Scratch & Grain Baking co. review & #giveaway

Hey dear blog readers! My family and I just got back from a vacation. We had a great time, and while we were away we were able to try the samples I received from Scratch & Grain.






Here is some info on the company:

Scratch & Grain 7/5/17 LAKE OSWEGO, OR - Delectable all-natural baked goods were served. Tears of joy were shed. And a life-changing deal was made. The year was 2015 and Oregon “mompreneurs” Taya Geiger and Leah Tutin were in the “Shark Tank” to pitch Scratch & Grain Baking Company, their highly innovative line of baking kits featuring individually-packaged and measured gourmet ingredients with such easy-to-use numbered and color coding, even children could feel like pastry chefs. Passing acquaintances before starting their business, the two women were now firmly united in the pursuit of two equally daunting but decidedly thrilling goals: to walk out of the Tank with a Shark in their corner, and to parlay their extraordinary television debut into a brand that would at long last redefine the baking mix category and make homemade baking for the entire family easier, tastier and healthier than ever before.

The Downfalls of DIY Plumbing

Technically, my husband and I are new homeowners. About eight months ago, we were able to buy a house again. With owning a house comes many responsibilities. One is taking care of any plumbing issues that may come up. You may be tempted to try to do it yourself, but here are some problems you might encounter with DIY plumbing.

Shutting Off the Water Supply

Image via Flickr by MoToMo

A common mistake that many homeowners make is neglecting to turn off the main water supply before starting a DIY plumbing project. Most people don't even know where the main shutoff is. If you can't locate the main shutoff valve in your home, then you should call a plumber. Many pros will check your emergency shutoff valves for you and will show you how to do this yourself, usually at no charge.

Every plumbing project should begin with shutting off the main water supply for your home. This should be as easy as turning a valve. If for some reason you are unsure about this, then don't hesitate to call a plumber to do the repairs.

Causing More Problems

Everyone has good intentions when starting a DIY plumbing project, but many times, homeowners just create more problems. You could

damage your home or equipment, such as your HVAC system, if you don't complete the job properly. You could also run into trouble if you don't have the right tools. Plumbers will always have the right tools, and if the job needs specialized equipment, they'll have that, too.

You may think you know how to fix a plumbing problem, but some issues are too complicated to tackle on your own. This could end up costing you extra time and money. Hiring a professional could save you money in the long run, and a plumber can diagnose a problem and service your plumbing system a lot faster than you can.

Knowing Your Limitations

Be honest. Do you really know that much about plumbing? Unless you're a professional plumber, you probably don't really know the ins and outs of plumbing. If you make a mistake and something goes wrong, you'll have to call a plumber. This could end up costing you more because you've caused more damage.

While some DIY plumbing may be possible for simple jobs, certain plumbing issues that arise in your home demand a professional. Knowing when to call a plumber is important. When an emergency happens, such as a lack of water pressure or hot water, you should always call a professional. Another time when it would be best to call a plumber is if your pipes freeze, as attempting to thaw out frozen pipes by yourself could be dangerous and more expensive in the long run.

If you want to do something right the first time, then it's really best to leave it to the professionals. They can service and repair anything in your home much more quickly and easily than you can. Unless you're very confident in your abilities, then DIY plumbing isn't usually the best option.

Karen's Naturals review & #giveaway

Hi everyone! I've got a really cool review with giveaway for you this week. It is from the company Karen's Naturals.

Info about product and company:


Married to fourth generation family farmer Bill Cox and mother to their two young children Matt and Megan, Karen envisioned a brand that would utilize dehydration and freeze-drying technology to bring farm fresh fruits and vegetables to the public year-round in the most nutritious, convenient, cost-conscious and flavor-packed manner possible. So Karen and Bill created Just Tomatoes - initially selling dehydrated tomatoes from their farm, then quickly outgrowing their name by adding apples, persimmons, berries, corn and fruit mixes to their family of naturally-fresh, chemical-free products. As farmers devoted to growing not only crops but relationships, the couple built partnerships with other farmers and Just Tomatoes began an ascent that continues to this day