Us parents all know that feeling, once the kids are in bed, you are free to do what the hell you want/tidy up downstairs, sort out everything for the next day, clean up after dinner and catch up on some crappy tv eventually! Well, that's usually the plan, the reality is usually more, kids are in bed, i'll just rest my head down on the pillow for 5 minutes, next thing you know its 7am the next morning and you've slept your evening away! But still, we all need those times to step away from being a parent, whether it's just 10 minutes away or the whole evening, sometimes having your closest friends around for that is so much better!
So text your friends, arrange an evening when you are all free, and just have some adult time, you're not mommy or Daddy for now, you're you, enjoy yourselves, let your hair down and stuff your face with as much food as you like, have a laugh and just chill out! Doing this just once a month will really give you that pick me up, especially if you've had a crappy day, i've popped a little list of things below that can help you have a fab night if you needed some ideas!
The Food
Obviously you could cook everyone a delicious meal, but lets face it, it's a great excuse not to, instead order in a pizza, with all the sides, all the desserts, pop to the shop and buy ice cream, pick n mix sweets and crisps with dips, go all out, you might not eat everything but it's a good way to get all your cravings out the way, get each person to bring something different with them so it's not just you spending the money, and when it comes to going to someone else's house, change the cuisine of the takeaway and return the favour by taking some yummy treats with you too!
Quizzes
I am such a sucker for quizzes, Ben & I actually use Sporcle pretty much every evening and challenge each other to quizzes (I know I know, old before our time), but they are such good fun and there's literally a quiz for every out there! Some of my favourites are actually Music quizzes on YouTube, a great way to get everyone singing, getting involved and laughing, guessing the intros to songs through the decades and even tv shows too!
Netflix
There's alway something in Netflix everyone can watch, have a flick through the movies and you'll probably find something you all have seen for ages, whether it's a hilarious comedy, eerie scary movie or something more soft and romantic, Netflix have you covered with whatever you need! I've just finished watching Dexter actually and bloody loved it, before that I was addicted to Prison Break and may have got a little bit too excited at the fact White Chicks was back on there, it's one of those films that we love to hate, but gets everyone laughing along!
Games
Who doesn't love a good games night in? Be it something on the PS4 or going classic with a good old board game? Ever since I was very young I've loved playing them, obviously back then it was more snakes and ladders than monopoly but they are classic fun none the less! Trivial Pursuit is one of the top family favourites, along with Scrabble, Monopoly and Articulate, such a good laugh and you might even learn a thing or two as well! Ben & I actually have the Countdown game and can honestly say it's just as nerve-wracking as if you were on it ha ha, I may have even thrown the cards around the room on one occasion...whoops.
Another fun group game is bingo, it's such good fun if theres a good group of you, obviously the more competitive you are, the better it will be too! Whether you buy it as an actual board game, or decide to play along online with someone like Paddy Power, you are guaranteed to have everyone on their toes and the competitiveness will come to life!
How much do you know about bingo? Check out this awesome little info graphic below, can you believe it stems back to 1530!
