Sleep in the Lap of Luxury with Cariloha Resort Collection Bamboo Sheets + Giveaway!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Cariloha’s Resort Collection Bamboo Sheets are designed to let you take the comfort and quality of a beach resort home with you. 

Cariloha Features:

-Soft: Cariloha bamboo bedding goods are twice as soft as cotton. 

-Cool: Bamboo is 3 degrees cooler than cotton and wicks moisture away from your body.

-Clean & Green: Bamboo is naturally hypoallergenic and one of the most sustainable resources on the planet.

-Ultra-soft Sateen Finish

-Thermal regulating

-Smooth and durable advanced box-stitch seams

-Each set includes 1 flat sheet, 1 fitted sheet, and 2 pillowcases.

-90 Day Satisfaction Guarantee

Cariloha's bamboo sheets are made of viscose from bamboo which makes them uber soft.  This makes the best part of the day sliding into these amazing sheets at bedtime:)  They are luxuriously comfortable.  You know that "cool side of the pillow" feeling that is so indulgent?  The sheets offer that same experience, but for more than just your head...your whole self:)

They are a bit pricey, but think of it this way...for the cost of one night at a resort, you can sleep in amazing resort-style sheets every night!  And I must say, they are worth every penny!  In fact, we are already saving towards our next set of Cariloha Resort Collection sheets.  Cariloha Sheets are an investment that will payoff dividends in night after night of amazing comfort!

Click to buy Cariloha Bamboo Products

One super lucky ABCD Diaries reader will win a sheet set of their choice from Cariloha!  Enter below:

Blum School Gear Kits: Your All-In-One Solution for Back-to-School Supplies! + Giveaway

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Just in time for back-to-school, “Blum School Gear” kits, which include the most common supplies specified by teachers K-4 make shopping for school supplies easier and less expensive. 

The kits will help students keep their supplies organized with specially designed storage areas, like a toolbox. This feature is especially important to teachers because students often have to hunt for supplies in their backpacks as they transition from one activity to another, wasting valuable classroom time.

Blum School Gear All-in-one school supplies include:

-Rugged 420 D Poly Fabric cases with Nylon trim and inside mesh pocket in four colorful, fun designs

-6 #2 pencils

-7 eraser caps/point protectors

-1 scissors

-8 crayons

-1 bi-color dry-erase marker

-1 twin-tipped highlighter

-1 glue stick

-1 pink wedge eraser

-1 sharpener

-1 6-inch ruler

-6 bi-colored pencils

-6 twin-tip markers - 12 colors, washable without soap, leak-resistant point withstands 20 lbs. pressure

These kits have been especially helpful in our homeschool.  "A place for everything and everything in it's place!"  Before these kits, we had a large bucket of crayons, a basket of colored pencils, a tub of markers, a can of pencils and pens, a container of scissors and glue and various other school supplies on a shelf in our dining room.  What an eyesore and hard to keep de-cluttered!  Giving each kiddo their own kit has really helped to eliminate the "hot spot" and keep the shelf clutter-free.  Plus, each kiddo loves the fact that they have their own supplies.  Every morning they grab their kits and a notebook and are ready to go!  Easy peasy lemon squeezy:)  

No matter how you school your kiddos, Blum School Gear Kits are a great all-in-one supply solution!

Blum School Gear is available nationwide through both traditional and online retailers, including Amazon.com, Staples.com and Toys R Us. At an MSRP of $19.99, they will also prove to be less expensive than buying items separately as parents are often forced to overspend because many products are only sold in bulk.

One lucky ABCD Diaries reader will win a Blum School Gear Kit!

Enter below:

Synvisc One, a great way to eliminate knee pain

***This is a sponsored guest post from Synvisc.  Always talk to your doctor about the best options for you regarding any type of pain.***

There are various diseases that can affect our knees and joints surrounding them. However, one of the worst conditions elderly people face is osteoarthritis. This is a degenerative, chronic disease that follows us the rest of our life. It causes extreme amount of pain but it also interferes with our cellular structure severely affecting our ability to move.

                Osteoarthritis is one of a hundred different forms of arthritis. It can basically affect any joint in the body, but the Doctor Medica team believes that the one attacking knees can be regarded as the most severe manifestation of the problem.

                Illness starts affecting our joints during movement. In a normal situation, cartilage cells within our joints are constantly being depleted. Through process of mitosis, cells split and compensate for the lost tissue. This happens for a long time. Osteoarthritis causes increased depletion of cells. At one point, cells are no longer able to create new tissue. This leaves bones unprotected. Without cartilage, they will start hitting each other after each movement depleting bone tissue in the process. As a result, inflammation will appear warning us that there is something wrong with the body. Pain always accompanies the problem. It is caused by friction between the bones. As the time goes by, bones will start losing their structure which will result in fractures. Ultimately, person will start losing his ability to move.

                Doctors are still not sure what leads to this disease. Even though we have different treatments for the issue, such as Synvisc One, there is very little we can do to fully protect ourselves from this issue.  It doesn’t help that the disease is chronic. Best way to treat the illness is to perform physical therapy that will strengthen surrounding muscles. By doing this, patient can reduce pressure on joints. Diet and proper weight play important role as well. Patients shouldn’t exert more pressure on the knees than needed. By using vitamins and calcium, bones are strengthened and prepared for future use.

                This disease is particularly common for elderly people. Women are the riskier group. Most medical experts believe that osteoarthritis is caused by modern way of living. Obesity, not enough movement as well as bad diet, can all lead to development of the illness. People who are doing repetitive physical chores risk exposing their joints to increased depletion. Sometimes, young people may suffer from this problem. This can happened due to severe physical trauma that can prevent the body from recreating new cells.

                As previously mentioned, it is recommended for patients to use medicines such Synvisc One. This drug is similar to tissue that is already present within the joints. When a doctor injects this medicine into your knee, you are able to relieve pressure and with it, reduce the accompanying pain. The drug is administered once a week, for three weeks. It shouldn’t be administered in the area with infections or open wound. People who are allergic to bird products and those who have circulatory problems, need to consult a doctor before using Synvisc One.

Stanley Bostitch Dynamo Stapler #ShopletReview

ABCD Diaries was provided with the products in this post by Shoplet.com as a member of the Shoplet Product Review Program. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone. 

Time to get back-to-school with the Stanley Bostitch Dynamo Stapler from Shoplet.com!

Handy Dandy Features:

-Duo functionality as an all-in-one stapler and pencil sharpener 

-Simply staple up to 20 sheets or turn the stapler around to sharpen pencils.

-Curved, ergonomic shape and soft rubber grip offer an enhanced handheld fit and superior stapling comfort, while its versatile form can stand upright or lay flat to complement any desk.

-The built-in remover allows you to readily removes staples without the need to search through your desk drawers for a remover.

-Staple reload window alerts you when staples need to refilled and cleverly hidden in the base is an integrated StapleStore compartment that holds two strips of staples making extra staples close by at all times.

 -For added convenience, the Dynamo can be effortlessly opened 180 degrees for tacking or craft use. 

-Features Antimicrobial protection

We love this stapler!  It is truly a multi-tool and that means less junk in our school supply basket:)  I love that you can store staples in the bottom so you always know where the backups are.  This is a great stapler for homeschoolers or home office use!

You can find the Stanley Bostitch Dynamo Stapler at Shoplet.com!

Shoplet.com is your one stop shop for office supplies, medical supplies, cleaning supplies and office furniture.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Loved + Blessed: An Encouraging Faith-Based Subscription Service

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

We recently had the chance to review the August box from Loved + Blessed:

Loved + Blessed is a Christian faith-based subscription box service that delivers a box of encouragement right to your door each month.

Each box revolves around a central theme and comes with a mini poster, a sticker, a purse-sized scripture card and a gift.

The theme for the August box was Patience.

The scripture cards featured Ephesians 4:2 NLT  The bright yellow cards are a great reminder to slow down and exercise patience.

The special gift for August was a gorgeous light bulb necklace which holds delicate dried flowers and is hung on a long chain....very stylish! 

I've reviewed quite a few subscription services, but I've never come across one that filled this niche.  I definitely think there is room for Loved + Blessed in the subscription box market and I love that their mission is to deliver encouraging products that support a fantastic message!  

If that wasn't enough, Loved + Blessed gives a portion of the proceeds of each box sold to Union Rescue Mission, a charity that offers hope and healing to the homeless.  What an amazing cause!

At just $10 per month you can get your Loved + Blessed box or gift someone else with this monthly dose of encouragement today!

Click to buy Loved + Blessed

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Send Me Gluten Free Subscription Box August Edition

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Today I am super excited to share with you another box from Send Me Gluten Free, a fantastic subscription box service for those following a gluten free diet:

Send Me Gluten Free is a monthly subscription service that introduces you to new gluten free products. You’ll get full-size and sample size food, personal care items, supplements and household products that support your gluten free lifestyle.

Our box was overflowing with a fantastic selection of GF goodies!

Glutino Pretzel Twists

Keenwah Aged Cheddar Puffs

Beanfields Bean and Rice Chips

Go Raw Sprouted Sunflower Seeds

Justin's Almond Butter

Smooze Smoothie Squeeze Pop

3 packs of ZOUQ Jubilee Mix

Kickers Maple Banana Cream Powdered Fruit Blend

Home Free Vanilla Cookies

Chia Salt Spray (hair product)

Toaster Sleeve for making GF toast in any toaster (what a cool idea!)

The box also included an envelope full of information and savings on several of the products included in this month's box.  There were several high value coupons including a couple for free full-size products!

I love that the folks at Send Me Gluten Free take the guess work out of  choosing gluten free products.  I can be sure everything they send is safe to eat for my whole family.  Another plus is that they send both full-size treats to share with the whole family and single servings to treat myself:)  My box contained almost all products I can't find in my local grocery store.  We live in a very small town and finding quality gluten free treats can be pretty tricky.  With the subscription box, I get access to products I wouldn't normally have access to.  When we find something we like, we can order it online...easy peasy!

Send Me Gluten Free subscriptions start at just $19.85 (including shipping) per month and you can get 20% off any subscription length with the code BLOG20

Click to buy Send Me Gluten Free

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for Nurses + Giveaway!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Synopsis:

Becoming a nurse is a calling—it’s a tough job but a rewarding one. This collection of 101 heartwarming stories will encourage, inspire, and reassure you that your patients and their families appreciate your compassionate service.

Every nurse can use a little pick-me-up these days, and this collection of personal stories will remind you why you became a nurse. All types of nurses share their experiences, their emotions, and even some great tips that will help you make a difference in the lives of patients and their families.

Enter below to win one of three copies:

Wardrobe Staples from Seam Collection!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Seam Collection offers easy breezy clothes for young girls, teen girls and women.

Laila dress layered with the Isabelle shorts

Seam Collection Features:

-Fashionable pieces that are comfortable, stylish and flattering

-Completely machine wash and dry

-Clothes that allow a girl to look like a girl and move like a child

-Pieces that are easy to mix and match and great for layering

Hannah jacket-reversible, worn over Laila dress

A and I both love her new outfit from Seam Collection!  It is simple, yet gorgeous and flattering, yet modest.  This 3-piece ensemble will be great even as the seasons change and each item can be worn with other things in A's wardrobe making Seam Collection pieces versatile and functional.  A's favorite piece is the Laila dress.  She says it is super comfy:)  It is great for casual lounging or dressing up and has become a staple in her summer wardrobe.  We adore Seam Collection!

Click to shop Seam Collection

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Keep Your Pups Happy with Bully Bundles Subscription Service!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Bully Bundles is a fantastic company that offers subscription plans for bully sticks, one of our dogs' favorite treats!

Bully Bundles Features:

-6" robust sticks: Their sticks are hand-sorted and are 5/8" - 7/8" thick (measured on the thickest side).

-Chemical Free: No preservatives or chemicals are used in or on their bully sticks and they are produced in a USDA approved facility.

-100% all-natural: These bully sticks come from free-range, grass-fed Brazilian cattle, the greatest cattle in the world. No growth hormones or antibiotics are used on the cattle.

-You Choose Quantity: How many sticks do you need per month? Choose between 6, 10, 15, 30, or 60.

-Bully Bundles bully sticks are drained, dried, and cooked longer than normal bully sticks to reduce the odor even more than the standard process would.  This extra cooking time also kills remaining bacteria that may be in the treats. 

-Free Shipping in the USA!

Shiner enjoying Bully Bundles

Jessie enjoying Bully Bundles

Needless to say, the sticks were a huge hit with both pups:)  I love the idea of having these awesome treats delivered straight to my door every month, especially because the sticks are of a better quality than those we can buy here in our small town.  

Bully Bundles ROCK!

Click to buy Bully Bundles!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Cestari Kitchen Tools Get the Job Done! + Giveaway

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Cestari Kitchen specializes in handy kitchen tools.  Two of these are the Serrated Utility Knife and the Pro Peeler:

Serrated Utility Knife Features:

– Razor Sharp Blade: stays sharp longer than either stainless or high carbon steel blades

– Advanced Ceramics: Non porous, non reactive ceramic blade will not absorb odors or discolor food

– Ergonomic Design: Perfectly balanced lightweight handle, designed for comfort

– Easy Care: Dishwasher safe, never rusts

– The knife’s handle is injection molded in a single piece of polypropylene, resulting in a smooth design with no joints to harbor germs and bacteria

– The materials are stable at very high temperatures, so you can feel free to use the sterilize setting of your dishwasher

We typically only use a serrated knife for cutting bread, but this nifty knife is great at cutting pretty much anything in the kitchen!  I love that is isn't too big and it's lightweight, yet sturdy.  It does an excellent job of cutting fruits and veggies and the fact that it's dishwasher safe is a bonus:)

Pro Peeler Features:

 -Razor sharp, precisely calibrated ceramic blade

 -Lightweight, perfectly balanced, comfortable ergonomically designed handle that’s injected molded in a single piece.  

-Dishwasher safe

-Innovative design includes a reversible blade, so you can customize the Pro Peeler to be used with your right or left hand

This awesome peeler replaced our old rusty metal peeler.  It works seamlessly and gets the job done quickly and efficiently.  I love that it doesn't have all those nooks and crannies where bacteria can hide and that is is dishwasher safe.  And it sure is a lot cuter than that old rusty thing:)

Click to buy Pro Peeler

Click to buy Serrated Utility Knife

One lucky ABCD Diaries reader will win the Cestari product of their choice!  Enter below:

Bring Home the Scents of the Tropics with Softsoap!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Indulge your skin and awaken your senses to the relaxing scents of the Tropics with 3 new summer body washes from Softsoap:

* Softsoap Fiji Waves – The refreshing scents of cucumber & melon will transport you to the blissful beaches of Fiji, while the moisture-rich formula leaves skin silky and smooth.

* Softsoap Tahitian Glow – Wrap your skin in a warm summer sunset with the Tahitian Glow body wash. This moisture-infused formula will make your skin feel soft and sun-kissed, while tropical scents of citrus & pineapple awaken your senses.

* Softsoap Bali Bliss – Escape to your own private paradise with the new Bali Bliss body wash. This moisture-rich formula will leave skin radiant and smooth, while invigorating the senses with scents of coconut and lime.

These limited-edition body washes are fantastic!  They all smell amazing, though my absolute favorite is Bali Bliss (I'm a sucker for coconut!)  Softsoap body washes are great for the whole family and always leave our skin feeling moisturized and clean.  They lather up really well, so a little bit goes a long way making Softsoap body washes a great value.  With a huge variety of scents to choose from, including these 3 island-scented washes, there is bound to be a wash you love!

These 18 oz. sized body washes can be found currently at Walmart until August 2015 for the suggested retail price of $2.99 each.

Find out more at Softsoap!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Tomboxes.com "Time-of-the-Month" Subscription Service

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Tomboxes.com is a TOM (time-of-the-month) subscription service that helps you stay prepared and pampered every month. 

This TOM box arrives every 28 days and is packed with essentials for that time of the month plus gifts to give you something to look forward to.

Star Fish Earrings and Braided Leather Headband

In each box you'll get your choice of brand name tampons or pads, a piece of fashionable jewelry customized to your tastes and name brand makeup. These boxes start as low as $16/month and are only $5 the first month to try.

Lots of beauty gifts including lip gloss, blush, perfume and more!

You can also double your jewelry and makeup for just $11 for the first month and $22/month after that.  The standard box is valued at $40-$60 and the double box is valued at $60-$90.

Tomboxes.com also offer a noflow box which is everything in the regular box minus the pads or tampons which is $10 a month or $16 a month if you double the makeup and jewelry.

Personalize your subscription and get something to look forward to each month at Tomboxes.com!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Enjoy Life #tothefullest with New Allergy-Free Baking Mixes!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

One of our favorite GF brands has just released a whole new line of baking mixes!  Enjoy Life has 5 new mixes to make allergy-free baking a breeze!  All 5 products are free from the 8 most common food allergens:

o   Wheat

o   Dairy

o   Peanuts

o   Tree Nuts

o   Egg

o   Soy

o   Fish

o   Shellfish

They are also certified kosher, halal, and vegan!  These mixes also include ancient grains like teff flour so there are 5 grams of protein per serving.  All you need is water and oil to make the delicious treats, so it’s simple and cost effective!

Check out some of these delicious goodies:

Moist, decadent brownies....mmmm!

Versatile All-Purpose Flour Mix, perfect for so many things, including heavenly banana bread:

Muffin Mix that can be modified to fit your tastes...just throw in your own ingredients.  We chose to add in some blueberries and a sprinkle of brown sugar on top:

We really enjoyed trying out these new baking mixes from Enjoy Life!  If you or someone in your family needs to eat a special diet to avoid food allergies, we definitely recommend trying out Enjoy Life products!

We give Enjoy Life Baking Mixes 4 out of 5 stars!

Cick to buy!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Express Your Love of Literature with Out of Print Clothing! + Giveaway

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Out of Print Clothing celebrates the world's greatest stories through fashion.  They offer up a large line of products ranging from shirts for the whole family to fashionable tote bags to cozy socks to home and office products (and much more!) that feature iconic and often out of print book covers.  They also support a cause...giving books to communities in need.  They have partnered with Books For Africa and for every product they sell, one book is donated to a community in Africa!

I was lucky enough to review an Out of Print tee and I chose the classic "Where the Wild Things Are" tee.  Out of Print makes sure that every product is treated to feel soft and worn like a well-read book and this tee was no exception.  It is super soft and comfy cozy.

I love the tag that comes attached to the shirt...it looks like an old school library book card.  Talk about a throwback!  

There are so many great book covers available at Out of Print, you are sure to find a favorite of your own!  These fun products would make great gift ideas for your literary friends and family:)

Thanks to the generous folks at Out of Print, one lucky ABCD Diaries will win a pouch and a pair of socks of their choosing!  Enter below: