September for me as a mum and teacher is a month of new beginnings, new routines and an intense time at work.  Work has been tough this month, there have been evenings when I’ve been in bed at the same time as the children but home and work life are now both settling down into a new routine.  Mr S also has a new job,  he’s enjoying his new role and with both of us working part time, it does make home life easier.

No matter how busy I am, I always to try and fit in 5 minutes of reading anywhere, whether it be waiting for a child to finish a club, at swimming lessons, relaxing after tea (I call it role modelling!) I write this as despite a busy month, I have managed to read 4 books and have nearly finished a fifth.    Two were brilliant, Mike Gayle’s The man I Think I Know a story of two old school friends who meet up unexpectedly in circumstances neither would ever have envisaged.  It’s a brilliant story of male friendship, and is emotional and life affirming.  I also really enjoyed Alain de Botton’s The Course of Love.  Its a really different style of book, a love story with a commentary, as the author says, we all focus so much on the beginning but what about the course of a love story, the nitty gritty of daily life.  The book analyses a relationship from meeting to middle age and there are many bits familiar to anyone in a long term relationship where you agree, laugh and get angry with the characters. 

This month I’ve had cinema dates with both my children, I saw the Incredibles 2 with Little Miss and Hotel Transylvania 3 with Little Man.  I loved the Incredibles, another genius Pixar film on so many levels. 

The autumn tv schedule has also begun and two of my favourite programmes, Strictly Come Dancing and The Great British Bake Off have returned to make me very happy. For me television needs to light and relaxing, I may be one of the few not to have watched any episodes of Bodyguard this month, its too dark and demanding for my Sunday nights, which as a teacher is invariably spent on prep for the week.  

This month began with a lovely family trip out picking blackberries, it was an abundant harvest and I have made crumbles, cakes and even jam with the fruit.  It was my first attempt at jam and it was a lot easier than I expected. 

Little Miss and I both made bakes for a MacMillan event, as her class organised a coffee morning which raised more than £350 for the charity.  I made Blondies and they were one of the best bakes I have ever made, it was a BBC Good Food recipe, simple but so moreish.  Little Miss made red velvet cupcakes with a very generous icing!

Finally, I created a fancy dress costume for my son’s school trip to a Victorian house where they took part in role plays in a school house, a kitchen etc..  I managed to find an old tweed cap in our dressing up box at work, so I borrowed it for the day, we had grey shorts and a white shirt and then I sourced a waistcoat in a charity shop.  I have got some great fancy dress finds in charity shops.  The costume looked great and only cost me £2.

September has generally been a sunny, warm month with the odd very cold and wet day randomly thrown into the mix.  Its been a month for layers as you’re not sure how the weather will develop through the day.  I did a little shopping trip and bought a stripy midi skirt from H&M, its not my normal style but I loved it when I tried it on and feel great wearing it.  Clothes should always make you happy.

Most nights I listen to a podcast in bed and this month, I have discovered a new podcast, Books of Your Life with Elizabeth in which she invites a guest to recommend three books which they discuss.  The recommendations have been really interesting and a few have been added to my to read list. 

I’m looking forward to October as I finally get to enjoy my 2017 Christmas present from my parents, tickets to see Wicked.  Its also half term and it will be good to relax and catch up with family and friends, my social life was put on hold in September as I was just too tired to go out, I’m feeling better now and have some dates pencilled in the diary, there’s lots to catch up on. 

Thank you to Morgana for Little Loves

So August was the month we needed to relax and just ‘be’ after a hectic few months. It was a quiet August but it suited us perfectly, at the start of the month we had a long weekend at Butlins and then later a holiday in Cornwall. The rest of the time was spent simply pottering around at home.

Little Miss and I finally got to go the cinema to see Mamma Mia Here we Go Again. I loved it for what it was, a cheesy, feel good film with a cracking soundtrack. Yes the plot was a bit flimsy but it was escapism and sometimes you just need 2 hours to smile, laugh and lose yourself in a film. The audience all cheered and clapped at the end and everyone including us left a little more summer sparkly.

I enjoyed watching the children trying new activities this month, Junior Segways, a High Rope course, Aqua jets, an aqua assault course. Summer is for new adventures.

It’s not a surprise that during my month off I read so many more books than normal. I read in the evenings as I normally do but also read in bed in the morning as I still wake up early and then take a reading break at lunchtime for 20 minutes. I only wish I could keep these habits up during term time. This month I’ve read 8 books and there have been some cracking reads. I gave the books on the top line of the photo 5* reviews on Good Books, they are all brilliant in very different ways. The Perks of Being a Wallflower has such strong characters and storyline, Notes on a Nervous Planet discussed the worries of our society whilst This is Going to Hurt is such a powerful snapshot of our wonderful nhs.

The children have also been reading lots, they did the summer reading challenge and gave just got their medals.

Another month of shorts and t-shirts, flip flops and sunglasses.

Little Miss wore earrings for the first time as she had her ears pierced after years of persuasive arguments and also enjoyed lilac highlights in her hair as a summer holiday treat.

A lot of our garden vegetables have been harvested this month and I’ve been trying to use our fresh food in recipes. Sometimes it’s simple recipes which are the tastiest, frittata with home grown peas and spring onions was delicious and it was accompanied by a salad containing our beetroot.

I like to plan ahead in August so have been making lists and priorities for the rest of the year. I’ve lots to look forward to.

After Mamma Mia, we’ve been playing the soundtrack and other Abba classics in the car, I like a good sing a long as I drive. Happier by Gretchen Ruben is one of my favourite podcasts and she’s done two great episodes this month on your signature scent and a Labor Day special themed on work, these are always interesting and inspiring.

So now it’s time for back to school. I am a summer girl so feel a bit sad as the season ends but it’s been the best summer with lots of happy memories and I’m ready to embrace the autumn and all its delights.

Thanks to Morgana for creating the Linky