Jen Walshaw | Mum In The Madhouse

The best things in life are free

8 Comments / Mothersday / By Jen Walshaw

There is nothing better than collecting the boys from school and them being really excited. “I have something in my bag for you Mum”, “So do I”. As we get near home the boys get even more excited about it “I can not show you, it has to be a surprise” and the two of them whisper conspiratorially to themselves.

I am smiling big beaming smiles, as I know that Mothers Day is nearly upon us and this means they have both been busy creating their own special card for me.

Queue Sunday morning and the boys excitedly come running in to the bedroom with a cup of tea for me and their cards and jump on the bed and tell me all about their cards. Maxi explains he drew round his left hand, but turned it over once he cut it out, so it looks like his left hand and how I have beautiful brown eyes and love heart lips for kissing. Mini excitedly tells me he did all the cutting out himself and used a punch to make the tree. He used zigzag scissors to cut out his label.

What more could a mother ask for on Mothers Day?

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Win tickets to see The Harlem Globetrotters live

15 Comments / competition / By Jen Walshaw

If you are of my generation then you will remember the amazing ticks that the Harlem Globetrotters did. In fact they were all I knew about basketball at one point in my life!

Both of my boys are sports mad and after checking our their you tube video I knew that this would be something that they would adore. The UK tour starts on 25 March, so in order to be in with the chance
to win a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) to the UK venue of your choice then please complete the rafflecopter entry below. The draw will close at noon on Friday 15th March.

Wondering if there is a venue near you? You can find the Harlem Globetrotters tour dates and venues online.

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Family essentials for an Easter holiday

holidays / By Jen Walshaw

Family essentials for an Easter holiday

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Sharing the Love

1 Comment / Featured and Guest / By Jen Walshaw

I am a firm believer of what comes around goes around and have to say that I am exceptionally thankful for the opportunities this blog has brought me over the years. I started writing way back when my boys were two and three after a double mastectomy. I wanted to have a record of the things we did together as a family, in case anything happened to me. Back then I didn’t know of the community of parent blogs in the UK and had no idea about sites such as the Tots100.

As time went on I started to comment on UK blogs that I came across and people started to comment on my blog. I joined the Tots100 and then after a year I was asked to review my first product and invited to my first event. Over the following years I have been to numerous blogging conferences and made some firm friends through blogging. I discovered that Cass from Frugal Family lived down the road from me and our children were similar ages. I would have scoffed at the thought you could make such close friends through such things as blogging. Now I know different!

Me and Cass at an event together
I still enjoy blogging, maybe even more than I did then and I love the interaction and opportunities it brings me. I love reviewing products and I love sharing that love too. Recently I was asked to review a steam mop and for all sorts of reasons I ended up with more than one and the company said I could keep them as it was their error, so when I read that Vicki had slipped with babe in arms on a just mopped floor I knew exactly what I needed to do. So I arranged for Parcelforce to deliver the spare mop.

Even writing this post has made me smile so much. Just looking back at my achieves for that first post and the picture of me and Cass. It has made me realised that I am doing what I set out to do. I am creating an online diary of life in The Mad House. The good, the bad and the ugly and this makes me very happy indeed.

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Top Tips for Disney World Orlando: Make the Most of Your Magical Visit

8 Comments / holiday planner, holidays, Holidays abroad / By Jen Walshaw

Our Top hints and Tips for Visiting Disneyland Orlando

Make sure you book a table for Dinner as the restaurants get busy
Always buy your tickets online. They’re usually cheaper and save you the headache you’ll get waiting to purchase at the gate
Download the free Disney Magic app – you can plan rides and check show times and once you’re inside the park it will let you check how long the lines are on different rides
Bring your own water bottles. It will save you time and money! If you don’t want to carry a water bottle, just ask for a cup of water at any food or drink vendor
Have your children look for Hidden Mickeys is a great way to keep them occupied especially when queuing
When the park opens at 9am, go first to Toy Story Midway Mania, which has the longest lines in the park, and FastPasses are usually gone for the day by noon.
Plan a show for the hottest part of the day, but be aware that the air conditioning can be fierce!
If it’s your first visit, get one of the “first time” badges from Guest Services

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Top Tips for Getting the Most Out of Universal Orlando: Maximize Your Adventure

1 Comment / holiday planner, holidays, Holidays abroad / By Jen Walshaw

for getting the most out of Universal

Take some american stamps and postcards to use the owl post in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This is where you can send a letter with a Hogsmeade postmark. You can buy usable Harry Potter stamps but they were rather overprices at $15 a pack especially when we only wanted to send three postcards.
Frozen Butterbeer is much nicer than regular Butterbear (which tasted like cream soda). If you want to get a souvenir cup with your butterbeer you can and ask for the butterbeer to be put in a regular cup so you do not have to wash out your tankard for putting in your bag. Also you can bypass the cart and buy it straight from The Three Broomsticks which is a lot faster.
The mixtures of movies and rides is fantastic. The Despicable me experience is fantastic, we loved being turned in to Minions. Oh and the fart gun does smell of bananas!
The temperature really hots up around lunch time, so make a beeline for the indoor rides like Despicable Me, The Mummy or Spiderman during this time. Alternately why not take a trip to Jurassic Park and be prepared to get VERY WET!
Take a refillable water bottle with you. You need to keep drinking as you can dehydrate really fast.
Check what rides your children can and can not go on before you visit to avoid disappointment.
Consider a Universal a Express Pass which costs around £30-40 per person, and allows you to go to the front of the line once on each ride, although you get this sort of ticket for free if you’re staying at a Universal hotel.

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LEGOLAND Florida – perfect for mini thrill seekers

4 Comments / holiday planner, holidays, Holidays abroad / By Jen Walshaw

Make sure you arrive early for the park opening at 9 am. Rides open at 9.30 am
The park is 45 minutes from Downtown Tampa and the other Orlando Parks
You can exchange your own LEGO Mini Figure with any of the Model Citizen’s (LEGO Employees). They have theirs on their name badge. Also keep an eye out for the Mini Figure Ambassador as they have a shirt covered in Mini Figures.
Go to the back of the park either LEGO City or Technic first
If it your birthday, then collect a badge from a Model Citizen (A LEGO Employee) at Guest services at The Beginning
If you want to visit a show, try and turn up 30 minutes before the start time
Make sure you take plenty of sun cream and hats as it is much hotter and sunnier in Orlando that the UK. We actually purchased Maxi a pair of sunglasses and shorts strap in LEGOLAND
The park also has many attractions for children and adults that prefer gentle pace including Safari Trek and Duploland
Download a Park Map before visiting, it shows you all the height restrictions, so you can set expectations before visiting
There is a large selection of places to eat all catering for children, but you need to try the parks signature dish of Granny Smiths Apple Fries
It gets very hot in the middle of the day, so eat inside if possible as the restaurants are air conditioned
The LEGOLAND Florida water park reopens in March and you can upgrade your tickets for $12 each and this would be the perfect place to cool down
The park closes earlier than other parks around 5.30 each day
The Big Shop is the largest LEGO shop in the world

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SeaWorld Orlando Tips: Make the Most of Your Marine Adventure

6 Comments / holiday planner, holidays, Holidays abroad / By Jen Walshaw

I have to admit that I was really skeptical about Seaworld. I was unsure about using animals in shows, however, I have to say that I was completely won over and we had an amazing day. First things first, there is no way you can see everything in a day (unless you opt for one of the excellent VIP tours, which cost from £172 per adult and child in addition to park admission and includes a freshly prepared lunch) . I would advise you to plan your must see’s before you get to the park.

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Stay cool in long-sleeved cotton

Featured and Guest / By Jen Walshaw

In many countries, the heat of the midday sun can be uncomfortable, and it’s certainly not good for your skin to be exposed to the sun in that way. If you’re heading out in hot weather, then it’s fine to wear a strappy top, or summer dress, but roll up a simple cotton shirt and cotton trader’s womens linen trousers in your bag so that when you need to, you can pull it out and give your skin some added protection. You’ll still need sunblock, as the sun’s rays will penetrate the cotton covering, but it does reduce the exposure and help you to stay a little cooler.

The other key time when a long-sleeved shirt comes in useful is as the evenings get chillier. In many holiday destinations, very warm days are followed by much colder nights and as the sun fades for the day, you may find that you need an extra layer just to keep the chill at bay. A long-sleeved cotton shirt is perfect for this, as you can layer it over whatever you’re wearing and either button it up or tie it at the front to keep stylish and comfortable at the same time.

This piece of clothing is a great holiday staple, and doesn’t have to be expensive in order to do the job. A pure white, 100% cotton shirt looks stylish at any time, and you can mix and match it with most of your wardrobe to great effect. Or, choose something more colourful or patterned, so that even when you’re covering up, you’re still wearing those key summer colours, bringing warmth and style to the room.

You could be preparing for a holiday or just planning ahead for the summer – now is a great time to buy a long-sleeved cotton shirt for this season. Retailers on the high street and online have a real variety of shirts in their spring/summer collections, so you should be able to find something that suits your style and your budget – helping you to stay cool in the hottest of climates.

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