FIRST GIVEAWAY!

Hey righteous dudes! I'm doing a giveaway. Grand Prize? A FREE Citrus Bliss Sugar Scrub made me yours truly!

Citrus Bliss is my FAVORITE doTERRA essential oil. It's has all the beautiful aromas of citrus (wild orange, lemon, grapefruit, mandarin, bergamot, tangerine, clementine) with a lil bit of vanilla! It's one of the "mood management" blends, so you can imagine what it's good for! The possibilities are endless!

So, to be entered, you must do at least one or all of the following. You MUST be following me on at least one of these accounts:

TWITTER: i_use_doterra and/or rachael_mcb

FACEBOOK: "My Oil Obsession" page

INSTAGRAM: rachael_mcb

BLOGGER: duh lol

If you don't have one of these, nbd, that's why there's so many! When you follow me, I will know. One follow = one entry!

There's another way you can enter on top of the follow--SHARE! Or repost or retweet, whatever applies. One share = one entry. You can do this every day until Saturday at midnight! So for example, if I follow myself on all five of these accounts, that's 5 entries. If I then shared every day until Saturday, that's 15 entries! Maybe more if you count today...Whoa dude.

If you do share, etc, TAG me and hashtag #DOTERRA!

If you have questions, there's many ways to contact me. Here's my email just in case: i.use.doterra@gmail.com

HAVE FUN! Winner will be announced Sunday!

Essential Oil Spotlight!

Clary Sage

is nature's gift to women. Besides chocolate ha!

It's no secret that women are different than men. We go through so much--hormonal changes, giving birth, mood swings, etc. So this lovely little oil should be no secret to us women!

Clary Sage is known for its uplifting and mood-lightening attributes and also for its anti-fungal, antispasmodic, sedative, and soothing properties. Clary Sage has traditionally been used by women to soothe monthly discomfort associated with their menstrual cycles and to help with emotional stress, damaged ahir, hot flashes, lactation, mood swings, and more.

Here are a couple of studies about how Clary Sage has helped women in different situations...

• An aromatherapy massage consisting of Clary Sage and other essential oils, may be an effective treatment for menstrual pain in high school girls.
• An observational study done by midwives over a span of time suggests that chamomile and clary sage are an effective way to alleviate pain, maternal anxiety, fear and/or pain during labor.
• Another study showed that animals that were given a clary sage essential oil-enriched food from the date of conception, showed a significant reduction of dominant and anxiety-like behavior compared to other animals given sunflower oil-enriched foods.

I just started using this oil. It smells really good! I'm still trying to familiarize myself with it, but here is how I use it so far:

1. I rub it on my abdomen for any kind of discomfort.
2. Diffusing it to help uplift my mood.
3. I rub it on the back of my neck to relieve nerves and anxiety.
4. I also rub it on my pillow to help me sleep!

I also got some tips from other users!

“I used [Clary Sage] for labor pains and to start milk production. I had it in just 1 day after my daughters birth! Loved it!” -Josh-Sylvia McBride

“I put it in my shampoo and on my feet at night. Clary Sage is by far my favorite oil. My body finally feels regulated and I’ve been losing less hair in my shower”-Jaclyn Smith

“I put it on my abdomen for menstrual cramps and they are gone within minutes! I would chose Clary Sage over Ibuprofen any day!” -Amanda Deeter Freestone

“I apply to ankles and feet and heart center for night hot flashes. Also apply to pulse points (wrists, neck) for the calming benefits during the day. Will have to try the liver area. Love Clary Sage!” -Renee Frensko

“It helps relieve my headaches” -Starla Allen

“I use it mixed with coconut oil for hair massage to keep my hair thick and healthy.” -Arpita Chadha 

citrus bliss

My first oil, that I have memory of, is the one shown above. My dad first introduced it to me. It is so wonderful and (spoiler alert!) invigorating! Ha :) This oil also helped persuade me to join doTERRA myself. 

Citrus Bliss merges all the benefits of the citrus essential oils. It combines powerful essences of wild orange, lemon, grapefruit, mandarin, bergamot, tangerine and clementine with a hint of vanilla. All of these together create a unique and harmonious blend with benefits that extend far beyond elevating mood and reducing stress. Citrus Bliss also has cleansing properties due to its natural and potent compounds (which can be done with just a few drops added to some water!).

My introduction was done through aromatherapy, where it was diffused into the air. When breathed in, not only does it smell incredible, but you can reap all the other benefits at the same time. Vanderbilt Medical Center, in Nashville, TN that is doing just that. My mother, Tonya McBride, helped make this possible. Observe:

Incredible, right? This is HUGE for modern medicine. So many people have been able to experience the power of these awesome oils (one of which is Citrus Bliss!) and it's freakin amazing! I'm stoked. And I just love that my mom is in this! I'm so proud of her!

I use this blend almost every day. I put a drop or two on pressure points, or my lil feets, or my chest. This way, it gets to my heart and nerve endings, and I can still smell it all day long! It makes my day so much more relaxed and stress-free. I'm happier and healthier! And let's be honest, who doesn't want that?! :)

doterra. where it all began.

so many of you know that I use essential oils. like all the time. but many don't know my story. my affair with doTERRA began with my mother. A family friend of ours had used essential oils for some time, but my mom thought they were weird. At one point we were all at this same friend's house for a small party, when a wild headache came along and started wreaking havoc on my mom. She asked our party hose if she had anything for it, which she quickly responded with a smile and a laugh "Yes, I do have something." She pulled out a bottle of peppermint oil and handed it to my mom. So she took it and used it only to prove her wrong. She rubbed a few drops on her forehead, and her headache dissipated immediately.

My mother is a nurse by the way, so of course she's been educated on modern medicine. She became extremely interested though and to make a long story short, signed up for doTERRA soon after, with my family following suit.

I've been using these oils for about 4 years. To be honest, I was never really serious about it because I was in school and never thought I would be doing this as a business. But to add to that honesty, things change, and these oils have definitely changed my life. I love these products and their many uses.

So now that I do this as a business, I will definitely be posting more often. But not just the normal every day stuff. I will be posting about recipes, events, products, and anything else I can think of that has to do with doTERRA. Annnd if you have any questions or comments or tips or anything, don't hesitate to let me know!

so this is christmas

it's that time of year again.

and i have a lot to be thankful for. and as i watch everyone else during this holiday season, i realize how thankful i am to not have so much on my plate.

for one, it's finals week! i was beginning to miss school, but now that i see the torture of the week of finals (more like 2 weeks), i am having flashbacks of the horror and pain i once experienced 3x a year. so to say i am thrilled to not be a student, would be quite the understatement.

then there's the holiday shopping (yuck). having been in retail for the past umpteen years (okay not that long, 7 years is still long), i have tried to stay away from the hell of holiday sales and specials. i have succeeded in not being the consumer during this time, but now i am also too poor to even try. ha! that is why i am so happy there is ebay and amazon.

aside from my sarcasm though, i must say, i am incredibly blessed this year. having moved to a distant land to satisfy my need of adventure and love, i have had many a high and many a low. but nevertheless, i have friends, i have family, and i have a roof over my head and food in my belly (well, most of the time). yes, it is difficult to be on my own post-college, but i have prevailed. and if we all make it past next friday (the end of the world, remember?), then 2013 is gonna be a blast.

with those things being said, i have some news for all of you:

• i will be going back to school. perhaps in the summer though. because...
• i am unemployed as of late. tragic, yes. but all i can do is move on and be thankful for what i have. (and apply for every job in the city of reno and surrounding areas) until i find that perfect job,
• i will be working on my second job and my social media sites (twitter, tumblr, and my other blog)

and since i got nothin' but time, i'll be able to devote more time to all you wonderful people!

btw, i will be doing some kind of giveaway pretty soon, so stay tuned! and tell your friends!

follow me!

thalia

as some of you know, my aunt is a huge advocate for adoption (having adopted children herself). she recently posted on facebook about a good friend of hers adopting a child as well. this family is trying to raise money to bring home a 7 year old, little, Chinese girl name Thalia. she is adorable! i feel that since i know how difficult it can be to adopt a child (because of my dear auntie), that i should help this family bring their little girl home in any way i can. so, i'm sharing their blog with you, their journey, so you can help them in any way you can too. (and there are some added perks for doing so! jus sayin...)

Bring Thalia Home!

Miss you miss you

I have a confession. I am in a long distance relationship with someone. Her name is Melanie. She goes by other names though too--Mellie. Life Partner. Best Friend. Mrs. Raney. Step Sister. This relationship has been going on for 3 years almost, and it's still going strong. But it's been long distance now for 14 months almost. And it makes me sad. I haven't seen my most wonderful best friend since last July! I've been thinking about you lately, Mellie, and I miss you a lot. So this is a shout-out to you in remembering all our good times since day one. 😊

birthday

since my last post, i have turned a quarter of a century old. let me tell you how that feels...actually, first i'll tell you how i thought it would feel. i thought i would get wrinkles overnight, that i would maybe receive my first gray hair, and possibly have saggy boobs (even though i haven't had children yet). and when you don't know what to expect, everything i mentioned are perfectly logical pre-25-yr-old fears. also, what do you even get a 25 year old? people kept asking me what i wanted, and all i could think about was how old i was gonna be. luckily my friends know me better than i do and knew just what i wanted. anyway, needless to say, i was terrified of turning 25 because i honestly thought my world was gonna end. (now imagine how i'm gonna feel when i turn 30!? *gasp*)

so...now. being 25 is not so bad. my world is still going; i still have fun and am seriously immature; i still have a bright future. so yeah. obviously it's not that bad. plus, i have a pretty amazing boyfriend to keep me sane in my times of despair and embarrassment of old age. and he seriously outdid himself on my birthday. observe below:

look at this huge breakfast i woke up to! he woke up early just to surprise me with it :)
(in case you're wondering, i drank half the juice before this was taken)

yummm... he's the best breakfast maker :)
don't mind my hair, btw

i'm so cute in the mornings, lol.

this is one of the best gifts ever. i was so surprised!

so as you can see, i was off to a great start... not to mention the fact that there was a SOLAR ECLIPSE! oh.em.gee. probably one of the most amazing things i have ever witnessed. i bought really awesome solar eclipse viewing glasses specifically for it too. they worked really well. only in the sun though. otherwise, we couldn't see anything.

obviously you don't have the full effect here, but it's a taste...

so excited for the eclipsseee!

xoxo

towards the end of the astronomical phenomenon

after that fulfilling amazement, we were famished and went to wingstop for some hella good wings. when we got there, we discovered some nylon stockings i had in the car... as you can see, words cannot describe how weird this was ha.

i can honestly say this was the perfect birthday. it could not have gone any better. :)

reno

6 months since my last post! ah! sorry folks. all 8 readers i have. hope you haven't been too disappointed! i'll see what i can do about updating you on my life since september. it probably will be in segments. we'll see.

anyway, i moved to reno about 2 months ago. pretty crazy, right? yeah sometimes i think that, too. but so far it's been a real adventure. annnd everyone always asks why i moved here so before you even start, i moved here for a guy. the same guy you can read about in my post on 11/16/2010. i'm a pretty lucky gal to have such a great guy worth moving for. i guess i'm also lucky i don't get attached to places i live. something i probably picked up in college? since i moved around so much during that time.

so back to reno. i couldn't find a job for what seemed like forever. and not having friends? oh. my. hell. probably the hardest part about moving here. forget not having a job. not having friends is the worst. luckily i finally started working. part time at sports authority, and full time at the atlantis hotel casino. i recently quit sports authority though because the people there (minus a small handful) were absolutely horrible. they were condescending, rude, ridiculing, complaining jerks. i hated every moment i was at that place. so needless to say, i'm done with that company forever. i work in the spa at the atlantis though, and i really enjoy it. mostly because i feel like i've finally made friends. not to mention it's a freaking spa!

so now that i got those two problems out of the way, i feel like i'm getting to a really happy place now. whereas before, it was honestly really questionable. it's a true testament of how stability and friendship can really affect how you feel day to day. and moving to a strange city is just an added bonus to that ha!

well, i think that's it for now because i'm getting really distracted and this post has already taken long enough to type.

happy friday the 13th!

barter systems

so I found out recently that my cousins (Saylor and Makena) and I can share clothes and shoes. and mostly whatever else. which says a lot for the 3 of us. I think it's saying that we're all 3 skinny, stylish girls. am I right? it pretty much triples my wardrobe, too. I mean obviously I can't wear a 10 year old's jeans, but shirts and elastic skirts? definitely. (I only say those things because I have wide birthing hips, and she doesn't)

anyway, pretty awesome.

also, I've been thinking a lot about school. I know. I just got done with school, so why would I think of such absurd things? and how does that tie in with barter systems? (the above paragraph should answer that question, fyi.) well, continuing education is definitely in my future. I've always wanted that. but some decisions and thought-processes lately have kind of put it farther up on my priority list, I guess. but I haven't gotten very far, because...well...I don't know what to study. kind of a problem, right?

so here I am. again. thinking about school, and typing out these thoughts about school, but getting nowhere. it's a little bit frustrating, as you can probably imagine.

anyway, my friend Spencer showed me this photography website of just B&W shots. they're incredible. seriously. I got goosebumps.

boredom advice?

hello.

I have some important information for you:

if you are at work, have access to the internet, and don't have much to do, DON'T SHOP.


because before you know it, you're entire paycheck is half gone, and you don't even have that much to show for it.

(okay, this didn't really happen to me, but still... I was almost to that point.)

so, if this applies to you, find a free game and get addicted to that. or blog? pinterest, even? ...whichever is most appealing.

they even say planning a vacation is good (even a fake vacation). and good for you. in the sense that it stimulates happy chemicals in your body. and who doesn't want that? I'll tell you something--spending money, even when you get cute fun things, does not always stimulate happy chemicals. remember that.

also, will someone explain to me what the hell this is???:

sorry, I wish it could be smaller. but seriously? what is the point of wearing this? I found it on forever21. yeah. I know. what in the world... 

real life adult.

what does that even mean? being a real life adult... I feel like it's loaded with a bunch of stereotypical adjectives and expectations. but then again, I'm not really even sure what all those expectations are. I guess I know what other people expect of me, but what do I expect of myself? I've been a college graduate for over a month now, and I still haven't even figured out all that I want to do next. not that I'm in any sort of hurry, I have my whole life ahead of me, but still. it's nice to have some sort of plan, right? I got a job (yay!), so I can cross that off my list. but really, that's all I have figured out. I at least have some ideas (some of which I'm not fully comfortable posting yet) that I'm pretty excited about. most of which involve pinterest. I've been "repinning" craft ideas all freakin summer long, and now that I have time to spare that I don't have to fill with schoolwork, I can finally start working on some of those. at the same time, I'm thinking to myself, "when in the hell am I gonna have time for all of this stuff?". I'm sure I will though. I get bored a lot these days. I also created a movie list (which is sort of MIA at the moment, otherwise I'd share it) of movies I've been wanting to watch for a lonnng time now. off the top of my head I can think of Casablanca but that's a no-brainer... OH. also... I've been toying with the idea of writing a book, and I really think I'm gonna do it. seriously. I dunno what all it's going to be about, and I haven't decided if I will tell you all when I figure it all out, but just cross your fingers and hope that it goes well for me. I'm excited though! it should be interesting, that's for sure... anyway. I guess I'll be busy for a while. I start my new job tomorrow! wish me luck!

How often do you wear your "Graduation gift"

All the time... but I usually change my mind and wear something because it's a bit ostentatious. I don't like to show off.

Ask me anything

haircuts.

So. I got a haircut yesterday. just a trim though, so no one freak out. however, I think it looks funny. not to discredit my mom on doing a fantastic job at helping me keep my hair healthy, I just think it's a little weird right now. my hair is in wicked bad shape right now, health-wise, so I really needed the trim regardless. I think I look like Christina Ricci when she played Kat Harvey in Casper.

I'm not kidding. it really looks like this. it's kind of weird. luckily I don't have a middle part or funky eyebrows. OR a ghost following me around. that I know of...

Anyway, today my dad and I groomed our dog, Dixie. when I first got here (here meaning Tennessee), I thought she was fat. nope. just a TON of matted, nasty fur. like seriously, if the ASPCA found out, they probably would have come and taken our dog away. it was kind of a nightmare. but she's all skinny and furless now! it's cute. she looks like a mini wolf. and she's such a sweetheart, too. I love her to pieces. I wish I had a picture to show you, but I don't. maybe later.

trouble sleeping

It's 2:46 am. approximately. most people would be asleep. some people would be playing video games (like my brother). others...well...let's just keep this post PG. As for me, I am blogging. about what I've been doing for the past...3 hours.

We watched Sanctum tonight. have any of you guys seen that movie? OH MAN. let's be honest here. I'm never going caving. again. okay, maybe I will. but not where water is involved. and huge tropical storms. that's some scary stuff. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. that's not a lie.

Anyway, the movie got over at midnight. SO...since my sleep schedule has been off (being a recent graduate with no job and no boyfriend does not have very many perks--just lots of free time to stay up and sleep late) I decided to waste time on pinterest and tumblr. and check my email. (duh) makes me feel good when people repin or reblog my stuff. that i repinned and reblogged from other people. i also read in my email that they now have candy to cure hangovers. what the ______ (i said i would keep this PG, so insert what you want there)!

When I got bored with that (it happens even with pinterest!), it was time to move to youtube. I have heard some really good stuff lately (thanks to being in a real city) so I wanted to listen and maybe possibly do a little downloading. here's mah lil playlist for your enjoyment:

1. "My Racing Thoughts" -- Jack's Mannequin (new album coming out soon!)
2. "Moves Like Jagger" -- Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera (the music video is fun but christina is still fat.)
3. "She's The Latest One" -- The June Junes (not sure if I love it yet)
4. "Tonight Tonight" -- Hot Chelle Rae (their band name reminds me of myself. admit it--you see it too.)
5. "Friday Is Forever" -- We The Kings (what's with all the friday songs?)
6. "Next To You" -- Chris Brown ft. the Biebster (can't say we didn't see this collaboration coming)
7. "Secret Valentine" -- We The Kings (can't get enough of the ginger-headed lead vocalist!)
8. "Who Owns My Heart" -- Miley Cyrus (yeah. i know. pathetic. but i can't help it!)
9. "What the Hell" -- Avril Lavigne (it's still PG if I type "hell" on here...and yes avril is still awesome)
10. "California King Bed" -- Rihanna (bittersweet i guess..kind of how i feel about wanting a king-size bed)
11. "Smile" -- Avril Lavigne (it's cute. kinda. as cute as her songs get, i guess.)
12. "Who's Laughing Now" -- Jessie J (apparently this song is for her schoolmates who were mean to her)
13. "Let's Go" -- Madi Diaz (this song is fun. and this chick is from nashville. pretty awesome.)
14. "White Nights" -- Oh Land (this chick's voice is just freakin cool)
15. "Best Love Song" -- T-Pain and Chris Brown (yeahhh i know we all know this one. bfd.)
16. "Starlight" -- Muse (if you don't know this song by now, you're an idiot. just sayin.)
17. "My Moon My Man" -- Feist (can't go wrong with feist. plus she dances on a moving walkway.)

So that's it. there were some other ones that i listened to, but they were crap and didn't make the cut. and some of these have been playing on the radio for a while or whatever, but still. they're good and fun enough to waste my sleeping time. i didn't get to download them though. the site was down. HUGE bummer, i know. here's a cute little vid to cheer us up though (warning: you might puke from the adorableness of this clip!):

time for me to copy these felines and get some sleeps. k byeee!

If you could, would you travel to space?

space kind of freaks me out. i'm sure it would be so beautiful and mysterious and all that... but i dunno. i saw this movie once about black holes and it seriously freaked me out. i was younger of course, but still. i guess it stuck w me. so no, i probably wouldn't travel to space. actually, yes i would. after i traveled to allllll of the places on my list that are already here on earth. haha.

Ask me anything

formspring.me

ask me questions people! :) http://formspring.me/rachaelmac

Who's your baby crush you've known for like 3 years?

you wouldn't know him...plus i'm over it, sooo it's irrelevant. thanks for playing. :)

Ask me anything

Do you like horror movies?

LOVE. but it's only fun if you have someone to cuddle with. ;)

Ask me anything

graduation.

it's finally here. i'm finally graduating.

(disclaimer: if i don't pass my finals, we'll have some problems. so please please please pray for me.)

in the spirit of this upcoming infamous friday, i found this song pretty perfectly describes how i'm feeling. (for the most part)

just kidding. this is how i really feel:

yeah. yeah. yeah. i'm graduating on friday! friday! gotta get down on friday!

i hope that song is stuck in your head until friday. haha just kidding. :)