Packing Essential Oils for Airline Travel

I'm so excited to be getting ready for Young Living's Grand International Convention that will take place during the week of June 10, 2018. As I was preparing to travel, I thought you might be interested in seeing which essential oils I am packing in my carry-on bag to use before, during and after my flight. The photo here shows what I packed. Since I am not checking any luggage and will be traveling with a carry on suitcase and a tote bag, I will only bring the essential oils that fit in a ziplock snack bag. Then I can put this bag in the TSA allowed quart-size bag with my shampoo, conditioner, and other liquids. While I wish I could bring all my oils, I know that together these six essential oils will meet my needs for the week. So, how can you use each oil in this small set of Young Living essential oils to support wellness during travel:

Oregano (also available in Vitality line) - helps to boost the immune system. I put 4 drops in a nightly capsule with Thieves and Frankincense to help support the immune system, boost well-being, and general health.  Click this link to see how else I've used Oregano, Thieves, and Frankincense.

Peppermint Vitality - use topically to cool skin (I rub some on the back of my neck on hot days). Add a drop to a glass of water or tea for a great pick me up and to promote healthy intestinal function and support normal digestion. Diffuse (or smell) to lift your spirits and give you a boost of energy during physical activity like hiking or walking around a conference all day. Put a drop under your tongue as a quick breath fresher.

Thieves Vitality - a powerful essential oil that helps to support a healthy immune system (I add 10 drops to a nightly capsule with Oregano and Frankincense) In addition to the essential oil, I am packing my Thieves hand sanitizer.

Stress Away - a combination of lime and vanilla therapeutic grade essential oils, this blend has an amazingly comforting smell. (After all, travel days can be a little stressful, and this oil can help everyone relax)

Frankincense - diffuse (smell) to help with grounding during prayer and meditation. Add a drop to personal skincare products to promote a beautiful complexion. I add 2 drops to a nightly capsule with Oregano and Thieves to help support the immune system, well-being, and general health.

Lavender Vitality - diffuse (smell) to promote relaxation. Apply to skin to soothe skin. Rub on the bottom of the feet to help with a good night's sleep. Add to drinks like lemonade or tea to restore peace and balance.

Click the comment link below to share with us what you would pack if you could only bring six bottles with you on an airplane?

Visiting Harvard Yard to Celebrate Friends

This past week I had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate the academic successes of two of my colleagues and friends, Kelly and Le Shaun, as they became Harvard fellow alumnus. I am so proud of them. It was an honor to hear about their research and to learn more about their studies as they completed their fellowship projects. One of their cohort members did a fun PowerPoint presentation during which he described each of the members of the cohort. He described Kelly as one of the friendly people and Le Shaun as one of the articulate. I totally agree with his assessment!

While in Cambridge, I was also able to visit my friend Stephanie. She has recently moved back east after living on the west coast of the United States for the past few years. It was great to see her and to reminisce about past friends from Qatar and other parts of the Middle East. Stephanie is a world traveler and she motivates me to keep traveling. This trip to Harvard was too quick and we didn't have enough time to really catch up so I hope one day soon to be able to come back to explore more of the area around Cambridge and Boston and to visit with my good friend.

The day after graduation I spent the early morning exploring the campus. By 8:30am there were few people on campus and I can only assume that many of them were either in classes or still asleep. I sat on the stone steps of the library for a while then moved to sit in one of the chairs set up in the grass of Harvard Yard's quad. This is one of my favorite places. Harvard Yard is the oldest part of Harvard's campus. The grass quad is surrounded by the dorms, the church, library, and the large gated entrance. There is something so academic feeling about the quad and the old stone and brick buildings. As someone who appreciates colonial American and Georgian English architecture, I am just loving the chance to soak in all the "brainy atmosphere".

The insides of the buildings are just as impressive. Portraits of famous alumni are hanging on the walls in almost every building we entered and it was amazing to think that my friends were joining their ranks. Graduation was held in the Harvard Natural History Museum and we were given the chance to see many of the exhibits. My favorite exhibit was the glass plants. It was amazing how realistic many of them were. I especially liked the mountain laurels. They reminded me of my childhood summer vacations in our rustic cabin on the Delaware River. The hillside between the cabin and the river was often covered with laurels and later in the fall with tiger lilies.

Well that's enough sharing for now. I hope you too will have time this summer to celebrate good things with your friends and family.

Travel Hack: Purse/Bag Security

Sorry to all of you who stopped in to read this post thinking that you were going to learn new ways to get around an airport travel regulation or something like that. Nope. Instead, I am going to share a hack with you that I heard about on a YouTube site called Do It On a Dime. This hack will save you from dumping your purse or bag on the floor every time you brake suddenly while driving on a road trip.

The trick is to use a scarf or men's necktie to secure the handles of your purse and/or bag to the headrest of the passenger seat. I bought a $2 necktie at Good Will. I tested this hack out and I promise you it works. Driving in Washington, DC there are lots of times you have to stop suddenly and this hack has stopped my bags from falling off the seat and onto the floor. And, if you worry that someone will grab your bag through an open car window in the summer. Worry no more, friend. Your bag will be safely tied to your seat. Hope you find this travel hack helpful. Feel free to share your own travel hacks by leaving a comment below.

Need, Want, Love, Panic - Part 1 - Downsizing to Move into an RV

I have been going through a lot of FEELINGS lately and if you've ever met me then you know this has been an interesting experience for me. (I am a very British stiff-upper-lip kind of girl). If you read my last post, you know that I am retiring early after 36 years in Catholic schools to pursue my dream of living in an RV traveling around the United States full-time. The model I LOVE is a 2016 Winnebago Sunstar 30T LX. It is 30 feet long and about 8.5 feet wide for a total of about 250 square feet. I've read on other RV blogs that I need to keep the weight of all my items to around 1,500 pounds. Ahhh.... Does that mean I can't take all my things? It seems like an impossible task and I am PANICKING.  But, I know that if I take it one day at a time, one step at a time, and let God lead me, I will be okay. I will TRUST in his love and care for me.

I am in the middle of getting rid of things so I will tell you what I've done so far. First, I decided I needed to find a new home for my beloved family heirlooms. I set up a private website called "Crazy Aunt Cathy's Virtual Garage Sale", took photos of everything and sent the link to all my family asking everyone to tell me what they wanted. Thanks to my parents, siblings, my nieces, and my nephews, all of my beloved family treasures have new homes. My parents and my sister Mary Elizabeth took a truck to Ohio and my sister Susie and I took another truck to SC, GA, and AL. I feel so GRATEFUL and RELIEVED. But, there is still too much stuff! I need to get rid of more. As I sort through my things, it's become evident that some of my stuff just isn't going to be needed in an RV. So this past month I've been putting things in my car and driving over (multiple times) to the local Good Will. I am feeling so PROUD and EXCITED that I am making progress.

Now comes the hard part. I decided to help me set limits, everything needs to fit inside my guest bedroom which is a little bigger than 13 x 16 feet (extra space if you count the walk-in closet). So first, as the family historian, I LOVE my genealogy research, ALL of the antique photo albums, and my dad's photo slides and projector. They all have to come with me. Thus, the first big pile of stuff is born. Second, the practical side of me remembered that finances and work related items will stay part of my new life. I just FEEL like I NEED to keep my desk supplies, tax records, dissertation research, note cards, papers, stapler, hole punch and related work materials. Thus, the next big pile of boxes is born. Of course I FEEL like I need my tools, kitchen supplies, Christmas decorations, a few beloved books and a few craft items. Not a big deal. Each of these items becomes a new pile.

After making these piles, I looked around the rest of my condo and realized that less than 50% of what I own has been put into a pile in the guest bedroom. Having owned a home in Ohio before moving into my condo in the Washington, DC, I thought I already purged most of my things down to the items I LOVE. Suddenly I realize that I am going to have to let go of some things I think I love. I can feel myself getting PARALYZED with FEAR.  Time to talk a walk and say a few prayers. 👼

I will continue to share my EMOTIONAL experience of becoming a minimalist by necessity not by nature with all of you in my next blog post.