Grilled Herb & Wine Chicken Strips & VeeTee Thai Lime & Herb Rice

Battle Your Demons
Everyone has demons that they need to battle, and some will have demons that are taking the sparkle out of their life more so than others. And it can often be our demons that lead us to other demons. For example, some people have the demon of money and stress looming over their head, which can then lead to finding an escape in other ways, such as through drink or drug use. It’s an escape that can be so welcoming in terms of making you forget your problems, but as soon as the morning comes around, they’re there again. It’s a cycle you need to break sooner rather than later, and it can be done through addiction treatment centers. Even if you wouldn’t call it an addiction, it’s still going to do you so much good to visit one, because through these treatment centers you can get counseling to help with the problems that you feel you’re having. This is one big secret demon that people wouldn’t like to admit that they have, there will no doubt be many more that you need to address.
Find Your Passion
Having a passion in life is so important, and it keeps you grounded far more than you would think it does. So to find your passion in life, you have to think about a hobby that would interest you. That hobby could be anything from taking up an instrument to getting into sports. But whatever it is, we highly recommend that you find something to focus your spare time around, rather than doing nothing.
Live For Something More
Finally, you just need to make sure that you’re living for something more. Think about getting up for more than just work and getting back to your bed in the morning. Make more effort with social situations, eat right, sleep right, and generally focus on yourself, rather than thinking about other people all of the time.

The Bubble Guppies embark on four magical adventures in the all-new Bubble Guppies: The Puppy and the Ring DVD. Join Molly, Gil and their puppy as they venture through the three magical realms of Bubbledom, a mythical land full of secrets and sorcery, where they’ll meet the spritely Flutterguppies, the fun-loving Snow Guppy and the mysterious Underguppy. This DVD collection also features three additional adventure-filled episodes.
The Bubble Guppies: The Puppy and the Ring includes the following episodes:
The Puppy and the Ring – Bubbledom is in danger when the evil Night Wizard takes the Ring from the benevolent Sun King. Join Molly and Gil as they race to return the Ring of the Sun to its rightful owner by sundown. It could be “night-night” for everyone until the end of time!
Sir Nonny the Nice! – Nonny is on a quest to become a real knight. He has a shield and suit of armor, but does he have what it takes to win a knightly game of mini-golf?
Bubble-Cadabra! – The Bubble Guppies discover magic when they stand in for a missing magician and attempt the world’s greatest trick–making an elephant disappear.
The Wizard of Oz-tralia! – After Molly and Gil meet Bobby, a nature show host from Australia, they can’t wait to learn all about Australian animals. From marsupials to the amazing platypus, the Guppies can’t get enough of the creatures Down Under.
The boys really enjoyed watching this fun filled DVD, but I think it was my 2 year old that was the most enthusiastic about it. My older boys kept trying to compare The Puppy and the Ring to the “Lord of the Rings” and The Wizard of Oz-tralia to the “Wizard of Oz”…I love how the Bubble Guppies make videos that can relate to other movies/shows that the kids may have already seen, this aspect also helps make it fun for the adults as well. They are already asking me to pick up other DVD’s at the store…I guess that would be a thumbs up from all of them!
Produced by Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and distributed by Paramount Home Media Distribution, Bubble Guppies: The Puppy and the Ring is available on DVD as of June 2, 2015 for the suggested retail price of $14.99.
Disclosure of Material Connection: 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Today is November 17th, World Preemie Day! A whole day to bring awareness to preemies and how strong they all are. My last baby Damien was born unexpectedly 4 weeks early…I’d never had any issues with my other pregnancies and this one was full of scares. We had been under strict weekly observations for months due to a fluid buildup around his tiny little heart. So needless to say he was rushed off after he was born to be seen by a cardiologist. A few lonely scary hours ticked by then we got news that all was well! The only other problem we had been jaundice and had trouble nursing. I’d say all in all we were extremely lucky! Now I would like to share with you the story of little Carlee. Lacey (Carlee’s beautiful mama & blogger at Mama Needs A Bottle) was in my pregnancy group so we shared all our ups and downs together. I hope you enjoy her inspiring story…
My preemie experience started 21 months, 3 weeks, 5 days ago. On January 22, 2013, my sweet daughter, the last of my babies, decided she could no longer wait for her due date. She arrived at 8:11am, 15 inches long, 2lbs 15oz. Apgar scores of 8 & 9! A teeny tiny head FULL of black hair. Hearing her scream was a HUGE sigh of relief. I had only been pregnant with her 27 weeks, 6 days. I was terrified.
Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted 3 kids. I had my mind set on 2 boys and 1 girl just like my mom had. My first came as a surprise when I had a positive pregnancy test 2 days before my 18th birthday! Ian has been a huge blessing in our lives from that moment on. Josh and I were so young, that we waited to have another. We started trying for our second the summer of 2010, but after 11 months of trying, I deleted my ovulation tracker and felt like another baby would never happen. I found out I was pregnant a week or two after deleting that ovulation tracker. Mason has been our little firecracker ever since! After having Mason at 27, I decided I would wait a few years to have my last. My mom and Grandma would tell me to just have them close in age and get it over with. Ha! No way, ladies! That’s just crazy! Well, I missed my appointment or my IUD and BAM! I was pregnant again by the time Mason was 6 months old! I couldn’t believe it! I remember feeling a little sad that Mason wouldn’t have the same alone time that Ian got for so many years.
My pregnancy started off fine. Some all day sickness for a few weeks (Not anywhere near how sick I was with Mason!). Early on I had a LOT of pelvic pain. I figured it was because I had JUST been pregnant and I was now 28 years old! Everyone figured it was normal or maybe that I was exaggerating a little. (Don’t we all figure the pregnant lady is exaggerating a little bit?) I was really in pain a lot of the time. I told the midwife, she didn’t think too much of it at the time. We paid to find out the Gender early like we did with Mason’s pregnancy thank to The Images of Life in Melbourne. Everyone was ready for a girl! I didn’t get my hopes up too high for a girl. “IT’S A GIRL!” I cried like a little baby! Wow! “Are you sure?” I had to make sure I could start baby girl shopping right away! After being outnumbered by boys, I was so excited to be able to add a sweet little girl to our family. I even already had a name picked out, Chanel Lynn (of course changed to Carlee Mae).
After we bought tons of pink and let everyone know a sweet baby girl would arrive sometime in April, we resumed our life as normal. A SAHM of a 9-year-old and a 9 month old while 5 months pregnant! Still in pain most of the time. It hurt to walk. I felt like something was ripping apart! Once I reached 27 weeks, Mason had just turned ONE and my mom was just coming home from visiting my Aunt in CT. I was home and discovered blood streaked, mucous discharge and immediately visited Dr. Google!! He told me that it sounds like part of my mucous plug! I never noticed losing it with my 1st two full term pregnancies. I didn’t even have another appointment for another whole week and a half! My mom was due home the next day, If it was still a little bloody, I would just have her take me to the hospital while Josh worked
The next day, I told my dad to have my Mom call me on their way home from the airport. I explained to her what was going on and said, ” I can always see if I can get into the dr tomorrow if you’re tired!” She said, “Yes, please!” At my appointment, I explained what was going on and was asked if I wanted to have my cervix checked. Well, sure! “You’re 2 centimeters dilated! What’s up with that?” HA! you tell me! You’re the Doctor! He told me I need to now go home and be on bed rest. Didn’t really give any explanation as to why I was already dilating. I went home and packed my stuff up to go stay at my moms. Josh was working 6 days a week in the afternoon/evening and that wouldn’t work with a 1-year-old at home!
At my moms, she was the best. Asking if I needed anything or filling my cup with water. I was really hard for me to let someone wait on me so much! I have always been the one taking care of everyone! So I still took showers with Mason who decided to start walking the DAY I was put on bed rest! Go figure! Anytime I would move around, I was having what I thought were Braxton Hicks contractions. They never hurt, just a little uncomfortable or annoying. I was put on bed rest on Thursday, January 17th, 2013.
On Sunday, the 20th, I just had a weird feeling. Can’t really describe it, just felt weird. I figured if I still felt that way the next day, I would go to the ER as instructed by my OB. Monday, I still felt weird and a little constipated. Off to the ER we went. They brought me into the “High Risk ” Pregnancy room and did a UA and the usual blood pressure and temperature readings. Normal. They called my Dr and then did a Fetal Fibronecton test that was positive. (Definition of Fetal Fibronectin from Mayo Clinic:
Fetal fibronectin is a protein that acts as a “glue” during pregnancy, attaching the amniotic sac — the fluid-filled membrane that cushions your baby in the uterus — to the lining of the uterus.
Fetal fibronectin is often present in vaginal discharge before week 22 of pregnancy. Fetal fibronectin also begins to break down and can be detected in vaginal discharge toward the end of pregnancy.
If your health care provider is concerned about preterm labor, he or she might test a swab of secretions near your cervix for the presence of fetal fibronectin between week 22 and week 34 of pregnancy. A positive fetal fibronectin test is a clue that the “glue” has been disturbed and you’re at increased risk of preterm labor.
I was also now 3 cm dilated. I was being admitted for very strict bed rest. I cried more because it was my first nght away from Mason than being admitted on bedrest. Delivering her the next day didn’t even seem possible. I was 27 weeks 5 days pregnant.
That night, I couldn’t sleep. I was hooked up to monitors, IV fluids and Magnesium Sulfate (to stop any contractions), a catheter, and had many pillows and blankets! I stayed up and googled 28 week preemie all night. The more I read, the better I felt. I knew that we could handle any obstacle thrown in our way. My best friends younger twin sisters were born at 26 weeks and are now beautiful 24 year olds. I knew that even with the many challenges they faced, they have grown to be such beautiful ladies! The ultrasound I had that night showed she was close to 3lbs give or take a few ounces. What a relief! I maybe dozed off a little here and there, but by 4:30 AM, I had the most painful “bladder spasms” I swore were being caused by the catheter! I also noticed I was bleeding, which scared me! I rang the nurse who chalked it up to me having my cervix checked previously that night. By 6 am they seemed pretty regular and I could kid of predict when it would happen. (Let me just say that with my 2 previous pregnancies, I NEVER had regular contractions. NEVER!) at 6:50 am I rang the nurse again, the CNA picked up and informed me that it was almost shift change and that she would let the next nurse know. Uhhhh what? I was ready to rip that catheter OUT! I was on a contraction monitor, I saw no contractions registering. I called the nurses station again at 7:05. PLEASE come in here! The new nurse came in and immediately asked what was going on. After explaining, she felt my belly and said, “Ohhh you are having contractions!”, “Feel that?” The CNA from last shift put the monitor on wrong. hmmmm not surprised! My new nurse, Megan, called my Dr who had he check my cervix. “Um, you’re 8 almost 9 cm! We are going to the delivery room!” WHAT?! Delivery room? These were the questions in my mind, but out loud a calm, “OK.” came out. I smiled at all of the staff who watched me get wheeled away! Apparently I was the talk of the maternity ward and NICU.
By the time my Dr came in, I was 10 cm! My mom had taken Ian to school and he had an awards assembly that morning. I couldn’t get ahold of her. Josh had worked 13 hours the day before, he was still sleeping at 7:45 am, so I texted my Mother in Law, “Carlee is on the way!” She texted back, “I’m praying for you and Carlee!” so I called her and said….Can you please come up here! She said YES! ON MY WAY!
The nurse started to break my water while they waited for the neonatal staff to arrive. I still can’t believe how calm I was. I started pushing and right before she was born, My Mother in Law came in! 8:11 am Carlee Mae Cozza was born screaming! I was so happy to hear that tiny scream! They started examining her and I remember just having a huge smile on my face! She is alive and is crying! I was nervous since I was only able to get 1 of 2 steroid shots for her lungs! Before she was taken to the NICU, I was able to kiss her sweet little face. She looked like a tiny little mouse! I was full of adrenaline!
It was a few hours before they were able to let me see her in the NICU. My heart broke when I saw her. Her head wrapped up and face covered with the cpap machine. I couldn’t pick her up and just hold her. I could only rub on her little leg and foot. I was scared. I knew she was in good hands, but I was nervous. When I was back in my room, I often sat there and just thought, “Why MY daughter?” “Why, period?” There were still no answers as to WHY this even happened.
Carlee stayed in the NICU for a total of 6 weeks 5 days. She came home March 10th 2013. The time she spent in the NICU was hard. Juggling the toddler at home, the almost 10 year old at home, and going up to the hospital twice a day! It was rough (looking back now I realize that I was probably a little depressed by the situation during and after) I didn’t sleep much and worried constantly. The nurses there were all so amazing! I will be forever grateful for all of their love and care during that time! Without them, I don’t think I would have made it! I feel teary eyed just thinking about it all. I didn’t get to hold my baby until she was 4 days old. I didn’t get to really nurse her until she was 5 1/2 weeks old. She was able to finally eat from a bottle at 5 weeks old. All accomplished before she was supposed to even be born. She hade a grade 1 brain bleed that thankfully stopped by her follow up ultrasound! The girl is AMAZING!
To this day, she amazes me. Even right now just twirling around with a baby doll singing. Playing with her brothers. Climbing over the back of the couch. You would never know by just looking at here that she fought harder to live than a lot of people and she isn’t even 2 yet!
For World Preemie Day I will leave you with a few Preemie facts!
Incidence of premature birth in the United States of America
General Incidence
499,008 infants — were born prematurely (less than 37 weeks gestation) in 2003
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
Rates of preterm birth
In 1995: 11.0% of live births was born preterm
In 2004: 12.5% of live births was born preterm
In 2006: 12.8% of live births was born preterm
Source: March of Dimes – Peristats
Rates of preterm birth in 2004 by race
African American: 17.6%
Native Americans: 13.2%
Hispanics: 12%
Non-Hispanic white: 11.5%
Asians: 10.4%
(Reedy, 2007)
Rates of preterm birth in 2006 by race
African American: 18.3%
Native Americans: 14.1%
Hispanics: 12.1%
THIS POST WAS WRITTEN & SHARED BY LACEY AT MAMA NEEDS A BOTTLE

As I shared last week, the boys are back! Yes, Alvin, Simon & Theodore are back in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip!
Through a series of misunderstandings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is going to propose to his new girlfriend in Miami…and dump them. They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother.
Play Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Hot Rod Racers Game! It’s non-stop Mayhem on the Road with Alvin and the boys! Get started now.
Visit the Official Website
Follow ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip’ on Facebook | Twitter #AlvinMovie
WIN IT!
One (1) lucky My Sparkling Life Reader is going to win a Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Trip Prize Pack including a $25 Visa gift card to see the film in theaters, an Alvin Plush & an Alvin Lunch Bag!! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 11:59 PM EST Dec 21, 2015.
The Fine Print: Entering this giveaway means that you accept both my rules & disclosure. I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Each household is only eligible to win this prize via blog reviews and giveaways once. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Many will enter, few will win! Please allow 8-12 weeks for delivery of prizing. My Sparkling Life is not responsible for any lost or misdirected packages. Prizing provided and shipped by 20th Century Fox . In the rare occasion that a prize does not arrive (which has happened), please notify me.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Big Hero 6 releases on Blu-ray today, & with that I have a special treat to share with you..my exclusive interview with the voices of Hiro & Tadashi…Ryan Potter & Daniel Henney. Watching them at the interview table together, it was sorta like they had known each other their whole lives, even though they had just met at the premier…they had a fun back and forth that made us all giggle. It’s fun hearing how much they are like their animated counterparts.
Q : Ryan, how excited were you to work on this film and did you geek out over all the science.
Yeah, it wasn’t necessarily a love for robotics and science. It was more for just a love of creating and, you know, within robotics, there’s so much you can create, and I had the Lego robot kit,
I had a lot of models and robot builds and all these different things that I just loved piecing it together. So, it wasn’t necessarily a love for, like, robotics and science, but more just wanting to be able to kind of put the things that were almost trapped in my mind.
– Ryan Potter (Hiro)
Q : You’ve been in a Wolverine movie already, and now you’re in the Marvel Big Hero 6. Were you a big comic book fan as a kid?
I mean, not huge, but I was definitely into them. I was into, like, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk, stuff like that. It’s still very surreal, though. It doesn’t get, like, oh, this is my normal Tuesday, you know, fighting Wolverine and dying in a helicopter. That’s not normal for me. I mean, it’s still very surreal. This movie was very, very special. It didn’t, I mean, it felt like it- you could feel the, the Marvel influence, but it was just a whole, just a whole other beautiful experience. It was just bigger than anything I’d done before. – Daniel Henney (Tadashi)
When asked about how they are like their animated counterparts, they had some interesting answers.
I dress just like Tadashi. I always have. I don’t usually wear suits, so like there’ll be days when I, like, I walk out of my house and I’ll take a look in the mirror, and I, I look just like Tadashi. I wear a cardigan and a baseball hat. – Daniel Henney (Tadashi)
I didn’t go into that room acting at all. I went into that room simply being myself and living in those circumstances, I mean, a lot of the emotional stuff, it was just like, the creators of the film made a really comfortable environment, so I just revisited a lot of things that I felt before. – Ryan Potter (Hiro)
Being Disney’s first multi-racial, multi-ethnic character was a huge honor for them to be chosen to play the roles..
Like, we would’ve, we would’ve paid them to, you know, cast us – Ryan
You didn’t pay? – Daniel
Daniel talks about how it’s a more personal experience for him…
I grew up in Michigan. When I was growing up, there was no one on TV that looked like me. If there was, they were a martial artist, and they had very heavy accents and I couldn’t understand what they were saying. My father’s Caucasian so I had that connection, but yet, I was very much Asian. So it’s very satisfying to know that we can do projects like this now, that can give children that little moment, where they say, ‘Oh, I can do that because they can do that.’ – Daniel
And while Big Hero 6 celebrates family, it’s also about so much more..
The characters are all geniuses. The film does celebrate science and robotics, and just being a smart person, but what it really celebrates is being yourself, and these kids just happen to be very smart. Every single one of these kids are all brutally honest in who they are, and they’re proud of it. They don’t shy away from who they are,. So yes, it does celebrate robotics and science, but it also celebrates just being a nerd. It celebrates being an outstanding young man and having high morals, and being a strong independent woman, and it celebrates simply being yourself. – Ryan
So what’s next for these guys?
A TV show here in the states for Daniel, & & college for Ryan. I see big things for the both of them and can’t wait to see what they do in the future!
Be sure to pick up your own Oscar winning Big Hero 6 today!
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Available on Blu-ray, Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere TODAY!
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”