• Back to School Lunches made Easier

    Back to school is here.  I cannot believe how fast this summer has flown by.  I may not have any littles of my own but I have loved hanging out with some special ones this summer and honestly I am a little sad they are going to back so soon. To help out my mommy friends out there I thought I would share my quick reference School Lunch Planner that helps keep the lunches healthy but also fun and delicious. A little something of everything  First you start with a main course.  You can keep this pretty simple but still yummy.  Some ideas I had was as simple as a…

  • Time to get a grip on cleaning up

    This post is 100% for me.  I am the worlds worst at cleaning the house.  It is something I have never been good at…EVER!    I would much rather run errands, go to the grocery store, cook a 7 course meal or do laundry than clean the house.   Unfortunately though, that is not how the real world runs, so I have FINALLY found a schedule I can handle. You can do this Ok, at first glance I know this can kinda seem a little too time consuming, which is something I know you do not have a ton of.  I thought the same thing as I started on this…

  • THE one printable your kitchen needs…NOW

    I don’t know about you but sometimes when I am in the kitchen I cannot for the life of me remember how many Tablespoons are in a cup or what temp pork needs to be cooked too.  To help us all out check out this printable conversions chart that has just about everything you might need. A little bit of everything Sometimes you need to know about many teaspoons are in a Tablespoon or how many Tablespoons in a 1/4 cup.  Instead of having to ask Siri or google it, I now look on my fridge where I have this simple to use chart. I have included almost every conversion…

  • Get ready it is almost here…

    I cannot believe that it is almost back to school time.  I have some sweet friends who are teachers and they are getting ready to get back to work in the next week…this summer has flown by! As much as it is hard to believe summer is coming to an end, it is time to make sure we are ready when the time does come…but don’t worry I have broken it down to make it a little easier (for everyone). You got this For a printable version click here Plan Ahead If you can start tackling some of the tasks a few weeks out then the last few weeks before…

  • A good morning makes a GREAT day

    A good morning, in my opinion, really can make a BIG difference in how your day turns out.  For me I like to have a routine to help ensure a good day…and this is it. I am not perfect Don’t get me wrong I don’t follow this step by step EVERYDAY but I try to as much as I can.   The hardest one for me is to not reach for my phone.  I instinctively wake up and want to see what notifications I have, or what emails have come through, but when I don’t and take a few minutes for me it makes such a difference. I find that…

  • A-Z … what inspires you and those around you?

    Do you remember back in grade school you would make lists based on the alphabet…well I have a challenge for you.  Lets make a list, based on the alphabet, of what inspires us. A…..Z Yes you read that right…lets list what inspires us A to Z.      A – Admiration      B – Beauty      C – Creativity  …..      S – Smarts …..      Z – Zebras (yes… Zebras)  This is your list and you can be inspired by anything…even Zebras. Make it a game Use this as a challenge with your family and friends.  Maybe for family game night (kinda like a scrabble…

  • All about YOU (at least for 30 days)

    OK, I know it is hard to sometimes make time for you.  Your busy with work, family, friends, housework, kids, church…the list goes on and on.  I understand I have been there, but I have learned just recently how important it is to take some time for yourself.  Trust me and in 30 days you will see what I am talking about. Don’t worry I am not talking about a ton of time, I am talking about 10-15 minutes a day…that’s all. Step 1….Grab a Journal Confession time…I am I am journal junkie.  I use them for work, personal, in my car…and the more I have the happier I am.…

  • Get what you NEED…not just what you WANT

    Do you ever find yourself wandering around the grocery store not 100% sure what you NEED but 1000% sure of what you WANT?  Well, I know I have many times and that is why now I am all about making lists… and I love this one. A good list… Lists are a must for me not only for the grocery store but for life in general.  Stay tuned as there will be some fun ones coming your way here at Sparkles n Sprouts.   For this grocery list I use this on a weekly basis.  I make my meal plan (using this plan) and then I inventory the pantry and…

  • bring on the honey…and lots of it

    It is no secret that I love to bake…I mean I really love cooking in general but baking is just so fun!   Recently I have been looking for some ways to have all my yummy baked goodies but maybe with a little less sugar.  Honey is the answer and it is so YUMMY!   It is all about the sweet… My favorite way to replace traditional granulated sugar is with honey.  It is sweet and way better for you in the long run.  Now that sounds like a win win. Local is my favorite  My favorite honey is local.  I love finding different vendors at the local farmers markets.…

  • no spending and so fun

    As fun as summer can be it can also be VERY expensive.  All the day trips, theme parks, movies, family outings…etc can really add up quick.  After a busy long Holiday weekend I took a little down time to scroll though Pinterest and I got inspired…lets have a no spend weekend this summer. No Spending? Yep…you read that right.  All weekend and no spending.  It can be done and it can be so fun! Have fun inside or out There are no spend options for inside for super hot days like having a movie day, rearranging the furniture or you could explore a library.  For the not so hot days,…