Makely

What happens when you put your dogs in your bedroom and shut the door? And they really, really want to get out and play with the team of Destination Imagination kids who are practicing their skit in your living room?

Oh, nothing.

Wait, that’s a lie. Something big happens.

Welcome to my bedroom, y’all.

Carpet ripped up by dog

Yaaaaayyyy. Isn’t that awesome? And honestly, this is not the first time this has happened. The dog who did this has done this before in the exact same spot, and we had it repaired because he didn’t go all the way down to the pad. But this time, I don’t think there’s any way that we can fix it.

Thanks, Jack. It’s a good thing he’s so pretty and sweet.

Jack

Our carpet has been used and abused and is almost 9 years old. So, it’s time to shell out the money and get it replaced. I’m not excited about spending the money, but I am excited about having new floors.

We currently have carpet in our master bedroom, living room and dining room. The rest of the first floor is tile. Upstairs we also have carpet, but it’s in pretty good shape.

So, now we need to look at our flooring options, and I need your help! I’m not even gong to start looking at colors until I pick a type of flooring. Here are the options I am considering:

Replace the carpet with more carpet

This is the most cost effective option. I know that I will have the same problems with the carpet that I have now – like stains and foot traffic – and the opportunity for Jack to rip it up again. I’d have to match the color pretty close to what I have now, since our carpeted staircase is right next to the living room (and I don’t want to replace the carpet on the stairs and upstairs at this time). And if I’m being honest, I want something more fun than carpet.

Replace the carpet with wood look tile

I really love all of the wood grain tiles that are on the market right now. Tile is so easy to maintain, but it is loud. Our living room is an open to a two story ceiling, so will that be too loud? And is it okay to have two different types of tile on one floor (the entry way and kitchen/breakfast room has basic 12×12 beige tile) or should we replace all of our tile?

Replace the carpet with laminate

I have never had laminate before, so I really don’t know how “livable” it will be with dogs, kids and lots of DIY projects. It will be cheaper than wood look tile (I think), and it will feel more like wood. But does it get scratched up super easily? And I know there are all sorts of different thicknesses, so what should I look for?

Replace the carpet with hardwood

Let’s be honest. In a perfect world where money was no option, I would definitely go this route. Unfortunately, this is not the world I live in! It’s absolutely gorgeous, but I’m just not sure that it’s the best choice for my house. If my dog can do that to carpet, imagine what he could do to hardwood!

So really, I need your help. Which of these options have you gone with, and why did you choose them? Did you DIY or pay to have it installed? Is there another option I haven’t considered?

Man, I can talk about paint and the best type to use all day long. But flooring? I feel almost paralyzed at the thought.

Signed,

Confused in Austin

For years, I have tried.

I told myself that it was crazy. I told myself that it was a scam. I told myself that it was just a trend that would be gone just as soon as it became popular.

I tried and I fought and I pushed back just as hard as I could to not believe in the power of Young Living essential oils.

I tried. And I failed.

I can no longer deny what these wonderful oils and oil-infused products are doing for me and my family. I find myself reaching for them when I have a mosquito bite, when I wake up in the middle of the night and cannot fall back to sleep, when my kids have chapped lips. I use them to relieve headaches, stuffy noses, and sore muscles. I use them to clean our house and wash our fruits and vegetables.

In true Makely fashion, I believe that Young Living essential oils and products are making my home (and those of us in it) more awesome.

I have wanted to talk to you about these oils for some time (I did briefly here and here), but I kept stopping myself. I kept thinking, “Oh, they don’t really care about that.” Or, “What if they think I’m nuts?” But then I realized that if you’ve stuck around all this time, you probably do care and you definitely already know that I’m nuts.

So, here we go. My friend Myra got me hooked on Young Living when we shared a room at a blogging conference about 2 1/2 years ago. She had checked in before me, and our room already smelled like a spa when I walked in – she was diffusing the Thieves blend to purify the air and help support her immune system. It was love at first sniff for me, even before I understood the wellness benefits of using essential oils.

I bought a starter kit when I got home from that conference, and I started out just using the oils for basic things – to help make my house smell better, to help get relief from my mold and cedar allergies, and to help relax me so that I get better sleep. Then, I got into the Thieves all-purpose cleaner so that I could use an all-natural cleaner at home. And now, I’m using protein powders and the kids and I are drinking the NingXia Red whole body supplement. It really may be a mind over matter situation, but dang – I feel GREAT these days and I want to share it with the world!

I use Young Living because of the Seed to Seal promise. These products are genuine and without synthetics. The company carefully monitors every aspect of essential oil production – literally from the each plant seed to each bottle’s seal – so that it can produce essential oils with unmatched purity. I feel confident using them for myself and my family.

The Premium Starter Kit is what started it all for me. It includes 11 of the most used oils, a home diffuser of your choice (there are about several different kinds, but I like the Dewdrop diffuser personally) so you can disperse the essential oils into the air, some samples of other products and little bottles so you can share with your friends if you want to. All of this, plus more, is included:

Young Living Distributor Lindsay Ballard #1506398

Purchasing a Premium Starter Kit also gives you the ability to become a Young Living distributor and build a business, although it’s certainly not a requirement. I personally just enjoyed my starter kit and other Young Living products for years before I made the decision to begin sharing the products with my friends. But if you are looking for a way to make your family’s budget easier to meet or save up some fun money for a vacation (or pay off your mortgage or possibly replace an income), this is a great way to go about it.

Because I know that the world of essential oils can feel really intimidating, I want to help you out. If you become a Young Living member (you can’t order the kit as a retail customer) and place an order for a Premium Starter Kit in the month of March through this link, I will send you a personal gift to help you get started with your essential oils. I am certain that you will be pleased to have it, as I use mine nearly daily! 😉

If you have any questions at all, please let me know! You can leave a comment or email me at Lindsay@MakelyHome.com. Or if you are ready to get started using Young Living essential oils in your home, you can sign up here.

Have a great weekend!

P.S. I can’t wait to share with you EVERYTHING that’s been happening in my life over the last few months. Things have been quiet on the blog, but they’ve been moving and shaking behind the scenes. More to come very soon!