A mother’s love is more beautiful than any fresh flower.
Mother’s Day is a great spring tradition to honor the people in your life who have nurtured and loved you. It is such a special treat to receive a handmade gift and I am thrilled to have put together a variety of my favorites things for the special mom’s in your life. These little gifts make the perfect gift to appreciate the hardworking givers in your life.
Gratitude Essential Oil Blend
$22
This perfectly crafted blend is my most popular mingling of aroma and gemstones. This wonderful scent is the perfect gift to show your thankfulness to the special momma in your life.
Siberian fir: breaking negative emotional and spiritual patterns,
Frankincense: raise awareness, shine your bright light
Grapefruit: appreciate who you are;
Wild Orange: abundance and bright future, gladness to the heart
Geranium: heart opening, realize security in what you do have
Clove: instills power, sense of protection, integrity
Amber chips; radiates laughter, vitality, and courage.
Aromatherapy Bath Salts
$7
These gorgeous tubes are the perfect end to a stressful day. The make amazing teacher gifts or special offerings for loved ones. Each tube is filled with epsom salt, lavender petals and soothing essential oils to bring a spa like experience for the lucky recipient. One tube will fill one or two baths.
Bath Fizzies
$20 for 10 Fizzies
There is nothing like sinking into a tub with a hot bubbly tub with fizzing bath bombs. If you know me well, it is my ultimate form of self-care. I have mastered the bath bomb and have found the perfect combination for a deep relaxation for the body. These smell amazing and are also so good for the skin and detoxing the body.
Glowing Face Serum
$35
This gorgeous face serum is my go to for glowing skin. This gorgeous blend includes rose hip oil, blue tansy, yarrow, rose, and geranium essential oils. I apply it in the evening after cleansing.
Body Butter
$25
This fan favorite is a popular gift for anyone! Handmade with natural shea butter and pure essential oils this creamy skin soothing butter is the perfect gift. Not only does this smell amazing but it is a completely natural and skin loving cream that makes the skin feel so soft.
Gift Certificates
Do you want to give the gift of goodness to your loved one? I have you covered! You can purchase a gift card from me and then your person and I can come up with exactly what they need! Reach out to me below to purchase!
To simplify the process of ordering, simply email me below (or you can text me) and tell me which items you would like and if you will be picking them up, or if you’d like me to ship them. I will email you back a confirmation and a total. You can venmo, Zelle, PayPal or good old fashioned cash.
So many of you have been so supportive of me during this unusual time in our lives. I am so blessed that I can continue to share my passion and touch your life. It means a lot to me that you know that you are very important to me, and I am incredibly grateful that our paths have crossed. I believe that now more than ever, we need to recognize the people and meaningful connections that we all have.
As always, it is my hope that you stay healthy and happy in your mind, body and spirit.
I am a tad late to the sourdough bread frenzy but now that I am all in, it’s been so fun. I have seen so many people explain why to eat sourdough bread and I just didn’t get it. Until I did.
I have never been a big sandwich or bread eater so it’s more of a hobby than a homestead mission. My loaves may not be the perfection instagram worthy photo yet, but they taste delicious and work for my family.
Why bake/eat sourdough bread?
There are so many benefits to sourdough. Plus, it is so fun to make and the extra goodies that you can bake make it so versatile.
Here are my top 20 reasons:
Prebiotics: Sourdough fermentation increases the availability of prebiotic fibers, which promote healthy gut bacteria and aid digestion.
Reduced Gluten Content: Fermentation breaks down some gluten proteins, making them easier to digest for individuals with mild gluten sensitivities.
Enzyme Activity: The fermentation process activates enzymes in the sourdough, which help break down complex carbohydrates and proteins, aiding digestion.
Phytic Acid Reduction: Sourdough fermentation reduces phytic acid, a compound that can impair mineral absorption and cause digestive discomfort.
Improved Nutrient Absorption: Sourdough fermentation enhances the body’s ability to absorb important nutrients like iron, zinc, and magnesium.
Lower Glycemic Index: Sourdough bread has a lower glycemic index than regular bread, resulting in more stable blood sugar levels and sustained energy.
Acetic Acid: The acetic acid produced during sourdough fermentation can improve digestion by supporting the production of digestive enzymes.
Lactic Acid Production: Lactic acid produced in sourdough fermentation supports healthy gut bacteria and aids digestion.
Alleviation of Digestive Disorders: Some individuals with digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), report improved symptoms when consuming sourdough bread.
Increased Mineral Bioavailability: Sourdough fermentation increases the bioavailability of minerals present in the bread, making them easier for the body to absorb and utilize.
Reduced FODMAPs: The fermentation process of sourdough helps break down fermentable carbohydrates, reducing their presence in the final bread product and making it more tolerable for individuals with FODMAP sensitivities.
Reduced Antinutrients: Sourdough fermentation reduces antinutrients like phytates and lectins, which can interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption.
Balanced Acid-Base Ratio: Sourdough bread has a more balanced acid-base ratio, reducing the risk of acid reflux and indigestion.
Improved B-vitamin Production: Sourdough fermentation increases the production of B-vitamins, which play a crucial role in digestion and overall health.
Enhanced Flavor: The complex flavors developed during sourdough fermentation can stimulate the production of saliva and digestive enzymes, aiding digestion.
Extended Fermentation: Longer fermentation times commonly used in sourdough baking allow more thorough breakdown of proteins and starches, making the bread easier to digest. 48 hours is optimal for cold retarding in the fridge.
Natural Preservatives: Sourdough contains naturally occurring preservatives like acetic and lactic acids, which help prevent spoilage and promote digestive stability.
Reduced Additives: Sourdough bread often uses fewer additives and preservatives compared to commercially produced bread, making it easier on the digestive system.
Milder Wheat Allergy Symptoms: Some individuals with wheat allergies report milder symptoms when consuming sourdough bread due to the fermentation process altering the proteins.
Personal Digestive Tolerance: While these reasons generally suggest that sourdough bread is easier to digest, individual tolerance can still vary based on specific digestive issues and personal sensitivity
Credit to Dr Dawn M. O’Brien Taylor
I have tried many sourdough recipes but have found this simple one to be my fave:
100g of “starter” *tons of how to make out there. It takes patience or a friend who has a healthy starter.
300g of all purpose flour
500g water
10g salt
I feed my little starter and wait for it to double (usually 3-4 hours). When it has I add it to the mixing bowl, add the water flour and salt, and mix with a danish wisk until shaggy or 30 minutes. Then every 30 minutes I stretch and fold the dough (this is where the magic happens). I do four sets of folds. Then I plop it back into the oven on the proofing setting for about 2-3 hours. If your oven doesn’t have that setting, place bowl on the counter covered up and it will take more like 5-6 hours of bulk proofing.
Once it is doubled in size, then remove it from the bowl to a floured surface. Fold the dough like an envelope and then roll the entire envelope into a log shape, then to make it a circle begin dragging it along counter to seal the seams and create a perfect round. Toss into a banneton basket and close seam by pinching. Place into your refrigerator covered for up to 3 days! This method I have found in my busy life works the best because I can let it cold ferment in fridge until I am ready then bake. I usually mix on Friday and bake on Sunday.
Vulnerability is defined as uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure.” It’s that unstable feeling we get when we step out of our comfort zone or do something that forces us to loosen control.
Brene Brown
For 2023 I gave myself permission to fail or to succeed. I gave myself permission to not do it all alone. I gave myself permission to reveal and unfold in a way that stays in alignment with my soul but also welcome risk. I gave myself permission to be seen.
A year ago I thought that I should break out of my comfort zone and expose myself to being more vulnerable. I chose the word vulnerability as my word for 2023 with the intent of being more emotionally open and to expose myself a little more, rather than staying within my private little world. I also wanted to learn how to better ask for (and receive) from others as well as take a few risks and put myself out there a bit more. I tend to thrive when I am humbly doing my work and not paying much attention to the rest of the world.
I honestly don’t even know where to begin. To simply say that vulnerability has kicked my ass would probably suffice but there has also been moments where vulnerability was also a stepping stone to something great.
I jotted down twelve things I wanted to do that would stretch my vulnerability and ask me to truly act on my intentions. Of those twelve things, all but one was completed. The majority of what did come my way in terms of asking me to take risks, deal with uncertainty and expose my emotions was not even on the list.
I started out in the early months of the year with just becoming aware of what it means to be vulnerable. I prided myself on embarking on this new feeling as was pretty jazzed for it to all start to roll.
As my upcoming hip replacement got closer and closer, I became more and more fearful. I am not typically a person who fears anything so this was new to me. Something was telling me that I should not proceed so two weeks before the surgery, I cancelled. I figured I needed more time to prepare myself and I would just wait a bit. Making that decision was scary for me because I generally do not go against “doctors orders” and to cancel meant I had to open up to being brave in a big way.
If you’ve hung around me awhile you know I have a crazy mad love affair with Bruce Springsteen. Seeing him in concert is the best experience however since I had hip surgery scheduled in February, I wasn’t planning to see him when he came to my city of Denver. Literally the day I cancelled my surgery, a longtime friend texted me that she had two tickets in Tulsa….what?? Heck yes. I was going to go! Two days before the concert my friend had a death in the family which meant I was going solo. I hesitated about going all by myself, but in the end opted to do something super scary (to me) and fly to a strange city alone, and attend a concert alone. It ended up being the BEST concert I have ever been to and I danced 27,000 steps that night and will remember it forever. I’d like to believe he was as happy to see me as I was to see him. Honestly, he came to Tulsa to meet me and there were just a few other thousand people nearby. ?
Not too long after I cancelled my hip surgery and met up with Bruce, one night in the middle of the night, I missed the corner of the bed and whacked my knee so hard on the bed frame that it was nearly impossible to hobble. Weeks went by and still no real relief so I went to the doctor. Tests later revealed a pretty badly torn cartilage and lots of yuck behind the knee cap. Huh. This was not how I wanted vulnerability to be tested. Early March I went ahead and had my knee scoped and dealt with weeks and weeks of very slow healing.
Early spring the “good” vulnerability came in me getting super crazy and buying myself a Jeep Wrangler as a second/weekend car. This was so hard for me because it felt so unnecessary and saving money has always been my go-to. Spending money on myself feels so reckless and unnecessary. Weeks of deciding and I finally did it. She is a beaut!
I got asked to be a guest speaker at a grief group and while I am very comfortable with speaking and people in front of people, I am not so comfortable sitting in a large group of incredibly sad people. I am never really sure what to say or how to say it, so I just trusted myself to say the right thing in the right way from my heart. Turns out being emotionally available and exposing yourself to emotions isn’t so bad. ?
My knee pain finally resolved early May and one day I was walking and felt a strange sensation coming from the bottom of my foot. It worsened. Walking was very very difficult and if you know me, you know that walking is my world. Three doctors later, series of tests and lots and lots of pain, the only real hope is nothing. There is an extensive foot surgery that “may” correct the deformity but the recovery is grueling according to the surgeon. When a surgeon recommends not doing surgery, you know it must be awful.
With all the limping of my foot that postponed hip of mine began to scream pretty loudly at me as the summer progressed. I wondered if this vulnerability thing was all the physical stuff I was facing or if something else was seeking to be seen.
One of my favorite married couple yoga students moved out of their assisted living home I had been seeing them in and I happening to casually ask a staff person where they moved to. Next thing you know, I am sitting in my car crafting an email to the agency they moved to and within an hour, I am contracted with ten homes. Two weeks later they asked if I would add sixteen more homes. That meant I had to forego my beloved Fridays off which meant I had to ask myself some hard questions. I ended up saying yes to all the homes and it has been nothing short of amazing. Taking risks for myself and putting my skills out there hasn’t ever been hard for me so this act of vulnerability was easy. Years ago when I didn’t have confidence I would never have had to guts to approach an agency like that.
After a month or so of teaching more adaptive yoga classes than I ever have, I came across a Facebook forum of yoga teachers asked (for the hundredth time) about the “peak pose” or “how do I teach___”. In one of my more rare salty moods I commented on the ridiculousness of that and the “pose” isn’t the purpose. Yikes, did that ever start a vulnerability wildfire. I tend to go about my business quietly and humbling doing my work, rarely engaging in the yoga world and never combating with others about it. This outward moment for me to stick my neck out and expose my style of yoga teaching to a very large group was gutsy and very much against my usual quiet way of being. What came from that day long banter session was I got extremely frustrated and more disheartened with the western view of yoga so rather than stew in the slime, I created a new Facebook forum geared towards learning how to teach adaptive yoga in any setting and how to bring yoga to people who are most unlikely to ever be able to achieve a “peak pose”. The group has been slow to start but like anything that is worth it, consistency and time will bear the fruit. My intent with the group is to expose my experience to others and hopefully inspire other like minded teachers to consider getting out of the studio and sequence mindset and into the heart. Time will tell. It was very outside my norm to speak out, especially about something so sacred and controversial as yoga, unless I can hide behind a blog post. ?
Late July I was feeling a tad bit like I wasn’t spending much time on my yoga mat and decided to publicly announce that I needed help with accountability. I created a 30 days of yoga program where I was actually practicing with the recorded class. Gulp. That meant 30 days of being on the mat and publicly being accountable. It turned out to be an amazing thing! I gained several new students and friends and I am way more consistent in my personal practice. My YouTube library continues to grow and I have realized that it’s not so scary after all. It even prompted me to explain my feelings about perfectly curated videos versus the real, raw way of teaching I feel is way more down to earth and reachable for all types of people.
As my foot continued to give me trouble I also had to deal with an extensive amount of skin cancer cut out of my collarbone. The sutures and scarring was painful and a wake up call to being a lifelong ginger who isn’t always so mindful about sunscreen.
My annual mammogram came in the fall and like most medical things, I easily roll with them. Until they call you back, and until you are squished into a mammogram machine having the suspected tissue extracted from your body. Then, the waiting three day for results was downright horrible. Having no control and seemingly wide open to emotional exposure was the tipping point of my vulnerability quest. By now, I had had enough. Thankfully the results came back benign and life carried on.
Vulnerability of waiting for healing and tests and not having control of the outcome was challenging for me. I tend to check things off a list and carry on. The wait time for some of these experiences was tedious.
Just two weeks after the biopsy event, I came across a breast cancer support group that chooses to be active in the support groups rather than sitting in a hospital board room to meet. Having gone through the biopsy procedure and emotions my heart felt very open to extend my yoga studio to the group and I now teach monthly to these amazing breast cancer “thrivers”.
Some of the opportunities to be vulnerable were having to be very open with friendships and the outstretching I felt I had to be with some of them. Partly, I was recognizing what serves me and the other part was my resistance to having closer and more emotionally charged friendships. I thrive on working and moving, so slowing down to feel still remains a work in progress. The vulnerability came in having to be open and honest with myself, and with my friends.
I have tried hard in recent years to stop being so amazing at multitasking, but it has served me so well that why stop, right? Well, sometimes when we refuse to stop or refuse to learn something we are given another opportunity to.
I was flying fast through my day and thought I could quickly mix up a batch of bath bombs. Ya know, it takes about five minutes max. I grabbed the Costco sized fourteen pound bag of baking soda and then the game changed. The baking soda was not only hardened into one compact block of cement like texture, it was also really really cold. I jammed my hand into the bag and rather than stop and grab a tool to break up the hard baking soda I fought against it until my fingers bent the wrong way and the baking soda won. The following day I was at urgent care, and then the hand surgeon, and would you believe baking soda caused a completely and severely torn ligament to require surgery?
Perhaps all the multitasking and going too fast actually caused it. Go figure.
Being that I am not one to appreciate or strive towards competition or the limelight it was shocking to me to put myself out there for a nomination for the “best of”. I remain adamant that this contest is purely to highlight the students I serve in hope to bring awareness to the community so perhaps others may feel inclined to use their own unique gifts to help others thrive.
I have jokingly said for years that being a parent is the hardest job ever and sometimes I wonder why do we subject ourselves to such stress? I get the whole cute baby desires but once they are past age eight or so it is no longer about being cute but rather simple parental survival. I tell young moms all the time that be glad you can stuff them in pajamas and into bed because when they are adults and you have no control, and minimal influence, it is pure hell. This has been a rough year for one of my kids and being the parent of an adult who is struggling is so painful. I’d give anything to be able to put the pajamas on and tuck them into bed assuring them that everything will be okay, but I can’t. So I deal with the emotions and communicate clearly with true vulnerability.
The year continued to move along with minor infractions that at times I asked “what the hell is this here to teach me” Such as three cracked windshields in a couple months time, a new furnace needed, hail damage that turned out to be costly, and many other financially challenging episodes.
Uncertainty = vulnerability.
I lost some special students this year and that invited me to look at my work and my heart. It asked me to feel and to allow myself sadness. Their lives have also prompted me to inquire and learn more about frontal lobe dementia and why we are seeing such an increase. Information to me feels safe.
Finally, as I close the chapter I am being faced with some hard looks in the mirror. Having hand surgery soon and the rescheduled hip replacement coming in just seven weeks, I am having to take a really deep inventory on my choices as it relates to the amount of movement I have been consistently putting my body through over the last several years. I am having to look at and take responsibility for perhaps not being as kind to her as I could have been.
That’s a tough one to swallow.
I have said that I will be glad when this whole vulnerability thing is over so I can go back to being closed off and in control. I hope that I can allow the sliver of vulnerability to remain intact because I do feel that being more emotionally exposed has served me well, most of the time.
To capture it all most simply, I’ve had a major shift in my business that has been due to the risk taking and I have deepened some relationships by allowing myself to receive while also by giving myself permission to feel more than things just in the neutral zone.
Onward to 2024. (Big breath taken).
Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life.
With over sixteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is an experienced 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.
Stacie brings her personal life experience of raising a daughter with a disability and over 12 years working in special education to her everyday Yoga classes.
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference
Dear life,
Grant me the courage To change what I am capable of changing And the grace To accept what is beyond my control And choose my battles wisely.
Please help me to fix what has fallen apart and is broken in my life That would benefit from being mended And accept what would not And move on accordingly.
Grant me the strength To fully seize each day And make the most of each moment Savouring the ones that provide me with joy, meaning and fulfilment
And remind me to treasure time spent with those I love And pursue my passions and what uplifts and energises me And focus on all that lies ahead of me Rather than all that lies behind me.
Please help me to embody love And radiate it to all whom I encounter Regardless of whether they remain in my life Or are no longer with me.
Please help me to remain calm and at peace During the chaos and shifting seasons of life And flow with it Understanding that everything is fleeting and temporary But that the true nature of who I am is eternal And more than this limited body And transitory physical experience
Please show me how to let go of fear, pain and resentment So I can feel light, unburdened and free And prioritise what is important While disregarding what is not.
Please comfort me in my grief And reassure me with the knowledge That I will one day be reunited with those I love who have left this reality But remain in spirit with me
And in the times when I am hurt May you show me how to heal and move forward
In the times when I feel small and fragile May you remind me of my inner strength
In the times when I feel weak May you remind me of my inner power
In the times when I feel lost May you help me rediscover purpose and meaning
In the times when I feel lonely and isolated May you remind me that everything is interconnected
And in the times when I have lost confidence and trust in myself May you help me remember who I am.
Words by Tahlia Hunter
(Inspired by the Serenity Prayer by Dr Reinhold Niebuhr)
In many of my experiences walking into into a group home to share Yoga I am often met with much reluctance. I think this is partly because so many view yoga as it is something you do on the floor with a somewhat healthy body in strange shapes.
For someone in a wheelchair this idea seems obviously impossible and out of their ability or comfort zone, and rightly so.
Several years ago I was standing in the kitchen of a home a couple years ago trying my best to cajole a few guys into joining me. I often have to frame it in terms of “hey, come over here and hang out with me for a minute”. I get to chatting and asking them questions and engaging in them, and then usually before long I have them hook, line and sinker. This particular day was just that except that the only person in the kitchen was a large man who made several wisecracks to me about doing yoga.
I started with my usual onslaught of engaging questions like what did you have for lunch, did you see who won the football game, what is your favorite season, how long have you lived in Colorado, etc. Within a few minutes, we are in a deep conversation about the mountains and things we agree make Colorado awesome. After a short while passed and he made another crack about yoga, I giggled and said we had actually just been practicing yoga for the last fifteen minutes.
I explained to him what the definition and essence of yoga is and that is exactly what we have been doing. Gotcha! I exclaimed as he grumbled something about weird yoga people. I offered him a professional foot rub and the rest is history.
Since that day, he and I have met twice a month for 1:1 yoga for over two years.
Here is what it looks like—I arrive and wake up him for a nap, I insist he come out of his room (he prefers isolation and even though I honor his preference, part of the deal with me is some resemblance of boundaries and expectations), he shuffles his large and partially paralyzed body to an easy chair in the living room, I plop down on the floor and rub his feet and then with his permission I move his body for him. I stretch his left side and listen to his horrible wise-cracks and jokes.
Just like that, I was able to get a skeptic to see that Yoga is union, coming together and finding a sense of self in the moment.
In time I have watched as his confidence grew and we went from me moving his left side to him agreeing to arm wrestle me, pull me up from the floor and reach for me. Prior to Yoga he often said “I can’t move my left arm, it is paralyzed”. Now he sees that while it may not be as strong as it was before his accident, it is moving some and he is building strength in his once really strong arms.
After about a year of working with this man I arrived one day to learn he was in the intensive care unit. It didn’t occur to me once to notswiftly drive over to the hospital and complete our yoga session there.
He was intubated but awake when I walked into the strange sights, smells and sounds of an ICU. I introduced myself to his nurse and explained I was his yoga teacher. The quizzical look on her face was something I see often when people don’t fully get what I do. I asked her if I could rub his feet and she agreed that he would probably like that. As I stood next to his head to say hello, his eyes opened and he looked shocked to see me. I teased him that he couldn’t get out of yoga by being in the ICU so we better get busy. His eyes filled with tears and even though he couldn’t speak, I understood what he was saying.
As I finished up rubbing his feet and was packing my things his heart rate and breathing became labored and alarms got louder and louder. His oxygen was tanking despite being on a ventilator. I instinctively put my hand on his chest and said “Watch me. Breathe with me”. After about 30 rounds of deep breathing, his numbers returned to as normal as they could given his situation. The nurse stood with her eyes wide open. I told him I was going to glue a picture of my face to the ceiling so that every time his oxygen dropped he’d see my face and remember to breathe. His eyes twinkled.
It is one of my greatest pleasures to showcase my students’ yoga practice to people who would never see yoga through this particular lens. The first feat is getting the students to see it’s not twisted bodies on the floor, the second is showing staff or caregivers the possibilities. Moving his body for him created not only connection but also the movement his once healthy body still desired.
This beautiful soul had his last foot rub a couple weeks ago and took his final breath this week. I will deeply miss our time together and what he gave my life. It is usually the least likely Yoga students that bring me the most. I hope that he valued our time together as much as I did. He was a special one.
May, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel most alive.
– Fennel Hudson
It is hard to believe just how fast this year has already flew by and here we are embarking on a new season. Spring is in full season and yet Mother Nature has been quite active this spring giving us many days of wind and learning to lean into patience. The seeds are planted in my garden and now I watch and wait. There is something so exciting knowing that there are little seeds in the soil coming to life and will soon produce some amazing things to eat.
In Colorado the weather can change often this time of year. I recently read a passage in a book about how we interpret, and perhaps even how we have been trained or conditioned to view something that really is neutral. She uses the example of rain (or in Colorado’s case, snow) and how we might habitually complain about the gloom and doom of rain, when instead we could feel happiness that the flowers are being watered and rejoice in the sound and fresh fragrance. Rain is neutral, it is how we choose to view it. Another example is how we have been accustomed to dreading Mondays, when really it is a neutral and naturally occurring event. Rather than say, “ugh, its Monday”, try shifting your thinking to seeing a Monday as a whole new experience that you get to create a week of productivity, learning, joy, and love.
I love when I am called back to the simplicity of choice. I encourage you to look at your thoughts and when a neutral event occurs (rain, Mondays, traffic), shift your immediate thought that is usually negative into an opportunity to create a beautiful new experience. Ultimately we get to choose how we react, or respond to the events and experiences around us.
This month I will be offering yoga classes that focus on the energy in the body, specifically the divine feminine energy. I also have some fun offerings in-person and online to deeper your understanding of yourself and how to live the healthiest life you can (mind, body, sprit). I am passionate about how we can learn to go back to nature for our health, how we choose to clean our spaces and a general sense of natural living. I would love to share with you! You can learn more about these things here.
And finally, remember to honor the Mom’s and other lucky ones who have nurtured you. It is so important to acknowledge those who give so much love to others, and have one of the hardest (and most rewarding) job in the world. And don’t forget about the grandmothers out there–we are extra special people!
While I love a good ol’ classic cake I decided to try my hand at making red velvet cake into bite-sized treats for Valentines Day! An added punch of Wild Orange essential oil gives these an extra decadent flavor. If you have never added essential oils to food you’re missing out! Check out this free ebook download that explains many ways to use essential oils, including in food! Be sure to always check that your oils are tested for purity, though!
Okay, back to decadent chocolate goodness! These are so pretty and taste amazing!
How to Make Red Velvet Cake Balls
This tasty creation is made out of red velvet cake that is bonded together with homemade cream cheese frosting and coated in white chocolate. For an extra decadent finish, white chocolate and dusted the top with sprinkles for a stunning polish.
Make sure to add sprinkles before the chocolate dries to ensure that they firmly stick. We chose red and white for a color theme, but you could use sprinkles and sanding sugars in any array of colors to match a party theme, team uniforms, or holiday.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat cake mix, milk, melted butter, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla in bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on low speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium, and beat 2 minutes. Pour batter into 13- x 9-inch baking pan that has been sprayed.
Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 24 to 28 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto wire rack, and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and softened butter with heavy-duty stand mixer fitted paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add powdered sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla, beating until blended. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
Crumble cooled cake into a large bowl. Stir in 2 cups of cream cheese frosting. (Reserve any remaining frosting for another use.) Roll cake mixture into 48 balls, about 1-inch in diameter. Place balls on baking sheets, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill 8 hours or overnight.
Melt 1 package of the white chocolate chips in a medium-size microwavable bowl in microwave according to package directions. Stir in two drops of wild orange essential oil. Start with 16 cake balls (continue to chill remaining 32 cake balls). Using a fork and working with 1 cake ball at a time, dip ball into melted wafers, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Place ball on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and immediately sprinkle with desired amount of sprinkles or sanding sugars. Repeat with remaining 15 cake balls and melted wafers in bowl, cleaning fork between each dip. Wipe bowl clean, and repeat 2 more times with remaining chilled cake balls and 2 packages of melting wafers, and desired amount of sprinkles. Chill until ready to serve.
This time of year can seem like we are stuck in endless amounts of cold, dark winter days that go on and on. Also for some of us the holiday hype leads to a low-energy winter drag that sometimes can last months.
Many of us also dread the month of February because the influx of romantic love seems to be everywhere. I’m all for love but I have learned over the years that without self-love, there will be no room for love-love. It’s just doesn’t happen.
For many years I was a seeker of love outside of myself. In some ways we all are—we want validation and to be seen—that is normal human behavior. My trouble came when in the truth and quiet moments with myself, I really didn’t like who I was, and actually loving myself was not even in the ball park.
Then I woke up.
I realized that my kids needed a healthy mom. They needed someone who demonstrated self love. They required a mom who was no longer angry but instead developed an acceptance for life’s hard things and took them as lessons to grow.
I also became radically aware of self care. For decades I thought self care was selfish and totally for the elite. Wow, right? I came to realize that the only way I was to find pure unconditional love was to begin by loving myself unconditionally. You attract what you are.
Today I actually coach women (and men) on the power of a deliberate self care routine to help become the very best version of yourself. It’s not all about bubble baths, although those those do help tremendously.
I crafted this essential oil blend with the intention that it dives into the areas of our brain and heart that focus on positive self love and self image. There was a lot of thought and trial and error that went into finding the perfect combination to embody self love that is purely unconditional.
Unconditional Blend
Rose: Opens the heart chakra and allows you to feel unconditional love. Creates a sense of well-being and calmness while awakening your ability for self-compassion, nurturing, and love.
Lemon: Opens the heart chakra to self-love and self-nurturing. lightens while uplifting your spirit and bringing clarity into your life.
Neroli: A natural tranquilizer and regulator of the nervous system that opens the heart chakra, uplifts your spirit, and encourages confidence, joy, and peace.
Marjoram: Restores warmth, self-compassion, and self-nurturing when feeling lonely or isolated.
Lavender: Helps you to relax, let go of the stress, and release fear, which fosters connect with the heart center and opens you up to more love.
Jasmine: Uplifting and joyous oil that balances the emotional system, soothes anxiety, and helps with depression and apathy.
Geranium: This emotional healing oil restores confidence and trust in others. It can help to heal a broken heart and open one up to love.
Ylang Ylang: This is a powerful remedy for the heart and releasing trauma from the past. This oil helps to release bottled up emotions that weigh heavy on the heart which allows for a more playful, carefree, emotionally connected and loving experience of life.
Tranquility Blend: Includes Lavender Flower, Cedarwood, Ho Wood Leaf, Ylang Ylang Flower, Marjoram Leaf, Roman Chamomile Flower, Vetiver Root, Vanilla Bean Absolute, Hawaiian Sandalwood. Encourages individuals to first reconnect with themselves and discover peace that lies within, and then to reconnect with the humanity in others. This brings a calm, tranquil, peaceful, relaxed, compassionate and connection person.
Rose quartz: Rose Quartz is the stone of universal love. It restores trust and harmony in relationships, encouraging unconditional love. Rose Quartz purifies and opens the heart at all levels to promote love, self-love, friendship, deep inner healing and feelings of peace. Calming and reassuring, it helps to comfort in times of grief. Rose Quartz dispels negativity
Plus a sprinkling of rose petals makes this blend gorgeous to look at, too.
You can purchase this gorgeous blend here or invest in my self care package and it is included along with bath bombs, soothing foot salve, yoga and meditation.
You may not realize this, I know I didn’t at first…but now I know that Rose essential oil is a POWERHOUSE and a must for my daily regimen.
This powerful oil is the total package: Skin support, mood support, and hormone support.
Rose has been known to promote a calm and relaxed state of mind. Roll this incredible oil on your abdomen for menstrual discomfort, hormone support, and libido support.
I did a little digging and found that according to Health Line Rose oil has had quite a few studies done and the results are promising.
Check out all that Rose oil supports:
Anxious Feelings and Stress
Rose oil has a relaxing effect on many people.
In one studyTrusted Source, researchers applied rose oil to the skin of each participant, and then measured its effects on the most common symptoms of anxiety. Blood pressure, heart rates, breathing rates, cortisol levels, and blood oxygen levels all decreased. The subjects also reported feeling much more relaxed after the oil treatment.
Another studyTrusted Source involving over 100 women who were giving birth found that rose oil lowered their anxiety levels during delivery.
Antibacterial, antifungal properties
Researchers have found that essential oil distilled from roses can be effective against a wide range of microbes that cause infections. This includes E. coli, as well as some strains of the bacteria that can cause staph infections (Staphylococcus) and strep throat (Streptococcus).
Additionally, the study found that rose oil was effective against Candida albicans, which can cause fungal infections in the mouth, gut, and vagina.
Stimulates sex drive
Two studies have found that inhaling rose oil increased sexual desire and sexual satisfaction among men and, to a lesser extent, women. One studyTrusted Source involved male participants with a major depressive disorder who were taking antidepressants, and the other studyTrusted Source involved female participants with the same disorder and also on antidepressants.
Researchers believe that the release of dopamine in the brain, a known motivator, may be what spurs the increase in sexual desire, while simultaneously alleviating symptoms of depression.
Eases depressive symptoms
A number of clinical studies have found that rose oil helps to improve the symptoms of depression. In a 2012 studyTrusted Source, a small group of postpartum women underwent treatment for depression.
One group received aromatherapy in addition to conventional medical treatments. The women who used aromatherapy improved significantly more than women who used conventional medicine alone.
Studies have also found that rose oil stimulates the release of the chemical dopamine. Researchers believe this chemical plays a pivotal role in helping to relieve the symptoms of depression.
I love the emotional side of Rose oil as well. I love to apply it to my heart when I am feeling a need for some extra compassion either for myself or for others.
Where will you be keeping Rose now?
Me? my desk my nightstand my purse/on the go
Ready to get your hands on some Rose? It is pricey but SO worth it! You won’t be disappointed.
It is fair to say that every human on the planet has lost something or someone. We have all had events or people in our lives that invited us to feel loss. For some it has been the actual loss of a person, or perhaps the loss of an opportunity, or even the loss of a dream.
For this past month or so I have circled back as I do so often every year around my daughter’s birthday.
In my own process of evolving and working to be the best version of myself that I can be. I have given myself permission to feel anything and everything when it comes to her birthday. For years I stuffed the emotions that I thought some might see as an ungrateful and resentful mom. I have since learned that nobody’s opinion really matters when it comes to how I feel. My feelings are valid and real whatever they are.
I am able to now openly share with myself and others that there is indeed a loss when it comes to her.
She was born this little perfect sweet little baby girl but within a few years was identified with multiple developmental disabilities and the reality that my relationship with my only daughter was not going to be that of my friends you had a “typical” daughter. We were not going to have typical conversations and mother daughter outings. Instead, I would forever be her mode of transportation and decision maker. There would not be the moments to plan her dream wedding, but instead I would be arranging where she will live when I am too old to care for her. I wouldn’t be celebrating her college degree and career path. Instead I will be finding appropriate day programs for her to feel some resemblance of purpose and meaning in her life.
That is a huge loss.
Through the process of my wakeup years ago, I realized that within the loss is a great lesson.
I am now able to see all that I have gained. Learning to take the loss and create something amazing and powerful through the lesson of acceptance and grace has been amazing. You can hear my whole story here on this awesome podcast. I chose to accept and do something with this amazing gift I was given, through her and as her.
The point is the lesson I have learned was that life doesn’t always give us what we may see as the ideal, but if we open our hearts to seeing the lesson, it may just rock your world.
When my children’s father died in 2014 I experienced another huge life changing lesson through the process of loss. I had already lost him in many ways as we divorced when things got too much for him related to our daughter and the vastness of what our life had become. To be completely honest, he wasn’t the greatest dad and he definitely was not able to show up for himself, or the kids, however I was willing to see the lesson in his unfortunate death. One of the greatest days in my life as a mom was witnessing my boys show up for him, regardless of his inability to show up for them. You can read about that pivotal day in my life here.
When he died, he was alone. He had made decisions in the last year of his life that prompted his last few days to be that where he was not surrounded by anyone as he transitioned. The painful reality of his last few years was just too much for my kids once they had said their beautiful goodbye days before, and he was estranged from his friends and family.
That was a big loss. Not just for him, but for my children, and in a way myself.
The lesson I learned from that loss has become a huge part of my life and service work. Within a few months of his death, I had a mystical and powerful yearning to volunteer in hospice. Knowing that I had to serve those dying and that nobody should die alone became my mission.
This week, one of my yoga students whom I have been spending time with every two weeks fell gravely ill and when I arrived at his group home I was told he was intubated and in the ICU. Due to his previous injures our yoga sessions are essential me rubbing his feet and moving his paralyzed limbs. When I heard about his his current condition, it didn’t not occur to me to NOT go. I jumped in my car and off I went with my magic hands and open heart.
The smells of an ICU and the sensory overload within the space can easily overtake you, if you allow it. Tubes. Alarms. Machines. So much to be distracted by.
I walked in and he was awake but obviously unable to speak. Grabbing his hand I watched as his eyes twinkled with recognition. When I went to say goodbye a single tear fell from his eye.
All alone.
The lesson of acceptance and regardless-of-what-someone-did-or-didn’t-do-you-show-up came from those two losses in my life. I know with every fiber of my being that had my girl been born not as she was and had their father not been who he was and not died the way that he did, I would not have been there for my student, and the countless other strangers who I have had the honor to rub their feet.
Rose has been known to promote a calm and relaxed state of mind. Roll this incredible oil on your abdomen for menstrual discomfort, hormone support, and libido support. 
my desk
