rest.

"now i see the secret of the making of the best persons,

it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth."

walt whitman

to rest is essential to life.

our bodies need it. they demand it.

in order to thrive and grow and change and live well,

we need to pull away. 

to retreat from normalcy and indulge in a space and time that is meant solely for rejuvenation.

for filling ourselves up; for sitting in silence.

for listening to music and lingering in soulful conversations.

as a mother, i have a difficult time carving out time that does not include my children.

i feel bad leaving the little people behind who are my very heartbeat. 

i tell myself that i don't need it. that i am strong.

and then when something or someone pulls me away,

it takes no time at all, for me to sink into the pure pleasure of allowing myself to rest.

it is glorious, filling my lungs with everything that i have been pouring out into my people.

pouring back in encouragement, patience, gentleness, joy.

giving myself the gift of being loved on and of going on adventure. 

of taking the time to truly sit and enjoy a meal.

of sitting in silence for an uninterrupted amount of time.

passions are reignited.

i slowly return from a place of surviving to thriving.

i remember who i want to be and how i want to love.

i am better.

with a full belly and rosy cheeks. 

and a heart ready to pour it all out again.

this past weekend was all of this and more.

essential oil bug spray

i don't know about you guys, but the bugs this time of year sure can be frustrating!

not only are they plain ole annoying, but they can carry an assortment of awful diseases.

the kiddos and i have been arming ourselves with our doTERRA TerraShield essential oil bug spray, and i wanted to share it with you guys.

i actually really like the smell, and because we add the oil to our fractionated coconut oil, it not only absorbs quickly into your skin, but doesn't feel gross at all (like some of the synthetic bug sprays do).

i encourage you to try it out!

you can go here for more information about doTERRA

or here to start shopping!

xo.

sun burn spray using essential oils

just in case it wasn't obvious by the mass amounts of recent beach pics, we went to florida this past week and spent a good amount of that time soaking up some good 'ole vitamin D.

even though we were pretty proactive on protecting our skin from sun damage, we came back from the beach one afternoon with a few nice sunburns. ricky, my sister and her husband all had it pretty bad...to the point that they were slightly miserable that evening.

we quickly looked up a good combination of doTERRA oils for sunburn and whipped up a spray.

it totally WORKED! i don't know why i am surprised time after time that the oils work for all kinds of different health concerns, but i am...always pleasantly surprised. 

Essential Oil Sunburn Spray:

*treat the sunburn in two stages with two different sprays.

add 20 drops of Lavender (to soothe and heal) and 20 drops of peppermint (to aid in cooling) to a 2 ounce glass spray bottle filled with fractionated coconut oil.

shake well and apply as soon as possible to the effected area.

reapply every 2 hours for the first 4-6 times.

then...add 20 drops of Lavender and 20 drops of Frankincense to 1 ounce of fractionated coconut oil.

apply 2-4 times daily.

*if there is any blistering, add 20 drops of Melaleuca to prevent any infection to the open sores.

Sun Protection Spray:

if you are interested in replacing your sunscreen with something a little more natural, this is a great spray to try.

add 60 drops of Helichrysum and 60 drops of Lavender to a 2 ounce spray bottle filled with fractionated coconut oil. 

apply and use in place of sunscreen.

* some prefer to replace the Lavender with Sandalwood. 

now go out and enjoy some good sunshine all the while protecting your gorgeous skin!!

if you are interested in purchasing doTERRA essential oils, you can go to mydoterra.com/katiepoe.

and if you are interested in becoming a consultant, you can email me at thelaneabove{at}gmail{dot}com.

white bean enchiladas with avocado-cilantro sauce

White Bean Enchiladas with Avocado-Cilantro Sauce

all five of us enjoyed this tasty meal and the sauce was so delicious, we have used it for several other things, as well, including as a dipping sauce. *recipe adapted from the garden grazer.  Ingredients Two 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 6 oz. baby spinach 4 green onions, sliced 2 cups corn (I used frozen, thawed) 1 1/2 tsp. cumin 8 large flour tortillas, or about 16 corn tortillas for gluten-free Cilantro for garnish {For the sauce} 2 avocados 1 cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed 1/2 cup onion or shallot, roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic 1 cup vegetable broth Juice from 1 lime 2 tsp. white wine vinegar 1 tsp. cumin 1/8 tsp. salt Optional: add jalapeno, cayenne pepper, ground chipotle, or anything else you  desire for a kick! Directions Sauce: in a blender or food processor, puree all ingredients until smooth.  Add a touch more broth or water if necessary to blend. Preheat oven to 350. Bean mixture: In a pan over medium heat, saute the spinach for 2-3 minutes or until just wilted. In a medium bowl, combine beans, green onion, corn, sauteed spinach, and cumin. Stir to combine. Distribute bean mixture evenly throughout the tortillas. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch glass baking dish with a thin layer of the sauce. Roll up the tortillas, and place seam side down in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Bake for 25 minutes. Garnish with cilantro before serving. Enjoy!!

essential oils and pregnancy.

i have had this post floating around in my head for a while now, especially since i am over that half way mark of my pregnancy and not only using various oils for different reasons, but starting to prepare physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually for the labor/delivery process.

there is truly so much information out there about essential oils and specifically essential oils during pregnancy. so, i have chosen to highlight only a few of the common issues and some of the suggested oils. as a general consensus, oils are considered safe for pregnancy when they are in their purest form and have not been adulterated with other ingredients, when they are a true therapeutic grade oil, when they are diluted and applied externally, and when they are used in moderation. my midwives actually gave me an entire handout on essential oils that they provide for pregnant mamas. they definitely encourage their use, with respect and moderation of course.

that being said, some single oils to avoid during pregnancy are: Basil, birch, calamus, cassia, cinnamon bark, hyssop, Idaho tansy, laurel, lavandin, mountain savory, mugwort, rosemary, thyme, sage, tarragon, wintergreen. oils to use cautiously during pregnancy: Angelica, cedarwood, chamomile (German/blue), cistus, citronella, clary sage, clove bud, cumin (black), cypress, davana, fennel, laurel, marjoram, mountain savory, myrrh, nutmeg, oregano, peppermint, rose, spearmint, vetiver, yarrow.

when using essential oils pregnant, it is recommended to dilute each oil...a good rule of thumb is 1-2 drops of essential oils with a 1/2-1tsp of a carrier oil. common carrier oils include fractionated coconut oil (my favorite), olive oil, avocado oil, or almond oils. 

energy: Citris Bliss is a very invigorating and energizing blend. it can be applied topically or added to bath water and can also assist with postpartum depression. Another recommendation is to add 2 drops of Roman Chamomile, 2 drops of Geranium and 2 drops of Lavender to 2 tsp of a carrier oil and massage into the skin.

morning sickness: Ginger and Peppermint are both great for morning sickness. Dilute and apply 1-3 drops to on ears, down jaw bone and on reflex points on the feet. Diffuse the oils as well. Digestzen is another common oil for morning sickness, as well heart burn, food poisoning, the flu, and to add in after birth constipation. Simply dilute and massage into skin. Diffusing Peppermint or Grapefruit when you wake up in the morning may help to reduce overall nausea.

anxiety/tension: some recommendations are Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Melissa, and Myrrh. Diffuse or dilute and rub on back of neck, temples, chest, shoulders, back or reflex points on the feet. Balance is a blend that can aid in relieving nervousness and assist in emotional release. (and can even be diluted and massaged along a newborn's spine and bottoms of feet to aid in the release of the trauma of birth!) Serenity also helps with anxiety and promoting restful sleep, diffused or diluted and applied topically.

water retention and swelling: Lemon diluted and applied topically can be used for swelling...it is known as "liquid sunshine!" you can also dilute Lemon, Geranium, Ginger and Lavender and add to a roller bottle and roll on ankles and feet, especially at the end of the day. when massaging into the feet, massage in a upward movement towards the heart.  

low back pain/pressure and leg pain: Deep Blue and Aroma Touch can be used for massage. for sciatica, you can apply 1-3 drops diluted to the area in pain. Geranium is another recommended oil. 

labor (during): Clary Sage (along with Fennel) can be applied around ankles or on abdomen. you only want to use Clary Sage after 39 weeks! 

labor (after): Lavender or Geranium can be diluted and applied to the bottoms of feet, ankles and abdomen.

hemorrhaging: apply 1-3 drops of Helichrysum to the lower back to help prevent hemorrhaging. in addition, Helichrysum can help prepare nipples for nursing, reduce discomforts of abdominal stretching, and to regenerate skin and avoid scarring/stretch marks. 

delivery: Lavender or Clary Sage can be diluted and massaged onto hips, bottom of feet or abdomen. 

self-love: Elevation is a joyful blend that can be diffused into the air, applied topically or added to bath water. it is a wonderful oil to aid in postpartum depression as well. 

if i were to pick a few of my personal favorite oils to use during this pregnancy, they would be: 
Lavender to help with restful sleep, to promote healthy circulation, and to promote an overall calmness so that my body is a peaceful home for my girl. 
Frankincense is one of my favorite oils and while i use it for a wide variety of things, i know it will be especially useful to aid in the healing of inflammation after birth and for my baby specifically as she makes the transition to earth. 
Deep Blue for sore muscles...i'm sure i will also use it to aid with back labor as well as to soothe after-birth pains. 

**the information shared is purely from personal experience and research, and is not meant to be used to diagnose, treat, prescribe any disease, illness or injury. seek professional medical attention for disease, illness or injury.

**references and additional resources can be found here, here and here. 

a guiltless way to satisfy pregnancy (or non-pregnancy) ice cream cravings

three words: banana. ice. cream.

this baby girl has me craving all kinds of ice cream goodness, so instead of splurging on a pint a night (j/k. but really), i decided to find a much more guiltless option.

enter: bananas.

this is the absolute easiest thing in the world to make and as far as different options go, the possibilities are endless.

the pictures pretty much show the process step by step.

freeze for at least 1-2 hours.

and voila!

(ps. if i am in the kitchen, tiny hands can ALWAYS be found helping. i love it!)

you simply cut up your bananas, place them in a pan of some sort and then freeze for at least an hour or two. blend on high in a blender or food processor until the bananas turn creamy (they may initially start out looking a little crumbly. feel free to add any extras at this point and then enjoy! the texture will be similar to soft serve, but if you continue to freeze in an air tight container it will become harder, similar to regular ice cream.

on this particular day, i decided to add in some of my Dandy Blend with a teensy bit of maple syrup for a coffee tasting version, but there are truly so many options.

you could make an ice cream sunday with some chocolate sauce, almond butter, etc.

i recommend this chocolate sauce found here:

1 tbsp melted coconut oil

1 tbsp cacao powder

1 tsp maple syrup or preferred sweetener

a few other yummy ideas include (found here): 

3 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tsp honey, per 1 1/2 banana

3-4 tbsp Nutella or other chocolate spread, per 1 1/2 banana

3 tbsp cacao powder, 2 tbsp cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, per 1 1/2 banana

3 tbsp coconut milk, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, per 1 1/2 banana

1/3 cup frozen strawberries blended into banana mixture, 2 tbsp cream, per 1 1/2 banana

running while pregnant.

i took a little stroll down memory lane and looked back at some of our pictures taken while on some of our runs this past summer. K would seriously fall asleep every time. and who can resist taking a picture of a sleeping babe???!

before the start of this pregnancy, I was in the best running shape of my life. running has always been something i enjoyed, but it wasn't until this last year that i fell in love with it in a new way. for the first time, i considered myself "a runner" and realized it had made its way into a permanent place in my heart. i knew i would be a runner for life. 

i actually ran my first half marathon this last october. i was addicted to everything about it. running was a part of me.

we found out a few weeks later that i was actually pregnant during that half marathon and would be expecting our sweet #4 in the summer of 2014. i was ecstatic and fully prepared to continue running throughout my pregnancy. I had been hesitant to run during some of my other pregnancies because of some of the common misconceptions about running while pregnant. (this girl wrote a great post about some of the common myths about exercising while pregnant...i would definitely recommend checking it out, along with some of her other running/exercise posts). 

however, the exhaustion of the first trimester, over a month of traveling, the lack of energy to push all three boys, and the cold winter weather all combined forces to knock me off my running momentum. at one point, i went a month without running at all. and i missed it more than i expected. it was like a best friend just disappeared and i couldn't figure out how to reconnect.

welllll, now half way through my pregnancy, my sweet husband surprised me with my very own treadmill. we found a little nook in the playroom that just barely fits the machine, but is perfect. i usually run in the mornings while the boys are playing, but sometimes wait until nap time just so i can zone out a little more. while i will always be an "outside runner" at heart, i am fully at peace with the fact that there are seasons of my life where running outside isn't realistic. i could run while ricky watches the boys, but because of his schedule, that would require me to run in the early morning or late evening dark...and i am just not an "in the dark" runner. i get spooked far too easily. :) 

to have running back in my life, in any form, has been wonderful! running is euphoric for me and highly therapeutic. i process through things in my life that need attention, i pray, i dream...as of late, my thoughts tend to be geared towards labor and delivery. i am very cerebral in the midst of physical exertion, so i find myself mentally preparing for labor while pushing my body, whether its running or yoga or any other activity that requires mental toughness. i enjoy pushing myself mentally just as much as i do physically. i visualize how i will deal with a surge or contraction when it comes. will i tense up in fear and forget to breathe, or will i breathe into that sensation as it is happening in my body, greeting it and making friends with it. i choose to welcome pain and discomfort, for that is where beauty often comes to life and significant change/growth takes place. 

all in all, i am thrilled to be back on the running bandwagon while pregnant...although i won't be running any marathons any time soon :) (i am super impressed by the women who do!).  

** this post is strictly about my personal experiences. if you are pregnant and considering exercise of any kind, i highly recommend you talk to your health care provider...and always always always, listen to your body!! 

black bean hummus.

a few days ago i posted a picture on instagram of some vegan taco bowls that we threw together. one of the things we had in the bowls was some black bean hummus, and since a few of you asked for the recipe, here it is!! this is a hard one to share because i kind of "wing it" each time, using the same ingredients, but not always the same amounts. it is one of those things that you can experiment with until you find the exact proportions to fit your taste. we eat this hummus with so much! sometimes we use it as a dip for chips or veggies, sometimes we add it to a taco/burrito bowl, we use it as a spread on vegan sandwiches/quesadillas...you get the idea. :)

INGREDIENTS

black beans

coconut oil

vinegar

garlic

cilantro 

lime

salt (other seasonings of choice)

i actually make my own black beans in a crockpot and then freeze them in large jars. i think the amount in one of my jars is probably close to two cans of black beans. so for that amount of black beans, i usually add around:

1 tbsp of coconut oil

1 tbsp of vinegar (i have used apple cider vinegar, red wine and white wine vinegar and have liked it with them all)

around 3 cloves of garlic (at least...we love garlic so i usually put a lot in. you could do less if you aren't as keen on garlic)

a few handfuls of cilantro (again, you can adjust based on what you like)

juice from half, if not more, of a lime.

and then i season to taste. (i always do salt, but also add cumin, garlic salt or tahini from time to time) 

there you have it. not the easiest recipe to follow, but it is definitely worth playing around with. we all love it, even my youngest!

( a few of the ingredients are not shown )

farmers market love.

everything about a good farmers market makes me smile.

the colors, the smells, the smiling faces of hard working farmers, who are eager to share the fruits of their labor.

now that the weather is getting a little warmer and is downright beautiful, i know we will be visiting our favorite spot on the regular.