Let's get Real

The blog world is a strange but wonderful place, full of aspiring and inspirational people with words of wisdom.

It was a few years ago when myself and a friend were going to set up a blog , we had a name picked, email set up and it all pretty much planned out but it never came to pass and it has been something I have thought about every now and again since. It can a scary thing to put yourself out there, your opinions and thoughts on things. especially if your like me. I have a tendency to worry and overthink everything and as much as we all would like to say that we don't care about what people think, we do really!! People often say to me that I can come across very confident but as a matter of fact it can be quiet the opposite. However whenever I put my mind to something I put my everything into it and I don't like to let people down. So on that note I wanted to give you guys a bit of an insight into my experience so far.

So on a Saturday a few weeks ago I set up my Facebook page Luv Lisaxx, added content and photos etc but was afraid to make it public as I was doubting my decision. I think the only reason I had even set it up was because I had a few drinks (at home) and was feeling a little brave. The next day while texting my friend I mentioned what I had done and she encouraged me to launch or make the page public. So for some reason I took her advice and did it. Literally 5 mins later I regretted my decision after I had invited my friends list from my personal Facebook page. Doubt was quickly setting in, thoughts like "who would want to even like this page" Then notifications starting coming through and I was literally amazed that anyone at all had accepted or liked it. I genuinely was excited that anybody and I mean anybody thought that this was something they wanted to look at or read. Now I'm not claiming to be an expert in anything which would lead to the question Why? I work full time and when I get home there is a house full of boys watching boys tv and doing boy things etc so I wanted a little hobby for myself. I didn't set it up to make a living or any sort of income and when I mention to people I have a blog (not that I go around saying that to everybody I cringe a little
and then comes the question. A blog about what.? It's not like I'm an MUA or stylist so I just sheepishly say "oh about this and that"

When you think about it anybody can have a Facebook page or blog about "this and that" or as most people call it a "Lifestyle" blog. We all read, listen to celeb gossip, scroll through Pinterest or Instagram, so a lot of what is online is a repeat of a repeat of a repeat. There are ALOT of blog Facebook pages out there with thousands of fans and too right these girls have a craft or trade they
are talking about that people can learn from. Everyday I think "what can I do different" or talk about and I have come to a realisation that I just need to be real, I mean as real and honest as I can be without divulging every little bit of my life. I'll talk about what I know and just give my general opinion on things but mostly what I want to be is as positive as I can be and enjoy this new hobby I have.

It's very easy to read into things when you look at stats from the page and blog, for example the day I launched I had 2 people like and unlike my page. Now immediately when that happened I thought to myself oh god did I make a mistake, do people think that this is stupid? Because let's face, negativity of any sort can be hard to take. Now it does not tell you who has looked at the page or clicked on your posts but it will tell you how many people the post has reached etc. for example when I wrote the article about being pregnant over 1000 people seen it which is CRAZY, especially when I only have 180 followers. I can honestly say I am loving the challenge that I have set for myself and the support I am getting from friends and people I don't even know. So for all you ladies or guys out there that have ever thought about doing this. DO IT. Don't doubt yourself, what you have to say is as important or interesting as anybody else because we are all different and if we can have a bit of fun while we are doing it then Why not......

Born and Raised

So for those of you that may not know me I'm orginally from a small village in North Cork Ireland. A very humble upbringing by 2 loving  parents who worked extremely hard for a living. I have very happy childhood memories like most kids would have from the 80s, always outside playing, always around loads of other kids and not a care in the world. We had a very happy home and I can still smell the sunday roast Mam would be making as my Dad would be dancing and singing round the house. Always a song playing in the background. I was raised to work hard, be kind, grateful and to always be thankful for what I had

The local bar was only 3 doors up from our house and owned by our Uncle and Aunt at the time so it's fair to say we spent sometime there. It was were most people from the village socialised, a bit of craic agus ceol always to be had. Yes you could barely see anyone through the thick cloud of smoke and there was kids everywhere tanked up on kitkats, tayto and red lemonade. You wouldn't be Irish and born in the 80s if you didn't have this kind of childhood experience. People ask you what you dreamt of being when you were a child and for me strange as it may seem and from as long as I can remember I've always wanted my own little authentic Irish bar. If I won the lotto tomorrow it's probably one of the first things I would buy this is how much this memory means to me

I was in general quiet a good kid, never got into much trouble, never ditched school and was a little bit of a nerd. That is until I moved (insert Cork accent) Cork city boi. When I moved away from home I might as well have moved to New York City because that's what the city (or town as they called it) felt like. In my eyes it was huge and it was strange to me that no one really knew each other. The first year I lived with my bf (mam and dad didn't know this until a few years later) and 4 other lads and soon after that I lived with a few of my good friends from were I was from, now this was when the real fun started. We lived in several sh*th%les  (I mean lovely) houses  around Cork and there was always a party to be had no matter what day of the week it was. We even had a sunbed in the front sitting room and the deep fat fryer was never off, no such thing as healthy living back in those days. Myself and 2 of those friends worked in a nightclub in the city and we would serve drinks, have a laugh, work hard and then go home and party after work. It really was a fun time that felt like it was never going to end..but sadly people grow up, move on and lose touch.

I look at my kids now and I hope they have half the memories I have from my childhood. Sometimes it worries me that times are changing too fast and people just don't connect with each other like before. People didn't have much back then but everyone seemed equal. Gone are the days when you just walk in someone's house because the door is never closed and the kettle is always on. People actually had to sit and talk to each other, not just a like or a comment on facebook like nowadays.

I always said when I was younger that I would never live in a little village again but truth is the older you get the more you want to keep in touch with your youth and your memories xx

Fear

So today I had a trip to the dentist, yes the scary dreaded dentist. About 3 weeks ago I plucked up the courage to get seen to as it was my friends Hen weekend and my tooth was killing me and I didn't want it to spoil the fun. Imagine the thoughts of not drinking forced me to confront one of my biggest fears. As a child I had a horrendous time in which I was consistantly in the dentists getting teeth pulled left right and centre due to overcrowding. So much so that it scared me for life. 

So I decided to write a little segment on my experiences over the next few months on how I am going to conquer my fear.

As I said a few weeks ago one of my back teeth starting getting really sore which lead to the nerve in the tooth being very exposed whenever I ate or drank anything a pain would shoot right up the side of my face. It was killing me and I knew I had to make an appointment because (a) I didn't want to get an abscess and (b) I didn't want it running my weekend away... Trust an Irish person to try conquer their fear because it might affect their social lfe

So off I went and made the appointment like I said. Now for me to even make an appointment was a big deal, it took me 20mins looking at my phone to even get the courage to dial. Straight after booking in I felt sick and wanted to cancel. But I convinced myself it was ages away and I would probably not even go. Soon enough the appointment came round and silly me booked it for 12 in the day during work (I said I'd pop over on my lunch) This meant that I could not concentrate all morning and I physically had myself sick with worry. Now I'm not sure if by now you think that I am just exaggerating but this will tell you how bad I am. I rang that morning to cancel because I thought I wouldn't have enough time during lunch to go over (it's a 5 min walk away from work) an excuse obviously and the dentist said look just come in for a chat. When I actually got to reception and the nice lady asked me my name I started crying..... Yes a grown woman crying!!! I did feel silly but I couldn't help it. She didn't even bring me into the waiting room as I was sure she thought I would probably run away (I probably would have )

Off I went in to the dental surgery and sat on the chair again full of nerves and watery eyes. The man was just lovely and understanding and really made me feel at ease. Check up complete and in need of a lot of work done but knowing how much it took me to make an appointment he didn't want to do any work on me that day. So I scheduled in for 2 weeks later which was yesterday. Again the thoughts of  yesterday had me losing sleep, that anxious pit in your stomach like you are a little child in trouble with your parents. I was a little cleverer this time round and I made the appointment early so I didn't spend the whole day thinking about it. Again I thought about cancelling and even when I drove into town that morning I drove round in circles convincing myself there was no parking and maybe I shouldn't go in. In I went in the end and was sent off to the waiting room, I literally paced the floor back and forth all the while thinking that I was going to get sick. In to the waiting room came another dentist saying I would have him today as the other dentist was off...alarm bells ringing!! But your not my dentist. He asked would I like to reschedule and I said YES. I couldnt have ran quicker out the door. See the reason I wanted the other dentist is because he has the Gas, not sure of the technical name of it but it calms your nerves and I knew it would be the only thing to help me get through this. See I not bad with pain as I have had 2 kids it's more phycological with me

Which brings me to today, I had an appointment for 2:30pm, I couldn't get an early one this time. Third time lucky off I went, waited 15 mins in the waiting room and had been just about to get up and leave when he called me in.

 Step 1 Sat on the chair, which may not seem like a big deal but years ago I did that and got up to leave my fear had been so bad. 

Step 2 Calmed the nerves with the gas 

Step 3 Needle, almost there

Step 4 Procedure

I felt pretty damn proud of myself afterwards 

Now I have to go back and get more done but I'm on the right track to conquering my fear. It will take a while but I will get there. My advice for anybody in the same situation as myself is to get a dentist you trust it makes all the difference

I'll keep you posted on my progress xx

You look like a million dollars!!!!!!

So I'm havîng one of those I look like a hot mess days/weeks....Crazy hair, broken/chipped nails/my diet playing havoc on my skin etc etc the list is endless in my mind.

I had a bit of time on my hands this week because the kids are at my parents in Cork and I thought maybe I'll get my hair or my nails done? On further inspection of my appearance I got to thinking, about the numerous amount of things I could actually do. If only I had the budget. See I work full time so I have a substantial income but paying bills, feeding and clothing my kids seems to take priority over everything else. Which leads to this thought.

 When people say "you look like a million dollars",  if you had a million dollars could you actually look like it...Silly I know but think about it. The cost of looking decent is pretty expensive. 

Hair 

Beautiful golden/brunette locks that need maintaining every couple of weeks, add in some expensive extensions and hair care products and it's a nice start to the expense. Top that with a stylist so that every time you walkout the door you look like you have stepped out of a Loreal add

Skin

Now I love tanned skin, so fake tan, sunbed or a holiday every couple of weeks is what I would need to achieve that sun kissed skin. Add in some electrolysis because let's face it I don't wanna be a hairy mess. Some expensive creams to achieve a healthy glow. Facials, days at the spa the list is endless

Hands and feet

A mani and pedi every couple of weeks, yes please, add some bling for effect 

Face

Some beautiful shiny white veneers  for that award winning smile (an expensive dentist trip). All the make up in the world, because let's face it nearly every girl loves make up and never has enough.  A make up artist would be nice too. Eyelash extensions and embroidered eyebrows, you name it. There is probably more out there I have never even heard of

Add in a stylish rotating wardrobe, designer bags and shoes, dazzling jewellery, make up artist, stylist, hairdresser, dietitan, and numerous holidays to keep you looking rested

You see we're I am going with this... It's alotta dollar bills to look the part $$$$$$

So next time we look in the mirror and compare ourselves to a gorgeous looking celebrity remember this, if we had their money than we could probably look like that too. 

Born in the 80s

The 80s were no doubt a challenging time in Ireland for most families. We didn't have much but we had alot when I think back. I had a very happy upbringing and very fond memories to look back on. I'm sure most of you can relate and have had the same experiences. Here are a few that make me smile

Bedtime
We always had a very strict bedtime. 9 o clock on the dot in our house. Sunday night straight after Glenroe. I still hate that theme tune to this day because it only meant 1 thing and that was bedtime.

Music
Taping songs off the radio. The anxious wait for the d.j to shut up so you could press play and record at the same time. How cool you felt with your little mixed tape of badly taped songs

Clothes
The bicycle shorts and bright colours. The crazy patterned loud jumpers. The dungarees etc... it really was the most fashionable of times *sarcasam

Food
Dinner in our house was at 1 or 2pm and the evening was supper time. We always had dessert too after dinner, vienetta, angel delight, a spot of trifle or a bit of Swiss roll. When did we start having dinner in the evenings in this country?

Going to the shop
What a treat it was to go to the shop. With your 10/20 pence you begged your parents for..we got so much for it too. Imagine we actually had crisps for 5p

TV
Was just brilliant. Cartoons, movies, tv shows just seemed better. We loved the WWF. We had to watch it in my aunts because we didn't have the channels in our house. I loved the Undertaker and Bret the hitman heart

The good sitting room
Again we didn't  have much but most people had 2 sitting rooms and the "good sitting room" was only entered by guests. All the little trinkets on display in what I can only call a massive cabinet that almost filled the whole room

Playtime
We had so many games that we played. Tip the can, rounders. We could play for hours and never get bored and it was almost always outside until we got called in by our mam shouting our name out through the doorway 😅

It definitely felt like more simpliar times. I wish my kids have half the great memories I have from my childhood

Xx

Survive the Sales

Most of you might know I work in retail, so I wanted share some inside secrets or tips from my years of experience on how to grab the most for your money when it comes to the sales.

Go Online
Register or sign up to your favourite brand, a lot of retailers now launch their sale online before the store sale. This allows you to sit at home in your comfies, glass of wine or cup of tea in hand (depending on the time of day) filtering through the stock by size, style, type etc. Saves a lot of time and effort and can be virtually hassle free as most retailers now allow you to return the stock to the store rather than having to post it back.

Be early
From my experience the early bird definitely catches the worm, the good stuff is gone in a matter of hours. Think about it no retailer or business is going to decide to hold stock back just incase it's busier the second day. It would not make sense. 3/5 days later and most businesses are starting to markdown the stock that does not sell. On another note being early allows you to shop a clean and well set up store.

Be comfortable
Remember to wear something comfortable and light. Shopping is hard work and busy sales tend to have warm environments. It would be great to head off to the sales glammed up with our bestie in our heels heels with our lattes in hand but it's just not practical. Bring a light handbag, bt of water, packet of sweets for sugar and make sure you don't park too far away as you may want to drop some bags off at the car. I don't mean to sound dramatic but I've done it and seen it and it's a skill people.

Do your research
So there can be a lot of cloak and dagger around sale launches as  some retailers will not want to disclose due to competition or loss of sales from people waiting. Ask the question they will either pretend they don't know or they will let you know if possible. When sale launches ask about the returns policy as some will allow you to return sale product and some won't and another tip some retailers even close their fitting rooms due to high footfall in store. There is not one generic policy out there, it differs from store to store so find out before hand.

Know the system
Every company has a sale set up process, smart shoppers will try figure this out before hand or on the day. Some set up by type i.e denim-skirts-tops etc or another example would be by type and size. Look out for pricing. 10euro or less. In retail we call it aggressive price points highlighting our best bargains at the front of the store. Take a step back, figure out we're everything is and if unsure ask. Then grab and go, no point running in unless you know what your running towards.

Buy Smart
Only buy what you need. It is so easy to get carried away. Great investments being shoes, bags or accessories however buying basics such as plain tops and tees are too. Do not buy into the fads or trends of the season as there is reason some of these goods are on sale.Top tip from me would be to buy good boots and a good coat in the January sales for the following year and buy bikinis, shorts in the summer sale for the following year but remember to buy what you love, cannot live without or 100% need.

Hope this helps xx

Mum's the word

I was 24 when I found out I was pregnant with my first boy Josh. In my head I was still a 18 year old girl that was only starting to enjoy life and I couldn't believe that I was going to have a baby. I mean like ME a MUM. I have never thought that kids would ever be part of my future.

I had only just met my partner and it was something that was definitely NOT planned or welcomed at first.  So much so that for almost 5 months I convinced myself I wasn't pregnant, even when the doctor confirmed it I was like "no way it just cannot be true.. complete and utter shock to the system. For some reason too I was terrified of telling my parents even though I wasn't a child and had been living away from home almost 5 years. They were over the moon to say the least

It wasn't fair I had so much more in life I wanted to do and I genuinely thought my life was over. See I'm a party girl and I love a good night out as much as anyone and I believed that this would all end. Having a baby is obviously life changing and I wasn't even sure I would even be a good parent. I got extremely depressed about it all until something terrible happened to a friend of mine. She had lost someone close to her and it was at that moment I realised that I was gaining a life and not losing one. 

I didn't have a difficult pregnancy or birth from a physical aspect it was more psychological for me, adapting to how my life would change. I am the eldest in my family and the eldest grandchild on my mam's side so I was never around young kids or babies so therefore I felt I didn't have a maternal bone in my body. I really believed I would not be good at being a mum. 

On January 10th I gave birth to the most beautiful baby boy, we called him Josh. I remember the night he was born like yesterday, after I gave birth I was back in the ward staring at him like he was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. And he was to me and still is. It felt like this was what I was destined to do, to be a mum and it became the most natural thing in the world. It was  like a switch in my body was turned on. Yes my life had changed but 100/ million times for the better. It's certainly not an easy road to travel becoming a parent but it's definitely the most rewarding

The reason I'm writing this is because this week my two boys went to Cork to my parents for the week. I thought this would be a great break and I would get so much done, cinema, go out for the night, visit friends etc. Truth is, life wasn't much different. Boring if anything and the house was so empty. 

It's true that when you have kids you can never imagine life before them 

It is a love like no other xx

My Wardrobe essentials

So here I go. My very first blog post. I'm a little nervous, but nerves are good, right!!

So even though I don't claim to be a fashionista of any sorts I have worked in retail for a good number of years now and I'd like to think Ive learnt a few things in my time

Now it goes without saying I've had some terrible fashion moments, I think most of it has come from trying to fit in with every trend that pops up and some of it was just bad choices. Remember those pants with the slights right up the side (right up to your thigh) oh lord when I think back.

But as I get older and wiser I've learnt that it's okay to not have every spring/summer autumn/winter piece that comes onto the high street. For me now it's all about the essentials. 

So here are SOME key pieces I could not live without. What are your wardrobe essentials?

1. A pair of ankle boots

2. A nice pair of black heels

3. A denim shirt

4. A white top

5. A leather jacket ( I love a leather jacket) 

6. A good pair of denim jeans

7. That Illusive LBD