And The 2015 Oscar Goes To…

Teachers, who are they? They are the people who take care and educate the next generation. Their devotion to the job and all that hard work, even after hours, helps them to better mold and inspire our children. I had many teacher that inspired me to be the person I am today, and we’ve been blessed enough to have the majority of the boys teacher be just as inspirational. I myself taught pre-k for a year and a half before I decided to be a SAHM. I admire those that teach, because I know they don’t do it for the paycheck, they do it because they love children and love being able to make a difference in a child’s life. This is why The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® are having a special promotion just for teachers!
In celebration of National Teacher Appreciation Day (Tuesday, May 5,2015), The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Southern California’s iconic specialty coffee and tea retailer, invites teachers and faculty members to present their school ID to receive any regular (16 oz.) beverage for only $2, to honor the work they do for their communities. Available all day at participating Arizona, California, New York, Connecticut and Austin area store locations, teachers can order their favorite signature drink, or opt for the new seasonal Thai Tea and Vanilla Rooibos beverages.
The promotion will take place at all participating The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® locations*. To locate the store closest to your area please visit: http://www.coffeebean.com.
*Valid only at participating The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® retail locations. Offer valid on May 5, 2015. Offer for one (1) Regular size beverage for two dollars ($2.00). Limit one (1) per customer per visit. Valid teacher identification must be presented at time of purchase. Valid on bar beverages only. No cash value. Not redeemable with other offers. Not valid on previous purchases. No substitutions. No rain checks. While supplies last. ©2015 International Coffee & Tea, LLC. All rights reserved.
Thank you to The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® for sponsoring this important conversation.
Share your teacher appreciation stories using the hastags #CBTL4Teachers #thecoffeebean or #purplestraw
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.”

Life, like the weather, can be unpredictable. One minute you’re huddled up by a warm fire beating the chills of winter the next you’re peeling off layers as spring hits.
With the warm weather right around the corner we take a look at three tips to help prepare your hair and skin for the changing of the seasons, without the drama.
In the power of a fantastic skin care routine, morning and evening. Over the colder months, you might feel that your skin and hair needs a little extra TLC and is prone to drying out more but with the sun comes just as many challenges so at the very least step up that sunscreen application. Harmful UV rays might be the number one cause of ageing but they also play a key part in damaging skin that can lead to some types of skin cancer, so invest in a quality product today.
Your hair too will no longer have the frizz factor that comes with constantly whipping a wooly hat on and off, so now’s the time to treat your locks to some deep nourishing. Hair down is the new look over the summer so make sure your tresses are radiating shine. A great cut will do wonders for your overall sense of wellbeing, get rid of those dry ends and put back a summer swing in your step.
Cheap mascara is a false economy and unfortunately, it’s easy to end up buying beauty products that promise the earth but deliver very little. So our next tip when buying summer beauty products is to do your research. Whether you’re looking for a new set of hair straighteners or some tinted moisturizer, what you pay is often what you get.
When it comes to buying electrical goods, you don’t want to run the risk of getting landed with some faulty wiring so check out reviews on sites such as All The Stuff and lifestyle blogs to check out what everyone’s raving about and what’s best to avoid like cheap mascara.

Get ready to experience Disney magic like never before with Feld Entertainment’s Disney On Ice, 100 Years Of Magic, Presented by Stoneyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt! Experience the magic and wonder of your favorite Disney characters like never before. See a cast of over 50, with Mouse-ter of Ceremonies Mickey Mouse, sweetheart Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Disney Princesses including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel, Snow White and Tiana.
The boys and I went a few years ago and had a blast! It’s really a must see show.
And one of my winners…who is now hosting this giveaway – Rachel @ JetSettingMom.com
Relive the magic of Disney’sFrozen with Anna, Elsa and the hilarious Olaf as they discover that true love is the greatest magic of all. Sing-along to over 30 unforgettable songs including “Let It Go,” “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” and “Hakuna Matata.” Exciting moments from Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Disney’s The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and more will leave the whole family with memories to last a lifetime. Show off your moves at the Disney Magic of Healthy Living dance-along pre-show inspired by the Disney Healthy Living commitment as the celebration of the century skates into Corpus Christi, TX!
Disney On Ice 100 Years Of Magic will be performing at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX from April 21-24, 2016. Find showtimes, tickets and more info HERE!
Not local to Corpus Christi? Find a Disney On Ice show near you HERE!
Enter to win a family 4 pack of tickets to Disney On Ice!
Enter to win a family 4 pack of tickets to the see Disney On Ice, 100 Years Of Magic, Presented by Stoneyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt at the American Bank Center on April 21st at 7:30pm!
Giveaway ends April 13th, 2016 at 11:59pm. Open to US residents 18+. Tickets are ONLY for the April 21st show at 7:30pm and can not be changed or altered. Tickets will either be hand delivered or mailed to the winner before the show.

This post may contain affiliate links which fund the My Sparkling Life blog.
This morning at 9am EST, Rolls-Royce publicly revealed its latest creation, the Rolls-Royce Dawn drophead coupe, in an online global webcast event this morning ahead of the Frankfurt Auto Show from their factory in Goodwood, England.
After the darkness comes Dawn. Its striking silhouette transformed at a touch, its inviting interior opened to the elements – to friends, to the unexpected, to endless possibilities. Dawn lives in the moment. The moment is now.
Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös gave Robb Report an exclusive preview of the Dawn during the 2015 Monterey Car Week in August.
Deliveries of the Dawn are set to begin in April 2016.
No pricing announced yet.
Dawn is powered by a 563 hp V-12 that generates 575 ft lbs of torque.
Its 8-speed transmission uses GPS data to select the optimal gear.
The chassis is adapted from the marque’s Wraith and Ghost models.
Rolls-Royce’s new Dawn has taken inspiration from the 1950’s Silver Dawn
The new 2+2 convertible is a departure from the rest of the company’s current lineup. Smaller than the two-door Wraith, but slightly longer than the four-door Ghost Series II, the beating heart and soul of any Rolls-Royce motor car is the beloved twin-turbo 6.6-litre V12 powertrain. With a power output of 563bhp or 420kW @ 5,250rpm and a torque rating of 780Nm or 575 lb ft @ 1,500rpm, Dawn’s driving experience is exceptional.
Rolls-Royce’s new Dawn has taken inspiration from the Silver Dawn — a small, lightweight Rolls-Royce produced between 1950 and 1954, whilst delivering a world first in super-luxury motoring – a cool, contemporary interpretation of what a super-luxury four-seater convertible motor car should be in 2015 – rare, refined and the most social super-luxury car there is. Like the Silver Dawn, today’s Dawn drophead coupe was designed for those who want to drive, rather than to be driven. The new Dawn also represents a shift in the brand’s nomenclature, from names drawn from the supernatural to a sunnier, more optimistic denotation.
“Our new Rolls-Royce Dawn promises a striking, seductive encounter like no other Rolls-Royce to date, and begins a new age of open-top, super-luxury motoring. Dawn is a beautiful new motor car that offers the most uncompromised open-top motoring experience in the world. It will be the most social of super-luxury drophead motor cars for those who wish to bathe in the sunlight of the world’s most exclusive social hotspots.
Quite simply, it is the sexiest Rolls-Royce ever built.
The name ‘Dawn’ perfectly suggests the fresh opportunities that every new day holds – an awakening, an opening up of one’s senses and a burst of sunshine. In its tentative, inchoate, anticipatory state, dawn is the world coming to light from the ethereal dark of the night. The early-day chill of dawn provides an erotic tingle on the skin, awakening the senses and passions as the day begins.
Like Eleanor Thornton, thought by many to be the inspiration behind the Spirit of Ecstasy, the Rolls-Royce Dawn will itself prove to be the muse that leads its owner to believe that at the start of the day, anything is possible.” – Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
As with every Rolls-Royce, the Dawn can be customized in a seemingly infinite array of colors, finishes, and materials. The company has been quietly taking orders for the car over the past few months, with production slated to begin in February 2016 and deliveries scheduled to begin in April. While Rolls-Royce has not stated exactly how many Dawn dropheads it will sell, Shepherd stresses that the car will remain exclusive.
“You certainly don’t want to see one on every corner,” – Shepherd