops. So nice on my throat and helped enough that I could actually drink some fluids.

I also have been diffusing thieves and purification like crazy to help boost everyone’s immune system. Along with that I have cleaned every surface I touched with Thieves cleaner. So nice that it’s a safe and effective cleaner around my little ones.

Lastly, I used some peppermint vitality oil and clove vitality oil in my warm tea to help “cool”my throat. It helped a lot.

Looks like I’m on the mend, and hopefully this is the last of it around here. Who gets strep in the middle of summer?! Hope this helps someone who is dealing with this as well.

ART masque review

So recently I’ve decided to try all of Young Livings skincare line. I figured I’m LOVING their makeup so why not start with a healthy face?

I ordered the ART Creme Masque, and the mint satin facial scrub. I used the scrub first to gently exfoliate and then dried my face and put a small amount of the masque on. It felt like a rich moisturizer. I left it on for 25 minutes and wiped off with a warm wet washcloth. Ahh, so soft and smooth! You can also leave on overnight for extra moisture.

So after all of this I used my ART moisturizer and wolf berry eye cream and then my savvy minerals makeup. Here’s before and after below.So how much do I like the skincare line? I don’t like it, I LOVE it! It’s also nice that I get compliments on my skin and makeup quite a bit now. That says a lot. Link to order:

https://www.youngliving.com/vo/#/signup/new-start?sponsorid=1436532&enrollerid=1436532&isocountrycode=US&culture=en-US&type=member

Cough, cough

So when your husband travels as much as mine does, it’s just par for the course that both your kids suddenly get a terrible cough when he’s gone.

One of the kids has allergies, and the other well…who knows since she’s just 10 months old?

Anyways, both kids are coughing up a storm at night and I finally found somethings that have worked. (I also try not to use medications if at all possible, and you are very limited on what you can give a 10 month old for a cough) First I give both kids a bath and close the door with my diffuser running with sniffle ease and lavender. Next I have been using Sniffle-ease oil on both kids. I use coconut oil, a drop of sniffle ease for the baby mixed together and placed on her feet and neck/chest. I use a little more for Rocco since he’s older.

Lastly I have a cold mist humidifier running all night, along with my cold mist diffuser with sniffle ease and peace and calming. These together have worked wonders! Hope his can help a mom out there who’s looking for a natural way to help coughs.

I’m the lucky one

Two healthy, happy kids later and I’m realizing just how lucky I really am. I mean, obviously I realize that I’m lucky to have this family, but I’m so very lucky for other reasons that most people don’t have to think about.

I recently have received my hospital records for Brianna’s birth. I needed them to make sure I have the correct antibodies to put on my medical ID. Also to check that one, is in fact little c and not big C, because one is aggressive and the other isn’t. Unfortunately I confirmed that I have little c, the aggressive one.

Why would I consider myself so lucky when the odds of me getting sensitized to an antibody is .02% or less? I am so lucky because it didn’t effect Brianna, and I didn’t need a blood transfusion during surgery. I’m also lucky because I have a very supportive husband and family and I have found an amazing support group.

In my support group there are about 800 moms who have antibodies, this is world wide, not just in America. These past two months alone, about 5 moms have lost their babies to antibodies. These aren’t early losses, but second and third trimester losses. (There’s also some in the group that have lost their babies days to months old after birth)These women are some of the strongest people I have ever been in contact with. (Prayers and positive thoughts are welcome for these amazing women and their precious babies, ones in heaven and on earth)This group has the leading doctor on antibodies contact information and resources readily available. It’s amazing how many doctors do not know about antibodies and the treatment/standard of care to help these moms. Luckily this group has the latest research, medical journal publications and other very important information for moms to bring to their doctors. I can’t tell you how many babies have been saved by this group and their knowledge and persistence to make sure each mom has the proper care.

I’m amazed reading the notes between my doctor and the blood bank doctors before my c section with Brianna. I found out that the two units of blood set aside for me were not suitable for transfusion if my doctor had gone through with my c section and I needed blood. (Meaning it could have been life threatening to me if transfused.) I have one amazing doctor who didn’t know much about the antibodies but was wise enough to put my surgery on hold. (They found blood that was safe after 4 days)I’m so blessed that she has safely delivered both my kids.

I also found out that I don’t carry antigen E or K which means if my husband carries either of those, I could form antibodies to those as well (when we have more babies). This is very important to know for the future, especially since K is another aggressive one.

The last reason I’m so lucky is because now I have a huge passion and purpose I didn’t have before: To help others who have no idea about antibodies and raise awareness on how dangerous this is. (I had no idea!) I’m sure most of you have heard of the “rh factor”, and that if the father is rh+ and the mom is rh -, the mom needs to get a RhoGam shot while pregnant and after birth. This is actually antibody D, and the only antibody that has a treatment to prevent isoimmunization. So please, if you are a mom who is rh negative and the father is positive, please get the shot. (This only helps if you are not sensitized yet!)It could save your babies life. It could also prevent Mca scans every 1 to 2 weeks, blood draws every 2 weeks, possible intrauterine blood transfusions, delivery at 35 weeks or before, anemia in the baby as well as jaundice, and other complications . That’s what an isoimmunization pregnancy looks like, and this shot can help prevent it with antibody d. I wish they had more shots for all the different antibodies, then it wouldn’t be such a tough decision to have another baby or not. (Once you are an iso mom it never goes away and typically gets worse with each pregnancy) If you are a mom who has antibodies, has had an iso pregnancy or knows a mom who has been diagnosed and is looking for information, please contact me and I can get you in touch with the support group. It’s a very private group full of support and information. Amyhealthyliving@hotmail.com