PUMPKIN SPICE CINNAMON ROLLS

Preheat to 350

4 1/2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast

1 cup warm water

1 teaspoon sugar

Whisk together and let sit for 5-10 minutes

Then, add in 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

Mix until you've got a huge ball of dough

Roll the dough out into a big rectangle. Cover top with two handfuls of brown sugar (about 1/2 cup) and then sprinkle on Pumpkin Pie Spice and Cinnamon until brown sugar is covered. At least do 1 Tablespoon of PPS and Cinnamon, but add more if you want!

Roll up, slice into about 10-12 rolls and place on baking sheet. No need to let rise, throw them in the oven now and bake for about 20-25 minutes. You might have to check the center of one to make sure it's cooked to your liking.

Now it's time to frost!

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 Tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon Vanilla (optional)

Now add in that Pumpkin Pie Spice until you're happy...I added and mixed until I got a nice mocha color. Be warned, I used so much PPS that the rolls had a kick to them (I think from all the clove). Also, don't be afraid to double or triple the frosting recipe if you like extra!

I promise these are super easy. I can whip them up in 20 minutes and by the time they've baked and are on our plates, it's only been an hour!

Try them this Saturday morning!

PS - if you're not into PPS, just use cinnamon in the rolls filling and leave it out of the frosting!

Let’s Stop Treating Men Like Children

I’ll always remember my Grandma Jackson refused to watch shows where men (specifically husbands) were portrayed as dumb.

Once she pointed that out to me, I realize how many shows do that!

It’s so disrespectful.

But it’s not just TV and movies, I’ve seen it happen, right in front of me, over and over again.

It’s so sad.

But this is what I’m sure of: Men can succeed at work, take care of their home, spend time with their family, be involved in church and cultivate meaningful relationships.

I see Nick do it well!

So, what if instead of treating men like they’re dumb, we show them we believe in them and watch them excel because of our support?

I always find that people turn out exactly how we expect them to, so let’s choose our thoughts and language wisely.

Why don’t we stop telling men how to do their jobs, rolling our eyes like they can’t care for things at home, quit calling it “babysitting” when they’re simply being a daddy, dragging them to events, setting them up on “play dates” with other men and not taking their advice?

I know, I know, it goes both ways and no one’s perfect.

But it’s got to start somewhere and treating men like men is a good place to begin.

How To Go Vegan TODAY

Going vegan wasn’t all that hard for me, but every now and then I’ll be reminded of something I used to enjoy. I know that I could eat that item again if I wanted to, but feeling good just feels so much better.

Have you been interested in going vegan but aren’t sure where to start?

Here are my tips:

1. Focus on what you can eat and don’t dwell on the few things you’re avoiding. You’re really only cutting out three things: meat, dairy and eggs. But, you can eat EVERYTHING else: all fruits, all vegetables, all nuts, all seeds, etc, leaving you with tens of thousands of options.

2. Fill up on what you enjoy. I love juiced oranges, sliced pineapple, dates and avocados covered in lemon juice and salt.

3. Be willing to experiment. I used to hate salads, but now I’ve figured out my favorite recipes and actually crave them.

4. Educate yourself. The more time I invest in learning about how food is related to health, the more I’m motivated to eat well.

5. Read labels and say no. Dairy (and other crap) is in everything and not everyone understands diet restrictions, so don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself.

I know it’s tempting to eat whatever is easy, whatever’s put in front of you and whatever you crave. I know. But, I promise that putting some boundaries on food will leave you feeling better in the long run.

Balance Is A LIE

As a mom, I often feel like I’m doing everything.

And nothing.

My days are consumed with putting together meals and snacks, loading and unloading the dishwasher, washing, folding and putting away laundry, running errands, vacuuming and mopping, meal planning and grocery shopping, scrubbing toilets and showers and on and on.

At the same time, my days are also consumed with trying to spend time with friends, volunteering with our church and participating in studies, working out, and spending lots of time with Ivy, reading books to her, allowing her to help me around the house, talking to her and playing with her and spending roughly 3 hours awake with her nightly because she's not a good sleeper.

It feels busy, all day, everyday.

But, I often look around, at the end of the day, and wonder what I did with all those hours.

I feel that I'm doing everything I can, and at the same time, I feel like I should be better.

Better about staying in touch with friends, better about eating healthier meals, better about deep cleaning, better about working on our small business, better about working out and losing the last bit of baby weight, better about reading my Bible, better about doing educational play with Ivy, and better about getting out to do stuff with other people.

I feel that I should do better, but to be honest, I'm mostly consumed with being a mom, wondering if this is good enough to be considered "my best".

I want there to be a balance, but I can only do so many things well at once and this is it. So, for this season, my minimalist house might be untidy and somewhat dirty, my vegan meals might be a ton of rice and beans, my reading list might be mostly kids books, my friendships might be lots playdates and my date nights might be take out and a movie we’ve seen a million times.

This is my new normal and this is a 24/7 job.

There’s no way to balance it all, so I’m focusing on what’s most important right now - Ivy - and I’ll figure the rest out along the way💕

The Cheap, Lazy Girl's Guide to Essential Oils

With all the tips, tricks and recipes all over Pinterest, using essential oils can seem overwhelming.

Let me just go ahead and confess here…I’m slightly cheap and lazy. So, if my friends want to get together and DIY, I can get onboard. Who doesn’t love girl-time? But, when left to myself, I’ll just order the products that are already made. Easy peasy.

If you’re like me, you want a healthy lifestyle, but you don’t want it to be rocket science. Am I right? So, I put together a list of suggestions to save your money and keep things simple.

Aka, “The cheap, lazy girl’s guide to essential oils”:

🌱snag Young Living bottle labels and throw them on your caps so that you can stop wasting time and quickly find the essential oil you’re searching for
🌱soak your empty bottles in epsom salt and add 1/4 cup to 1 cup salt to your baths (the epsom salt draws out the last drops of essential oils out of the bottles)
🌱clean up those same bottles, grab Young Living AromaGlide Roller Fitments and DIY your favorite roll on recipes
🌱pick up spray caps (from gotoilsupplies.com) and turn your clean, empty bottles into DIY sprays like makeup setting spray, mouth spray, stinky puppy spray, etc…
🌱remove the cap from your favorite oil, place a few toothpicks down into the bottle, put it on any surface and enjoy the scent without having to turn on your diffuser
🌱keep a pitcher of water next to your diffuser to skip walking back and forth to the sink
🌱buy multiples of your favorite oils and keep one in each room you spend time in…don’t forget your purse (again, skip the walking back and forth a million times)
🌱replace all your cleaning supplies with one product: Thieves Household Cleaner
🌱stock up on oils for cooking and baking, like Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Lemon, etc., and use them instead of the fresh stuff that often goes bad too quickly

I know living a healthier, toxin-free lifestyle can seem expensive, but just think of it as an investment in your health! It’s worth it and over time, you can find your own ways to save money and keep things simple.

Already do so? Share your tips below!

***Order your essential oils HERE and use my code SHAREYL for 10% off!

Do you feel "off" when you travel?

Although traveling is my absolute favorite, it doesn’t always leave me feeling my best.  When I get home, it usually takes me a few days to a week to feel back to normal.

Do you struggle with the same issue?  Wanting to get out of town, but finding you come back more tired than when you left?

Here are some of my favorite travel hacks...try them out on your next trip and see if they help you as much as they help me.

-Drink tons of water, so much that you might need to stop at every rest area.  I’m failing here currently. Yes, it’s annoying, but it will help keep your skin clear, your digestion working normally and give you energy.

-When it’s time to eat, choose the best option available to you.  If it’s a smoothie, perfect!  If it’s a veggie pizza, that’s good too!  And make sure you bring lots of snacks for the times when you can’t find a decent place to eat or the munchies hit you when you can’t make a food stop.

-Use your essential oils, everywhere, all the time.  Diffuse En-R-Gee to stay awake while driving, swipe on StressAway when nerves are high, take a whiff of AromaEase when the motion gets to you and massage Valor into the soles of your feet when winding down for the night.

-Download a ton of your favorite Podcasts.  When you’ve been on the road for a while, you’re tired and you’ve run out of conversation, you’ll be glad to fall back on these.

-Wear comfortable clothes, bring a sweater in case you get chilly and wear slip on shoes (if you like to relax without shoes in the car) so that you’re not taking your shoes off and putting them on at every rest stop.  Double points if you bring a pillow and blanket for naps 😉

 Comment below with your favorite travel hacks!

***Order your essential oils HERE and use my code SHAREYL for 10% off :)

My Go-To Packing List

With all the traveling we've done, I've found it helpful to simply keep a packing list handy all the time so that when an adventure strikes, I can throw everything together without too much thought.

Save this list for your next trip to make things easier on you!

Packing List

Toiletries:

toothbrush

toothpaste

shampoo

dry shampoo

deodorant

comb

soap

body lotion

sunscreen

spf makeup

blush

mascara

lipbalm

ibuprofen

DiGize essential oil (for stomach upset)

Thieves essential oil (for staying well)

White Angelica essential oil (for keeping calm)

Peace&Calming essential oil (for good sleep)

Valor essential oil (for good sleep)

Misc:

waterbottle

sunglasses

iPhone/charger

AirPods

Kindle/charger

Diffuser/charger

***Pack these items for only up to 1 week and do laundry if your trip lasts longer than that:

1-7 pairs underwear

1-3 bras

1-7 socks

1-7 tops

1-3 bottoms

1-3 dresses

1-2 pjs and warm sleep socks

1-3 exercise outfits

Outerwear and Accesories:

birks (warm weather)

boots (cold weather)

tennis shoes

bathing suits, coverup and sunhat (warm weather)

jacket, scarf and beanie (cold weather)

Am I missing anything that's on your packing list? If so, please share!

***Order your essential oils HERE and use code SHAREYL for 10% off!

Do you feel different when you spend time outside?

I remember when my sister and I watched “My Octopus Teacher” on Netflix.

If you haven’t watched it, Craig was a burned out film-maker who began free-diving daily. He comes across an octopus and decides to return to her everyday.

Though the documentary was surprisingly touching, what struck me the most was Craig’s commitment and determination even through discomfort. The water was cold, there was danger around him, he was usually alone, sometimes he even went diving at night.

He never missed a day.

I can’t think of anything that I’m willing to commit to every single day, especially if it’s uncomfortable. And it caused me to realize that my attitude keeps me from the real world around me.

Most of my days are spent indoors. I’ve got heating and air. The TV is often playing or, if not, music on my iPhone. Everything is cushy and clean and safe.

But what if I committed to doing outside activities daily? No matter the temperature. The noises of nature. Dirt, bugs, sun, rain, wind. 

Craig talked about how the cold water was hard at first, but then he began to crave it. His time in the ocean calmed and centered him and even went as far as to improve his human relationships. I believe that it was because he became more focused on what’s real.

If I’m not careful, I stay inside all the time. It’s too hot outside. It’s too cold outside. It’s raining. I hate the bugs. It’s boring. I don’t have a plug and my phone is dying. Etc. But, what if I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and committed to daily outside activities?

And the ironic thing is…Ivy is much happier when we are outside🥰

Lazy Girl's Guide to Getting in Shape

I'm lazy, but want to stay healthy of course, so here are my tips for doing so:

✅wear cute clothes for motivation

✅drink half your weight in water

✅eat when your hungry

✅don’t eat when you’re not hungry

✅avoid food that doesn’t sit well

✅sleep 7-9 hrs every night

✅do exercise you enjoy

✅think positive thoughts

✅sweat in the sauna

✅get outside daily

It's not one magic solution but a lifestyle of good choices.

What do you do to help you stay motivated?

The Death of a Collection

Have you ever had a collection?

My sister, Mary Ashley was always collecting something.  Gel pens.  Nail polish.  Makeup.  Barbies.  You name it.

At one point, all her makeup and nail polish was kept in this huge caboodle.  One night, I borrowed it (without asking 😳) to get ready for a youth group Christmas dinner.  When I got to the hotel, I didn’t want to lug the stuff around during the party, so I left it all in the car.

Bad move.

In Cochabamba, Bolivia, locks on doors are basically just there for decoration.  If you have anything in your car, it will be gone as soon as you walk away and take your eyes off it.

I knew that and for some reason, still thought I could hide the caboodle well enough.

Not so much.

By the time we got back in the car, the makeup and nail polish Mary Ashley collected for years was gone.  She was devastated.

It’s a funny family story now, but that took a few years, haha.  I felt terrible then and I still hate to think about it!  That was so thoughtless of me.

What’s something you did that you felt terrible about, but years later it’s turned into a funny family story that’s often shared around the dinner table?

(PS Yahyee-I’m still really sorry😭)

Did you know October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Month

I'll never forget October 15th, 2018.

Instead of laboring for hours and racking up thousands of dollars in medical bills to happily bring our baby home in our arms, we carried ours home in a plastic bag and buried it in my parents backyard.

I remember wondering if I’d ever feel happy again. With our baby gone, I felt as though I had no purpose and hated the awkwardness of being a mother without her child.

Little did I know, that was just the beginning of a handful of tough years.

But I’ve come out of it more confident in who I am and who I want to be, more confident in who will show up for me when things suck, more confident that I don’t have any answers…but mostly, more confident that God has all of them and this is His will for our life.

Because October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, I want to share some suggestions on how to treat parents who have lost a child:

-Remember that a dearly loved child died and don’t treat it as though it was “just a miscarriage”.

-Be aware that the mom still had to labor and deliver her child, even if it wasn’t yet full-term.

-Messages, phone calls and cards are wonderfully thoughtful, but consider being there in person to offer support.

-Don’t avoid the topic (or the mom!), even if you just offer hugs and say “I don’t know what to say”.

-Use the baby’s name and remember it’s part of the family, even though it’s gone.

-Ask questions to give grieving parents permission to share what they’re going through.

-Know that the parents will always miss their child, so let them grieve without a time limit.

-Offer to help with cleaning, meals, etc., especially until the mom has recovered physically.

-Remember the mom and dad are now parents, even though their baby died.

-Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, their baby’s Birthday, etc., are all days where the parents should be included and their baby should be remembered.

Losing a child is indescribable. Let’s figure out how to encourage and support those who are suffering through it.

How to save THOUSANDS using low-tox products

Do you do subscription boxes?

I’ve had clothes and smoothies delivered to my door and it’s such a treat!

Did you know that Young Living also has a monthly subscription box?  I call it my wellness box and, every month, it arrives with tons of stuff I used to buy at the grocery store, like toothpaste and mouthwash, makeup and skincare, supplements and cleaning supplies, essential oils and so much more.

I love it!

But the best part?  Each month I get my wellness box, I'm also earning rewards points.  Since subscribing in November 2013, I’ve earned 6,335.13 points.  And the points are treated as cash, so I’ve earned $6,335.13!

Young Living let’s me choose exactly when I want in my box each month.  I can even choose different products every time.  It’s all non-toxic, natural and safe.  AND I’m earning rewards points.  It’s the best.

$6,335.13
is enough savings to book a trip to Europe, or go on an Alaskan cruise, or take a road trip…believe me, we’ve done all three with the money we’ve saved and have much more travel ahead of us in the next year😉

Don’t assume that investing in your health has to break the bank.  We have tons of tips and tricks for saving you money while becoming the best version of you.

And if you’d also like to earn money, like Nick and I do, we can teach you how we do that too!

Click HERE to order through me and use code SHAREYL for 10% off!

11 to do, see, stay and eat in Outer Banks

The outer banks is one of the most magical places I've ever been in the USA and I can't wait to go back one day to stay for a longer, better planned trip.

Here are some of our favorites from that trip:

1. Heart of Manteo Motor Lodge

2. Roanoke Island Festival Park 

3. Wright Brothers National Memorial

4. Jockey Ridge State Park sand dunes

5. Front Porch Cafe

6. Dawdy Park Playground

7. Inn at Rodanthe (from Nicholas Sparks movie)

8. Fatty’s Eatery

9. Hatteras Lighthouse

10. Whalehead Mansion

11. Search for wild ponies

We didn’t get to go to Ocracoke at this point in the road-trip because of weather, so I’ll be back soon with a post about our favorites in Ocracoke!

39 Reasons Why I Love Nick

It's Nick's 39th Birthday today, so here are 39 reasons why he's the best!

1. He always put others first
2. He forgives quickly
3. He gives everyone the benefit of the doubt
4. He's slow to get angry or freak out
5. He's calm and laid back
6. He's tall, blonde and handsome
7. He's got a great smile

8. He's strong and athletic
9. He's talented
10. He doesn't leave a job unfinished
11. He loves the Lord
12. He's kind to everyone
13. He's a great listener
14. He's the most patient person in the world
15. He's honest
16. He's a hard worker
17. He's a good provider for us
18. He doesn't make rash decisions
19. He's a good friend
20. He say's sorry
21. He puts up with me

22. He's disciplined
23. He's loyal
24. He's responsible
25. He's funny and has a good laugh
26. He's a gentleman
27. He's generous
28. He makes the best out of every situation
29. He goes along with my crazy ideas
30. He's compassionate

31. He loves to travel
32. He always does his best
33. He's my hero
34. He's a great daddy

35. He cares about missions
36. He goes to yoga with me
37. He's an amazing handy-man
38. He's not too proud to go to counseling
39. He's dependable

If you know Nick, you love him :)

How To Get Hard Things Done

“The belief that you can do it comes from doing it.”

-Darlene Weir

I think back over my life and all the times I said “I can’t do that” or “I’d never be able to do that”. Times I believed that something was just too hard and I didn’t have what it takes.

Sometimes I let those beliefs hold me back from accomplishing what I wished or wanted. But every now and then, I’d somehow find the courage to stop making excuses and simply do it.

“I’ll never be able to run my own business”, “I can’t run well enough to sign up for a race”, “I’ll never be good at social media”, “I can’t be a vegan because I can’t live without cheese”, “I won’t survive a medication free, natural birth”, “I’ll never travel once I have kids” and even something as silly as “I’ll never learn how to wand my hair”...these were all things that I truly believed at one point.

Each one of these beliefs, though, we’re just that...beliefs. At some point, for every one of these (and more), I decided to take control and simply make it happen.

I learned how to be a business owner, run, use social media, live without cheese, naturally birth babies, travel with a toddler and wand my hair. The belief that I could do each one of these came from just doing them.

So, let’s stop making excuses by using words like “can’t” and “could never” and be honest with ourselves. We CAN do it. It’s a choice. And if we choose NOT to do it, let’s begin using phrases like, “that’s not my priority right now” instead. I don’t want to be a victim. I doubt you want to either.

The belief that we can do it comes from doing it. Let’s do it.

Daily Self-Care Routine

Solitude - Schedule some alone time each day. It can be as simple as a cup of tea before anyone else wakes, a long soak in the bath, a few moments with your journal, a quiet walk outdoors, deep breaths of Young Living essential oil blends like Awaken or Release or even some much needed spiritual refreshment with your Bible or favorite devotional.

Movement - Take some time to exercise each day. Whether you have 5 minutes or 2 hours, commit to some form of movement. I fluctuate between walks, yoga, HIIT, short jogs and strength training. The best exercise for you is the one that you'll do. So pick something you'll enjoy and get going.

Nutrition - Consume less sugar and cafeine and add in more water and plant-based whole-foods. Avoid eating out or grabbing take-out and, instead, cook your meals from scratch. Pay attention while eating and begin to eliminate foods that negatively effect your physical, mental and emotional health.

Monitor - Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Monitor what you watch, what you listen to and what you say. Choose to surround yourself with what and who lifts you up.

Rest - Learn to practice relaxation techniques, like meditation, and be sure to get around 8 hours of sleep a night. But remember that rest isn't just about sleep. If you can, take a day off every week, a weekend off  every month and a week off every quarter. Whether it's a get-away or a staycation, the purpose is to unplug and come back refreshed.

It's NOT too hard to travel with kids!

Have you ever been told it’s too hard to travel with kids?

I knew having a baby would change my life forever, but I went into this determined to still have a life.

So, since the week Ivy was born, I’ve made an effort to get outside for walks, try new restaurants, go for coffee and hang out with friends. I was hard in the beginning and I would come home exhausted, but it made me feel like I hadn’t lost all my freedom.

She's three now and we're doing more and more...road-trips, adventures, crossing things off our Bucket List, being involved with church and friends. It's been amazing to prove to myself that I can have a kid and still do all the things I did before!

What’s insane is to think back. With four small girls, my parents traveled the world. We lived in Ethiopia and traveled to Kenya. We spent the summer in Peru and Bolivia and then moved to Bolivia the next year. We’ve gotten lost roadtripping the USA, broken down as we drove through the African countryside and burnt out the breaks in the Andes mountains. I’m familiar with too many airports to count. We’ve piled into subways, trains, buses and taxis all over the world. Getting lost was our style.

We swam in jungle rivers with piranhas, anacondas and alligators, found ourselves in the midst of protests and tear gas, run from the police and tried to fend off lose monkeys while they swung on my youngest sisters neck. I’ve got a lifetime of crazy memories and, until I moved back to the USA for college, thought that my life was totally normal.

But the truth is, my sisters and I experienced more during our childhoods than most in their lifetime. Based on my history, you’d think nothing would scare me. But I have to work hard to be adventurous as a mom. It’s really made me admire my parents laid back attitude and trust in the Lord.

I have so many good memories from my childhood abroad. And the thing is, I didn’t have a cell phone for my parents to check in on me all the time. And yet they allowed me a lot of freedom to explore, hang out with friends and truly experience the cultures we lived in. I want that for Ivy. But I realize that if I want that for her, I have to start by being brave myself. Right now.

Life doesn’t stop because I had a baby. It’s different, sure. It’s hard, yes. But, it’s new and fresh and can be a lot more exciting.

Having kids doesn't have to change anything. Just plan, be flexible, move forward and keep doing what you love, teaching your kid to love it all with you!

Home is "base"

Over the years, I’ve come to see our home as “base”.

I love to come home, wash my clothes, catch up with friends and enjoy my routine. But, then I remember the far-away friends I miss, the vegan restaurants we’ve yet to try, the places I haven’t seen and the things I still want to try. I think of my ticking clock and the fear of leaving anything until “someday”.

And then I know I can’t just stay home.

I want to be free.  Free to forget about the chores.  Free to listen to the silence of the outdoors.  Free to go without a plan.  Free to think clearly.  Free to cross things off my Bucket List.  Free to wander.

Because travel changes us.

I see it each time we hit the interstate on the way out of town.

New ideas for writing come to my mind.  Nick opens up and shares his recent thoughts. Together, we dream and plan and make big life decisions.  We are a better version of ourselves when we get away.

Every time.

We get out of our bubble and the world becomes a bigger place.

We have things on our minds as we set out on yet another road trip...dreams that could be plans if we can just get away and brainstorm.

So, I’m pumped as I think through another road-trip.  Just us three and the open road.  No distractions.  Just food and naps and us and adventure and I can’t wait to see where we are and how we’ve changed and the decisions we’ve made when we settle back into our home base once it's all over and time to plan another adventure.

My favorite makup remover

Do you use a makeup remover?

My favorite cleanser for removing makeup and brightening my complexion is our Young Living Mirah Luminous Cleansing Oil!

If you’ve never tried a cleansing oil, here’s how you’d use it:

1. On dry skin, massage 2-4 pumps between hands and then over face

2. Give yourself a quick little face massage until you’re a little red and tingly

3. Steam and then wipe off face with hot washcloth to remove oil

4. Keep repeating steps 1-3 until you are satisfied

5. Finish with toner and moisturizer

When you're done, you're face will feel clean, but still hydrated and, over time, you'll notice your skin becoming softer and brighter!

***Order your Mirah Luminous Cleansing Oil from me HERE and use code SHAREYL for 10% off :)