Boys to Men

As I witnessed my oldest redirect his baby brother today, I realized that he is on his way to learning how to be a daddy one day.  Just last week, he was "playing house" at church and rocking a baby doll to sleep.  I am okay with this.  I think boys should play house, have an opportunity to be creative with a play kitchen, and have toy vacuum cleaners/brooms.  We will continue to foster his nurturing side so that he will be confident in his ability to be a great husband and to raise his own children one day.

We are responsible for turning two boys into men.  My  husband and I will be teaching them how to be great husbands and fathers.  My husband is a great example.  I am blessed to have a husband that shows affection generously and openly everyday, not only to me, but to our children.  He works hard and does everything he can to make sure we are able to live comfortably and want for nothing.  He also makes sure that we live within our means and never allows us to stretch ourselves too thin financially, emotionally, or psychologically.  He is our protector, provider, and cheerleader.  He is a devoted husband and caring father that is actively involved in our kids lives.  He is an excellent role model who shows them gentlemanly behavior daily.  He opens doors for me, carries the heavy bags of groceries in, and takes care of mundane household tasks like taking out the trash and mowing the lawn (chivalry is not dead ladies; lets not let it die out!).  Hubby also shares his love of cooking and takes our oldest grocery shopping regularly.  Our son knows that these tasks are not "just a woman's role." My husband prays with our oldest every night when he tucks him in.  This teaches him to fear God, to be thankful of every blessing, and to build a culture of prayer in the home. He leads by example. He is fostering the boys' love of building things and tearing things down, the use of tools, and exploration of all things nature (tonight, they watched ants eat a dead earthworm...).

We will teach all of our kids the importance of supporting each other, lifting each other up, praising others, forgiving others, and accepting differences.  They will learn that it is okay to make mistakes and to learn from them.  They will be encouraged to give 100% in everything they do and not back out of things they've committed to; not to give up when things get hard.  They will learn about integrity, honesty, and the meaning of being a true friend.  They will know how to express themselves in words, that showing emotion is okay, and that life can be hard but also wonderful. 

Our kids are learning how to be nurturing, forgiving, responsible, generous, and loving.  The use of good manners aren't just taught, but expected.  Nothing less will be tolerated.  We want them to be second nature and happen automatically.  Being thoughtful and considerate of others is so important in life.  They will be much more successful and respected.  I think encouraging them to be among the "good guys" and teaching them these values will ensure they will do the same for their own children.  It is a part of our parental legacy.   

Life Changer?

Complaining on Social Media changed my life! 
If you are reading this right now, you are probably asking yourself, "How can complaining be a good thing?"  Well, I made a post about my twins being ill, again.  Congestion was keeping them both from sleeping, which in turn, kept me from sleeping.  They seemed to go in shifts, so I got very little sleep between soothing babies and wanting to cry and pull my hair out simultaneously.  Several friends read my distress and reached out to me with the same question, "Have you ever considered using essential oils?"  My response was something along the lines of, "I'll try ANYTHING! Please help!"  They were all so patient with me.  One fellow twin mom whipped up some blends in roller bottles for me, another suggested investing in a diffuser.  My cousin mixed up some creams and bath products for me immediately.  These friends saved my life that week and I have never looked back.  I started experimenting with several oils and tried a few different blends.  I can honestly say that the use of any essential oils will have me celebrating you, as they are so much better than medicating our children with drugs! I have nothing bad to say about any brand but I will encourage anyone I talk to with medical/health concerns to try essential oils, as there is an oil for EVERYTHING.  I am leaning new ways to use my oils everyday.

I recently purchased the Premium Starter Kit from Young Living and am now officially obsessed.  I diffuse in the nursery nightly and during nap time.  The twins are sleeping 11-12 hours each night and nap like champions.  My husband attached a roller ball to Stress Away and keeps it on his desk at work.  He regularly uses Peppermint for headaches and I have made the Allergy Trio (Peppermint, Lavender, and Lemon) diluted with Grapeseed Oil for our four year old.  He is no longer taking daily allergy medicine.  Whoa!

Last week, Cameron got attacked by mosquitos while playing outside at his grandparent's house.  His face was so swollen that he was not recognizable.  I put some coconut oil and lavender in my hand and mixed it up in my palms then applied it to his face.  Check this out:

This week alone, I made a bath salt detox, bug spray, diaper cream, and massage lotion.  I already have a long wish list of oils that I'd like to try next!  It won't be long until our medicine cabinet is completely reinvented and is stocked only with oils and homemade remedies using our essential oils.  If you have any favorite recipes, feel free to share in the comments!  How do you use your Everyday Oils? 

Disclaimer: I just signed up to be a distributor for YL, but am not in it to make a million! This was not meant to be a sales pitch, but a testimony. I just want to share my experiences with others and encourage others to try oils with their families.  Plus, it will give me a chance to earn free oils and who doesn't love free? If you would like more information, I'd be happy to help.  I am learning more everyday and would like to help you discover what is best for your family as well.

You may also visit youngliving.com My member number is #2691535  Feel free to email me at carlylecassandra@gmail.com

The twins are ONE!!

We recently celebrated our twins' first birthday with family.  We went with what was probably the "obvious" boy/girl twin theme; Mickey and Minnie Mouse.  :)  The twins wore personalized onesies and I decorated the living room and their high chairs.  We did the traditional smash cake photo session and captured pictures of them doing what they do best, being themselves.  William was off in one direction, while Olivia was dancing to the beat of her own drum.  Here are a few photos from their photo session: