There's a Woman Under There

Since becoming a Mum I've done that thing some of us Mums are prone to do; I have 100% neglected my appearance. It used to be okay if I occasionally did this in the past as I would have the odd reboot or chance to change my ways, from 2004 to 2010 that came in the form of my annual 8 day yoga retreat in France, which kept me detoxed and my weight under control. Looking back at pics from those days I now want to reclaim that person and her radiance. Also I did many years in fashion retail and the need to be on brand meant I had to fit in the product which became self regulating. The biggest, forgive the pun, thing to change my figure once I got bigger pre-motherhood, was a diagnosis of Candida in 2001 from my Chinese Herbalist. Once I read up on it and made the many necessary dietary changes I lost 3.5 stones relatively quickly AND painlessly. I literally shrank and dissolved and lost it everywhere, even those places that are traditionally hard to lose weight from. If I wasn't breastfeeding I think I quite fancy doing it again, but I am reluctant to do anything drastic when Lottie relies on me. Surely she'd benefit from my diet containing more nutrition and less empty calories though?!?!

Me on the right at one of many European Yoga Festivals - I was a qualified Kundalini Yoga Teacher

Makeup

Me putting on makeup was and is a very rare thing and when I do, it's Bare Minerals all the way which has a really positive effect on my skin. Not that I have ever had acne or anything but it just seems to recharge and renew my skin, which reminds me it is too long since I've last had some on.

Jewellery

Even putting on jewellery is something I am only recently making a conscious effort to do. Usually it's ear-rings a bracelet and a chain. I made the decision to start doing this more often when Aaron changed schools. I just decided new school, new school gates, new me. But it's kind of the only improvement I made.

Clothes

Rather terribly, clothes are limited by what fits and what's clean. My priority is always the kids. How they look and whether everything they own still fits. I have so many old clothes that are gorgeous but of course none of them no longer fit. Only today when I was looking for my sleeping bag for Aaron's movie PJ night at school I came across lots of gorgeous Monsoon tops but they're all annoyingly size 12 and I am firmly (or not so firmly) an 18 now, even though I often yo yo between 16 and 18. Currently my size 16 jeans don't fit so I am permanently in leggings. I haven't even bothered to shave my legs so I even wear leggings under my dresses. 

Nails

Having been a SAHM for many years now, manicures (and leg waxes) are firmly OFF the agenda, but ONCE a year I treat myself to Shellac on my feet along with a luxury pedicure. I literally make it last all Summer and then let it grow out during Winter whilst it's hidden under socks. I do look ridiculous if I go to an indoor pool during Winter when it's half on and half on. I have done this which my friend Helen can attest to. That with the hairy legs is SO not a good look - I've particularly realised this over the last 4 weeks, during my Love Island addiction LOL.

After years of reading about angels I finally got a white feather of my own

Perfume

Once upon a time, literally, I used to have a Debenhams card and I'd be in there buying perfume and makeup, even more regularly during the years I worked ON Oxford Street, before I left retail that is and sought promotion to Head Office retail purely so I could escape the unsociable hours. Glad I did though as that is what saw me get into HR funnily enough with the foundation of everything I'd learned on the shop floor which was actually a very beneficial grounding. Anyway I knew my perfumes back then and had several. Now I literally only have a bottle of Cool Water that an in-law was kind enough to buy me for Xmas. Did you know that The Perfume Shop is on Groupon? No I didn't either.

Body Shape

I am currently an apple having been a pear for many many years. Finally the size of my bust has caught up with the size of my ass and I don't know if that is a good thing but I blame breastfeeding LOL. But having a tummy flattening swimming costume is beneficial, so much so, that despite the cellulite I am going to post this:

I know it sounds really vacuous but I now have a Love Island addiction despite having never watched an episode prior to the current series 4. I think when it's finished I may even watch the 2 series that are on Netflix LOL. I have to tweet throughout the show too and stalk Instagram for gossip surrounding the show and "contestants" there. I've never been a fan of reality TV so I am surprising myself to be honest. Watching the show hasn't made me completely forget that appearance isn't everything to me, never has been even in my vain days back when everything coordinated in the 1980s ha ha. But it has made me realise how very much I've let myself go. It's the oddest thing though - I had a great figure at University but I was SO self conscious I fully covered it up all the time and yet now whenever I am not on the school run I am in my back yard dressed as above, despite my wobbly bits, despite my 45 years, despite my cellulite AND my hairy legs. I even had 14 people in my garden this Wednesday for a belated birthday party, a pool party, for Aaron and yet I still went round in just a cossie. Unfortunately it wasn't the costume you see above though as my friend accidentally took it home, so all those people saw me in one that was a lot less flattering *cries*. Ironically it is the cheaper of the two, that looks better, as above. The unflattering one was 3 times the price - the one above is only Florence and Fred but has a good effect on my bum and boobs :-) My friend Aleks took some pics including that one, for me in the garden yesterday. My favourite is this one of Lottie and I below. I didn't get any pics of me the day before at Aaron's actual party. We couldn't resist getting in the pool again though as we're having the hottest longest heatwave since 1976!!!!!!!!!!!!