Bubba Earth Natural's Arthritis & Joint Pain Relief Cream

If you have been following my blog, you know I have a few health issues. On top of my diagnosis of various problems, I am still trying to get a diagnosis on certain pains I have been getting around my joints. I have gone to a few doctors, including a Rheumatologist and I am still in pain. My knee gets swollen, and my fingers ramp up all the time, even if I am not using them. I have been on an anti-inflammatory medicine but it doesn't seem to be helping, specially the heels of my feet. On the bright side, I haven't gotten head aches since being on the anti inflammatory meds. I still need to do something about the pain!

You can bet my OCD got the best of me here...

One night my knee pain was so bad, I couldn't even sleep. After two hours of twisting and turning and messing around with my knee, I thought of using some peppermint oil diffused with fractionated coconut oil. This provided almost instant relief and I was finally able to sleep. I still needed something more potent, but I wasn't ready to buy a few essential oils in order to make the perfect concoction. I saw Bubba Earth Naturals Arthritis & Joint Pain Relieve Cream and decided to try it out.

About Bubba Earth Naturals Arthristis & Joint Pain Relive Cream

Cost: $21.97 on Amazon

1) AVOID PAIN CAUSED BY INFLAMMATION that gets in the way of your daily life. Our new joint pain relief cream ointment is specially crafted to deliver anti-inflammatory pain relievers for arthritis, back pain, joint pain. neck pain, foot pain, sprains, tendonitis, shin splints, etc. Because it reduces inflammation, you can get pain relief and faster arthritis pain relief.

2) MEDICAL SCIENCE CONFIRMS COMFREY as a powerful analgesic pain reliever which acts by reducing inflammation which is causing your pain. Plus we added (6) additional POTENT ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES famous for their pain relief.

3) GET DEEP HEALING RELIEF. Our Joint Arthritis Relief moves deep into areas of pain because we included eucalyptus, camphor, jojoba and other essential oil that moves through the dermal barrier. Use with or without other arthritis gloves, wrist brace or other remedies or aids.

4) 100% NATURAL AND CRAFTED FROM PREMIUM INGREDIENTS sourced with organics with fair trade origins, and specially crafted in here in the USA. You will find it soothes your skin with a non-greasy cream ointment, that leaves your skin soft.

5) BUY CONFIDENTLY WITH OUR NO WORRY GUARANTEE. Your satisfaction is priority 1. You can expect fast friendly service with no hassle from us.

This cream is made with many oils and shea butter to make sure that your pain is dealt with. It comes packaged in a tin can, kind of like the chest rubs grandma used to have, wrapped in brown "vintage" looking paper. It makes you feel like a lot of care went into making this product. I could smell the cream before I even opened the can. It is very powerful! I have been using it often and it really does help. You do have to play with the cream a little bit before applying it because of how thick it is, but iIprefer it being thick than it being greasy.  Over all I am very pleased with this cream. I highly recommend it if you have joint pain or inflammation.

I received this product in return for an honest review. All opinions stated are my own and cannot be bought. Pries stated are correct as of posted date and time.

Native Bar = Awesomeness In A Bar + 10 WINNERS

Everywhere you go, you will see quinoa this, quinoa that. I almost didn't want to try it because of the stigma of "healthy food doesn't taste good," which is just baloney (I had to look up how to spell baloney, as I almost spelled bologna... oops). Healthy food taste great, you just need to relearn everything you know about cooking to get the right combinations. Pinterest has been my go to place for finding tasty healthy meals. I have found a new love in chickpeas. How come no one told me hummus was so yummy and so easy to make?? Avocado and chickpea salad is cheaper than lettuce in my area! Crazy and lucky for my taste buds. No matter how easy some of the recipes I have found, it is still difficult when I am out and about. I need to keep healthy snacks with me wherever I go. I never know how long an appointment will take, or when my toddler decides he finally wants to eat. If you read one of my previous posts about the Bento style lunch boxes, you will see pictures of some quick and HEALTHY snacks that I take with me when I'm out with my son.

Sometimes these lunch boxes are filled with a pouch, fruit, cookies, or bars. I always make sure they fit my health expectations. I have been switching as much food as possible to gluten free alternatives wherever possible. No, I do not have Celiac Disease, and I have not done an elimination diet. I am not clueless to the fact that just because something says "gluten free" that it means it is healthy. I just like my food as natural and close to Earth as possible. Native Bars get that. These bars are packed with quinoa, fruit, and berries. Oh yeah, one last thing - they are organic, gluten free, and vegan! They are pure awesomeness inside a bar! They have everything I need and want from a bar; they are healthy, taste great, and have just the right texture!

The story behind these bars is also quite inspiring. The CEO, Anthony Ippolito had hip surgery which led to inactivity and some unhealthy eating habits. He decided to turn that all around and make a drastic change. He created a wholesome snack to help give him energy for his workouts, but that still tasted great. After a few years of working on these bars and himself, he has lost over 100 pounds! That is what I like to call dedication!

Native Bars has three bars at the moment :  Cherry Cocoa, Apple Cinny Raisin, and Dark Cinny Mocha. You can pre-order them on their website! Yes, pre-order. They are in the beginning stages of their company. They are so new, that The wrappers on my bars aren't even what they will look like once they are all rolled out. I am giving you the heads up people!  You can order them now! Click here and use code "ABE20".  You will want to try these. I tried them all, twice, and they are just awesome! How many awesome's is that by now?

My absolutely favorite flavor was the Apple Cinny Raisin. You can smell the apples before you even open the bar! This bar will definitely appeal to your senses. It is by far my favorite. I didn't even share this flavor with my son! He enjoyed the Dark Cinny Mocha <3

Want me to give you another reason to love this company? I spoke to the CEO personally and he has agreed to do a giveaway to one of my readers! The CEO has upgraded our giveway! Yes! Now we will have 10 winners! So go and enter now! So scroll down to enter to win a package of these down to earth bars and taste all three flavors yourself! Don't forget to like them on Facebook!

Leave some love and comment below! Which flavor do you want to try?

Follow Native Bars on Facebook :: Twitter :: Instagram :: Youtube

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Native Bars

Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas

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Over the past few years I have joined a few cooking groups. A few month's ago I joined a cooking group for moms on Facebook and always see new dishes or old favorites all over my newsfeed. This always sparks new ideas in my head and helps me make my menu for the week when writing the grocery list for the week. I've seen all sort of cakes, desserts, dinners, and lunch ideas. The other day I saw some Chicken Quesadillas and all of the sudden, I wanted quesadillas. But we haven't bought any tortillas because they sell for around $4 for a pack of 10! To us, that is ridiculous amount to spend on one item for a simple lunch. I had the urge to make some homemade tortillas. You know, the kind that give your vegan tacos the extra BANG before you even add the extra guac!  I had this recipe stored in my cookbooks for years, so I am not sure exactly where it originated. I've seen some similar recipes through Pinterest, but haven't found the original. All I know is that this is an EASY recipe that works time and time again. You will never buy tortillas again!

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Makes 15 Soft Tortillas (or 25 small ones)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Self Rising Flour

1 Stick of butter (1/2 cup), room temperature

1 Cup of hot water

2 Tsp salt

Directions: 

1. Measure out 2 1/2 cups of flour along with the salt and set aside in a large bowl. Add the butter, and with a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour. It should be crumbly. 

2. Slowly add the hot water and mixing into the dough. Knead dough until it isn't sticky anymore. Leave in the bowl for 30 minutes to an hour.

3. Separate dough into 15 balls. Set aside for another half hour. 

4. Flatten out balls as thin as possible. On a hot skillet, cook each tortilla individually. Bubbles are completely normal. Cook evenly on both sides. 

LifeGuard Dual USB Car Charger

You know what can break up a marriage? Fighting over who can use the car charger. If you tell me you have never fought with your spouse about a car charger, you either haven't been married long enough or you don't spend time in a car together. For the sake of our sanity, we got a dual car charger. Now Hubby can continue playing his pointless games while I play Candy Crush.

About LIFEGUARD Dual USB Car Charger

Cost: $10.97 on Amazon

• + IQ Technology: Now you can charge your iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy, HTC, MP3 Players, Digital Cameras and other cell phones, Tablets and USB devices with high speed using the +IQ USB jack.
• + Elegant: The +LIFEGUARD 2.1A Vehicle Charger has an amazing design and color. You will love it and your friends will desire the +LIFEGUARD.
• + Powerful and Fast: This dual USB Car Charger can quick charge your device when you most need it. Let be surprised by +LIFEGUARD 2.1A Car Charger.
• + Lifetime Warranty: The +LIFEGUARD 2.1A Car Charger has a LIFETIME warranty and it carries the trustworthy +LIFEGUARD brand. You can count on the +LIFEGUARD customer service crew anytime and anywhere.

I have a few products from LIFEGUARD, including the portable power bank. I wasn't completely impressed with their power bank, but we have enjoyed this dual car charger. Being able to charge two devices at the same time can come at a huge advantage some days. I like that it lights up when plugged in. This makes it easy to find at night. I like that it is not tiny like other ones I have, and not huge and heavy. A lot of reviews say that it is tiny, but I do not find it as tiny and that is a good thing. I lose tiny stuff. 

I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All prices stated are correct as of posted date and time. All opinions stated are my own.

Packing Snacks With Francois et Mimi Bento Box

*** Please leave some love by commenting below! ***

a Stay at home mom brings a lot of challenges. We are always on the go with appointments, meet ups, and play dates. Add in running errands, and yo u spend most of your day running from one place to another. This always leaves us hungry and thinking about getting some fast food in between a playdate and shopping for groceries.  A long time ago, I decided to take a packed lunch with us where we can snack on the go. This kept us from ordering unnecessary fast food that I didn't want to feed our family. I had a little insulated lunch box and I would place an ice pack in, an extra juice box for Aiden, and a few snacks. It didn't fit much, so after if our trip out that day wasn't short we would be starving when we got home! I needed a different solution but I did not like the price of the items I was looking at. Francois et Mimi sent me their Multi-Compartment Bento Box, so I have been trying that for a few weeks. This is the first product from Francois et Mimi that I haven't completely loved. I just have a couple problems with it, but it does fit our lifestyle much easier than what we had. Before I get into the pro's and con's, let me give you more information about it.

Mother's Day at Panera Bread Meet Up

About Francois et Mimi Multi-Compartment Bento Box

Microwave, dishwasher, & freezer safe (Do not place lids in dishwasher or microwave)

Custom insulated lunch bag is designed to keep food warm or cold. Bag is stain and odor resistant

BPA-free & FDA approved - All food grade materials

Includes built-in plastic silverware - fork, knife and spoon. Product Measures 7.5"x7.5"x4.5"

Container nests inside the bottom one for compact & easy storage

It is currently unavailable on Amazon, but they restock often so keep checking!

Now, I will start with my con's because they aren't that bad. Ok, I only have one negative point to make, and that is that the compartments don't lock with each other. They stack great, but they do not lock with each other. Now why is this important? It is not really, but it becomes annoying when you take each compartment out and the utensils fall out because the cap does not lock. But aside from it being bothersome, there is not other negative for me. 

Lemon Broccoli Cookies? A hit!

There are three different compartments. Which is great for my family because I can store snacks for Aiden, Hubby, and I when we all go out. If it is just Aiden and I at a meet up then i just take two with me, and place an extra juice box in the lunch box. Each compartment is big enough to store a variety of snacks. There are days we do not eat all of the snacks, and that is just fine. But I try to take as many healthy snacks as possible. There is always a food pouch, whether homemade or store bought. The one in the picture is store bought and organic. I hadn't seen them yet, so I wanted to give them a try! We have also fallen in love with a new bar, as you can see in the picture. Native Bars are a gluten free, organic, vegan, and quinoa based! There are three different flavors and my favorite is the Apple Cinny Raisin! I will be posting more about those within the next few days, so you will want to keep an eye out for that! 

Love Candy Co fruit Chews and a Native Bar? My kind of snack!

To see more packed lunches and snack ideas coming up, follow my Facebook page The Eclectic Hippie Mama.

Please leave some love and comment below! What is your favorite lunch to pack for a busy day or to take to work?

I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions stated are my own.

Back From Our Honeymoon!

Oh... you didn't know your fellow Hippie was getting married?? Well, neither did we until about three weeks ago! We decided to make our vacation into our Honeymoon! We went to the courthouse, got married, and drove straight to the port on our cruise Honeymoon.  And... it was awesome! I am not sure if it is the first time I was able to drink on a cruise, or the fact that it was the first time we got to be adults and be with other adults since Aiden was born, but I think it was our best vacation yet.

We cruised with our favorite cruise line, Norwegian Cruise Line, on our favorite ship, the Norwegian Sky. This was our 7th time on board this vessel! There are so many reasons we love cruising. I can literally talk about it all day. First, it is so much cheaper than doing any other vacation for us. Between driving, food, hotel stay, and entertaknment, the bill racks up pretty quickly. Now with a cruise, all of that is covered under one price. The price of your cruise includes all meals, your cabin, and entertainment. You can drink without worrying how you are going to get back to your hotel. And depending on your itinerary, you can visit a new place everyday! And now NCL implemented a promotion where you can drink for free your entire cruise. Free Margaritas anyone?

Now, like I have stated before, we rarely drink. But if I am on vacation, you can bet I am drinking a Mimosa in the morning and whatever else sounds good in the afternoon. I leave the heavy drinks for the nightly shows, like the Adult Comedy show. Between Hubby and I, we drank over $800 worth of drinks for free. Our cruise in itself was $826! So we drank our whole cruise fare.... that's insane. We ended up with a few favorite bartenders and a few new favorite drinks. Now, we probably won't drink again until our birthday or future cruise.

 

As we got back, it was a rainy day, so I did not attend to my garden. While we were gone, Hubby's brother watered them since he lives in another section of our house. The next day when I woke up, I decided to go check out my plants. While my berry bush looked like it was dying, my beans looked awesome! I even saw a few beans growing already! That is awesome! My raised garden bed looks great as well. My fig tree got trampled over, so I will have to put it in a bigger pot now. The lemon tree did have a few visitors. I saw three caterpillars chomping a few leaves. Now after doing some research,  I found out that these caterpillars don't eat the fruit and will just eat the citrus leaves, so I will not be removing them.

I also received a few new things while I was gone. Some items include a new mat for Aiden, a Bento lunch box from one of my favorite companies, and a bath toy organizer.

Shatterproof Wine Glasses!

As I have mentioned before, Aiden has broken almost every glass we have in our home. We have stopped buying cups made of glass for this reason. He does not break them on purpose, but his rush of energy takes over when running around the house. We have gotten some copper and silicone glasses, and now I'm trying out the magnetic shatterproof glass. I like that it has the name "shatterproof" right in the tittle. It makes me feel a little more secure that it will outlast the toddler years. The magnetic part of the glass is just plain cool! The stem of the wine glass just completely comes off. This makes it easy to store in our limited kitchen cabinets. Now it doesn't have a comical saying on the glass like the "What Night?" wine glasses, but it is still pretty cool.

About the Kuuk Magnetic Shatterproof Outdoor Wine Glass

Cost : $9.95 on Amazon

Made from shatterproof polycarbonate rather than glass, so you can drink outdoors stress-free

Features quick and easy one-touch assembly. Simply hold the glass cup to the stem, and the patented magnetic mechanism does the rest

The glass fits upside down neatly on the stem for efficient storage. Both parts are held in place magnetically so they remain clean and unbroken

Perfect for outdoor activities and events such as camping, hiking, BBQs and music festivals

BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and washes easily by hand

I received this product in return for an honest review. I am not required to give a positive review. All opinions stated are my own. All prices stated are correct as of posted date and time.