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Disney’s Cinderella was released yesterday on Disney DVD, Blu-ray & Disney Movies Anywhere. To Celebrate My Sparkling Life is giving away 3 Digital Copies!!
Celebrate Disney’s “Cinderella,” a modern classic that shines with beauty, imagination…and magic! Despite being mistreated by her stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and stepsisters, a spirited Ella (Lily James) resolves to take charge of her fate. Add a royal ball, a Fairy Godmother (Helena Bonham-Carter) and a glass slipper, and suddenly – magic becomes reality!
While you’re waiting to see if you’ve won, you can download some fun printables!
Three lucky My Sparkling Life Readers are going to win a Digital Copy of CINDERELLA! This giveaway is open to residents of the US who are 18+ until 11:59 PM EST Sep 30, 2015.
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 My Sparkling Life.

*Disclosure: I was invited by disney on an all expenses paid trip to L.A. to attend the press junket and premiere for Disney’s The Jungle Book, however all experiences and opinions are 100% my own!
So yesterday I got to share our interview with Jon Favreau & Neel Sethi, well today we get to talk to Raksha & Akela about parenting, role models & more…that’s right Lupita Nyong’o & Giancarlo Esposito talk about their roles in Disney’s “The Jungle Book”!
It’s not every day you get to sit down with inspiring people and it just so happens we had the chance to do this 3 times in one day! We all have the actors that we just adore, and for me I have several, Lupita being one of them. I was excited that we would be sitting in the same room with her.
When asked about what life experiences did she have to draw herself to this character as a mothering role, I wasn’t really shocked by her answer, but completely moved.
“Well, I have a lot of very, very powerful women in my life. My mother being the first. And most important. But in my culture, in my mother’s sisters are also my mother. And my father’s sisters are my mother’s, too. So I’ve have many mothers. My mom, she had a fierce love for her children. And she’s known to say things like if you die I’ll kill you. And so… That… For me, that spirit, that tenacity of mothering was something that I thought of. And that inspired my version of Raksha. Because it takes a woman with one huge heart to take on not only a child that’s not hers, but of a completely different species. And the fact that she does this, and she does it, and she doesn’t look back, and she does everything in her power to protect that child. And then to have to…let go of that child as well, that takes even more love, you know, to allow your children to do what they need to do. And all mothers go through that. I know… I went through that with my mother. And as a child, you don’t appreciate it until you’re much older, and you realize how hard it is to make new connections, and then how hard it is to lose those connections. So those were things I was definitely thinking about. And I love my mommy.”
It wasn’t hard for either actors to say yes to their rolls. Giancarlo was actually talking to Jon years ago about how wonderful to do this movie again and re-envision it for a new generation as they were filming the trailer of Destiny. So when Jon called to ask if Giancarlo was in it was a resounding YES! As for Lupita, what appealed to her about the role was the idea of playing a mother. Something that she hadn’t yet done. To do it in voice-over.
” Just opened myself up to something new! I have always loved children. I been fantasizing about motherhood since I was probably 2 ½.”
Giancarlo was asked if he identifies with Akiwa in any way?
“Oh, in so many ways. I’m a male, and on the way in, Lupita was talking about another film she did, and there was a lot of testosterone, energy! I have four daughters, and you know, I have to say that, while these questions, in regard to Raksha and how Lupita feels about her mom and being a mother, I feel like… the importance of the female and the mother presence in our society is greater than ever.
I have four daughters who, the eldest is 19, the youngest is 12, and I watched all of them journey into motherhood. Motherhood is very deep. It starts when you’re very, very young. Now, my 12 year old comes in, wants to put me to bed. And she’ll, you know, put her hand on my forehead and say the prayer with me. As for years I’ve done for her! It’s almost like a very beautiful, natural transition.
So while Lupita and you guys have been talking back and forth about motherhood, I have this vision that I’m really watching each one of my daughters start to become women, and mothers. And this is what’s gonna save our planet. I know it. Because there’s such a grace and understanding in the female persona when women have really come into their own. Part of that is to have children, and to be caring for those children, and not only in the care for them, but also in the nurturing and raising of them, they have to pass on their, their souls, and their intelligence.
And all those things can’t be taught. It’s something that, that in the essence of a woman, the essence of a mother, a mother knows! So to me, you know, I have learned to listen through, raising four daughters. But I’ve learned to become a progressive man because I have four women in my life. It is this strength of the mother that is going to change the way the world is. It’s the compassion, the love, the very open spirited mother, and woman that will move us forward in this new century.”
What is one thing that you want children to take back from your character? What’s one example or role model quality that you want the kids to see from parental figures in the movie?
Lupita – “Well, I think… what Mowgli is dealing with is finding belonging and what Raksha offers him is home. Her… as home. And as an anchor. And I think that’s a really important thing for children to have, So that they can veer away from it, but always be able to come back when they need to.”
Giancarlo – “We want to remember to be playful! We’re here in this… wonderful and incredible world! Like, the grand architect of the universe created this playground. And we’re supposed to have fun, and we’re supposed to play. And that’s what I tell my kids. And what I want people to get from this movie is that sense of freedom, that sense of, abandonment in the ride of this film, the sense of connection with family, even if you don’t have a family. The sense of trust that someone’s gonna adopt you and take care of you. That sense of, really being engaged by the world. You know? And I think people are gonna feel it in this film.”
So what’s next for the stars after this amazing adventure?
Giancarlo – “I’ve just made, um, my second feature film as a director called “This is Your Death”. It stars Josh Gemmell, Famke Janssen, and myself…and it’s an unflinching look at reality television.”
Lupita – “Well, I am on Broadway at the moment. I’m doing a show called “Eclipsed” by Danai Gurira. She plays Mishone. And she’s an incredible playwright. And she’s written this five female play about women in the Liberian civil war, and how they each individually deal with war, and get themselves out of very dire situation. We are the first all female performed, directed, and written play on Broadway.”
She is also working on another Disney film that releases later this year where she plays a mother, but this time live action mother…Queen of Katwe…and its about a Ugandan chess prodigy.
I loved listening to the two of them, and if we could have, I would have sat all day and listen to them talk!
Come back later this week for an interview with Sir Ben Kingsley plus “The Jungle Book” movie review!
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.”

The boys just love going to Sea World to see the animals up close and ride some fun rides…but all fall everytime we would plan a trip something would come up where we couldn’t go. I was so upset that we missed the Howl-O-Screem…afterall they all absolutely LOVE Halloween! Well we finally made it for their Christmas Celebration and was able to do some things I never thought we would be able to do!
When we arrived we signed in at our #WildSide table and recieved our itenirary and this years ornament…it’s such a cute colorful glass seal…I love it! After the doors opened we went inside and took our picture by the front fountain which has become a tradition on our trips, only this time it was a big beautiful tree (I’m having issues with my photokey downloads, but will share as soon as I can).
Then we headed back to my 2 year olds favorite spot, the penguin exhibit. He could go through that for hours just watching them swim and waddle along. He had no idea what was coming up next! We lined up with our fellow wild side bloggers as my boys took him through the penguin exhibit another time or two then it was our turn to enter through the door we had so patiently waited to go through…
Our first stop, the behind the scenes of the penguin exhibit! Penguins coming up to the small knee high gate to say hi and everything. Did you know that if the penguins choose not to take care of their eggs, the staff fosters them to another penguin who will take care of and raise that baby! SeaWorld’s penguins live twice as long as penguins in the wild so most of the time they foster out penguins to other zoos and exhibits so that other children can observe and learn about penguins up close too.
Well after that, we didn’t think it could get any better, until we walked into a small room where there was Pepper the penguin waiting to meet us! Yes, that’s right we had a one on one with a penguin and got to pet her and everything!
Well after that excitement we went and took our family picture in a giant snow globe which was pretty cool…but for some reason it didn’t make it onto my photokey …then we let the boys enjoy some rides (okay I enjoyed one too…) before it was time to meat up with the group again for milk & cookies with Shamu Claus.
The boys had a blast and can’t wait to go back again! Hopefully we don’t have to wait so long between visits again…
Disclosure: I am a Sea World Ambassador Blogger known as a Wildsider…I am provided passes and special events in exchange for my coverage, however all experiences and opinions are 100% my own and are in no way compromised.
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.”
Related

There are all sorts of different chronic issues that people can struggle with, which can lie at the heart of low energy levels, lack of confidence, and a lack of motivation.
If you have a hearing issue, for example, you may feel less capable in social scenarios, and more inclined to withdraw and stay home by yourself. In this kind of situation, consulting with a professional audiologist might help to address your issue and could leave you significantly more confident and motivated as a result.
Other causes of low energy and fatigue include chronic disease, vitamin deficiencies, poor sleep, and more.
Whenever you can, take steps to deal with chronic issues that may be at the root of your low energy and motivation.
Set yourself ambitious goals that inspire you, and put things in the context of a greater purpose
It’s no wonder that you would feel unmotivated, and lacking in energy, if you had pretty much nothing to look forward to on a given day, and no greater sense of meaning or purpose to your job, or to whatever else that you might be doing in your life.
It’s important to set yourself ambitious goals that inspire you, and to also put things in the context of a greater purpose or meaning.
History is full of stories of people who have prevailed against extreme odds, and dealt with unbelievably difficult circumstances because they had something meaningful to motivate them. It’s essential for you to find your own meaning.
Keep a written log, or record, of the things that seem to boost your energy, and the things that seem to reduce it
Here’s a good practical exercise that can help you to get to the bottom of any energy issues you might be experiencing, and that can help to give you some insight in how to boost your energy as well:
Keep a written log, or record, of the things that seem to boost your energy or diminish it. Update this log every day. Keep the entries brief, but be consistent.
For example; do notice that on a particular day you feel especially tired and lethargic after eating a certain meal? Record it in your log. Maybe later that evening you feel motivated after hearing a certain song? Put it in your log.
Over time, this exercise can help you identify a good number of things to avoid, and others to pursue, in different contexts.

Preferably sooner rather than later, your child will need to regularly visit a dentist. This is so said experts can ensure that your child isn’t suffering from dental hygiene or growth problems, which can often cause pain, infections, and sometimes serious health concerns. However, it is a very common issue for a child to be afraid of this visit to the dentist.
Even if you opt for the top dentist in your area, one with an absolutely fantastic demeanor around children, it can be hard for children to separate the worries of their imagination from the reality in front of them. This means that as a loving parent, giving them a comfortable push in the right direction can be an astonishing and confident means of getting them the help they deserve.
Allowing your child to remain brave at the dentist will not only allow them to get the treatment they need, but it will help them learn to deal with fears that might be irrational, generally improving their bravery over time. After all, a child is never helped by being overly sheltered, but can truly grow by being exposed to things that they might have otherwise feared (at least in a healthy, constructive manner).
Let us see where you, as a doting parent, should begin:
Make The Dentist Human
Do not refer to the dentist as ‘the dentist’. This can make them seem like a cold professional, almost non-human. Of course they are not, but in the mind of a child, it’s that difference that can, ironically, make all the difference. It’s important to be realistic regarding how children think. If they remain ‘the dentist’ then they could be anything, as cold and as worrying as the scariest tools in their disposal. A child might imagine a blank room where you will not be around to protect them.
Instead, you may choose to say ‘today we’re going to pay Mr. Johnson a visit!’ Of course, they might have a doctorate, in which case it’s important to get the name correct. However, as soon as you put a name to a person, it seems as though they’re going to be cared for. ‘To see the dentist’ is often a worrying phrase also, suggesting that perhaps there is a problem that has caused this impromptu trip to come up that day. Instead, saying ‘Mr. Johnson is going to make sure your teeth are healthy and grow nice and strong!’ will designate said medical professional as an ally, as someone who only cares for the health and wellbeing of your child. You may not think a young mind able to make a massive distinction out of these things, but you’ll be surprised.
Your tone will communicate plenty of information, too. A happy, buoyant tone, almost as if this is a celebration, will show them that there’s nothing to fear because this is a positive experience. You might even talk about how nice the Dentist is, and how you trust them. If you used to attend the same practice as a child yourself, mention that fact. It will show them that there’s truly nothing to worry about.