Inessence Aroma Essential Oil Diffuser

I recently started using essential oils around my home for cures for common aliments. I love using peppermint oil for headaches, migraines, and nausea. I have been using lavender, chamomile and a YL exclusive blend to help everyone in my family rest and be calm for bed in the evenings.

One of my favorite ways to apply oils to everyone in my household is to diffuse them. It tends to be a stronger way to get the oils into your system faster and not having to worry about skin reactions (though we have yet to experience any). The best part is that everyone in my house can benefit at once when I diffuse essential oils.

So far I have tried three different essential oil diffusers, all with their own benefits and draw backs. This is the beginning of a series of posts that I will be dedicating to my personal use and experience of essential oils, diffusers and all other EO related products.


First Up: Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser from Inessence

This is the diffuser that I use in my daughter's room and it was the prefect selection for her. It lights up in 8 different colors (a few of Morgan's favorites are shown in the below photos) and the transitions between the colors are as equally pretty as the ones shown in the photos. This diffuser has it set up so you can have the lights continuously changing or by pushing the "light" button again, it will stay on the color you selected, or the light can be off completely while having the diffuser still working. The light is completely separate from the mist function, because it can be on with or without the mist.

When you take the lid off, which locks into place by rotating it til the dots are lined up on the side, there is a very useful measurement lines that shows you exactly how much water is in the diffuser and how much remains so you can judge how many drops of essential oils to add in. It also came with a little cup that helps you fill the diffuser really easily, instead of having to put it under the faucet like other diffusers.

The diffuser timer setting are pretty great as well. You can set it to automatically stop misting after 30, 60, 120 or 180 minutes. I wish it had a 10 or 15 minute setting, as many oils suggest to only diffuse for a shorter amount of time, but this is my only diffuser that has a built in timer, so it already has a lot up on many other essential oil diffusers,

You can find this diffuser here on Amazon. I doubt you would regret this purchase for your home, Coupled with a 180 day Home Warranty Guarantee from the manufacturer, you know that it will last or they will replace it for you.

To keep reading my other posts on Essential Oils and all things related, click here and check back often.

Found a Solution to my Cookware Issue

A constant struggle in our house is how my husband treats our cookware. Sounds silly, right? But if you saw the current state of pristine cookware that I brought with me when we moved in together, you might want to cry a bit too. I finally had to make two cabinets for pots and pans: one for him to use (his older stuff, things that weren't as easy to burn/ruin, and dishes I didn't care about) and one for everything else.

I believe his issue is that he cooks on super high heat for everything and lets the pan get to like 500 degrees before putting anything on it. I never goes well. Tons of grease all over the kitchen, burning of the pan and food instantly. It is really hard for me to watch. (BTW, if you ask him, what I call 'burnt' he considers cooked and I eat my food undercooked)

I have been on a mission to find a nice frying pan that he won't be able to ruin, but is that even possible? After trying like 3 or 4 different kinds--stainless steel, non stick, teflon, etc--I was about to give up.

Enter Ozeri, AKA my Savior! I found this on Amazon and I was excited about the green color alone, but I was not sure that even this amazing looking pan would be the answer to my problem, but one can hope right?

So what did I think after using it for a couple months now?

This pan and withstand anything! Remember I told you how my husband cooks and abuses cooking utensils? Well that hasn't changed at all. So this pan has really gotten a workout around here. Eggs, bacon, ground meat, mushrooms, peppers, onions--you name it and my husband and fried it on highest heat in this pan.

The non stick coating on the pan is still totally intact and I can't see any signs of wear or damage to this pan at all. I have other nonstick pans that you can see were the coating is coming off and bubbling in places, but not this one!

I love that the surface base of the pan has a texture to it, I think that is an extra added feature to assist in nonstick and I think it stops food from getting burnt and and staying on the base of the pan even more.

One of the other things that are significantly better on this pan over the many, many others I have tried is the handle. Its heat resistant silicone so its comfortable to grab and hold and never gets hot. That is one my biggest annoyances is when I can't pick up a pan because the whole handle is hot to the touch.

I love this pan! I am planning to get a couple more sizes and replacing every other piece of cookware in my home. I am very much looking forward to having just one set of pans again--you know like a normal person.

I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

Last Children's Step Stool You'll Ever Buy

When Morgan potty trained last year, we had to get her a step stool so she could reach the toilet and sink easier. Due to urgency, we purchased the first things we found locally, a 2-step stool we got from WalMart. While it worked really well for the purpose, IT WAS SUCH A PAIN. It didn't collapse and so it took up like 12 inches of floor space in my very tiny bathroom. We were always tripping over it, having to move it or put it up and then scrambling to find it when she needed to go potty--not ideal for a potty training toddler at all.

A couple weeks ago I found this on Amazon and just to have it. Why? It folds. It's pink. It will support every member of my household. It has hearts. And its PINK, did I say that? So how did it fair in actual practice? Here's what I think:

It folds/collapses.
The folding feature is not only super convenient and helpful, but its really easy to do. Both my 4 and 1 year olds can fold and unfold it with easy (and do as they kind of think its a toy sometimes). I love that you can just grab the edge of the heart and lift it off the ground to fold it up. But even better is that when they push it over, it just folds up on itself.

Very well-made.
The plastic is wonderful too! It's very thick and sturdy and it also has little bit of a texture with it so I think it helps grip the feet of whoever is standing on it. Much better than the smooth texture of our old one. 

hearts. Pink. Need I say more?
But most importantly, IT'S PINK AND HAS HEARTS! I was soooo excited when I saw it (so was my daughter). The hearts are super cute too and it makes her excited to use it. 

Supports up to 220 pounds and very light!
It is really lightweight and easy to carry around for her. I have also stood on it (being only 5 foot tall) and not felt like I was too much for its weight at all, and it is advertised to support and hold up 220 pounds!

I donated my old step stool (and my easily attached daughter didn't even care) and I would never go back. This is best step stool we have ever used and I'm considering getting more for my house!


I received this product at a discount in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

Quaker Oat 3-Minute Steel Cut Oatmeal - Blueberries & Cranberries

So I had heard of steel cut oatmeal for awhile because it is recommended to assist in upping your milk production while breastfeeding, but I had never tried it. 

I got the Cranberries and Blueberries steel cut oatmeal from Bzzagent to try in exchange for my review. 

Let me be honest, my expectations were low. It says on the package that you can't make it with milk, which is the only way I enjoy my regular oatmeal. But I trusted the package and added water before microwaving. 

Note: you have to change the power level on your microwave before cooking, as I have seen some people ignore that advance and not have good results. It is actually much easier than you expect.

You know what? It's great! The texture isn't much different that the oatmeal you are used to (despite looking way different) and the flavor, especially the berries, is wonderful! My 17 month old son and 4.5 year old daughter love it too! We are sold on the Steel Cut Quick 3-minute Oatmeal around my house! Thanks Quaker Oats!