Essential Living: BOGO!!!

Countdown is on!!!!

These BOGOs are a great way to start and/ or grow your doTERRA oil collection.  

If you don't already have a wholesale membership and want to take advantage of these BOGOs at *wholesale cost*- send me a message today so we can set that up and you can begin your oil journey!!! (This is a great way to start)
BOGO's can still be purchased without a membership at retail cost!


Follow along on Facebook & Instagram Stories to learn which BOGOs are being offered each day.  If you jump on my group orders and are local to me,you can save on shipping!

Friday Coffee Chat

I'm jumping in on another link party this week with April from Smidge of This for this week's Friday Coffee Chat.

Last week I mentioned we had a busy weekend ahead but it was just beginning, so couldn't do much of a "recap"

1. Neil and I left on Friday afternoon for a quick afternoon/evening away.  Neil had won (by "won" I mean bid on at a silent auction) a nights stay in a Junior Suite at the Casablanca Inn and Winery.  While we would have loved to go during warmer weather and take more advantage of the winery piece, the gift certificate expires in April.  And, the months ahead are fairly packed.  So, we decided to use it last Friday evening.

It turned out to be a great night away.  The room was nice, it overlooked the water, which of course would have been amazing in the summer but was still a nice treat since our home in in the suburbs and basically overlooks another home.

We both enjoyed some time in the spa getting pedicures.  A spa pedicure for me and a men's sports pedicure for Neil.  His first ever pedicure, so I was impressed he went for it at all.  And, pedicures were followed by a late dinner at the hotel restaurant on the 8th floor which again, overlooks the lake.
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have caught that the night hit a bit of a snag when the fire alarm in the hotel went off just as we began our appetizer and we had to evacuate.  Even though it wasn't quite how we had pictured the night going, it ended up being a small inconvenience and because of the inconvenience, received a complimentary meal. Additionally, Friday night had some pretty heavy snow fall so, the hotel and restaurant had a lot of cancellations, making us, at one point, the only customers in the restaurant.  Neil kept joking that he was "such a big deal" that he rented out the whole restaurant for our romantic dinner. 

It was a quick little getaway but, was nice to unplug, reconnect and relax.   Even if just for 24 hours.

2. Once we came home, I headed to the dress rehearsal that I mentioned last week. All looked great and the kids are ready for their first competition of the season which is coming up quickly.

3. I was scheduled to host a class on Sunday at my home, but the crazy snowfall that turned into freezing rain, as well as a couple attendees turning up sick, forced us to reschedule for another time.  It is unfortunate as I love classes but, there is always another more appropriate time.  We have some great incentive gifts for anyone booking classes this year so, if it's something you're interested in, please send me a message to arrange a booking.

4. Wednesday was Valentines day which is not a holiday we celebrate in any crazy way.  A sweet note and some chocolates or flowers are usually the gift of choice and a nice dinner at home, which is A-OK with me.  As it turns out, when we were dating, we would celebrate our anniversary on the 19th of February.  And, as the years have passed we generally continue to celebrate the 19th instead of Valentines day.  They're so close together and it's much easier to get a dinner reservation on the 19th instead of the 14th.  So, I still have something to look forward to on Monday next week :).

5.  This weekend is the long Family Day Weekend here, so we have a few fun things planned beginning with another movie night with our dear friends.  Maybe we'll actually get around to watching a movie this time.  Regardless, I'm grateful for a fun week past, albeit different than I originally expected, and a fun weekend ahead.

How was everyone's week?

Essential Living: Skin Care

Happy Valentine's Day! In preparation for many of the fancy dinners and dates tonight, I thought I would talk about skin care and how to prep your skin for that fancy dinner make-up.

My skin generally runs on the dry side, with few problem areas but if I am going to have break outs, it will be on my chin and usually during a period of time when hormones are running high.  So, I gravitate toward products that are simple, smell good and just make my face feel clean and moisturized.

I've tried dozens of products, partly because I was once a product junky but, partly because nothing seemed quite right.  That is, until I found this combination of DoTerra products. Some are ready made and some are home made with the oils to create the most perfect mealy of products that has now curbed my product buying obsession.

The DoTerra Essentials Facial Cleanser smells like a dream.  I like to use this in the shower.  It feels so nice on the skin and the fragrance is like walking into a spa.  And, using it in conjunction with the steam of the shower seems to help the scent linger and makes me feel very refreshed before I start my day.

The Hydrating Cream is something that I add in the winter.   The air here in Southern Ontario is pretty darn dry in the winter months and it reeks havoc on my skin. So, while I don't use the cream year round, I am so happy to have it to apply morning and night in the winter time to keep me well hydrated. It also allows your make-up to apply like a dream.

And finally, the miracle cleanser/ make up remover, moisturizer mix that I use in the evening...every evening.  This is a homemade mixture of Lavender, Geranium, Frankincense and coconut oil is the perfect end to every day.  I take a small scoop on my finger and rub it into the palm of my (clean) hands and apply all over my face, being careful around my eyes.  It will literally dissolve my make up and clean my face.  I rinse it off with a little bit of warm water and pat dry.  

In the summer months, that's it.  In the winter I'll add the hydrating cream just for that little extra moisture but, if you don't have dry skin, you may want to skip that step.

Anyone interested in testing these products out, say the word and I'll send you a sample (GTA/ Ontario Only) or you can order directly from the webiste from anywhere in the world.

Your skin will thank you!

Friday Coffee Chat

I'm linking up with April from Smidge of This to do this week's coffee chat update.  So, without further adieu, here goes.

1. Last Friday, Neil and I did something that we were SO looking forward to.  Wait for it, it's a good one...We had a movie night with our dear friends.  I know, you're so envious of how crazy our life is.  In all seriousness though, we used to these movie nights with these friends really frequently.  It became a part of our routine and a great end to the week.  But, in the past few months, we just haven't been able to work it back into our schedule.  It's been too long and regardless of the movie (which by the way, we didn't get to watching because we were busy chatting), it was the night just spending time together and enjoying each others company.

2. Sunday was pretty low key until the Superbowl.  We hosted both our parents with a casual pot of chili and some appetizers for the Superbowl and of JT obviously! I have to say, that was one of the best games I've watched.  It really was a nail biter until the bitter end.  Even though I was cheering on the Pats (for no reason other than I wanted to cheer for the team that no one was cheering for) it was a great end and a fun night.

3. On Monday, I was scheduled to go out of town to visit my dear roommate from University and her little one but, alas, flu season is upon us and her little one was under the weather so we had to reschedule...bring on the OnGuard, am I right?
PS. Did you see the study I posted on my Facebook page comparing OnGuard spray to other leading sanitizers during flu season?  If not, you can check it out here.
Anyway, we were still able to meet a couple of local friends for a quick lunch and catch up on Monday down by the lake. So, still made for a nice early afternoon. Even though the lake in early February isn't quite as appealing as mid-July.

I plugged into my creative juices this week and did alot of prep work for the blog as well. We have a busy couple of months ahead, so I'm really cognizant of the need to prepare now for the crazy couple of months ahead...more on that later.

The weekend ahead is packed full of activity.

4. Tonight, Neil and I are heading out of town for the night.  He won / purchased this stay at a hotel and winery at a charity golf tournament last year (not our tournament but another one for the same cause).  So, we're taking advantage of that this afternoon/ evening and into tomorrow.  Hoping to get a day/night of good food, company and some good old fashioned relaxation.

5. Saturday will also be busy with a dress rehearsal for the competitive dancers at the studio I work at. I really look forward to these rehearsals every year. I'm not a faculty member but rather an administrator for the competitive program so my role at these rehearsals is really just support and general enjoyment.  I love seeing all the work and excitement before we head out to the first competition of the year. And, Sunday I'll be hosting a class to share some information on my favourite oils.  Something I always look forward to.  If you're interested in hosting a class, message me for more information.  We have some great incentive gifts coming for those who host classes.

Essential Living: Sleep, Glorious Sleep

Let's be real, everyone has trouble sleeping from time to time.  But, some of us have actual chronic sleep issues.  Whether it be due to a specific cause or just because we have trouble relaxing and turning off our brain for the night.

For me, I am generally a pretty light sleeper. But, after Brady passed away I had some pretty severe anxiety and the inability to sleep just exasperated that anxiety.  I was diagnosed with PTSD and given some pretty intense anti-depressants and sleeping pills.  But, after a week of using both, I just didn't like the idea of becoming dependent on anything artificial if I could find a better way.   I'm not opposed to medicine, I just like the idea of trying the natural route first.  If I can't find a solution this way, time permitting, then of course I would take anything the doctor recommended.  And, would encourage anyone else in the same way, free of judgement.

I had a friend who was a wellness advocate for DoTerra and she helped me determine which oils might work for me in trying to achieve a decent sleep at night.

At first, we tried Serenity & Balance, which I loved.  Then, for a little bit more intensity when the days were particularly tough, I was introduced to Vetiver.  I still use Serenity and transition between that and Lavender for simple relaxation in my bedroom and throughout the house.  I still have both Balance and Vetiver on hand for additional help but generally stick to what I like.   All of the above, can be diffused or applied topically.   In the beginning I did more topical application, mostly on the bottoms of my feet and now, use the diffuser more often than not.  It's a bit more subtle and allows both myself and my husband to benefit from just a couple of drops over 2-4 hours.

If you struggle with sleep, how do you cope?  Would love to hear your techniques for relaxation. And if oils are something you would be interested in trying, feel free to contact me via email for a sample (GTA / Ontario only) or order directly from the website from anywhere in the world.

No more sleepless nights!

Launch

Welcome to the official launch of Simply Graceful!

There has been alot of work behind the scenes to get this little space on the internet up to par.  And, even though it's still a bit of a work in progress, I'm excited to share it with you today.

Simply Graceful will be a place to share lifestyle updates and tips on natural wellness, particularly with regards to essential oils and how to incorporate them into your daily life.

We have a lot on the horizon this year that I am excited to share with you.  So, follow along on Bloglovin, Facebook and/or Instagram for post updates. 

2018 starts February 1st!  Let's take this journey together.

I'm so glad you're here!