The kids are FINALLY both back to school in a couple of weeks and now we know what they are and aren't allowed to take in with them we made our annual pilgrimage to Smiggle to chose some fun back to school essentials guaranteed to make the school run a little brighter. 

My kids grew up watching Paw Patrol, Shimmer and Shine and Dora the Explorer (my eldest spent most of her younger years shouting 'Backpack! Backpack!') so it is safe to say Nickelodeon is a firm favourite in this household. How wonderful it would be if those shows could be brought to life... Enter Nickelodeon Adventure which has just opened at Lakeside, Thurrock. We were very lucky to be invited to celebrate at the launch event of this brand new play space along with our Paw Patrol obsessed nephew Little A.

Can you believe the school holidays are nearly over?! Remember back to mid July when the weeks seemed to stretch ahead and now here we find ourselves starting a fighting over a seat in the shoe shop and googling which lunch boxes are heat/water/yogurt proof - which may be how you found this post. Here are my top back to school essentials to ensure a smooth return to term time routine.

It may seem like an obvious choice when you need a new car that you simply go out and buy one. You shop around and try to get a good deal. Buying is not always the best option. Sometimes it makes more sense to lease your next vehicle.

The reasons could be financial, as in you may actually spend less money. Lifestyle, personal preferences and practicality also come into play in the decision making process. When you are in the market for a new car then keep an open mind to leasing. We leased our last car and it was a great option for us.

Here are some of the advantages to leasing a car.

Little E turned 8 last month and there was only one thing she wanted to do for her birthday: Go Ape.

We have a Go Ape centre close to us at Tilgate Park, Crawley and the Tree Top Junior course is suitable for children over 1 metre tall. E had chosen two of her school friends, two cousins and her little sister to join her on the course. For every two under 6yr olds one adult is required to participate. As Little I had just turned 5 Husband volunteered to join in the fun. You have to pay for parking at Tilgate Park so make sure you have change and allow plenty of time to find a space as it can be very busy at the weekends and during school holidays.

Little E turned 8 and Little I turned 5 last week. I kinda need to do away with the ‘Little’ now don’t I?! Perhaps just for E as I can’t cope with the thought of my baby getting big! Within the space of 6 days we celebrate the following birthdays: Both my children, my Husband, my StepDad, my Dad and my Mum. Yes. I am speaking the truth! The rest of the year feels like a holiday in comparison to that one week in February...

Requested cakes this year were ‘a brownie tower’ and ‘orange with a horse on top’. I think I nailed both and I actually got to bed before midnight so I’m winning!

Happy Birthday my beautiful girls.

Science needs more women! So last month I took my girls up to London to visit The Science Museum in Kensington. Armed with technical backup from my 15yr old nephew, who has GCSE Science glory firmly in his sights, I was ready for serious questioning and expected to come away with a couple of budding physicists/biologists/chemists. First impressions of the museum was that is was a little dry for my 4 and 7yr old little ladies and I began to get slightly worried whilst wandering through the Flight gallery that we were gonna be done in record time. I'm not a teacher! I don't know how to make these static objects fun for my kids! Then I noticed a banner for Wonderlab: The best thing to do with your kids in London with kids. Sounded amazing. And, simply put, it is.

September = Back to school. Actually new schools for both the girls with Little E moving up to Junior School and Little I starting Reception at Infants. And I managed not to cry! It was also a month filled with birthday celebrations, lots of parties for the little ones and grown up celebrations with cocktails and whole pies. Then of course Husband's foot operation which has been rocky but it's lovely having him home all day.

Finding a great family car can be challenging due to the long list of needs from different members of the family. For starters, and probably the most obvious, the car has to be spacious enough to fit the adults, the kids, plus everyone's luggage. Yes, my daughter really does need to take her fancy dress wardrobe with her everywhere she goes. Then you need to think of safety. As family car shoppers you are are naturally safety-minded as you are carrying the most precious of cargo - your children. Make sure you look for a car with the highest Overall Safety Rating available in its class which also includes some advanced safety features. Your family car is bound to take long trips from time to time so you need to think about convenience and comfort features too like a smooth ride and comfy seats to keep the family happy and relaxed while on the move. This list of the best family cars features these key elements while still offering great value. 

Last month will be forever burnt into my memory as Husband and I shipped the kids off to France with their Grandparents while we celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary in Croatia. The week before we left I juggled keeping the kids entertained and my excessive work to do list and when we got back life switched to healthy eating, back to school shopping and catching up with my besties. A summer to remember.