Fun Theme Ideas for Children's Winter Birthday Parties

It can be tough having a birthday after the holiday season’s finished! Bank accounts may feel empty, and guests can be partied out after all the festivities between Halloween and the New Year.

If you’re tasked with throwing a birthday party for your child during this season, you’ll want to make sure the day is extra special.

Image credit: Pixabay

This can be a bit challenging when you’re cooped up indoors, but with a bit of creativity you’ll be able to make their special day one to remember!

Here are some fun themes to help you begin your planning.

Winter-inspired Theme

Make the most of the winter spirit by throwing a winter-themed party! A winter wonderland type of theme can be really fun and easy.

The décor can help you reuse some old Christmas decorations, with snowflakes, twinkly lights, and paper crafts.

Decorate with paper cut-outs of snowflakes, trees, or arctic wildlife like penguins and polar bears.

You don’t need it to be snowy outside to get in the spirit indoors, either. You can have a mock snowball fight with fluffy fabric balls, or create your own snowflakes with plenty of glitter.

Keep your guests cosy and warm with steaming mugs of hot chocolate and marshmallows!

Cooking or Baking

Does your child love to help you out in the kitchen? Are their friends old enough to handle some light decorating or mixing duties?

Throw a baking party with the kids, setting up a buffet-style bar with decorations to create customised cookies, cupcakes, or other baked treats.

This will not only keep them busy for the better part of an hour, but it takes care of goodie bags because you can send kids home with their creations.

Fancy Dress Party

If you’re like many mums, you may immediately reach for the dress-up box on a rainy day.

It’s amazing how long children can be entertained by dressing up in costumes of all varieties, and you can use this same idea for your birthday party.

A fancy dress party lets them choose what character they want to be, and you can join in the fun by wearing Funidelia opposuits or a fairy princess costume, depending on your own mood.

Add to the fun with props and a “photo booth” that they can pose in.

Book and Movie Characters

A book or movie theme is always a popular party idea for kids, and it can be particularly useful in the winter months.

If you want to narrow down the general fancy dress theme a bit, let kids choose their favourite book, TV, or film character.

This lets them choose between funny fancy dress or more serious and elaborate costumes, and you can always run with the theme in terms of décor with cinematic cut-outs and invitations.

Animal Themes

Finally, why not try a wintry animal theme? Have someone on face painting duty, whether it’s yourself or a more artistic friend.

Let children choose from a selection of animal faces, or make masks together as a party craft.

You can play animal-themed party games like pin the tail on the donkey, and use cookie cutters to cut out finger sandwiches in animal shapes.

Does your child have a winter birthday?  What party themes have you chosen?

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The Dressing's in the Details: Little Style Touches That Make a Difference

Looking your best every day isn't an easy task. When you're a mother, it can be even harder to find the time to put yourself together every day. But just because you're busy, it doesn't mean you have to neglect yourself.

If looking good is important to you, you can find your own way to create your look in the time you have available.

Image credit: Pexels

One of the ways to look good all the time is to pay attention to the little things. Even if you're dressed casually, you can still have a unique necklace on or an eye-catching bag.

Try these little touches to elevate any outfit.

Wear a Watch

Perhaps currently you use your mobile to tell the time. A watch might seem a little pointless to you, but it can be the ultimate accessory for a busy mum.

Whether you wear a traditional analogue watch, a digital watch or even a smartwatch, it can look good and help you stay on track.

Your watch can be an ever-present accessory that completes any outfit, and it can do a variety of other things too. If you get a smartwatch or fitness tracker, you can watch your activity levels.

Smartwatches can help you stay on top of your schedule and calls.

Image credit: Wikimedia

Get an Arty Phone Case

Most people have their phone with them all the time nowadays. You're probably forever having to get it out, whether you're taking a business call or scheduling a play date. If it's going to be surgically attached to you at all times, you might as well make sure it looks good.

An artistic iPhone case can add a splash of colour to any outfit. Even if you're conducting the school run or going to the gym in leggings and an old t-shirt, it shows that you're usually much more fashionable.

Match a Few Details in Your Outfit

If you're unsure about how to bring an outfit together, consider picking a motif to run through your outfit.

There might be something on one piece of clothing that you can match to other things. For example, perhaps your floral skirt could go with a flower necklace. However, you could also add something that's not on your clothes.

Use the same motif on your hairclip as you wear on your bracelet or as a brooch. Nothing has to match exactly, though. You could pick a more general theme to run through your outfit.

Image credit: Pixabay

Pick a Signature Accessory

Do you know someone who always has an amazing bag with them or never takes off their colourful scarf? If you want to look good even on your lazy days, this is one way you can do it.

Pick a signature accessory that you always have with you. It doesn't have to be the same item every day. You can simply build a fun collection of scarves or statement necklaces, so you always have one to show off.

You don't have to do anything big or flashy to look good. Sometimes, it's the little things that make a difference.

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How to plan a budget friendly family holiday in Spain

Many of us are seeking to avoid the grey days of January by planning our family summer break.  Just the thought of warm sun and blue seas is enough to cheer anyone up.

But with January's credit card bills about to plop onto the mat (or inbox), there's Christmas to be paid for first.

It's all a financial balancing act, isn't it?

Image credit: Cala de la Granadella

But there are ways you can plan your family summer break now without breaking the bank.

Agree on a destination that suits everyone

There's no point booking to tour the mountains if your teens prefer to lie on the beach listening to their iPods.

And older relatives probably won't want to stay in a noisy resort.

Sit down with the whole family and agree on a destination that has something for everyone such as Spain.

Spain is the number one destination choice for family holidays in Europe and it's easy to see why.

The country is renowned for its long sandy beaches and has over 300 days of sun a year.

There are many beautiful cities such as Barcelona, Madrid and Seville and renowned cultural sites like the Moorish Alhambra Palace in Granada which is an Unesco World Heritage site or the Guggenheim Bilbao gallery designed by Frank Gehry.

Image credit: Barcelona Cathedral

Then of course there's the food - tortilla, cured meats (jamon, chorizo, salchichón), Spain's famous bean stews, paella, the seafood and the wine!

Create a budget

It's easy to get carried away so create a budget which takes into account all the incidentals - airport taxes, transport to and from your resort, day trips, eating out, souvenirs, additional mobile phone charges....

That way you can prevent too many nasty shocks when you get home.

You may find that you need to compromise - say on the quality of your accommodation or on your airfares but there is plenty of great budget accommodation to be found, particularly if you are going self-catering.

Personally, I prefer to rent the best quality accommodation I can and then cut back on meals out or package day trips if need be.

Image credit: The Alhambra Palace, Granada

Interestingly, the latest figures from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics (ine.es) show that British tourists to Spain spent an average of €130 per day on their holidays in 2016 (between January and November) with approximately one third of that being spent on travel (flights) and accommodation and another third being spent on food and activities.

That puts the cost of an average 10 day break at €1300 or £1128 according to the current exchange rate.

A great incentive to start seeing where you can cut some costs!

Go off peak

This is a huge bone of contention with parents of course and most of the time it is just not possible if you don't want to risk the censure and possible fines of your local education authority!

All you can do is be as canny as possible with your budget and try to save as much as you can by booking well ahead and giving yourself plenty of time to save.

Image credit: Spanish Paella

Don't forget travel insurance

If there's one area you definitely shouldn't scrimp on it's travel insurance.  You hear so many horror stories about holiday makers who have been taken seriously ill and left stranded because they do not have the money to pay for their medical care.

Make sure you have a valid European Health Medical Insurance Card which gives you the right to have state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland. The card covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home. Treatment should be provided on the same basis as it would to a resident of that country, either at a reduced cost or, in many cases, for free.

Check your passports now

Are your passports in date?  We are all familiar with the logjams that tend to hit the passport office toward peak holiday season and the rush to either get to your local office or a hefty extra charge to get your renewal sorted out in time.

Go self catering

Personally I am a huge fan of self catering and it would always be my first choice where family accommodation is concerned.

You can come and go as you please.  You don't have to eat out or eat at times that don't suit you and you don't have to leave your room to let house-keeping in!

You also don't have to worry about little ones making a noise and there's no competition for sun-loungers around the pool.

Spain-Holiday.com is the leading holiday rental website for Spain and it has 1000s of family-friendly villas and apartments to choose from.  You can even contact the owners direct with any special requirements you may have.

You can even refine your search for a holiday rental property according to the distance from the beach.

Join up with another family

You can save costs by booking a joint holiday with another family.  I'd make sure that you really get on though, but you could take it in turns to babysit, cook or do the driving.

Shop locally and eat in

Experience the authentic Spain by shopping at the local markets and trying some of the local produce.

For example, there's Feria, Seville's oldest food market which sells produce in two market buildings beside a beautiful 13th century church.

Or then there's Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, Barcelona where you can see hanging jamons and pass fresh fish stalls as you make your way to sample fresh tapas at one of the bars near the back of the Boqueria.

Whatever type of holiday you are looking for, Spain has loads to offer and there are plenty of opportunities to keep your budget on track.

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I've Taken The LighterLife Fast Blogger Challenge

Weight is such a subjective thing, isn't it?  There's the weight we are supposed to have for optimum health and then the personal weight we have where we feel at our best.

Many of us fall over both of these figures on the weighing scales.

My starting weight at 10 st 3lbs

There are acres of material on the subject of diets.  A new trend appears every few months or so which generally requires an expensive trip to the supermarket to stock up on Quinoa, Kale and, given the current 'national courgette shortage', the humble rival to the cucumber.

But who has time for all that?  And if you struggle with your cooking mojo, you really aren't going to whip up something with miso, fish stock and noodles when the kids are demanding fishfingers.

My interest in the 5:2 diet (or intermittent fasting as it is otherwise know) began when I read that eating this way has greater implications for our health than the other diets I have come across.

It is claimed that intermittent fasting can

*increase lifespan
*improve cognitive function
*protect against conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
*protection from disease in general.

Intermittent fasting is where you restrict your calories for 2 days a week and then eat 'normally' for the remaining 5.

The jury, of course, is out as usual but logic tells me that most of us eat far too much.

Even as long ago as 1600, the physician Thomas Moffet had this to say:-

"Men dig their Graves with their own Teeth and die more by those fated Instruments than by the Weapons of their Enemies."

You get the feeling this is really not a new problem, don't you?

I am currently 10 stone 3lbs which is about 7lbs over where I would like to be.  I'm actually a stone heavier now than I was on my wedding day on 25th November 2011 and now I am on the brink of Menopause, I am aware that weight loss might be more of a challenge than it was previously.

All of which is a rather long preamble to say that I have currently taken on the LighterLife Fast blogger challenge to try their 5:2 Weight Loss Made Easy Diet where you simply choose from 4 out of a wide selection of their products including soups, shakes, ready meals and bars.  

They say that a combination of any 4 of their products will give you 100% nutrition - i.e. 100% of the recommended intake of vitamins and minerals with plenty of protein and fibre.

LighterLife Fast is a 5:2 range designed to maintain your weight or help you lose 1 or 2lbs a week, so a small and steady weight loss programme.

The products are exclusive to Superdrug and you can buy them online.

I will be taking on this challenge for one month and tomorrow sees my third fasting day (or the first fasting day of my second week).  I am fasting every Monday and Thursday which leaves the weekend clear for 'normal' family meals.

Here's what I've found so far:-

* you don't feel hungry and it doesn't feel like fasting

* the products taste good and there is sufficient variety to get you through the day

* you have to resist the urge to eat extra the next day to make up for your deprivation!

* you need to have pretty strong motivation to stick to it.
* it's a bit odd not eating when the rest of the family are tucking in to regular meals.

This is the ideal diet, I suggest to try before a special event like a wedding or in preparation for hitting the beach this summer.

I'll be reporting back to let you know how I've got on and I'm hoping that this way of eating might be something I can do on a longer term basis.

We'll see.

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How Being An Optimist Helps You Win

Don't you find you are naturally drawn to optimistic, upbeat people?  I do.  Well some of the time at least.

I am aware, though, that maintaining a "glass half full" outlook is probably better for me than being a Mrs Mardy-Guts.

Founder of www.vavistalife.com, Health Expert and NHS weight loss consultant surgeon Dr Sally Norton spells out the benefits of optimism below.

Many people see positivity as a genetic trait – something they are either born with, or not. In the same way that we might talk about our eye colour or height, many of us will describe ourselves as naturally optimistic or pessimistic.

However, your brain can change!

In the same way that we can train our brains to appreciate healthy food, we can train ourselves to have a more positive outlook on life.

When you find yourself thinking those negative thoughts about yourself, your circumstances, or even about others, STOP!

Instead, force yourself to think of three positive things instead – there will always be something. If you persevere with looking for the good, instead of the bad, it will become a habit.

It’s well worth the effort – the benefits of being more optimistic are now being recognised in numerous studies …

Improved heart health

According to a new study from the University of Illinois, having a positive outlook on life could provide you with better heart health.

The study of more than 5,100 adults, found that those people who were most optimistic, were twice as likely to be in ideal cardiovascular health, compared with their pessimistic counterparts, with significantly better blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Not only this, but the optimists were also more likely to be physically active and have healthier BMIs.

Image credit www.vavistalife.com

More likely to succeed

You might think that succeeding would lead you to feeling happier, but in actual fact, it works the other way round.

Studies show that positivity and a happier outlook will increase your chances of success.

For example, did you know that ¾ of our success at work is linked to our optimism and how well we manage and deal with stress, rather than our IQ?

And being positive could help you to achieve better results in smaller tasks – in fact, studies have shown that people who are encouraged to think positively before a maths test actually did better than others!

Better chances of ditching the junk food

Struggling to lose that last half a stone? We all know that when we’re feeling negative, we instinctively turn to sugary and fatty foods that will give our bodies a quick burst of energy and feel-good hormones.

However, this is swiftly followed by a crash in our blood sugar levels – leaving us feeling even worse than before.

These junk foods also do little to help us lose any weight, adding to those negative feelings that left us reaching for the junk food in the first place!

So instead, try focusing on the positives – think about how hard you’ve worked so far, and how good you’ll feel when you finally reach your goal weight, and you’ll find those negative yearnings for junk food soon dissipate!

More likely to stick with your fitness goals

Thinking about fitness in a negative way will make you more likely to bail at the first opportunity.

Studies show that a positive frame of mind helps people to stick with their fitness regimes as well as their healthy eating goals.

Once you get exercising, that positivity is helped even more by the endorphins or feel-good hormones that exercise releases.

If you find that the thought of heading to the gym leaves you feeling miserable, then ditch the gym!

Try finding different ways you could keep fit – fitness classes, swimming, or brisk walks in the fresh air.

There’s something out there for everyone, and when you’ve found an activity that you really enjoy, those positive feelings will make you more likely to stick with it for the long-haul.

Some pretty good reasons to try to be less Eyore and more Tigger, I'm sure you'll agree!

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Puressentiel Anti Lice Treatment Lotion & Spray - See Off Nits The Natural Way

Well 2017 started with an itch.

Yes, we succumbed to those pesky head lice and spent the days before the new term combing, spraying and basically trying to nuke the little critters with pretty much any solution we could get our hands on.

Even worse?  I got them.

And let me tell you if you have long-ish hair they are a nightmare.

If you have coloured hair, an additional joyous problem is that many of the chemical nit preparations on the market do a sterling job of stripping out your hair colour if you dye your hair.

This was our first time with the blight and we didn't really know much about them.

What are the signs of head lice?

If your child comes home complaining of an itchy scalp then it's time to start checking for "visitors" - particularly if the itchiness is behind the ears, near the nape of the neck and along the hairline.

Head lice are tiny insects that live in hair and nits are the empty egg cases attached to hair that head lice hatch from.

What does a louse look like anyway?

Image Credit: The Female Head Louse

A head louse is a small insect, visible to the naked eye, about the size of a sesame seed (2 to 3 mm), which lives on the scalp and feeds on human blood.

It has six legs armed with pincers used to cling to the hair, they move very quickly, which explains why it is so hard to catch them.

The exciting life of a louse

The life cycle of a louse lasts approximately 50 days during which female lice lay 5 to 10 eggs (nits) per day.

After a week, the egg hatches and the embryo becomes a larva, which will reach adulthood in 2 weeks.

The adult lice live for about 30 days on a person’s head. The lice multiply rapidly, so you must act quickly.

Head Lice Myths

Lice are a sign of poor hygiene.

No - getting head lice has nothing to do with your family’s hygiene habits. In fact, lice are very resistant to soap and water.

You should keep your kids home from school.

No - taking time off school is not necessary.

Although the back-to-school period is an ideal time for lice to spread due to close contact between children, the transmission of the lice occurs directly through contact between two children (touching hair).

There is also a slight chance of catching them by sharing combs and brushes.

Lice cannot fly, jump or survive longer than 4 to 36 hours away from the scalp.

So how do we get rid of lice?

Basically you can either use synthetic chemicals which can be harmful to the environment - and therefore possibly you (such as those formulated with dimethicone and silicone derivative) or lotions formulated with vegetable oils which are natural such as the Puressentiel Anti-Lice range which is guaranteed to be 100% natural.

Both methods aim to suffocate the lice but whilst the chemical formulae are aggressive, neurotoxic and irritating to the scalp, the natural versions coat the lice with greasy substances which obstruct their respiratory openings.

Over the past 10 years, research suggests that lice have in fact become resistant to the chemical anti-lice products which, given the hefty price tag some of them carry, is very frustrating indeed.

A natural way to get rid of lice

Puressentiel Anti-Lice Treatment Lotion on the other hand is made from essential oils and naturally active ingredients.

It was created by the French family-owned Laboratoire Puressentiel in 2005 - a company specialising in the design of aromatherapy and plant based organic products.

Lotions are considered to be more effective than shampoos because they are more concentrated. After all,  shampoos are diluted with water.

The lotion kills lice, larvae and nits safely and comes with a handy nit comb. You won't find any chemicals.  Its 100% natural formula contains plant oils such as coconut, calophyllum, jojoba, sunflower, sweet almond and castor, which act mechanically by obstructing the respiratory openings of the lice, larvae and nits.

The lice are unable to develop resistance due to the asphyxiation mechanism.

There are also essential oils of lavender, clove, tea tree, geranium, which are soothing and antiseptic, ideal for relieving scalp itching.

Its formula is gentle on hair and the environment, and leaves hair silky and shiny.

The applicator bottle is easy and practical to use and it has a fresh and pleasant fragrance, unlike some of the synthetic lotions.

It is suitable for use by adults and children over 3 years.

Best of all, it starts to work after only 10 minutes.

There is also Puressentiel Repellant Spray which offers effective protection against lice for up to 24 hours in the event of an outbreak.

It contains Citriodiol®, a 100% natural substance derived from lemon Eucalyptus essential oil which has a repellent action to rival its chemical rivals.

What did I think?

I found both products easy to use and loved that there was no harsh chemical smell.  I tested the anti-lice lotion exactly as instructed and found that it did not irritate my scalp.

Because it is an oil based product, you may find you need a shampoo for oily hair to wash it out effectively - and possibly more than one wash.

I used my usual conditioner afterwards, although you can just treat, wash and detangle using the nit comb provided.

The comb is of good quality and built to last - which is handy!

My hair was left in good condition without any lingering scent of the product and my scalp felt soother.

The kids tested the spray which, is easy to apply and comb through and doesn't leave the hair greasy.

Puressentiel Anti-Lice Treatment Lotion + Comb and Puressentiel Lice Repellant Spray are available at Boots, online at Amazon and currently 50% off at Lloyds Pharmacy in-store and online – currently priced at £6.49.

Puressentiel also offer a range of other natural products including their Purifying, Respiratory, Rest & Relax and Muscles & Joints ranges, as well as a selection of diffusers.

The company is committed to respecting nature by adopting an eco-responsible attitude, from the harvesting of the raw materials to the manufacturing of each of its products.

If you are looking for a safer, natural solution to the annoying problem of head lice, Puressential is well worth a try.

Find out more at www.puressentiel.com.  You can also find them on Twitter and Facebook.

*collaborative post

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New Releases, Free & Bargain Books Link-up - Week 4 2017

How are you all this week?  We're all back in the usual routine and missing the sun. Everything is so grey, isn't it?

I hope you all survived Blue Monday which is apparently the most depressing day of the whole year - unless you're locked in the Celebrity Big Brother House where every day seems to be equally awful.

Time to embrace a bit of Hygge and hunker down with hot chocolate, a blanket and a book.

Don't forget that I still have plenty to be won on my competitions page and don't forget my 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 | Colorimetry | The Ultimate Fan Blog | Mother Distracted
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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