Truly Moving Pictures

www.TrulyMovingPictures.org

I love to watch movies that are uplifting and inspiring (my husband calls them "Hallmark" movies.) Anytime I need a movie recommendation I like to check out "the list" over at Truly Moving Pictures. Every movie on the list is recognized by the Heartland Film Festival and some of these are winners of the Heartland Truly Moving Picture award. All of the films are heartfelt movies with uplifting messages. They are constantly updating the list and adding to it. Here are some of my favorites:

12 Angry Men
Babe
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
Finding Forrester
Les Choristes (which for some reason, I don't see on the list anymore)
Mad Hot Ballroom
Miracle

Other movies on the list that are great family films include:

The Iron Giant
Little Secrets
Millions
Ratatouille
The Secret of Roan Inish

Do you have a favorite movie that inspires you? I'd love to hear about it!

Baby Beluga

My son's favorite song that I sing to him is Baby Beluga by Raffi. He will usually stop fussing long enough for me to change his diaper if I start singing it. This was always one of my favorite songs growing up - there was just something about that "little white whale on the go" that I liked, and I guess it just stuck with me. It was a pleasant surprise then, for me to discover the board book version. It is illustrated with colorful, vibrant images and has the whole song written out, which is especially helpful since I could never remember all the words. Of course right now my baby is not interested in sitting down calmly and reading the book together, but at least I can finish the song for him now...and perhaps one day he'll pick up the book and want to read (or sing) it himself. You can also get Wheels on the Bus, Five Little Ducks, and Down by the Bay in board book form.
What about you? What are some of your favorite childhood songs or books?

Free Parents Magazine Subscription

As a new parent, it always helps to get free stuff. Right now, get a complimentary subscription to Parents magazine. Hurry on over to StartSampling for your free two year subscription, while supplies last. Click on "View all samples" if you don't see the offer right away. You have to be a member but it's easy and free to sign up. While you're there, you can also get a free Huggies diaper sample.

In addition, sign up for free issues of American Baby and Baby Talk magazine.

Extraordinary Desserts

Photo by kimberlykv

One of my favorite places to eat in San Diego is a divine restaurant called Extraordinary Desserts. They have the most delicious cakes, tortes, fruit tarts, cookies and over 30 flavors of fresh ice cream. All the desserts are displayed in elegantly glass cases, inviting you to drool over them. One thing that makes it even better though is while it may not look it, it is actually quite kid friendly. My husband and I have taken our nine month old with us multiple times, and each time it's been a pleasant experience. The restaurant itself is pretty loud, so we didn't have to worry about him making too much noise. Each time we went, we were greeted with smiles and promptly provided with a high chair. Our son enjoyed looking at all the colorful desserts and even met a few other baby friends there. What's more is that it has a great adult atmosphere, making it perfect for a romantic date WITH your child!

Another reason we love to go is not only for the desserts but for the variety of cheese they offer. It's so relaxing to go and sample the different cheeses (more on our cheese tastings in an upcoming post.) Their sandwiches are also wonderful. For those of you whose mouths are now watering and don't have the good fortune of living in San Diego, keep checking their website. They are working on providing some of their desserts through their online store. Oh, they also make a mean white hot chocolate - worth it for the trip alone.

Mama Sparkles

Welcome! The title "Mama Sparkles" pertains to an essay question I once saw that read "What makes your heart sparkle?" I never did answer the question in essay form, but I did manage to write a poem about it. Lately, I find myself pondering this question again because as a new mom, I am constantly learning about new things. Life with baby comes with myriad "sparkles" and this blog will serve as a place where I share my experiences, discoveries, and life in general. Enjoy!

Columns

Columns that are updated regularly on Mama Sparkles include:

SPARKLE SPOTLIGHT

This column highlights certain people, companies, and businesses who have put a smile on my face and added a little "sparkle" to my life.

MAMA SPARKLES CONFIDENTIAL

This is where I let you in on my imperfections. You may be surprised to hear that even though my blog's name is Mama Sparkles, my life is not always sparkly. That doesn't mean I should stop trying though. You also won't find any especially juicy or depressing tidbits here - I really am a pretty happy, positive person most of the time. But perhaps through this column, you can get to know me a little better and I can get to know you. And maybe in turn we can learn to overcome our imperfections.

TASTE OF MAMA SPARKLES

I like to eat food. Here, I write about all things food related and tell you which recipes, products, and restaurants have that special touch of sparkle.

SAN DIEGO SATURDAY

Showcases info about noteworthy events, attractions and fun things to do around town.

Advertise

If your company, blog, or business would like to sponsor Mama Sparkles, contact me for rates. I look forward to hearing from you!

mama.sparkles(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

Contact

Got a question or comment? I love hearing from you! Drop me a line any time at mama.sparkles(at)yahoo(dot)com

Favorites

Coming soon

About Me

Welcome to my blog! I started Mama Sparkles as a way to celebrate all the "sparkles" in life - the things that make your heart sparkle. I write about anything mommy and baby related, my favorite products, movies, books, websites and pretty much anything that makes me happy. I spend my days in sunny San Diego with my adorable son and newborn baby girl, and am loving life as a mom. If you want to learn ten random things about me, check out my post here. Have fun looking around and feel free to send me a note anytime!