I have been using essential oils before it was “cool.” I have to thank my mom for being just hippy enough to be into them, and for getting me into them as well. Over the years, I’ve accumulated several bottles of EOs, and have become familiar enough with them to create my own blends for things like sinusitis and sore back, but that’s about the extent of my knowledge. I’m so grateful to have met Daisy of Nature’s Love Shop on Etsy through Instagram last year. While my knowledge is still limited, hers seems endless! And she’s a mom, and so she knows what we as mamas need, as well as what helps the littles. My first purchase from her was Wild Child for Bean, who was about 20 months. He was starting to get into the temper tantrum phase, and having a hard time dealing with all of these new, big feelings. While it doesn’t stop the tantrums, it definitely seems to help him calm down faster, and leaves him more at peace once the tantrums are done. My second purchase was for Teething Baby. At that time, Bub was about 4 months old and we had just learned that Hyland’s was taking their teething tablets off the US market. Those teething tablets were what got us through the worst of Bean’s teething, and I was lost without them! This roller was a godsend, especially since Bub refuses to keep his amber necklace on. Almost any time that his gums start to bother him and he gets fussy, I can roll this on his cheeks and he’s back to himself in a matter of moments!
I recently ran low on Teething Baby, so I bought Daisy’s baby bundle, which includes not only Teething Baby, but Sleep Baby and Breathe Baby, too. Both of the boys were getting over some kind of sniffles when these came in; the first night we used it, they both slept without snoring! Sleep Baby has been wonderful, because once we started using it, both of the boys started sleeping late in the morning again! With the days getting longer, they had started to get up around 7ish, which left me with no quiet time in the morning. Using Sleep Baby has given me back about an hour (or even 2!) in the mornings to get in some yoga and cleaning before they wake up. Daisy has even been sweet enough to include samples of her other blends in every order! Happy Mama is one I definitely need more of, it reminds me of Sequoia National Park, and definitely takes me to a happy place. Happy Tummy has been a rescue blend for tummy upset, which seems to happen a lot in our house. She also carries loads of cute diffusers. Check out her shop here and tell me in the comments what your favorite blends are! I got a chance to chat with Daisy and ask her a few questions. 1. Tell me a bit about yourself! My name Daisy and I live in California. I am a stay at home mom of two (boy and girl) and married for 9 years to my high school sweetheart. I love to laugh, enjoy life, love to read and learn new things. 2. What sparked your interest in essential oils? What started it all was 4 years ago my husband and I were over weight. I knew we had to change for ourselves and our kids. So first things first our eating habits changed, then that took me into what we had at home from cleaning supplies to air fresheners, you name it. I loved having those air freshener plugins in the wall. Realizing that all of the stuff I owned was full of toxins, I knew that had to go. Which brought me into diffusing essential oils. From that I learned that we can use them with perfect dilution on our bodies. 3. What are the brand and quality level of the oils you use? I use top quality therapeutic grade essential oils that are sourced directly from farms and undergo several testing to ensure no additives or contamination is present. 4. What is your experience, training, and/or expertise in essential oils? I love to read books on essential oils, I have also joined holistic/natural living classes and from there I have learned a lot. 5. If you had 3 wishes, what would they be? 1.To sleep a bit more lol, I am one tired mommy. 2. To stop time, just so I can cherish even more the moments I have with my kids. 3. To bring peace to our beautiful world.
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Attention breastfeeding mamas: I have found the perfect bra. The holy grail of t-shirt bras. The unicorn. No, I’m not kidding. Even if you’re not breastfeeding anymore, this is seriously the most comfortable bra I’ve ever worn in the history of me wearing bras. I anticipate wearing these for a long time even after Bub has weaned. I’m talking about the Marvella bra from Kindred Bravely. I’ve been pregnant and/or breastfeeding for nearly 4 years. I have tried multiple brands and sizes of nursing bras, and been disappointed every. single. time. I’ve ordered online. I’ve shopped in stores. I’ve measured myself, had my husband measure me, had the lady at the shop measure me. I’ve had the measurements taken before and after nursing. In the morning and in the evening. Despite having all the numbers, nothing ever fit. Nursing bras have either been too itchy, no support (what’s the point?), not enough coverage, too much coverage (granny bra anyone?), wiring or boning that started to dig within moments of putting it on, fit fine when I first put it on but my boobs quickly falling out with minimal movement, cups too big or, more often, far too small, or some combination of the above. I read several reviews on Kindred Bravely before I finally decided to spend the money on yet ANOTHER bra. The reviews were great, and I loved the fact that these bras were actually designed from start to finish by a breastfeeding mama. It also helped tremendously that her sizes went up to DDD(F), which is hard to find in most stores and even online. With a coupon code in hand, I took the plunge. And I am SO glad I did! The moment I received the bra (super fast shipping, BTW), I ripped open the package to put it on. The first thing I noticed was the extreme softness of the bra. I’m pretty sure Deeanne uses unicorn hair or something. I slipped it on, and I heard angels sing. The bra has no closures on it, just the clips to let the cups down to nurse. It’s smooth all the way around, and while the band is wider and provides excellent support, it did not roll. The racer back is perfect, because it gives extra support for the milkies, without any wires or boning or shaping. The straps are easy to adjust, and do not give me a headache like a lot of racer backs I’ve tried. Plus, most of my tank tops are racer back, so I can wear this without my bra straps showing (not something I’m usually worried about, but I know a lot of women prefer to not have them show). The cups are nicely padded, lending even more support and hiding the fact that my nips are constantly at attention (breastfeeding moms KNOW). The clips are easy to use one-handed; both unclipping and clipping them back. Next to the velvety softness of the material, my favorite part is the plunge neckline. For ease of nursing, most of my tops are low-neck, meaning most of the full-coverage nursing bras I’ve owned/tried show quite a bit. Not this bra! I can wear my super low V-necks, and nothing shows! What is the first thing that most women want to do the moment they walk through the door after a long day at work or running errands? Take that bra OFF! I have been partaking in the bra removal tradition just about as long as I’ve been wearing them. Once I lived on my own, my bras would generally be laying on a chair or table nearest to the door, along with my purse. What if I told you that I almost slept in this bra? Yes, it’s THAT comfortable. The only reason I didn’t was that I did not want to have to wake up enough to undo the snaps for the million times a night that Bub nurses :P
But how many times have we thought we found “the one”, only to have it fail us shortly thereafter? (I’m talking bras, still, ladies, even if this does apply to other areas of life.) After nearly 2 weeks of almost constant wear and a few hand washes, this bra is still as comfortable and fits as nicely as the first day I tried it on. Kindred Bravely has a ton of different styles, including sleeping bras, full coverage, nursing tanks, actually CUTE postpartum undies (I soooooo wish I’d had these instead of the walmart cheapies after giving birth), nightgowns, and pajama sets. This is only my first purchase, and I will most definitely be buying more from Deeanne in the future! I know you need to try some for yourself, so here is a link for $10 off your first purchase: https://www.talkable.com/x/uiVxDy Be sure to sign up for Deeanne’s newsletter and "Like" Kindred Bravely on Facebook! I generally avoid newsletters, but her's are always short and sweet, and have lots of GREAT offers! Have you checked out the website yet? Post a comment with your Kindred Bravely wishlist! I'm obsessed with the Lucille and Angelina nightgowns! *******Disclaimer: I was not provided any kind of compensation in the way of product or anything else for this review. All statements and opinions are entirely my own. All images are courtesy of Kindred Bravely |
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AuthorMama Bear of one Baby Bear, Bean, who both love Papa Bear, and live in a crafty, gluten-free cozy den. Archives
June 2017
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