What I'm looking forward to in Autumn

It seems like summer is over, we may have a few more days of sun ahead of us but to be honest I am kind of over it, I'm ready to move on to the next chapter of the year!
My favourite season is Spring but I have a bit of a wait for that so I'm going to be optimistic (I hate the cold) and find some of the things I like about this time of year...

1. Layers of clothes. 
I don't like skimpy little clothes, I'm quite self conscious of my wobbly bits and like to cover them up. I know its not very flattering on the figure and probably makes me look more frumpy but I feel so much more comfortable covered in woolly jumpers, warm coats, scarfs, gloves... the lot!

2. Hearty meals.
yeah salads are good for you but I don't find them very appealing or filling! I like good old comfort food... stews, roast dinners, pies basically anything you can smother in gravy, Yum!!

3. Nights on the sofa.
You know after work when you've cooked all the dinner, done the cleaning, shouted at the kids to do their homework and you just cant wait to sit on the sofa and relaaaax. I always find this time of year, when it is dark early and nobody wants to go out in the cold  that they have some really good programmes on TV...well they better this year! My favourites are the good old British dramas, I love a bit of drama i do!!

4. Candles.
They are just not the same in the summer, its too bright to enjoy a good candle. Like above when you're relaxing on the sofa and you want to create the right mood, I like to just put on the lamp and light a few candles and if they are of the scented kind (Vanilla is my favourite) then they make the room smell good too.

5. Routine.
Summer was great. I could get out of bed when I wanted and go back to bed when I wanted. Most of the time I didn't even know what day it was! But I did find it made me even more lazy than I usually am (which is very) So back to work and back to school means I have to get up at 6:30 and don't get to go back to bed until at least 10:00 so I end up getting quite a lot done in between.

6. Christmas.
OK Christmas is more winter but you know you have already seen all the cards, advent calenders and other Christmas associated goods in the shop!!  I actually find the run up to Christmas really exciting, I'm a bit like a kid in Hamleys and my girls get very enthusiastic by it all so we have already started playing the songs and I've been told what they want from Santa although I'm sure that list will grow immensely before December comes around.

Happy new (school) year!

It's that time of year again! Excitement, nervousness, tears and tantrums and that's just from the parents.

3 of the kids ready for school

Working in a school I could have done with another 6 weeks off... I know I'm just being greedy, I feel for you all that have to work the whole year round!! but I'm also really looking forward to the year ahead. I'm going to be working in year 4 which means I'm going to be on my poor sons back (he's in one of the other year 4 classes) no getting away with excuses about homework because I'm gonna know exactly what needs to be done!


I thought I would do a post on school uniforms as it's such a big part of 'back to school' the kids are looking so smart (that won't last) and grown up and basically it's the closest I think I'll get to doing a fashion shopping haul as buying clothes for myself just doesn't seem to happen.

So we started off in Sainsburys as they had 25% off clothing and we all love a bargain don't we? Then to the uniform shop for skirts, ties and badges and BHS for blazers and PE kits and various other shops for shoes, bags, stationary etc.

A few things I bought

 

I thought I was lucky this year as one of my brood no longer has to wear uniform but it turns out that in 6th form you still have to wear smart clothes including smart shoes and a blazer but as the only smart clothes my son owns is his old school uniform it meant a whole other shopping spree for his outfits!

There were a few things that the kids had from last term that they hadn't outgrown or ruined and as I like to recycle I passed down a few things from 1 daughter to the other.

So here is a list of the uniform I had to buy:

• 2 skirts
   
• 2 pairs of trousers
   
• 6 shirts
   
• 3 polo t-shirts
   
• 2 blazers
   
• 4 packs of socks/tights
   
• 1 tie
   
• 2 badges
   
• 2 jumpers
   
• 3 pairs of shoes
   
• 3 pairs of PE shorts
   
• 2 PE t-shirts
   
• 1 swimming shorts

•  3 lots of stationary

•   4 new school bags

 And I still haven't finished!! Soon i will need to get coats and winter things but hopefully not too soon.

So how has your experience of uniform shopping been? Did you manage to do it all early or rush around last minute like I normally do?