{Wonder Woman Series #2} Meet Miss Lara!

Good Tuesday to you dolls!! I hope your week has started off brilliantly! The sun is shining here, it actually felt a touch warmer outside and my cold is finally hit the road. We said goodbye to our friend yesterday that had passed away. So, it was a up and down Monday. But, I am feeling positive and calm in spirit. I started this 'Wonder Woman' series some weeks ago and after slacking and then battling the flu, I wanted to get another posted today!! I said I was going to go back and forth between famous women and every day women, so here is my first every day women and she just happens to be a dear friend of mine who I think is super amazing! She was my first friend that I made in Scotland when I moved here. We conquered Beauty Therapy together and kept each other as sane as possible. Her name is Miss. Lara and she's, for me someone that proves that it doesn't matter where you come from, it's where you're going that matters. She's a wonderful Mum to her son Logan, who is the cutest of all boys. She's living proof that not all mum's are the same and that you can be who you are & still have children. I got to ask her some questions, I hope you enjoy them & have a wonderful day dolls!!

xoxoxo

Lara's Life Theme Tune: Cyndi Lauper - 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'

1. You jumped out of a plane for charity, can you tell us about that experience?

It was amazing. I made a promise to myself on New Years Eve 2010 that I would do at least one thing for the NSPCC/Children 1st per year. In 2011 I completed my first 10k and a 120ft abseil for Children 1st. Having found myself running out of time to do something for the NSPCC in 2012, I had been unable to train for any running event nearby, so thought I would sign up for a skydive instead! 

For someone who is scared of heights AND flying I can’t say it was the firmest of choices! 

The first thing I will say to anyone who is thinking of doing the same thing is, just do it (sorry Nike, I’m stealing your slogan!). It was a brilliant experience for a very worthwhile cause. During free-fall there is no ‘rollercoaster feeling’ where you feel like your stomach is about to leap out your mouth, instead it feels like you are floating on a huge air cushion, when in fact you are hurtling towards the ground at 120mph! 

It was a nice touch when I received a little good luck card from the NSPCC a few days before the jump. That did make me smile.  

2. Why is it important to you that people care about giving time to charities?

I feel that it’s important for people to realise the change they can make with a simple donation or volunteering their spare time to raise money for a charity. There are so many of us who can step up and I think that, if enough people do that, then we can truly make a difference. 

I understand that people may not wish to donate, but even something simple like posting a few flyers or being active on a social networking site. Something, anything positive to raise awareness for a charity you care about. 

3. Who are the people that have inspired you in your life?

I have a lot of respect for people who take the time to think of others before thinking of only them. 

Women who say, ‘hell, I’m not the ‘norm’ but I’m a good person and I’m going to live my life like I want and not waste time trying to be something I’m not’. P!nk is a very good example of this! 

There have also been people in my life who I have hurt or argued with in one way or another who, after a time, I have become reacquainted with. Their grace will always inspire me to improve. If I can carry myself with that kind of grace then I'm one step to being a better person. 

4. You have a young son, do you feel you still have time to take care of him & keep yourself fit & glamorous? (I wanted to ask a question like this, because a lot of people have this stigma that mothers have all the time in the world, so I thought it important to let them know how hard it can be to have time to oneself)

I do laugh when people think mothers have all the time in the world. What, do they think we open the window like a Disney Princess and all the woodland animals come strutting in to do the housework/laundry/food prep, etc, etc? Ha! We wish. 

I have to say it was a lot easier to keep myself looking as I wanted to when my son was a baby. He had a nap schedule which ran like clockwork so it was easy to organise my ‘me time’ around that. 

There was a point where he wasn't at nursery or pre-school and his nap times went out the window, so most of the time I looked like a wild-woman! Roots? You betcha! 5 fruit and veg a day? Nah, I’ll just have toast please, if I can squeeze it in. Comfort food? Well my kid has been up all night teething, so go on then! Back then I convinced myself I was happy my butt was so smooshy, like it made it more comfortable to sit down when I got that chance! There will be many, many times when your own personal beauty/fitness routine is trampled under Lego and building blocks. But it is so worth it. 

Like everything else, that calms down and another routine began with nursery, then with pre-school. If you want to look good you have to fit it in. You may have to be up at weird times dying your hair, or fitting in that exercise DVD, but if it’s what will make you happy then you’ll do it. You have to choose between the extra hour in bed in the morning or making an effort to do your hair, make-up, whatever. 

The bottom line is, no matter how hard we try to arrange it, or ‘fit things in’, our kids will always (or bloody should) come first, and you have to find it in yourself to adapt. So you can’t pamper yourself like you used to, big deal. Your kid will think you shine brighter than the sun, so be happy with that. 

And again, to the people out there pointing fingers and thinking stay at home Mothers paint their nails whilst watching Jeremy Kyle all day… it isn't like that. Not by a long shot. 

5. And lastly, if you could give all women in the world, 3 things, what would they be??

Respect for others, confidence in themselves and empathy for those around them.