Self Help ebooks and audio programs to improve YOU and Your Life.

You finally have your baby, pretty as an angel and sleeping sweetly in your arms.
For the first couple of weeks you are totally wrapped up in the new child, learning all you can about her wants and needs; memorizing every inch of her face, the dimples on her hands, and the sound of her breathing.

As the weeks go by and you have assured yourself that she definitely can survive without you being by her side every moment, you become to come a bit back into yourself.
Your hair could use a trim and your eyebrows could use a wax, you notice. It’s time to address another concern as well, which concerns your tummy, hips, and, yes, backside as well. You may be someone’s mother, but that doesn’t mean you have to look matronly. You watched your weight and exercised when you were pregnant, but there’s still the issue of some pounds and inches that need to go!

The best news of all is that you are automatically burning more calories by the simple fact that they are carrying the baby around. Factor in the calories expended by lugging strollers, putting them in and out of the car, carrying all this up and down stairs and the weight can’t help but come off! Doctors recommend, though, that you shouldn’t lose more than two pounds a week, if you want to maintain the weight loss.

It’s good to know that your baby is already helping you on that score! Breastfeeding burns five hundred calories a day. New moms average an output of eight hundred millilitres of fluid. As the baby grows, your body will produce more milk for her requirements. Pretty clever of your little angel to arrange this weight loss for you!
Your baby will have a warm, comfortable time while you burn calories and think about it: carrying the weight of the baby helps burn even more calories! As you begin to take your baby out and introduce her to the world, putting your little one in a cosy sling right next to your body and have a saunter around the block, or through a park. You will both enjoy the closeness that a sling provides, while you will have your hands free to wave hello or pick a flower

When the baby gets bigger and graduates from sling to backpack or stroller, you will be able to cover more ground. Walking alone can burn two hundred calories an hour; pushing a stroller adds to that total, and walking uphill really starts burning those calories up! There are moms that power walk with a stroller; indeed, there are specially built strollers that have wheels more like bicycles than regular stroller wheels, and can manoeuvre much more quickly and better as mom steps up the pace. The moms suggest you do power walks first thing in the morning after feeding baby; if you linger too long you may come up with a clever reason to stay home!If walking isn’t your style but you love the pool, taking your baby into the water can be a fun and magical experience for both of you. Babies usually love the sensation of the warm water that reminds them of the womb, and some mothers advise that fretful babies or babies having trouble going to sleep can be calmed.
Moms can get even more benefit from the pool by using the baby while doing water aerobics. Just make sure the water is warm, of course!

if you are interested in more high quality information, have a look in our section Pregnancy and Baby Care

I wish you a great day
Sabine

Some people are habitual dieters. This means that they are always looking for ways to shed the excess and unwanted pounds. Some people diet quite successfully. However, other people fall into common dieting traps that prevent them from losing the weight.

Here are some common mistakes that many people make when they are watching their weight.

Eating too many low-fat or low calorie foods:

If you are dieting, you often think that eating low-fat or low-calorie foods is the way to go. While it is certainly true that it is better to choose a low-fat food over a high-fat food, the mistake comes when you eat too many low-fat foods for the simple reason that they are low-fat. You have to remember that even low-fat foods add a big when it comes to calories. For example, if you are considering eating a chocolate chip cookie, you may have two choices, a low-fat cookie and a regular full fat cookie. One regular chocolate chip cookie may be 150 calories and 6 grams of fat and a low-fat cookie may very well be 150 calories and 2 grams of fat. This may lead you to believe that you can eat two or three of the low-fat cookies. But one look at the calories will tell you that eating three add up to 450 calories! The normal person that is dieting will aim for eating anywhere from 1200-2000 calories a day. You can see that 450 calories takes a big chunk out of your daily calorie allowance. If you plan on eating low fat foods, you should treat them as any other food and eat them in moderation.

Splurging or rewarding yourself with food:

Everyone, whether dieting or not, deserves an occasional treat here and there.

However, if you are serious about your weight loss, then you need to take a hard look at these little splurges that you may take. When dieting experts recommend that you splurge every now and then, that doesn’t mean every day or even once a week. Instead, it means that you should eat a small amount of your favorite food a couple of times a month. It also does not mean that you can eat an entire pepperoni pizza on your splurging days. One or two slices are all that you should have. Moderation is the key to any successful dieting program. Another common mistake that people make when they diet is to reward themselves with food. This does nothing for your diet. So if you are looking to reward yourself for a small victory in your weight, then consider buying yourself a new pair of shoes, getting a manicure or buying a new book. These types of rewards will not cause you to gain weight.

When you are serious about losing weight, then you need to stay focused and motivated. Understanding the common dieting traps will help you do this and will also help you lose the weight and keep it off.

You may want to check out our book ‘Stay Motivated during Your Diet”

have a great day and visit us again soon.
Sabine

“Brown Bag” French Apple Pie

—————————-FOR THE PIE——————–
1 1/2 c All-Purpose Flour
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Shortening
5 tb ICE Water
8 c Apples [peeled & sliced]
1/4 c Granulated Sugar
2 tb All-Purpose Flour
1/2 ts Nutmeg, Ground
2 tb Lemon Juice
1 ts Cinnamon, Ground

——————————FOR THE TOPPING——————————
1/2 c Granulated Sugar
1/2 c All-Purpose Flour
1/3 c Butter
1 lg Paper Bag
Vanilla Ice Cream
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
To make the pie: 1) Combine the first measure of flour, salt and shortening
using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir
in the water a little at a time, using a fork, and form the dough into a
ball.
2) Roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured board. Roll to an 11″ or
12″ diameter and fit into a 9″ pie pan fluting the edges.
3) Combine the sugar, the second measure of flour, the cinnamon, the nutmeg
and the lemon juice in a large bowl then toss the apple slices in the
mixture and arrange them in the pie crust.
To make the topping: 4) Combine the sugar and flour in a bowl and cut in
the butter using a pastry cutter then sprinkle the topping over the apple
filling.
5) Place the pie in the LARGE paper bag and place the paper bag on a baking
sheet and loosely fold the open end of the bag under. Bake until the apples
are tender (50-60 minutes).
6) Carefully remove the pie from the bag ~ CAUTION: WATCH OUT FOR THE STEAM
COMING OUT OF THE BAG!
7) Serve warm with generous portions of vanilla ice cream.

Over 400 recipes to enjoy in our book Desserts – The Classic Collection

There are many ways to attract different forms of wildlife to your garden and backyard – planting the right plants, avaoiding common gardening mistakes etc.
You can read about most of it in our comprehensive eBook >Landscaping for Wildlife

The easiest way ( a little bit like cheating in the nicest possible way I think…) to attract wildlife is feeding the animals!
Obviously – birds are the most perceptive in this regard, and I will talk a bit more about that in a minute. But as you might know, some other animals are followers of our urban society and started making a living of our waste ( some kits have specialist cleaning suburban waste dumps, seagulls have been feeding of dumpsters for decades, racoons are breaking into our basements and coyotes and in some areas northern areas bears are coming dangerously close to breaking into our dwellings to eat what’s on offer.
So, by attracting wildlife, you have to be very sure which kind of animal you want to attract and make sure you don’t inadvertently attract dangerous ones as well.

Growing up I always loved going to my grandmother’s house, she always had those large tray type bird feeders. She loved birds that were for certain. But I think she needed to think of where she placed some of those trays. Birds will flock to them wherever they are and they don’t seem to care if people are there or not, at least not these birds. We were getting dive bombed any time the birds came by and saw us near their food. I don’t know if they actually thought we were smaller than them or not but they had guts.

When placing tray type bird feeders around your property you should always think about the location. If you have them too low to the ground, cats are bound to jump at every bird that flies over and if it is low enough they might jump on it. Squirrels seem to be another problem as they don’t need to jump, all they do is climb. In order to keep the squirrel’s away grandma would hand the tray type bird feeders from a very long string.

Keep in mind that while tray type bird feeders may be ideal to feed many birds at once they aren’t always protected. If you’ve got one that doesn’t have a house around it or a roof over it, when it rains the food will get ruined. For the sake of the birds you may want to have two platform bird feeders, as the bigger ones love bullying the little guys. You don’t want to see an injured bird in your yard when you could’ve protected it.

When it comes time to place the food in your tray type bird feeders, also known as platform feeders, think about what you want to attract to your yard. While most birds will come to store bought seeds and sunflowers, others will come to only certain types of foods. Birds love fruits as well and many people don’t ever think about leaving fruit inside bird feeders, but try it and see how many show up. Grapes and Raisins attract mockingbirds, bluebirds, waxwings and catbirds.
Woodpeckers, Tanagers, Finches and Robins have also been known to flock anywhere grapes are. You better be careful though if you didn’t plan on your grape vine getting picked apart.

Lets be honest – its a lot of fun to watch our little friends – so lets get going and start putting some feed out…

We all want to save money -
How often do you think of the fact that by saving energy you also save money! And you help the environment – talking about one stone and many birds at the same time…

here a few snippets from our book : Simply Living Debt Free

Wash full loads of clothes and dishes.
When possible, do not run the dishwasher just for a few items. If you want to clean a stray dish a soap dispenser with a scrub brush attached is perfect for this purpose.
Hang clothes on the line instead of drying them.
This will dramatically cut down on the energy used, as you will not be running the dryer nearly is often. Additional Tip: Clothes dry fastest on a hot, dry, sunny day.
Shut down your computer, television, car, and miscellaneous devices.
Any computer or electronic item will use up the most energy, so it is important to shut it down at night or during other times when you are not using them.
Use compact florescent light bulbs.
You usually get more usage for these for the price, as they last quite a bit longer than traditional bulbs.
Use power strips, and surge protectors.
Any large device that you have such as a DVD player, television, or computer should be plugged into a box such as this. Using these devices can cut your bill as much as 30%.
Bath or short shower?
If you absolutely cannot be content with taking a five-minute or ten-minute shower then you should consider taking a bath instead. It will save you money. However, if you take a shorter shower it would use less water than filling your tub with bath water.

More energy saving tips can be found on local and national government websites. You can also call energy savings hotlines for further advice. Yopu can also check out the ebook Simply Living Debt Free

Have you ever bought a new appliance and couldn’t get the factory sticker off?
It’s good to know you bought the one with the best water rating or energy rating, or even just the additional information the company wants everyone to see —however – it does not really look all the flash in your kitchen, livingroom or anywhere really in your house.

And here you are, carefully trying to peel the sticker off without leaving scratches : and it breaks – the glossy surface in your fingers you are left with the glue and a papery substance firmly stuck to your beautiful new item.

now what?? Well, before we go into all the great products you can try to clean the sticky mess up try this: Margarine ( or butter or even olive oil) !
It works a treat!! Really!
When my grandma first told me about 40 years ago I thought to myself: typical old wives tale!
And here I am , 40 years later and I have to admit that it reallys works best of all products I have tried over the years!

So – give it a try – you have nothing to loose – and you may safe some money, a lot of time and a lot of frustration!
Let me know if you have success or if you know of similar easy household tricks.

have a great day
your Sabine

Dear Readers,
Your response to our Feng Shui book and the newsletters has been so great that I thought I give you another extract right now.
Hope you enjoy it as much as the others – and have a great time experimenting with your own furniture decorating or ornament placement or even with placing crystals and jewellery.

FENG SHUI AS A SCIENCE
Some Feng Shui practitioners consider it a science. If your understanding of
Feng Shui basically involves the idea that you need to move some furniture
around and paint the walls a certain colour for luck then you may be amazed at
all the equations and studying that goes into Feng Shui.
Chinese sciences utilize many different principles that are considered scientific
because they follow a similar pattern to other sciences:
1. A theory is created.
2. The theory is tested.
3. The theory is either endorsed or disregarded depending upon the outcome of the various tests.
4. Continual revisions are applied to theories over time as needed.
Feng Shui is not a practice that involves people sitting around and arbitrarily
thinking up new theories to follow. These ideas have been around for
thousands of years and have been tested and retested during this time. This is
not to say, of course, that every aspect of Feng Shui should be considered as
having scientific merit and that utilizing Feng Shui within your home will
flawlessly deliver the outcome you are looking for. You should realize, however,
that there is much more to Feng Shui than wandering into a room and “feeling”
where the furniture should be placed.
Math, charts, and the stars must align. Not every branch of Feng Shui
utilizes all the tools from within the trade, but some schools of thought regularly
incorporate elements of mathematics, astronomy, astrology, and various other
disciplines in order to create a harmonious living environment. Do you know
that some Feng Shui practitioners will not only need to see your home before
they can offer advice, but they will also want to know what direction the home
faces, what year the home was built, and the birthdates and times of everyone
living within the home? They take all this various information in addition to other
pieces of information and fashion together a suitable recommendation. This
means that if you have someone over to your house to offer you some advice
with regard to making the energy within your home flow in a more harmonious
manner then you shouldn’t be surprised if the person spreads out a stack of
charts, graphs, magnets, counting apparatuses, compasses, and other tools
before you are offered any advice. Obviously, there is a lot more to Feng Shui
than plopping a dragon statue above your fireplace. Feng Shui practitioners
(depending on the school of thought they endorse) may also be able to reveal to
you the ideal days for you to do certain major things such as getting married,
moving, buying a home, making business deals, and other important events.
Feng Shui can assist you in more areas of your life than just in how you should
decorate your home.
Intricate Feng Shui practices involve a lot of information. You can choose
how complicated you would like for your Feng Shui involvement to be. Some
people are more than happy to just dabble in Feng Shui when they are
attempting to find a new look for their home and allow the energy to flow a little
better.
It is up to you how many different aspects of Feng Shui you want to incorporate and how scientific you want to become.

You might also want to check out the whole package at :

http://www.abundantlivingebooks.com/home/fengshui/

Have a great time – experiment a little with your new knowledge and see how it feels.

Yours sincerely
Sabine

Who has not heard the words Feng shui? But what is it? how is it spelled correctly and most important of all: What can it do for me??

Most people have heard that Fung Shway ( this is actually how you pronounce it) has something to do with your furniture – the way you decorate your house and the placement of ornaments and plants around the living area.

But Feng Shui is much more than that. It has a lot to do with colours, engeries and last not least Feelings! Your own feelings and tasts come into it as well!

The ancient art of Fung shui ( another way of spelling it) can be quite daunting in its scientific approach – consultants can spend many hours measuring and calculating, however – you can go back to the basics, get an overview of the fundamental principals behind Feng Shui. relax, don’t get flustered and following yourown feelings in accordance with the Feng Shui principals.

Also, not many people realize you can take your very own Fung Shway remedies with you – just in case you have to stay overnight in a hotel room less than optimal in its lay out – simple little remedies like crystals or jewellry might be adequate to help you out.

Our ebook Feng Shui Decorating give a very comprehensive overview and gets you going on your way of bettering you life.

Do you wish you had an exiting well designed easy care garden to call your own?
A Colourful Container Garden Can Transform Your Surroundings – you can add colour with the containers ( and great shapes as well) – and you can complement the containers with great plants – imagine – colour coordinate container and flower – or ‘go for broke’ and have screaming colour differences – it s all up to your imagination….
You don’t need a lot of money or time to transform your garden.
Here are a few tips for adding decorative elements that will punch up your garden in a fast and easy way.
Purchase container or pots in variety of sizes. You can purchase coordinating pots, or you can decorate and paint your pots on your own. Choose a spot in your garden that looks drab and could stand from a facelift, and arrange your colourful containers in this area. Arrange the composition of your colourful container garden in way that is eye pleasing and easy to maintain.
Look Up – here’s a Hanging Container Garden
Hanging container plants add charm and interest to your garden. This is a great solution if you have only limited room for placing planters, pots or containers. Find a space where the hanging container will receive plenty of sun and where it will be easy to access for watering. Accentuate your hanging plant with wind chimes and other decorative elements, such as bird feeders and houses. These add charm to even the smallest gardens. – and attract wildlife . You might consider adding plants with lots of nectar to attract butterflies as well.
Add a Lawn Sculpture to Act as a Focal Point in Your Garden – turn a problem spot into a feature
If your lawn looks boring and sad, perhaps what you really need is a focal point. Choose a space in your garden or lawn that you think could stand from more attention. Perhaps there is an elevated spot garden or lawn that appears empty or like it is missing something. This is an ideal spot to draw attention. A garden sculpture is a great way to liven up a spot that could otherwise use some attention. You can build a cement or stone foundation, purchase a pedestal and have a sculpture installed. Once you have chosen the right sculpture, you will find that this is a great spot to plant flowers.

Create Your Own Garden Water Music
Water provides a soothing and pleasing ambience to any garden
Many gardeners swear that a garden is simply not complete without the sound of nature, or more specifically, the sound of water. It is a fun and easy way to liven up any garden.
There are many sources for pleasing garden water music. You can have a pond installed, or install one yourself. You can also purchase a working fountain, or create your own fountain using decorative pots, or adding a water pump to a decorative barrel. Make sure that your water fountain is re-circulating water properly in order to avoid stagnant water and insect populations.
Don’t have a lot of space?
Not to worry – there are many small beautiful fountains that can be mounted on a wall- even in the smallest backyard.

There are many ways to improve your garden….justa have a look in our Home & Garen Improvement section – you’ll find the right book for you!