Minions: The Rise of Gru In Theaters This Summer

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Schools back in session and sometimes it seems like it’s always rush-rush. There’s not much time to spend with your kiddos like you did during the summer. It doesn’t take much to make a child happy. In fact, it’s often the “small stuff” that creates the most meaningful childhood memories. So how do you show them just how special they are? Here are 5 Ways To Make Your Kids Day.
Wake them with a kiss. Now, this wouldn’t work for my teen, he would prob fall out of his bed trying to get away from me, but my other three really appreciate mommies morning kisses.
Place a special note in their folder or lunch box. Maybe your child looked tired today and needs a little motivation, or were feeling sad about something that happened yesterday and needs something inspirational or something to make them giggle. Little notes are a special little surprise that will brighten their day. Check out these Back to School Lunch Printables from The Good Stuff by Coupons.com.
Make something special for after school snack. My kiddos love when I make them special treats for after school snack. Ants on a log, Carmel Apple Bites, Favorite Cookies etc. just taking the time to make something they like rather than a pre-made boxed snack can really make their day. Check out these 7 Yummy, Peanut-Free Snacks for Kids for more ideas on special snacks.
Ask about their day, and actually listen. We all ask how their day was, but then do we really listen? I used to find myself checking my phone, or getting distracted by the little one, and I could see the frustration and disappointment in their faces…I now make it a point to actually listen to their day. They get home just bursting to tell me about it, and it takes such little effort to listen.
Read one more book, or two, or three! We read books at night anyways, and I try to cut it off at one book, but why? Because I’m tired? What will one, or two more books really hurt? They get the quality time they need and crave while expanding their little creative minds and exploring new worlds.
As you can see it doesn’t take much to make your kiddos day. What do you do to make your kids day special?
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One lucky person is going to win a $300 Amazon gift card! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 11:59 PM EST Sep 30, 2015.
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The Fine Print: Entering this giveaway means that you accept both the rules & disclosure. Winner will be notified via e-mail. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. 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 Coupons.com.
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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Summer is here which usually means summer travels aren’t far behind! A lot of families, including my own, will be hitting the pavement to seek out new destinations and adventures. Road trips can sometimes be a little daunting especially for parents of young children, but it doesn’t have to be. To get you ready for your summer road trip, I have 5 Summer Road Trip Tips.
1. Make a playlist the whole family can get behind. Music makes everything better, IMO. If the kids are singing along to their favorite songs, they’re not arguing, and that’s a win for everyone! Some of my favorite road trip songs are: “Ticket to Ride” by The Beatles, “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf & “Route 66” by Chuck Berry…what are some of your favorite road trip songs?
2. Create a travel binder with a budget & checklists so you have everything planned out. From the route you plan to take, to the lists on what to take. You’ll also want to make sure your vehicle is tuned up and tires properly inflated. Filling up the tank & packing the car the night before will also help you get out the door on time. Planning sounds tedious, but it actually saves time, energy and stress!
3. Pack plenty of snacks and drinks. Our drive from here to my mom’s is roughly 4 hours. I pack each one of the kids a small snack per hour and two bottles of water or Gatorade. Snacks are usually some cracker packs, fruit snacks, chips, or trail mix…I like to keep it simple. Be sure you have a trash bag or two on hand and in their reach so you don’t end up with a floor or seat full of their snack trash.
4. Pack a bag with games or activities to keep the kids busy. We don’t have an entertainment system in our van so we rely on packing some favorite toys, color books, and travel games. A few of our favorites: Mickey Mouse Club House, Trolls Color Book, Magnetic Travel Board & Travel Scavenger Hunt Card Game.
5. When traveling as a family, hotel rooms can sometimes become chaotic. Instead, try to book a suite (or two connecting rooms). The extra square footage can be beneficial and if you drove to your destination, you can even stow empty suitcases in your car to alleviate some clutter. Keeping rooms clean will cut down on frustration as well.
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These Spinach & Ricotta Tarts are the perfect addition to any party…they are easy to make and are quite delicious. I’ve tried spinach and ricotta in many other dishes including my stuffed shells just because they balance each other really well. I needed some delicious appetizer snacks for a ladies night I was having and wanted a something savory that would still be light.
2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted
1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 c ricotta cheese
1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste
1 egg, whisked
1 tsp water
2 tsp melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Lightly grease muffin tin
Cut each puff pastry sheet into 6 squares
Brush sheets with thin layer of melted butter
Press into muffin tin
Place the drained spinach, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and salt & pepper into bowl
Mix until combined
Divide into pastry cups
Mix egg with tsp water
Brush top of pastry with egg mixture
Cook for 20 minutes or until golden
My Sparkling Life https://mysparklinglife.com/ These tarts are buttery, flaky and well…cheesy.

Digital currency is certainly changing financial norms and the way it all operates in general. Cryptocurrency is just one example of how it all seems to be changing, and what we consider as being the traditional format of currency is widening its net to the online world. There are many online sites that involve gaming and allow the ability to make real money from the virtual money you make in the game itself. For example, anyone who was a fan of Runescape and played it in the past could make money from it. You can now sell your runescape gold because it’s very much something that’s wanted by those who still play it. Just like those games you have on your phone, you pay for any upgrades that you want as part of it.
Set Up An Online Shop
An online shop can be something for those who have things to sell and want to take a crack at making a successful business. A lot of websites like Etsy and eBay as examples allow their users to create shops on their accounts and can, therefore, sell a variety of things. There’s really no limit to what you can sell. So if you want to sell clothing, you’ve made yourself or bath bombs and other smellies now’s the perfect opportunity to give it a go. It costs nothing to set the virtual shop up, and many businesses start from the home anyway.
Offer Your Talents Or Skills
We all have talents and skills that vary, and to say you don’t have anything significant to offer means you’ve just not explored that thing that you’re good at yet. You can now sell your services and talents online, whether that’s being a dab hand at putting up shelving or being an expert in fixing technology. There’s always going to be someone who needs something that they themselves can’t do, and if you can make money from it, why not give it a go?
Become Self-Published
Are you creative with your writing? Ever thought or dreamed of publishing your own book? Well, that might have been a pipe dream before Amazon, and the internet, in general, came along. Now though, there’s a high chance of you being able to become self-published with platforms like Amazon having the ability to sell your own book. It doesn’t guarantee you success at selling, but it gives you the opportunity to make your book successful and to become a publisher in your own right.
If you’re wanting to make a bit of money from being online, then why not give it a go? You could turn it into a successful venture.