New Releases, Free & Bargain Books Link-Up Week 43

How are you all this week?  We're surviving half term and it's a quiet one for us as the Husband is 'doing DIY'.  This means copious visits to Wickes and ScrewFix for things I really don't recognise and lots of demands for coffee.

We've not put the Halloween decorations up yet and I'm steeling myself for attacking the two large pumpkins we've bought to lit the way for the Trick Or Treaters.  My Halloween competitions are closed now but there's plenty still be to won on my competitions page including that Elizabeth Shaw Chocolate Hamper worth £50.

I hope you caught my recent review of "The Fabulous @50 Re-experience" by Dianna Lee Bowes.  It's a great primer for those of us in our 50's wondering how to make the most of our later years.  There are 4 signed copies to win in Dianna's giveaway too which ends on Sunday and this giveaway is open internationally.

And don't forget my new problem page here.

Happy bargain and freebie book hunting on this link.

Have a great week!

Sharing the Love of Books
Enjoy our selection of New Releases / Free & Bargain Books this week

Authors please feel free to add your own books
Readers please free to add your own finds
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...
Monday
 Life as Leels | IrishdaisylovesRomance | Book Babble | All Romance Reader
Tuesday
It's My Side of Life | Celticlady's Reviews | First Time Mommy Adventures 
Wednesday
Beck Valley Books | Cinnamon Hollow Reviews
Thursday
Miki's Hope | Nicki's Nook
Friday
Ebook Addicts | I Love Romance | Mother Distracted | Colorimetry | The Ultimate Fan Blog
Saturday
Totally Addicted to Reading | 3 Partners in Shopping | Angie's Angle | I Create Purty Thangs | Wishful Endings
Sunday
Lynchburg Mama | LibriAmoriMiei | Ali - The Dragon Slayer | Wondermom Wannabe | Deal Sharing Aunt | Rambling Reviews 

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author

For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author

For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 

For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Click here for this weeks awesome selection!

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How To Prepare Your Kids For The Winter Weather

As soon as it comes to this time of year, it always becomes a little more worrying being a parent. Having kids is stressful at any time of year, but winter can be particularly scary. There are many reasons that parents might start to feel a little concerned in winter. One of the most obvious ones is the weather. With the days getting shorter, this is definitely something that any parent needs to think about carefully. The truth is, as a parent you need to ensure that you are doing everything to keep your children safe and warm in the winter. There is often more to this than you might imagine, so it helps to run through it all. Let’s do that now, and see if we can help to prepare your kids for the colder months.

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Buddy Systems

Just because it is getting colder doesn’t mean that your children will be less inclined to play outside. Much of the time, it will be even more tempting, especially if snow is a possibility. When allowing your children to play outside or with other children, be sure to have some kind of buddy system in place. Using this kind of system, you can ensure that there is always someone who has their eye on your child. The last thing you want is to not be able to let them outside to play, so this is your best option most of the time. The best buddy systems also have a secret password. That way, you can be sure of your child’s safety at all times, no matter what. If your children are under eight, you should make sure that they are always supervised, regardless.

The Right Clothing

It goes without saying that clothing is always going to be a major concern when it gets to winter. Of course, one of your main tasks here is to ensure that nobody gets a chill. Keeping your kids warm can be surprisingly difficult, however. Most of all, it is about ensuring that there is plenty to layer with. Layering is the best way to make sure that your children stay warm. Of course, you should also invest in at least one good quality, thick coat for the dead of winter. But it is not just about when they are outside. You also need to ensure they are kept warm inside, particularly at night. Finding the right kids pyjamas is going to be an important part of that. Add to that slippers and possibly a hat, and they should be set. The general test for whether your child is sufficiently warm is that their hands and feet are warm. If they are, then what they are wearing is probably absolutely fine. Anything less, and you need to add another layer or two. Clothing is really important, as it can be easy for young children to get quite ill from the cold quite fast.

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Safety Kit For The Car

Just because it’s the winter months doesn’t mean you need to stop going out and having fun with your family. A great way to pass the time over a weekend or longer is to go on a road trip with the family. Of course, if you do that, you need to ensure that you properly protect the whole family. It helps in these situations to keep a safety kit in the car, for use if the worst happens. In this kit, you should have anything you might need if you break down in the snow or ice. A shovel is going to be one of your main items of importance here, for obvious reasons. It is also beneficial to have sand in the car, as this can help if the car gets stuck anywhere. Tyre chains can be a useful addition, as they can stop the car from skidding around uncontrollably. And no safety kit would be complete without an ice scraper and a flashlight. As long as you have these essentials in your car, it shouldn’t matter too much what happens. Also be sure to have extra layers for warmth. In the worst case scenario, you will at least be warm enough, and so will your children.

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Sunscreen

Finally, a note on sunscreen. This might seem a little odd, and yet that is the very reason that it needs to be mentioned. People often entirely forget about sunscreen at this time of year. However, the fact is that the sun reflects off the snow and can actually be incredibly damaging, particularly for young skin. Make sure your children are wearing sunscreen if they play in the snow for a long time.

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My Problem Page - What Was I Asked In Week 43?

This week I'm talking about dating by text (again!), whether a man should stay 'buff' to keep a relationship and what to do when your annoying mate phones you at 2 am.

If you would like any advice, feel free to message me or pop a comment in the comment box at the end of this post. I promise to be gentle.

Here's this week's questions.

Q: Do I break off our relationship? 

From day 1 she made it clear she'd only stay around if I get buff. I am 6′4 and 170 and we have been going out for 1 year. She loves all my personal traits,but her number 1 condition is me being more macho. I want to be loved for who I am first and then work on my muscles. Her sine qua non is my buffness.

A: If there’s something you do need to develop, it’s not a six pack - it’s a backbone.

I’m guessing quite a few women will be rather amused at your ‘dilemma’ because many women are treated like this all the time - and it’s not pleasant.

My question to you is why do you want to be with a woman for whom your only value is as a living embodiment of Barbie’s boyfriend Ken?

You say you want to be loved for who you are first. I’d suggest you need to love you a little more too. Ask yourself, why am I putting up with this?

Is your girlfriend a stunner? Are you with her because you too value appearance over personality?

If so, it’s hardly surprising you’ve attracted someone who mirrors that kind of shallow attitude.

Don’t put up with being treated like an object. Tell her you’ll keep your body the way that makes you happy and if she doesn’t like it there are gyms all around the country for her to find her next trophy.

Q: My girlfriend is very insecure (she looked through my whole phone when I left it at her house) and expects me to be completely open to her about everything in my life. But when it comes to her phone, she's secretive about the people she texts. What should be my next move?

A: Well firstly you need to tell her that openness is a two way street and, whether she is insecure or not, if you are expected to report back on every contact then she should also be more forthcoming with who she is texting. 

I wonder if you have done anything to increase her insecurity - if that is really what it is. Lots of people experience a twinge of jealousy in a romantic relationship. That’s quite normal. 

Has she ever done anything apart from go through your phone - was that a one-off? Does she check up on you, phone you at work, follow you, check your receipts? These are behaviours which indicate an unhealthy jealousy. 

I wonder also if you object to feeling ‘tied down’. It is reasonable of her to want to know what you are doing within reason. If you are resentful at having to tell her then I’d suggest you might want to think about whether this is the right relationship for you. 

Q: If I like daily texts/communication from men and the new guy I'm dating is silent for 1-2 days after a date, is it time to find a new man? 

A: If frequent and probably meaningless texting is what defines a relationship for you then, yes, this one is probably not a keeper. 

Personally, having to check in every day would drive me nuts but everyone’s different. 

Perhaps he’s busy or has other stuff going on in his life. Perhaps his focus is not on relationships right now and he just wants to have fun. 

1–2 days is hardly vanishing off the planet. After a week, possibly but perhaps he doesn’t want to seem too keen. 

I do think you need to relax a bit and give him a chance. Otherwise you risk jeopardising what could be a great relationship because he won’t play the game your way. 

Why not try to find a man you can really trust so that you don’t feel so insecure if you don’t get that daily text? 

Texting proves nothing you know. It’s actions that count.

Q: Why didn't my first date in Manhattan help me get a cab after dinner when he tried to kiss me and I politely declined? 

I told him I never kiss on a first date. The date was less than two hours so I barely know him. He texted right after when I found my own cab to say he had fun and to let him know when I got home.

A: I’m not sure what the problem is here. 

The guy texted you to say he had fun and to ask you to let him know you got home safely. Perhaps he assumed you weren’t that interested when you declined to kiss him. 

And, as you say, it was less than 2 hours so he doesn’t really know you either. 

It sounds like you are trying to find a reason not to see him again - or your expectations for a first date might be a little too high. 

Chivalry is a rare thing these days and at least you got a follow up call. 

Q: My friend called me at 2 am to annoy me. How can I get back at him? 

A: Well assuming you are both older than 12, why don’t you just switch your phone off at night, block his number, change your number or change your friend. It’s not really difficult is it? 

But if you start retaliating, he will just do something else to annoy you. 

You don’t say why he does it - is he just being an idiot or have you done something to really annoy him? 

If you value the friendship, I think you need to sort this out - or find a new friend.

Q: How long should a "break" be in a relationship where she asks for a break but doesn't want a break up?
A: To be honest if someone asked me for a ‘break’, I’d assume the relationship was over.

Otherwise, giving someone “time-off” to go and sleep with other people makes a mockery of your relationship.

You don’t say why she wants a break - that is more important than deciding how long the break should be.

What ‘conditions’ will this break have? Will she be dating others and sleeping with them?

I would tell her that if she wants a break that’s fine but don’t expect to find you waiting for her when the novelty wears off.

And go and have fun yourself.

How would you have responded to these questions? I'd love to know. You can find more advice on my problem page.

All materials included in this post are intended for informational purposes only. This post/information is not intended to and should not be used to replace medical or psychiatric advice offered by physicians or other health care providers. The author will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages arising therefrom.

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I Got My Bright Little Sparks Crafting For Bonfire Night

On dreary autumn afternoons, a family crafting session is a great way to spend some quality time together. We love the colours of autumn and it's fun to bring back beautifully coloured leaves or shiny brown conkers from our walks.  The reds, browns and oranges make us feel all warm and cosy!

And of course these are the colours both of Halloween Pumpkins and the dancing flames of a bonfire on November 5th - which this year is on a Saturday so we can all go to our local firework display.

Armed with a box of gorgeous crafting supplies and our trusty Bostik White Glue, Glue Dots and Glitter Pens, I challenged Caitlin and Ieuan to create a firework display scene and they've been arguing about who's is the 'sparkliest' ever since!

Caitlin's bonfire features crisp autumn leaves whereas it looks suspiciously like Ieuan's sacrificed a chicken but I've learned not to challenge their artistic integrity for the sake of peace and quiet.

What I love about the Bostik products is there's no mess to clear up afterwards and the glue is strong enough to cope with paper crafting.

Glue Dots are a genius alternative to glue for little ones - simply peel off the backing and leave a blob of glue exactly where you need it.

I love autumn because you are surrounded by fabulous crafting materials - apples, pine cones, nuts and seeds, hedgerow plants like Old Man's Beard, cinnamon sticks - the list is as wide as your imagination.

And for those of you swamped by your children's craft projects and too sentimental to throw any of them away?  Simply photograph them and upload them to iCloud, Dropbox or Onedrive so you've always got a record of your kids' artistic genius, without sinking slowly under paper, card and glitter.

Happy crafting!

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Making Time To Look After Yourself When Life’s Going At A Million Miles An Hour

Now, as any mother knows, when you’ve got kids, regardless of whether they’re toddlers or teenagers, life seems to go at a million miles an hour. You complete one task, such as collecting the kids from school, to immediately throw yourself into another. It’s this hectic way of life that can often lead to us mums neglecting ourselves and our health. When I say health, I’m talking about both our physical and mental health, as each is equally as important as the other.

As parents, a lot of us like to think that we are invincible and that we can rush around and leave little time for ourselves, and not feel the impact. Unfortunately, that’s not the case - if we fail to look after ourselves properly, our minds and bodies will feel the impact. So it’s of the utmost importance that even when life is busy, we make time for ourselves.

Of course, for a lot of us mums, that’s easier said than done. It’s not like we can just snap our fingers and add a couple of extra hours onto the day, is it? We might not be able to extend the day itself. However, there are ways that we can ensure that we are able to look after our mental and physical health, and keep ourselves healthy.

Get up an hour earlier

Photo from Flickr

To give yourself time to relax and unwind before the day starts, aim to get up an hour earlier. Use this hour to prepare yourself for the day. Take a shower, get dressed, and then spend some time practising meditational exercise, like yoga. Yoga offers a fantastic way to calm and relax the mind - making it more likely that you will stay calm throughout the day, and feel better for doing so.

Obviously, if you’re going to get up earlier, it’s probably a good idea to go to bed an hour earlier, so that you’re not missing out on sleep. (With a hectic schedule, you need as much sleep as you can get.) There are various apps that allow you to work out how much sleep your body needs, and also, the time that you should go to bed, to get up at a certain time.

Accept help

A mistake that many mums make is refusing to accept help. Don’t fail to accept help, let the people who care about you help you. Whether your parents want to watch your kids or a friend wants to help you clean your house, don’t be too proud to accept help. By accepting help, you will have more time to focus on yourself.

Focus on the task at hand

Image credit

Be more mindful and focus on the task at hand. For instance, while you’re hanging out the washing, don’t obsess over all of the other things that need doing. Instead, simply focus on the present - the here and now. This doesn’t just apply to housework, but to anything. For example, when you’re playing with your little one, focus purely on them and what you’re doing together.

Let your other stresses and worries slip away - you can focus on them later on. The thing is, when we obsess over stuff, it causes us to become wound up and stressed out. This isn’t good for our mental health. As being stressed can cause insomnia and can also make you more prone to conditions like depression. At times when you feel like everything is getting on top of you, stop and take ten deep breaths - inhale, wait three seconds and then exhale. Remember, aim to focus only on the task at hand and nothing else.

Take advantage of the internet

A major benefit that we have as modern mums is the internet. You see, unlike our own mothers who had to leave the house to get anything done, we have the benefit of the internet. We can order anything that we need via the internet. For instance, as well as being able to order food online for direct delivery to your door, you can order contraceptives like Yasmin online. As well as various other medications. Making it easier than ever before to put yours’ (and your family’s) health first.

Not only can we order whatever we need to online, but you can also use the internet to help to make it easier to fit exercise into your daily schedule. YouTube is an amazing resource and one that is incredibly beneficial for busy mums. As there are various tutorials for all sorts of workouts, among other things. There are even online classes and workshops for reducing stress and being more positive. The internet is the most amazing resource and makes it much easier to look after ourselves.

When you’re a parent, life can get busy. However, that’s not an excuse for failing to look after yourself.

*collaborative post

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Home Maintenance Tips for Everyone

When it comes to home maintenance, a lot of things are taken for granted. We live our day-to-day lives not thinking much about how to better take care of things that value the most. And that is especially true for our homes, since we spend almost two thirds of our lives in them.

Think of it as cutting your costs and making your life more productive, and also more enjoyable. So here are the most important things to do from time to time, so that your home is always in tip-top shape.

First of all, start from the interiors. If you feel a slight breeze inside even though your windows are closed, try fixing the frames, sealing them, and changing the screens if they are broken. This might affect the heating system as well, and help your house be warmer and more pleasant.

Also, air filters in your air-conditioning need to be clean at all times, so wash them at least once a year, preferably at the end of spring, and make sure they are serviced from time to time. This may prevent allergies with your family members, as can keeping the house clean and free of insects. Make sure your extinguishers are working, and change them if you need to.

Inspect your plumbing in the house. If the water runs slowly, that is extremely easy to fix. Keep your sink clean, and use vinegar or chemicals when you need to clean kitchen sink disposal. Your range hood filters also need to be free from grease.

If there is a space in your house that you do not use regularly, make sure to run water there every month or two. This also includes flushing the toilet in the room. For water to be soft and not harmful to your body, use salt and add it at least once a month.

At least twice a year give your home a full treatment – a whole weekend of dusting, mopping and vacuum cleaning. Pay special attention to refrigerator coils, as when they are clean, your fridge runs more smoothly and spends least energy.

At this point you could also remember to pay attention to the exterior. If everything seems to be in order, check exterior drainage and clean the gutters. Clean the garage, it is usually full of things we do not need in the house, so we easily lose track of what is inside it. As soon as it is done, focus on the plants.

Any trees you might have around your house should not interfere with electrical cables, and also, trim your garden fence and you will get rid of unnecessary dead plants. This will not only help house exterior look better, but it will also prevent weed from growing between the bricks or in small cracks around the house.

Roof is another important thing on your check-list, as it needs to be free of damage, cracks, holes and leaks at all times. Chimney is also important to keep clean, as it keeps your house safe from all the harmful effects of gases. Check it at least once a year.

Then comes the patio, which usually does not require more than a solid wash every now and then The pool requires more attention, so check your Onga or Davey pool pumps (check this page if you want to buy some good ones) for damage once in a while. Finish with driveway for cracks, and then your to-do list of things to keep your house in good order is done.

With these tips, you will be ready to tackle most troublesome home issues without even calling a handyman!

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Are You Britain's Most Fruitful Family - Share Your Life Hacks With Nature's Finest To Win £1000

We are all getting busier and busier and I find that there seems to be much fewer hours to get things done once the clocks go back (30th October at 2 am - don't forget!).

As busy parents it's good to have some tricks up your sleeve to get things done in double quick time, especially if you're juggling work commitments with the kids' social life and after school activities.

And getting things done quicker means more time to spend together as a family.

Nature's Finest, who make a variety of tasty potted fruits in juice are searching for Britain's Most Fruitful Family in a fabulous competition they are running on their Facebook page.

They recognise that family time is precious, but with parents often exhausted at the end of a working day and children focused on gadgets we forget to spend just five minutes together. So Nature’s Finest is on a mission to find and champion families who use simple solutions or life hacks to ensure time is spent together.

To enter the competition, families are being asked to send in the life hacks that help them to spend more time together as a family, encouraging others to try the same and embrace a fruit-ful lifestyle.

Inspired by the brand itself, Nature’s Finest offers a variety of tasty Potted fruit only in juice, with no added sugar. Making eating fruit on the go or at home a simple and easy task.

The competition runs from 24th October through to 28th November and the winning family with the best life hack will receive £1,000 worth of Sainsbury’s vouchers – ideal just before Christmas when food shopping bills get bigger.

Just leave your brilliant lifehack in the comments box on the Facebook competition post.

 So how do we save time in the Hobbis household?  Here's my 5 top tips.

* Invest in a slow cooker

Yes there's still a little prep time to make a warming beef stew or a veggie curry but there's nothing better than coming home to a hot meal that's just waiting to be dished up.

*Write out a weekly meal plan

If you can discipline yourself to do this you'll find you won't be hit by the 4 pm angst when you remember you're supposed to throw something together for tea.

Plus having a meal plan streamlines shopping, reduces your bills because you won't impulse buy and allows you to make better use of leftovers.

*Prepare lunchboxes the night before

You can bet the morning you're rushing to prepare a lunchbox is the time you'll discover muddy school uniform and need to get the iron out!

Make things easier by prepping the night before and sticking the whole lot in the fridge to keep cool.  A Nature's Finest Fruit Pot makes a healthier snack / pud to slip in as well.

*Delegate some chores to the kids

There's no reason why kids can't lay a table, put shopping away or (at a sensible age) help with basic chopping and food preparation. I used to peel the potatoes for mum when I got home from school.

*Agree a sensible switch off time for gadgets

We know that we are supposed to turn off our gadgets at least an hour before turning in for the night so having a set switch off time means you have a few more precious moments to read stories, talk about your day and just cuddle.

*Have a homework timetable

If you can it's good to have a designated quiet area for your kids to do their homework.  No TV, no music and no gadgets! It's also worth drawing up a basic homework timetable with the kids so that nothing gets forgotten.

This means checking their school bags when they get home on Friday afternoon because you can bet something will be remembered at 4 pm on Sunday.

You could also incentivise sticking to the timetable by offering a family treat as a reward.  Depending on your budget this could be a meal out, a trip to the cinema, a walk to the park, a movie night at home or even playing a board game altogether. The point is to ensure more quality time together as a family.

I hope I've given you a few ideas and please take a look at the Nature's Finest Competition.  I'm looking forward to learning more tips and tricks to make life just that little bit easier!

The Nature’s Finest product range includes: Peach, Tropical Fruit Salad, Mango, Pineapple and Mandarin in individual posts and sharing pots including Mango, Mandarin, Tropical Fruit Salad, Prunes, Peach, Pear, Pineapple.  There are also larger fridge packs in Peach, Pear, Pear with Peach and Pineapple, Prunes and Tropical Fruit Salad.

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