{Review} The Essential Gluten-Free Grocery Guide

About 2 years ago my husband took my advice and started a gluten free diet. He sticks to it when he goes out and when we're at home. The thing is, I meal plan & grocery shop, and my daughters and I don't necessarily follow a gluten free diet all of the time. At first I would check labels and only buy anything that was clearly labeled Gluten Free. It was so time consuming to walk through the store, and having to double check everything I picked up. I eventually had figured out several things and just sorta stuck with those items for a while. 

This last couple weeks I've tried something new when it comes to my meal planning and grocery shopping. I've been using The Essential Gluten-Free Grocery Guide. I just meal plan and as I'm writing my grocery list if there is something I haven't bought too often or something I'm not quite sure about I'll just pull it up in the book. 

Honestly, at first I didn't see a point to this book, I was a bit overwhelmed with it and wasn't sure I'd even care to look through it. I mean sitting down to find new recipes, meal plan, make a grocery list, is more than enough to keep me busy and now I was supposed to throw this book in the mix? It seemed like a pain. It's really not though. I've enjoyed using it and making sure that I'm picking up the right things for my husband. 

I know he will never know what it's like to have to meal plan, make a grocery list and grocery shop all while trying to follow a specific diet, but it's A LOT of work, especially with 2 young kids in tow. If he ever gets the opportunity to actually do it I'm sure he'd appreciate the book as much as I have learned to. 

Those of you that are Gluten-Free, how do you meal plan and grocery shop? Do you stop and check every item- or are you stuck in a rut like I was for a bit there with just buying what is familiar? If you're just starting a Gluten-Free lifestyle or are looking for something to help you out, this book is a good option! Very helpful and easy to use. If you already have something you use, let me know what it is and how you like it! I was given this book in exchange for my honest review! 

+LIFEGUARD Mini 1 Power Bank Review

It feels like even though my phone is fully charged at night that if I'm out and about it just doesn't seem to last. My girls like to keep it busy, constantly watching shows or listening to music on it. I don't mind I just wish that I didn't have to charge it while at home or driving. Never did I think I would have a need for a +LIFEGUARD Mini 1 power bank for my phone. 

Well guess what, now that I have it, I can't believe I didn't get one sooner! This power bank has made it super easy to charge my phone while I'm out shopping, or even in church. I just toss it in my bag and plug my phone in and it starts to work it's magic! This power bank has a tough aluminum shell, making it perfect for it's travels in my purse. It can be recharged up to 800 times, easily! 

It is compatible with the following devices: iPhones, iPods, HTC, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, Sony and other cell phones, MP3, MP4, digital cameras with DC 5V input. I personally use it for my iPhone and it works well! I've been very pleased with how well this works and how easy it is to use and charge. I don't have one complaint! 

Have you ever used a power bank for your device before? If not but you'd like to, I'd definitely recommend this one! I did receive this power bank in exchange for my honest review. 

Blog Hop!!!

We are super happy on how our blog hop is growing and how many bloggers linked up last week. We are so thankful for you guys being part of it.

With that being said PLEASE FOLLOW THE FOLLOW RULES!!

This week we have two new cohost:

http://www.mommysummers.com/" target="_blank">Mommy Summers

http://www.funningupmylife.co.uk/" target="_blank">Funning Up My Life

If you're interested in cohosting with us please fill this form out https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Kr7ltbQm0N91LhEQjTL-KHzArRWn1cvTF5fGu6fzMjs&authuser=0" target="_blank">here

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Rules of the Blog Hop

1. FOLLOW YOUR HOST(S) & COHOST(S) - via GFC or Bloglovin

2. SUBMIT YOUR LINK

3. MINGLE WITH OTHER BLOGGERS

4. TWEET TWEET TWEET!!!!!

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{Review} Baking Wizards Silicone Baking Mats

Baking is something I love to do but don't get to do enough of. It seems like getting through the day with my 2 girls & nephew is hard enough, that when it comes time to make dinner I don't even stop to think about dessert. My family doesn't get nearly enough cookies. 

A couple weeks ago I got the chance to try out two Silicone Baking Mats from Baking Wizards. My family was thrilled that I finally got to making some cookies for them. (If only I had remembered to take pictures!) These mats are FDA & LFGB Approved. They are non-stick and super easy to clean. They can be used for baking, roasting, warming and also preparing dough!

I'm loving these mats! They made baking cookies for my family easy! I feel like the cleaning up part of baking is the worst. I usually leave the trays in the sink waiting for someone else to wash them. These mats are ridiculously easy to clean and fit perfectly in my already very full oven drawer. 

Prior to getting these I had another silicone mat and didn't quite love it. It is nice but didn't find myself using it very often, it is very large and didn't fit well on my baking trays. Luckily these fit perfectly. If you are looking for a silicone baking mat to make your life easier I'd definitely recommend these! Have you ever used a silicone baking mat while baking?

{Review} AND SKLEER Giveaway!

Not too long ago I was sent some SKLEER. Ever heard of it? I hadn't either. SKLEER is a Skin Conditioning Gel that is said to help you with a bunch of different skin conditions. It can help with dermatitis, eczema, dry skin, insect bites, burns, abrasions, nappy rash, hives, sun burn and more. 

So what's inside right? SKLEER is a combination of essential oils. It includes Eucalyptus Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Caraway Oil, Cinnamon Oil & Cardamom Oil. These oils work together to help with healing your skin condition. The gel helps the oils penetrate into the skin to help with the effectiveness of this product. SKLEER does not contain parabens, lanolin, harmful preservatives, corticosteriods, hydroquinone and it is not tested on animals. It also does not contain Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Retinoic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxiode. (I love the fact that the ingredients are few and natural. Made it easier for me to try out on my girl's dry patches! 

Both of my girls have a dairy allergy. Stomachs get upset and their skin dries out incredibly bad, causing them to itch, which if you have dry skin you know that scratching only makes it worse. Well with the warmer weather and more visits to the in-laws my girls have been given ice cream. (Thanks grandma! - NOT!) and we've had to up our skin care routine for them. We've been using SKLEER at night before bed to help clear up the dry patches. It's worked great! 

I've been trying it out on my face to help with some break-outs- and it's been wonderful! I put it on before my make-up or after washing my face for bed. It's really helped to clean up my face! I've given a couple of the samples out to my brother (acne problems) my mom (dry hands), and my sister (sensitive skin), and they've all had great things to say about it! I did get this product in exchange for a review but my opinion is my honest opinion. I've loved this product and recommend it to those that are looking for help with their skin conditions. 

Here's a fun giveaway for some SKLEER Skin Conditioning Gel! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway