Latkes From Leftovers

Our family is what you call Torah Observant, our family celebrates the biblical holidays that most think only traditional Jewish people celebrate.  We no longer do the traditions of Xmass around this time of year, but our main focus is the festival of lights, or Chanukah, and how it points to Jesus Christ/Yahusha Ha Mashiach . (really...go check it out!)

But, I won't get into that in this post.  What this post is about is making a traditional Chanukah dish called Latkes.  Latkes are deep fried potatoes pancakes...And they are soooo good!  I first leaned to make these from my grandmother (my Nanny) as a child.

Other than Chanukah, I generally make them if we have left over mashed potatoes...which is very rare. I make mine with a little twist than the traditional calls for.  Here's what I do.....'

Latkes from Leftovers:

What I used-

A good amount of mashed potatoes

Turkey Bacon cut into bits

Eggs

A big mixing bowl and spoon.  Also a spatula for cooking.

Fry pan

Seasonings:  Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Famous Dave's steak seasoning, French Fried onions....whatever sounds good to you, basically......

Flour: I use a gluten free blend

Oil to cook in:  I use coconut oil

1. Put enough oil in a fry pan to cover about 1-2 inches deep.  Heat that on medium heat while you prepare your batter.

To make the batter: Take about 2 cups of the mashed potatoes, 2 eggs-beaten, turkey bacon, seasoning to taste, the french fried onions, and enough "flour" to make the consistency thick like cookie dough.  Mix them all together in the big bowl.

2.  By this time, your oil should be hot enough to start cooking.  To test, take a little bit of water on your finger and flick it into the oil.  If it sizzles, it's good to go!

Take about 1 heaping tablespoon full of batter and gently place it into the oil, flattening it out a little so it's flat and round like a thick pancake.  Let the cake sit and brown on one side about a minute.  After this time, you should be able to turn it over and brown on the other side.   This time varies, so check often.

3.  When both sides are nice and brown, take them out of the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to absorb the excess oil.  Serve with a side of sour cream, applesauce, or what my kids love....ketchup!

Different variations you could do are adding salsa to the mix, or cheese...just about anything you would like!  Instead of using regular pepper, oregano, or thyme seasoning, you could also use essential oils for added flavor and benefits!  To order the only ones I trust for internal use, CLICK HERE!!

I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe.  Let me know your variation!

YHVH bless you … and May This Festival of Lights bring Blessings upon you and All Your Loved Ones for Happiness, for Health, and for Spiritual and Material Wealth, and May the Lights of Chanukah usher in the Light of Moshiach and a Better World for All of Humankind!

Thanksgiving Ideas for Kids...Really Easy Ones for Busy Mamas!

The girls and I have decided to take the entire week off of "school" for Thanksgiving.  If you are a homeschooler, you of coarse know that you are never not doing school, so what we are really doing is a fun approach to history through art and media.  The focus?  Well, Thanksgiving!  Here are a few things we are doing this week.  I am posting pictures of the actual crafts we have done/are doing instead of the girls doing the crafts to protect their identity.  I hope you don't mind ;-)

The first craft we put together this week was a Thankful Book.  We got the inspiration from B-Inspired Mama.  And yes, I was!




We adapted ours for what supplies we had on hand.

Materials we used:
*Three hole punch
*Embroidery thread
*4 pieces of fall color construction paper (at least one black for the cover)
*4 pieces plain computer paper
*Glue
*Black Marker
*Crayons (at least one white)
*Various sparkly do-dads

First, we took the computer paper and glued it to each of the pieces of construction paper, making a black piece the cover.
Then, when the glue dried, we folded the papers in half, holding them horizontally.
After that, we punched holes in the sides and connected the pages together with the embroidery thread.
I had them take a white crayon and make a "hand turkey" by tracing their hand on the cover, and write the title "Thankful Book".

My girls are 6 and 7.  The 6 year old is in the pre reading/dictation stage.  So, I asked her to tell me what she was thankful for and wrote one on each page with the black marker.

My 7 year old loves to write on her own, so I asked her what she was thankful for and wrote the  hard to spell words on a white board so she could copy.

When they had filled out what they were thankful for, I told them they could take the book out each day and a draw a corresponding picture for what they were thankful for on that page.   They could decorate it however they want.  My 7 year old even felt the need to do an impromptu "science experiment" where she put glue on her hand, let it dry, then peel it off like skin.  She put the "skin" in a big glob on one of her pages.  Yep, creative genius!







Another one we are going to do is the simple TP Roll Turkey inspired by Busy Bee Kids Crafts



One of my older boys saw a commercial for the new toilet paper that does not come with the rolls.  He actually said, "Well, we will never get that kind.  Mom would not have anything for crafts!"  Who would make such a products?!

Any way, here's what you will do:

Here's what you'll need...

•TP roll
•Scissors
•Construction paper in fall colors
•Pencil
•2 googly eyes, or black marker
•Glue


Here's how to make it...

1. Cut two slits into your TP roll to make a triangle, and fold up to make your Turkey's bill (as shown in the picture) 

2. Trace your hand print onto the construction paper and cut out. 

3. From your construction paper (preferably red color) cut out a "J" shape for under your turkey's neck. Glue onto the TP roll just under his beek. Glue the hand prints around the base of your TP roll. To finish it off, glue on googly eyes, or draw on eyes with a black marker. You've just created an adorable Thanksgiving turkey! 

Along with this, we will be supplementing with some movies!  I found this great site called Cross and Quill Media.  It tells you where to find awesome educational movies on things like Netflix, Amazon, Youtube, and more.  This is a life saver!  

Here is the direct link to the Ultimate Online Guide For Thanksgiving.

It has the listing by grade level and everything!  The first thing we will watch, without a doubt, is A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.  Oh yeah, it's going down!  Holidays don't happen in my house without the Peanuts!

Then, we will just go from there.  This particular one has a lot of good media if you are doing unit studies on early America, or the Attentiveness unit in Konos like we are.  

Well, there you have it!  Besides having the joy of them helping me cook all the goodies, and just play and be kids, that's what we are doing!  What is your family doing?  Any traditions?  Share them in the comments!

Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

Ready for a Great Adventure? Creating a Business with Essential Oils and Natural Health

The Business of  Essential Oils and Natural Health

I’M HIRING! Are you ready for a new adventure? Some of you may be interested in what I do as a Wellness Advocate and a natural wellness educator. I am passionate about what I do because, as many of you, I was looking for more in life, more time with family, more income, more freedom. If you find yourself thinking, “I could do what Melissa does, ” or “I’d love to help others like Melissa does,” then I wanted to let you know about my mentoring program.

I’m currently looking for people who would like leadership positions on my Natural Health and Wellness team. My team, The Natural Collective EO Team is growing faster than ever, and I’m looking for motivated individuals that I can take to the top with me.  More and more people are joining the natural wellness revolution and this is awesome, but we do not have enough leaders to cover the growth that our team is experiencing.

Owning my own business has completely changed my life. I am earning an income while sharing something I love–and I’ll show you how you can do the same.

As a company, we is growing at an exponential rate, and NOW is the time to jump on board. Not only have these oils drastically transformed my own life, but they are used by physicians, health professionals, and hospitals all over the nation.  Read here how R.N's McBride and Sturges of Vanderbilt Medical Center are doing just that.  And be sure to watch the news clip below:

What You Can Expect:

• Intensive coaching with me–it is my goal to see YOU succeed in your business.
• Access to weekly calls, webinars, and trainings.
• Access to our password-protected team training website.
• Access to my private team Facebook groups where we discuss both product information and leadership/building practices.
• Access to all the marketing materials you need to grow your business.
• Advice on sharing oils through blogs, websites and social media. As a blogger myself, I am very comfortable in the online space. (However, having a blog/website is NOT a requirement for joining the team)
• The ability to get the deepest discounts possible on products.
• The opportunity to create real residual income from your very own home-based business.

Requirements:

• Must be motivated and a self-starter
• Must have good communication skills
• Must begin with an enrollment kit (these start at $150)
• Must be willing to devote time each per week to growing your team
• Must order at least $100 worth of product each month. (This enables you to earn commission and bonus checks)
• Are you ready to create something new? The possibilities are endless, and I can’t wait!

Interested in enjoying oils but not looking to own a business?

I would love to have you on the team! Email me to see how to enroll as a wholesale member so you can, simply, collect the amazing discounts on essential oils and get unlimited support on how to use your oils from my team.  thenaturalcollective514@gmail.com!

I can't wait to hear from you!







Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, psychological, or psychiatric problem, or a disability that requires medical attention, then you should consult your licensed medical doctor or appropriate health care provider. Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

How to Order MY Essential Oils

How to Order MY Essential Oils

Are You Ready for a Life Change!

Are you tired of taking medication for something after it starts instead of supporting the body's natural functioning system?

Do you wish there was more you could do for your kids when they are sick?

Are you up all night, despite taking something to help you get some rest?

Are you fed up with the tension and gloomy days?

Do you want to naturally support your family in being healthy?

How My Life Changed Using Essential Oils

You might have just clicked a link and ended up on this page on my website. So let me tell you a little something about myself. 1 year ago I was a COMPLETE MESS. I was a overwhelmed, sad all the time, chronically sick, full of nervous tension, and had chronic aches.  I couldn't eat with out trouble, and couldn't sleep unless I needed to be doing something else and could not be available to my husband and 7 children due to this (did I mention I worked in the health care field AND homeschooled?). In the span of 4 years, I saw cancer take my mom, a few months later a heart attack took my grandmother, and just this last June right after father's day I lost my dad who suffered from depression.  He died of a broken heart.  Plus, we moved from my life long home in Texas to a whole new country in North Dakota!  Because of my childhood and all the stresses of everyday life, I was diagnosed with many mental health issues, autoimmune issues, and ongoing pain and misery.  Can you imagine the train wreck I was? I couldn’t stand myself. I hated life. I forced myself to smile at my kids. I was desperate for something…something to help me get through this.

I had heard about a recipe you could make using a calming blend and grounding blend for nervous tension using essential oils.  I also had read about the joyful blend that was said to be great to help sadness and to uplift the mood. I decided to work on supporting these issues first. I was so desperate to try anything.  So, I started using these blends applying it over my heart and on my pulse points.  I breathed it in and with each application and each inhalation, I made a conscious effort to breath in JOY and PEACE! And you know what? After a few weeks of using these oils everyday…my life started changing! And just a few months later, I can say in all honesty, that I, absolutely, love this life that I am blessed with. I love sharing my passion for natural health with all of you and I love seeing how these oils are changing people’s lives.

The Essential Oil Brand I Stand Behind

I NEVER recommend a product to my readers that I don’t personally use and love. This is why I choose the brand I use. My company sets the standard for the highest, purest essential oil on the market. With so many different essential oil brands on the market, it’s hard to know which brand is the best. Because I wasn't seeing the results with other brands of essential oils, I started to dive into learning more about quality essential oils and their benefits on our health. I researched more about the company I am with now and discovered a few remarkable things about their oils:

•  
• They test each and every batch of oils….not just once, but 7 different ways! 
• They follow strict and sustainable growing and harvesting processes.
• They source their oils in their prime environment.
• The oils are a step above organic, they are certified pure and therapeutic grade with no fillers, artificial ingredients, synthetic chemical substitutes or contaminants of any kind.

CLICK HERE to go to an article that I wrote where I share all the reasons I love and stand behind this company!

How To Get Started:

I recommend EVERYONE start by purchasing a wholesale starter kit. By doing this, you become a wholesale member (aka Wellness Advocate) and you are able to get WHOLESALE PRICES on all your future orders!!! These starter kits have all the popular oils included PLUS your wholesale membership fee ($35) is WAIVED!!! As a wholesale member you DO NOT have to sell the oils and you DO NOT have a monthly minimum!  There are also retail and preferred member options available....but the wholesale route is by far the most cost effective.

Not all essential oils are created equally. In fact, most of them are worthless to your health and often synthetic. When buying essential oils make sure they are therapeutic grade and certified pure like the ones I use.

***My Company's Regular Monthly Special***

Here are the January Pomos!!!

*New year, new you promo! One of my favorite promos! 

(Anyone who enrolls with 100pv, spends 100pv LRP in February receives 100 free points)

*FREE FRANKINCENSE has been extended! You get it with any 200pv order until the 15th

*10% OFF the Metabolic Blend to help boost your metabolism 

*FREE LIME with any LRP order of at least 125pv by the 15th

Get with me for more info!

Email me now to get in on this:
thenaturalcollective514@gmail.com
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***My Exclusive Monthly Special***

 If you are not yet a member of my team, NOW IS THE MONTH TO DO IT!

Along with all the great incentives to new and old members alike, I am adding this!

I am going to give anyone who signs as a wholesale member with me THIS MONTH a free gift....a Modern Essentials book! In order to qualify, you must open a wholesale account AND set up your loyalty order  for next month with at least 100 points to get it. The enrollment order can be any amount. We have great starter enrollment kits AND it includes the member fee for a full year! 

BUT, if all you can do is pay your membership of $35, and then set up the loyalty order of 100 points for next month, YOU QUALIFY! Don't let money hold you back from being healthy!

Go now! Email me: thenatualcollective514@gmail.com

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I would LOVE to share  more with you about natural health and everything that goes with it.  Please email me at thenaturalcollective514@gmail.com so I can tell you all you want to know!  

I also have a Facebook for The Renaissance Mama where you can get daily info and support about natural health and essential oils you can join.

Just want to learn all the great tips and tricks about essential oils?  Go request to join my oil education page:
 James 5:14 Wellness with Essential Oils (The Natural Collective)

Follow me on Pinterest!

And Twitter!







Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, psychological, or psychiatric problem, or a disability that requires medical attention, then you should consult your licensed medical doctor or appropriate health care provider. Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Why I Love MY Essential Oils

I had first started using essential oils when I discovered the miracle of Melaleuca.  In this oil journey, I've learned many essential oils are not created equal, and am currently with a company I have come to know and trust with my family wellness needs.

 I’ve been using this brand I feel to be the best producer of essential oils since August 2014!  I had been using other brands that I would get from my local health food store...I tried just about all they had to offer. Then, when I started using the brand I am with now, I started seeing results.  Not only for me, but on my husband and kids as well!  What finally got me to jump into the company after spending about a year of research on them, was the testimonies I had heard of people using the blends for sleep and snoring.  I was on that like white on rice!!

Since the first time I opened a bottle of these amazing oils, and saw that they actually did what the company claims they do, I had to share.  I have been sharing and, although not meaning to, building a team of others who know why this company is the best!  This company has become my passion and my full-time “job”.

Before I go into why I love this particular company of essential oils, let me address some of the common misconceptions about essential oils and natural wellness.  I wanted to say one thing: I think it’s amazing that so many families are using herbs and essential oils. I love seeing testimonials from people who have used an oil and seen a drastic improvement. Regardless of the brand, I think it’s so great that people are turning to essential oils and natural healing!  I was in a horrible cycle of health issues, and although I do believe in modern medicine and think that there is a need for that, I also know from experience that most of modern medicine is treating symptoms with things that further harm the body.  I am no longer in that cycle....

Why I Love My Company

1. I Like the Purity

My company wanted to create a purity level that goes above and beyond organic. My company is certified pure and therapeutic grade that is verified by 3rd party testing laboratories. They test their oils 7 different ways to make sure that they are pure and safe for therapeutic use. Even though this company's essential oils are not“certified organic“(read why in next paragraph), you can be assured that they are a step above organic.

Organic certification varies from country to country and state to state. My company's essential oils are sourced all over the world, so that is why organic certification is not possible. One of the ways they ensure their oils are free of pesticide, herbicide, extenders and solvents is through the GC/MS analysis process, which is one of the 7 ways they test the purity of their oils.

2. I Like that they Do Third-Party Testing

Many people come to me with the concern that my company uses third-party testing facilities. My first question is, “Why the heck is this a concern?” A company that uses an IN-HOUSE lab would be something that would concern me. I would be concerned about them being biased. So, I love that they use third-party testing of their essential oils!  To me, it's comparable to going to a Dr who orders a lab that is not in their office.  That's not a crazy thought, so why would hiring a 3rd party tester be?

3. I Like that they Source their Oils All Over the World

This was really important to me. I don’t buy my wine from Idaho when I can get it from France. Some things are MUCH BETTER to get outside of the United States. This is when you want to forget your “American-made” pride and realize that some herbs do not grow good in the United States…some do..but not all. So, this company carefully selects and sources their essential oils from where it grows at it’s prime!

4. I like that they are Driven by Charity

My company has it's own registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to improving lives through partnering with organizations that offer hope to millions around the world. This organization seeks to bring healing and hope to the world, for lives free of disease and poverty, and to ultimately empower impoverished communities with the tools needed to become self-reliant. This company provides for all overhead and administrative costs of their foundation, ensuring that 100 percent of all donations go directly to those receiving aid.  This company trains people in the country where they source each oil, gives them a sustainable income so they can provide for themselves, and when these people incur things like natural disasters....this company contributes in raising funds for that specific issue.  And, they allow everyone involved in the company to contribute!

You have the option of donating to the foundation every time you order! I love that they work so much in communities of need. This is important to me in a business, and especially a business that I represent. 

5. I like that they Educate

The education and ongoing support that you get with my company is incredible. I have learned so much about essential oils, the safety of them, and the proper way to use them. My team and upline have educational team calls that you can join in and participate in. There are so many online tools that you can use if you would like to make a business out of natural wellness. I’m in several Facebook groups that share and educate on using essential oils, including my own! There is so much support and that is what I love about the company.

When I was using store-bought essential oils, I had ZERO support. I had no one to go to and talk to about how to use the oils.

6. I like How Clean they Smell

The smell test is a good indicator of purity. I read one blog article on how our particular essential oils smell good because they are not “first distillation“. This prompted me to research more into this and what I found out was GREAT! Essential oils SHOULD smell good. This quote from the chemist, Dr. Pappas, speaks volumes on how Peppermint essential oil is distilled and how the information you read on the Internet is not always accurate:

"The plant is distilled for basically 2 hours and its done, no more oil is coming out so they shut the still down. Its absolutely ridiculous to think that the distiller, after watching his oil come over, seeing that his oil level is not growing, shuts the still down and then later thinks to himself “gee, I bet if I fire this still back up (wasting thousands in feul and labor) we can get some more oil out of that spent mint leaf we distilled yesterday.” Where do people come up with this stuff!!?? Now the MINT OIL can, and often is (thank God), taken for some further redistilling and/or fractional vacuum redistilling that can take place to further improve the quality of the oil by removing nauseating components of the whole oil (just tiny amounts of very bad smelling components get removed in this process). But NOBODY distills the mint biomass a second or third time. This is generally true, not just for mint, but for essential oil distillations in general.  When I tried to explain it to the person posting this rubbish she basically did not believe me because her “research” of talking to retailers of essential oils apparently was of higher credibility. If people would just use some common sense they could look at this kind of misinformation and come to the conclusion that none of it makes sense. From an energy standpoint, why would anyone plan to shut down their distilling process just to start it up again later? The amount of energy required to get massive amounts of water boiling and enough steam generating to liberate the oil from large vats of biomass is quite astonishing and costly. Why not just keep distilling and just start collecting the oil produced at the tail end of the distillation in a separate container, if you want to collect what you think might be a different quality at the end of the run than at the beginning (by the way this is done with Ylang Ylang oil which is why there are the different grades of extra, I, II, III and complete). But aside from ylang ylang most all essential oil distillations are collected in one combined lot. And the only time I have ever seen a distiller shut down his process and restart it later was because of mechanical problems, running out of fuel, or just getting too physically tired to continue (in the case of sandalwood for example the distillation can go on for more than 24 hours and oil is still in the wood). I hope that this post will finally do some damage to this myth that has been circulated for decades now and we can finally put it to bed". -source

So, there ya have it. There is not 1st, 2nd, or 3rd distillations. The only one that does undergo more than one distillation is Ylang Ylang, like Dr. Pappas describes above in the quote.

7. I Like that they Shoot for Quality, Not Quantity 

I hear so many people talk about how ______ company has more variety of oils. I know this can be disappointing when your company that you love does not have a specific essential oil that you may be looking for. The reason for this is because my company will not compromise their quality for their quantity. This is why many oils have come and gone and why my company is always looking for a more sustainable and reliable source that is high in quality. I love that. I would rather have a limited quantity of AMAZING oils than a large quantity of low-quality oils.

8. I LOVE the Business Model

Let me get this out there....I DID NOT get into the products I use to make it a business.  I have attempted to make a business out of...I'm going to say similar companies for lack of a better word but there really is no comparison...with much frustration and disappointment, and the products of the other company didn't even compare either.  I wanted to use the products of my current company, but was not about to go into that again!  But, you can't help but share with others how wonderful they are!  And then, when the people you tell find out for themselves, they can't help it either!  So, if that is what you call working the business end...then I work the business end!

The compensation plan of my company is incredible! It’s extremely generous and I am so happy to say that it is very doable to see it becoming our top income source in the future. In less than 4 months I achieved the rank of Executive in this company. I did NOT expect to excel in ranks that quickly, nor did I set out to do that. But once I started sharing how essential oils were changing my life, people started jumping on board and my team grew enormously!  And, I am making enough commission back each month that I can cover at least 1 Loyalty Rewards order a month of at least 200 points.  Between that, the monthly free products, and the product points, I have surpassed getting back anything I have put in financially.

If you are interested in joining my company for growing a business, please read my blog post on how you can start working with this company!  

Essential Oils are for EVERYONE!

Regardless of what company you love or choose, I am just so overjoyed to see you reaching for oils instead of over-the-counter medication that is filled with side-effects and God knows what else.

However, if you would like to start your journey into using my company's essential oils, I want you to know that I would love to help you! My team is so supportive and you will be able to join our exclusive team groups and learn so much about essential oils. CLICK HERE to take a look at my current monthly specials and to get started using essential oils!  You can also find them on my Facebook page and on Pinterest!  You can always email me at thenaturalcollective514@gmail.com

Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, psychological, or psychiatric problem, or a disability that requires medical attention, then you should consult your licensed medical doctor or appropriate health care provider. Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.