Creating a fall capsule wardrobe is simple! I am going to keep this fast & easy!
Step 1.) Pick a few colors that coordinate well and that look good on you! If you have a lot of colors that look good on you and that you enjoy wearing, you might pick darker colors for your fall wardrobe and brighter ones for your spring wardrobe so you can enjoy wearing all your favorites!
For my fall capsule wardrobe colors, I choose tan & maroon and red & black!
Step 2.) Pick a fun accessory that you could wear with a variety of clothing...I choose a vest to stay warmer...you could pick scarves, hats, etc.
Step 3.) Make sure you have some solid shirts along with some patterns so you can layer and have fun with it! I decided to go with plaid because I could wear things under it or wear things on top of it!
Step 4.) Go through your closet and pull out everything that could go into your capsule wardrobe. If you need more items, I highly recommend ThredUp! It's an online thrift store and you can actually pick to look at just the colors and sizes that you need! It's like magic! I just tried it for the first time and I was seriously so impressed with the quality of clothes that I got and the prices! Everything came very nicely packaged too!
If you'd like to get $10 off your first ThredUp purchase, use my referral link!
So here are all the wardrobe combinations I found with
3 Vests (all 3 came from ThredUp)
4 Dresses (all my new dresses besides my Jean dress came from ThredUp)
4 Plaid Shirts (one of my plaid shirts I grabbed from ThredUp)
2 Solid Tank Tops
5 Solid Long-Sleeved Shirts
Yes, I do have a few other clothes in my closet besides these but this is the majority of my pieces and I'm loving all the combinations!
Photo credit: My sister, Autumn! Thanks for taking my pics sis!
What is your favorite combination?!
Yesterday, I met my first myofacial therapist. I didn't even know anything like myofacial therapy even existed until we were referred to one by our tongue tie specialist. You see, before the tongue tie specialist can revise Phillip's tongue tie that is very likely the cause of his sleep apnea, he has to do myofacial therapy...or the revision won't work.
Any child or adult older than the age of 4 has to see a myofacial therapist before getting their tongue tie revised in order to retrain their tongue so that the revision will actually work. It's expensive...but it must be done.
As soon as we walked into her office, I knew we were going to be great friends. She just had the most amazing and friendly smile and we all felt immediately at home. As Phillip was filling out his paperwork, I asked her how she had gotten into myofacial therapy.
"Because speech therapy didn't work. I was a speech therapist...but when I was seeing the same kids 1 year, 3 years, 5 years down the road, I realized something wasn't right..."
Then she got into talking about orthodontics and how 70% of orthodontics fail. I knew that...I was definitely in that 70% of failed orthodontics which has always bugged me!
She explained that most people don't need orthodontics...what they need is proper placement of the tongue and for their lip muscles to be correct! I had now idea!
She said, "The tongue dictates the shape of the palette and the lips control where the teeth stay!"
Orthodontics usually take out teeth to make room...but when you take out teeth, that reduces the size of the palette and it makes less room for breathing!
Lips are made up of banded muscles...that means you can easily tighten or loosen them with various exercises so that they actually change the structure of the face and will correct the position of the teeth! Did you know that all the muscles in the face are attached to each other except for the two muscles attached to the temporalis? So by correcting the length of the muscles in the face, you can correct overbites, the position of the teeth, and more! How amazing is that?!
If you have an overbite that indicates bad tongue position! Once you correct an overbite with myofacial therapy, it expands the upper arch making more room for breathing!
Why do children suck their thumbs??? In order to breathe...you see, it pushes the tongue up to the resting position that is correct which is directly behind the front teeth at the top...and that opens the airway for breathing.
But if you are a mouth breather, two things are happening that make it harder to breathe. First, your tongue is blocking your airway and second, the facial muscles are squeezing the palette and that narrows the upper arch which also reduces the room for breathing.
You can tell that someone is a mouth breather in two ways: (she pointed these out on Phillip!) they usually have lines or grey under their eyes. They also have white edges on their teeth.
You can tell that someone is a mouth breather in two ways: (she pointed these out on Phillip!) they usually have lines or grey under their eyes. They also have white edges on their teeth.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea, there is actually a very high chance that you can treat it simply with myofacial therapy and tongue tie revision (if you have a tongue tie). There is no need for a CPAP machine. In fact, CPAP machines breathe for you and cause your brain to turn off because it is no longer needed.
If for some reason, myofacial therapy and tongue tie revision isn't enough, this amazing myofacial therapist is working with a company in France to design an appliance that fits into your mouth and is simply a bar that holds your tongue up so you can sleep at night! How amazing is that?!
If you are a mouth breather, have an overbite, or struggle with sleep issues related to breathing, I would highly recommend going to see a myofacial therapist. My only regret is not taking my husband and children to see one sooner! And now I want to go in order to get my teeth straightened out again!
xo Rachelle <3
P.S. Whenever you’re ready... here are 2 ways I can help you take care of yourself and your family:
1. Grab a free copy of my guide
Tired of being sick and tired? These are my 5 favorite ways to support a healthy immune system...for myself and my kids! These tips help us stay healthier through the winter months! —Click Here
2. Join From Exhausted To Energized: Helping exhausted moms find emotional, physical, and financial freedom
It’s my new Facebook community of fearless mamas healing together — Click Here
Is your mindset getting in the way of taking care of your own health?
How do you think of things that you know you need for your health even if you can't afford them right now?
No really! I want you to think about this!
Do you hear about something you really want to try for your health but you also know you don't have the money and so you say either out loud or in your head, "I don't have the money for that" or "I can't do that"?
No really! I want you to think about this!
Do you hear about something you really want to try for your health but you also know you don't have the money and so you say either out loud or in your head, "I don't have the money for that" or "I can't do that"?
Or do you say, "I don't have the money for that YET" or "I can't do that YET?"
Do you hear the difference?
There are many many times when I have known that we needed to invest in something expensive for our health but we simply didn't have the money. Whether it was chiropractic care or a whole house water filter, or buying organic or purchasing quality supplements or getting essential oils! We used to not have the money to even buy organic vegetables. I had to start teaching piano lessons in order to purchase quality essential oils and the non-toxic products I wanted for my family. So I understand being in that place.
Here's what you need to understand though.
When you say, "I can't afford that", you are telling your brain to shut off any creative ideas or opportunities that would allow you to actually invest in that product or therapy for your health! STOP DOING THIS!
When you instead say in your head, "I can't do this yet but I'm going to figure out how to make it happen at some point," you turn on your brain to start looking for creative solutions to your financial problems and you WILL find the opportunity you need in order to invest in that program, supplements, or therapy you need for your health.
I actually write down everything I want to eventually have the money for. And I write down how much it's going to cost. If I don't know the cost, I will call them up and I will ask them what their prices are. When I do write down the things I want to invest in for our health, my brain starts looking for ways to get that money and make it happen.
I write down other big wishlist/needs too. I make a list with all the things. Even if some of them feel really impossible or unrealistic. And I prioritize which things are the most important even if they are more expensive than something else.
So for example, this is what my list from a couple years ago looked like...
Kettlebells - $45
Phillip's cavities filled - $900
Phillip's tongue revision - $1200
Scarlett's tongue revision - $600
Aurora's lip tie revision - $600
PT for Diastasis Recti - $100 an appointment
Whole house water filter - (didn't know what brand or price point)
Digital Piano - $5000
I write down other big wishlist/needs too. I make a list with all the things. Even if some of them feel really impossible or unrealistic. And I prioritize which things are the most important even if they are more expensive than something else.
So for example, this is what my list from a couple years ago looked like...
Kettlebells - $45
Phillip's cavities filled - $900
Phillip's tongue revision - $1200
Scarlett's tongue revision - $600
Aurora's lip tie revision - $600
PT for Diastasis Recti - $100 an appointment
Whole house water filter - (didn't know what brand or price point)
Digital Piano - $5000
Now that you've written them down, your brain can start thinking of opportunities.
Sometimes, the money will come from selling stuff on Facebook marketplace.
Sometimes, the money will come from picking up an extra shift or doing an odd job here and there.
Sometimes, the money will come from a side hustle.
Sometimes, the money will come from a gift from someone.
Sometimes, the money will come from a change in job position.
Sometimes, the money will come from an unexpected bonus.
Sometimes, you get an opportunity to save money and you just have to leap in even if you don't know where the money is coming from. Yes, sometimes this has been how it is. I don't recommend doing it all the time but there have been times when that was what we needed to do.
The crazy thing is that when you leap in feet first, you are even more motivated to find that money and pay that purchase off your credit card and you will figure out how to do that!
The crazy thing is that when you leap in feet first, you are even more motivated to find that money and pay that purchase off your credit card and you will figure out how to do that!
It's kind of like a druggie...they are always strapped for cash right? But they will do whatever it takes to get their next fix paid for. And I'm not recommending you do anything illegal to get the money or that you should be trying to get a drug fix...but what I am saying is: where there is a will, there is a way.
If you really really want something for your health, you are going to figure out how to get it. Nothing will hold you back. Stop telling yourself you can't afford it and instead start telling yourself that you will purchase that thing at some point and then figure out what you need to do to make it happen.
If you really really want something for your health, you are going to figure out how to get it. Nothing will hold you back. Stop telling yourself you can't afford it and instead start telling yourself that you will purchase that thing at some point and then figure out what you need to do to make it happen.
You will NEVER regret investing in your health. EVER.
Calling all fall lovers!!! This is for you! I've put together our favorite fall diffuser recipes, fall cleaner recipes & more!
All of us want our homes to smell good for fall. But before you go pick out your favorite fall scented candles, do some research into the toxins that are released into the air when you burn candles. They can cause lung irritation, headaches, and even contain well-known carcinogens. It's not worth harming your family to have your home smell good.
Thankfully, there is another option! Diffusing essential oils can still make your home smell amazing while offering other health benefits as well! Diffusing oils helps purify and clean the air. Breathing in quality essential oils can also offer therapeutic benefits such as helping you feel less stressed and anxious, more calm, and stabilizing all sorts of health functions like blood pressure.
Here are some of our favorite fall scents! Starting up a diffuser is really quick and easy but to make it even more fast, make up these blends ahead of time in an empty oil or tincture bottle and you'll have your home smelling like fall in no time!
I put together a downloadable booklet just for you with even more fun fall recipes! Download it here:
Want to grab some fall scents to diffuse this fall? Grab this bundle of our favorite fall scents!
Any 100 PV order will come with a free diffuser as a gift from me!
One oil that I especially love to diffuse in fall is Thieves. Here’s why!
Studies conducted by Weber State University (1997) showed the antibacterial effectiveness of this blend against airborne microorganisms. One study showed a 90% reduction in the number of Gram-positive Micrococcus luteus organisms after diffusing Thieves for 12 minutes. After diffusing Thieves for a total of 20 minutes, there was a 99.3% reduction. Another study with the Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed a kill rate of 99.96% after just 12 minutes of diffusion. Talk about mind-blown!
Here are some interesting home experiments that show the power of Thieves!
Where you get your oils matters.
“RESULTS ARE IN
The outcome of our science 'Diffusing' project results are in and we're excited to share! 
Our schedule has been a bit crazy, so I do apologize for the wait. We did have to start the project over and do a re-swab in new Petri dishes because we did not collect enough bacteria the first time around. This time we swabbed the boys 3DS and a cell phone. We also added a 'Control' study, where we just diffused water.
Our homeschool Science fair is this Friday and we will share more then, once we have our science board completed. This was a fun family project and the outcome makes us proud we use Thieves to not only keep our home clean but to keep our families immune system supported
Note, the diffuser was cleaned with soap and water before each oil was added to be diffused. It was also cleaned thoroughly before the control study was performed with soap and water.Disclaimer I am a homeschool mom performing a homeschool science project. I am not a doctor nor am I a scientist. This project was not performed in a certified lab, just in a home with kids that love to learn. This project was not created to make claims. It's solely for a fun science project.”
Here are some fun diffuser recipes to use Thieves in!
You can also clean with Thieves Household Cleaner! It is completely plant-based and you can use it to clean your whole home! One bottle of Thieves Household Concentrate with make 30 16oz multi-purpose cleaner spray bottles! It contains all non-GMO ingredients and is the best cleaner I've ever used! It costs less than $1 per bottle of cleaner! It's most inexpensive, non-toxic amazing cleaner you'll ever use!
To make the multi-purpose/light degreaser dilution, add 1 capful of the Thieves Household Cleaner (THHC) to a 16 oz spray bottle or 2 capfuls to a 32 oz spray bottle.
Here are some of my favorite recipes for Thieves Household Cleaner to make amazing fall scented cleaners to clean your home with!
To make the multi-purpose/light degreaser dilution, add 1 capful of the Thieves Household Cleaner (THHC) to a 16 oz spray bottle or 2 capfuls to a 32 oz spray bottle.
Here are some of my favorite recipes for Thieves Household Cleaner to make amazing fall scented cleaners to clean your home with!
Not only do we use Thieves for cleaning & purifying the air but it is also our favorite oil for supporting our wellness during the fall. Here are some of our favorite wellness DIY's that help me keep my family healthier all fall and winter long!
Are you ready to grab some oils to support your wellness this fall? Start with this fall wellness bundle!
Any 100 PV order will come with a free diffuser as a gift from me!
I hope you enjoyed these fun fall recipes! Make sure you grab your downloadable recipe book here.
xo Rachelle <3
P.S. Whenever you’re ready... here are 2 ways I can help you take care of yourself and your family:
1. Grab a free copy of my guide
Tired of being sick and tired? These are my 5 favorite ways to support a healthy immune system...for myself and my kids! These tips help us stay healthier through the winter months! —Click Here
2. Join From Exhausted To Energized: Helping exhausted moms find emotional, physical, and financial freedom
It’s my new Facebook community of fearless mamas healing together — Click Here
With my first 2 babies, I had issues with milk supply...With my firstborn, I didn't have issues until I became pregnant again. That is when my milk production just dropped and I tried hard to bring it back up but eating oatmeal & drinking nursing tea didn't seem to help much. At last, I just switched her over to goat's milk when she was about 10 months old and she was much happier.
With my second, I felt like I was always struggling with milk supply...(it turns out that she actually had a tongue tie that no one diagnosed that could have played a big role in my milk supply issues). Check out this post for more info on babies & tongue ties...
One thing that I learned with my second was that I wasn't eating enough calories some days...when I ate more food, my milk supply increased. I also have a hard time staying hydrated but I was doing my best. I recommend always sitting down to nurse with a large glass of water so that you remember to drink.
When my third baby arrived, she had a major tongue tie, cheek ties, and lip ties. Nursing was AWFUL until we were able to get her ties lasered. That helped immensely with my milk supply stabilizing...however, I think I was so stressed about my milk supply dropping with her like it had with my second baby, that my stress would affect my milk supply. It is a viscous cycle.
One thing I found that boosted my milk production faster than anything else I ever tried was Fennel Vitality Essential Oil. It worked faster than oatmeal, nursing tea, and everything else I had tried. Anytime I felt like my supply was running low, I would take a veggie capsule and put in 6 drops of Fennel Vitality oil and about 6 drops of olive oil and swallow it. Within a couple of hours, I could tell my milk supply had increased.
It was literally a life-saver. One note: This should not be used for more then 10 days consecutively. It is recommended to take a 2 week break in between uses.
You can grab it here...I only recommend taking Young Living Vitality Essential Oils internally because they are the only essential oils that are FDA approved for internal use and that say on the label that they are for ingesting. *Do not use fennel if you have a family history of seizures.
xo Rachelle <3
Are you wanting to compare essential oil brands? Here are a few tests you can do at home. Of course, these tests aren't going to tell you if there are heavy metals in the oils or chemicals, but they will tell you if they have been diluted in any way.
These test ideas were borrowed from the book, "The Essential Oil Truth: The Facts Without The Hype" by Jen O'Sullivan, a certified aromatherapist. I highly recommend this book if you are wanting to understand more of the differences between low quality and premium quality oils.
Test #1 - The Freeze Test
Freeze the oils before you open the cap. If they freeze, they are low quality. You may also then open the cap once for 60 seconds and then place the cap back on and try freezing them again. The oxygen added to the airspace will sometimes create a molecular change in certain oils to cause them now to freeze even if they did not freeze before you opened the cap. On high quality essential oils, this should not happen in a normal freezer on most oils.
Test #2 - The Filler Test
Take a piece of cotton rag typing or drawing paper and drop one drop of the same type of oil, like Lavender, from a few different brands. Make sure they are all of the same listed species, such as Lavender angustifolia. Draw a pencil circle around each drop after each drop has fully infiltrated the paper and label it with the brand name or leave the bottle at the top of each drop.
If you use the pencil mark method of labeling, be careful that your pencil mark does not come into contact with the oil drop. Check the paper often. If it dries within the hour and leaves no residual mark, then it is laced with an alcohol as filler. If it takes a while to dry but then leaves a slight stain, then it is laced with carrier oil as a filler. If it takes around 4 hours to dry and leaves no residue whatsoever, then it is most likely pure. However, this is not a definitive test on purity, as some chemicals will dry clear too. It is really just a test to give out if there is alcohol or carrier oil used as fillers.
Test #3 - The Personal Usage Test
Find something you love to use essential oils for. It may be something simple, like helping support your airways from possible histamine responses. It may be that you want some joint support to help ease symptoms of inflammation. Find the one that is something your body will feel instantly.
One idea is to apply a drop of peppermint to one side of your neck and apply a drop of another brand of peppermint to the other side of your neck and time how long you feel the cooling sensation on your neck. The longer it lasts, the more effective that oil is.
Test #2 - The Filler Test
Take a piece of cotton rag typing or drawing paper and drop one drop of the same type of oil, like Lavender, from a few different brands. Make sure they are all of the same listed species, such as Lavender angustifolia. Draw a pencil circle around each drop after each drop has fully infiltrated the paper and label it with the brand name or leave the bottle at the top of each drop.
If you use the pencil mark method of labeling, be careful that your pencil mark does not come into contact with the oil drop. Check the paper often. If it dries within the hour and leaves no residual mark, then it is laced with an alcohol as filler. If it takes a while to dry but then leaves a slight stain, then it is laced with carrier oil as a filler. If it takes around 4 hours to dry and leaves no residue whatsoever, then it is most likely pure. However, this is not a definitive test on purity, as some chemicals will dry clear too. It is really just a test to give out if there is alcohol or carrier oil used as fillers.
Test #3 - The Personal Usage Test
Find something you love to use essential oils for. It may be something simple, like helping support your airways from possible histamine responses. It may be that you want some joint support to help ease symptoms of inflammation. Find the one that is something your body will feel instantly.
One idea is to apply a drop of peppermint to one side of your neck and apply a drop of another brand of peppermint to the other side of your neck and time how long you feel the cooling sensation on your neck. The longer it lasts, the more effective that oil is.
My husband's nose is so sensitive that he can literally smell chemicals in other brands that no one else can tell has anything in it. Ones that they thought were completely pure and unadulterated. And then he gets a headache for 6 hours...he's my litmus test. Lol
20 Questions to call and ask an essential oil company:
20 Questions to call and ask an essential oil company:
#1. Do they provide complete distill or first distill oils?
#2. Do they distill their oils using solvents? If so, which ones?
#3. Do they distill their own oils or purchase from third parties?
#4. Do they bottle their own oils?
#5. Do they own their own farms?
#6. Do they provide the seeds to the farmers?
#7. Do they know what pesticides are being used?
#8. Do they know if the ground is organic?
#9. Do they discard any mistakes or are they resold to other companies?
#10. Can you visit the farm to see how the oils are made and take a tour?
#11. Are the distillation drums cone shaped or dome-shaped at the top?
#12. Do they test each essential oil batch for purity?
#13. Is testing done in-house only or do they also do third-party testing?
#14. Do they have any trained aromatologists on staff?
#15. Do they test their oils side by side with oils from other companies?
#16. Do they test for when the peak harvest Time is?
#17. Do they ever have to recall their oils?
#18. Do they recommend to NOT ingest their oils?
#19. How many single, non blend essential oils do they carry?
#20. What sustainable practices are in place for their global footprint?
If you do not understand why these questions are ones you should ask, I highly recommend reading the book I linked above or this book by Dr. Doug Corrigan: "Innoilvation - The Science of Producing Powerful & Safe Essential Oils".
#2. Do they distill their oils using solvents? If so, which ones?
#3. Do they distill their own oils or purchase from third parties?
#4. Do they bottle their own oils?
#5. Do they own their own farms?
#6. Do they provide the seeds to the farmers?
#7. Do they know what pesticides are being used?
#8. Do they know if the ground is organic?
#9. Do they discard any mistakes or are they resold to other companies?
#10. Can you visit the farm to see how the oils are made and take a tour?
#11. Are the distillation drums cone shaped or dome-shaped at the top?
#12. Do they test each essential oil batch for purity?
#13. Is testing done in-house only or do they also do third-party testing?
#14. Do they have any trained aromatologists on staff?
#15. Do they test their oils side by side with oils from other companies?
#16. Do they test for when the peak harvest Time is?
#17. Do they ever have to recall their oils?
#18. Do they recommend to NOT ingest their oils?
#19. How many single, non blend essential oils do they carry?
#20. What sustainable practices are in place for their global footprint?
If you do not understand why these questions are ones you should ask, I highly recommend reading the book I linked above or this book by Dr. Doug Corrigan: "Innoilvation - The Science of Producing Powerful & Safe Essential Oils".
Dr. Doug has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, a master's in Engineering Physics (solid state physics), and a bachelor's in Engineering Physics (electrical engineering). He has worked with NASA and then started a biotech company that developed new tools for discovering drugs to combat drug resistant forms of HIV.
When his family discovered the power of essential oils, he was determined to find out why they actually worked and began to uncover the science behind essential oils and teach it to others. He is certainly by far, the smartest person I know and I highly recommend any of the education that he provides on his website as he makes complex things very simple to understand. This book is the best place to start for understanding how to compare oil brands and understand the science behind distilling essential oils so you can keep your family safe from the harmful effects of low quality oils.
xo Rachelle
P.S. Whenever you’re ready... here are 4 ways I can help you take care of yourself and your family:
1. Grab a free copy of my guide
with 5 questions to ask your doctor about vaccines and discover why these questions are important so you can make the most informed decisions for your family. (#4 might shock you!) —Click Here
2. Join From Exhausted To Energized: Helping exhausted moms find emotional, physical, and financial freedom
It’s my new Facebook community of fearless mamas healing together — Click Here
3.) Come to a free educational class
To learn more about how to use oils safely and get the most benefits from them, come to one of my FREE online classes...no purchase necessary. To see the events planned for this month, visit my home page and click "EVENTS".
4.) Check out my brand comparison guide
There are so many different brands of essential oils. How do you know which one to choose? - Click Here
