If you're looking to file your taxes this year in a simple and easy way, then I highly recommend using H&R Block.  Not only can file from the comfort of your own home online, it's also very easy and free if you only need to submit a basic return!  However, if you're one of those people that would rather speak with someone in person face to face, they have offices you can go to as well.  This post, however, will be about my experience filing online.  

Filing online on your own may seem like a daunting task, but when I say filing with H&R Block is easy, it truly is!  They guide you and ask you questions, and you simply input the information you have.  The then fill out the forms based on your responses and information.  They also have the ability to import your W-2, skipping the need for you to even have to input your income information.  It is truly a simple, easy, some may say even fun process.  I like how I can see as I go what my refund is based on what I've entered.  

Since I do write for a blog, our taxes are a bit more complex since I have self employment income.   I chose H&R Block because I want to make sure I'm getting everything right when it comes to filing our taxes.  I also used the Tax Pro Review Add On, which gave me the added assurance that everything is being verified that it is correct and that we got the max refund possible. Tax Pro Review℠ gives DIY clients the opportunity to have their completed return reviewed by a tax professional – check/sign/e-file return with a tax professional without going into a tax office.  You get secure document upload and one-on-one communication.  Tax returns are delivered to clients for review within three days, while competitor turnaround is three business days.  All H&R Block tax pros receive training beyond the minimum standards to remain registered with the IRS.  The add-on cost for this service is $49.99-89.99 based on the complexity of your tax return.

There is now ANOTHER food delivery company that delivers from restaurants to your door - it's DoorDash! And if you sign up with this link, you will get $10 to spend on food, plus a lot of restaurants offer free delivery!  Makes for some awesome deals!  Use the link here to get started and get your $10 off!

NuLeaf Naturals provides high grade organic full spectrum CBD oil.  They have 6 different sizes (see below) and strengths to fit your personal need.  The best part - since it does not contain THC, it is legal in all 50 states.  

​I tried the 240 mg CBD oil.  It has somewhat of an herbal/earthy taste, but not unpleasant.  I could honestly feel my symptoms lessen within 20 minutes of taking it.  With Lyme disease, I have constant muscle spasms, cramps, joint pain and stiffness, headaches, anxiety and insomnia.  This oil is helping with all of these symptoms.  I cannot recommend CBD oil high enough, and if you do try it you will find it's important to get it from a high quality/reputable site.  There are definitely brands out there that are not of this quality.

The company was founded in 2014 and NuLeaf Naturals wellness products are derived from specially bred therapeutic hemp (Cannabis Sativa) plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado, USA.  I love how all their products are lab tested, organic and have no additives, so you know the quality you are getting is good.  

Some people complain they don't like the taste of CBD oil, but I don't find it bad.  It's more of an earthy taste.  I place the drops under my tongue for faster absorption.  The taste is really not bad to me.

While the dosage can vary depending on the person, I started with 5 drops 2 times a day (5 in the morning and 5 at night before bed), and that has seemed to be the perfect amount for me.  However it is advised to start slow to see how you personally react.  Some people it seems to knock them out and others it gives them energy.  It doesn't really do either of those to me, just mostly takes pain away (which was the goal!). 

I highly recommend this brand, and if you want to give it a try, check them out here.  Plus, all Mommy of 2 Embracing Life readers can use promo code MOMMY15 to get 15% off their order!

Has anyone else had any experience with CBD oil?  I'd love to hear in the comments below!

Right now on Amazon you can get this HUGE box of Tall Kitchen Glad Febreze Freshness Trash Bags for just $12.56 shipped (regularly $19.06)!

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I have been doing a lot of research in regards to the benefits that PEMF can offer, especially in those battling chronic Lyme Disease.  First of all, let me explain a little about what PEMF Therapy is.

PEMF is short for Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields and these pulses help to improve cellular metabolic function.  We all contain electromagnetic energy that's generated by electrical activity that takes place on a cellular level. When this is disrupted, it can cause illness or disease.  PEMF's can help to balance the electromagnetic fields within cells.  I won't get into all the technicalities, but listed below are some of the benefits that can be achieved from PEMF treatment:
​

• Detoxify cells
• Increase blood circulation and oxygen flow
• Detox and increase the flow of lymphatic fluid
• Raise cellular energy
• Re-charge cells
• Decrease inflammation
• Decrease pain / helps in pain management
• Increase healing
• Nerve regeneration
• Stimulate immune system function
• and much more

Even if you don't have Lyme Disease, there are still SO many things you can use this device for.  If you're sore after working out at the gym, the Oska Pulse can help!  If you have tendonitis, arthritis, a pulled muscle, stiff neck, etc. the Oska Pulse can help!  

As far as the device goes, there are no side effects and you can use it as long and often as you want.  However, it is recommended that those with a pacemaker or any magnetic implanted device not use the Oska Pulse (or any PEMF device for that matter).  It is also recommended to drink plenty of water to maximize benefits.  They offer a 30 day money back guarantee, so there's no harm in giving it a try to see if it will work for you!

For more information on the Oska Pulse, visit their website here.  Plus, right now they are offering my readers $55 off their purchase if you use code MOMMY10 at checkout.  Or simply use the link here. 

I would love to hear from you all - has anyone tried the Oska Pulse or another PEMF device?  What has your experience been?  

CBD Oil has so many benefits, but the main reason I wanted to give it a try is for my chronic pain from muscle spasms/cramps that Lyme disease is giving me.  I've been researching a lot about Cannabis, and have been so excited to try the CBD Oil from 4CornersCannabis.  They offer a high quality Complete Spectrum CBD oil that is easy to take.  From the first dose I took, I noticed after about 20-30 minutes a significant decrease in pain.  I've read a lot of people say you need the THC as well, but this is not true, at least for me - the CBD oil really helps my muscle spasms especially.  With 3 young kids, I found myself laying in bed on my heating pad every chance I had (during naps, right when they went to bed), whereas now, I'm actually able to do things when they're sleeping.  My poor husband had been on dish washing duty for far too long.  I now feel like I can do my part.  This oil has already become life changing, and I hope it's just the beginning.  It has also really helped with my sleep.  I usually wake up quite a bit in the night, even with benadryl, but with this CBD oil I'm sleeping better WITHOUT the benadryl.  

I like how this oil is Complete Spectrum which is better when ingesting the oil as it's extracted using Organic Ethanol.  You can read more about the complete spectrum vs. full spectrum vs. isolated extractions here, but from my research I wanted to try a Complete Spectrum product, such as the one 4CornersCannabis offers as they are the most effective.  

In addition to the Oral Tincture (the one with the blue label above), they also carry Vape Liquid, Pedigree (for animals), and a Salve for topical use.

If you suffer from chronic pain or sleep issues, I would highly recommend you try this CBD oil.  It may not work for everyone, but I am having a very positive experience with it, and I know many others are as well.   Plus, there are many other conditions it helps with as well.  You can read about more of the benefits here.

If you'd like to give this CBD oil a try, you can order here.  Plus, right now if you use promo code MOMMY10 you will get 10% off! 

​I'd love to know, has anyone else tried CBD oil?  What has your experience been?

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Hurry to Amazon where you can get a 60 count bottle of these L'il Critters Minion Gummy Vitmains for just $2.14 shipped after you clip the $3 off coupon!

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

I have decided to blog about my journey with Lyme disease, first of all for my own record, but also so that maybe I can help someone else out there.  Help them to not feel alone, and hopefully to one day give hope- because I plan to fight until I'm better, and when I am, I will have given you all the steps you need to get there too.  And maybe some steps to NOT take, as I find what works and what doesn't.  And I know what works for one may not work for all - it's all about starting with SOMETHING, and then go from there, adding things that may help and stopping things that clearly don't.  Your body will tell you and guide you to what it needs.  And ultimately, God designed our bodies to heal.  We just need to rebuild our immune systems and provide it with what it needs to become strong again and fight the Lyme bacteria and co-infections.

After months of random symptoms, 4 specialists and no answers, I finally found out it was lyme disease causing my symptoms (which I had suspected from the beginning).  Because of finances, the antibiotic route isn't an option, but from the research I've done sometimes using natural remedies are best anyway as Lyme can be very resistant to antibiotics.  I will update this post as I go, so keep checking back, and I'd love your feedback and advice on things you may have found that have helped you on your journey to healing from Lyme Disease.  Also, I've linked to the specific products I'm taking since some have asked, so if you're interested you can find them easily.

The symptoms that I have include muscle spasms, muscle twitching, ocular migraines, trouble sleeping, anxiety, knuckles locking/clicking at night (more mild during the day), joint pain especially in hip and hands, tendon pain, swollen lymph nodes, back gets numb/tingly, tremors, dizzy and low blood pressure. 

The first supplements I started using were Monolaurin (from coconuts) and Biofibrin (enzymes).  After reading a lot and researching, Monolaurin has a lot of antiviral, antimicrobial benefits, and specifically can kill lyme bacteria.  The thing about Lyme though, is it likes to hide out in Biofilm where supplements you take cannot penetrate it to kill the lyme.  That's where the Biofibrin comes in that has enzymes that will break up the biofilm so the Monolaurin can do it's job.  I have worked my way up to 2 scoops a day of the Monolaurin, and am taking 1 a day of the Biofibrin right now.  Even at 2 scoops of the little pellets, this container is lasting a LONG time.  It sells for $49, but when you divide that out by how many months it lasts, it's definitely worth it.  I do feel like these products are helping.  I started out slow so did not have any herx reactions.  The Mololaurin also helps with viruses including the flu, so it's nice to know this flu season I'm well protected!

Then I read about the amazing antimicrobial properties of raw garlic.  So at least twice a day, I mince a garlic clove or two, let it sit for at least 10 minutes (this allows it time to produce allicin which is the beneficial compound), and then swallow it down with some almond milk.  (It is VERY strong, I can't chew it).   The first day I did this, I had a herx reaction, so I do think it will work for me with killing lyme.  I backed off for a few days, and then started back slowly with just 1 clove a day.  I have seen it in supplement form here, but am not sure if it would be as potent as eating the raw garlic or do as good of a job.  I need to research this more, because a pill would be much easier than crushing garlic twice a day.

I also take Tumeric twice a day for the inflammation in my knuckles.  I take Magnesium for the muscle spasms as well as calcium.  I take Zinc for immune system boosting properties.   At night, I take probiotics with Vitamin C and Echinacea.  The link is to the brand I'm currently taking, but usually when I run out I will switch brands to try to get different strains.

I have just started using Oska Pulse (PEMF therapy)- look for a review coming soon!

Beyond supplements, there is much more I'm doing.  I have drastically changed my diet and have completely eliminated gluten, dairy and as much sugar as possible.  I'm trying to eat a lot more vegetables as well as lean meats and healthy fats.

I'm not able to exercise much right now because of the pain and joint issues but hoping as I start improving I can add that in.  I do try to go for walks when I have the energy and pain levels are down.

Detox is a huge component of all this, because as you kill the bad bacteria, they release toxins that you must eliminate.  Right now I try every day to get a detox bath with epsom salt after using a dry brush all over my body to stimulate lymphatic drainage.  This also really helps with my muscle spasms and pain.  I also take activated charcoal 2 hours away from vitamins, supplements and herbs because if you take it too close to them, it will absorb them as well as toxins and you will not get the benefits of what you're taking.  

Parasites are a big issue for lots of people with Lyme and co-infections.  I've recently discovered it is advised to treat this FIRST before trying to combat Lyme because it can hinder treatment.  I found a parasite cleanse called Paraguard, and it is made from herbs that can be used alongside whatever other treatment you are using.  Let me just say without getting too graphic- this stuff WORKS!  I read that over 90% of people have parasites, so it's pretty much guaranteed you have them, but people with Lyme tend to have a higher parasitic load.  The parasites can actually contain the Lyme bacteria, so that's why if you don't get rid of them, the Lyme may keep hanging on.  I chose to use Paraguard because first of all it had some pretty impressive reviews, but also when researching the best herbs for a parasite cleanse, this one contains them all.  It will also kill parasites at all the different life cycles, which is what you want.  If you kill just the eggs, the adults will lay more.  If you kill just the adults, the eggs will eventually hatch, etc.  When you combine Fresh Green Black Walnut Hull, Fennel Seed, Quassia Wood, Pumpkin Seed, Wormwood Herb, Garlic Bulb, Clove Bud, Bayberry Root Bark, Fresh Garrya Herb, Peppermint Oil and Oregano Oil, you're coming at them from every possible angle to wipe them out.

I have just started adding in herbs from the Buhner Protocol and am excited to report I'm already noticing a decrease in symptoms.  So far, I'm taking Cat's Claw and Japanese Knotweed.   For information on the Buhner Protocol herbs, I've been referencing this site for amounts.  I'm starting slow and just adding in 1 herb at a time to make sure I don't have any weird reactions, and if I do, I'll know exactly what's causing it.  It's been encouraging, because I have actually not had any herx reactions but my symptoms are lessening somewhat.  The spasms are not constant and the joint pain is not as severe.  I am praying these herbs will be able to cure this nasty disease, because I have read a lot of people having success with them.  

​More to come soon, and I hope to pave the way for others coming behind me, this is an awful disease to have and I pray for all you other Lyme Disease sufferers - stay strong, we will beat this!