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When things go wrong

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. NLT Romans 8:28

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. NLT 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

When the hubster and I moved to Kentucky, we arrived with no friends or family- certainly no one we knew well enough to babysit our then 5yo son. When Valentine’s Day rolled around, we decided to have a family “date.” My favorite guilty pleasure is White Castle. Oh those those tiny little cheeseburgers are so delicious! Fast food, I know, I know… They’re not organic wholesomeness. No crunchy mama awards there. Big deal. I don’t care what is in them. It’s an occasional treat. Once in a while. Really, only once (or twice) a year. Don’t judge me. I’ve seen you in line at McDonald’s. Anyway… Our big romantic date night ends up at White Castle with our little kid in tow.

Picture Valentine decor everywhere. Plastic roses, paper table clothes, heart confetti… every dollar store red or pink item was there. And then some! They presented Hershy’s kisses on the tray with our meal. Cheesy to the max! Times ten. Maybe a million. You get the idea. There I sat with my two favorite fellas (who really dont care for the food, by the way) and it was heaven. Absolute heaven! Ok, it was not a romantic, big deal date of the past but who can be sad with a cheeseburger in their mouth? Yum. My little boy enjoyed being my Valentine – and having fries and a Coke of course. Husbband is happy if I’m happy and I’m totally happy with those delicious little gut grenades. So everyone is happy, happy, happy.

We didn’t have a babysitter the next year either. White Castle for the win! What started as a make-do alternative has turned into an eleven year tradition for us. Hey, we even make reservations now. Classy. Yeah. Eleven years of celebrating love: family-style with mini-cheeseburgers. What’s the point of this story? Things don’t always work out the way we think they should. And that’s okay- IF WE LET IT BE OKAY. If we keep our attitudes and mouths right, the Lord can take ANY situation and turn it around for our good. Is the situation good? Probably not but God’s alternative can be so much better that we expected. It may just turn out to be the best thing ever. While this example is certainly a light-hearted one, the truth in it is the same. The Lord has turned every disaster into blessing for me over time. The key is to just roll with it, know the Lord loves you and trusting that he can AND WILL take care of you. No complaining and grumbling though . That’s not the faith stuff He works with. Trust, patience, praise, thanksgiving – thats the good stuff. The faith stuff. He can work with that and turn it toward your favor. You might just get a cheeseburger with it.

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Essential Oils Product Launch

I am so excited to announce the upcoming launch of our new line of custom blended essential oils. Let me take the guess work of what and how to use each oil by blending them for you. MommieKate Home Brews are a dynamic blend of essential oils that promote health and well being. After years of research, I have perfected my kitchen remedies and am ready to share the benefits with you. Each blend is carefully and lovingly prepared to specifically combat the seasonal threats that can interfere with your daily enjoyment of good health. We will begin by offering an Allergy Blend, a Cold/Flu Blend, a Yucky Tummy Blend, an Immune Booster Blend, and a Sleep Sound Blend. We will also offer private consultations and custom blends. Stay tuned for the official product launch and web site store in January!

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

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Leash Training an Adult Dog

Living on a rural farm means having livestock guardian dogs (LGDs).  Large dogs.  Big, big, BIG dogs.  Big dogs can have BIG behavior problems if not trained correctly. 

Felix came to us by way of rescue. He was a year old and totally untrained when we adopted him. He had killed a few chickens and gotten a bad rap. Chicken killer. Not good for a guardian. 

This is a plight facing LGDs everywhere. People assume that since these magnificent creatures are bred for the job they require no training. WRONG. They hit the naughty adolescent stage, problems occur, they’re seen as failures, and then they’re looking for a new home… Most issues happen from over excited play and lack of boundaries rather than true aggression.

Leash training is my favorite! It is by far the most rewarding task. Once a dog can walk on a leash, the tool is handy and the pattern is set for EVERY other training task. You nail it and the rest just falls together.

Here’s a short video that I made for an LGD education group. It demonstrates my technique for leash training an already grown dog. I’ll provide an affiliate link to my favorite harness. Once Felix was leash trained & chicken trustworthy, I no longer needed the harness on a daily basis. It was handy “insurance” for handling off-farm trips/vet visits.

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Essential Oils Holiday Giveaway

**This Contest is Now Closed**

One of Santa’s Elves (not really, it’s me, you know full-disclosure legalities and all) stocked up on Holiday Joy, one of my favorite Christmas Season essential oils blends. I love diffusing this blend! it makes me so happy that I want to share it with you! Let’s have an essential oils  holiday giveaway! I’ll be randomly drawing one winner. Deadline to enter will be Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at midnight, Eastern time zone. Share a good thing- enter by subscribing, commenting, and at least one social media share:

  • Comment on this post below
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  • Share on Facebook
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Good luck! I will contact the winner Wednesday morning by announcing on the above social media platforms. *Squeal* I just love freebies!

 

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Weekly Schedule Free Printable

The holidays can get a bit crazy, huh? We are winding down our year. We are looking ahead to the New Year. If you’re like me, you have a zillion sticky notes, lists, and phone reminders just to keep up. For years, I searched for the perfect weekly schedule to no avail. So I made one. I wanted a week at a glance and room for notes all on one page. I also wanted a no-nonsense, easy on the eyes, and easy on the printer ink version. Is that too much to ask for? I think not. If you too are in the never ending quest for the perfect DIY weekly schedule, try mine. It’s free! Consider it a little Christmas happy from me to you. You know, to stay sane. Or to at least look like we have it all together.

Click to download this Weekly Schedule Free Printable on Scribd.

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An Interview with Janelle Lucido

Join me and Janelle as we discuss her new cookbook and her tips for a stress free holiday. You will be in love with her casual style and smart attitude toward food and holiday entertaining. Squeel- there’s even a freebie!

 

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Battle Seasonal Germs With Essential Oils

It’s that time my friends. Cold and flu season is upon us. I absolutely despise sinus crud, winter colds, stomach bugs, and coughs of every sort. Germs are the enemy! This time of year I turn into commando general. No kidding: it’s a full on battle. I plan to win. My main weapon? dōTERRA Essential Oils.

Here is my strategy against germ warfare. I’m proactive. I use OnGuard liberally. I diffuse it in the air, clean with it, drink it in a tea, and use it in place of hand sanitizer. Forget that it smells sooooooo good, this little product packs a punch. It’s ingredients include wild orange, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary.  Historical uses of the oils in this blend include antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, and anticatarrhal. This is my main antiseptic/anti-infectious weapon.

If one of my little soldiers (it’s war, people, get with it-war I tell you) succumbs to one of those nasty little evil cold/flu buggers, I have weapons for that as well. My go to bullet to stop icky germs in their tracks is a honey and essential oil tea. It is super quick and easy to prepare.

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Warm 6-8 ounces of water in a glass container

Add 1-3 teaspoons of honey (to taste, really)

Add two drops of each: OnGuard Blend and Lemon Oil.

Stir with a stainless steel of glass straw and enjoy. I always drink from the straw as the clove oil in the OnGuard can numb your lips. Since essential oils can draw out toxins, I never ever use them in plastic cups and straws.

Please visit http://mydoterra.com/cathykimball to learn more and purchase these battle weapons for your family’s germ warfare. (Some browsers may get an error message. No worries: click refresh.)

Please note, I have to include this disclaimer to appease the lawyers: the FDA has not evaluated these statements. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. I am sharing my personal experience with using essential oils. My statements should not be used to replace your doctor’s medical advise. Please consult your healthcare practitioner for any concerns. I am not a doctor. I am not an army general either. You didn’t really think I was, did you? I’m a mom keeping her family heathy with alternative methods.

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Help for Setting and Achieving Your Goals

I have spent November and December in quiet time, prayer, and planning.  I wanted to greet the New Year with enthusiasm and a plan.  You see, ever since MOMCon 2014 (Mothers of Preschoolers Convention- totally awesome, by the way) I have been contemplating this year’s “Brave” theme and what it means for me and God’s call upon my life.  Never before have I spent so much time and effort into setting goals. Oh I make plans, alright, and lists – tons of lists. (My Mom thinks I’m a little overboard in the organizing department. I may or may not have had my suitcase packed two full weeks before my last trip back home, outfits rolled together with undies and jewelry all together. That’s not weird. You do that too, right?) But goals? Actual write them out all official-like goals? Nope. Never. I wasn’t even sure where to start.

Several resources have helped me in that department. Each one has profoundly changed the way I think about goal setting and why I should even bother. I want to share these resources with you. Each one has been for a specific area of my life.  All together, they were beyond what I’d call a good value for the little money I spent. THEY WERE FABULOUS, I’m telling you. Fabulous!

I downloaded the books A Million Little Ways, Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live by Emily P. Freeman and Restless: Because You Were Made for More by Jennie Allen.  I attended workshops that each of these ladies led at MOMCon. Oh my they were fantastic! It’s no exaggeration to say that the Restless book radically changed my mindset. If you have ever pondered your purpose beyond wife and mother, these books are for you. (While I am not an affiliate for either one of these titles, I do have them in my Amazon store for your convenience.)

I also downloaded a few workbooks to help me get it all sorted out. The first one is Your Retreat, A Guide to Giving Yourself a Personal Planning Day by Erin Odom. Erin blogs at The Humbled Homemaker. She’s the perfect combo of crunchy yet practical – I like that. In this downloadable PDF, she covers why it is so important to set aside time to plan and set goals. She guides you through several areas such as homemaking, meal planning, personal growth, spiritual growth, and finances. She also touches on our roles as wife and as parent. This was the perfect starting point for me.  It was easy to read and to implement.

About the same time, Tina at Savvy Homeschool Moms recommended a free ebook by Leonie Dawson called A Cowgirl’s Guide to Riding Wild Donkeys. Crazy, I know. (I loved it. You know I would. Come on…wild donkeys? Yes, please.) That book led me to her workbooks, Create Your Shining Year, 2015 Life & Biz Editions. Now, before skipping off to her site I have to warn you: the girl has got a mouth like a sailor. Somehow, though, she’s endearing on so many other levels that I sort of overlook it. (And read emails from her with one eye closed. Really. Lovely girl but whoa..that mouth.) She’s a totally groovy, hippy dippy sort of chick. I think she’s the Australian version of Dharma & Greg. (Kinda miss that show. I may have been her in my previous single, yoga teaching, life. Dharma with the clean mouth. Just so you’re clear on that one.) These two fun and artsy workbooks narrowed down the focus a bit more. They cover specific goal planning for what you want to accomplish but also the kind of life you want to have. Clever, huh?

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Those three workbooks impressed me so much that I partnered with the authors as an affiliate (As an affiliate, I earn a tiny bit of moolah for each book that is purchased though clicking on their links from my site) to help them reach a greater audience. The workbooks are THAT good. I can see myself re-using them for years to come. They are available as printable PDFs so I can do that. Score! Green, even.

You know what’s even better? This week only Erin’s Your Retreat, A Guide to Giving Yourself a Personal Planning Day is available for only 99cents !

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I’m curious, do you set goals? What’s your process? Do you have a plan or just wing it? Connect, let’s chat about it.

 

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Getting Started With Essential Oils

I’m often asked about my use of essential oils. What are they? What brand do you prefer? How do I use them? Before I answer those questions, let me first tell you WHY I use essential oils: because THEY WORK! My son and I have experienced severe seasonal allergy for years. Prior to trying essential oils we experimented with almost every OTC and prescription out there. The results were marginal and the side effects were horrible! Who wants to stay medicated for nine months out of the year? Who wants to decide what’s worse, the allergies or the side effects? Who wants all those unnessary chemicals? NOT US!

From the first day we tried them, we were hooked! We were so successful that we tried essential oils for other things. We have used them for allergies, itchies, ouchies, grouchies, relaxation, muscle sprains, bruises, tummy yuckies, colds, headaches, migraines, edema, ear aches, infection, gout… I could go on and on. (Really. I could. All day. For real.)  I was so pleased that I became a Wellness Advocate for dōTERRA.®

So… now you know why I love, love, love, using essential oils. Let’s go further answering the what, why, and how of using them.

 

What are essential oils?

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If you have ever enjoyed the scent of a rose, you’ve experienced the aromatic qualities of essential oils. These naturally occurring, volatile aromatic compounds are found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants. They can be both beautifully and powerfully fragrant. In addition to giving plants their distinctive smells, essential oils protect plants and play a role in plant pollination. In addition to their intrinsic benefits to plants and being beautifully fragrant to people, essential oils have long been used for food preparation, beauty treatment, and health care practices.

Why dōTERRA® ?

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When you choose dōTERRA®, you are choosing essential oils gently and carefully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at the perfect moment by experienced growers from around the world for ideal extract composition and efficacy. Each dōTERRA essential oil is also carefully and thoroughly tested using the strict CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® quality protocol. Experienced essential oil users will immediately recognize the superior quality standard for naturally safe, purely effective therapeutic-grade dōTERRA essential oils.

How do I use them?

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Essential oils are used for a wide range of emotional and physical wellness applications. They can be used a single oil at a time or in complex blends in one of three methods:

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Essential oils, when diffused, can be very stimulating, while others can be calming and soothing. Diffusing essential oils can also cleanse and purify the air.

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Essential oils are easily absorbed by the skin and many can be safely applied topically when used in conjunction with a carrier oil, such as Fractionated Coconut Oil.

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Certain essential oils have a rich culinary history and can be used as dietary supplements supporting a variety of healthy conditions.

To learn even more, click here to visit my site. Note: depending on your browser, you may get a “site not found” error- no worries! Click refresh and you’ll be on your way.

The informational section of this post and photos are attributed to dōTERRA International, 2014.