How To Maintain A Good Diet In Life

Health is foremost on people’s minds, keeping your family in tip top shape can be a challenge in these busy times. Campbell’s Soup wants you to “Address Your Heart” with Heart Healthy Tips, recipes and more! We usually try to teach the kids to eat healthy even though we normally don’t, but this changed when we had a scare…He called me one morning from work and told me that he needed me to take him to the ER. Thinking that he broke something or cut himself, I asked why…I was not ready for what I heard! He was having a heart attack! Cold Sweats, numbness, severe chest pains that radiate to his back & Jaw, dizziness…we jumped in the car and rushed him to the ER where he ended up being for 2 days having all kinds of tests done and was transferred to a local heart hospital to have a cath test done. I could not be with him because I had the kids and no one here to care for them, so separated and scared we went through this. This was our wake up! He is okay, thank god, but at 35 we had to change the way we eat! We now watch what we eat, no longer are in love with our deep fryer, we bake a lot more things and he has been eating Campbell’s Heart Healthy Soups for lunch, instead of eating out! Eating more protein & veggies and less carbs…I’m excited that Campbells has put together 21 recipes at AddressYourHeart.com that are certified by the AHA! The site also offers money saving product coupons, which I know we can all use! Some of my favorite recipes from the site are below, they are great for the whole family and I feel better that we are ALL being heart healthy!
Visit AddressYourHeart.com to get heart-healthy tips, including 21 Campbell’s recipes that are certified by the AHA and product coupons, as well as Facebook for the latest Campbell’s recipes and offers.
Disclosure – This post is sponsored by Campbell Soup Company, however my story is my own.

Attention Portal Masters!
On the heels of the Crash Bandicoot unveiling at E3, Activision is also bringing Kaos and Crash’s arch-nemesis Dr. Neo Cortexn characters into the Skylanders Imaginators universe! The two supervillains are joining the lineup of Skylanders Sensei characters as fully-playable toys. Kaos will even be available for FREE to fans who pre-order and purchase the Skylanders Imaginators starter pack (while supplies last) between October 16 – 22, 2016!
Additionally, Skylanders Imaginators will feature an all-new dedicated Crash Bandicoot level called Thumpin’ Wumpa Islands! This level is steeped in nostalgic Crash Bandicoot gameplay, including the classic TNT boxes, crabs, hazards, temple ruins, Wumpa Fruit, exploding fruit and more. This level will be available on the PS3 and PS4 starter packs at launch and will be released in a special Adventure Pack for all platforms later this year.
As you know, Skylanders Imaginators offers two fun ways to play:
Create your own Imaginators using Creation Crystals
Collect Sensei characters to level up your Imaginators and blow enemies away with powerful Sky Chi attacks
With Kaos having discovered the power of Mind Magic to create Doomlanders, one of his first creations was none other than a clone of himself! Figuring that no one in the universe, including the Skylanders, could ever stand up to more than one Kaos, he unleashed his clone in his quest to take over Skylands. But to Kaos’ surprise, the clone – also being Kaos – wanted victory for himself! As a result, he fights against his creator, in turn helping the Skylanders in their endeavor to defeat the real Kaos!
At Gamescom, Skylanders Imaginators will introduce fans to the return of Dr. Neo Cortex as a Sensei Skylander and reveal an all-new level, Thumpin’ Wumpa Islands, that’s steeped in nostalgic Crash Bandicoot® gameplay. The level includes special Crash Zones that bring back the classic massive boulder chases from the original games. And, as with any Skylanders level, there are secrets and hidden areas all along the way. In paying homage to this iconic character on his 20th anniversary, the level is packed with TNT boxes, crabs, hazards, temple ruins, Wumpa Fruit, exploding crates and many more elements from the original Crash. But it all takes place in the Skylands – which means a new twist of Skylanders combat and action brought into the world of the Wumpa Islands.
Skylanders Imaginators immense possibilities empowers players to unleash their imaginations by giving them the freedom to create their own Skylander. Portal Masters will enjoy the available in the game — including appearance, powers, abilities, names, catchphrases, musical themes and much more — to create the wildest Skylanders imaginable.
Developed by Toys For Bob, Skylanders Imaginators supports all 300+ Skylanders from previous games and will launch on October 16, 2016in North America. The Skylanders Imaginators Starter Pack will be available for the suggested retail price of $74.99.

With the holidays upon us, we will be welcoming guests from near and far. When welcoming guests from afar you want to have your guest room ready to welcome them. There’s nothing worse than welcoming your guests with a cold, uninviting room to live out of for the duration of their visit. I have teamed up with BrylaneHome to bring you a few tips to create a warm, cozy, inviting room that your guest will love to stay in.
Cozy up the Bed. No one wants to sleep in a cold stark bed. Try adding cotton flannel sheets, a plush comforter, and a few fun throw pillows to make the bed inviting and warm. There’s nothing like snuggling into a plush comforter. It’s one of my favorite things to pull out for the winter. Down comforters are a great option and will keep you guests warm plus you can change out the duvet cover to create a different look for each guest or year. I love using cotton flannel sheets to cozy up the bed for the winter. While a bedspread can keep you pretty warm on it’s own, cotton flannel sheets will be something your guests can snuggle into like a bear in hibernation. My rule for pillows…2 per person…it’s nice to have that extra pillow just in case they need it. Now for me throw pillows are just plain fun! They add a bit of holiday whimsy and color…like this snowflake throw from BrylaneHome…I absolutely love the pattern and just the hint of sparkle.
Warm up the room with lighting. I love using lamps in the guest room rather than overhead lighting. Lamps give off a much warmer glow and gives the room more of an intimate and cozy feeling. Just make sure you don’t buy “daylight” lighting, you want to get more of a soft light. When it comes to picking out lamps for the guest room, don’t be scared to be a little playful, but don’t limit yourself to a “theme”. You want to get a lamp that will work with any decor and any season. If you have taller ceilings or bedposts like mine, you can most definitely go for a larger lamp. You wouldn’t want to get a tiny lamp…it will be overpowered by the other elements and disappear.
Seasonal Decor. Adding a few seasonal decor items like these Rustic Trees adds a bit of seasonal fun and whimsy. You don’t want to go crazy and overwhelm your guests with an in your face holiday theme. You want to add subtle hints of seasonal decor for a classy look. I love these Rustic Trees in the corner. They add visual interest and color to a bare spot in the room. I also like to change out the “feature” over the bed. Here I added a simple pine wreath for a bit of color.
Prep The Bathroom. It may or may not be attached to the bedroom, but the guest bath is just as important in preparing for guests this holiday season. Add in a few fresh coordinating towels, & replace your regular decor with tasteful holiday decor.
Don’t Forget The Welcome “Basket”. Yes, you’ve already welcomed them into your home, but what’s nicer than walking into your room and finding a few goodies and essentials for your stay! It’s a nice gesture and will have your guest feeling like they are staying at a B&B.
It’s All About The Little Details. Have a female guest? Try adding a dish for her to place her jewelry in for the night, a favorite holiday book on the bedside, and scented candles. Your guests will totally appreciate the extra thought you put into their stay.
I love the holidays, hosting family and friends and sharing in the festivities brings a smile to my face. Do you have any favorite tips you have for preparing for guests?
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.”

As I shared last week, the boys are back! Yes, Alvin, Simon & Theodore are back in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip!
Through a series of misunderstandings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is going to propose to his new girlfriend in Miami…and dump them. They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother.
Play Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip Hot Rod Racers Game! It’s non-stop Mayhem on the Road with Alvin and the boys! Get started now.
Visit the Official Website
Follow ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip’ on Facebook | Twitter #AlvinMovie
WIN IT!
One (1) lucky My Sparkling Life Reader is going to win a Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Trip Prize Pack including a $25 Visa gift card to see the film in theaters, an Alvin Plush & an Alvin Lunch Bag!! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 11:59 PM EST Dec 21, 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 20th Century Fox . In the rare occasion that a prize does not arrive (which has happened), please notify me.
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.”

Hop aboard the Sit-to-Stand Ultimate Alphabet Train by VTech! This train is designed to grow with your child and can be used for floor play or as a ride on that also transforms into a walker. When your little conductor gets older, the caboose converts into a wagon they can fill with toys and pull along to develop gross motor skills. Play ten activities while learning letters, numbers, colors and more. The train also helps build fine motor skills with a variety of manipulative features including a storybook, clock, gears and 13 doubled-sided letter blocks that your little one can plug into the side of the train to learn letters and build their vocabulary. The train also counts the blocks when they’re dropped down the chute! For role-play fun, pick up the walkie-talkie and press the number buttons to pretend to talk to animal friends. Take a ride on the learning express with this ultimate alphabet train!
Sit-to-Stand Ultimate Alphabet Train (Ages 12-36 months; MSRP: $49.99)
Kids can play ten activities while learning letters, numbers, colors and more
The train helps build motor skills with six manipulative features including a storybook, clock, gears and 13 double-sided letter blocks that little ones can plug into the side of the train to learn letters and build their vocabulary
When little conductors get older, the caboose converts into a wagon they can fill with toys and pull along to develop gross motor skills
My 2-year-old absolutely LOVES this toy! There are so many ways to play! It has lights, sounds and songs, plus it is a rideable train or push toy ! It only took minutes to put together, just a few pieces snap on and a few stickers to place. He loves pushing all the buttons to see what sounds or music will come out, and he loves that he can ride on it! It provides letter activities which will be great to continue to work on as he grows. Each “Block” fits in a slot on the side of the train and has corresponding “activities”. He also loves the slot where you can place your “blocks” and they slide down into the space under the seat.
Right now he’s mastered so many things just in the last 6 months! He learned to climb stairs all by himself…balance on his balance bike, and most recently we are working on counting, colors, alphabets, animals, and potty training…so much for such a little guy, but he can already count to 3 and knows most of his animals!
Ever wonder how some of these toys come to life? I know ME TOO!
VTech® works closely with a panel of children’s learning experts on the development of its infant and preschool learning products. In this panel are 6 experts including Dr. Lise Eliot, Early Childhood Mental Development Expert. Insight from these experts are featured in an online Developmental Milestones resource that offers parents guidelines and recommendations to help them select toys based on the individual needs of children from birth to nine years old. The categories explain different characteristics and occurrences that your child is faced with at each specific age and developmental stage, and are then followed by recommended products that are the most appropriate and beneficial. The milestones are broken down by age and three categories of development:
Language and Cognitive
Social and Emotional
Physical and Motor
We were able to send out questions over to the panel to be answered…below you will find the questions and answers to help you with your concerns about your childs’ development.
In this day of pushing children to do everything earlier and earlier, what age range is truly developmentally appropriate for early reading skills?
As always, it depends on the child, but for the average kid, age 5-6 is plenty early to begin formal reading instruction. Before that age, focus on your child’s mastery of the alphabet and letter sounds. ABC books are great for this, especially if they have clever pictures that tell a story using many words with the same beginning sound. Rhyming books and songs are also great for teaching letter sounds, so once children start focusing on letter patterns, they will already be familiar with the rhyming sounds they make. You can also look for toys that serve as vocabulary builders, like VTech’s Spinning Lights Learning Hippo, which promote phonics and language development that can help with early reading skills.
My youngest seems to be developing later than her older siblings, is this normal and is there anything I can do to encourage her progress? If she is delayed when it comes to early Milestones, will it affect her progress later?
Every child develops differently, so if you have two kids, there is almost no way they will develop on the same timetable. Parents and teachers tend to focus on the more overt milestones, like vocabulary and motor skills. But children are learning in many domains simultaneously, and chances are that your child is absorbing plenty about the social and physical world which may not be obvious from her behavior. Unfortunately, our school culture awards children who mature faster, so look for ways to counteract this for your daughter by finding other areas (art, music, crafts, building toys, sports, dance, etc.) in which she can develop confidence.
What are some inexpensive toys or games that will help encourage gross motor skills in my children?
The least expensive way to build motor skills is to go outside! The extra room is often all kids need to start running, skipping, and jumping in ways that parents often frown on indoors. Your nearest playground adds opportunity for climbing and swinging that also build children’s strength, stamina and coordination. If you are looking or something for your own yard, hang a tree swing, or purchase a jump rope or a soccer goal and ball. A tumbling mat is also a great addition for indoors if you have room in your basement or playroom. And if your child is old enough (5+) for organized sports, many communities have recreational leagues that are less expensive than the fancier club sports.
If my 18-month-old is not speaking words yet, what can I do as a parent to help them with their development?
The most important stimulation any young child receives is verbal–talk to your baby; sing to him; read to him; engage him in “dialogue” even if you are only pretending that his babbles make sense. Your child understands words, even if he cannot say them, and will appreciate the sense of being understood. However, if your child really has no spoken vocabulary at 18 months, you should talk to your pediatrician, who may refer you to a speech therapist.
How do I encourage my 12-month-old to walk, when he seems content to crawl everywhere?
Don’t worry about it! Crawling is a delightful, too-short phase that many children skip outright. And yet, there is evidence that crawling develops a child’s visual-spatial abilities in unique ways that walking cannot replicate. As long as your child is learning to balance on two feet (holding on to a coffee-table or walker toy like VTech’s Sit-to-Stand Ultimate Alphabet Train) he will eventually master those first independent steps. Before long, he’ll be running and racing and you will barely remember this adorable crawling phase.
WIN IT
One (1) lucky My Sparkling Life Reader is going to win a VTech Sit-to-Stand Ultimate Alphabet Train!! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 11:59 PM EST Dec 4, 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.
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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