Visiting Mount Rainier

While planning our summer vacation this summer, we decided to explore a part of the country that we hadn't seen before. We were already heading from Idaho to the Oregon coast and decided to stop in and see Mount Rainier. Prior to our trip, I did a lot of reading online about the best places to hike and the must see areas of Mount Rainier National Park. The pictures were breathtaking and I couldn't wait to take my family to see this incredible beauty!  As many of you know, the Western part of the United States has seen so many fires this summer and the air is thick with smoke. As we drove through Washington we hit pockets of very low visibility and were afraid that we wouldn't be able to see our mountain.

We arrived at the southeast corner of Mount Rainier National Park in the morning, we had read that you have to get there early, and our first stop was Grove of the Patriarchs. Walking on this trail in the morning with very little people around, was a really cool experience. We hiked about a half mile to a foot bridge that crosses the Ohanapecosh River. This bridge is a one-person-at-a-time bridge and is really cool to walk across. Once we crossed the bridge, we wind around on a trail that took us through an old growth forest that was absolutely majestic and a little bit magical. This is certainly a stop you need to make when visiting Mount Rainier.

After visiting Grove of the Patriarchs, we headed to Paradise. All of the information that I had read said that Paradise was one of the most beautiful places in the park, so we for sure wanted to stop there. As we drove along the road, my kids kept asking when are we going to see Rainier, and then all of a sudden, this majestic mountain came into view and it was breathtaking!!  The pictures cannot even begin to express the size of this mountain. We were in complete awe of it's grandeur. We did 2 short hikes while at Paradise. The first hike was to Myrtle Falls (1 mile) and the second was the Nisqually Vista Trail (1 mile) which puts you in site of the Nisqually Glacier. Both hikes were beautiful and there were even some wildflowers still in bloom. We also found huckleberries along the Nisqually Vista Trail, yum!  I highly recommend visiting Paradise on a weekday in the morning, it was perfect. We wish that we had had more time to spend hiking. We can't wait to come back to Mount Rainier and explore the rest of the park. 

Yellowstone National Park in the Fall

Fall is my absolute favorite time to visit Yellowstone National Park. The air is so crisp and fresh and the animals are on the move. It is also a great time to visit because there are very few people.  The mornings can be chilly but once the sun comes out, it warms up nicely and it's the perfect weather for hiking or just walking around.

When visiting Yellowstone, we always make a stop in West to do some shopping.  By mid October, the town of West Yellowstone is getting ready to close down for the winter and you can find some great deals on clothing and other gifts. Our all time favorite shop is the Rustic Candy Shop on Canyon Street.  We let the kids pick out their favorite treat and get to pamper myself with a dark chocolate covered almonds truffle--yum!

There are so many things to see in Yellowstone that it's impossible to see it all in a day.  But if you only had one day, here is what we would recommend seeing.

The colors at  Midway Geyser Basin are absolutely amazing in the Fall.

Midway also has incredible pools of crystal blue-green water, you just have to wait for the steam to clear out (usually only for a few seconds) before you can see the hidden beauty.

Old Faithful is my absolute favorite spot to visit in the park.  I have seen Old Faithful go off over 20 times and it never ceases to amaze me.  I honestly think it's even more impressive in the Fall.

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is truly magnificent.
This is a looking at the Falls from Artist Point on the South Rim..

Fountain Paint Pots has memorized me since I was a little girl.  I love watching the mud bubble up
and explode into the air. There is more mud in the Fall and less in the Spring.

These are the falls along the Fire Hole Drive.  This year we discovered the jumping fish.  When we stopped here to look at the waterfall, a fellow tourist pointed out to us that there were fish trying to swim up the waterfall.  What!?  It was incredible!  We were all so amazed that these fish could jump out of the turbulent water at the bottom of the falls and try to go up the waterfall.  This is definitely worth checking out.

Mammoth Hot Springs is such a beautiful town and in the Fall, it is often taken over by herds of Elk.  They wander all over the town and are so beautiful to watch. Keep your distance though, as docile as they look,
they can turn on you at any moment.

The thermal activity at Mammoth Hot Springs is constantly changing.  This summer, this hill of travertine was a beautiful blend of orange and browns from the Algae.  This Fall, most of the color was gone and the terraces had the appearance of white chalk.  

And finally the Buffalo.  I love watching these large muscular creatures as they walk along side the road, pretending that you don't even exist.

This year we didn't see any Bears in the park, which was a bummer.  We will head back again in the Spring and I'll share with you my favorite things to see as the world comes back to life in Yellowstone National Park. 

Birthday Bathroom Remodel

My sister-in-law had a birthday not too long ago, and we decided it would be fun to gift her a bathroom remodel.  Needless to say, she was so excited for the gift.  My husband and I love working together on projects and make a great team.  For this remodel, we painted the walls and trim, tore out the old linoleum and laid down a beautiful blue-grey tile.  We also put up beadboard to hide some imperfections in the wall and installed a new sink.  Here are some before and after pictures.

This is the bathroom after painting the walls, but before we started tearing things out.

Goodbye old linoleum.  It's so amazing the transformation that can happen with new paint and tile.  

Cooking with Essential Oils: Escalopes à la Crème

When I was in my 20s, I spent some time in Switzerland and was introduced to this wonderful dish.  It's one of my kids favorites.  I love it because it's yummy and so easy to make.

Escalopes à la Crème:
4 chicken tenders, cooked and diced
1 quart heavy cream
4 Tbsp Inglehoffer Stone Ground Mustard
Salt and Pepper
1 carton Fresh mushrooms -sliced
Lemon Essential Oil or Real Lemon
Cooked Rice (3 cups uncooked rice + water)

Grill chicken in a little bit of butter on the stove top.  Remove from pan and dice.  In same pan, add heavy cream and mushrooms.  Cook for a few minutes over medium high heat until mushrooms start to soften, just a little.  Add mustard, salt and pepper.  Add back in diced chicken.  Add 2-3 drops Lemon essential oil or 1 tsp Real Lemon.  Stir.  Serve over rice.  This recipe feeds our family of 5 with leftovers.  Enjoy!

Guacamole with Essential Oils

I love eating chips and guacamole.  Some people love chocolate or soda or candy, not me, I love my chips and guacamole.  A friend shared this yummy recipe with me that uses Lime and Cilantro essential oils.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.


Guacamole Recipe:
2 avocados (ripe)
1 Tbsp sour cream
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro or 1 drop Cilantro essential oil (1 drop creates a very strong cilantro flavor.  You may want to start with just dipping a toothpick in the cilantro essential oil and stirring that in.)
1/3 cup salsa
2 drops Lime essential oil

Peel avocados and mash in mixing bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Chicken Lime Quesadillas

The other day for lunch we made Chicken Lime Quesadillas and they are now my favorite way to eat a quesadilla.

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1 can black beans
1 can corn (drained)
1 toothpick dipped in Cilantro essential oil (or 1/2 cup chopped cilantro)
2 drops Lime essential oil
2 tomatoes
1 avocado
1 tsp olive oil
Diced onions (optional)
Tortillas
Shredded cheese

In a small bowl, add the olive oil.  Swirl the toothpick dipped in Cilantro essential oil in the olive oil.  Add the 2 drops of Lime essential oil.

In a medium size bowl, mix together the chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes and avocado.  Take the oil mixture and drizzle over the other ingredients.  Stir

Heat up griddle.  Place 1 tortilla on griddle and spread a small amount of black bean mixture on half of the tortilla.  Sprinkle cheese on the tortilla and fold.  Allow the tortilla to heat up and the cheese to melt.  Repeat with as many tortillas as desired.

This recipe makes about 10 tortillas, depending on how much you put in each one.

Enjoy!

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender is one of my favorite essential oils.  I use it all the time for so many things.  I like to make sure that I have extra bottles in my food storage so that I am never without my lavender.  Here are some great ways to use Lavender:

• Add a few drops of Lavender to pillows, bedding, or bottoms of feet for a restful night’s sleep.
  
• Keep a bottle of Lavender on hand for minor burns, cuts, and scrapes.
  
• Freshen your linen closet, mattress, car, or the air by combining Lavender with water in a spray bottle.
  
• Add to bath water to soak away stress or apply to the
  temples and the back of the neck to ease muscle
  tension.
  
• Use in cooking to soften citrus flavors and add a
  flavorful twist to marinades, baked goods, and desserts.
  
  

Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner

I'm trying really hard to get rid of the toxins in my home in an effort to create a healthier environment for my family.  I've switched out all my spray cleaners for safe and effective cleaners that I make with essential oils.

Here's the Toilet Bowl recipe:
1/4 cup Castille Soap (can get this either at Walmart or a Health Food Store)
1 3/4 cup water
2 T baking soda
5 drops lemon essential oil
5 drops eucalyptus essential oil

Mix all ingredients in a metal bowl.  This is enough for 2 toilets.  Pour half into each toilet and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Scrub.  Let sit for 10 more minutes, or longer and then flush.

How well does it really clean?  Confession time: one of my toilets hadn't been cleaned for 3 weeks (yikes) and it sparkled when I was done scrubbing it.  I felt like it did just as good a job as Clorox without any toxic fumes.  So next time you have to clean, try this easy and safe alternative, your lungs will thank you.

Also, if your kids clean the bathroom, they can now safely clean the toilets without being exposed to dangerous fumes.

Non-Toxic Cleaning

A few months ago I started doing some research on the harmful effects of the cleaners that I was using in my home.  I was shocked at what I found.

"Research tells us that ingredients in common cleaning products are associated with asthma, endocrine disruption, cancer, birth defects, neurological and respiratory disorders and more"(Studies of Health Impacts Associated with Cleaning Products)

"When we look at what is causing prevalent childhood diseases such as allergies, autism and asthma, we're finding that genetics is only part of the story.  Today, we have sophisticated scientific research tools that show us that childhood exposures to chemicals found in everyday common household products can be permanently affecting a child's health and brain development." (Dr. Philip Landrigan, renowned pediatrician and director of

Mount Sinai's Children's Environmental Health Center in New York)

Dr. Landrigan works with Healthy Child Healthy World, a nonprofit organization that strives to protect children from harmful chemicals.  Read more at www.heathychild.org

Did you know that air fresheners are also incredibly toxic?  They contain chemicals called phthalates.  The EPA and the Department of Health and Human Services has labeled some types of phthalates as "probably carcinogens".  Studies suggest that "high exposure to certain kinds of phthalates can cause cancer, developmental sex-hormone abnormalities(including decreased testosterone and sperm levels and malformed sex organs) in infants, and can affect fertility" (http://www.today.com/id/26903507/ns/today-green/t/dirty-truth-about-cleaning-products/#.UpOHIWRgaqx and http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/allergy-and-asthma/articles/2008/07/25/health-hazards-in-household-cleaners-exposed)

I honestly had no idea that I was exposing myself and my family to so many potential health problems.

We decided to "clean up our act" and get rid of the toxic cleaners.  I was surprised at how simple and inexpensive it was to make non-toxic cleaners.  We used ingredients that were already in our home and essential oils.  

Here are some of my favorite cleaning recipes 

Air Freshener
Fill 2 oz glass bottle with distilled water.  Add 6 drops total of any combination of oils that you like.  I like Lime + Peppermint.  Shake the bottle before spraying.

This air freshener does an incredible job at getting rid of smells.  It can be used in the bathroom, in your home or at work.  

Soft Scrub for Tile, Counter and Toilet

3/4 rounded cup baking soda

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon vinegar

5-10 drops Lemon essential oil.

All Purpose Cleaner

Fill an 8 oz glass bottle with distilled water.  Add 2 Tablespoons Vinegar and 3-5 drops of essential oils of your choice

Ideas: 

Lavender and Lemon, 

Eucalyptus, Peppermint and Orange or

Grapefruit  

According to WebMD, "These products [antibacterials and harsh cleansers] don’t work any better than their natural or non-toxic counterparts, and they damage the environment and potentially place our long-term health at risk" http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/green-cleaning.

So next time you reach for your traditional toxic cleaner, think twice about the harm you are causing to your body and the environment.  Just think of this as one more little step toward staying healthy.  It's worth the small effort.

Happy Cleaning!

Wallpaper Remover

Have you ever had to remove wallpaper from a wall?  If your wallpaper is old or you have a lot of wallpaper, it can be a daunting chore.  I've removed quite a bit of wallpaper in the homes that we have remodeled over the years.  Back then I had the option of steaming, using chemical solvents, or using fabric softener.  I've tried all three techniques with some degree of success and failure.

The other day I discover my new favorite wallpaper remover.  Lemon essential oil!

My friend had a wall in her kitchen that was covered with blue flowered wallpaper.  She had tried removing the wallpaper with fabric softener and was not having much luck,  in fact, she was ready to knock down the wall instead of removing the wallpaper.  I decided to intervene and help her out.

I brought over an 8-ounce glass spray bottle full of water and added 5 drops of lemon essential oil.  I shook it up and then sprayed it on the paper and voila!, the paper stared coming off.  Not only did it work, but it smelled amazing.  

Lemon is a great wallpaper remover because it breaks down petrochemicals.  Lemon is also great for removing gum from hair and removing permanent marker.

So next time you need to remove wallpaper, use lemon essential oil, a safe and effective alternative.

Emotional Grounding with Sandalwood

Have you ever smelled something that brings instant peace to your heart and mind and makes you feel completely grounded?  This is what happens to me every time I smell Sandalwood Essential Oil.  It's really quite remarkable.  I've never smelled another oil that affects me quite this way.

Sandalwood has been used for thousands of years and has a wide variety of applications.  It has been used for calming and can help soothe emotions during stressful and worrisome times.  It can also be used to help with respiratory issues, coughs, a raspy voice and throats.  Try combining Sandalwood with Geranium and Eucalyptus for respiratory relief.

More Uses for Sandalwood:
Calming (great to use while meditating)
Immune strength
Skin care
Stress relief (apply to bones behind your ears, on wrists, inhale, bottom of feet)
Dry throat
Respiratory relief

Lemon and Super Glue

I don't usually post about the dumb things I do, but today I'm going to share my little story.  My son has many treasures and this morning he left 4 little ceramic birds (from Peru) on the kitchen counter before leaving for school.  After he left, I sat down for breakfast.  When I got up to clear my dishes, I managed to knock 2 of the birds off the counter and they broke into many pieces.  Oh no...not the little birds!!

Then I thought, no problem, I'll just super glue them back together.  About 5 minutes ago I got out the glue and started piecing them back together and guess what?  I glued my fingers together!  I've always wondered how in the world do people manage to glue their fingers together?  Seriously?  Now I know.  I admit that I panicked for a second, but then I remembered that Lemon essential oil dissolves petrochemicals.  So I put a few drops on my fingers and started rubbing the Lemon oil into the glue.  It took about 1 minute but it totally worked.

I love Lemon essential oil.  It also works wonders on getting gum out of hair and permanent marker off of most things.  I also love to drink it in my cold water and add it to hot water with honey for a soothing tea.  It's great to diffuse in a room because it gets rid of odors and lifts my spirits--it make me happy.

Everyone needs a bottle of Lemon essential oil!

Cedarwood Essential Oil

I am really excited to share Cedarwood essential oil with you today.

Primary Uses:
* Helps skin recover quickly
* Promotes clear, healthy skin
* Soothing and calming effect on the mind and emotions--great to use in massage
* Helps maintain healthy respiratory function
* Repelling insects

Cedarwood should not be taken internally.

This is definitely an oil I will be adding to my 72 hour kits and my medicine cabinet.  I will use if to deal with cuts and sores, help me and my family remain calm in stressful situations and use it to keep the bugs away.  I'm really excited to start using Cedarwood.

Summer Traveling

Have any plans to travel this summer?  Make sure you take some time to gather your essential oils and take them with you.  Traveling is one of those times when I am so grateful to have essential oils.  Earlier this summer we drove down to Southern Utah and went river rafting for four days on the San Juan River, what a great trip.

Here are some more suggestions for which oils to use while traveling this summer:


Staying Alert: Peppermint, any of the citrus oils, Frankincense

Keep Kids Calm: Lavender, any of the citrus oils and Bergamot

Happy Parents: Lemon and Ylang Ylang

Occasional Car Sickness: Peppermint, Ginger, Cardamom

Happy traveling!


Just a side note about traveling.  I just saw a news story on www.ksl.com, about traveling with trailers and the importance of making sure you put the pin in and that the chains are properly attached.  A woman lost her husband and child in a tragic accident involving a trailer that came unhooked.  Please be careful and double check everything before you head out.

Lemon to the rescue

I love lemon oil because it has so many great uses.  I received a text a few weeks ago from a friend who was in desperate need of Lemon oil.  She was in SLC and wanted to know if I knew anyone who could get her some Lemon.  Her eight year old son was up at Primary Children's for the week having tests done on his heart.  He had informed the nurses and his mom that no one was putting the probes on or taking them off of his chest without a cotton ball and some Lemon oil.  He had discovered, thanks to his mom, that by rubbing the lemon oil around the probes, they came off easily and he didn't have to feel any pain.  Unfortunately, his mom had forgotten the oil.  After lots of phone calls, I was able to find a cousin with lemon oil and this little boy was able to relax and know that everything was going to be okay.  What an amazing kid.  

Here are some other great ways to use Lemon essential oil. 

• Diffuse and take internally to assist with seasonal respiratory discomfort.
• • Add Lemon oil to a spray bottle of water to clean and disinfect tables, countertops, and other surfaces. Lemon oil also makes a great furniture polish; simply add a few drops to olive oil to clean, protect, and shine wood finishes.
• • Use a cloth soaked in Lemon oil to preserve and protect your leather furniture and other leather surfaces or garments.
• • Lemon oil is a great remedy for the early stages of tarnish on silver and other metals. 

Winter Blues and Essential Oils

Happy New Year!
I love the new year, as it gets me excited to make changes in my life and try to become a better person.  I'm excited to re-organize my home and my life.  Even though the start of a new year can be exciting, this time of year can also be really depressing for a lot of people.  The weather is cold and there isn't much sun shining out there.  The winter blues are real and they can be very debilitating.  Like the songs lyrics "Don't Worry, Be Happy Now", you can be happy during this bleak time of year.   I am going to share with you some remedies for fighting the winter blues.

1. Use Essential Oils.  Essential oils play a powerful role in effecting one's mood.  The aroma from the oils can immediately affect the brain because the olfactory system is so closely connected to the limbic system.  To use the oils aromatically, you can either inhale the aroma directly from the bottle, put a drop in your hands and inhale,  or you can use a diffuser to get the oils into the air for an extended period of time.

You can also apply essential oils topically.  Rub 1-3 drops on the back of your neck, along the spine, on the bottom or your feet or apply to your wrists and forearms like a perfume.  Finding the right blend of oils might require a little experimenting, so be patient.  Sometimes all I need is one oil applied once a day, other days I need to apply them more often and need several different oils.

2. Exercise.  Once you start using essential oils to help chase away the blues, you will feel better and have the energy to start exercising.  Once you start exercising, you will have even more energy and will be much happier.

3. Think positively.  Make sure the radio in your head is playing positive self talk conversations. If it's not, change the channel.  Get out of the house and go serve someone else.  Take the focus off of you.

4. Paint your house.  That's right.  Color has an amazing impact on our moods.  If you have a lot of browns in your house, the colors can actually bring you down.  Surround yourself with bright, uplifting  colors that make you feel happy when you walk into the room.  Make sure your work area, whether that is an office desk or your home is inviting.  Add flowers or pictures that make you feel happy.  Change the lighting.  Open windows and let the sun in.