Fruity Festive Tipples For Christmas & New Year & A Giveaway

Christmas is a time when mulled wine and hot cider brews rein supreme in the drinks department, but for those that are partial to a cold tipple during the festive season the options can often be limited and disappointing.

This year I’m teaming up with NuCasa to give away a set of vintage style Kilner handled drinking jars, so I decided to pull together some fruity festive tipple recipes the lucky winner can try out in their brand new glasses!

Cranberry Mojito 

Ingredients:
3 mint leaves
1 tablespoon Cranberry Reduction
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Ice cubes
3 tablespoons of your favourite rum
Lemon-lime soft drink
Garnish: fresh mint leaves, lime slices, cranberries

Make it: 
Muddle the mint leaves, cranberry reduction, and fresh lime juice against the sides of a cocktail shaker (or a flask with a lid). Add ice cubes and the rum. Cover with lid and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled (about 30 seconds). Strain into your drinking jar glass filled with ice cubes.
Top with lemon-lime soft drink and garnish with fresh mint leaves, fresh cranberries and a slice of lime.

Blueberry & Lime Gin Gimlet 


Ingredients:

6 1/2 tablespoons sugar
6 1/2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons fresh blueberries
2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice gin (3 tablespoons per drink)

Make it:

First you’ll need to make a simple syrup. Put equal parts sugar and water in a small saucepan (for this recipe 6 ½ tablespoons of each) and cook over a medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally (should take about five minutes).
Add the blueberries and cook for 10 minutes until the blueberries burst and the syrup is purple.
Add the lime juice and remove from the heat.
Let cool and strain.

In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 parts gin to 1.5 parts blueberry syrup and some ice. Shake and strain into glass. Top up with soda water or for a twist try sparkling elderflower!

Non-Alcoholic Festive Fruit Punch

Ingredients: (Makes approx. 15 servings)

2 litres cranberry juice
250ml orange juice lemon/lime cordial diluted to taste in 500ml soda water
Sugar Garnish: oranges, limes, cranberries

Make it:

Slice up the oranges and limes and throw into the bottom of a drinks dispenser or large punch bowl along with the cranberries.
Mix all the punch ingredients together and pour on top. Serve ice cold.

TIP: For an alcoholic twist add prosecco or champagne for a festive fruity fizz that’ll liven up any party!

The lovely folks at NuCasa, retailers of retro kitchen accessories and funky home decor, have got a set of their Kilner handled drinking jars to giveaway (perfect for sipping any of these festive tipples this Christmas & New Year!)

To be in with a chance of winning, all you need to do is fill in the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the steps for entry. All terms and conditions are within the widget, so please make sure you read them and understand the rules.

The giveaway ends at noon on 30th December 2015.

Kilner Handled Drinking Jars Rafflecopter Giveaway

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Beck Valley Book Review & Giveaway: Swindled In Paradise By Deborah Brown

Sexy sleuths Madison and Fab race to uncover the truth behind a horrific crime… before a loved one pays the ultimate price.

Beautiful Tarpon Cove has everything you’d expect from a paradise retreat: Blue waters, white sand and … murder?

With deadly secrets and dark dealings brewing beneath the surface of Tarpon Cove, Madison and Fab are caught in a race against time to uncover the truth behind the grisly murder, which may only be the tip of the iceberg….

The eighth book in Deborah Brown’s Paradise series, Swindled in Paradise will take you on a high-speed thrill ride through non-stop action, steamy romance, and dark intrigue, and leave you begging for more.

The Paradise series, are Florida Keys mysteries, “great as stand-alone reads, but they're like chips...you won't be able to devour just one!”

Available to buy from.....

Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble

"Swindled in Paradise will take you on a high-speed ride through non-stop action adventure, romance, & suspense, & leave you begging for more." 

"LOVE this book series! Each new Paradise escapade surrounds you, and the characters... they unwittingly become your extended family."

"I absolutely love Madison & Fab! Their friendship and their adventures. These two can't stay away from trouble and I love it!"

Above reviews from Goodreads/Amazon

About the Author

I've been writing, in one way or another for as long as I can remember; writing poetry, short stories, a romance novel secretly stashed under the bed and sappy love letters. Fiction should be fun. I wanted to create the perfect beach book, to make the reader laugh, cry and cheer... and then run out and tell their friends about it.

My love of reading began when I was seven, the day I opened the cover of my first Mrs. Piggle Wiggle book. Mrs. P gave lessons to other children in how to behave and to me I learned to love the written word. I live with my family and demon children aka rescue cats in South Florida.

Find the author on the following sites....

Website  Facebook, Twitter  Pinterest  Google+  Goodreads Amazon Author pages

Also available in the Paradise Series

My Review

This is my second Deborah Brown / Paradise Series novel and I enjoyed it as much as the first. Brown is truly the queen of continuity because the character portrayal and attention to detail was seamless. All the old favourites are there, Brick, Spoon and Madison's formidable, cigar-smoking mother.

This time, Madison and Fabiana are trying to save someone very close to them from ending up in the slammer.  There have been grisly murders and a very shady collection of property developers are at work .  As usual, there is a series of extra cases that the two girls solve in their roles as PIs, each one of them being entertaining and different.  You never know what the girls are going to take on next.

I'm not going to spoil the ending for you but the novel is fast paced, highly entertaining and works as a stand alone story.  It's fun, escapist stuff and the two female protagonists are street smart, entertaining and ballsy.  

Highly recommended.

Follow the Book Tour

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY

Win $25 Amazon.com Giftcard / Paypal Cash
(winners choice)
Open Worldwide

Ending on Tuesday 22nd December at 11.59pm EST

Enter Below and Good Luck !!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Like what you've read?  Why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

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My Sunday Photo - 20/12/2015

The Kids At Westonbirt Arboretum

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Driving Home For Christmas? Do It Safely.

Driving home for Christmas was a special Christmas tradition when I was growing up.  We'd drive, each Christmas to Plymouth, to the homes of my grandparents and the journey used to be magical.

When you're young, the heady feeling of festive anticipation is so potent that it seems to colour ever activity, no matter how mundane, with glitter and sparkle.

The journey was made, through the years (in the late 60's through to the 80's) in a Mini Cooper, a Renault 4, a Renault 5 and a Ford Fiesta.  None of these had much boot space and my sister and I would be surrounded by blankets, presents and rationed toys desperately fighting off deep vein thrombosis and cramp in our nether regions.

To keep us quiet, dad would stock up on Wrigleys chewing gum (usually Double Mint - I'm not sure about Juicy Fruit to this day) and the discarded silver foil wrapped blobs would eventually seize the door panel ashtrays.  Yes, in those days, some family cars also doubled as mobile ashtrays.  

My mother had little room for her feet because she had a large bag full of foil wrapped sandwiches and thermoses of water and milk.  Not for us the mad excesses of service station food. No, staring out a steam and rain covered windscreen trying not to get ready salted crisps on the seat was more our family's style.

My sister and I loved spotting the fairy lights festooning houses, pubs and lorry cabs as we drove. Each junction had a significance and the highlight was descending the sloping dual carriageway on to the very scary Marsh Mills roundabout in Plymouth and from there across to Cattedown and my grandfather, Harry's house.

Widowed very early on, Grandad nevertheless always made sure that there was a Christmas tree lit up in the always cold 'front room' reserved for visitors and special occasions.  He'd buy in a jumbo tin of Quality Street, enough peanuts to pebble-dash a small semi, a Christmas cake and a Christmas Log covered in thick chocolate.

My father would pull up, decant us all and then spend a good ten minutes driving back and forth to get the car properly lined up against the kerb.  I think it's a Virgo thing.  Or a dad thing.

My Lovely Dad

In those days, of course, even joining the M4 from Cardiff was a novelty and there was a fraction of the traffic that there is today.  If you were unfortunate enough to break down though, you were in for a long wait.

Before we set off, my father would go through the ritual of checking the tyres and their pressure, topping up the oil and water and wiping over the lights - something he taught both my sister and I to do.  I often wonder how many of us take sensible precautions with our cars before we set off.

Do you do any or all of the following?

Make sure your lights are working

Get someone to stand behind the car and check the break and back lights for you.

Check your oil, water and screenwash

Don't just rely on the top ups you get when you have the car serviced!

Check your tyres

Are your tyres roadworthy and inflated at the correct pressure?

If you're not sure which ones you need, specialist tyre supplier Point-S have a handy online guide which tells you the tyres you need when you input the registration number of your vehicle.

You also might want to consider purchasing a set of winter tyres if the weather is particularly treacherous.

Check your wipers

Replace blades that aren't working.  Having good visibility on the motorway is crucial, especially in torrential rain.

Check your fuel levels

Don't forget the not all garages will be open over Christmas and the last thing you want to do is run out of petrol miles from the nearest station.

Be ready for ice

Make sure you have enough de-icer and an ice scraper.  It's a good idea to carry water, blankets, torches and warm clothes too.  You might also want to have some snacks to hand - although we have never managed to make a packet of 'travel sweets' last much further than the Severn Bridge.

I hope that if you are driving home for Christmas that you'll make sure your journey is safe and enjoyable by taking the important precautions listed.

I'd also make sure your breakdown cover is renewed and you have the breakdown telephone number in your mobile.

Then, all you'll need is a suitable Christmas sound track to sing along to while you drive.

Something about driving home for Christmas possibly .......


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Help A New Mum With These Top Tips

As a parent, I have a wealth of experience raising my kids. But I still remember those early days struggling to figure out what to do. Why was the baby crying? Was I feeding her enough? I was so grateful for all those tips and helpful words of advice from anyone who would offer them.

If a close friend or someone in your family has just had their first baby, there is plenty you can do to help them out. Some newborns find it difficult to sleep for long. Poor mum can end up exhausted in just a couple of days. If you have three or four hours to sit with a newborn one afternoon, tired mummy can get a much-needed rest. In that time, you may need to offer a feed and a nappy change. Be sure you have everything close to hand.

Thanks to Kakisky for the pic 

Some mums find it difficult to grab even a shower each day with a demanding newborn. Even if you’re not too confident about nappies and feeding, you can sit with a baby for twenty minutes while mum gets dressed. You might even bring mum a fresh new outfit, or some makeup to help her feel human again! And don’t forget to bring something nutritious for her to eat.

Organising a Christening or Naming Ceremony is hard to do when you’re sleep deprived and frantically busy with a newborn. You can help by finalising the arrangements and managing the invitations. You could even help find some christening gifts for newborn babies that mum would love to receive. Sometimes, just offering to host and cater the gathering after the ceremony can be a huge relief for a new mum.

Finding the time or energy to clean up around the house is never easy for a new mum. The laundry piles up and so do the dirty dishes. Whenever you pop round, see if you can lend a hand to get some bits done. Perhaps you can take the laundry home to do, or run the vacuum around. Few new mums would be put out by a little domestic assistance!

Getting out and about can feel like the impossible challenge for a new mum. Offer to take her and the baby out in the car to town for a spot of retail therapy and a coffee. It’s important to take your time and not let it feel like a burden. Help pack up the bag and dress the baby for going out. Pop the pram in the car. Pack extra burp cloths and a couple of bottles. Then proudly wheel the pram into the cafe and have a seat. New mums can often feel like they’re in the way or putting people out. You can do a lot to allay her fears.

It won’t take long for mum to feel comfortable in her new role with your support. Any help you can offer will be gratefully received. I remember feeling so awkward the first few times I did anything with my little ones. Then you look around and see other people just getting on with it and it helps. See what help you can give your new mum friend today.

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The One Thing You Should Be Doing For Your Health Tonight

Now, as you know, I frequently write about health and my collection of idosyncratic and ever-increasing ailments - none of which are taken particularly seriously by The Husband and most of which may well have something to do with my status as a "woman somewhere vaguely approaching menopause".

In my defence, I am always on the brink of taking some sort of positive action.  Don't we all  have "the list"? That list you carry in your head which appears regularly as a set of New Year's Resolutions you never keep.

You know the sort of thing:

- drink more water
- get more exercise
- walk, don't take the car
- meditate for 20 minutes a day
- reduce your sugar and salt intake
- moderate your alcohol intake

At this time of year, all the hoary old chestnuts of resolutions past are dredged up with a religious fervour and accompanied by a self-help tome or two and a herbal supplement from the slopes of the Andes which promises to invigorate and refresh.

But there is one item on the list that we probably forget to add and one which, according to Durex, we should.

Yes.  I'm talking about sex.  Or, 'iggly boo' as a friend of mine used to refer to it for reasons none of us could ever quite fathom.

After a hard day's work which also includes running round after two kids, shopping, cooking and cleaning, I suspect many of us would rather attack a 1000 piece jigsaw of a picture of baked beans than take our PJs off but there are very good reasons why we should.

For example,  did you know that sex increases the immune system?  Sex once or twice a week can increase the level of antibodies in your body which not only protects against common colds and flu, but can help your body defend itself against germs, viruses and other intruders?

Or that sex with your partner not only relieves migraines but arthritis, back, leg and menstrual pains? One study has even found that sex can lead to partial or complete relief of headache and migraine. (That rather debunks the "not tonight darling I've got a headache" excuse).

Lest you think that my age group (50+) are all at home completing jigsaws featuring baked beans, 8000 Saga customers aged 50 and over were interviewed in 2007 and 2013 and it was found that a fifth of over 50s have sex at least once a week.

This does not mean, though, that women in my age group no longer have to worry about contraception.  Pregnancy is still a possibility, however remote.

The NHS advice is that women who are sexually active with men need to use contraception until the menopause (that is, until they haven't had a period for two years if under 50, and for one year if over 50) if they don't want to get pregnant.

And then there is still the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

A report from Public Health England from 2009 to 2013 highlighted that although other age groups were represented by far larger numbers of STD diagnoses, (in particular the 25-34s), there was a greater percentage increase in sexually transmitted infections across the years for men over 45.

Between 2012 and 2013, the number of men in England over 65 diagnosed with chlamydia rose by 16%, compared to a 4% increase in the 25-34 age bracket.

So, whilst more sex is doubtless good for us, we still need to take as much care with our sexual health at the end of our fertile years as we did when we reached adolescence.

The debate over whose responsibility it is to carry the condom is not over yet.

Like what you've read?  Why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

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5 Creative Christmas Entertaining Made Easy Guides To Give Away

As Christmas creeps ever closer, it’s time to start planning those festive get-togethers in earnest.

To make your holiday dinner parties all the better this year, the award winning Pudding Bridge has everything you need to host the perfect event in an inspirational collection of brand new how-to guides that is available right now for just £16.

Pudding Bridge is a wedding and event hire company owned and managed by Helen Hopkins. She has created her own range of innovative products that enable clients to transform any event into dazzling celebrations. From the fun and funky ‘Booth in a Box’ to the elegant and glamorous Sequin Collection, Pudding Bridge creates breathtakingly beautiful celebrations.

Creative Christmas Entertaining Made Easy is the perfect mix of creative projects, recipes, ideas and advice.

Featuring step-by-step craft guides, instructional videos and helpful printables, you’ll learn how to make gilded crockery, embellished napkins, floral arrangements, cocktails & mocktails, canapés and much more. It’s also full of down-to-earth advice that makes hosting easy.

Says Helen: “Christmas gives us all the perfect excuse to get friends and family together for a party but sometimes, you just need a little help bringing it all together. My Christmas tutorials give you absolutely everything you need to host a fabulous event.”

“We do put a lot of pressure on ourselves at Christmas so following my tutorials is like having an extra pair of helping hands when you’re preparing to party. For example, if you work through my two hour countdown you’ll have time for everything and the evening will be as much fun for you as is it for you guests. Plus, there are plenty of creative projects and recipes to try and nothing takes longer than an hour – perfect for maximum impact in the least amount of time!”

So, here are Helen’s top ten tips for stress-free parties this Christmas:

1. Get prepared! The most you can do in advance the better. So, try to complete all household chores a day or so before.

2. Stock up! Do an online shop that’s timed to arrive when you need it to so you’re not rushing around. Don’t forget kitchen supplies, loo rolls and bin bags!

3. Keep it simple! Complicated menus sound amazing but pile on the pressure. Keep it simple with my tried-and-tested recipes that everyone will love.

4. Cut down on washing up! Place a little stack of cocktail napkins next to each plate of nibbles so you guests can use these rather than plates. Also, my killer one pot main course means your dishwasher won’t be struggling to cope!

5. Don’t pour drinks! Pouring endless drinks for guests will keep you busy when you could be having fun. Set up a drinks station with jugs of cocktails, plenty of ice and glasses on hand so guests can help themselves.

6. Lower the lighting! Bright light is a no-no so switch on those fairy lights on and use lots of candles to create a cosy, intimate feel.

7. Prep the playlist! Pull together your playlist before the event so you’ve got your sound track sorted in advance. Don’t forget, a few cheesy tunes will make everyone smile!

8. Start clean! Starting with a clean kitchen, clear counter tops and an empty dishwasher is a great idea.

9. Lay the table early! Do this well in advance so that if guests arrive early, you look like you’re ready for them even if you’re still in the kitchen. Follow the step-by-step instructions in Creative Christmas Entertaining Made Easy to make sure everything looks amazing or download Pudding Bridge’s Perfect Christmas Table guide.

10. Timers are your friend! Using timers alongside my two-hour countdown will mean that you don’t miss anything and you can serve your dinner on time and with a smile on your face.

So, for the prettiest, easiest and most stress-free festive party, all you need is Creative Christmas Entertaining Made Easy which is now available from Groupon for £16.

I have 5 copies of this online guide to give away.  Entry is via the Rafflecopter.  Terms & Conditions apply.  The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 20th December.

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Good luck!

Like what you've read?  Why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

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