Hens......and beyond

Wow what a week! Where do I start?

Last Sunday I managed to get my hands on a last minute Longitude ticket. So glad I did, it was amazing and I really needed a bit of fun and sillyness! The build up to the wedding has me alot more stressed than I thought it would. I got to see Hotchip and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs which were brilliant (pictures below). Kraftwerk played last.....I wasnt too impressed with them at all at all. No hangover the next morning thanks to LifeLine, I actually cant say enough about them. Dont know how I survived in the past with hangovers. The tiredness caught up with me though, so I spent the following few days trying to get back to whatever normal is.

I did workout (not as much as usual) and walk. Weights on Monday, pilates on Tuesday, weights on Thursday and some aerobics and body conditioning before I started to get ready on Friday. I taught all my classes also. My diet wasnt great a couple of days. Im going to put that down to tiredness and stress. I havnt been sleeping well at all, as iv mentioned before. I seem to be waking up at all hours and worrying about the wedding, bills and the future. Im constantly counting figures in my head and even when I tell myself to stop, I just cant seem to let go. I know I am an awful worrier, I have been ever since I had kids but this is getting ridiculous. Then my baby wakes for his night feeds and I cant get back asleep. I couldnt be more exhausted if I tried!

Sometimes we all have 'off' weeks. Its hard to be good 100% of the time. Still though, I did try to stay on track and like when practicing pilates.....its the effort that counts.

So Friday arrived, the hen day, bridal shower day, whatever you like to call it. I dropped the boys to my parents at 10am and off I went to class. I arranged that my mam watch the boys until my future husband picked them up after work. That way I would get some well needed alone time :-). I headed straight for Dundrum for a bit of retail therapy. Starbucks was first on the menu. Then a look around the shops. Its amazing what you see when you dont have to drag along a baby and an 8year old! Managed to pick up my wedding bras (no pictures haha), the nail varnish and make-up for the day plus some nice little pieces for the honeymoon, swit swoo you say.

Left Dundrum and went home about 2pm. The silence was priceless! I got to workout, do my make-up (while watching a bit of Tom Hardy ;-) ), do my hair, pack my bag and have a drink before leaving for my much anticipated hens. I was in such great form and super excited. The bit of 'me' time was what I needed too. I know everyone says it but it is very tough running a business, staying in shape, keeping a family and a house. Every mother out there doing the above, deserves a diamond encrusted white gold medal!

Any how, I arrived at the Beacon hotel at about 7pm and had some pricey cocktails. Worth every penny!!! Myself and my lovely friends got spoilt, had fun and got silly....... the rest is history.

Ah no I wouldnt leave it like that :-). So, there was 14 of us. We had cocktails in the hotel foyer for about 2hours before heading up to our rooms. I decided to go with a little cream dress that I hadnt wore since before I got pregnant (picture below). It was so good to relax and have a good rant about the men folk and all their 'flaws'. We headed to our rooms at 9pm to get into our pyjamas (pictures below) for the Beacons famous 'Pyjama party'. Which honestly, I think WE made it famous haha. Myself, my sister and our friend got the penthouse suite (pictures below), it was fabulous! We felt like royalty. I got a room to myself would you believe, things couldnt get any better.....but they did.

An army of 'free' women, sipping wine and cocktails ventured down the hotel corridors to the function room where we where met by a table of gift bags and waiters ready to tend to our every need. We were served tapas and free cocktails while we all rooted through our lovely Alice in Wonderland themed bags made especially for me by my lovely sister (its my favourite movie EVER you see). The bags contained sweets, bubbles, Alice in Wonderland wine glass charms, penis straws and lots more.

On went our movie, Sex and the City. A table filled with sweets, chocolate, crisps, a giant penis cake (pictures below), ice cream, bottles of wine, beer, cider and a 'sippy cup' filled with vodka. It was heaven. Good food, good friends and good laughs. By the time the movie ended we were well on our way as they say. Time for the games.....the Mr and Mrs quiz was first. I learnt, my future husband hasnt a clue about me :-/. Wedding dresses made out of toilet roll were couture (pictures below) and  would you believe its not that hard to find a fancy car to strike a sexy pose on in the hotel car park. Yes we were all still in our pyjamas!

It wasnt too crazy, it was just what I wanted. Relaxed, nice and fun. Then came the highlight of the night.......sleep! Yep sleep. At about 3.30am. All you working mums with babies know what im talking about. Our good old friend, uninterrupted sleep! A double bed in the penthouse suite all to myself :-). Breakfast in bed the next morning too. A big fry, tea, toast, a bowel of fruit and late check out. I could well get used to that! No hangover either as I was smart enough to take two LifeLines with my first drink. They really do work!!!

Checked out of the hotel and still had the day to myself. Went home and fell asleep, it was great. Myself and the future husband picked up the boys a 8pm and we all went for a big slap up dinner in Eddie Rockets mmmmm. I was worn out by the time we got home, I honestly still am. Im sure the tiredness will go by the time my baby is 16 or so.

Oh and I got a lovely gift of wedding jewellery today from the boys (I know my future husband paid for it ;-)). A fabulous white gold pearl and earring set for the wedding day (picture below). A nice little token of appreciation on their part. About time too haha.

Not long to go now, stay classy ladies x