Living Well Bodyworks

Aromatherapy

Marci Hoffman — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:57:17 +0000

What is it? The science of scents and their impact on our brain chemistry and overall health is called aromatherapy. Using natural scents to calm, invigorate, balance, or focus throughout the day is a beautiful way to bring wellness into your routine.
Essential oils feel and work differently than vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are pressed from the seeds of plants and feel slippery and greasy to the touch. Essential oils are distilled from plants and are highly concentrated extracts from all the plant parts; flower, tree, root and shrub. They are light to the touch and evaporate rapidly. Because they are so concentrated, a little goes a long way.

Some starting points:
Relaxing and Calming : Lavender, Chamomile
Invigorating : Peppermint, Sandalwood, Lemon, Orange
Balancing : Cinnamon, Basil, Parsley
Uplifting : Rose, Bergamot, Geranium
Focus : Cedarwood, Frankincense

There are many ways to engage your sense of smell and benefit from the healing powers of specific scents in nature. Here are just a handful to get you started.

1. If you are using an essential oil, start with just a drop or two in your palms, cup your hands over your nose and breathe in for a few seconds.

2. Dab some essential oils on your neck or wrist as a natural perfume. Sometimes I even run a bit through my hair — there is something romantic about perfumed hair.

3. Freshen a whole room by using a diffuser or add a drop or two of an essential oil on a tissue and place in a vent of the room. The forced air will circulate the smell throughout the room.

4. Add scents to your daily routine with children. Before nap or bedtime, bring out a calming or relaxing aroma. Before homework time, bring out a scent that helps with focus. Children tend to respond well to natural scents used in moderation, but always be sure not to overwhelm them with aromas that are too strong.

Explore the impact that different natural scents have on your moods and emotions. It is a simple, enjoyable, elegant way to enhance your day.

for more see simplemom.net

good girly stuff

Marci Hoffman — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:41:35 +0000

as you know, a month ago my sweet baby girl joined us.

before she was born I found these adorable shoes for her.

here she is wearing them today!

want some? Visit JolieBerry on etsy!

Trusting God with My Kids

Marci Hoffman — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:29:02 +0000

So, I told you I have been reading The Mom Walk by Sally Clarkson. Some of the stuff is just really speaking to me- where I am. I wanted to share a short part of it.

They grew best in the freedom they had in an environment of love, grace and faith.

We can’t by sheer force or the right rules or the right devotional curriculum make our children spiritual. Yet there is this mysterious process by which the Holy Spirit leads our children to see their need for Christ as we seek to cultivate their hearts. But it is entirely led by grace, informed by love, and carried out by the help of the Holy Spirit.

This is something that is so hard for me and I am seeing it a lot. Good moms & dads, doing their best to do the right thing as a parent, making sacrifices, staying on their knees, trusting God- and the children end up not walking with the Lord. There is nothing that I want more than my kids to know God, trust Him, serve Him & love Him. Yet there is no guarantee. So, I guess the only choice is to trust.

We all parent differently. And parenting styles can really change friendships. But the fact that there is no one answer, no exact formula, frees me up to not judging others according to their styles. As sisters, let’s just encourage one another. Each child is different. Each mom is different. Our relationship with the Lord is different. So expectations of doing things the exact same way should be low. Let’s just get on our knees together and seek God’s will as we parent. I look forward to that day by day leading. Trusting. Abiding.

speaking the same language

Marci Hoffman — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:40:43 +0000

I love the blog C Jane. Her most recent post, First the Babies, really speaks to me! All you moms, who like me, are having a hard time with contentment at this stage of life- read it and connect with her. It speaks of just being content where we are, simplifying life and enjoying the day. Hope you like it too!

great quote

Marci Hoffman — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:12:18 +0000

Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.
~Nathaniel Hawthorne
Aren’t we always running after something to find happiness? Sometimes we feel like it is always unachievable. Yet, there is a lot to say for contentment though. God provides the things that we need. If we take the time to appreciate those things around us, we will find that happiness. I love the picture that the quote gives me. Happiness is a light thing, one that dances around you. It’s something of beauty that you and those around you will enjoy. Your happiness is contagious- just like your bitterness. And just like butterflies, you may not even see those things of joy around you, unless you sit and look. It’s really that simple sometimes. So, today, I encourage you to pause. Take a look around you. Enjoy the beauty around you. I pray that in the little things you will find happiness today.

joy, joy, joy

Marci Hoffman — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:51:40 +0000

Aaron Keyes, our worship pastor, spoke last week on joy and it’s good! Watch this … I pray that it will encourage you to seek and rest in the joy of the Lord! (Sept. 6th)

ready to turn the page

Marci Hoffman — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:41:21 +0000

i think the time has come- time to get in shape and get rid of the baby weight. i mean, seriously! those nine months really catch up fast. but, here i sit, 4 weeks after she joined us and i am ready for the old body back. but i am aiming to reach way back to the way old body! i still had a good bit of weight left from my pregnancy with jeremiah. so, you can imagine- lots of pounds to loose! step by step, though!
my plan- well, i’m a terrible dieter. so i am going to try to eat healthy, made good choices, drink lots of water and exercise consistently. it’s really about lifestyle. but it’s on! i know i have to start back slowly because of the C-section. so the next couple weeks will be easing into it. but i am motivated.
i’m also hoping to get the hubby on the plan with me! i want to model healthy living to our kids- not just hope they’ll catch it somewhere.
so, here we go. here’s to healthiness!

joy

Marci Hoffman — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:49:50 +0000

finding contentment in being a mom

Marci Hoffman — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:47:17 +0000

this world can really pull at you! unintentionally, i find myself ascribing worth to those who are doing things outside the home- great things, fun things, adventurous things. lately, mainly since having kids, i find myself seeing real worth in those moms who really invest in their kids. that’s the kind of mom i want to be. God gives us these years that we can really invest- why would i want to waste those elsewhere? i am totally not saying that you cannot do other things. because i think we need it to stay sane. but i want my priority to be my husband, my kids- our family. i believe that’s what the Lord has called me to.
but contentment in this role can get hard. my nature is to be doing things and i can get distracted in to doing other things. i’m finding when i really center myself, spend time in God’s Word and prayer- that i am a better mom for it. i find myself enjoying my kids more. it sounds simple. but honestly when i am in the middle of the yuck- it’s hard to remember. and with two toddlers and an infant- there is a lot of yuck! God is so sweet to me though. thankfully he has given me these wonderful kids who i adore, who love me so much and each other. so it’s really a great deal.
check out this picture! i love it. it’s the day we brought Karis home. i love the delight in the boys faces. they are meeting someone, bringing her into their home. someone whom will be a part of their lives forever, who will have a part in making them who they will be.

I am reading this book by Sally Clarkson and really liking it! what i am reading now is about worry as a mom, praying for wisdom. and it really speaks to me. i think since I have been a mom, i have become a worrier. mama bear is fierce within me! it’s seriously a struggle. i am the type of mom who wants to take out anyone who hurts my kids! so watch out! i do control myself, but the urge is there. Sally talks though about how God cares for us. She says that we are meant to go to God moment by moment. it is meant to be a way of life, a constant rhythm of returning to His presence and His help. but we have to keep in mind that it only happens by our choice.
i want that for me. i want that for my kids to see in me and learn that from me. i want that intimacy and trust with God.
so, i choose contentment. i choose to slow down and listen softly to what God is saying and teaching me. i totally believe that i am learning more through my kids than i will ever teach them!

drum roll, please….

Marci Hoffman — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:39:01 +0000

here is the newest Hoffman! we are so proud to introduce Karis Eloise Hoffman. She is two weeks today and it has been a sweet two weeks. Girls are so different. My boys are amazing. But there is just something so sweet and soft about a baby girl. I am currently just trying to soak in every moment possible- they go way too fast!