Five Ingredients For The Perfect Dinner Party ⋆ My Sparkling Life

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Mom Blog Society Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers If you’re like me, you’ve noticed that Pintrest has become all the rave and if you’re like me, you weren’t sure […]

Camping with wine can be cumbersome. But glamping with wine? Now that’s nothing short of luxurious. Described as “the art of camping with five-star amenities,” glamping provides a great opportunity to get out of town and get back to nature without leaving your favorite Tuscan blends (or running water) at home.
So in the spirit of vacationing in style, we’ve paired 5 of our favorite U.S.-based glamping destinations with 5 first-class wines fit for a five-star resort:
The glampsite: Ranch at Rock Creek in Philipsburg, Montana
The wine: Masciarelli Villa Gemma Bianco IGT (SRP $18)
This 6,600-acre luxury guest ranch can be found in Montana’s breathtaking Big Sky country. Whether you spend your days hiking in the mountains or soaking in the spa, rest assured you’ll come home to happiness in a bottle by way of Mascirelli’s Villa Gemma Bianco — a flowery blend of Trebbiano and Chardonnay offering fresh notes of apple and jasmine.
The glampsite: Mustang Monument in Wells, Nevada
The wine: Luce Lucente (SRP $29)
This eco-ranch is home to a handful of 300-square-foot tipis adorned with plush leather chairs, hardwood floors, and custom-made beds. The only way to make this glamping experience more luxurious is with a bottle of Luce’s Lucente — a superb blend of Merlot and Sangiovese known for its velvety palate, sweet spices, and supple fruits.
About Lucente:
Lucente 2013 displays a vibrant purple-red colour. Its rich, intense bouquet releases black cherry and wild berry, enriched with fascinating notes of pungent spice. The palate is smooth, with fi ne-grained tannins and an underlying impression of crisp balsam. Overall, this wine is complex, forceful, and elegant.
The glampsite: Autocamp in Santa Barbara, California
The wine: Frescobaldi Ammiraglia Vermentino (SRP $18)
No five-star campground would be complete without a vintage airstream trailer, handcrafted Adirondack chairs, and pastel-colored beach cruisers. Cap off your leisurely Santa Barbara bike ride with a bottle of Frescobaldi Vermentino — a crisp and refreshing white wine with soothing notes of citrus, pear, honey, and almond.
The glampsite: The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch in Saratoga, Wyoming
The wine: Avignonesi Rosso di Montepulciano DOC (SRP $19)
Embody what it truly means to get back to nature with a weekend stay at this glamping resort & spa located at the base of the spectacular Sierras. Get cozy around the outdoor fire pit as you share adventure stories over a bottle of Avignonesi’s Rosso di Montepulciano — a biodynamically produced Sangiovese bursting with bright aromas of strawberry, raspberry, and pomegranate.
The glampsite: TreeHouse Point in Issaquah, Washington
The wine: Attems Cupra Ramato Pinot Grigio (SRP $19)
Glamp amongst towering trees, lush plants, and babbling brooks in this enchanting adult treehouse. Soak in the mountain views as you toast to the joys of summer with a glass of Attems Pinot Grigio — a distinctive copper-colored wine marked by a floral and fruity bouquet.
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.”

Something that everyone needs is a good pair of shoes, or kicks as my boys say. For as long as I can remember I tend to buy the same brand over and over, Skechers. They have come out with so many innovative styles over the years…and colors that will please anyone. I was recently able to work with Skechers to try out their line of Women’s Equalizers! Skechers Equalizer are a Skech-Knit Mesh one piece upper in a lace up sporty athletic training sneaker with Gel Infused Memory Foam insoles. It’s like a cloud for your feet! I have worn them for a while now, and I love the Skech-Knit Mesh, it really allows your feet to breath in this south Texas heat, whether I’m running errands, or just running. The Gel Infused Memory Foam insoles keep my feet comfy all day. As I mentioned earlier, they have an array of colors with this shoe as well, I choose the Oasis, which I love, but is not like me at all, I usually choose a pink…they have a pink/navy & pink/black, but for some reason the blue/purple called my name! While they have kept me great company this summer, I think they would make a great Back to School shoe as well, there is a color for every outfit, and it will keep you or your grown kiddos going all day at school..I remember how much walking I did around campus my freshman year..it was killer on my feet, I would have loved to have these Skechers back then (lets just say it was a few years ago). The Equalizers are not the only memory foam shoe they have, you should check out their full line and see for yourself! Plus check out their full line for the kiddos, like twinkle toes, skech-air, & z-strap…you know they need new “kicks” too! Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links with fund the Mom of 4 Boys blog. All opinions seen in this publication are those of the writer and may differ from your own. Momof-3boys.com received compensation as a condition of this publication. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. For questions or to have your product featured on Mom of 4 Boys, email Becky at fryrebecca3@gmail.com..

As LeapFrog continues the pursuit of making reading an activity that every child and family can enjoy, they are hosting the 20/20 Reading Challenge in honor of National Reading Month this March. LeapFrog is hosting a campaign to encourage families to take a pledge to read for at least 20 minutes per day with their kids. As I’m sure you are aware, an early introduction to reading is an important part of a child’s development.
In fact, kids who are read to at home have a substantial academic advantage. These advantages last throughout a child’s academic career. Studies have shown that:
Twenty-six percent of children who were read to three or four times in the last week by a family member recognized all letters of the alphabet. This is compared to 14 percent of children who were read to less frequently.
According to NCES, only 53 percent of children ages three to five were read to daily by a family member. Children in families with incomes below the poverty line are less likely to be read to aloud every day than are children in families with incomes at or above poverty.
The NCES also reported that children who were read to frequently are also more likely to:
Count to 20 or higher than those who were not (60% vs. 44%)
Write their own names (54% vs. 40%)
Read or pretend to read (77% vs. 57%)
As a part of the March 20/20 Reading Challenge, LeapFrog will be partnering with a great non-profit, Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream Foundation, to donate 20 books to the foundation’s under-served classrooms for every pledge they receive.
“As a mom, it has always been part of our family’s routine to spend time reading together. Research has shown that children who were read to at least three times a week by a family member were almost twice as likely to score in the top 25 percent in reading compared to children who were read to less than three times a week. So many children are showing up to their kindergarten classrooms unprepared for school, and if this little bit of time every day can make a difference in my children’s future academic success and confidence, I am all in!” – Kristi Yamaguchi
The Kristi Yamaguchi Always Dream Foundation is an organization founded to inspire underserved children to reach for their dreams through innovative reading programs and by advancing the cause of early childhood literacy. As an accomplished children’s book author, athlete and mom, Kristi’s passion for reading ignited the Foundation’s commitment to early childhood literacy.
Through this program, LeapFrog plans to donate up to $5 million worth of books to children in need – and they need your help! Take the pledge today to help put a book in a child’s hand!
You can also head over to check out an interview with Kristi that my friend Lisa from Money Saving Parent did about the program.
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I attended press events with Walt Disney Pictures and Disney XD, which included talent interviews and a tour of the Walk the Prank set at Paramount Pictures. This expenses paid trip to Los Angeles is offered in exchange for my coverage about the events. No other compensation is given. Of course, opinions and experiences are my own.
The time is finally upon us! You’ve been seeing me cover Disney’s “The Jungle Book” from interviews to the red carpet world premiere…well tomorrow is the day it his theaters so you too can see the adventure I’ve been talking about! While in L.A. for the #JungleBookEvent we were treated to a prescreening at Dolby Cinema™ at AMC Prime™! Dolby and AMC Theatres are partnering to launch Dolby Cinema™ at AMC Prime™ locations across the United States.
Before we headed into the amazing theater, we grabbed our favorite snacks from the concession stand then headed over to the in-house bar, MacGuffins® Bar & Lounge, to grab a drink. May I give a recommendation…the Watermelon Cooler is delish…
Dolby Cinema is designed to transform your visit into an event. As you enter the cinema, a signature entrance and dynamic audio/video pathway launch your journey into the movie. This video wall is awesome! Great way to immerse you into the movie before it even starts!
Inside, you find atmospheric lighting, premium seats with ideal sight lines, a room that is carefully designed to minimize distractions, and a curved wall-to-wall-to-ceiling screen. Every aspect of the design comes together to make the experience uniquely immersive, powerful, and memorable.
Everything from the sound quality to the reclining seating made the experience a one of a kind! I absolutely enjoyed screening “The Jungle Book” here and hope they put one of these in my small town soon!
About “The Jungle Book”
Directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man), based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, The Jungle Book is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire. The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. The Jungle Book seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world.
The wild adventure swings into theaters in 3D on April 15, 2016.
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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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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.”