All the Bizz- The MAD Blog Awards 2014

For those of you who didn't catch my slightly hysterical Facebook post the other night, (which strictly speaking I'm off for Lent, but say nothing), I received the MAJOR news that I'm a finalist in the MAD Blog Awards again this year. Which means that I'm one of only 59 finalists out of the 2000 nominated!! Can you believe it? And in two categories as well- Schooldays and Most Entertaining.

 All those times that little voice in my head tells me not to even bother, and that NO ONE wants to read my nonsense anyway, well, this tells me something different. Or the other voice in there that reminds me that Adventures of an Unfit Mother is a very, very small fish in a very big Bloggy pond, but sure what do you expect when you don't understand Google + and you're not even on Instagram? It reminds me that actually, I have a lot of lovely, loyal readers who took the time out of their day to nominate me anyway. So, in a very rambling roundabout way what I'm saying is THANK YOU, to each and everyone of you, and I'm very grateful that you did.

Because as of today,  I got me my brand new finalist badge -check it out to your right>>>>>
It also means that I'm off to London in September for the Awards, so I'll be pulling on ye olde Spanx , wearing a spanking new dress, getting tiddley on all those free drinkies and having a bit of craic with a few other mad bloggers out there. Who knows, I may even have a bit of slap and tickle with a random Cbeebies presenter? (It was Dr Raj last year, but I would positively DIE if I met Justin)

But here's the sting-as a finalist, I still need your votes to be in with a snowball's chance in hell of winning either one of my categories. But a wee birdie told me that it's been done before....and I would sooo love to do it again, so would you take a moment and cast your vote for me in the School Days and Most Entertaining categories?
Right now, I'm blowing you virtual kisses and I promise I'll post lots of photos of the big Awards night....even my most embarrassing and least flattering ones. What the heck, I may even Instagram them!
 Laters lovelies, Emma xx

PS while you're on there do take a look at the other finalists- you are absolutely guaranteed to find new blogs to love. Some of my favs are Hurrah for Gin in the New Blogs category , Three Children and It in School Days, and of course Frugal Queen who's in all the rest! Enjoy xxx

Friday Quick Takes

1. Christmas dinner is barely over before Cormac and Rory, both of whom have January birthdays, begin enthusiastically brainstorming ideas for their parties and possible presents. My role at this point, is to temper those ideas a little bit, reel them in gently, suggest more realistic options.....Yep,  basically I'm Queen Buzzkill. This year we've finally decided on a retro party at home for Rory, and a swimming pool and diner trip for Cormac. (And in case you're wondering- 'retro' simply means that we'll play Pass the Parcel and Musical Chairs, and chow down on Onion Rings and Top Hats).
 Rory had initially requested a visit to the local fun farm, having recently seen photos of himself there as a toddler. These were taken however on a beautiful June day, not a cold rainy January one, but when I tried to explain this to him, he replied 'But Mummy, every special day is always sunny! Like.... like.... Jude's Confirmation Day!' Bless him, because in actual fact, it rained that day as well, but you really gotta love the wonderfully selective, rose tinted memory of a six year old. So we reached a compromise- the party at home now and a trip to the farm in the Spring..



2. Meanwhile, the potty training saga continues. As I write this, I'm sitting alongside my potty buddy, watching Cbeebies, while making encouraging noises and promises of  treats for deposits made. He, on the other hand, clearly NEEDS to go, but is doing his absolute best to hold it in, which is frustrating both of us because we're heading out soon, and that means he gets a 'pull-up' on. The problem is, that he's got the whole scenario about face, illustrating impressive bowel and bladder control at potty time, but as soon as a pull up goes on, it's bombs away.

3. Which means, my friends, that its time to raise the game... remove the safety net.. bring out the big guns. To quote Roald Dahl's Enormous Crocodile, (I read it to the boys this week), 'I have secret plans and clever tricks.'
Yes indeed, (except for bedtime obviously, I'm not a masochist), we're going cold turkey  and that means no more pullups...nada, zip, zilch. The issue arises when we leave the house-that's when the pullups go on and the dirty deed is done.
Therefore....I give you ...(drumroll please) the Potette Plus 2 in 1- a nifty portable potty/toilet seat delivered today, bang on time, by Handsome Delivery Man. So people, as of right now,  we are good to go, and if  you spot me out and about, it will be with my ubiquitous trusty bag containing the potette, bags,  wipes, a full change of clothes and multiple pairs of pants. My days of travelling light may be over but I am ALL over the potty situation like a rash. Wish me luck peeps....there may be trouble ahead...(I feel a song coming on.)

4. I went back to Zumba last night. Like many others I'd fallen by the wayside during the Autumn, but spurred on by our enhanced Christmas love handles, most of us have found our way back. Now I'll not lie, it was tough going, and by the time Gangnam Style came on, I was so puffed out  from leaping about, there was very nearly weeping and gnashing of teeth, but instead I kept 'er lit and thanked God for Tenalady.

5. Finally, I've rediscovered Ebay, this time in my new role as seller.To be honest, it was always such a pain to upload the pictures and check the computer for updates, but now with the new Ebay app, all that's wee buns....AND the perfect way to offset any January sales splurge. (Who me?) Thus far, I've sold two dresses and a keyring, and am currently flogging a phone cover, a top, a cardigan, a dress and a pair of shoes.  All NWOT, and would you believe, I've discovered that I have quite a talent when it comes to writing the descriptions as well! 'Classy, elegant, yet so sexy too! Go on treat yourself and bag a bargain!' So good in fact, that I've almost bid on them by mistake myself!

6. Finally finally, give yourself a pat on the back, because that's the first week of bleak old January over and EVERYONE knows the first week's the absolute worst so I dont know about you, but in my book that calls for a celebratory glass or three!
Happy Weekend,  my loveliesxxxx

Mister and Missus

And just like that it was all over. The months of anticipation, the excitement, the planning and organizing, all for a single day which was gone in the blink of an eye. Leaving  hangovers and dry cleaning bills and tired whiny children in its wake. Bah humbug!
At 645am on Sunday morning, having crawled into bed at 330am, I came round to an excessively chirpy Cbeebies and the unmistakeable stench of a filled nappy, and for a moment I may even have been guilty of taking that view. But only very briefly!

Mr and Mrs Milverton

Me and my Anna and our Mary.

Because looking back, Clare's wedding was quite simply the loveliest of days, in the most gorgeous of places, with the best of people. An everyday miracle I suppose- from opposite parts of the world, Tim and Clare had somehow found each other and suddenly, that was that. She tells me that she just knew, and that she also knew that he just knew,  so for both of them marriage was simply the next step.  (The fact that he then went on to propose to her on New Years Eve, in his hometown of Sydney, with a firework display and Sydney Opera house in the background, is scarcely worth mentioning...but I just can't help it....sure I was swooning  myself when she skyped me later with the deets!)

I want one!

And so we  came - from as far as away as Sydney, London, New York, Melbourne, Boston, and Glenavy  just to witness my little sister marry her Prince Charming. Tim's dad happens to own a beautiful 1914 Rolls Royce Ghost car, which he looks after like a baby and houses lovingly in England (as you do!) and he drove it all the way over to be their wedding car. He drove Clare (and my mum and dad) to the church, and then her new husband drove her back again afterwards. It was..... just perfect.

Our special day....

And yes, the day definitely flew by faster than we all would have liked, but then again that wasn't really the point. Because at 3am the next morning, it wasn't really the end...for the two people who actually mattered, it was only the beginning. They weren't bride and groom anymore, they were Newly Weds. And on their wedding day, their excitement and love for each other was a joy and a pleasure to behold. What would life hold for them? What would the future bring?
And for all of us Oldly Weds out there, I think it reminded us of our own wedding days- of our own  hopes and dreams all those years ago as we set sail together on OUR journeys. And all that has happened in the years in between and all that is still to come...
My other sister Mary and I sang at the wedding Mass, and one of the pieces we sang was 'The Irish Blessing' which says better than I ever could, what I want to say right now.
To Clare and Tim-May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be ever at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, may the rain fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
EmmaXxxxx