Yesterday, Mom’s phone literally rang all day.

The sounds coming from her phone seem to be non-stop.  If it wasn’t a ding, it was a ring.  If it wasn’t a buzz it was a bleep.  In fact, if Mom wasn’t talking on the phone, she was scrolling through her screen.

I realize that humans use phones for a lot of different things, but yesterday Mom was being a bit ridiculous.  It’s ok to take a break sometimes.

Anyway, I decided that I had enough.  Looking at one piece of equipment for that long can’t be healthy.  So, I decided to take matters into my own hand and make Mom take a break.  When her phone rang for the billionth time, I took my paw and swiped it right to the floor.

I hit her phone so hard, that it slid under the couch, so Mom had to actually get on the floor and REACH for it.  As she was reaching for it, all she said was “Sugar, really?”  By the time she finally got to the phone it completely stopped ringing.

She got off the floor and looked at me.  I looked back with my famous Sugar head tilt.  You know, the one that most of us pups use to make it look like we don’t know we did anything wrong.

Honestly, Mom sure could use a break from all of the work she was doing on the phone.  And, I wanted to play.  So, in my mind this is the perfect time to get off the couch and have a little fun.

Smartphones can be extremely addictive. 

At least that’s what I’ve been told.  With all the alerts, apps, and access to information it’s very hard to disconnect.  However, staring so intensely at the phone can cause you to miss out on all of the fun, beauty, and opportunity right in front of you.  It can take away your chance to observe the real world that surrounds you.

Focusing on your phones (or any type of screen) all day and night, can also cause you to miss out connecting with the humans (or cute pups) around you.

Let’s face it.  How many of you have spent hours in a room with family and friends staring into some sort of screen?  Think of all the quality time and conversation you missed because your focus was on some screen that doesn’t even talk back.

So, this week I’m challenging you to do one thing.

Dedicate at least 1 hour of your week, as screen free time.  No smartphone, televisions, computers, or anything else that involves a screen.

Take that time to spend with your favorite humans (or pups).  Play a board game, go for a walk, or spend some time coloring with your Pupcake Sugar coloring book page.  You can even take that time to meet someone new, tackle some things on your to-do list, or use this time to reconnect with yourself.

Whatever you decide is up to you.  Believe me, I know that for some humans, it’s not as easy as it sounds.  Even Mom has problems with this one.  That’s why the more active you are during this hour, the more it won’t feel like a chore.  And, you’ll definitely feel like you got some of your time back.

These Raspberry Apple Oatmeal Muffin Pupcakes are dedicated to disconnecting to reconnect and enjoying the real world in front of us.

And of course, we believe that every pupcake has a love story.  So, while your favorite pup is PUPPY LOVIN’ on these pupcakes, we’d love to hear from you.

Were you able to go for 1-hour without looking at a screen?  If so, what did you gain from your 1 hour of screen-free time?  If not, what was your biggest challenge?

Please share your pupcake story in the box below.

And, after you’ve tried this recipe please share it with us @pupcakesugar on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or all three.  We’d love to see how they turned out for you.

Ingredients

Raspberry Apple Oatmeal Muffin Pupcakes

• ½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ Cup Quaker Oats
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ⅓ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1 Egg
• ¼ Cup Raspberries

Instructions

Yields: 12 – 14 Mini Pupcakes

For Raspberry Apple Oatmeal Muffin Pupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line 12 – 14 1.75-inch mini-muffin pan with paper bake cups and set aside.
2. In small bowl mix together flour, baking powder, dried Quaker oats. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl add olive oil, applesauce, and egg. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes or until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients into the mixture and blend for approximately 2 minutes until well mixed.
5. Stir in raspberries.
6. Fill each cupcake liner with 1 tablespoon of pupcake mix.
7. Bake pupcakes for 12 minutes. Pupcakes are done when you can stick a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Notes

• This recipe is for a fun treat ONLY. It should not replace your dog’s regular meals.  Please consult with your vet on the best plan for your dog’s diet.