7 Things to do this month - September

The summer holidays are nearly over and I'm starting to think ahead and about Christmas, never mind Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night which we still have to enjoy. But in September there's always the chance that summer may last a little longer and take us through month and in autumn with some late sunshine. 

Anyway here are 7 things that you can do, go, make, eat and listen to this month - whatever the weather ...

Where to plan a holiday ...

Plan a trip to Scotland. We recently spent a week in Loch Ness, which is  not the longest or deepest loch in Scotland, but it does hold the highest volume of water of any UK lake, and is one of the most beautiful and picturesque.  The Highlands has so much to offer visitors. Here are our top 10 things to do in Scotland with kids that are within a one-hour drive time of Loch Ness.

Where to go with the family ...

Newcastle upon Tyne is not only the most northerly city in England but also the place where I have lived for over half my life. It's a university city, with Newcastle and Northumbria, located on the north side of the River Tyne in northeast England. On the south side of the river is where you find the town of Gateshead - there are seven bridges connecting the two places across the river.

We love travelling. Discovering new places, meeting new people and doing new things. We had an absolutely brilliant time in Loch Ness earlier this year but it's also easy to forget how many great places on our doorstep. Within 15 minutes of our home, we can be at any number of fantastic attractions, both free and paid for in Newcastle and Gateshead.

Where to eat ...

If you are in Newcastle try the Bear and Natural Kitchen. It is a health-conscious café, run by a fully qualified nutritionist and serving up exciting healthy food and drinks. Open Monday to Saturday, they serve breakfast, lunch and snacks that are healthy yet hearty. On the menu, you’ll find familiar foods such as breakfast dishes and pizza but these are different. They are packed with a lot more nutrition and less of what is bad for you than the usual ones. We tried the gluten-free chickpea pizzas but there is still lots on the menu to tempt me next time.

What to do ...

Starting primary school is a big milestone and huge step in the life of a child and their parents. My children are about to go into Years 4 and 6 in Primary School. There are many things I did when they started that I have since learned just aren't necessary. A bit like when you have a second child you realise what you actually need rather than what someone is trying to sell you. 

So now that we have over six years experience of preparing for the new school academic year, I thought I'd share some of my top tips for starting school with you. It's not long now until the boys go back to school but here are our top 10 tips on how to save time and money when preparing for back to school. 

What to cook ...

Use up any remaining tomatoes from your garden or allotment on our four favourite tomato recipes. If you don't have any left you can always just buy some more. My favourite recipe is chilli tomato chutney. I just love the taste. Spicy, fresh and flavoursome – makes any sandwich instantly better. However, tomatoes are so versatile that you can make soup, salads, BBQ sauce, guacamole, pizza toppings and pasta sauce so easily.

What to win ...

Itty Bittys are one of the recent crazes from Americ but are pretty popular in the UK now too. You have until 19 September to enter our competition to win 6 Itty Bittys. Itty Bittys, if you don't know, are adorable plush toys that stand roughly 5 inches tall - honestly so cute.

What to stream ...

Well, there are so many songs about September to choose from, but I think one of my favourites is Green Day's - Wake Me Up When September Ends. The song is intended to convey the song's central theme of loss and has been dedicated to many victims of the disasters, of whom we seem to have far too many at the moment.

Then there is also September by Earth, Wind and Fire - with and without Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrivk. Or September Mourn by Neil Diamond; A Lonely September by Plain White T's or Bob Dylan's September of My Years. And One September Day by Nina Simone or JP Coopers September Song, that you have a listen to. Enough to make a cool playlist too.

What are you planning for this month?

Deb x

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