Motivating Mum UK

I was very lucky to be able to try out a family recipe bag from Jessica’s Recipe Bag, a new service which aims to make life easier for time-starved mums. The service was started by Jessica Andersson, a working mum living in London with teenage kids. Jessica is also a fully qualified nutritional therapist and experienced cook.

Jessica and her team plan four delicious meals each week, source all the ingredients and put the recipes together in an easy to follow format.  Your ingredients are delivered to your door by courier in just the right quantities to make some yummy and nutritious food for your family, so no more thinking, shopping and having to buy more than you need.

The bag that I tested was a Family Recipe bag – enough food for four people for four meals, which retails for £69 (first bag £45).

The bag was delivered on Monday evening by a smiling friendly courier.  inside I had the ingredients for the following meals:

• Smoked trout with spinach, swedish potatoes and salad
• Lamb meatballs with flatbreads and mango salsa
• Chicken pad Thai with noodles and salad
• Goats cheeses and asparagus risotto

Looking at the list, I wasn’t sure that my children would go for any of them particularly -they are certainly more adventurous flavours than I would normally cook during the week.   But we all agreed to try everything in the name of research – and to me this is the first advantage of the bag system in that you can try out things that are outside of your culinary comfort zone.

So on Tuesday night I made the lamb meatballs.  I loved the fact that although the recipe called for celery they sent just one stick of celery.  Nobody in our house eats raw celery so usually if I buy it for a recipe the remaining head is wasted.  This was perfect. the children loved the meatballs for tea, and it was easy to save some of the ball mixture and reheat it when my husband came in late.  Result – big smiles all round.

On Wednesday the children were busy – I decided to do the trout for me and my husband and to give them something else as I didn’t think they would eat it.  We absolutely loved the trout and the swedish potatoes – and we had a second helping with the leftovers a few days later.   I will certainly do this recipe again.

On Thursday I was really looking forward to the Pad Thai and so were the children.  Unfortunately this recipe didn’t quite work for us – nobody particuarly enjoyed it as much as we thought we would.  I will do something like it again but tweak the flavours slightly.

And so to the risotto on Friday.  I can’t believe I have never cooked risotto before – somehow I had it in my head that is was difficult.  But it was very straightforward and absolutely delicious – top marks all round.

Overall I would say that I would have Jessica’s bag again – especially as you can see what is coming up before you order so you can choose your weeks carefully.  I might choose the Couples bag next time (three meals for two people for £42, first bag £29)  as I’m not sure my children really got as much out of the whole week as we did. But I certainly learned some new recipes and techniques that I will use again and discovered some new ingredients too (like tamarind paste) that I will use elsewhere in the kitchen.

Giveaway

Now you can have the chance to try out Jessica’s Recipe bag service yourself.  Two lucky winners will each get the chance to try two weeks of recipe bags.

Jessica’s bag currently delivers within greater London. Postcodes included are; W, WC, NW, N, E, EC, SE, SW, TW, KT and the following GU postcode areas (1 – 4, 11 -25, 46, 47, 51, 52), so please only enter if you want your bag to be delivered to an address in this area.

If you are in the right area then please fill in the Rafflecopter below:

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ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

Specialist gifting website Buyagift.com has launched a new competition to find the next J.K Rowling… under the age of 10!  Budding authors are invited to submit their stories on a set theme, with the chance to have their work judged by award-winning writer Giles Paley-Phillips and leading picture book blogger Emma O’Donovan. The winning author will see their work made into a professionally published book and sold on the Buyagift website with all profits going to children’s wishgranting charity Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net Read the rest of this entry »

Would you like to use Twitter more effectively for business? Is blogging part of your marketing toolkit? Would you like to learn more about small business?

Mumpreneur Marketing is offering you the chance to win a social media or business marketing workshop of your choice worth £45 pounds. The three-hour training workshops are held regularly in Putney, South West London.

You can choose from workshops on Twitter, blogging for business or small business marketing which covers marketing planning, online marketing, content marketing, avoiding common marketing mistakes and a low cost marketing checklist.

“Great workshop. I feel I’m a big step forward towards getting my business running. The marketing course has motivated me. I have new goals to work towards. I would recommend this course to anyone running their own business.”   Charlotta Pichon                                                  Read more workshop testimonials here >

To read more about the courses offered by Mumpreneur Marketing visit mumpreneurmarketing.com

Mumpreneur Marketing is a London-based marketing and PR consultancy offering affordable and professional marketing solutions for business mums.

To enter the competition, leave a comment below telling us what you find most challenging about marketing your business. Then fill inthe Rafflecopter below:

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ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

The folks at moneysupermarket.com have put up a £500 prize to find the most amazing savings stories.

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Cookie Crumbles has just launched this fantastic new kids baking mix range to introduce children to the joys of home baking.

Cookie Crumbles was established by Carola Weymouth in the early nineties, as the first UK cookery school to offer children’s cooking classes, and has now developed kids baking mixes. Read the rest of this entry »

Precious Memories offers you the opportunity to capture a special moment in time in a stunning and unique way in the form of Belly Bump Casts, 3d Casts, 2D Impressions and Sterling Silver Finger, Hand and Footprint Jewellery.   To create our jewellery we use inkless wipes and we were often asked if they could be purchased for a friend or relative, which sparked a new product line for the company. – inkless wipe kits.  These are great to pop into a hospital bag before an impending birth or to give or receive as a gift at special times of the year such as a Christening or Christmas.

The wipes are safe and originate from the USA where they are used for taking prints in hospitals and fingerprints by the police.  Stunning detailed prints of your baby’s hands and feet can be captured in a quick, easy and fun way.  The body part is wiped with the inkless wipe and placed on the special coated paper where the image appears in seconds – it’s magic.  We also have a video on our website to give our clients the confidence that they will get the best results from their kit:-

VIDEO LINK - http://www.precious-memories.co.uk/Jewellery%20-%20Process%20-%20Handprints

Precious Memories can then take the prints and create some truly unique gifts which include many items such as; pendants, Pandora charms, cufflinks, framed personalised names with prints and printed mugs.

Our kits are lovely to give as well as receive and we are offering  2 lucky followers the chance to win one.

Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below

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Please note that the prize is just the set of inkless wipes – you will be required to pay for whatever you ask Precious memories to make with your prints. Terms and conditions apply – see the Rafflecopter widget for details.

ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

Wonders of Life tells the story of the amazing diversity and adaptability of life through the laws that govern it: from the dance of chromosomes as cells divide to the spark of electricity that causes muscles to move. Professor Brian Cox takes us on an incredible journey to discover how a few fundamental laws gave birth to the most complex, diverse and unique force in the Universe – life itself.

This definitive new series is available now in a beautiful illustrated hardback book and on DVD and blu-ray from 4th March.

We have been given a copy of each to give away. Please fill in the Rafflecopter below.
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ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions

Lucy Beckford is  an Independent Consultant and Team Leader with NYR Organic, the Party Plan arm of Neal’s Yard Remedies of Covent Garden.

Lucy says:

Neal’s Yard Remedies is a family-owned, British company with over 30 years heritage of producing award-winning natural and organic health and beauty products.

NYR Organic itself has only been around for 3 years and is rapidly growing, as people are becoming aware of the fabulous host reward programme for inviting a few friends round for a pampering session!  As such, there are many exciting business opportunities available as an Independent Consultant which are flexible to fit in with existing commitments, be that family or another job.

Someone offered me the opportunity to build a business with NYR Organic a year ago and it’s made a real positive difference to my life.  Contact me to find out how it could change yours.

 

Lucy can be found at  www.uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/lucybeckford

Lucy is giving away a duo of giftsets – one for you to give to your mum and one to keep for yourself!   The prizes are a Neal’s Yard Remedies Indulgence Gift Collection worth £35 and our Melissa Hand Care Giftset worth £28.50 – which one will you give away?

To enter this competition please check out the Rafflecopter below:

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ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions – See more at: http://www.theprizefinder.com/content/win-two-neals-yard-gift-sets#sthash.eCSkTCLr.dpuf

What does Mother’s Day mean to you?  Is it a time when you look forward to the lovely hand crafted presents that the school or nursery sends home with your offspring, and maybe a breakfast in bed or a special meal out with your family?  Is it a time when you are rushing around searching for presents and greetings for your own mothers or grandparents?  Is it a sad time when you remember mothers (or children) that are no longer around, or an awkward one where you try to give suitable acknowledgement to ‘mums’ in an extended family?

Is Mother’s Day a lovely celebration of motherhood or is it a bit of commercialised nonsense with a load of undue stress?

However you experience Mother’s Day, I bet there are very few of you that would turn down the opportunity for a spa day with a friend at this time of year.  Maybe you could  use it to treat your mum to a special day out, or even your daughter if you have one of the right age.  Or maybe you will use it to get away with a friend or with your partner and treat yourself for being such a good mummy.

We have teamed up with buyagift.co.uk and can offer one lucky person the chance to win a spa day for two at Bannatynes Health clubs, at any one of 33 locations up and down the country.

Mother’s Day is Sunday 10th March this year, so we will close this competition on Wednesday 6th March,  and draw the winner in time so they can announce it to someone special on Mother’s Day.

To enter this competition, please visit www.buyagift.co.uk  and leave a comment below telling me what gift would you like to buy for someone special this Mother’s Day?  Then check out the Rafflecopter for some more ways to enter.

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Who is your Ultimate School Governor?

From Lord Sugar to Barack Obama, whoever your ultimate school governor is we want to know!

Education charity ‘SGOSS – Governors for Schools’ has launched a new campaign which highlights the personal benefits of volunteering in a quest to help fill 30,000 school governor vacancies across England.

School governors are the largest group of volunteers in education. They support and challenge the Head Teacher, set the strategic direction for the school and monitor and evaluate progress. As members of the school’s governing body, governors have the opportunity to significantly develop their skills and competencies.

A report carried out by The City of London showed that 67% of school governor volunteers had improved influencing and negotiation skills compared with 43% of the total sample. 71% of school governors reported a skills gain in team working in comparison to 43% of the total sample. Volunteers also reported that taking on the role of school governor was extremely useful for developing hard business skills, such as an increased business awareness and financial skills like planning and budgets.

SGOSS have also launched a new short film this week, “We’re the people…” which follows four volunteers in their workplace and shows how they use their skills to support children, education and schools.

SGOSS CEO Liz McSheehy says: “There is a common misconception that school governors are just parents of children at a school. We wanted to showcase that this volunteer opportunity is all-inclusive and a vital part of school improvement. Becoming a school governor allows a broad range of people to enact real change in education as well as enabling people to develop practical business skills.”

To find out more information about the campaign or to volunteer as a schools governor visit

http://www.becomeagovernor.com/

You could win a Kindle Fire

All we would like you to do is leave a comment below saying who would be your ultimate school governor and why.  then log into the Rafflecopter widget below and follow instructions for further entries.

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Meet Stick Dog – a new breed of hero! In his first adventure, Stick Dog and his friends embark on an epic quest to steal a hamburger. With hilarious illustrations and pitch-perfect humour, Stick Dog is a must-have for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and similar.

Stick Dog and his friends, Mutt, Stripes, Karen and Poo-Poo have caught the scent of hamburgers and what hungry stray could resist that lovely meaty waft? All they have to do is follow the smell, find the barbecue and eat the hamburgers. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. The dogs need a ‘Master Plan’ and they’re not short of ideas. They’re just short of ideas that aren’t ridiculous, or dangerous, or just very very silly.

With hilarious artwork, and an adorable four-legged hero, the story of Stick Dog’s quest for a delicious dinner is destined to be Top Dog.

This book is great for reluctant readers, with great images and a silly sense of humour throughout that will get children giggling. If you have a dog in the house (and we have a 7 month old puppy)  - your children will soon get exactly where Stick Dog and his friends are coming from – I’m sure our pup Sirius would join straight in with these adventures and my children agree with me.

This book was particularly popular with my 8 year old son, but even my pre-teen daughter (who is reading mainly teenage romantic fiction at the moment) picked it up now and again, and I even caught her giggling.  I quite like it myself too, in odd coffee moments (but don’t tell the children…)

About the Author: 

Tom Watson lives in Chicago with his wife, daughter and son. He also has a dog, as you could probably guess. The dog is a Labrador-Newfoundland mix. Tom says he looks like a Labrador with a bad perm. He wanted to name the dog ‘Put Your Shirt On’ (please don’t ask why), but he was out-voted by his family. The dog’s name is Shadow.

Early in his career Tom worked in politics, including a stint as the Chief Speechwriter for the Governor of Ohio. This experience helped him develop the unique, story-telling narrative style of the Stick Dog books. More important, Tom’s time in politics made him realize a very important thing: Kids are way smarter than adults. And it’s a lot more fun and rewarding to write stories for them than to write speeches for grown-ups.

I have got two copies of Stick Dog to give away to lucky readers.  Please take a look at the Rafflecopter widget below.

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The people at MoneySupermarket.com have asked bloggers to dream up their idea of a Grand Adventure, to give people lots of ideas for a low cost holiday.

When I first saw this, I dreamed up all kinds of lovely places that I would like to go.  I used to travel a lot when I was single and childless and there are quite a few more big adventures that I would love to have before I finally hand in my passport.

And yet, in my current life phase (married with children aged 8 and 10), what we really want from a holiday, is somewhere much more simple and straightforward.  All we really ask for is a fun journey to get to where we are going, a comfortable place to stay, lots of activities for the children, entertainment in the evenings and a choice of self catering or restaurants available for the few meals when you just want a bit of a treat.

Last year we went to a  holiday village in Brittany.  We love travelling in the car, on the ferry and having a bit of an adventure en route. the children like being ‘abroad’, learning a few words of a foreign language and trying new foods and experiences.  Mobile home camping is perfect for us – a fun journey,simple but comfortable accommodation and everything the children could wish for on tap.

But camping, for us, would not be a Grand Adventure.  That has become our vision of a normal holiday.

If I was going to take the children out of their comfort zone a bit and take them on a holiday that would be a real adventure for them, I would love to take them backpacking round Europe for a couple of weeks, or even a month.  The rules of the Grand Adventure say that our travel would be paid for, so I would buy us all an InterRail pass, and plan the journey so that we would quite often be sleeping on the trains, to cut down on accommodation needs elsewhere. The children love sleeping on ferries – this would make the journey as exciting as the destination for them.

The Colosseum in Rome – photo courtesy of tripadvisor.co.uk

The idea of the Grand Adventure is that we take spending money of £1,000 and try and make it go as far as possible. So what sort of things would we do to make the money go further?

• Firstly accommodation.  I would go for the most budget accommodation possible – hostels or very cheap bed and breakfast places, found using a site like Hostelworld.  Each hostel would be for one or two nights tops, so no real comfort would be  needed.  I would pick destinations (I’m thinking Italy, Austria, Switzerland) where the weather is almost guaranteed to be nice.  The hostel would just be for sleeping in as we would be out all day.
  

  Hostel Beautiful in Rome -photo courtesy of hostelworld 

• We would pack extremely extremely light.  Each person would have two or three outfits maximum, a jumper and cagoule.  Most of the time we would carry our luggage and have very little luggage storage requirements.
• Food:  A lot of fresh fruit and bread and cheese from street markets in the towns that we visited.  If we are in bed and breakfast accommodation, we would stock up at breakfast time, have a very small lunch from a market or roadside stall, then eat again  at dinner time in a small local cafe.
  

  Street Market in Rome

• In each country we would seek out local food – eat what the locals are eating – baguettes in France, paninis in Italy and so on.  All washed down with plenty of bottled water (with maybe a carafe or two of the local vino in the evenings for the grown ups).
• For entertainment we would mostly be looking for cultural experiences.  Museums, monuments, and places of interest, perhaps a festival or two if we plan it properly.  The Interrail pass offers discounts to many places of interest, for example the Vatican and Sistine Chapel in Rome.  Add in a couple of beaches here and there – all things that can be seen and experienced for very little cost.  With a camera and a good pair of walking shoes we can capture sunrises and sunsets, interesting architecture,and who knows what else…
  

  Viareggio beach in Tuscany, Italy photo courtesy of telegraph.co.uk

• Of course with children there is a need for downtime.  You can’t walk around and do culture all day.  Children tire easily, and do need to be taken indoors in the cool from time to time, especially in the heat of the day.  Also they will need some time to process what they have seen and heard and experienced.  As a family we are experts as this kind of thing.  We all have our gadgets – ipad, iphone and trusty old pen and paper.  In moments of downtime we can retire to a cafe with aircon and wifi, look at our photos,write diaries, read books preloaded onto the kindle app and play games.  In the evenings at the hostel we can play cards or maybe take a board game along.

Cafe culture in Rome

And that, in a nutshell would be our Grand Adventure.  My daughter would love it because of the sights and the culture, and seeing lots of different countries,soaking up the atmosphere, trying the language.  My son would love the food and the different forms of transport. Both of them would enjoy the variety, and although I’m sure some of them might get tired and grumpy in parts there should be plenty to excite them, with a new surprise every day.

We were given a Braun ThermoScan ear thermometer to review.  The Braun ThermoScan^® has been voted number one by UK doctors and paediatricians for accurate temperature reading.

We received our thermometer in the middle of January – typically just weeks after everyone in the family had had (and recovered from) both norovirus and flu.  This thermometer would have been a really handy tool over Christmas, particularly for the first stages of flu – the high temperature was the first indication each of us had of impending flu, days before there were any other symptoms.

My children are at an awkward in-between age.  My daughter at 10, is feeling the first twinges of puberty.  My son at 8 is occasionally plagued by growing pains (and general lethargy).  Both of them occasionally complain about assorted headaches and stomach aches and take to the sofa, hoping for TLC, lemonade and a day off school.  The thermometer is a very useful gauge as to whether I should take their pleas seriously or not.

Unfortunately for them, I know most of the tricks, having practised most of them on my own long-suffering mother many years ago.  I also know (but don’t tell them this), that when my two are really sick they tend to be quiet, pale and sullen rather than feisty, grumpy or whiny, so I usually have some good clues as to what is going on  and a good dose of intuition to boot.  But with a good thermometer to back me up I can sort out fact from imagination very easily.

The ear thermometer is really easy to use, painless (unless they have an ear infection) and very quick.  it is also very hygienic, as you can use a separated disposable lens cap for each person you are measuring.  It is very reassuring to note that doctors consider ear temperature measurement to be the most accurate, and the Braun to be the most accurate of the ear thermometers. With this reassurance I can rest easily, knowing that if their temperature is reading normal and there are no other obvious symptoms then I can safely pack them off to school.

About the Braun ThermoScan^® IRT 4520

The Braun ThermoScan measures the infrared heat generated by the eardrum and surrounding tissue. Since the eardrum shares blood supply with the temperature control centre in the brain, the ear accurately reflects the core body temperature.

Unlike other ear thermometers, the Braun ThermoScan^® IRT 4520 features a patented pre-warmed tip that brings the thermometer to a temperature close to that of the human body, improving accuracy by avoiding major temperature differences.

It also features a unique guidance system to ensure that the probe is stable within the ear and gives an audible/visual signal when the temperature has been successfully taken. A memory chip stores the eight last temperature readings to allow the user to monitor temperature changes.

It comes complete with a protective storage case, 2 AA batteries and 21 disposable filters.

You can buy the Braun Thermoscan and replacement lens filters for it on Amazon,  alternatively if you are reading this before 14th February 2013, you can enter the Rafflecopter widget below to win one of two Braun Thermoscans which are available as prizes.

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When I told my son Eoin (age 8) about the Tots 100 Team Skylanders Competition to design and build a Skylander he was very excited indeed.

Skylanders (and more recently Skylanders Giants), has been his favourite Wii game ever since he got it, and he could go on Mastermind to answer facts about the various characters.

Eoin disappeared into his bedroom, and very quickly came out with a model made of Duplo, which he introduced as Scorchio, a Skylander of the fire element.  Scorchio was a barbecue chef before he bacame a Skylander and his catch phrase is

“Something’s Burnin….”

Scorchio, by Eoin O’Connor

Eoin carried on adding bits and pieces to the model – upgrades, weapons and all sorts of other bits, Scorchio received a fiery apron, a tail and a few other bits besides.

We asked Eoin lots of questions about Scorchio, and before long he had a full story about the Skylander, his origin and his various upgrades.  I tried to capture some of this on video (I’ve cut it short as he got a bit over-excited at this point)

Eventually, Eoin’s dad got involved to help Eoin capture some of his ideas into a presentation ( I think Dad would like to be part of #TeamSkylanders too!).  It’s hard to get Eoin to stop once he starts with ideas, but also a bit hard for him to sit down and get them on paper – so he dictated and dad organised them for him.

Skylander presentation

Eoin is really excited about Scorchio, and is talking about him as if he is a real Skylanders character… he insisted on documenting all the powers, all the paths, the soul gem and everything to do with this character.

I hope that the Skylanders people like Scorchio as much as we do !

The nice people at Waterstones, have sent me a copy of the new printing of The Hobbit, which has been reprinted to tie in with the film that is coming out.

I eventually grew to like the Hobbit as a child.  I tried to read it when I was younger, as we did a drama study of it in Year 5 at school. I didn’t manage to get into it then, but came back to it as a teenager, after I had read the Lord of the Rings, and loved it. I have since reread it about 3 or 4 times.

I love the setting of Middle Earth – I read a lot of fantasy fiction and I think that Middle Earth remains one of the best and most believable fantasy settings out there.  It is very easy for the reader to retreat into this alternate world and believe in all of the characters that inhabit it.

Normally I am a great fan of making my children read a book before I take them to see the films that accompany it – we did this with the whole Harry Potter series and I think we all got a lot more out of the film by reading the book first.

However in the case of the Hobbit, I am inclined to revise my normal view.  The language used in the book is a bit dense (it was written in 1937) , and it may be a little hard for some children to appreciate exactly what Middle Earth is all about.  However I am sure that many children will go and see the film (I will certainly be taking mine) and will then return to this classic book with their eyes opened, and see it for the lovely story that it is, and a great prelude to Lord of the Rings.

Here is a Synopsis (for those that haven’t read it yet)

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey ‘there and back again’. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon…

I have kept the copy that Waterstones sent me pristine, so I can offer it to somebody in a giveaway – please check the Rafflecopter widget below.  I still have my old thumbed copy from many years ago, which I keep in a prominent place on my shelf

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To celebrate the Triple Play and DVD release of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, we are giving away copies of the Triple Play to 2x lucky winners and have a printable activity sheet ready for you to download!

Based on the phenomenally successful book series by Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3: Dog Days is the latest hilarious film adventure featuring eponymous hero Greg Heffley, and it’s scampering onto Blu-ray Triple Play and DVD on 26 November 2012 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3: Dog Days [DVD] is out on Triple Play and DVD on 26 November, from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

from Thinking Slimmer and XPG at Debenhams

It’s December, and we’re all starting the chargedown to Christmas – season of good eating, good drinking and less exercise than normal.  How many of us will be looking to shed a few extra pounds (again…) come January?

Yes I can see a few sneaky hands up in the back row, and I will be there with you, as I seem to have a mince pie problem at the moment.

Thinking Slimmer is a new way to tackle weight loss. Slimmers listen each day to a special voice recording (a Slimpod) produced by Harley Street behaviour control specialists, and many find that their eating habits change and they start to lose weight without actively following a diet programme.

There are many Slimpod recordings, each one tailored to the size you want to become or your reason for losing weight (including drop two dress sizes or more, drop a jeans size, slim for your wedding).  There are also recordings that work on several triggers and bad habits  (cut out chocolate cravings, lose your sweet tooth, cut down on alcohol)

There is a free download at www.ThinkingSlimmer.com at the moment  - this Slimpod is called Keep the Pounds off over Christmas - and it is a great way to try out a Slimpod and see how effective they can be.  This Xmas weight control Slimpod will help you to avoid festive over-indulgence before you start the main weight loss campaign when the festivities are over.

I’ve been listening to my Slimpod recordings for a couple of weeks now.  It’s very early days yet, and my food battles are quite well ingrained, but I’m certainly finding that I am choosing healthy options more regularly than before.  I’m also doing more activity – walking further and faster each day.  

Now Thinking Slimmer has given me the chance to help one of you with your New Year’s resolutions.  They have teamed up with the XPG by Jenni Falconer range at Debenhams to offer a fantastic giveaway prize.

One lucky winner will receive a Slimpod and Fitpod of their choice, plus a hoodie, top and trousers from the XPG by Jenni Falconer range

To enter, take a look at the Slimpod range here   then leave me a comment on this blog telling me which of the Slimpods on offer you think will best help you with your New Year’s resolutions.  After that you can fill in the Rafflecopter below for some more ways to enter.

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If you are thinking about setting up your own business, you have come to the right place, as small business specialists, XLN Telecom, have set up a mini-guide with information and advice as to how to become a small business entrepreneur.

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Has anyone noticed it’s a bit cold out there? I don’t know about you but I am getting out my thermals, laying in wood for the fire, cooking hearty soups and other comfort foods, and curling up indoors with a blanket and a good book.

From this…..

….to this. Where would you like to read your Kindle?

I would like nothing better than to jet off for a few weeks on a nice hot holiday – this is one time of year when I do envy my childless friends who can do just that.  For those of us who are stuck with school timetables, the best thing to do is to start to plan next year’s holidays and keep dreaming (and keep wrapped up with that blanket and book!).

Directline Holidays would like to get you started on that dreaming process.  They have many late departure deals to sunny destinations that are available right now.  Alternatively you can start to plan your Spring skiing holiday or summer beach trip.

At the moment they are running a special deal where you can secure the holiday of your choice with a low £25 deposit – check out this special holiday offer

And for those of you who, like me are going to be staying at home (wrapped up) until after Christmas at least, Directline would like to offer you the chance to win a Kindle, to brighten up those dark evenings. Take a look at the Rafflecopter widget below, and get entering and telling your friends throughout November.  Christmas will come early for one lucky reader.

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Images courtesy of  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Cornwall’s leading ice cream producer, Kelly’s, is launching a nationwide search to find the ultimate home-made pudding recipe to serve with Kelly’s ice cream.

Kelly’s of Cornwall knows only too well how many fantastic puddings us Brits have created over the years and with autumn around the corner, what better excuse to enjoy cosy nights in than getting creative in the kitchen for the Kelly’s ‘perfect pudding’ competition.

Do you make the most sumptuous sticky toffee pudding? Have you got the best bread and butter pudding recipe in the county? Then this is your chance to don an apron, bring out the rolling pin and bake for the opportunity to represent Kelly’s of Cornwall online pudding campaign.

The lucky winner will be honoured on the Kelly’s of Cornwall website with their recipe professionally made and photographed. What’s more, the lucky winner will also be treated to a year’s supply of Kelly’s of Cornwall ice cream.  For ten runner’s up, there is a month’s supply of Kelly’s of Cornwall ice cream up for grabs.  You can enter online at www.kellysofcornwall.co.uk.

There are seven flavours of Kelly’s of Cornwall’s velvety ice cream to get creative with, so why not organise an evening in with great company, fun entertainment and a rather generous helping of your homemade creations for all to share and feedback.

To get your juices flowing why not enter our prize draw here at Motivating Mum to win 5 tubs of Kelly’s Ice Cream.

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