ESSENTIAL OILS

The Starter Kit

I'm so happy & excited that you're interested in essential oils! This lifestyle change is one of the best decisions you can make for yourself and your family. You will never regret it and you'll be in love shortly after opening up your Starter Kit. The best way to begin your journey with oils (and how I got started) is to purchase a Premium Starter Kit. The Premium Starter Kit comes with 11 of the most commonly used oils, a diffuser of your choice, Thieves household cleaner, a couple of servings of Ningxia (our powerful antioxidant drink), sample bottles, and a roller to attach to any of your oil bottles!

To enroll with our community, CLICK THIS LINK and make sure 13880725 appears in both the "Enroller" and "Sponsor ID" fields! Sign up as a Member, this does not mean you have to sell oils, it just means you are getting a starter kit & will therefore get 24% off retail prices!! Next you will have the option to set up Essential Rewards. Essential Rewards is a custom wellness box you will receive each month. It's an amazing program that allows you to pick exactly what you want, pick your shipping date (or change it every month), earn points back for future purchase, and there are always freebies each month! It's a great way to try new oils outside of the kit, purchase chemical-free makeup, household cleaners, laundry detergent and supplements! We used this program to "ditch & switch" a product from our home each month as we move towards a chemical-free home!

When you sign up as a wholesale member, I'll add you to our member exclusive Facebook group, which is where you can learn everything you need to know about using your oils & connect with an amazing, inspiring community! Everyone is so helpful and sweet, you'll feel welcomed immediately!  After you order your Premium Starter Kit, I will personally send you some happy mail to welcome you!  I include reading resources that will help you feel more comfortable to jump right in and use your oils!  And if you're ever interested in selling the oils and sharing about the company, we have monthly business bootcamps & provide mentorship to everyone who joins our incredible community!

I will link arms with you and help you every step of the way. Please ask me any questions you may have, I am happy to help you!

FAQs

What comes in the starter kit?

THE OILS

Lemon Vitality, Peppermint Vitality, Copaiba Vitality, Thieves Vitality, DiGize Vitality, Lavender, Frankincense, Raven, Panaway, Citrus Fresh, and a bonus oil: Stress Away

A diffuser of your choice, Thieves household cleaner, a couple of servings of Ningxia (our powerful antioxidant drink), sample bottles, and a roller to attach to any of your oil bottles!  You'll also receive a gorgeous product guide, Essential Oils magazine, Essential Edge, and access to all of our member resources.

How do we use oils?

We diffuse them (a beautiful diffuser comes in your kit!) to make our home smell good without the nasty toxins that candles emit.  We also diffuse to create a calming atmosphere so we all sleep better at night, and it's great to use the diffuser when battling any illness.  We also use topically by making rollerballs, creams, and all kinds of different things.  I'll guide you through all of this!!

What do we use oils for?

Everything!  I find myself always saying, "There's an oil for that!"  Whether you're in need of sleep support, emotional support, hormonal support, head tension relief, relief for seasonal stuffiness, focus, energy, immune support...the list goes on...oils have your back!!

Do I have to sell oils?

Nope! You can just be a customer and buy things! If you are interested in the business, let me know and I will help you get started!

Why Young Living?

It's all about that seed to seal promise! All plants come from Young Living owned farms, partner farms and seed to seal certified planters. Any batches that don't meet the very high standards are automatically rejected.  You can read more at seedtoseal.com.

But there are cheaper options at the grocery store?

It all goes back to that seed to seal promise.  Nothing is added or altered from the time the seed is planted to the time the bottle is sealed!  Many oils from the store have synthetic fillers. Store bought oils only need to contain 5% oil in them to be labeled 100% pure. So while they may be cheaper, you don't really know what you're getting. Scary. Young Living guarantees 100% pure therapeutic grade oils, that are safe and NEVER expired!! That's why we choose to support our family using Young Living oils.

How will I know what to do?

You’ll get plenty of reading material with your kit and access to our exclusive Facebook community full of amazing resources like how to use each oil in your kit, which oils to avoid around kids or while pregnant/nursing, and all of the dilution ratios for individual oils. We have classes, books, live Facebook hangouts & search functionality that will help you navigate through any questions you might have!!  You can also follow my oil & wellness Instagram account (@simplysavvyliving) for lots of oily tips!

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Father's Day Gift Idea
featuring JORD Watches (+ a GIVEAWAY!)

This Father's Day is a little bit more sweet as our hearts are swelling with love for our new addition, Halo Love.  Watching my husband love on our baby girl has made me fall even harder for him.  It's so amazing to watch the way he parents with each of our four (!!) children.  With our kids' age gaps and personality differences, we've realized we can't possibly parent each of them the same way!

Our kids don't even realize how lucky they are (yet!) to have Marvin as a dad.  He's our protector, math homework guru, personal trainer, and grill master...sees the glass half full, believer, motivator, and Mr. Punctuality.

This Father's Day, Mr. Punctuality deserved a fresh new timepiece.  I've given him watches in the the past.  It all started with the watch I gifted him on the day of the 2012 NFL Draft.  As soon as he got the phone call from the Philadelphia Eagles, I handed him his new watch with a note attached that read "Just so you always remember the time that all your dreams came true".

But 5 years later, we have even bigger dreams...bigger prayers.

Marvin always encourages me and our children to set big goals, dream big, and pray bigger.  He's an amazing dad and deserves the best day ever and an amazing gift to remind him how much we appreciate him.

The kids and I decided that we wanted to give him a new watch for Father's Day and when we received his watch from JORD, we knew we couldn't wait until Father's Day to give it to him!  We picked out the Dover watch in Olive & Acacia.  It's a modern watch that shows the mechanical movement and is surrounded by a steel gray ring.  We knew that he would love it...and he did!  He's been wearing it every day since we gave it to him.

I'm obsessed with good packaging, so I also want to mention how amazing JORD's packaging is! Each watch comes in a stunning cedar box and there's even a little drawer to hold a note.  JORD watches are classic, lightweight, unique and a perfect gift for the man in your life.  They also carry beautiful women's watches.  I have one and always receive so many compliments when I wear it!

My friends over at JORD are going to give one of my readers a $100 gift code to use on the JORD website, so you can experience one of their stunning timepieces!!  All you need to do is follow this giveaway link, fill out your name and email address.  That's it!  And just for entering, we are going to give you a $25 gift code once the contest has ended.  Contest ends on 6.25.17. Good luck!

Luxury Wooden Watch

Friday, April 28, 2017

Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother's Day is just a couple weeks away and I can't believe I'll be celebrating my FIFTEENTH Mother's Day this year! I feel so blessed to be a mom and to have such an incredible mom that I look up to, along with other strong females that God has placed in my life.

It can be hard to come up with fun gift ideas for mom, so I've rounded up some of my favorite gifts to help you out! How cute is that sweatshirt for the strong women in your life?  And those leather earrings that are pictured below...I've been wearing those on repeat! If you follow me on Instagram, you know I just discovered aha hand crafted leather earrings. They have an array of gorgeous earrings, as well as other jewelry. You can choose different styles, colors, and sizes to fit your personal style, so it's easy to find something mom will love! I've also been completely obsessed with their suede chokers and this newly released color, rosette, is even prettier in person!

You can find the direct links below to some of my favorite gift ideas for the special mamas in your life.
Have fun shopping, friends!

 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Happy Birthday, Marzy Boy!

My Marzy Boy is TWO years old!  Like every mom, I just can't believe how quickly these last two years have flown by.  This little Menace, as we lovingly refer to him as, has brought us so much joy.  The Lord (as always) knew exactly what He was doing when he blessed us with Marz!



We celebrated by having a taco TWOsday fiesta featuring his favorite meal: burrito bowls with a huge scoop of guacamole.  This kid is the best!

Every single day Marz makes us laugh straight from our bellies.  Everyday he has a ball in his hand.  Everyday he yells for "PHIA!" (Sophia) or "PAIR-YIS!" (Paris) and demands that his sisters "yook" (look) at whatever he's doing.  Everyday he plays with Mater, Lightning McQueen, and Mack from the movie Cars.  And everyday he makes my heart burst with so much love.

He's obsessed with his daddy, the puppy that lives behind us, passing the ball, Disney's Cars, and his binky.  He still comes to me for snuggles when he's tired and reaches up to touch and rub my face just as he did when he nursed as an infant.  I will be so heartbroken when he stops.

Marzy Boy can recognize most letters, but refuses to sing the Alphabet Song.  He can recognize most colors, but some days everything is "blue". :)

He is at such a fun age with his expanding vocabulary and curiosity.  I can't wait to see what the next year brings and to watch him as a BIG brother.  We all love you so much, Marzy Boy.
Happy Birthday, Menace Marz!

Monday, March 6, 2017

Third Trimester with Baby #4

I can hardly believe that I'm already a full week into my third trimester with baby girl!  I have done way less documentation of this pregnancy - life has just been so busy with the girls activities and having a crazy toddler running the show.  I've been trying to be in the moment and enjoy my final pregnancy, but to be honest I'm so exhausted, the aches and pains are slowing me down, and I'm ready to meet baby girl!!  But we still have a crap ton of things to get done before her arrival! 

Here's a little update on my pregnancy...

How far along: 29 weeks

Gender: Girl :)

Weight gain: I have NOT even kept track this pregnancy. It's my last time "eating for two" and I'm taking full advantage.

Maternity clothes: Mixing and matching maternity clothes with my regular clothing that is stretchy or flowy.

Sleep: Sleeping sucks. I've been super tired in the afternoon and napping with Marz, but then can't sleep at night.  Last night Marvin was out of town, so I had every pillow to myself which made me sleep like a baby.  A newborn baby...knocked out for a few hours and then wide awake until 4am.  I made the most of it though by doing some online shopping for baby bows - hashtag: productive.

Best Moments: We just ended show choir competition season with Sophia and it has been a blast! It was our first year of show choir and it was a joyous whirlwind. I think I'll do a short blog post about what I learned in our first year. :) Paris ended her last middle school basketball season, attended high school orientation (what!!), and started training for track season! Marz has gone to my last couple of prenatal appointments and our doctor lets him turn the heart doppler on and off, so he thinks he's pretty much hot shit.  He still doesn't acknowledge that there is a baby in my tummy, so I'm hoping that by attending my appointments he comes around soon!

Baby movement: TONS!

Cravings: Fruity candy - Trolli gummy worms are giving me LIFE, slushies, and yogurt

Looking forward to: Naming baby girl! We've decided on her first name, but we are still undecided on a middle name.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Fruit Infused Water

We've been struggling with illness at our house, so it was perfect timing when I discovered the new Sassy Fruit Infuser Cup for Marz.  Marz prefers to drink ice water over anything, so I figured adding some fruit to help boost his immune system would be a great way to keep any more illnesses away! Infusing water provides a little sweetness and flavor which makes it easier to get in your recommended water intake.

The Sassy Fruit Infuser Cup comes with a cute infusion basket shaped as a strawberry.  The basket holds 1/4 cup of fruit and you can place it in the freezer to keep your water cooler for longer.  The lid to the cup is designed so that your child can drink from anywhere around the rim. We haven't had any trouble with leaks or spills with this cup - my boy definitely put this cup to the test (hashtag: Menace Marz).

You can get really creative with your fruit blends!  Here are a few of our favorites:

You can purchase the fruit infuser cup here. Or if your little one already has a favorite cup, you can also purchase the infuser basket separately here.

If you have any flavor combinations that you love, please share with us!

This post is in partnership with Sassy, however all opinions are our own!

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Being Present + Spending Quality Time in 2017
&
A Giveway With JORD Wood Watches

One of my resolutions for 2017 is to spend more active and quality time with my husband and children.  With busy schedules, phones, and electronics we've been missing out on being present with one another.  I often use my phone for the clock on it which can then lead to a quick peek at Instagram or Snap, texts, and then answering a few emails...soon I look up to realize I've wasted so much time.  Please tell me I'm not the only one!

So, I was so excited when JORD Wood Watches sent me one of their unique women's watches! Gone are the days of getting distracted by glancing at my phone for the time.  I can put my phone away and spend the much needed quality time with my family!  I've been wearing my watch non-stop and I am in love with the design, comfort and all the compliments I've received while wearing it! I have the Frankie 35 in dark sandalwood and mint.  Each timepiece from JORD is created with luxury in mind and each watch is one-of-a-kind and functional.  I have about five more wood watches on my wish list right now!

My watch is super lightweight, so I am able to wear it without it getting in the way of my crazy toddler and when I want to give it more flair, I can stack jewelry around it without feeling weighed down.

JORD also has some beautiful and timeless men's watches.  Marvin has his eye on a couple and I think it would make the perfect Valentine's Day gift!  Along with JORD's gorgeous timepieces, their packaging is just as dreamy.  JORD makes giving the gift of time so simple and an easy decision!  Each watch comes in a stunning cedar box and there's even a little drawer to hide a love note in! ;) Or if you're looking for something extra special, they have some really impressive engraving options.

My friends over at JORD are giving away a $100 credit to JORD for one of my readers - just in time for Valentine's Day or to start you off on the right track for 2017!!  The contest will close on January 29th at 11:59pm, so be sure to enter before time runs out ;) by following this giveaway link!  All you need to enter is your name and email address AND just for entering, you will be gifted a $25 credit to JORD once the contest has ended!

Watch Gift Ideas

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Snacking with NurturMe

We have been very indulgent with our sugar consumption during the holiday season and now it's time to get our act together! We've partnered with NurturMe to bring you a few quick ideas for snacking or meal time with their Quinoa Squares.

I've been using NurturMe since Marz was around 6 months old. Some of his favorites were the Yum-A-Roo Snacks. They're organic fruits and veggies that have been quick dried to lock in and maintain essential nutrients. We have also used the Power Blend Purees which are packed with superfoods and awesome flavor combos! I always feel good when I can provide him with a delicious and healthy snack. They're also so easy to bring along when traveling or for a distraction when you have a baby third wheel in tow for date night!

Now that Marz is a toddler, I was excited to try out the Quinoa Squares. The squares are dissolvable puffed crackers loaded with so many health benefits, and they're made without any added sugar or preservatives. They come in three flavors and are made with 100% quinoa.

These crackers can be served and eaten straight out of the bag, but here are some additional ways we've incorporated the Quinoa Squares:

Snack time: Cheddar + Broccoli Squares with Hummus

Snack time: Sweet Potato + Apple + Cinnamon Squares with Yogurt & Kiwi

Meal Time: Pineapple + Spinach Squares with Cheese Cubes, Blueberries, Green Beans & Whole Wheat Bread with Almond Butter

Marz has been loving anything that he can dip, so lately I've been coming up with healthy dip options to sneak in food he would normally push off his tray, hashtag: eyeroll. These Quinoa Squares are perfect when you're looking for one more side to include for meal-time, or all alone for a filling and nutritious snacks. NurturMe has a nice range of healthy, convenient, and delicious products for infants and toddlers.

This post was in partnership with NurturMe, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Happy 2017!

Happy New Year! I'm dusting off the ol' blog this year and have some really exciting things in store, so I hope you all continue to follow along on our journey! 

We recently announced that we are expecting again! Our baby is due in May which makes me almost 20 weeks along.  It's our last baby, so I'm trying to savor every moment of pregnancy - the good, the bad, and the ugly.  It's been tough because I've been really sick with this babe.  I'm hoping that we are done with the nausea and throwing up part...it's been a week without any action, so I'm crossing my fingers!

We spent our New Years Eve with our kids and surprised them with a gender reveal at midnight! We had an ultrasound last week and asked the technician to put the baby's gender in an envelope. We took the envelope to our favorite cupcake shop, That One Cupcake Place and asked them to fill the cupcakes with either pink or blue frosting depending on the information inside of our envelope.

We partied hard with snacks, fire ice cream, dance parties and sparkling juice while waiting for the clock to strike midnight. 

I swear the only thing that kept me awake until midnight was knowing that I would be finding out if our baby was a boy or girl! After predictions, a loud and wild countdown, we took giant bites of our cupcakes and found out we are having a...BABY GIRL!!!

I am so excited for this blessing and cannot wait for her to get here! She is already so fiercely loved.

I'm ready for all the opportunity and blessings that 2017 is going to bring to our family.  We have a lot of exciting things happening!
God bless you and your families, and Happy New Year! 

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Marz's Birth Story

It really blows my mind that it's already been 12 weeks since we first laid eyes on our sweet baby boy.  I have been floating around on heavy dose of cloud 9 with a side of caffeine.  

I began having contractions on Sunday, April 19th.  I didn't think much of it because the girls were both 2 weeks overdue, so I was banking that this pregnancy would be the same.  My original due date was April 20th, but our doctor ended up pushing it to April 24th because of the measurements from my ultrasounds.  The doctor actually wanted change the due date to April 28th, but I begged for them to meet me halfway.  It sounds ridiculous, but when you're 9 months pregnant just a day makes a huge difference.  Also, I knew that they would use the due date to determine an induction date, if I would need one.

So, once I felt the contractions on the 19th, I told Marvin that we better get to Target to pick up baby stuff, nursing supplies, snacks and a new robe for me.  Yeah, I was completely behind in being prepared because I was convinced Marz was going to be late.  We picked up everything we needed and then went home to pack our hospital bags "just in case".  

Monday, April 20th, I felt like the contractions were coming more frequently, so I started timing the contractions. After my mom and Marvin's constant encouragement to get to the hospital, I finally caved and went that evening. I ended up being sent home after a few hours with a sleeping pill, 2 sleepy girls, and a frustrated husband. The girls were such troopers! They spent hours in the waiting room while I was monitored and walked through the halls. The sleeping pill was the worst decision ever, but made for some hilarious stories that I heard about later and have absolutely no recollection of. :) 

Of course, my contractions went into overdrive in the middle of the night - ya know, just when the sleeping pill is supposed to be doing its thang. 

Taken the morning I gave birth to Marz // 40 weeks + 1 day

Marvin called my doctor's office early Tuesday morning and they advised us to come in to be checked.  As soon as we walked into the office, it finally sank in that I might actually be in active labor because of all the concerned looks I was given by staff and other patients.  It's funny looking back at it now - I can only imagined what I looked like - a zombie in labor.  I saw my doctor right away who checked me and I was 6 centimeters and told us to go directly to the hospital - he would let them know I was coming and to admit me.  I was shocked that I was already 6 cm!  That morning our doctor wasn't at our normal office location, but it happened to be right across the street from the hospital (hallelujah!).  We went across the street, headed to the Labor & Delivery floor, and was hooked up to an IV.  The nurse checked me again and I was 8cm.  Marvin and I couldn't believe I moved to 8cm within 20 minutes!  The nurses and doctor advised us that we would have our baby that afternoon.  My water broke while I was laying in the bed talking to Marvin.  It was the craziest feeling.  With the girls, my waters never broke naturally.  The afternoon came and went, evening came and went and I was still hanging out at 8cm.  I started getting concerned at stalling and I really didn't want to get any Pitocin.  I had gotten this far by myself that I was bummed when it was finally suggested that I start a low dose of Pitocin.  Once the Pitocin got into my system, I quickly hit 10cm, but the doctor stalled pushing because Marz wasn't low enough at that point. That was surprising considering the amount of pain I was in from the time I was 5 months pregnant and my regular doctor had told me at each of my prenatal appointments that the baby was "really low".   

It was finally time to start pushing at 9:40pm. The nurse asked Marvin to hold my left leg while she held my right, so I could start pushing.  This part is hilarious when Marvin retells the story since he had pictured being up by my head during this time.  He was so great during the whole process.  He gave me so much encouragement.  I was so exhausted at this point between being awake for so many hours and labor, so his encouragement and enthusiasm really got me through the next 22 minutes.  Marvin tells everyone that I turned into the Incredible Hulk during pushing and that he didn't realize there could be so many veins in my face - haha!  But this Incredible Hulk pushed Baby Hulk out before the doctor was completely dressed in his scrubs.  The doctor literally had to come running over to "catch" our son.

Marz Hawk McNutt was born at 10:02pm and a surge of happiness, love, and gratitude to our Lord & Savior came over me.  Marz was immediately placed on my chest where he nestled in for a few minutes and then raised his head to look at me!  The surge of so many happy emotions came over me. After just a few minutes, he began the rooting reflex (helps a breastfed infant find the mother's nipple).  I saw this happen on a documentary I had watched about the benefits of skin-to-skin, but I was still an awe when it actually happened to us.  He began "pecking" all the way down until he found my breast and began to feed.  Just like that.  It was amazing. I loved being able to experience this style of skin-to-skin.  My previous babies were taken to get weighed, measured, and washed up before they were handed to me.  I had no idea how awesome it would feel to have Marz skin-to-skin with me for an hour.  It's a moment I will cherish forever.  And just when I thought my heart couldn't swell anymore, I handed Marz to Marvin for the first time and when I saw Marvin's face...there are no words. Marvin was so proud and I fell even more in love with my husband.  I didn't sleep at all that night.  I just kept staring at the little miracle in our room and thanking God for giving me such a gift and all the previous gifts and gifts to come. He is so good!!

I couldn't wait for all three (THREE!) of my kids to be together! Marvin brought the girls to the hospital the next morning.  The girls were so sweet with their little brother and the five of us hung out and loved on our new baby the rest of the day.

The next day we were discharged from the hospital and greeted at home by Paris, Sophia, and my sister Jenna.  She was such a huge help during our first week at home.  We were so blessed that she was able to come help out.  Following her visit, Marvin's parents came to Charlotte to meet Marz, spoil the girls, and continue to help around the house.  After they left, my mom and brother visited for a week.  We hadn't seen them for over a year, so it was a very nice reunion! Marvin and I even got a chance to sneak in a little date night.

This little boy has brought our home more happiness (and sleepless nights) than I ever could have imagined. My heart is overflowing and family of five looks pretty good on us! ;)