MAD Craic!

Me and the giant red stag in the lobby!

It's Tuesday, there's a wash on in the machine, another in the dryer. There's a chicken in the fridge for dinner, the spuds need peeled, and I must do a Tesco shop. So far, so Tuesday. So ordinary, that I really have to wonder if I have, in fact,  I just dreamt the entire past weekend.

Our three nights in London? The matinee performance of Les Mis in the West End, the post theatre drinks in Soho with my cousin sporting her fabulous new Mulberry bag , the Thai meal later with friends? Or the next day- the walk to the top of Primrose hill with its gorgeous view, followed by a late dinner a deux? All of it most excellent.

But bless my soul, did I just skip over the very best part of it all? A certain MAD Blog Awards ceremony on Friday night? The very Awards that I've been looking forward to for, I don't know, months? Well, I've two (partial) words for you, my lovelies-Tote Amaze!
There was one very wobbly moment, right at the very beginning, when I walked out of the lift straight into the drinks reception and a sea of people I didn't recognize, who all seemed to be having a whale of a time - right then I wanted to run straight back into that lift again. But you KNOW I'm made of sterner stuff than that, so bravely arming myself with a large glass of champers, I jumped right in, and then I realized I was laughing and it was great craic altogether and I was having a grand old time!

Me and Froogs!

 It's the funniest thing you see- no one recognises the faces, just the names of the blogs! Conversations at first where a bit like this...
 'Hello, I'm Emma.'
*cue blank look*
'Adventures of an Unfit Mother?'
'Oh Yes!! Lovely to meet you! I'm Annie!'
 *Another blank look*
 'Mammasaurus?'
 'Oh yes, indeed. It's so great to meet you at last!' And it was!

 I met Frugal Queen, (Froogs) who is so frugal and lovely...and amazingly wise. (Unsurprisingly, with my major ongoing shoe habit,  I wasn't nominated for the Frugal category, but she was, and very deservedly won, before cleverly, (and frugally), getting the last train home.
I had great fun with the gorgeous Jo (Fashion Detective) and Kate (Makeshift Mummy). I also got to meet and  share a yarn with Susan (Susan K Mann) and Transatlantic Blonde who'd both come all the way from Scotland.

Then it was time to check out the seating plans and there in the midst of one of the tables was the name Mylene Klass. 'Gosh', I spluttered to Fashion Detective beside me,  'I've never heard of a blogger called Mylene Klass- could it really be the white bikini one?' And it was! (I even did an entire rotation of the room, ostensibly to go to the loos, just to make sure)
Gorgeous,  petite and wearing leopard print- I had an instant girl crush alert,  right then and there!

The utterly fabulous table 12 and our bezzie Mylene

And honestly, she was lovely and charming, with time for everyone- she came round the tables and we all met her later. OF COURSE, I let myself down a bucketful, staring (down) at her, tongue tied with a big stupid grin on my face, opening and closing my mouth, while a few cool journo types around me, chatted with her like BFFs! All I could think was, 'She looks just like Jasmine from Aladdin'.....And... 'I wonder what discount she gets from M&S' ...So on reflection maybe it's just as well I was in 'lights on, nobody's home' mode.

I was at table 12 with a great bunch of ladies. Just a few of them were Leanna (Diary of a Premmy Mum), Lucy (Lulastic and the Hippyshake)- I fell in love with her the moment she confided she had a loofah and a pair of tights tucked into her beehive, Trish (Mum's gone to..) and  Helen (Kiddycharts).

Me with my award- mwah, mwah!(Thanks for the photo Helen!)

The free wine flowed and after a yummy 3 course meal, it was time for the awards. Hand on heart I NEVER thought I'd win my Family Life category, so I had nothing at all prepared... and I definitely should've gone a bit easier on the wine, and therefore probably wouldn't have said 'shit' in my 'thank you' speech like I did (Sorry Ma!), but I was beyond thrilled! Ecstatic probably just about nails it. I didn't win the Blog of the Year category- which was like the big daddy of all of the categories, but just being in there was quite shocking in itself!. (The amazing photography blog 'Slugs on the refrigerator' quite deservedly picked up that one.)

There was a really funny moment, just afterwards when Loverboy  sneaked in from the bar outside (it was a bloggers only event), and he just started snapping away, taking pictures of me ecstatically slobbering over my newly acquired award. A few of the other gals at the table understandably assumed he was one of the official photographers, so were 'quite taken aback' when he suddenly strode over and we had a bit of a snog. (They covered the 'Oh my God, that Irish one's a bit of a girl' expressions very well though!)

So as you can imagine, after all that excitement, this Tuesday morning, I AM back to earth with a considerable bump, but it was worth every wonderful minute. I loved wearing a pretty dress and getting my hair done, loved the delicious meal and the flowing wine, really really loved winning the award, but more than anything, I loved meeting the many fabulous women behind the blogs that I love to read. And discovering a few more that I've never read but plan to from now on. So thank you so very much, amigos, for getting me there- it honestly means more to me than I can ever say. Emxx
(PS If you fancy reading more stories from the other ladies, or checking out the pics of the big night, it's all on  Mad Blogs 2012)

Our Premier Weekend!

 So, we FINALLY got around to using our fancy restaurant voucher from Secret Santa on Friday night. It had actually expired a month before, but after the obligatory groveling phone call, we booked a table and sorted the sitter.
 Alright then, that's not EXACTLY how it went down... You see, I had come across the voucher, immediately after throwing a (totally justified) strop, about a certain person's apparent inability to make even the most basic of social plans, concluding with,
'Oh, and you needn't think I'm booking my own birthday meal again this year, cos I'm not.. unless of course, you've it all organised already?'
 (As if). Cue exaggerated feigned innocence from me, and predictable 'caught in the headlights' shiftiness from him. 
Later on, I strategically positioned the voucher next to the kettle with highish hopes, but a few days later, I quietly backtracked and rang the restaurant to do it myself. I did the whole grovelling thing, only to then sheepishly discover, that my less than subtle hint HAD indeed been heeded. Proof that a well placed metaphorical boot up the arse does actually work... sometimes.

Our room

Then it just so happened, that soon after that, I got an email from Premier Inn, offering me and my family a weekend in any of their hotels. I know-tres exciting! (Back story-Premier Inns are sponsoring the 'Family Life' category in the MAD BLOG AWARDS, and as one of the finalists in that category, they offered this lovely freebie to little old me.)
Unfortunately, and to cut a very long story short, it turned out that our super size family was too big for their family rooms. So instead, it was decided that the two of us would stay in the Premier Inn in Belfast's Waring Street, in the hip and happening Cathedral Quarter, after our fancy meal out on  Friday night. Then, after a day out in Belfast on the Saturday with the kids, all of us would have dinner in the hotel restaurant that evening. Sure, it would've been rude not to....
I suppose that I should mention at this point, that Belfast's most gorgeous 5 * hotel also happens to be on Waring Street, and on passing it, it took ALL my willpower to focus on the purple Premier Inn sign further up the street, and not get waylaid by all it's 5* fabulousness....but, believe it or not, I was glad that I did.
Honestly, from the moment we arrived until the moment we left, I don't think I've met nicer, more welcoming staff anywhere (and just for the record, they had no idea of my superstar status!) It's true -from Rachel on reception, to Marty in the restaurant, to lots of others who just chatted to us and the children, everyone was friendly, helpful and chatty, without being fake, in your face, or just too much. In fact, they could teach many fancier hotels a thing or two!
Our room was huge, bright, and spotlessly clean, and the bed turned out to be super comfortable- always a bonus! Once we were settled, Loverboy went down to the bar to get us both a glass of wine, and discovered that if you bought 2 glasses, you got the rest of the bottle free! (Now you won't get that in Fancy Schmancy up the street!)

Gotta love the brekkie!

 It must be said though, that breakfast next morning in the Thyme Restaurant was the piece de la resistance. It was self service, with Costa coffee, the freshest of cereals, fruit, toast, muffins and all the cooked breakfast goodies as well. I was only sorry that the kids weren't there to enjoy it too, because for them, nothing says 'I love you' like an 'all you can eat' breakfast!
 (The only minor downside was my unlucky view of the next table- each time this Lovely leaned forward, I was treated to more of the same!)

The view...now that's some craic!

After collecting the kids from my mum's, we headed into the brilliant St. George's Market, where I could happily have put in the day, but we'd pre booked tickets to the  Titanic Museum, and honestly, it was world class. Informative, emotional, exciting-everything a museum should be. If you get the chance, go. Afterwards, when we stood on the exact spot where her keel was laid and gazed into the water where she was first launched, it was surprisingly moving.

Then it was back to the Premier Inn's Thyme restaurant for dinner with the kids. We had the meal deal, which was 3 courses and a glass of wine or soft drink for £22, and the kids had an great selection to choose from for £4.25, or £4.75 with dessert. (There was even a baby and toddler menu for up to 7 months and 10 months+!) The food was tasty and seemed to really hit the spot- proof were the clean plates afterwards!

Add caption

But the big question is-would I go back to the Premier Inn and pay for it this time? For a family break, the answer is a resounding YES! In terms of a child friendly, great value hotel,  it's top of its field. (We stayed recently in a Holiday Inn and there was simply NO comparison).And the icing on the cake was definitely the staff- in Waring Street Belfast anyway. 
So that was my weekend..did you get up to anything yourself?

A Good Face for Radio....

Oh goodness me- I hardly know where to start! What a difference a week makes!! This time last week, I'd only just heard about being a finalist in the MADs and now, I've got three radio interviews and two newspaper articles under my belt! (Did I really just write that?) I've honestly been  lovin' it all too, that is when I'm not bricking myself and thinking of  the fifty easy ways that I could put my foot in my mouth! I suppose that's the thing about being the age I am now though, (30 with 10 years experience), because even though there was a massive part of me that was really nervous, the other more mature part thought, 'Really, what have I got to lose? This isn't life or death, and the world's not going to end if I mess it this up. , I've pushed out five humans, and if  flippin' Jedward can do the Eurovision (twice!), then surely to God I can do this!

What really amazed a media virgin like myself, is how quickly these things get organized. I mean, it started off like any ordinary old Tuesday, (Have you made your bed? Go and do it. Is your lunch packed? Put it in now.), but little did I know I was going to be on Radio Ulster Arts Extra with Marie Louise Muir later that evening. (I'm glad I didn't know actually- it just would've given me more time to obsess about it).
It's funny though, how you're just programmed to think like a mummy- the producer rang about lunchtime and asked me to come in for 620pm  and I hesitated, because my immediate thought was ' No, no, that's not going to work-it's bang in the middle of dinner time and home works' but thankfully Loverboy was busy nodding furiously at me and mouthing 'Say yes!' so I did. |Then, because he was coming with me, we dropped the kids off at my (super excited ) parents' house. I got my pep talk from my mum as I was leaving, 'Now, listen here. Don't you go in there and run yourself down! You're as good as the rest of them, d'you hear me? Or even better. You go in there and be confident...and don't talk too fast...and speak out clearly.'
And it wasn't just them. After texting and tweeting and facebooking my news, I got so many messages from friends and family saying Go for it! We're listening! You can do this!  Not just here in Norn Iron either- Virginia, New York, California, UAE -isn't Internet radio great altogether? I was embarrassed and delighted, humbled and moved all at once-all those folks who took the time to cheer me on and wish me well, when they could so easily not have bothered-it was overwhelming..
The show was half a hour long and I was on right at the end, so Loverboy and I sat in with the producers, looking into the studio where Marie Louise Muir was on air-she had a proper red light and everything! (I'd love one of those at home, but no one would pay one bit o' heed.) There was a lady author called Jo Baker doing a phone interview  before me-her book 'The Undertow' is  Oprah's book of the week! Yes indeed, as in THE Oprah! Whose newsletter only goes out to 1.6 MILLION people! I mean I'm thrilled for her, I really am, but all I could think was, me and my poxy wee blog is up after an interview with Oprah's NBF! No pressure then. But before I went in, a lovely producer called Ruth advised me to just pretend it was me and Marie Louise having a wee chat...and that's exactly what I did.  ML made it seem easy, so I relaxed and  it was over! My sister, (who was listening in my parents') told me later that despite 3 radios on in the full and busy kitchen , my mum furtively took one into the utility room  so that she could listen without any 'distractions'. (read-children).Then, when she came out, she said very seriously 'I thought that was FANTASTIC!' ( which was clearly an overstatement, but she's my mum, and I love that she still does that for me, even now).
Before we picked up the kids, we grabbed a pizza and a glass of wine and my phone beeped the whole time and I was on an absolute high! Then it was up to collect Duffy's Circus, who were beside themselves at hearing mummy on the radio.. and fairly bemused as to why, but hey, we're eating icecream in Nanas' on a Tuesday night, so who's complaining? Driving home, I honestly thought that was that, but as it turned out, my five minutes wasn't quite up and Wednesday was set to be even busier..... To be continued...(Oh, I've always wanted to write that!)

Dress it up, dress it down!

Well here, it looks like I'm definitely off to London in September for these MAD Blog awards...to a fancy schmancy hotel in Bloomsbury, if you don't mind, where I'll be quaffing (free!) cocktails and hobnobbing away with the other finalists. Yep, it's a dirty job.....
There WAS an initial question mark over whether I could go or not-Oh, the drama of it- one minute, I didn't even know there WAS an awards ceremony, and the next there was the nail biting possibility of a clash with my sister's wedding! (Which obviously I'd never DREAM of missing... and anyway, all of my babysitting options are guests!) Crisis averted though, as it turns out they're 2 weeks apart. Phew! (I just KNOW you were on the edge of your seat there.)
This meant, that I was then able to tie down my (ever accommodating ) Ma & Da for babysitting duties, so now we're completely sorted....in that department anyway. I mean we've still to book our Sleazy Jet flights, (where I'll definitely learn from my mortifying Exeter experience and book the extra bag)... And then, there's the MAJOR issue of what to wear. Yes indeedy, it may be 4 months away, and I probably SHOULD be worrying about giving good blog between now and then, and/or selling my soul/body for votes, (as there can be no doubt that I'm the long shot), but no, right now, for me, it's all about the dress.. Or dresses to be exact...because that wedding that I mentioned before? Yours truly is a bridesmaid, or more accurately-a 'matron of honour'.
 Jude unwittingly fueled my anxieties about this when he asked me yesterday, 'Mummy, are bridesmaids not usually about the same age as the bride?' Ouch! Loverboy snorted with laughter, because, it's true, I am twelve years older that my sister.... and four sizes bigger. My other sister (who's just the ten years younger), is also a bridesmaid....or is she? You see, we won't actually know for sure until the day itself, as her second baby is due two days later. And even if she is there, I (shamelessly) can't rely on her to make me look better, because she's one of those annoyingly skinny pregnant people, who just have a perfectly proportioned melon of a belly. (Unlike me, who was blessed each time, not only with the belly, but the arse, thighs and a great big pregnant moon face as well!) Oh, and our lovely twelve year old Anna is a 'mini' bridesmaid. (Yes, that IS her actual title, so she's the yin to my yang, if you will. The Happy Meal, to my Big Mac, so to speak)

Wrong card......

 I've a confession to make-at my own wedding all those years ago, there was a guest there, (I'm not telling you which side!), who was wearing a flouncy, floral number, and my good friend Kim leaned over and whispered in my ear, 'Who's the ancient bridesmaid?' and then we both sniggered evilly. I mean this lady must have been all of, oh I don't know, mid forties? Roll on 16 years, and this is surely bad bridesmaid karma back to bite me up the arse. Who's the ancient bridesmaid now, mwah, ha, ha ha!
 And the other dress? Well, I MAY get a new one but I'm seriously considering a new little number I recently wore to my sister in laws wedding - a lovely silk, Anna Scholz wrap dress. The only issue here, (according to my mother), is that it's too revealing in the chest area. In fact, she helpfully told me that I needed a modesty panel. (No, I didn't know either.) Now, obviously I took this with a huge tablespoonful of salt, as she's a well known anti cleavage militant, and any lingering doubts disappeared when Loverboy unequivocally assured me it was grand altogether, But then later, I WAS a trifle disconcerted when an old, sozzled sleazer, (there simply would be no barge pole long enough), saw me with Luke on my hip and complimented me with "I'm sure that wee fella doesn't go hungry with those puppies!" I mean who SAYS these things? Who even THINKS them?
I wanted to give him one of my renowned withering looks but he wasn't actually looking at my face, so I just stomped off in a huff. The long and the short of it is... I haven't decided. On the one hand, I may not ever get such a wonderful excuse to buy a new dress ever again...but then again, a modesty panel may be just the ticket. I just need to find out what it is first- Mr Google will know....

PS- I would REALLY appreciate it if you would vote for me in the MADs, and maybe this long shot might be in with a chance!?... It's dead easy, closing date is June 6th and there's a button on the right that takes you straight there. I'm up in two categories-Blog of the Year and Family Life  (but you only vote for Family Life) and I literally will love you forever!
While you're there, do take a look at the other finalists -77 cracking blogs in 20 different categories-I'm working my way around them all and loving it!

The Best of Times

Oh my goodness me!! I'm as excited as I've ever been... Even more than when I FINALLY got a certain son, (no names J), potty trained. Even more than when Chris de Burgh sat on my knee while he crooned 'Lady in Red' in my ear. This is big - really BIG!!
Turning on my bashed up iPhone on this morning, I had a 'Congratulations' tweet from a fellow blogger - the fab Sarah -and to cut a very long story short, after a bit of too-ing and fro-ing, and checking and rechecking....and rechecking again, I found out that I've been nominated in two categories for the MAD Blog Awards!
Peeps, this is like the Oscars for blogs, so you can just call me frickin' Angelina Jolie. (Just today, humour me!) I couldnt believe it!  Still can't actually, and I'm almost afraid to even look at all the other finalists because I KNOW they'll be tote amaze but, you know what? Right now, I don't even care!
 One of the very first things that I did do was to phone my mum. Now, just to put you in the picture, she and the whole Interweb thing don't really see eye to eye- she once did a 10 week course on basic computer skills and announced, at the end, that all she now knew was how to use the mouse. End of. So to say that she's a bit baffled by the whole 'blogging' concept is an understatement. I mean, she still hasn't actually managed to access my blog, ('Is that all one big long word? What do you mean 'a slash?'), so, a while back I printed off a couple of my posts and to date, that's all she's ever read. But that didn't stop her making multiple copies, and then passing them out to friends, relations, neighbours, complete strangers..anyone actually.
Anyway, I rang her this morning and she answered the phone with a terse ' Is that you Emma?', which of course it was and SHE knew it was too, because it said so on her phone.
'Yes mummy, is everything OK? You sound a bit funny.'
She actually sounded like she was doing some kind of surveillance work, possibly undercover, but as it turned out, she was merely in the dentist's waiting room, which was apparently jampacked with eariwiggers, hence the loud whispering.  When I explained to her why I was phoning, she was (quietly) thrilled and I suspect still slightly baffled, but she totally got the whole trip to London thing. Then gathering herself, and in typical 'mammy' fashion, she put me over it all again.
'Okay, I'm writing this down now- tell me again, how many were nominated? And how many are finalists? And you're doing what exactly? I'm meeting your auntie M later, and I want all the facts in front of me'. Then, with a cheery ' I always said you should have done English A level!', off she went, to get her filling replaced.
I've been on a high all day myself- it doesn't matter that it's pissing down outside, or that in my excitement,  I broke two eggs and spilt fabric softener all over the floor, because I'm a FINALIST- Moi!  I even caught myself humming the stirring 'One Moment in Time' and I HATE that song!
I DID have a mini panic for about five minutes when I thought,  'FTLOG,  what if they actually MEANT it for 'AdventuresofasuperfitmotherIjustmadeitup' and I'll get a tweet saying 'Sorry, we're taking it back but here's a balloon instead.' But then I thought, 'Feck it, they'll have to (virtually) prise it from my cold dead fingers first!'
The truth is though, in this rambling, overexcited, roundabout way, what I'm actually trying to say is thank you very very very much,  because if YOU hadn't bothered your arse nominating me all those weeks ago, I wouldn't be reclining on this very cloud right now. I certainly wouldn't be dreaming of a Finalist badge glittering to your right hand side, or of a September trip to London, and now there's even the teensiest possibility of *whispering now* winning!  And yes, at a later stage, I'll probably beg, plead, cajole and even bribe you into voting again.... and I hope you will....but honestly, right here and now, is more than I ever dreamt of anyway, and I'm so very grateful to you for it. Oh dear...I think I feel another song coming on......