“The Lion King” Digital Signature Collection Giveaway

It doesn’t matter whether it’s your 1st baby, or your 6th…we all have trouble telling whether it’s true labor or not. I know for each of my boys it was different, and Braxton hicks sure feel a lot like the first stage { 0-4 } of true labor…Here is a guide to help you determine whether or not it’s truly Miracle Time!
I’ve been told a few things about false labor… first, if you drink a couple glasses and lay down on your left side false labor should let up. Second, if you walk, the contractions will get stronger if it is real labor. I can say that with false labor a couple glasses of water and a nap will take care of them for me. The walking part hasn’t been as true for me… and since every woman is different it is hard to be sure.
I have found the only reliable way to know whether or not it is true labor is time. You will either continue to have contractions – or they will fade out and stop. It’s always good to ask your doctor when s/he would like you to call when you think you are in labor. Generally, all doctors say to call if you think you may be in labor before 37 weeks, but after that time your doctor will probably tell you to call when your contractions are 5-7 minutes apart and have been for over an hour.
When did you know you were in “true” labor?

SING STREET takes us back to 1980s Dublin seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy named Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) who is looking for a break from a home strained by his parents’ relationship and money troubles, while trying to adjust to his new inner-city public school where the kids are rough and the teachers are rougher.
He finds a glimmer of hope in the mysterious, über-cool and beautiful Raphina (Lucy Boynton), and with the aim of winning her heart he invites her to star in his band’s music videos. There’s only one problem: he’s not part of a band… yet. She agrees, and now Conor must deliver what he’s promised – calling himself “Cosmo” and immersing himself in the vibrant rock music trends of the decade, he forms a band with a few lads, and the group pours their heart into writing lyrics and shooting videos.
Inspired by writer/director John Carney’s (ONCE, BEGIN AGAIN) life and love for music, SING STREET shows us a world where music has the power to take us away from the turmoil of everyday life and transform us into something greater.
A feel-good, coming of age story written and directed by John Carney (Once, Begin Again) featuring the ultimate soundtrack of the 80s.
Find out where you can purchase your copy of Sing Street on Go Watch It!
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WIN!!
One (1) lucky My Sparkling Life reader is going to win an Sing Street Prize Pack including a $25 iTunes Gift Card to purchase the official SING STREET soundtrack & a Copy of SING STREET on DVD! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 12:00 PM EST Aug 3, 2016.
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 and samples provided & shipped by Big Honcho Media. IN THE RARE OCCASION THAT A PRIZE DOES NOT ARRIVE (WHICH HAS HAPPENED), PLEASE NOTIFY ME.

As LeapFrog continues the pursuit of making reading an activity that every child and family can enjoy, they are hosting the 20/20 Reading Challenge in honor of National Reading Month this March. LeapFrog is hosting a campaign to encourage families to take a pledge to read for at least 20 minutes per day with their kids. As I’m sure you are aware, an early introduction to reading is an important part of a child’s development.
In fact, kids who are read to at home have a substantial academic advantage. These advantages last throughout a child’s academic career. Studies have shown that:
Twenty-six percent of children who were read to three or four times in the last week by a family member recognized all letters of the alphabet. This is compared to 14 percent of children who were read to less frequently.
According to NCES, only 53 percent of children ages three to five were read to daily by a family member. Children in families with incomes below the poverty line are less likely to be read to aloud every day than are children in families with incomes at or above poverty.
The NCES also reported that children who were read to frequently are also more likely to:
Count to 20 or higher than those who were not (60% vs. 44%)
Write their own names (54% vs. 40%)
Read or pretend to read (77% vs. 57%)
As a part of the March 20/20 Reading Challenge, LeapFrog will be partnering with a great non-profit, Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream Foundation, to donate 20 books to the foundation’s under-served classrooms for every pledge they receive.
“As a mom, it has always been part of our family’s routine to spend time reading together. Research has shown that children who were read to at least three times a week by a family member were almost twice as likely to score in the top 25 percent in reading compared to children who were read to less than three times a week. So many children are showing up to their kindergarten classrooms unprepared for school, and if this little bit of time every day can make a difference in my children’s future academic success and confidence, I am all in!” – Kristi Yamaguchi
The Kristi Yamaguchi Always Dream Foundation is an organization founded to inspire underserved children to reach for their dreams through innovative reading programs and by advancing the cause of early childhood literacy. As an accomplished children’s book author, athlete and mom, Kristi’s passion for reading ignited the Foundation’s commitment to early childhood literacy.
Through this program, LeapFrog plans to donate up to $5 million worth of books to children in need – and they need your help! Take the pledge today to help put a book in a child’s hand!
You can also head over to check out an interview with Kristi that my friend Lisa from Money Saving Parent did about the program.
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The All-New Original Movie Is Available for The First Time on DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, & Digital HD! Bring It Home On May 20, 2014 BURBANK, CA (March 6, 2014) Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group is tickled pink to announce the release of Sophia Grace & Rosie’s Royal Adventure on DVD, Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital HD on May 20, 2014. The super-cute, talented two-some of Sophia Grace and Rosie sang and danced their way to stardom on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Now you can see the little, lovable performers in their first original live-action movie! Following the success of their first book, “Tea Time with Sophia Grace & Rosie,” these pint-sized stars are sure to knock your socks off in their first movie, which includes marvelous bonus features. The Sophia Grace & Rosie’s Royal Adventure original movie will carry a suggested retail price of $19.98 for the DVD and $24.98 for the Blu-ray combo pack, with a retailer pre-order date of April 15, 2014. The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is available to pre-order and will also be released on May 20. The girls are sent to Switzelvania by The Ellen DeGeneres Show as special correspondents to cover the coronation of a new queen. Once there, they encounter three very different princesses competing for the throne. Together, Sophia Grace & Rosie hatch a royal plot to help the best candidate win. Grab your microphone, put on your best tiara, and go on a splendidly fun-filled, exciting adventure fit for a princess! WIN YOUR OWN COPY! One lucky mom of 4 Boys reader will win their own copy of this fun movie! Just follow the instructions on the form below! Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links with fund the Mom of 4 Boys blog. I have received a product(s) for review purposes only, however I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Warner Bros has not influenced the editorial nature of this post, and No other compensation was received. Please see our disclosure policy for more information.

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Even though I’ve had three other kids, potty training parties were never a thing…so I was excited to get together with Pampers to bring you this post on How To Throw A Potty Training Party! I had so much fun planning this party for my little guy and his friends! Pampers sent over some goodies to help me get started, including goodie bags for my guests, decorations and matching paper goods for snacks. I couldn’t wait to get planning!
How To Throw A Potty Training Party
1. Pick A Theme: I like color schemes when it comes to parties…and pampers has a bright a fun one! I didn’t go with a character theme for this one, I stuck with the Pampers colors because I would have both boys and girls at my party so it was easier than doing Thomas & Friends® and Dora the Explorer® themed products…plus the kids really won’t notice the “absence” of a cartoon character at their potty training party.
2. Make Goodie Bags: This doesn’t have to be difficult, it can be a lot of fun for a potty training party! Toss in some Pampers Easy Ups, Hand Soap, Potty Training Book, Potty Training Progress Chart & A little something for Mom! In my bags I included some nail polish (theme colored) and some soap that Mom will enjoy as well, because lets face it..we get a little nasty during potty training too!
3. Pick Out Snacks: Toddlers can be picky, but there’s a few things you can set out that you know they will enjoy. I put out some granola bars, fruit bars, yogurt pouches, and Capri suns! It doesn’t have to be a whole lot, they have small tummies and it’s only a snack..not a meal.
4. Have Something Fun To Do: A photo booth is always a hit at any party. And with toddlers, they love to dress up and take pictures of themselves (as long as you show them when it’s taken). Here you can download a copy of my speech bubbles…just cut them out, laminate or use contact paper to laminate then cut that out and put on a popsicle stick or dowel. Since our potty book was about a superhero, we included plenty of superhero capes to choose from for pictures!
Potty training is an amazing milestone for toddlers and parents alike, but it can also be stressful. Spring is the time many families kick-off potty training so they are ready for summer fun and then for the start of preschool. Potty training can feel like an overwhelming process, and when minor leaks or accidents occur, it can be a disappointment. Pampers Easy Ups helps makes this journey a little easier by providing better leak protection than the leading competitor.
We all want potty training to be a positive experience for our toddlers, but leaks, accidents, and switching from training pants to diapers overnight can feel like setbacks. This is why Pampers want to empower our little ones to overcome these obstacles to achieve and celebrate potty training success. Pampers Easy Ups support the diaper-to-underwear transition for toddlers as they have a more underwear-like look and feel while still helping to keep messes off clothing, bedding and other surfaces no matter where accidents happen: at home, on-the-go or overnight.
PAMPERS EASY UPS PRODUCT FEATURES
Fun Thomas & Friends® designs for boys and Dora the Explorer® designs for girls
A more underwear-like design for growing toddlers
Graphics that fade when wet to help little ones learn
Super-stretchy sides to make them easy to pull up and down when using the potty
Available for Boys and Girls sizes 2T/3T through 4T/5T
Pampers Easy Ups work during the day AND night, enabling toddlers and moms to confidently and completely transition from diapers to underwear!
Pampers Easy Ups Potty Training Tips by L. Jana, MD
1. Promote potty learning. Learning how to use the potty takes plenty of time and patience. It’s more than just training; it is a learning opportunity for toddlers and parents alike that should be enjoyable. After all, mastering this concept of “potty learning” with your little one is a big accomplishment and milestone.
2. Team Spirit. It is important to keep in mind that “teamwork makes the dream work,” especially in the case of potty training. You are not only your child’s biggest fan, you are also their potty training coach. Remember to stay calm in the face of potty accidents and encourage your little one to not worry and try again!
3. Be Prepared. Potty training is an unpredictable adventure that you can best prepare for by ensuring you have all practical supplies on hand. These supplies will help you through any obstacle and can help foster your child’s interest and independence – from a step stool (to improve access to the toilet) or potty seat to training pants. That’s why I’m happy to partner with Pampers, whose Easy Ups training pants are designed to help the diaper-to-underwear transition by allowing potty-training toddlers to set aside their diapers and wear something with a more underwear-like look and feel that still helps contain accidental messes no matter wherever they happen: at home, on-the-go or overnight.
4. Celebrate every win. As with any learning experience, young children can learn a lot from both their potty successes and their setbacks. While potty accidents are an inevitable (and admittedly inconvenient) aspect of potty learning, they shouldn’t dominate your day-to-day discussions. Instead, simply help your child learn to cope with and clean up any messes, and focus your attention on celebrating your child’s efforts and successes with plenty of hugs and words of encouragement.
5. Watch for signs of readiness. Just about all children give subtle (and some not-so subtle) signs that they are ready for potty training. These signs of readiness typically include using their words to express themselves, toddling their own way to the bathroom, pulling down their own pants, saying they want to use the “big potty,” and being aware of the sensation of peeing or pooping, characteristically noticeable when young children suddenly stop what they’re doing as they feel themselves start to go. It is also helpful and increases the likelihood of potty training interest when children start to be bothered by their messy diapers, as that can serve as a good motivation for using the potty instead!
6. Start making connections. There’s a lot that you can do to help your child be well-prepared to successfully use the potty long before he or she actually starts doing it. Making up a fun song or reading engaging children’s books about potty training, such as You and Me Against the Pee! (which I co-authored) can go a long way towards making the idea of potty training a more welcome and eagerly anticipated activity. You can take this familiarity a step further by letting your toddler accompany you in to the bathroom when you need to go so that he both becomes familiar with the routine and comfortable with the idea of using the toilet, rather than being afraid of or intimidated by it!
As you can see, throwing a Potty Training Party can be a lot of fun for both child and parent! It really is a great way to kick off potty training! Have you hosted a Potty Training Party? What are your must haves?
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.”

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Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than its share of colorful personalities—and she’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya’s whole family retreats, and she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to uncover untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings. Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future.
Featuring a rich variety of characters, including a mischievous mongoose, simple-minded langur monkeys, predatory leopards and monitor lizards. With music from award-winning composer Harry Gregson-Williams, Disneynature’s eighth True Life Adventure swings into Blu-ray, DVD & Digital September 15th 2015
DVD Extras
Included on just the Blu-ray edition, a decent amount of behind-the-scenes features and other bonuses are included:
Tales from the Kingdom (12:11) goes into some of the more difficult scenes to pull off from directors Mark Linfield and Alastair Fothergill, including the tight squeeze of filming a bear family in their habitat.
On the Set of Monkey Kingdom with Jane Goodall and Wolfgang Dittus (5:49) – this featurette documents the reactions of the two famed naturalists, who were invited to Sri Lanka to observe some of the production.
Disneynature Monkey Kingdom: A Conservation (7:54) – a fascinating look at efforts to make a wild “buffer zone” between jungles and developed areas in Sri Lanka and other Asian locales. Some of the funds from Monkey Kingdom‘s box office take were funneled into this worthwhile program.
“It’s Our World” Music Video Performed by Jacquie Lee (3:15) – a simple montage-driven promo clip.
A Special Thank You from Disneynature (2:14) details how some of the profits from each film in the Disneynature series have benefitted a specific conservationist movement. This feature is also included on the DVD portion.
Sneak Peeks and an Info Screen round out the extras.
I adored this movie! I sat down and watched it with my 2-year-old and we both giggled as the monkeys were..well, monkeying around. While it is a documentary I love the storyline and the way it turns out. I never knew monkeys had a hierarchy or were so cruel to each other. This Monkey Kingdom DVD is a must watch for adults and kids alike! My husband who I didn’t think would enjoy a movie like this loved it as well. My son just loved the baby monkeys!
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Visit the official MONKEY KINGDOM website
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.”