Dressing up for the MAD Blog awards

I can't believe how fast this year is passing, in just under a month I'll be in London to attend the MAD blog awards and that is super exciting. I'm very humbled to be there as a finalist in the Outstanding Contribution Award, there are 10 of us in this category and every one of the finalists is a blogger I admire. Of course the truth is that I don't really feel I deserve to be in this list but it is wonderful anyway.

I've been to the MADS once before and had a great time, I hold very fond memories of spending the early hours sat outside a bar with about six good friends drinking wine once the awards had finished. This year will be even more exciting as the MADs team have excelled themselves and the awards are being held at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington. I went to a Christmas party at this hotel back in 1997 and it was really good, so I have high hopes for a swish evening.

Talking of it all being a bit posh I really need something nice to wear. Thankfully I'm quite long in the blogging tooth now and this means that I have not been stressing for months about what I shall wear like I did in 2011. Back then M&S sponsored me to get an outfit and due to my size and the time of year it was I could hardly find anything to wear. This time I'll be wearing a dress I have worn before and feel good in. It is slightly too long, so I have about 3 weeks to get it taken up as I don't want to kill myself in the 4 inch spiked heels I wore last time.

You can't see my dress too well as my girls are hiding it but it gives you the idea!

That reminds me that I need to look for a new pair of shoes to go with my dress and I've been looking at the Clarks shoes range at Littlewoods and chosen these black patent court shoes, they do have a 3 inch heel but with it being a bit chunky and having a small platform sole I believe they will be comfy for a nights dancing. At £69 they are an investment but I always think Clarks shoes are worth it and if I am feeling a bit decadent they do them in a wine colour and that would match my dress too, so it depends if I am feeling sensible or fanciful.

I also like the look of these sling backs and the great thing with them is that they are reduced to just £31 and that is a real bargain for these elegant evening shoes. Ohh decisions, decisions.

Anyway I have to hold off for another week as my house sale is due to complete next week and then I feel like I have license to treat myself so I can indulge in a bit of shopping and maybe just book myself a room at the Royal Garden Hotel too!

Nights like this are always a paradox for me as I long to be there and enjoy it but I also feel like I don't deserve to be there and the inner child in me always rears her head and reminds me of the young Michelle who sat behind a curtain for a whole birthday party as she did not feel wanted. I think it is about time I grew up and started to value myself a bit more, don't you?

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Happy Birthday to Me!

It was my birthday yesterday. I went away for the weekend with a group of twin mummies and I had a lovely time. We headed off to Birmingham for a make over, meal out and spot of dancing. I know I had a good time as both feet are covered in blisters and I still feel knackered now! lol

The picture above is me after my make over. I do not think the photo does it justice, but a super lady at Suqqu at Selfridges made me over and did wonderful smokey eyes. I was completely pleased. I also went there last year when I went with the same group of ladies to Birmingham, it is a gorgeous treat. Suqqu are an exclusive Japanese brand that you may not of heard of. Their make up and skin care range is only available at the 2 Selfridges stores in the UK but the eye shadow I bought last year and the lipstick this year are some of the best products I have ever owned. They certainly give the other premium/ designer brands a run for their money.

I got home about 4pm and was greeted in the car by two little princesses singing happy birthday to me. This was probably the best 10 minutes of my day - pure happiness. 'Can we open your cards and presents for you Mummy?, Can we? Can we? please....'. I got presented with a lopsided but delicious cake which the girls and dh had baked for me and my garage conversion is now practically completely finished. My Dad has done an amazing job with the redecoration, thank you x.

After being home about an hour I spotted a crack running all the way down the wall in our dining room. This was just a false bit of wall and not one dh or I had ever liked so the decision was made to get rid of the wall and the dodgy arch and have some double doors instaled between our lounge and dinning room. So after getting my garage turned into a playroom and being on track we now have a great big mess in our lounge. Nothing like getting it all out the way together. Like dh says no point in getting a new carpet laid and then finding we wanted to remove the wall. Don't worry Dad we are going to engage someone to properly replaster and put the doors in.

Here is a picture to the show the POPOTOMS just how much of a mess my house is right now. I once won the 'How clean is your house award'. That would not be happening nowadays! lol Can you see all that clutter in my dining room?

Take me..... into insanity!

That is what I will be singing tonight as I get ready to go out and have a fab time.

Well today is the day of the POPOTOMs meet (twin Mummy's to you uninitiated ones) in Birmingham. The excitement has been brewing for ages, we first talked about this at the beginning of the year and booked in March - thankfully we are all still friends!

This is so unlike me to travel 100 miles and meet people I have never met before, also in total this will cost a fair bit - hotel, travel, food, night out, clothes (of course!) and again nowadays it is not like me to be so extravagant. It must be testament to the relationship I have built with these lovely ladies over the last couple of years that I have not once thought about or tried to get out of tonight. That would be my style, announce a problem a couple of days before, keep protesting I would be there and then on the day let everyone down. It is a terrible way to be really but sometimes I just can not find the energy in me to do something which involves a lot of thought and effort. Do you know what? I know I do ti, as I have just written it here but this is probably the first time I have ever really thought about it. I suppose I need to examine why I do it. I hope it is due to my work on myself during my ED recovery that means that this time I am going and looking forward to it immensely.

So, I leave home in about 30 mins for the train to London, meeting J in London and travelling to B'ham together. We have never met before but I know we will get on, she is an armadillo like me (hard on the outside and very soft inside). I wonder if you agree J? Then meeting the other ladies this afternoon for coffee. I also might pop into the town and see if I can get a freebie department store makeover. I am wearing jade green tonight and it would be nice to see if green eyes would suit me too!

I am all ready, packed, iPod loaded up, ready stuff ready, breakfast finished, kids fed and dressed and now just killing some time.

Can't wait to see you later ladies and to all the missing twin mummies - Susie, Elaine, Kris, Ela so sorry you will not be there this year.