Well, maybe not the razz, but a night out at least, away from work, kids, Nickelodeon, and the house for more time than it takes me to nip to the corner store to get that one thing I’ve forgotten from the weekly shop (happens every time!). Read more…

The date was set some 4 weeks ago, which is a must these days with kids right?  Nothing can be organised on a whim like before.  Spontaneously organising a night out is no longer an option when children are in the equation, and trying to synchronise a time to meet up with friends who also have kids is almost impossible.  Luckily, after much juggling by all, a date was set.

So as much us girls always reminisce and talk of having a reunion and reliving the crazy nights out had by us all in the past, getting dressed up in the skimpiest of outfits (most of which still reside in the attic, just in case), having nails and hair done professionally the morning before, and buying a load of new make up just because, it never really happens that way.  One, due to the fact that none of us can really stay awake past 9:30pm these days., two, because none of us actually give ourselves anywhere near that much attention anymore, and three, because we don’t actually want to!

Pre-kids’ nights out of dancing on tables, drinking vodka jelly shots, bar hopping through town before ending up in the cheapest nightclub, ‘cos you’ve spent your week’s wage at that point, is really something that doesn’t appeal to me anymore, and actually hasn’t for quite some time.  Don’t get me wrong, I have lots of parental friends who still do this and I have the odd glint of a memory and a smile when they fill me on on their night’s antics, but personally, it’s not for me.

Having children has of course been a factor in this change of heart, but I don’t think it’s just that, if anything, they’d drive you to increased levels of alcohol and more mind-numbing benders.  For me, it’s age.  Being not a million miles away from 40 isn’t really the issue.  Working since the day I left school, travelling for a year seeing the world, making these ridiculously gorgeous children, and having bundles of bills is proof that my life has already begun.

But growing up where I did, drinking the likes of 20/20, Hooch and White Lightening in the local gully circa Wigfield’s Saturday Night, I admit I started young, not to the knowledge of my parents of course, but by legal age, I was a regular at the local nightclub. Fast forward to 2005 when I fell pregnant with our Son, I was already board of that style of living having done it all, so with a baby on the way, it was the perfect changing point for both of us.

Years off the booze, a second child in tow, healthy living a priority, nowadays we prefer what I used to dub the ‘boring people’s activities’.  Cinema, mountain walks (which are amazing where we live!), days at the beach and just general family time is by far the most important thing to us now.  Not having parents to lend a hand and constantly working my ass off, I have come to actually believe the old cliché that the best things in life are free, something which we, as a family, make the most of, creating memories along the way.  Those are now the days out I look forward to.

Having said that, the girls and I had a blast last night, which wasn’t free, but was needed and well overdue.  An evening of non-kids girlie talk, food, cocktails, popcorn, Prosecco and pic ‘n’ pix did not disappoint… And seeing Mr Grey’s buttox more than once was a mere plus point!

Rhian
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#workkidssleep