7 Favorite Essential Oils

I love using essential oils. Especially in my pampering endeavors. I tend to gravitate towards scents that promote relaxation.

Combining chamomile and lavender oil is by far my favorite combination. I generally use about 5-10 drops of each in a hot bath. I also add some epsom salt and baking soda with that. I love doing this before bed. Both of these oils help me to fall asleep. They are so soothing.

Another combination I enjoy is peppermint, rosemary, tea tree and eucalyptus. I will either put the oils straight into a hot bath, or I will make my Lucky Minty Goodness bath fizzies. These are great when you’re stuffed up and congested.

I use the rose oil in my milk baths. This is another soothing smell that i combine with powdered milk and honey. Delicious, and so good for your skin.

Here is the complete list of the oils I mentioned:

1. Lavender

2. Chamomile

3. Peppermint

4. Rosemary

5. Tea Tree

6. Eucalyptus

7. Rose

Let me know what oils you like and how you use them. Drop your comments down below, or email me.

Keep Smiling!

Duolingo Review

I have tried several of the free language learning apps on android. I want to talk a little bit about the Duolingo app by Duolingo. This one is by far my favorite.

The selection of language options is amazing. I have tried all languages available for the English speakers to learn. I wish I could pick just one language, but I truly enjoy them all. Just not all in one day. That can get confusing.

The app even gives you different learning options. I currently learn at a casual pace. These lessons only take about 5 minutes each. Being a busy mom, this is perfect. I usually do my lessons on my lunch break, or before bed. They do have longer lesson plans, if you prefer.

The app itself is visually eye catching and colorful. It is very organized and well managed. It also reinforces the information, so you don’t forget. This app definitely gets a mommy high five!

Morning Routine of a Full Time Employee and Mom

How nice is it to wake to the sound of birds singing, or to feel the warmth of the sunrise cascading over your bed in the morning? I would genuinely like to know. It sure does sound nice.

Instead, I wake up somewhere between 5:00 and 6:00 in the morning to a crying child. She is by far the best alarm clock! She never lets me over sleep.

I get out of bed and go change my daughter’s diaper. We go out to the living room, where she plays. Thank goodness I was blessed with a fairly independent youngster. While she plays, I get dressed for work and pick her clothes for the day. Next, I make her and me breakfast.

Once we are done eating I finish getting my hair and face ready. For my makeup routine click here.  After I am ready for the day, I dress my kiddo. I do this after breakfast because she is a very messy eater. Then, I make sure our fish and dog are fed and medicated.

Next, I make my bed. This makes me feel so much more productive during the day. Lastly, I start a load of laundry and run the dishwasher. Done and out the door! Then it’s off to daycare, and work.

Here is my morning checklist:

~ Make bed

~ Get dressed

~ Laundry

~ Load/Empty the dishwasher

~ Drink water

~ Breakfast for me

~ Feed the fish and the dog

~ Give doggy his medication

~ Little one’s breakfast

~ Dress the kiddo for daycare

This list is not in any particular order, as my order changes. If any of you have a good morning routine, I would love to hear it! Leave your comments below.

A Quick Makeup Tutorial

Between getting my daughter ready, myself ready, and getting a few chores done, I like to get things done fast. This makeup routine does not take much time at all. It is perfect if you’re in a hurry.

First, I apply a small amount of the Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream around my eyes . This helps as sort of a primer, and covers under eye circles.  I don’t have too much of a problem with acne, so I don’t bother with covering my whole face in foundation. If you do have issues with breakouts, then do whatever you feel comfortable with.

Second, I apply my eyeshadow. I’m currently using Almay’s trio for greens. I use the lightest color from my lid to my brow. In the crease I put the medium color. Last, I apply the darkest color to the outside corners of my lids and creases.

After the shadow has been applied, I put on my eyeliner. I’m absolutely loving the Maybelline Unstoppable line. I currently have the color Cinnabar. Then, I curl my lashes and apply my Covergirl Bombshell Volume by Lashblast. Last, I use the Clinique blush in the shade Mocha Pink.

That completes my quick makeup routine. Hope this helps your mornings go better. If you have any tips or tricks for a speedier morning, leave a comment! Below is the list of makeup I mentioned in this post along with a link to each item.

•  Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream                                                                                                 
•  Almay’s trio for green eyes                                                                                                             
•  Maybelline Unstoppable eyeliner in Cinnabar                                                                                  
•  Covergirl Bombshell Volume by Lashblast                                                                                              
•  Clinique blush in Mocha Pink

Chili Time!!!

I love to have chili during this time of the year! The smell of coming home to dinner ready to be eaten. Thinking of the aroma of it makes me hungry. To me chili is the ultimate fall meal.

I decided to share my recipe with all of you. It's really simple.

For meat, I like to mix things up. I use one pound of ground beef, one pound of ground sausage, and one sausage link. The combination of beef with sausage is amazing! Plus, I enjoy having different textures in my chili.

After adding all of my meat to the crockpot, I add diced up onion. The rest of my ingredients are canned. I use one or two cans of chili beans, one can of diced tomatoes, and one can of tomato sauce.

I season everything with chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and a few cloves of minced garlic. If you like it spicy, add some cayenne pepper for extra kick.

I start this in the morning. I leave the slow cooker on low for six to eight hours. Then it's time to enjoy. Perfect for a cool fall evening. Enjoy, and keep smiling!

What's in my diaper bag?

*This is an old post from my previous blog. Awww, I miss my little girl being that little!*

It’s nice to travel around and know, without a doubt, that you have all of the things necessary to care for your child. Mine is a little over 15 months old at the moment.

First, I want to list all of the items I used to carry in my carter's bag(which I am in LOVE with!!). These are the things I needed when she was still a baby. Of course, she is still a baby to me. But, to others she is a toddler now.

As a baby we seemed to carry a lot more in our diaper bag. Now, it is a lot easier to travel with her, as she requires less. So, here is the list for an infants bag:

– 3 diapers

– Travel wipes

– 2 burp clothes

– 1 or 2 prepped bottles (depending on how long we would be out)

– A portable bottle warmer (I strongly recommend getting one)

– 2 changes of clothes

– A snugly (which is what we call the blankets with an animal head attached)

– A toy that makes noise, like a rattle

– 2 pacifiers, in case you loose one.

– A blanket

– A changing pad

Now here is what I currently pack. This is the toddler list:

– 3 diapers

– Travel wipes

– Small container of snacks

– 1 sippy cup with water

– A couple of small toys

– A changing pad

– If it’s extra cold, a blanket

– 1 change of clothes

– 1 pacifier

That’s really all I need now. My daughter loves to go everywhere. She doesn’t bore easy, and she loves to watch EVERYTHING. So, she stays pretty entertained. Most of the time I don’t even have to get the toys out. Unless we are waiting on a doctor’s appointment, which can sometimes be a lengthy wait. The pacifier is only used when she gets sleepy.

Well, there you have it! I would love to hear what you all keep in your bags.  Feel free to leave a comment! ;) If you would like a link to any items above, let me know!

Blueberry Pancakes!

Never underestimate the power of pancakes. They are cheap, fast, and simple. An excellent breakfast staple that can be customized to your hearts desire.

This morning, that is exactly what my daughter and I had. I always keep variety of frozen fruit on hand. This time we had delicious pancakes with wild blueberries. Can’t you just here them sizzling in my skillet.

Spread on a little butter and drizzle a little syrup. YUMMY! What I want to know is, what are your favorite kind of pancakes? Leave them in the comments down below.

Lucky Mint BATH FIZZIES! DIY!

I very much enjoy those delicious bath bombs, but they can be pricey. So, I decided to be nice to my wallet and make my own. They are surprisingly easy to make. I find it kind of fun.

In the spirit of this past Saint Patrick’s day, I decided to make some green bath fizzies.  With colds and the flu flying around, why not mint? So I concocted a nice mixture of minty oils, which I will list below. I also combined some blue and yellow food coloring to make them green.

Here are the ingredients:

– Citric acid
– Baking soda
– Powdered milk
– Epsom salt
– Yellow coloring
– Blue coloring
– Peppermint oil
– Eucalyptus oil
– Tea tree oil
– Rosemary oil

This type of bath fizz is great for a stuffy nose.  Sorry I don’t have exact measurements. But, a girl has to have some secrets. Wink! Let me know what oils are your favorite down below.