Mother’s Day

doTERRA’s Mother’s Day Collection

Ok friends, I am going to real with y’all: I am putting this blog post together way last minute. I almost didn’t write it, but this deal is too good not to share. So, just a heads up: this will be quick and to the point!

So, doTERRA has released their limited time Mother’s Day item this year, and I love it! It’s called, Harmony: Aroma Handcraft Collection. It features three rare essential oils: Green Mandarin, Pink Pepper, and Star Anise. It also includes 2 empty roller bottles, 10 pipettes, and a recipe booklet with write on labels. Look how cute it is!  Get yours before it sells out.

Green Mandarin essential oil is distilled from just that: green (unripened) mandarins! It can be taken aromatically, topically, and internally. It can help soothe the nervous system, promote healthy immune function, and is known for its cleansing abilities. It has a sweet citrus aroma that can be diffused for an mood or energy uplifting boost.

Pink Pepper essential oil can be used aromatically, topically, and internally. Its known for supporting a healthy metabolism and immune system when taken internally. It can also calm the nervous system, and promote healthy cellular function.

Star Anise essential oil has sweet and spicy aroma. It can help promote feelings or relaxation and support a healthy digestive system when taken internally. You can use this oil internally, topically, and aromatically as well. Star Anise can also promote a healthy cardiovascular  and immune system.

Y’all, don’t these oils sound amazing? I just ordered mine today, and I can’t wait to try them out. You can order yours at mydoterra.com/amandagerber and click “Special Offers” to see the kit. If you are currently not working with a doTERA Wellness Advocate, and would like some help ordering and getting education on doTERRA’s products, I would love to help!

Bonus from ME!

Just to sweeten the deal, here is what I have to offer when you choose to start your doTERRA journey with me:

•Welcome gift (personalized roller bottles, recipes, and other oily goodies)

•Private access to my team’s Facebook group (a wealth of oil knowledge)

•Free Wellness Consultation (a chance to really dive deep into your health goals)

•Continued Support (to answer your questions in real time from a real person— ME!)

Simply go to mydoterra.com/amandagerber and click “Join & Save” to get started.

Which one of these promos are you taking advantage of this month? Share below in the comments!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day! I hope all you moms out there are having an amazing day! Sadly, I know that’s not a reality. Some moms are truly struggling today, whether it be mentally, physically, or spiritually. Motherhood is an amazing blessing, but at times a struggle. A couple of years ago I wrote a poem for a friend of mine who was a single mom of young children. Children too young to know about Mother’s Day, and all the expectations that come with this holiday. Mother’s Day is bittersweet for many. Children that have lost mothers, or mothers that have lost children, single moms in the trenches, or for the mom that has it all but still battles with depression and is overtaken by the guilt inside. For all you moms out there, I hope this may brighten your day and bless you this Mother’s Day.

For everything your kids are too young to say…

Thank you for the 9 months in your belly
For carrying me, even when I got heavy
Thank you for the sleepless nights
Gently rocking and holding me tight
Thank you for teaching me what to say
What, when, and how to pray
Thank you for learning my favorite things
And making up those silly songs you sing
Thank you for showing me right and wrong
While having patience with me all along
Thank you for all the love you show
Caring for me more than I’ll ever know
Thank you for being the perfect playmate
And for those nights you let me stay up late
Thank you for showing me how much God cares
And how much love He has to share
Thank you for trusting in Him each day
Knowing with Him it will always be okay
Thank you, Mom, for all you do
I hope you know how much I love you…

For everything your kids are too young to say
Happy, happy Mother’s Day.

Happy-Mothers-Day-Card-08

DIY Bath Salts

Who has put off getting their mother a gift for Mother’s Day until the very last minute? I know some of you have! Well, tonight I am going to give you an idea for a Mother’s Day gift that is friendly on your wallet, but sure to please any mom. Today, we’re making bath salts! A gift that will force your mom to relax and enjoy a long, luxurious bath.

I have made my own bath salts for quite some time now, almost a year now. I actually started making bath salts shortly after having Isaac, our 10 month old, because I was in constant discomfort after delivering him. My body was healing very slowly and it hurt to stand, it hurt to lay down, it hurt to walk; you get the idea, it was a really rough first month! A friend of mine suggested bathing in Epsom salts with essential oils that were known for assisting the body in healing after childbirth: helichrysum (known for its restorative properties), lavender (known for its soothing properties), and frankincense (known for its many healing properties). That was the first time I found relief, and after a week of adding this to my routine I was feeling great. I fell in love with the combination of Epsom salts and essential oils and use them together regularly, for much more than postpartum healing.  You can use them for relaxation (Lavender), aiding with sore muscles (Peppermint), or clearing up congestion (Peppermint and/or Eucalyptus). For more information on how to provide your family with quality essential oils, feel free to email me at info@amandagerber.com.

bath salts

So, here we go. You only need a few things to get started.

Ingredients:
– 2 cups Epsom salts
– 10 drops essential oils, your choice
– Glass jar for storage
– Label, ribbon, or any embellishment you want to add

Directions:
– Mix to Epsom salts and essential oils together in a glass bowl
– Transfer to your glass jar and seal tightly
– Label and decorate to your creative abilities
– I like to add dried lavender or dried citrus peels for a pop of color.
– Use ½ cup-1 cup per bath

Ta-da! The perfect gift made out of love. If you want to add a little more glam, consider adding an all natural lotion, lip balm or soap for the perfect pampering present. Have fun y’all!

Have you made your own bath salts before?  What are your favorite oils to add?

Mother’s Day Giveaway!

Today I am going to introduce to you my favorite essential oil blend from my trusted company: Grounding blend. Just thinking about it makes me relax in my chair. The Grounding Blend is a blend of spruce needle/leaf, ho wood, frankincense, blue tansy flower, and blue chamomile flower essential oils in a base of coconut oil. It’s got the nice woodsy, sweet smell to it that makes you want to breathe it in for days.

I use this oil every single day. I put it in my diffuser (along with a citrus oil) and it has helped my mid-afternoon grumpiness craziness I am prone to. Also, it’s already diluted with coconut oil so if one of my kidos is having a meltdown I can pour a drop in my hand and rub it right on their feet or chest. So between myself and my boys (remember 4 years old and under here) we go through about a bottle a minute! Just kidding… but you get the point; it’s that amazing!

From my own personal experience I can honestly say this has helped me recover after the birth of my children as well as keep my anxious feelings at bay. I can start to feel when I’m getting stressed, and mentally as well as physically I start to get tense; so I’ll grab my bottle and put some of the Grounding Blend on my feet, or even just smell the bottle and it calms me down.

This oil, in my opinion, is a must have for every mom. Remember, you can email me at info@amandagerber.com to get the oils in your home, but what I’m doing today is a Mother’s Day Giveaway. I want to give away a bottle of this amazing blend to a deserving mom. So, what do I need from you? Leave a comment below of a mom you would like to nominate to win this bottle and why they should win (go ahead and brag on them! Let them know they are loved!). This will be open today through Friday (May 8, 2015) ending at 11:59PM. I will announce the winner on Saturday.

Share below and she could be the lucky winner!

DISCLAIMER: This information is not regulated by the FDA and is not intended to cure or treat disease. It is for informational purposes only. I am just a mom, not a doctor, sharing my experience with essential oils and how they’ve helped my family.

Mother’s Day Brownies

As promised, I am going to give you another post related to Mother’s Day. Today my post is going to be in the form of recipe (not for mom to make, but for you to make for her!). Can you guess what my recipe will contain? My two favorite ingredients: chocolate and essential oils. Yummm…

So, these are actually gluten free brownies that are moist and yummy and full of fiber! Fiber in brownies?!? How is that even possible? Two words for you: Black. Beans. Now, don’t you crinkle your nose at me. I just made this and tried it out on unsuspecting guests with great results. My husband actually liked it, but admitted he would like it a little sweeter (an easy fix!). Honestly I did not expect to like these brownies, but I love them. I am going to give you the original recipe that I followed from doterrablog.com and feel free to tweak it according to your taste buds.

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Photo credit: doterrablog.com

Ingredients
1 15 ounce can black beans, drained, and rinsed (Trust me, just do it!)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup honey (I actually used half honey and half agave)
1/3 cup coconut oil
½ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 drops Peppermint essential oil
¾ cup chocolate chips, divided

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place all ingredients, except for chocolate chips, in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Stir in ½ cup chocolate chips.
4. Pour into greased 8×8 inch pan and top with the remaining chocolate chips (don’t skip this step, this is what made the brownies perfect).
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (mine took 40 minutes). Let cool (or not! We dug right in when it was still warm and it didn’t make a huge mess, just a little one.) and cut into pieces. Store in the fridge if you haven’t devoured the entire pan.

Notes
– Y’all, this is my new favorite dessert. I love it and I don’t have to feel guilty about having two three brownies. This would be a dessert a mom on a diet could actually eat. It’s awesome.
– At first bite I thought it could be a tad sweeter, but once I took another bite I realized it was just the right amount of sweet for me. From my personal reviews everyone liked the brownies, but a couple of people could use a touch more sweetness.
– This is a very versatile recipe: you can use the peppermint essential oil, or cinnamon, or clove, or simply leave the oil out of the dish. Play around and have some fun with it!

What do you think about black beans in brownies? Try the recipe and comment below how it goes!

Who Loves You?

So, this is a post I wrote almost 2 years ago on my previous blog, but I think it fits perfectly into my focus for this week, which is motherhood.  Mother’s Day is on Sunday and I want to share the blessing of motherhood to other moms in need of encouragement as I share struggles and victories, or just a good laugh as I share silly things my boys may do or say.  I hope you are as blessed by this reminder as I was:

Here is a conversation my husband had with our son Noah, when he was only 2 years old…

Nathan: “Noah, do you know I love you?”

Noah: “Yes, daddy.”

Nathan: “Noah, who loves you?”

Noah: “Jesus.”

loving-God Photo Credit: ourhealingmoments.com

Oh, the many lessons learned by my son in this small conversation I was blessed to witness.  This truly is a moment I will never forget.  I want to focus on one thing I noticed during that precious interaction and that was this: Noah, in all his two year old glory, knew without a single doubt that Jesus loved him.  We tell Noah that Jesus loves us all the time, but that particular morning there was no priming his brain before the question Noah, who loves you? was asked.  At that time, Nathan and I were both expecting Noah to respond, You do daddy, but what our son said was even greater.  Noah knew Jesus loved him.

This may seem redundant, but hear me out.  Noah did not have to think back to how he had disobeyed me the previous day and wonder if Jesus still loved him.  I’m sure Noah didn’t think he had to perform obligations and duties for Jesus to still love him.  He just knew, at that moment he was loved, and is loved by Jesus Christ.

Oh that I may have faith like my (at the time) two year old son to know Jesus loves me… He loves me today and tomorrow, He loves me during my successes and my failures, He loves me when I obey Him and catches me when I fall… He loves me unconditionally.  I pray today that you will know you are loved by a Savior.  You are loved by Jesus.