Old Factory Candles Holiday Scents ⋆ My Sparkling Life

The first thing the boys head to when they get home from school is to the snack cabinet. They usually ask for snack cakes or cookies…you know sugar. I’ve found a few snacks that they actually enjoy that are healthy for them too!
Slammers Snack Pouches are perfect for Back-to-School lunches and sports. Slammers Super Food Snacks by Kids Gourmet just released new line of protein Slammers Snacks for summer 2015. Created to be delicious, easily digestible & instant fuel for active kids, Watermelon Kiwi Burst and Pomegranate Grape Crush each have 7 grams of protein per pouch.
The boys LOVE these pouches. My super picky 2-year-old would ask for more. These are definitely on our shopping list for snacks from now on!
Vermont Nut-Free Chocolates are perfect for parents to send their kids to school with, especially as more schools become aware of the dangers of nut allergies.
Vermont Nut Free was founded by the mother of boy with a peanut allergy. Their entire selection is made safe for those with peanut or tree nut allergies, but can also be enjoyed by lovers of fine chocolates. Along with sweets, they also have a number of healthy snacks for school including the nut free granola bar,TANABAR and Trail Mix.
The boys enjoyed the trail mix even though it had a few things that I didn’t think they would enjoy in it. The Trail Mix has the perfect combination of flavors…Sunflower Seeds, Roasted Soybeans, Dark Skippers, Dried Cranberries, Raisins and Pretzels.
They also enjoyed the TANABAR. It has the perfect combination of all natural nut free ingredients. The best part about both snacks, it they are healthy and help keep them fuller then sugar until dinner.
Enjoy Life Foods, leading maker of allergy-friendly foods and gluten-free foods, introduces Plentils®, the perfect quick-and-easy food for back-to-school snacks. Enjoy Life Foods crafted tasty Plentils made with plant-based, protein-filled lentils for a better-for-you alternative to traditional chips with 40 percent less fat. Like all Enjoy Life Foods products, the Plentils are allergy-friendly and free from the eight most common food allergens (wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish and shellfish), Certified Gluten-Free, Non-GMO Project Verified and made with high-quality ingredients. Varieties include:
Honestly, the kids never got to try them! My husband fell in love and ate them all, while we were on vacation at my moms! That says a lot, because he’s picky about his chips & snacks. He said they were really tasty and thinks the kids would really enjoy them too, so guess I need to head to the store to get some more!
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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With four growing boys you know I need to keep the snacks flowing. Cookies are a favorite is our home, they hold a sentimental sweet spot. I can remember sharing vanilla wafers & oatmeal cookies with my grandpa when I would stay over on the weekends. Now I get to share that with my boys and hopefully with my grandkids someday.
I was introduced to the delicious cookies from Voortman Bakery who makes all of their cookies from real ingredients. They contain no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, and no high-fructose corn syrup. All ingredients are hand selected for their exceptional quality and flavor. The company has been making their products since 1951.
Voortman’s new products are rolling out at Walmart, Target, Kroger’s and over 30k retailers across the country. The bakery (everything is made in an actual bakery by real bakers!) provides more natural snack options, they don’t have high fructose corn syrup or preservatives and are made with real ingredients like fruit, cocoa etc.
I think we all have our favorites…while I still love the wafers, my husband is usually an oatmeal kind of guy, but he fell in love with the coconut cookies!
WIN IT!
One (1) lucky My Sparkling Life reader is going to win some delicious Voortman Bakery Cookies! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 11:59 PM EST June 7, 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 & SAMPLES PROVIDED & SHIPPED BY VOORTMAN BAKERY. IN THE RARE OCCASION THAT A PRIZE DOES NOT ARRIVE (WHICH HAS HAPPENED), PLEASE NOTIFY ME.

Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, Halloween, All Hallows Eve…one of our favorite times of the year, and I’m excited this year about a new fox movie that hit theaters October 17th..yeap The Book of Life!
You haven’t heard about it yet? Book of Life is an animated movie of a Romeo and Juliet-inspired love story set during a Day of the Dead celebration: Manolo (Diego) is a young matador who wants to shed the expectations of his family to follow his dreams of being a musician and his best friend, Joaquin (Channing), is the successful pride of the town. They compete for the heart of Maria (Zoe). In order to win Maria’s heart and save her life, Manolo must face his greatest fears and follow his heart to rewrite his destiny.
I’m also excited that one of my favorite stores, World Market, In celebration of the release of the upcoming film, The Book of Life, has developed exclusive Book of Life Toys inspired by the film.
Book of Life Tin Keepsake Box
Book of Life Guitar
Book of Life Maracas
Book of Life Castanets
Book of Life Manolo Rubber Duck Bath Toy
Book of Life Chuy Stamp
Book of Life Light Show
Book of Life Kaleidoscopes
Book of Life Swirly Slime
Book of Life Flashlight Picture Projector
The boys were absolutely in love when they saw the Book of Life Collection in the store! I don’t think I could hear anything other than “oh, mom..oh,mom” I got one of each item (except the Chuy Stamp, they were out) so theirs sure to be something to keep each of them busy..and with the Guitar, Maracas, and Castanets we have our own little Mariachi band. I also got a Dia De Los Muertos colored pencils..they have so many Day of the Dead products as well!
Using some of the goodies I found in their Halloween Shop, I’ve created a recipe I wanted to share with you! A bit of a sweet drink for the kiddos, and adults. You will need:
1 Bottle Apple Cider
1 Bag Sour Apple Fluffy Stuff (Cotton Candy)
2 Dia De Los Muertos Glasses
1. Add a generous amount of Fluffy Stuff to your glasses…
2. Pour Apple Cider over Fluffy Stuff…
3. Garnish with Fluffy Stuff
4. Enjoy your Sour Apple Cotton Candy Cider!
Now on to the Sweepstakes!
You could win a trip to the Riviera Maya & FREE Movies for a Year!
Grand Prize Package:
5 Days/6Nights at Grand Velas Riviera Maya (hotel & accommodations)
Free Movies for a year
$1,000 World Market gift card
Book of Life Merchandise
Plus, three (3) first prizes: $500 World Market gift card
Sweepstakes ends October 24th, 2014 For more information and to enter be sure to go to World Markets entry form.
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.”

Working from home is not a novelty anymore. However, the popularity of home offices has helped many employers to shift their priorities. Nowadays, you can find a remote position at the click of a button. Whether you choose to establish yourself as a freelancer or to join a virtual office, working from home puts you in charge of your time. As a result, you can create a successful and profitable career without ever needing to commute to work. More and more experts testify that home-based professionals can be more productive and creative than their office colleagues. Additionally, you can also use a virtual PO box to maintain your professional appearance without revealing your home address.
You can work out at home
If you’re the kind of person who can’t find the time to go to the gym, staying fit doesn’t have to be complicated. You can use your home as your gym HQ, which can save you a lot of time and money in the long term. Indeed, if you enjoy working out outside, you can consider the addition of an in-ground basketball hoop in your front yard, for instance. It’s the perfect excuse for a quick game with your family! Pet owners can play with their dogs in the garden. You’d be surprised how many calories you can burn just by running with your dog! Rainy days are not a problem either. You can find plenty of online workouts to follow in the lounge. Most often than not, you won’t need any additional equipment than your gym clothes!
Who needs a restaurant when you can cook?
What the best way of spending your Friday evening? While going out is the preferred way to start the weekend, more and more people wonder if there is a cost-effective alternative to plan get-together nights with friends. The answer is yes. You can throw a simple party at home and invite a selected few to enjoy a convivial home-cooked meal. With a little know-how, you can easily throw impressive meals that are a piece of cake to prepare! But, more importantly, you can make your home the new place to be during the weekend.
In conclusion, the simple home has become a place of opportunities, both professional and social. While staying at home can seem at first like an excluding gesture that keeps you isolated from the rest of your community, the reality is different. Staying at home can not only bring families together but also create new connections with friends and colleagues that would, otherwise, not have happened.

Playing games, such as car games, or even chess, depending on the age of your family, can be fantastic fun. We all remember times from childhood when we played a game with our family and ended up in lots of laughter due to errors made, the odd treat, or just enjoying the fun activity itself. Some games such as twister or charades Are designed to induce laughter, and doing so will mean you are bonding and spending quality time together. And this is never a waste of time. Sharing the card game is that your grandparents talk to you as children, looking at new games that you can try, or even grabbing something simple such as double can Help you spend hours having fun as a family.
Outdoors
Spending time outdoors is essential, it not only encourages exercise, but also can be very healing and motivational for everybody, getting on your bikes, and going for a long ride can actually increase your overall health and fitness, as well as spending time as a family. This is a win-win situation, and everybody tends to find themselves enjoying the activity more than the thought of it. Even taking the dog for a long walk can be an event. Turning a simple walk in the woods into a scavenger hunt kennels will be educational for those preschool children, and this can even be turned into an activity for the dog too. Enjoying fresh air, and chatting without distractions, is something We don’t do enough of, so grab your coats and go for a lovely long walk in a green space and see how much better you feel.
Swimming
Swimming is an excellent activity for many families, in addition to the swimming lessons that you can in the role your children in, swimming as a family is a very healthy and fun activity. Remembering the times when you were a child going swimming with your family, and then grabbing some fries on the way home is a beautiful Memory. Of course, swimming is an important life skill as well, so there is also the knowledge that you are giving your children an excellent start in life by knowing how to save their own lives if they fall into a body of water at some point. This is especially useful if you go on holiday near water often.

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING. Eligibility: Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is open only to those who sign up at the online sweepstakes page and who are 18 as of the date of entry. The sweepstakes is only open to legal residents of  50 states in