A Cracking Fireworks Party!

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

Egg Hunts, Child labor, Bonnets and Boogieing

Ormsby Hall, a place I have visited in my youth, but not since, but we took the boys on an Easter egg hunt there, which was fantastic.

They had to find all the clues in the Hall gardens.

Mini and Maxi had so much fun and I got very muddy in the process, but it was a fun hour on what was a dreary Easter Monday.

Ormesby Hall is a National Trust Property and we have annual membership, so it costs us nothing to get in and this year the boys are getting to the stage where they can enjoy the activity packs in each room, which is only 50p for the book and you get the pencil free!

One of the great things about Ormesby Hall, which was once home to the Pennyman Family is its Victorian Kitchen and Scullery.  The boys loved joining in with the washing. The volunteer (a teacher in her day job) was amazing and she really captivated them with the tales of turning on fires at five in the morning and also the fact that they would wash 68 sheets a week!

It was great that it was so hands on, they got to use a dolly and a mangle and also have a go at ironing (with cold irons)!  There is also a model railway, well three of them set up on the top floor, which is great for little and big men!  The Cleveland Mounted Police are headquartered in the Hall's stables too.

So we then came home and the boys decorated their bonnets for the Clubs Easter Party, which was last night too

I love the fact that they did it all themself themselfust a little help cutting out the egg shapes and adding the glue.

Finally, I leave you with the boys doing Big Fish Little Fish at the party, they danced the night away will 10pm, I came home early at 8pm as I wasn't felling well, they outlasted me!

Social Club Childrens Party

I somethimes think that pictures can say things much better than words, but have to say a great big thank you to my wonderful sister in and law and the Ladies of Steel for putting on such a fantastic event yet again!!

Cousins in the calm before the storm

Kissin Cousins

The Club looking all festive

Best friends having a bop

Mince pie number 5

Putting the world to rights!

You can never have enough chocolate mum!

Oh no, see the lip just starting to wobble

Ending the night raving on the stage

Big Fish, Little Fish, Cardboard Box

The boys fell asleep in the car on the way home at 10pm and we put them straight to bed.  There is nothing better than watching my children have fun.  In fact that is the equation for this Christmas Happy Children = Happy Mum

MadDad is at home until the children go back to school on 4 January, so can not promise a daily post, but safe to say we are having a wonderful time as a family and we are introducing the boys to the world of Indiana Jones, after having to buy the Star Wars original trilogy on DVD after minimad wore them out on VHS!

Plus we both have or had a nasty cold and are soldiering on regardless.

A Personal Panto

My Sister in Law and Brother usually substidise a trip for the children of members of the club to a local Pantomime each year, but his has been getting more and more expensive, so for the first time this year, a local company, The Beverly Artistes came and put on a panto for the children in the Club.

What a sucess.  it was fantastic.  5 performers put on Cinderella.  The children loved it and all joined in.  The parents all joined in too and me and MadDad had a fantastic time.

It was great that the children could really participate, move around pretty freely and just enjoy themselves in a safe environment, all for a pound per person.

There were times when they were transfixed and times when they could shout loud enough or stop laughing.  It wasn't too lewd, or high brow, it was perfectly pitched.

Then the children danced the night away. MaxiMad and My niece V had just the best time dancing together.

Both boys fell asleep in the car on the way home and haven't stopped talking about their panto since.  Thanks Sis and Bro and cant wait for Aladdin next year!

Lets get this Party Started

The Party season has well and truly started here in TheMadHouse.  Things hot up for us from Halloween.  We have parties and birthdays galore into the new year and tonight is no exception.

My wonderful neice is getting engaged to her man tonight at "The Club" and we are all off for a little bit of dancing and socialising with our family.  Now I have blogged about "The Club" before and we are really lucky that my Brother and Sister in Law are mangers and run it and it makes for a great venue and is such a brilliant place ad they do such a great job.  Not only is it a sports and social club, but they run a youth group too on a Tuesday night for 8 to 15 year olds (only 20p), a football team, there is a bowling club, Saturday live entertainment, bingo, live football and sport, oh I could go on and on.  it is a real part of the community.

The thing is the Club is in a deprived part of town in the North East of England and people are not flush by any means, but it works because it not trying to be anything other than what it is a real place for anyone, with some for everyone.

SIL throws a mean party, she has plenty of experiance and just seems to get it right, put her secret is that there is lots of effort in the planning and also she is a real extrovert who joins in and makes sure everyone gets involved.

We are so looking forward to the Children's Disco on December 8th, A live Panto on 23rd December and the Children Boxing Day Extravaganza, which is on the 28th this year!!

There is no way I couldn't compete with the parties that she puts on so I dont try and that is my secret, she does it best, so I sit back and enjoy them helping out where I can.

But if you are looking for some inspiration for parties then Insomniac Mummy is holding a Carnival of Parties, so pop on your party frock and boogie on over and take a look and enjoy this party season.

Bonfire Party

What can I say about the wonderful night we had the Bonfire night party at my brothers and sister in laws social club.

It was a wonderful night, with 200 people turning up for the marvelous fireworks that my Brother and the team put on (he is already trying to make next year bigger and better).

The children's disco is something to behold, in fact MiniMad is the Disco King and he spent the whole 2 and half hours on the dance floor, well apart from the 5 mins he spent munching on a couple of hotdogs!!

MaxiMad loved the fireworks this year and enjoyed dancing to the disco outside and watching the outdoor screen show of all the photographs taken at the Halloween Party and only sit still to eat his jacket potato and then mine!!

I danced with the children most of the night and had a fantastic time.  Yes I suffered with some soreness and stiffness yesterday, but it was worth it for the fun had by all.

Tonight

Tonight I am tired, tonight I am sore, tonight I was going to leave you with a video of the minimads at the wonderful Fireworks Party, but I am not up to spending that much time at the laptop, so instead I will leave you with a glimpse........

Of my boys having the best time ever. Thank you Bro and Sister In Law for a fantastic night and that is why I am am sore and tired, but it was all worth it.  So it is self inflicted, I hurt as I had to go with them, I wanted to watch them and I wanted to dance too.  So it is a good sore and it is only pain!!

Childrens Halloween Party

We have been to my Brother and Sister in Laws social club this evening for the children Halloween party and it was and always is a fantastic night.

It is a night for all the children and most of them dress up (except for MaxiMad who goes as himself) and have a great time.

Cheesy tunes are played by the Menacing Boys Disco, parents are dragged up on the stage to show off the dance routines to the children and party games are played. 

Apples are bobbed and fancy dress competitions take place.

Toffee apples, Halloween cakes and toffee lollies are eaten.

It is always a wonderful experiance and tonight is was no exception.  So thank you SIL, you made it a great night as always and we will see you on Thursday for the Children's Bonfire Night Extravaganza, which I am especially looking forward to (inside and outside disco, jacket potatoes, hot chocolate and fireworks).

PS Sorry for the lack of pictures I was far too busy enjoying myself and dancing myself silly with my two wonderful boys!