Things I Love: June 2016

Hey, mama!

How has your June been? Mine has flown by! (I feel like I’m constantly saying that these days, and it’s making me feel old!)

Summer is officially here, and the boys and I are finishing up last bits of school. (Yes, we’re behind, but thankfully, it’s no big deal since we homeschool!) I’ve spent this past month gathering up everything I need for this coming school year, we’ve gone on several out-of-town trips, and we’ve been working away on our home projects. June has been a busy month for us!

I’m back today with another sneak peek into my life by sharing 5 things I’ve loved this past month with you, and I’d love it if you’d share some of what you’ve been up to this month in the comment section too!

Favorite Person

This month Dean & I celebrated our 10-year anniversary.

Seriously, y’all… it doesn’t feel like it’s been 10 years! I mean, time flies when you’re having fun, and we are most certainly having fun! We’re best friends, we’re building the life we want to live, and we have four amazing kiddos to raise together. I remember setting out on our honeymoon 10 years ago and looking forward to what God had in store for us. 

Marriage isn’t always easy, but we’ve had a great one that, honestly, has been pretty easy. We both have great examples of Godly parents who’ve been committed to each other and still invest in us. We have a great church that teaches truth. We also surround ourselves with good friends and influences who encourage and uplift us as well. All of these things contribute to what our marriage is today.

So what can I say about the last 10 years? It’s been a fun adventure, and I’m totally ready for the next 10 years with this handsome man!

Favorite Natural Product

With 90+ degree days and lots of trips this month, my homemade mineral sunscreen sure has come in handy! 

I know I sang its praises earlier, but I really do love this stuff! Not only does it work well, but it smells great and doesn’t leave your skin looking pasty white. Plus, you can use it for all ages, babies to great-grandma! All you have to adjust is the essential oils you use. What’s not to love? Get the recipe here!

Favorite Book

I’m a bit new to the world of online magazines, but I must say, I’m really enjoying them!

For the past two months, I’ve been reading The Biblical Herbal, and I’m seriously impressed with the range and quality of content this magazine has. It comes out four times a year and is written by Christian herbalists from a Biblical perspective. It features educational articles, DIY remedies, food recipes, and more. 

I just finished up their summer edition, and my favorite article had to be “Making Effective and Potent Herbal Extracts.” In fact, it made me think of you because that’s one of those questions I get asked a lot by herbal beginners who are doubting their ability to make quality herbal preparations. Although the article seemed to be geared more towards intermediate herbalists, I do think that beginners can learn a lot from it. 

If you’re interested in learning more about this new herbal magazine, be sure to visit the link above!

Favorite Herbal Product

June means summer, and that also means I’ve switched over from my winter bitters formula to my summer bitters formula. Now there are many different ways to make herbal bitters, but I like to formulate mine using a tea blending triangle to find a combination that’s the right fit for me. I also like to use herbs that are energetically cooling during the hot summer months which is why I’ve chosen these for this year’s blend.

You can learn more about bitter herbs and their energetics here.

Favorite Moment

I recently surprised Dean with an upcoming anniversary/Father’s Day trip for just the two of us. So a couple weeks ago, we left the kids with my parents for a couple days and headed to Charlotte, NC so he could drive some of his favorite supercars on the Charlotte Motor Speedway with Xtreme Xperience. He was stoked! I mean, what guy doesn’t dream of driving supercars like a Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porche?!

We spent the first day exploring the area just outside of Charlotte, visiting some antique stores, going to the mall, seeing a movie, and going out to a nice dinner. The next day, though, we headed to the speedway to get prepped and trained to drive some seriously fast cars! These cars are the real deal too. No governors. No speed controls or limiters. You’re taught how to drive them on a road track and then you hop in the driver’s seat and a professional driver sits in the passenger’s seat, and off you go! Dean drove, I watched, and we both had a great experience.

So that’s it for this past month! I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my favorite things from June, and I’d love to hear about what you and yours have been up to this past month in the comment section below!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see more of my everyday life!