TheMadHouse

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:15:00 +0000

Just a reminder that you can find me at

www.muminthemadhouse.com

www.athriftymum.com

www.frugaliciousfood.com

If you can see this, then you need to Subscribe to my new blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 08:48:00 +0000

www.muminthemadhouse.com

Come and see my new blog

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:22:00 +0000

If you are reading this then you havent changed your subscription to my new blog

www.muminthemadhouse.com

All Change and the Blog may be down for a couple of days

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 10:55:00 +0000

Hello my lovely readers, You will be seeing some changes over here in the mad house over the next week or so, but as part of this the blog will be down for a couple of days - possibly.

So please don't be concerned and can you all please do me a big favor and change your subscriptions and any blog links you have to

www.muminthemadhouse.com

See you on the other side!

Making our own spotty shirts for Children in Need

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 09:49:00 +0000

Like lots of mums, I packed my children off to school this morning wearing something spotty in aid of children in need. Now like lots of mums, I couldn't find anything spotty at all, so I decided that we should make some ourselves.

The boys had so much fun armed with my permanent markers and a shirt each, they made their own spotty t-shirts.

Don't they look grand?

We popped some card inside the t-shirts to stop the pen going through to the back and then I left the boys to it. Maxi was amazing in helping Mini. He drew a lot of his circles for him and then the drew a line in the middle and coloured in half each/

It was a joy to watch them work so well together and whilst they did it we talked about all the children less fortunate than them in the world and decided to give away 4 toys each to the charity shop, which I dropped off on the way home from taking them to school this morning.

The Gallery - Before and After

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 11:22:00 +0000

I love cooking and baking, there is something magical in putting together a list of ingrediants and turning them into something delicious. So for this weeks gallery I give you:

Before

After

Come and join me on Frugalicious Food, as I am taking you step by step through the soaking, making and baking of Christmas cakes and puddings, as Sunday is stir it up sunday.

Self Promotion - You can buy Christmas Gifts from Me

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:48:00 +0000

I have been busy making and have lots of new and lovely makes available, so I though I would have a little self promotion, as I can not see me getting these all on the Folksy shop before Christmas, so here they are. If you are interested in purchasing anything, then please e-mail me or tweet me. I except payment by paypal.

Tea Cup Candles (please click on the image for more details of the scent) large ones are £8.00 plus £3.00 postage and the small ones are £3.25 to £3.20 each. Each candle is lovingly crafted by myself with 10% fragrance oil added. They are made with 100% Eco soy wax, which has numerous benefits including being longer and cleaner burning (Soy wax is non-toxic and burns cleaner than paraffin, with no petrol-carbon soot which can blacken walls). You can wash the used tea cup in hot soapy water and reuse the tea cup.

Washable learn to set the table mats. These are again made my myself and are backed with towelling and make the placement of cutlery child play. £6.00 each, plus £1.90 postage.

Crayon (£4.00) and Pencil (£6.00) rolls complete with the pencils and crayons, postage is £1.90.

Mini bunting, the pennants on the bunting are 4 inches to tip and there are 12 on each length of bunting. £5.00plus £1.90 postage.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Spiritual Sunday - For the Fallen

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 00:48:00 +0000

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

As a mother I can imagine nothing worse than sending my children to battle, knowing the chance was they would never return.

Whilst we are thinking about the dead, I would also like to point you to a very moving, but amazing post by an inspirational lady over at Brighton Mum Teenage Angst. Karen's beloved husband and partner died in October and this post is all about quality of death. She is so, so right, how can you have a quality of life without a quality of death. Please do you and read it, but have your hanky at the ready.

Me and the boys had no luck with paper poppies this year, they kept losing them, so I decided to make a couple of felt ones with them. They cut the felt out and then I sewed on a button and a broach fitting on the back, which made them much more secure. We still donated for more poppies too. I was also amazed at Maxi telling me why we did the 2 minutes silence on Thursday (both boys were home ill).

Possibly the Best Fireworks in the World Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 10:39:00 +0000

We were lucky enough to tag along as guests of the wonderful Rosie Scribble and Sally to Drayton Manors firework spectacular on 30 October.

Now I have to say it wasn't just a Fireworks Spectacular, but an amazing laser, light and sound show too, which had the boys and I mesmerised. It was simply the best fireworks I have ever seen in the world ever, but don't take my world for it. I have popped two small videos of the day below.

Win a Maileg Pixie in The Great Toy Guide's Guide to the Best Reuasable Advent Calendars 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 10:04:00 +0000

As you might be aware I am Deputy Editor of The Great Toy Guide, which is a fantastic site where we take toys and give them to our own children. Our children are really lovely, but they DO like to do things like dunk toys in orange juice. They send action figures on missions that involve being thrown down the stairs. They pull, prod and shake things just to see what happens. And when they’re done, they leave their toys on the floor for passing adults to stand on.

I know we’re barely past Halloween, but at the Great Toy Guide, the team have been hard at work testing out the best alternatives to chocolate advent calendars. We’ve brought together some of our favourite cardboard, fabric and wooden advent calendars.

This year we are also offering one of our readers the chance to win a magnificant Maileg Christmas Pixie advent calendar. Designed in Denmark, this festive pixie stands at more than 1.5 metres tall and will make a fantastic addition to your Christmas decorations. To be in with a chance of winning, simply leave a comment on this post at The Great Toy Guide telling us your favourite Christmas tradition. A winner will be picked at random on November 25th, and the calendar shipped to you in time for December 1st. UK entrants only. Good luck!

The Gallery - Four Seasons in one Day

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:29:00 +0000

I have commented before how much I love the fact that in the UK we have pretty clearly defined seasons. As a mum, sometimes I feel as though I am stuck in a time warp and nothing chances, the same old things day in and day out, but it is the changing seasons that let me know that time is passing and that life is ever changing.

For The Gallery this week the prompt is seasons. I wish I had a photo of the same place each season, but I don't, although I AM going to do that now!

Spring - The wonders of new life everywhere you look.

Summer - Days out at wonderful places like Whitby Abbey

Autumn always means fireworks to me

Winter - Snow

Finally so I can leave you singing it all day, I give you Crowded House.

;;;

Poo, Mummy you a a stinky Poo from a Poo hole

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 06:30:00 +0000

Oh yes, the poo words have started and will not stop here in The Mad House. You are a stinky poo face mummy. Daddy has a poo hole. Ner ner na ner ner, poo, poo, POO and more POO. My boys may look angelic, but I can assure you the noises that are coming from those mouths are not in anyway of the saintly variety.

What is it with boys and the words poo, botty burp, parp, fart, plump, pump, plop, poot. boff, trump and lots of other words that are all in the same vane.

Yes I am living in a house full of toilet humour, where Mini thinks he is the height of sophistication for farting in the bath and creating his own jacuzzi!

And it seems that I am not the only one experience this, oh no. I took the boys to a 6th birthday party yesterday and all the boys are at it. They think it is hilarious. Who can burp the loudest, say their name in a burp, make the best trumping sound using their armpit and hand and who can make the loudest raspberry. They are constantly engaging in battles of this nature, in between the dancing and the food that is!

So to all mothers of boys over 5, please do let me know how long this is going to last, or is this it and I am just going to have to join in too?

A Cracking Fireworks Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 08:06:00 +0000

I am fortunate to have a brilliant Brother and Sister in Law who run a sports and social club (like a workingman's club) for the local steel works and every year, they put on a wonderful childrens party and fireworks display for bonfire night.

This years Party was wonderful and I want to say a great big thank you to them (My SIL's mum has been in hospital for the last 9 weeks and is very unwell).

Maxi and my Niece dancing together

Edible Child Safe Sparklers

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 15:28:00 +0000

Last year I made Edible Sparklers with Mini and we made just a few, but this year it was like a production line and we have made enough for both Mini and Maxi's class at school!

Ingredients

Bread sticks

Chocolate

Cake Sprinkles

Hundreds and thousands

We melted the chocolate in the microwave and added some honey to make sure it didn't set too fast on us.

We then used a silicone brush to cover the bread stick with some chocolate and covered the coated part in decorations.

Leave them to set and voila, child safe edible sparklers.

Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 06:47:00 +0000

11 years, an eternity some days, but a split second on others.

You are forever part of my life,

I love and live by the rules you instilled in me,

I learn each day how important you have been in moulding me.

I am your echo, your legacy.

As my children are mine, carrying with them a part of me and, therefore, a part of you.

I hope they grow in to great men like you were.

I refuse to live my life in anger at your early death,

instead I remember the days we had.

I remember feeling safe and cradled in your hands.

I remember joy and freedom.

You are my hero, my guiding star.

I love you Dad and miss you each and everyday.

The Gallery - Show me the Funny

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:16:00 +0000

We should talk more about Miscarriages

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 10:14:00 +0000

Having read about Lily Allens sad, sad loss today, it brought to mind, my previous losses.

Losing a potential life is never easy and for me losing babies late in pregnancy made me really doubt if we would ever have a child of our own to hold. So much so that Maxi didn't have a nursery until the week before he was born.

Miscarriage is something that many woman do not talk about, it often feels like a secret club that you only become aware of once you have experianced the pain. Then people will often tell you that they had a miscarriage too.

It is estimated that 1 in 4 woman will experience a miscarriage and that 15% of all pregnancies will end in miscarriage, which are shocking statistics which are often not in the forefront of your mind when you become pregnant.

As one of these 1 in 4 woman I have to say that I experienced a wide range of emotions when it came to my miscarriages and also to peoples reactions to them. My first experience of miscarriage was losing twins at 20 weeks, which was truly horrendous. I don't think I could ever explain the horrors that we went through. What has remained with me from that time was other peoples reactions and comments, which ranged from a polite I am sorry for your loss to a completely inappropriate "oh but they were not yet babies"

I think that woman should be a little more open about the terrible things that miscarriages can bring, they can shatter dreams and tear apart hearts.

So my heart goes out to Lily Allen, I can not imagine her loss, but I can remember mine.

Freerange Parenting

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 09:19:00 +0000

Last week was my first experience of half term as a mum with two boys that are both in school, previously when I had two preschoolers, I used to dread the holidays coming along, as all the mum and toddler groups and other things were halted for the holidays and the soft play places and parks were fill of bigger, rougher and louder children (yes this is what I used to think).

It is amazing the difference a year or two makes, as the minimads are now 4 and 5 and I have to say I have looked forward to this half term pretty much since the first week of school (as I miss my boys so much), but I have been really conscious that my children need a rest, especially Mini, who has found is tiring work being at school all day.

So I have held back my Miss organiser personality and only arranged one or two days out and play dates for the holidays and for the first time I am allowing the boys a little free reign and they have been out on their own.

I gave the boys firm boundaries of where they could go and I also snuck out and took them drinks and snacks regularly. They had a whale of a time and the things that they enjoyed doing were using chalks, looking for crickets and bugs, making mud paint, scooting on the pavement and just running off some of their energy.

I have to admit that I find this freerange parenting hard, it does go against my nature, but when I talk to my mum and to MadDad, I am conscious that we were allowed much more freedom as children. Now I don't want to turn this in to a debate about pedophiles and abductions, I am aware that there are bad people out there, but I am learning that my children can enjoy some outside freedom without me being attached to them.

So where do you draw the line, how old were your children before you allowed them to play out?

I have to say that I now want to buy walkie talkies, so I can check that they are OK!

The National Railway Museum York

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 07:17:00 +0000

I have had a lovely day this week at the NRM in York with MadDad and the boys. We were lucky enough to be able to meet up with Sandy and her boys too.

The NRM in York is a fantastic day out for anyone who has children, especially ones like me who have children that love trains. As you would expect the museum is jam packed full of trains, but there is so much more to see and do, especially if it is raining.

The museum always make sure that half term and school holidays are jam packed with family events and we had great fun watching the turntable work and also listened to some great story telling too. The boys and MadDad were looking forward to a ride on the restored replica of the Rocket, but it had broke down to had to settle to a ride on a diesel engine, but boys being boys they still enjoyed that too.

Mini was astounded that the Hogwards Express was at York too and was able to take a look in its cab, which as an avid Harry Potter fan really made his day.

Entrance to the Museum is Free and you can park all day in the car park for £7.00. A road train runs every 30 minutes in to central York, but we spent all day in the museum on Tuesday.

There are plenty of tables for you, if you take a picnic (we always do) and a fine play area for the children outside on dryer days. Not that the rain mattered to my boys, Mini was coming down the fireman's pole and relishing the puddle at the bottom!

A great day out with something for everyone.

Cooking with Children - Halloween Cakes and Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 09:55:00 +0000

I love cooking and baking with the boys and for me the secret is letting go and dealing with the mess afterwards, plus good planning, making sure all the ingredients are out and the equipment etc. I think that by empowering the boys to cook and bake it will stand them in good stead as they get older, plus they can start cooking dinner and feed me!

Also it might not look perfect, but I can assure you it tastes mighty fine. So I bring you Maxi's chocolate cakes and biscuits.

Basic Biscuit Recipe

I use one without egg and it is fine if over handled, so perfect for children

175g/6oz Plain Flour
100g/4oz Butter or Margarine
50g/2oz Caster Sugar
Pre-heat oven to 180

Cream the butter or margarine and caster sugar
Stir in the flour and once mixed knead the dough together until it forms a ball
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 5mm thick

Spooky Chocolate Web Cakes

6 oz margarine
6 oz caster sugar
5 oz self raising floor
1 oz coco powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
Icing Sugar
Hot water

Cream margarine and sugar
Add eggs, flour, coco powder and baking powder, then 2 tbls of milk
Cook for 15 minutes at 180 degrees.

To make the web, mix icing sugar and hot water and cover the cake. Create a swirl in black icing (we used Silver Spoon Black Designer Icing kindly supplied by Silver Spoon) and then take a cocktail stick and drag the icing out towards the edge.

These cakes are all Maxi's own work and they looked fantastic and tasted even better!

I would like to say thank you to Silver Spoon for supplying me and the boys with some of their cake decorating goodies.

We are entering in the Big Autumn Bakeoff with this!

Build a Bear Workshop - A Boys Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:45:00 +0000

I think that I must have been living under a stone for the last 5 years, as I had never heard of build a bear workshop and I wasn't sure that it would be something that the boys would be interested in. I couldn't have been more wrong.

We went to the Build a Bear Workshop at the Metro centre and I have to say I have not seen Mini as animated over something, as he was about building and making his own bear.

We were aided on our bear making quest by the wonderful Jade and she really did make the experience wonderful for the boys. Not only was nothing too much trouble, but see made sure that she remembered the boys names and she got down to their level to talk with them.

Mini unsurprisingly chose a star wars bear and a Darth Vader outfit and was ever so serious about kissing his bears heart and making his wish (just take a look at the video)! Maxi surprised me by choosing a lovely looking bear and dressing it in an outfit he chose too.

My Mum came with us too and she purchased a set of pajamas for each of the boys bears and they are both cuddling them in bed tonight. We had a wonderful experience and I wold like to say thank you to Estelle at Publicasity for arranging for us to visit Build a Bear, you really did make the boys half term.

Life

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 11:13:00 +0000

Sometimes I feel as though I don't know quite where I fit in this universe.

Almost as though I am living in a dream or dreaming of the world I am living in.

I wake often unable to tell the difference from real life and the dreams I must have had.

Unable to find things, as I must have put them away on in dream state.

A sudden sense of deja vu overtakes a moment, haven't I done this before?

but where and when?

Am I just going through the motions?

How do I tell the difference between the actual and the perceived?

I want to wake up and make the most of the day.

To grasp the precious time with both hands and squeeze it dry.

To live a worthwhile life.

But how do I do this, what is goal, where is the end line?

I though once out of the monotony of dirty nappies and night feeds,

I would start to see the difference in the days.

But sometimes I feel that I am in a hamsters wheel,

forced to live out everyday again and again and again.

Maybe this is why I find some much joy in the changing seasons.

In the small things that fill my day.

Autumn Craft and Activity Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:03:00 +0000

With the weather getting colder, now is the time to make some plans about activities and crafts you can do on the darker evenings to keep your children occupied and keep.

My friend Becky at Baby Budgeting has produced her first ebook which is jam packed full of 50 ideas of things to do with under 5's in Autumn on a budget. I have a copy and it is a great resource for when you are struggling for ideas. Click here to get your copy best of all it is only £1.50.

You could also do some marble painting, which doesn't have to be messy. Why not have a go at making your own wrapping paper or make a start on some Bonfire arts and crafts.

Wax reilef panting is always good fun and you could leave some secret messages for your children to discover. Have fun making Chicken cards with your children.

You can make Autumn collages either with collecting leaves or if it is too wet you can colour in some pre printed ones. Use masking tape to make a boarder round your little ones paintings or drawings, it is remarkable effective.

So there are some ideas of things to do on this half term break and over Autumn, I would love for you to link your ideas too.

The Gallery - Red, what every girl needs

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 06:54:00 +0000

When I am feeling down or low, I pop on a pair of red shoes (yes I have more than one pair) and they immediately brighten my day.

Do you have something that always make you feel better?

11 Years ago Today

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Walshaw) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 07:57:00 +0000

It was 6.30 am when the telephone rang, my first thought was who in earth could be calling at this time and punched MadDad to answer the phone (as it was on his side of the bed).

He did and then time just stood still. He turned to me as white as a sheet and with the words "there has been an accident, your Dad is in hospital. We need to leave now" the day stood still.

We lived in Berkshire at the time and my dad was in Middlesbrough General Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit over 320 miles away. We got dressed, put the cats in their basket and drove stopping on the way to ring both works and explain that we were on the way to see my father.

We also had to make a call to The Mormon Temple at Preston as my brother was due to start his 2 year mission and we needed him to come and see dad too.

The journey home has never seemed so long and I have never ever played the CD again that played that day.

We got to the hospital before noon to find out that my mum had been with my father since the previous evening and that he was in an enforced coma, under heavy sedation and he had also been given drugs to paralyse him.

Everyday we went to the hospital to help with his care, hold his hand, read the paper to him and just chat. I learned to shave him and got used to seeing him with all the wires and tubes and even the ventilator going in to his neck rather than his mouth. I know what all the monitors meant and also what medication he was on. We all waited with hope.

Until the morning of 4th November, when we made the heartbreaking decision to turn off the ventilator due to the consultants advice as my dad had sepsis. He never regained consciousness. He died less than two minutes later in my mums, mine and MadDad's arms. My brother couldn't watch and had just left the room.

11 years ago today, I lost my father (rather than the day he died), the man I idolised and loved with every breath I took. I miss him more every day. I wish he could have met the boys, we named Maxi after him and I know he would love them just as much as I do.