Jen Walshaw | Mum In The Madhouse

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Author name: Jen Walshaw

Mum-in-charge Jen Walshaw runs the UK’s top parenting blog Mum in the Madhouse, and she describes herself as a “fat, feisty and over 50” Northerner. Based in North Yorkshire, she’s mum to young adults and a big believer that family life is messy, creative and fun. In 2009 a double mastectomy gave her the nudge to start blogging; with two boys under three she needed an outlet and a digital scrapbook to capture their chaos.Jen’s posts are a mix of crafts, kid‑friendly recipes and honest parenting, peppered with northern humour. She’s happiest when up to her elbows in tea, fabric and pizza dough – sewing and making homemade gifts – before sneaking off to write about it. As a proud Northerner she warns PRs that a “quick pop down to London” isn’t quick at all. Her blog has earned her a stack of accolades, including the Cision #1 Mummy Blogger title in 2024  and consistently topping Vuelio and Tots100 parenting‑blog charts. Whether she’s advocating for diversity and body neutrality or sharing tales of parenting teens, Jen keeps things chatty, real and refreshingly down‑to‑earth.

Sunderland International Airshow 2013 – a view from the sea

1 Comment / day out / By

We adore the Sunderland International Airshow and it is something we have visited every year with the boys since returning to the North East. However, this year MadDad and MIni had the opportunity to view the airshow from a different perspective. They took the DFDS Sunderland Airshow Sailout, which costs £15 for children and £30 for adults and includes a three course lunch too.

The sailout is such a popular event that it often sells out early and we were lucky enough to receive our tickets via the press office.

The trip at a glance

10:30-11:00 Check-in and board the ship. Boarding will take place at 11am
11:30 Ferry leaves port for Sunderland. You have a three course buffet lunch.
12:20 Ferry arrives at viewing point off Seaburn and Roker
14:00 Ferry leaves Sunderland for voyage back to port
15:00 Ferry arrives back into port. All passengers disembark
MadDad’s Review

You are guided to a free car park as you enter the Port of Tyne and then are shown where to exchange your ticket for boarding pases and board the ship. Once onboard you have the freedom of the ship and we decided to go for our lunch, which was a three course buffet style meal. Both Mini and I enjoyed the food, although we did find the drinks rather expensive (which are the only extras you have to pay for).

The boat dropped anchor off shore at 12.20 and we found a place on the deck to watch the Red Arrows who were opening this years airshow. It was hot on deck and I was glad that we had took sunscreen and hats. Although there was 500 people onboard the ship didn’t feel crowded and there was plenty of room to find a vantage point.

Watching from the sea gave a whole new perspective on the airshow. The planes were closer and we had super views and really enjoyed our day. There was people of all ages on board the ship from families with small children and older couples. You avoid all the traffic and queues getting out of Sunderland.

The only negatives were that the day was far too short and we didn’t get to see all the days flights and also the drinks were more expensive than I anticipated. Saying that we will be looking at booking tickets for next year for the whole family.

Mini’s Review

I was really excited to be going on a special trip with just Daddy. I love planes and have lots of models at home and the airshow is one of my favorite things to go and see. I have never been on a ferry as big as the one I went on, which was called the King Seaways. The food was gorgeous and the carrots were my favorite part of the meal.

After the meal we went to get a drink of slush as it was very hot on the deck. I was excited to see the red arrows and they surprised me by being so close and it felt like they nearly skimmed the funnel of the ship. We also saw Misdemeanor (a Hawker Hunter), which I have seen before and could tell it was her by the colours she is painted.

We also watched two helicopters that did lots of tricks and they were absolutely class. I was a little upset to have to set off back before we saw the Typhoon. I wish the trip had been longer and I would love to go next year with all the family.

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No screens after 6pm #screenfree

7 Comments / mini mads / By

We are also trying to reduce our dependance on screens for those I am boarded moments whilst waiting for food to be served or waiting in queses with small games and have recently been sent Dobble from Esdevium Games, which is a card game and the perfect size for keeping in my bag. It is a card game, which is based on the concept of snap and needs, speed, good observation and super fast reflexes. You can play up to five different mini games from the one tin of 55 cards (which are circular) and is a great game for all ages and is currently less than £10.

What are your favorite screen free pastimes?

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Moving Tips for Fort Worth, Texas

Featured and Guest / By

Moving Tips for Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas consistently makes its way onto “Best American Cities” lists, and for good reason. The city of 770,000 is home to several major employers, including Lockheed Martin, American Airlines, FUNimation Entertainment and the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base. Fort Worth’s cost of living is 10 percent below the national median, so it is an affordable city in which to build a career and raise a family. As part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, you have access to excellent schools, restaurants, culture and recreation. Whether you want to root for the Dallas Cowboys or attend “Don Giovanni” at the Fort Worth Opera, there is something in Fort Worth for everyone.
When moving to Fort Worth, there are several things to keep in mind. Your list will be different depending on whether you are a rambling family aiming to stay in Fort Worth for just a year or two, or a family hoping to lay down permanent roots in the city. However, regardless of your length of stay, you still need to find homes, schools and methods of employment.
Housing in Fort Worth
There are as many options for family housing in Fort Worth as there are families. Choose a downtown apartment or a suburban rental. Fans of older houses and historic architecture will find multiple options in Fort Worth’s Hi Mount neighborhood.
However, for a rambling family, there are other options you won’t want to overlook. Consider doing a house trade with another family, or providing housesitting and grounds keeping services for people who are away from their homes for several months. With the Naval base on site, Fort Worth has more than its share of families and individuals with short-term military assignments; look for opportunities to provide service to service members by maintaining their homes.
If you’re looking for a space to store your belongings while you ramble, invest in a local storage unit from Uncle Bob’s. They provide units as small as 5 by 5 feet and is a great way to store belongings that you don’t need for a few months.
Education and Schools
The Fort Worth Independent School District includes many Gold Seal Schools of Choice. There are also a number of private and parochial schools in the area. For homeschoolers, Fort Worth includes numerous homeschool groups as well as a yearly homeschool prom. Whatever your education choice, you and your family are certain to find the options you need.
Employment
Between corporate headquarters, such as Lockheed Martin and Radio Shack, and local bookstores, coffee shops and art galleries, there are employment options for everyone. Fort Worth’s unemployment rate is 6%, nearly half that of other urban areas like Los Angeles; Fort Worth is a city committed to finding work for all its citizens.
If you’re a rambling family, look for short-term temporary work or freelance contracts in writing, animation or web design. The Creative Group is a great resource for finding these types of jobs in Fort Worth.
As you prepare to move, don’t forget basic travel tips for families: drive in short spurts, take breaks often and make sure every day includes something fun. Check out Family Rambling’s trip to Fort Worth’s Cultural District for more ideas of what to do when you arrive in town, and enjoy your move!

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Cut the rope Toys review

Review / By

They received a plush cut the rope OmNom that makes the cut the rope noise, which Mini really loved. As it is a circle the boys took to throwing it at each other and it wasn’t long before Alvin decided that this must be his new toy. This is around £9.99 and has been a big hit with any of the many children that come through my house.

We were also sent a joke book (RRP £4.99). My boys who are now seven and eight really love and understand jokes. This book has been well thumbed and has 64 pages of age appropriate jokes. It is a super book for any reluctant reader and prepare yourself to be inundated with jokes.

We were sent a comic, which is a monthly publication and is £3.99. I find childrens comics quite pricey, but this did have a lot of content and was also filled with puzzles posters, experiments and also things to make and do, so Maxi enjoyed it and as always the boys love the freebies that you get on the front of childrens comics and magazines. This edition came with a small book and pen and some cut the rope stickers.

We were also sent a doodle book, which I actually nabbed to put in the boys summer activity packs for the car. This is £5.99 and is filled with activities including dot to dots and mazes (which are Maxi’s favorite).

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Tefal Optigrill – A Review

6 Comments / Review / By

As I am a Tefal Innovator, I was sent the brand new Tefal Optigrill to test. This is a revolutionary new grill that can detect how thick your meat is and tells you when it is cooked to rare, medium or well done.
steak

We like:

It does what is says it will – We had three different cuts of meat all cooked to different specifications and it was delicious.
It takes the guesswork out of cooking – I love that it has an audible beep as well as a visual identification when your meat gets to a certain specification
The cooking plates are removable and dishwasher safe. _ no mess, no stress and no burning your fingers cleaning it.
Large drip pan – We tried burgers on the Tefal Optigrill today and they were either fatty, but the drip tray more than coped and it fits snuggly to the machine
It is versatile with settings for fish, sausages, burgers, bacon, chicken and a manual setting for vegetables. My mushroom today was divine
We weren’t keen:

At £130 is isn’t a cheep bit of kit, however, I have had three of the competitors grills in over two years. So if this lasts then it will be much better value for money than its competitor
It has a large footprint. I know that this is something we will use regularly, so didn’t want to put it in a cupboard, but it takes up two thirds of the top of my microwave where it now lives!
Overview:

The Optigrill has such a familiar look and feel to me. My mum had a tefal grill with removable interchangeable hot plates for over 30 years. She used it a lot and I am hoping that I get just as much use out of this as she did. The grill plate is a great size and could easily cook six burgers on it and is perfect for a family of four. I am looking forward to trying out tuna steaks on it and fish next week.

Don’t just take my word for it, see what my fellow panelists think of the Optigrill

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