I'm Going to the Melbourne Cup!!

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I will be a guest of luxbet.com at this year's Melbourne Cup.

I must say I am looking forward to heading down to Flemington on Tuesday with the Mr, donning some fancy clothes, and experiencing Cup Day. I have never been before, so am very excited about getting dressed up and going down to be there in the flesh on such a big day. There are, of course, a few things that I will need to take care of first...

What am I going to do with the kids??

The thing about having kids is that you need to organise so much more in order to be able to leave the house. Most of the time I just don't go out, because no one is able to help out. But this time I said yes without even checking... POSSIBLE DISASTER... I am sure I am not the first mother to say yes, and then think about what to do with the children later. Thankfully I have organised it, and the kidlets will be at their friend's for the day. Phew! I am very grateful for friends being able to help out. So now on to the important stuff...

What am I going to wear??

Well, isn't that the million dollar question? I have shoes... I don't want to be breaking in new shoes between now and next Tuesday, I don't have time, so it will be all about the dress... I honestly think that getting to be all dressed up is part of the excitement of actually going. So, although this will be race-day on a budget (I am sure it is for most mummies) I am looking forward to ditching my jeans and ponytail for a day and getting all frocked up. It is easy for the boys, well my boy anyway. He has a suit that he wears for everything, and just changes the tie or the shirt. Hmm, I don't have anything like that. Such a pity when you NEED to go dress shopping isn't it?? 

It must have been by chance, but I noticed that they have Spring Racing dresses down at Target the other day. You know, when I was buying the kids socks and undies and trying to avoid the lollies that lead to the checkout... yeah... my life is THAT glamorous. Anyway, Ruth and I will be heading out this afternoon dress shopping. She says she would like to be my critic, although I am not sure I will take much of her advice, otherwise I might end up wearing something with pink polkadots...

What time am I supposed to get there??

This was a serious question I asked the Mr last night when I found out that we were going. I know we will be drinking, so it will be taxi or train for us, and luxbet has been lovely enough to provide us with a travel allowance. But what time?? The gates open pretty early on in the day and thankfully I now know that the big race starts at 3, not 2 (ex Queenslander here...) and so we will head down at lunch time-ish so we can have a look around and, of course, I am sure the Mr will want to have a bet. He tells me you always have to have a bet on cup day...

What is the best way to choose a horse??

I have always drawn a name out of a hat. But seeing as my hat will be firmly placed on my head, I think I will use the close your eyes and point method. Seems to be fail safe to me, I may even have a bit of a flutter on the cup myself. If anyone else has a super awesome tip for me... feel free to share by the way.

This comes at the end of a big study period at uni, and I feel like I am well and truly being rewarded for my efforts. I am looking forward to finishing my last assignment for the term this week, doing a test on Sunday or Monday, and being able to go out for a day kid, and uni-stress free. Now, to buckle down and finish those assignments so I don't fail!!

Who comes first?

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There seems to be this ingrained part of me that thinks that if my kids need something then it is important that they get it. So I tend to go without. Yes, even to the point where I wear jeans that have a gaping hole in the inner seam (upper thigh... don't stress!) until it is completely noticeable that I do actually need new pants. If my kids had a hole in their pants, they would never wear them in public again, and new pants would be purchased ASAP. 

Am I the only parent who does this? Sometimes I think that this way of thinking somehow springs from that fear of "Oh gosh! What if everyone thinks I am a bad mum??!!??!!". What? Because I allowed my kids to wear pants that had a hole in them? Sometimes I think I need to do a bit of growing up. Who gives a flying McChicken burger what everyone else thinks??

Two weeks ago, my trusty old laptop packed it in and officially decided that it was not going to do what I wanted. I had an assignment due in 5 days and my computer said nope - I am not opening an internet browser with the click of a button... I will take an hour to do that. In tears, I walked into the computer shop and bought a new one. Because you know what?? It is not worth being stressed over a computer that doesn't work. 

I am slowly realising that I am important too. Don't get me wrong. I love myself to bits, and I absolutely think I am worth new things; I just tend to put others' needs before my own. Putting others first is great sometimes, but not ALL the time. Sometimes, the most important thing is to say yes to ME.

And guess what?? This morning I threw out those jeans and bought some new ones.