Breathe Baby, Breathe!

Let's talk about my favorite oil!  A few times a year, I get a small cold/allergy type deal where I have a runny nose and congestion.  It doesn't warranty missing work or going to the doctor but I would usually pop some cold/allergy medicine and it would be annoying for a week or so.  I'd have a raw, red nose from blowing and I'd sound odd from the congestion.  It wasn't fun.  This happened to me last week.  Instead of reaching for the medicine cabinet for something filled with unnatural ingredients and chemicals, I grabbed my oils.  A few drops in my hands, a few deep breaths and then I rubbed it on my chest and under my nose.  In 2 days I was 80% better and by day 3, I didn't need anymore Breathe.  This was BY FAR the fastest I have ever knocked a cold out and with NO DRUGS!

My friend recently started her journey with oils and her husband is a snorer.  He has been using Breathe at night and his snoring has dramatically decreased.  So much so that when he skipped a night, she slept in the guest room (personally I would have sent HIM to the guestroom...)!  I love hearing stories about how oils are helping those closest to me better their lives, naturally.

Breathe has many other uses.  It is a blend of Laurel, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Lemon and Ravensara Oils.  The oil is antiviral and is perfect to diffuse at night to help kill germs and bacteria in the air and open your airways.  It can also be used to treaty anxiety, asthma, bronchitis, colds, the flu, congestion, coughs, emphysema, mono, pneumonia and sinusitis.  This oil can replace many OTC cold/allergy medicines at a fraction of the cost NATURALLY!

Check out my doTERRA site for this oil and many more.  Next up...  Cleaning with oils!

My Adventures with Essential Oils

For months my friend Chelsey at Essentials Everyday posted about oils.  I have known Chelsey for about 7 years now and she has always been a fabulous resource for all things natural, organic and healthy.  She and I live pretty similar lifestyles and I have always trusted her recommendations on products.  But the oils took me a bit longer.  Fast forward to my girls weekend in April when I had a headache and tried peppermint oil for the first time.  A few drops rubbed onto the back of my neck and it was gone.  Instantly.  I was AMAZED!  So here I am.  Using essential oils everyday and I LOVE them!

This is where I started.  The Family Physician Kit.  It is the perfect start for anyone wanting to learn about incorporating essential oils into their families lives.  With this kit I have been able to remedy everyday ailments and clean my home naturally.  I have replaced my laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, lysol, disinfecting wipes, toilet cleaner, window cleaner, air freshener, ibuprofen, allergy medicine and many more everyday household items!  In the past, if I have a headache I just got over it.  I don't take medicine so I would just tough it out or go to bed.  Upset tummy?  Down for the count again.  These oils have allowed me to naturally treat these things and many more.  

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to highlight my favorites and how I use them.  You can check out my doTERRA site for more info.

Next up:  My 4 Favorites and how to use them  =)

Am I hungry?

Last night, I was a hostess for my friend Ashley's event called Dine and Dash. She is the owner of Homegrown, a local event planning company that has created some of my favorite things to do in Huntsville. Dine and Dash is a once monthly event that runs from April-September in Downtown Huntsville. The tour highlights 4 restaurants with small plates and a cocktail pairing. It's always a blast and I'm so lucky to be a part of it!

In conversing with one of my guest, I mentioned being a real estate agent and his response was "Great! Do you want to list my house for 2%?" I told him no and his response was "Oh. I guess you're not hungry enough yet." Well first off, I don't discuss my paycheck with strangers. I think that's tacky. And secondly, your home is one of the largest investments you ever make. You work hard to save your down payment and then spend a large chunk of your monthly income on your mortgage payment. You work hard to build that equity and when the time comes to sell your home, you want to get as much of that back as possible. I get it! I want you to get as much of it back as possible too! But let me ask you this. If, in our first meeting, I am willing to discount my services then how quickly do you think I would negotiate away your equity? If I do not feel that my services as your agent are worth what I ask for, how quickly would I see the value of your investment in the same manner and expect you to discount it as well? 

It's not a matter or how "hungry" I am. I hope that I am always blessed with as much business as I can handle. I want to be able to give 110% to each client and I don't ever plan to discount my services.  I promise to answer when you call, even when it's late.  I promise to take time away from my life and family to help better yours.  I promise to help you find the perfect home and get the very best deal.  I promise to market your home and protect your investment.  I promise to be an invaluable resource to you throughout our time together.  If you'd prefer less service, I know it's out there and I wish you luck.

Sweet Potato Hash

One thing people always seem to ask me is "What do you eat?"  I am a retired NPC Bikini competitor and since then I have adopted CrossFit and I eat about 80% Paleo.  When I was competing, my meals were super structured and rigid.  I weighed every ounce of food.  I ate plain tilapia and asparagus for several meals a day.  I was miserable!  Since stopping competing, I have found more of a balance in life and I have found that as long as I eat REAL food, I maintain my weight right where I want to be and I don't have to measure a thing!

One thing I didn't abandon was my food prep.  I still prep food every Sunday evening for the week.  I usually cook up a bunch of chicken, a veggie side and a carb.  I also eat red meat but I have found I don't like it as much reheated so I usually cook that and eat it right away.  More weeks than not, my carb of choice is sweet potato hash.  It's super simple and reheats beautifully.  I eat it for any meal and sometimes just as a snack.  Sometimes I'll throw a couple of eggs on top for breakfast.  Sometimes I mix my chicken into it for lunch.  Sometimes I just eat it alone.  You can make this sweet or savory.  It's very versatile and that is one of the major draws for me.

This week, I just went basic.  Once you master this super simple recipe, you can change it up many different ways.  So why are we still talking about it?  Lets see it!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb uncured Bacon, diced
1 medium organic yellow onion, chopped
1 large or 2 small organic sweet potatoes, cut into small cubes
2 T. grass fed butter, I used Kerrygold
Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to taste

Throw your diced bacon into a dutch oven and crisp it up.

While that is rendering down, dice your onion.  When the bacon is crisp, remove it from the pan and saute your onions in the bacon fat.

Saute the onions until they are soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Add your cubed sweet potatoes and 2 T grass fed butter and stir together with your onions.

Cover and cook for 15-20 mins or until potatoes are fork tender.  I like mine a little soft.  Season with S&P to taste.  Stir in your crispy bacon and it's ready to eat! 

Plate this up and dig in!  Sometimes I skip the bacon and add cinnamon and a diced apple to make it sweeter.  Sometimes I add additional veggies.  Most weeks, it's just this and I love it!  Let me know how you make your hash!  

My first Facebookless week...

Well I have been without Facebook for a few days now and I haven't died.  =)

Yesterday my appointment cancelled so I had an unexpected off day.  I spent the day with my parents and helped them choose paint colors for their living room.  They are remodeling their entire house so there will be lots more paint choosing in the future.

After the Lowes trip I spent the rest of the day laying by the pool.  When I was pulling into my parents driveway I took a good picture of the bradford pear trees that line it.  It gave me an idea.

One of my favorite blogs to read is Mix and Match Family.  Shay is the blogger and she is also Sean Lowes (The Bachelor!)  sister.  I found her blog via Reality Steve when I was watching Sean's season of the show (the first season I ever watched start to finish!) and I have been hooked ever since.  I love her family and her travel stories and her yummy and easy recipes on her Mix and Match Mama food blog!  She does #shayeveryday on Instagram and I want to start that for myself.  Some #dailysunshine if you will!  It will give me the ability to look back and see what I was doing or what was making me happy on that particular day.  I hope you'll follow along @sunshinewilhite on Instagram!

Blogging failure....

I am basically a blogging failure.  I have good intentions.  I want to document things.  But I just can't stay regular.  I want to change that though.  I am deleting my Facebook.  HOLD ME!  One of the things I love about my Facebook is that I can look back and see post I have made or pictures I have uploaded and reflect on what I was doing on that day.  My goal is to blog about my life and keep Instagram updated so I can still have the reflection with less of the time suck and drama associated with Facebook.

So stick around.  I have recently started my real estate career and while I don't wish this to be a real estate blog, I'm sure it will creep in here and there.