DIY // Wedding Album

It's no secret that I love a good DIY photo book. I'm not a photographer, but I live for taking pictures. I love capturing all of the precious moments life has to offer and am usually the one asking Tim for "just one more" or "a couple more angles." ;)

So when it came time to deciding on our wedding photography package, we opted for the full 8 hours of photography, plus two more hours after our reception to get some golden hour photos of just the two of us. Even though we were so exhausted at the end of the day, it was totally worth it. When else are you going to be dressed in your wedding attire with perfect makeup and hair?

The best advice I received about wedding albums was from my sister and brother. They both used Costco's Photo Center to create and print theirs. I've always been a huge fan of Shutterfly, but wasn't sure I wanted to print my wedding album through them since I had never seen any examples in person. On the flip side, I saw both my sister's and brother's albums and they were gorgeous. I ultimately decided to go with Costco and I do not regret it! Not only did they do a fantastic job, but they did it all for $34! $34, people! What a steal.

PS: We absolutely loved our photographer, Gregory Bartning, and highly recommend him! He photographed both mine and my brother's wedding.

PDX // The Pumpkin Patch

Tim and I visited The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island a few weeks ago for some good ol' fall fun. It was one of the first nice weekends in awhile, which means what would have taken 20 minutes to get there took 2 hours. Yes, you read that right ;) Even though the traffic tried to throw off our fun, it still ended up being a wonderful day spent with my even more wonderful husband.

The two hour adventure to get there amped up our appetite, so when we arrived the first thing we did is devour hot dogs and absolutely delicious kettle corn. What's a pumpkin patch without fair food? ;)

We were fully planning on exploring the pumpkin patch and corn maze and even wore appropriate shoes to do so, but while we were munching on lunch we kept seeing families come out of the pumpkin patch and corn maze with mud almost up to their knees! We weren't quite that prepared, so we decided to hang out around the market and gift shop instead.

On the way to The Pumpkin Patch we passed by Bella Organic Farm and noticed they had wine and cider tasting at their pumpkin patch. So since our trip to the first patch was quicker than we anticipated, we decided to stop by Bella Organic on the way back for some cider and to walk around their patch. It was beautiful!

How I Use Essential Oils Daily

One of the questions I get asked frequently is: "Okay, you have all of these oils and products, but how do you actually incorporate them into your daily life?" So I thought it'd be fun to do a #DailyEssentials series on Instagram and Facebook. Here's a recap for those of you that missed it!

One of my favorite ways to use my essential oils daily is by using doTERRA®'s Whisper® blend as my perfume. I put it on every morning! So what's in it? This blend includes Bergamot Peel, Ylang Ylang Flower, Patchouli Leaf, Vanilla Bean Absolute, Jasmine Flower Absolute, Cinnamon Bark, Labdanum, Vetiver Root, Hawaiian Sandalwood, Cocoa Bean Absolute, and Rose Flower essential oils in a base of Fractionated Coconut Oil. It emits a warm, musky aroma and combines with each individual's chemistry to create a unique, personal fragrance.   

Did you know you can rub essential oils on the bottoms of your feet? Because of their ability to effectively absorb all of the amazing nutrients, rubbing oils on the soles of your feet can help enhance the holistic benefits you're seeking. Depending on how I'm feeling and my needs for the morning, I typically rub either On Guard® or Balance® to the bottoms of my feet. On Guard moreso during this time of year when seasonal and environmental threats are high, but I definitely also rotate in Balance, a grounding blend, to help ease anxious feelings and promote a whole body sense of relaxation.

At lunchtime, I always take my doTERRA Lifelong Vitality Pack® supplements. These supplements are formulated to provide you with potent levels of bioavailable nutrients and powerful metabolic factors for optimal health, energy, and longevity.* If there's ever a day I forget to take them, I truly feel the difference!

Sundays are almost exclusively dedicated to prepping for the week ahead. It can oftentimes feel overwhelming thinking about all of the daily and weekly deadlines hitting you in an upcoming week, which is why I LOVE giving myself a quick boost of energy and motivation with doTERRA's Citrus Bliss® hand lotion and peppermint roller bottle.

Health Benefits of the Citrus Bliss Hand Lotion:

• Its refreshing aroma is energizing and uplifting
• Sunflower and macadamia seed oils are known for their exceptional moisturizing properties and ability to retain moisture in the skin
• Non-greasy formula absorbs quickly leaving skin looking healthy, soft, and smooth

Health Benefits of the Peppermint Roller Bottle:

• Helps lessen feelings of tension
• Uplifts mood and promotes a sense of focus
• Helps provide relief for head tension

Lotion is definitely part of my morning routine. I love the doTERRA SPA Hand & Body Lotion because it easily blends with whatever essential oil I'm in the mood to use for a customized aromatic experience. Pairing it with lavender essential oil is definitely one of my go-tos! Two important ingredients in the lotion are sunflower and macadamia seed oils because they are known for their exceptional moisturizing properties and ability to retain moisture in the skin. This lotion definitely makes my skin feel healthy, soft, and smooth.

Throughout the day I rely on various essential oils to help balance my mood, ground me, and increase focus. These are just three of my favorite go-tos that I apply on my inner wrists so I can easily and quickly experience the aroma when I need it most. I keep them in this cute little pink bag in my purse so I can reapply as needed.

• Breathe®'s calming aroma promotes a restful environment
• Lavender provides a calming, relaxing effect, perfect for particularly stressful or high-pressure days
• Peace® counteracts anxious and fearful emotions

Sometimes you just need a little passion, cheer, and motivation to make it to the end of the workday. Like my Breathe, lavender, and Peace roller bottles, I apply these on my inner wrists so I can easily and quickly experience their aroma when I need it most.

• Passion® ignites feelings of excitement, passion, and joy
• Cheer® promotes feelings of optimism, cheerfulness, and happiness
• Motivate® promotes feelings of confidence, courage, and belief

My nightly routine includes a warm, relaxing shower with doTERRA's Salon Essentials® Protecting Shampoo and Smoothing Conditioner and the Moisturizing Bath Bar. After I hop out of the shower, I place a few drops of the Root to Tip serum on my scalp and on the tips of my hair before styling and also use this all-natural Detoxifying Mud Mask once or twice a week. I legitimately feel like I'm at a spa using these products... it's just one of the ways I give back to myself!

These are our four main go-tos for diffusing at nighttime.

• Breathe is great to help open up airways and minimize the effects of environmental threats
• I love On Guard to help combat seasonal threats and purify the air in our home.
• Depending on the night, we diffuse either lavender or Serenity® for 2 hours after we lay down to help us relax, fall asleep, and experience a truly restful night's sleep.

I hope this is helpful as you navigate the wide world of essential oils! There are many more ways to use them that I haven't mentioned here - check out my essential oils education page for more info.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.