Healthy Snacks For Back To School

My little toddler just loves to play pretend. He loves getting his action figures and peoples and build houses for them. So he was super excited when VTech sent him the Go-Go Smart Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home to play with. I tell you what, he plays with it EVERY day since we got it almost two weeks ago!
VTech’s Go! Go! Smart line lets little ones discover cause-and-effect learning as they engage in imaginative role play and develop fine motor skills with help from fun, friendly vehicles, animals and figures.
The Go! Go! Smart ranges each feature colorful, interactive playsets includes a variety of track pieces that easily snap together and connect to other playsets in the lines.
For even more excitement the Go! Go! Smart Friends figures can be placed on MagicPoint™ locations found throughout the playsets. They will respond with phrases, music and lights while teaching cause and effect, first words, letters and more. The sets and characters are completely interactive and ready to fuel your child’s creativity!
His favorite feature of the Go! Go! Smart Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home…the elevator..you place the Go! Go! Smart Friend Norah on the elevator, and it goes up, you take her off, then place her back on and it goes down…pretty simple..but he loves that he can make it do something cool like that! He giggles every time Norah goes potty, because the toilet flushes…But don’t try to put your figure to bed…you will get knocked out of bed and across the room..lol..He also really likes the slide, and always has someone going “weee”. He tends to bring in his little batman figures to play with her as well. Norah likes having her super friends to play with
The house itself wasn’t too hard to put together…but I will say, find the page with sticker placement and put those on before you piece it together…it will save you time.
As he grows we can get more into the lessons that Norah gives on each MagicPoint™. This teaches while still giving him the ability to use his imagination.
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WIN IT!!
One lucky My Sparkling Life Reader is going to win a Go! Go! Smart Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 11:59 PM EST Oct 7, 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 VTech. In the rare occasion that a prize does not arrive (which has happened), please notify me and I will try to contact the sponsor.
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.”

It’s summer time which means get together and BQQ’s. July’s National Grilling Month is the perfect opportunity to treat your friends and family to some delicious (but rather unhealthy) food from the grill. When most people think of a cookout, they have dreams of hot dogs, hamburgers, creamy potato salad and chips – and we all know we binged on the 4th! According to a survey from Medifast, over half of the participants just sit and eat at a BBQ rather than move around and partake in physical activity…So why not add some healthy, light and delicious meals to the menu to make up for the lack in cardiovascular activity? To help combat the BBQ weight gain, Medifast has created a few grilling recipes perfect to help celebrate National Grilling Month while keeping you slim and trim.
1 Lean | 2 Green | 3 Condiments
Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 14 minutes Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients 7 oz flank steak ¼ tsp whole peppercorns 1/8 tsp kosher salt ½ tsp dry mustard ¼ tsp garlic powder ¼ tsp dried thyme ½ cup mushrooms, sliced thin
½ cup green bell peppers, chopped
Directions1. Mix the peppercorn, salt, mustard, garlic powder, and thyme.2. Rub evenly over steak.3. Let stand for 10 minutes.4. Heat a non-stick grill pan over medium heat.5. Grill steak five to seven minutes on each side, until steak is desired doneness.
6. Grill mushrooms and green peppers until tender; serve alongside steak.
Per serving: 360 calories | 17g fat | 5g carbohydrates | 44g protein
Lemon Scallion Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs
Prep time: 15-20 minutes + 30 minutes soak time for wooden skewersCook time: 10-15 minutes
Yields: 3 servings
Ingredients24 oz raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast (should yield three 6-oz cooked servings)2 cups (2 small) summer squash*2 cups (18 medium) mushrooms, quartered1-1/2 cups (1 small-medium) zucchini*
1 cup (8 medium) cherry tomatoes *Half lengthwise, then cut into 1″ chunks
Lemon scallion sauce:3/4 cup (4-6) scallions, chopped1 Tbsp olive oil1/2 tsp salt or salt substitute6 Tbsp fresh lemon juice1 Tbsp hot red pepper sauce
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions 1. If using wooden skewers, soak in water 30 minutes.2. In small bowl, combine scallion sauce; set aside. (You may wish to reserve part of this sauce for finished kabobs.)3. Preheat grill to medium heat.4. Thread kabobs with chicken, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and tomatoes.5. Brush kabobs before and during cooking with sauce.
6. Grill kabobs 10 minutes, turning once, until cooked through.
Each serving counts as: 1 “Leaner” Protein Serving; 1 Healthy Fat Serving; 3 Vegetable Servings; 3
Optional Condiment Servings
Nutrition: Cal 380; Total Fat 11g; Sat Fat 2.5g; Chol 145mg; Sod 520mg; Total Carb 13g; Fiber 4g; Pro 56g
Disclosure: This post was provided by a representative for Medifast. No compensation was received for sharing this with my readers The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. For questions or to have your product featured on Mom of 4 Boys, email Becky at [email protected].

If your a shopper, there’s no better time of year to snag some fantastic deals! Right now during the Glamulet pre-sale event, you are able to get your hands on brand new charms that have not been released yet!
About the company:
The Charms Brand Glamulet was launched in 2014 to offer to every woman a new range of trendy and elegant quality jewelry at an affordable price. Glamulet believes that every woman should be allowed to express herself and to feel pretty. Each woman can mix and match the charms and make a special piece for someone or herself.
The Pre-Sale Deal :
Head to their pre-sale page here & score up to 50% off your order if you are fast enough & buy now. The earlier you buy the more the discount will be. Plus if you use my code – sparkley15 you will get an additional 15% off. Which means you can buy more! Items will ship November 20th so you will have them in plenty time for the holidays!
Here are a few charms that are available to choose from :
As if the sale wasn’t enough, there’s more! 100 lucky winners will be sent a set of pre-sale charms worth $75 for entering in the giveaway below!
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.”
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Based on the bestselling novel by master storyteller Nicholas Sparks, THE LONGEST RIDE centers on the star-crossed love affair between Luke, a former champion bull rider looking to make a comeback, and Sophia, a college student who is about to embark upon her dream job in New York City’s art world. As conflicting paths and ideals test their relationship, Sophia and Luke make an unexpected connection with Ira, whose memories of his own decades-long romance with his beloved wife deeply inspire the young couple. Spanning generations and two intertwining love stories, THE LONGEST RIDE explores the challenges and infinite rewards of enduring love.
Starring: Britt Robertson, Scott Eastwood, Jack Huston, Oona Chaplin, and Alan Alda
Directed by: George Tillman, Jr.
Official Websites – #LongestRide
Follow The Longest Ride on Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Instagram | YouTube
Visit the Official Website
One lucky My Sparkling Life Reader is going to win the The Longest Ride Prize Pack listed above ! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 11:59 PM EST April 020, 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 Big Honcho Media. In the rare occasion that a prize does not arrive (which has happened), please notify me and I will try to contact the sponsor.
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.”

This post may contain affiliate links which fund the My Sparkling Life blog.
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.”
Usually, I hear the great summer anthem, “I’m Board” even though we just got back from the beach, the lake or something else fun. The great summer anthem rings through the house like an unwanted version of bohemian rhapsody. I will admit that during the summer, no matter how hard I try, getting them to read is a major battle. I’m so glad that I can grab a few “activity” books to keep on hand for when the anthem starts.
Fantasy Adventure Coloring Book
Enter an enchanted land of awesome ogres, legendary dwarves, and supernatural beasts. This imaginative coloring book will cast a spell on colorists of all ages, with fantastic visions of mythical creatures. Fantasy illustrator Eric Messinger presents dozens of detailed illustrations, ready to color with markers, colored pencils, watercolors, or gel pens.
Fantasy Adventure Coloring Book includes handy guides to coloring techniques like patterning, combinations, and shading. Guided Coloring Pages make coloring easy for beginners, with beautifully colored examples and ready-to-use color palettes. Each design is printed on one side only of archival-grade, acid-free, 200-year paper, and perforated pages detach easily for gifting or display.
Vera Bradley Coloring Collection
This deluxe boxed set provides four eye-catching Vera Bradley coloring card books in one attractive case! Printed on heavy cardstock with satin ribbon bookmarks and foil-embellished covers, each unique book offers 20 lovely coloring cards. The cards all feature authentic Vera Bradley designs, and detach easily from the book to share with friends. On the back of every card is the name of the design, a cheerful quote, and lines for personal notes. The Vera Bradley Coloring Collection is a wonderfully creative way to relax with simple beauty in the midst of our hectic lives.
Fun With Fidget Spinners
Become the ultimate spin master with this epic fidget spinner trick book. Work your way through 50 totally awesome tricks, ranging from beginner to advanced, plus cool games and challenges. Inside, you’ll find loads of tips and tricks for increasing your spin speed and time, plus tons of ideas for customizing your spinners to make them totally unique. Track your progress in the workbook section at the back of the book so you know which tricks you’ve mastered and your best stats. In no time, your tricks will go from super to the extreme!
A guide to the most popular spinners.
More than 50 great tricks and games from beginner to advanced.
How to care for and customize your fidget spinners.
Workbook for tracking tricks and stats.
Mind Magic
Everyone knows that most magic tricks are simply sleight-of-hand. Mental magic, on the other hand, can give the illusion of real paranormal powers. This dazzling collection offers a rich selection of mind-reading, spirit-raising, future-telling illusions, complete with tips on how to present them most effectively. Read palms with amazing accuracy, predict the future with tarot cards, conjure up table-tipping spirits, find psychic connections between people and their possessions, receive uncanny messages from the beyond, and even seem to know what people are thinking. Of course, it’s all in fun and all the explanations include the magician’s patter that goes with each trick–assuring that no matter how spooky the effect, the audience isn’t shocked or terrified, but delightfully amazed.
Geology Lab
Geology Lab for Kids features 52 simple, inexpensive, and fun experiments that explore the Earth’s surface, structure, and processes. This family-friendly guide explores the wonders of geology, such as the formation of crystals and fossils, the layers of the Earth’s crust, and how water shapes mountains, valleys, and canyons. There is no excuse for boredom with a year’s worth of captivating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) activities.
In this book, you will learn:
How to identify the most common rocks and minerals
How to maintain and display your rock collection
How insects are trapped and preserved in amber
How geysers and volcanoes form and erupt
How layers of rock reveal a record of time
How to pan for gold like a real prospector
Geology is an exciting science that helps us understand the world we live in, and Geology Lab for Kids actively engages readers in simple, creative activities that reveal the larger world at work.
What books do you have to keep your kiddos busy this summer?

This Hidden Pot O’ Gold Pudding Parfait could not be any easier. The pineapple represents the pot of gold and of course, the cereal represents the rainbow. Perfect for a St. Patricks’ Day treat or dessert. Visit Jenni at Sweet Pennies from Heaven for the full recipe.
Don’t forget to check out all of the other great St.Patrick’s Day crafts and recipes below!
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