4 Easy Ways to Implement Self Care into Your Life ⋆ My Sparkling Life

This post may contain affiliate links which fund the My Sparkling Life blog.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This travel was #Hosted which means The company who sponsored it compensated me via all expenses paid trip, 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.”
San Antonio welcomes millions of visitors each year that come to enjoy the hot Texas sun, Tex Mex, the River Walk, and a few theme parks that make this city a must visit for anyone traveling through the lone star state. San Antonio has been a city that I’ve visited at least once a year since I was 5. I love visiting the River Walk, it’s one of my favorite places…but even out of all that time I hadn’t been during the holidays until last year. We absolutely LOVED it so much that we decided it would be an annual trip….Holidays In San Antonio.
Instead of just a one night trip, this year we decided to make it a weekend. We packed our R2D2 suitcase from American Tourister and headed out of town Saturday morning on our two-hour trek to a weekend of fun and adventure!
We stayed at the Red Roof Inn Plus Downtown…it was fairly easy to find and had plenty of parking with the included garage. The lobby was beautifully decorated for the holidays and the staff was super courteous and got everyone their rooms quickly. We took our things up to our two rooms which were across the hall from one another. Our room overlooked downtown where we could see the last of the runners from the Rock N Roll Marathon finishing their last mile. Both room were furnished with two full sized beds, a chair, a built-in desk & dresser and a flat screen tv. I loved the farmhouse sink that was in the bathroom, I would love one of these in my bathroom at home!
After we got everything settled in the room we headed off to Sea World for their Christmas Celebration. The boys were so excited to see the place decked in lights and do the many things we had on our itinerary. First off we took our picture in front of the tree up front. Every time we visit Sea World we have to get our picture taken here (normally it’s a fountain). We had a full day of adventure and fun, after which we had to swing by Target because someone forgot their toothbrush…yep, that would be me…I can grab everyone else’s, but can’t remember my own!
The next morning we woke rested and headed down to the free breakfast that is served from 6-9 every day. We grabbed some bagels, danishes, fresh fruit and waters then headed back up to the room to get ready for our day. Today we were exploring the downtown riverwalk area & Alamo. Since it was early the river walk was quite dead so we started off by walking the river center mall, enjoying a massage “kiosk” and taking photos in a photo booth.
After checking out a few stores (like the Disney Store..a must do for us since we don’t have one in Corpus) we headed over to the Alamo…another one of my favorite places in SA…perhaps because I used to come here all the time as a kid. Out in front in the plaza they had a large Christmas tree decorated with SA Spurs decor. The Alamo was buzzing with tourists like always. We headed on inside to remind the boys about the battle and all that the missionaries and soldiers sacrificed.
NOTE: Please DO NOT TOUCH the walls of the Alamo! It is quite old and just your touch could affect the mortar and stones. Please be respectful of this historic site.
Yes, I say this because I saw a man talking on the phone just walking along and touching the walls as he talked…I’m assuming it was just fidgeting like we all do on the phone, but finally a volunteer went over and asked him not too…he looked confused and said “all I’m doing is touching the walls.” I used that as a lesson for the boys of course and went on our way through each room viewing the beautiful found wall murals in some of the rooms then on to the “museum” part to view all the weapons and memorabilia from the period. My husbands family bible is located there. His Great Aunt Nancy Gage was a nurse at the Alamo and this is the page that is viewable in the case.
About the end of our walk through the Alamo, we were all getting hungry so we headed over to Rita’s On The River, who would be hosting us for lunch. This spot on the river walk is just gorgeous! So many large trees, greenery, small waterfall and of course the river.
“Rita’s on the River is a Tex-Mex restaurant on the Riverwalk known for the Texas-sized Margaritas, ice cold beer and delicious, sizzling fajitas with Texas-sized portions and beautiful Riverwalk views!”
As soon as you walk up to Rita’s you really get that TexMex feel with the music, bright decor and heavenly smell. We decided to sit outside and enjoy the view and people watching. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable about the food. We all quickly found what we wanted to eat even though there was so much goodness to choose from.
While we waited a lady came around letting us sample some homemade tortillas! OMG! It’s been so long since I’ve had homemade tortillas…the hubby and I were in food heaven!
After that a mariachi band started making their rounds from table to table working for tips…after hearing La Cucaracha, Labumba and a few others it was our turn…since after all it was the holidays I requested Feliz Navidad.
I just love the sound of a Mariachi and we couldn’t help but sing along. It wasn’t long after that that our food arrived. The aroma was overwhelming and had our mouths watering. The portions were quite large, I knew most of us wouldn’t finish, but we tried, just because it was so good! The tacos were cooked with peppers and onions which I usually don’t care for (weird I know, I hear it all the time), but the way this was cooked, it just added to the deliciousness and I didn’t mind at all! As we sat there eating and discussing how good it was we all started to realize we were getting full and would have to leave a lot of the food behind. Normally I would take it home, but we didn’t have a fridge or microwave in the room so there was no point…trust me, it killed me!
After that deliciousness, we were quite full so we headed back to the hotel for the boys (ok all of us) to take a nap before finishing the afternoon fun. After the nap, we decided to hang around the room a little since the boys were a little worn out from walking everywhere.
After a while, we headed back out as it was just about dinner time, but we wanted to see some of the lights along the way. We went by the Alamo to see the tree lit up then walked along the river walk a bit before arriving at our host for the evening, The Hard Rock Cafe.
The Hard Rock Cafe has always been one of my favorite spots to eat. In the past we’ve sat outside with the boys, but this time I really wanted them to experience what makes the Hard Rock…the Hard Rock! The were so excited to see all the musical instruments on the walls…although my youngest two didn’t understand that they were from someone famous they still enjoyed looking at them.
I was quite surprised that they were pretty slow, normally it takes so long to get a table and they have all floors and outside full. They only had the downstairs and outside open, so I was free to walk around upstairs and take pictures without bugging people. There were some pretty awesome things to see from artists like ZZTop, Elvis & Eddy Van Halen to name a few. The restaurant was decorated for the holidays as well with garland lights and a tree next to the stairs…we were definitely in a happy place.
Our waitress was like one in a million…(I believe here name was Hollie)…I can literally count on one hand how many time I’ve had a waitress as knowledgeable and fun as her. She talked us into adding the Nachos as an appetizer along with our potato skins and we were so glad she did..they were delicious! The entrees were to die for too…I had the Little Rock Burger…and even through it was a smaller portion, it was still almost too much for me! My little guys LOVED their guitar shaped plates. The ketchup was in spots in the neck and their fries and pizza were in the body. My oldest who usually devours anything in site didn’t even finish his meal…he actually got full!
After dinner we walked along the river walk to enjoy all the beautiful lights and luminaries, as we headed back to the hotel for our last night in SA. If you have the chance, be sure to take a night “cruise” on the river walk boats. You’ll learn a little history about San Antonio and get to see the beautifully lit River Walk.
The next morning we packed up our things enjoyed some breakfast and checked out of the hotel. We really enjoyed our stay and was a little sad to go. Before we headed back home we decided to take the boys to the Missions in San Antonio. Even though they were missing school for it, I felt it was a great excuse as they were learning about Texas History, hands on. My 10 yr old and 6 yr old even earned their Jr. Ranger badges at the second Mission. The boys were very well behaved in each mission we went into, very respectful and in awe of the history and stunning beauty inside the churches.
I want to give special thanks to Red Roof Inn Plus, Sea World, Rita’s on the River & Hard Rock Cafe for helping make this weekend a one of a kind.

Easter is such a great time for cute Spring crafts and treats and Cyn at Creative Cynchronicity has some really adorable cookies that are perfect for the occasion. These Easter bunny butt cookies will delight adults and children alike. Make them from premade store-bought cookie dough or use Cyn’s scrumptious melt-in-your-mouth soft frosted sugar cookie recipe.

Fall is just around the corner and it’s my favorite time of year! The cooler weather, beautiful colors and lots of wildlife enjoying the changes. Below are 5 Fantastic Fall Tours You’ll Want On Your Travel Itinerary this year!
5 Fantastic Fall Tours:
Greenland Fall Colors + Northern Lights – Explore and photograph fantastic landscapes of pristine beauty, exotic, arctic wildlife and northern lights. This fall tour demonstrates the beauty Greenland during a time of the year when warm fall colors contrast with the cool blues of icebergs and glaciers. October is also one of the best times of the year to see the magnificent Northern Lights. This 8-day/9-night adventure starts at $7,600 and is a splendid introduction to Greenland.
Great Wall of China Beautiful Colors – In autumn, beautiful colors adorn Beijing and the forests surrounding nearby sections of the Great Wall of China. Smoke trees, maple, persimmon, and dozens of other species turn vibrant shades of red, yellow, and orange, usually between mid-October and mid-November. Explore Beijing and its most popular attractions on this week-long China tour. Visit the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven. Hike along the renowned Great Wall, and try your hand at cooking Chinese cuisine. This tour starts at $1,635.
Blue Ridge Mountains Bike Tour – The quality of cycling routes in Brevard, North Carolina may very well be amongst the best in the country. Extreme elevations and more than 100 species of deciduous trees give the Blue Ridge Mountains one of the longest and most vibrant leaf seasons. This fall tour is the perfect opportunity to log some late season miles and witness the changing of the seasons through the beauty of the fall colors. The terrain offers amazing routes for cycling and will include valleys, winding mountainous roads, long elevated climbs and amazing descents. This 6-day/5-night tour starts at $2,195.
Fall Trout Fishing in Montana – In Montana, dominant golden hues begin peaking in early October, with colorful trees including maples, larch and aspen. There also is no better time tofish Montana for large trout than October. The Big Hole Lodge, one of the great fly fishing destinations in North America, offers unmatched wild trophy trout fishing. This Orvis Endorsed lodge is nestled in a magnificent wilderness setting in the Pioneer Mountains of Montana with a beautiful trout stream at its doorstep. This 6/day/5-night tour starts at $3,675.
Tuscany Harvest Season by Bike – Autumn is a wonderful time to visit Italy. Crowds are thinning, prices and temperatures are dropping, harvest season is underway, and the food is fantastic. Fall colors can be found in vineyards, foothills, and mountains in mid-October and into November. This bicycle tour savors the best of the incredibly rich and varied cultural wealth and natural beauty of Tuscany. It is an evocative time to travel to Italy, with hillsides cloaked in ready-to-pick grapes and a fragrance of fermenting wine permeating the air.

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.”
I’ve owned many products from TerraCycle®, I just love that they make it easy for you to take care of the environment by offering various recycling programs & upcycled products made from everyday wrappers. Entenmann’s Little Bites® has been a partner with the company for years now. With their recycling program, you can turn in used wrappers from Little Bites® packages and earn money for your school!
In celebration of Earth Day, from now through April 30, 2018, TerraCycle®, an international recycling company, and Entenmann’s Little Bites® are asking fans to make the pledge and recycle Entenmann’s Little Bites® pouches to be placed in the running to win a Classroom Party for a K-12 school. It’s easy to participate: make the pledge, send in the recyclables and earn more rewards.
Pledge: your pledge qualifies you for the contest
First Shipment: your first shipment earns 500 bonus points
Second Shipment: your second shipment earns 1,000 bonus points
TerraCycle Sweepstakes: K-12 schools-only have the chance to win a Classroom Party as long as they pledge. The classroom party will include five (5) cases of Entenmann’s® Little Bites® and 100 upcycled pencil cases. Please see more details and official rules here: http://www.terracycle.com/en-US/contests/little-bites-pledge
Each Entenmann’s® Little Bites® pouch is perfectly portioned and a good source of calcium and vitamin D, + they never contain high fructose corn syrup or trans-fat. They are delicious baked snacks, perfect for today’s on-the-go families. From year-round favorites like Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Muffin to seasonal varieties, Little Bites® are baked soft and moist, made with real ingredients.

One of our favorite channels to watch is Animal Planet! There’s nothing like the kids learning about new animals and getting excited about it. Just in time for Easter Animal Planet has these adorable series of eggs, Hatch ’ems, that will excite your kids just as the small pills excited us as kids…yes I’m talking the ones you put in water and watch the magic happen!
Each set comes with three eggs to hatch!
Once we stuck them in water it only took one night for the eggs to crack! Now we have slimy little creatures we’re waiting to watch grow!
Did you know?
African Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth.
African Elephants are fond of water and enjoy showering by sucking water into their trunks and spraying it all over themselves.
An African Elephant’s trunk contains about 100,000 different muscles and is used for smelling, breathing, trumpeting, drinking, and grabbing.
African Elephants can consume up to 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of food in a single day.
Animal Planet brings the animal kingdom to life every day-on screen, online and in products like this one. Let your instincts take over and your imagination go wild.
Your purchase of this product benefits the principal partners of R.O.A.R., Animal Planet’s project to help make the world a better place for animals. AnimalPlanet.com/ROAR
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.”

This post may contain affiliate links which fund the My Sparkling Life blog.
You know my boys love their video games, and my little guys are still too young to play most of the Wii and PlayStation games so the LeapTV is perfect for them…and guess what?! They learn as they play!! We just received 5 new games from LeapFrog that I want to share my thoughts on…you know, with the holidays coming up and all!
DISNEY FROZEN: ARENDELLE’S WINTER FESTIVAL
I played this game with my five-year old who just started kinder and we both enjoyed playing it. The math starts out really simple, recognizing numbers, then putting them in order and finally equations. If you have 2 battery operated controllers 2 kids together. It does get more difficult becuase it grows with your child. I found the on-screen motions to be pretty good, quick response and accurate. There are 5 games and all are completely different. Your child can Ice Skate with Ana & Elsa or throw snowballs with olaf. My little guy was enjoying his play and didn’t even realize that he was still doing “school work”. I thought the product is great for pre schoolers, especially when the weather won’t permit outdoor play. The game teaches math, shapes but also coordination and logic.
DOODLECRAFT STARRING MR. PENCIL
I had my 13-year-old play along with my 5-year-old, just so there was someone who could help out if he needed it. They both really enjoyed playing and collaborating with each other on designing their world. My 13-year-old even compared it to the infinity sandbox. They were painting and building buildings around the town…they had fun “paintballing” the school. This was definitely a fun game for them to play and I love that they worked together to get the job done!
BLAZE AND THE MONSTER MACHINES
My 9-Year-old and 5-year-old played this one together and really enjoyed racing against each other. Everything seems to be a race with them, so for them to be able to actually race….and learn at the same time was a win-win! I’m telling you it got pretty competitive. I like this game because it teaches science, technology, engineering and math. All subjects on which most kids don’t enjoy learning otherwise.
DISNEY PRINCESS: CINDERELLA AND RAPUNZEL
My boys got quite the giggle “dressing up” like a Disney princess and snapping pics. They played connect the dots with stars by finding letters in the mix of letters and numbers. I see this being a really enjoyable game for a girl, but my boys didn’t play long on it..it just didn’t appeal to them. I do see the value in the reading skills and hope that my 5-year-old will give it another chance.
LETTER FACTORY ADVENTURES
This game is meant for 3-5-year-olds. My 5-year-old started kindergarten this year and is perfect for him! We’ve watched the movies for years and were excited to get to interact with the letters and characters. This game is perfect for teaching him his letters and sounds. There is a ton of repetition with the letters and sounds. The train picks up all the stray letters on the way to their respective stations. The game shows upper and lower case letters and makes their sound or says their name every time you point your pointer at it, or pop a bubble with that letter in it, or sort the letter correctly. On the way to its station, each letter gets three different games. By the time they get to the letter’s station they should have a good idea about that letter and the sound it makes! The kids also get to move and use their bodies to play which is an added bonus. My little guy really likes this game and I know it’s going to help him out this year with school and his speech.
Over all we really enjoyed these games and the boys can’t wait to play again!
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.”