Cake Mix Sugar Cookies | 12 Days of Easter

Welcome to March and another 12 days of new and exciting recipes or crafts to celebrate St Patricks Day. Today’s recipe is for a Brownie Mint Trifle. This recipe is chocolaty, creamy, and minty! Visit SavingYouDinero.com for this yummy recipe. Make sure you check back tomorrow for a new craft of recipe for your family to enjoy!

The benefits of making your own baby food are enormous …
You know exactly what your baby is eating – none of the dreaded “fillers” commonly found in commercial baby food
You know that the ingredients are fresh and healthy
You can “tailor make” your baby’s food to best suit his/her preferences and needs
You will save money. These homemade baby food recipes cost a fraction of the price of ready made foods
And most importantly … making your own baby food is tremendously satisfying – for you AND your baby.
Are you concerned that you don’t have enough time to make your own baby food?
It’s not nearly as time consuming as you might think! On the baby food preparation and storage page you’ll learn how to prepare batches of food quickly and easily.
Your baby might be ready for solids if he/she
Sits up alone, without assistance
Consistently seems hungry after a full feeding
Shows interest in or grabs at your food
Can refuse food by turning head
Has outgrown reflex to spit out solid food
My Sparkling Life recommends introducing one food at a time, waiting at least 3-4 days before introducing another food. Watch closely for adverse reactions such as excessive gas, diarrhea, vomiting or a rash. If there is a reaction, discontinue food and wait at least 2 more weeks before reintroducing the food.
Apple Sauce
3 medium-sized apples (Red or Golden Delicious)
½ cup water
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Peel and chop apples into cubes (about a 1 inch), discarding the core. Place apples in sauce pan with water and cinnamon and simmer on medium-low heat until apples are tender – approximately 10-12 minutes.
Once apples are tender, all contents of pan (including liquid) to food processor. Puree until smooth. Add water if necessary.
Dispense apple puree evenly into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. When ice cubes are frozen, remove cubes from tray and store in a resealable plastic freezer bag or freezer container. Label package with contents and date. Use within 1 month. Before serving, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Pears
2-3 ripe medium-sized pears
½ cup water
Chop pears into squares (about a ¼ inch), discarding the peel and core. Place pears in sauce pan with water and simmer on medium-low heat until pears are tender – approximately 10-12 minutes.
Once pears are tender, all contents of pan (including liquid) to food processor. Puree until smooth. Add water if necessary.
Dispense pear puree evenly into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. When ice cubes are frozen, remove cubes from tray and store in a resealable plastic freezer bag or freezer container. Label package with contents and date. Use within 1 month. Before serving, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Peaches
3 medium-sized ripe peaches
½ cup water
Cut peaches in half, removing pit. Place fruit flesh-side down into pan and add water. Simmer fruit on medium-low heat until thoroughly tender and skin peels easily from flesh – about 10-12 minutes. Once cool to the touch, remove skin.
After skin is removed, add fruit and liquid to a food processor and puree until completely smooth. Add more water if necessary.
Dispense peach puree evenly into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. When ice cubes are frozen, remove cubes from tray and store in a resealable plastic freezer bag or freezer container. Label package with contents and date. Use within 1 month. Before serving, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Bananas
Bananas actually qualify as a white fruit, despite its bright yellow exterior. Banana sweet flavor and smooth texture provide for a perfect first food.
Mash ripe banana with a fork until smooth. Serve immediately.
OTHER MAKE YOUR OWN BABY FOOD POSTS:
Veggies Stage 1
Veggies Stage 2
Fruits Stage 2
Sample Menu for 6-8 Months

Your favorite monkey is swinging into your home. All 9 seasons of Curious George, as well as the animated film Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey, are now streaming only on Hulu. As with all Kids programming on Hulu, Curious George streams commercial-free.
Curious George is an animated series based on the popular books by Margret and H.A. Rey. Aimed at preschool viewers (ages three to five), the goal of the series is to inspire children to explore science, engineering, and math in the world around them. And what better guide is there for this kind of exploration than the world’s most curious monkey?
What is Hulu?
Hulu is a premium streaming TV destination that offers hundreds of thousands of hours of the best of current season programming, premium original content, films and full seasons of hit series to subscribers with limited commercials for $7.99 per month or commercial free for $11.99 per month. Hulu is the only streaming subscription service that offers current season content from 5 of the 6 largest U.S. broadcast networks. Since its launch in 2008, Hulu has been at the forefront of entertainment and technology and continues to redefine TV by connecting viewers with the stories they love.
What makes Hulu different from other streaming services?
We are the only streaming service that can offer:
– Current season (last night’s TV) from top networks ABC, NBC, FOX and the CW
– A growing library of full prior and upcoming seasons of hit series – ex. Inside Amy Schumer, Broad City, Empire, South Park, Seinfeld, CSI, Fargo and The Mindy Project
– High profile original programming: 11.22.63, The Path, Casual, Difficult People, The Mindy Project
– Blockbuster films from Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate: Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation, Interstellar, Selma, Top Five and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, etc.
Our competitors don’t have all of those boxes checked. We are the only service that can offer all of these on one easy-to-use platform.
Which devices is Hulu available on?
Hulu is available on most internet-connected devices. Examples: Apple TV, Roku, PlayStation, Xbox, Smart TVs, Laptops + PCs and mobile phones like iPhone and Android-operated phones
For $7.99 a month, the Hulu subscription service offers premium programming anytime with limited commercials.
For $11.99 a month, you can watch Hulu’s premium programming with no commercials.
And, for an additional $8.99 per month, Hulu subscribers can add SHOWTIME to their subscription. Making Hulu the only streaming destination with SHOWTIME’s service fully integrated into its user-friendly platform
All content is available on most internet-connected devices. Visit Hulu.com to start a free 1-month trial, for a limited time only.
WIN!
One (1) lucky My Sparkling Life reader is going to win a Curious George hulu prize pack including: 3-month hulu gift subscription & Curious George youth t-shirt. This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 12:00 PM EST May 4, 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 PROVIDED AND SHIPPED BY BIG HONCHO MEDIA. IN THE RARE OCCASION THAT A PRIZE DOES NOT ARRIVE (WHICH HAS HAPPENED), PLEASE NOTIFY ME.

Spring is here, and the time is right for dancing in the street…oh wait that’s summer…spring is for getting busy on yard work.  Planting, mowing, raking, weeding.  I look forward to it each year and so do my kids! So what does Little Tikes have to do with yard work?  No they didn’t come out

For years now, I just haven’t quite felt myself. I just blamed it on having kids and just being plain exhausted. But after the hubby had two years of health issues, and I gained about 20 lbs and was almost at that 200lb mark, I decided it was time to see the dr. and talk about what was going on. While I had something simple (my thyroid) on my mind and figured it be a simple fix…taking a pill daily doesn’t sound that bad..I already take a multi-vit every day.
Well, it ended up being so much more than that. So because we all know…wellness starts from the inside out. Things like stress and busy schedules are unavoidable occurrences in our everyday lives and might take a toll on our wellness. I decided to make a change, & I started with Nature Made vitamins. My SIL swears by them, so I thought it would be the perfect place to start towards my total body wellness.
Body & Mind both work together like gears to keep you running at peak performance, and with 4 boys getting more active by the day, I can no longer sit and be a spectator. I’ve taken the first steps toward total body wellness by turning to Nature Made…but I try to get in some sort of workout at least 3 times a week, even if its a 10 min drop to the floor and do leg lift exercises, it’s still something that is working toward my total body wellness goal. My mind is always too active to just sit and meditate, but I do take the time to shut everything off and just sit in silence for a few minute or even just having silence while I’m cleaning or organizing something can be super calming.
I never really focused much on the vitamin aisle or realized just how much vitamins can do for you. Things like metabolism support, cellular energy, antioxidant support, bone, teeth, muscle, heart and immune health and so much more! As I said I was only taking a multi-vitamin which was a great start, but finding the right balance of vitamin for my total body wellness has me feeling a little more like myself again.
I picked up Super B-Complex, Vitamin D & Fish Oil. All work together along with my smaller portions and exercise to get me to my wellness goal.
Have you created a wellness goal for 2016? Check out the Nature Made microsite to sign up and be a part of the Nature Made Daily Boost program for inspiration and information to further your health goals.
Why Nature Made?
Nature Made is the nation’s #1 best-selling brand for quality vitamins, minerals and supplements* to help support nutritional gaps
Nature Made is the #1 Pharmacist recommended supplement brand in 9 categories**
They can be found at Walmart where I already shop anyway so it’s easy to pick up Nature Made vitamins, minerals and supplements at an everyday low price, and there is no need to wait for a sale.
Don’t forget to also visit and sign up for the Nature Made Daily Boost program for inspiration and information to further your health goals and to get a sneak peek at what other Nature Made fans are doing to stay healthy.
Nature Made Wellness 5
*I-C will randomly select 20 winners from all program entries and will handle fulfillment of the winning prizes.