My first marriage resulted in three beautiful children. I'm now re-married to the man of my dreams.

We are always looking for ways to save money, and of course do our bit for the environment, so why not combine the two? There are many ways we can cut down on energy consumption that will reduce fuel bills and therefore that “carbon footprint” we hear so much about today.

Living here in Spain I worried that I would not get to experience that wonderful end-of-autumn chill, the first frost or indeed the nose-freezing drop in temperature associated with other parts of the world at this time of year. And with the crisp, sharp mornings has come the need for good old-fashioned comfort food…the king of which has to be soup. Packed full of nutrients and taste, these recipes are guaranteed to take the edge of the cold and fill you full of health and vitality!

I always think dads get the short end of the stick at Christmas, they are so hard to buy for and there are only so many pairs of comedy socks a man can take. Stocking fillers are a great way for the kids to get involved in either the gift buying as they are usually under 5 dollars, ideal for pocket money, or gift choosing. Most kids, when asked what daddy wants for Christmas, shout “Dinosaurs! Power Ranger DVD! Star Wars Lego!” Not necessarily Daddy’s first choice, but you can let them have some influence over these small gift ideas.

Most of us look forward to the upcoming holiday season with joy, the prospect of gift giving, family fun and parties a highlight in the cold and dark months of winter. How many of us find, however, that the reality is more stressful, and far from the “goodwill to all men” than was anticipated?