What should we do. Ruby anniversary.

What about having a celebration for only you and DH? Can MIL go to a respite facility for a couple of nights? Is MIL on any care alarm system, eg presses a neck piece and emergency number answers and then contacts named person re problem or contacts emergency services? Go very local for the whole family celebration, and the have a special night out just for the two of you. No matter what you choose do hope you have a lovely time.

This is a landmark in your life. Dogs in kennels for the day, having arranged for a renewal of your vows followed by a reception, with cake of course, for your relatives and friends who may have attended your wedding all those years ago.

What about hiring a house for a weekend (or a midweek break) that will take you all?
You can choose a dog friendly one with a ground floor bedroom; close to a restaurant, pub etc; whether it has nearby activities for the children or even a swimming pool.
Leisure parks offer on-site facilities.
If the weather is good, have a family BBQ that the children can help with and not have to worry about taxis etc.
I have always found Sykes Cottages to have a really good selection, but with a Google search you should find something that suits you all.
Hope this helps; congratulations on making it to your Ruby anniversary, have a lovely time whatever you eventually do.

Had you thought of getting a nurse to stay with MiL overnight. You can get one through an agency. It would give you peace of mind and you would all be able to totally relax knowing she was being taken care of. It would make a nice break for you. My sister did this for her Ruby and they all went together and rented a large French residence with 7 bedrooms close to swimming pool complex with spa, nice restaurants and beaches only 20 mins a way. They had 2 dogs too. Plenty to amuse children as putting golf course and a platform in the sea they all jumped and dived off and bowling too. MiL had a nurse for a week as alternative to going into a care home.

Try AirBNB. You will find they have places that welcome dogs and some AirBNB places are huge.

www.airbnb.co.uk/s/United-Kingdom?hosting_amenities%5B%5D=12

Thanks for your replies. Mil is housebound so cannot join us. She is a very frustrating person but we do love her. She will not have anyone else in her home, even the doctors visits are hard work.
And to the suggestion of having a get together at our house is what we always do, we wanted something a bit different. But only us, children and families.

We had a family gathering in a private dining room off a hotel restaurant recently. It all went swimmingly. Our GC are only 3 and 5, so were happy to run around the table pulling party poppers (and not annoying other diners!)
Your GC sound old enough to take part in a family celebration for a few hours without getting bored.
I think the idea of a granny-sitter is a good one, allowing you to relax and enjoy the occasion.

We hired a small barn at a stately home in the country nearby and arranged for everyone to go for a lovely country walk together in the grounds and wood first.

Then we returned to the barn for a meal - I got caterers in - and had a guitarist serenading us throughout with madrigals etc.

The children had had a cake made and somehow had our wedding photo superimposed on the top in icing.

There were a couple of dogs in tow - I don't like dogs TBH - that were no trouble. They cam on the walk; and then sat outside the barn during the meal.

From my understanding, MiL is too ill to come out? Perhaps you need someone to sit with her so you are not worried, either a paid carer she has got to know, or a neighbour. The chances of anything happening in the few hours you are out are very remote, but of course the hotel would get you a taxi if you need to get home fast.

But remember you are celebrating your 40th, on that day you would only have had eyes for each other, and whilst it is lovely to have a family meal, either in house or out, perhaps a 'second honeymoon' is even more important.

We had a blessing ceremony in our church which everyone came to (didn't feel we needed to renew our vows as we hadn't broken them!), then tea and cakes in a nearby hall, and then on to a restaurant for dinner, at which the guests were happy to pay for their own meals. The following day we left for a short break away, and the whole thing was lovely.

Have a wonderful celebration, and congratulations when you get there!

Great. Monica!

Never yet come across a hotel or restaurant that couldn't ring for a taxi the moment one is needed.

Then take MiL home with someone with her and the rest travel home later in the taxi ordered.

Re Jane10's suggestion, if you have the space, just get caterers in to do all the catering at home. That is what we did for our 50th, when the complications of catering for allergies, vegetarians, and other eating problems got too complicated for restaurant eating. We had a sit down meal, the private caterer, brought most of the food ready prepared, did finishing off in the kitchen, served it up, cleared away and cleared up.

Option 1. Get 2 taxis! Don't overcomplicate things. Overnight stay would be a treat.
Or have a large family buffet at your house. Everyone to bring a dish with ruby/red as a theme. Then, with money saved, you and DH go for nice weekend away.

We have a lunch for MIL every year and always have even when the GC were babies .never had any problems with them being"bored" and yours are of an age where sitting at a table for a while shoulen't be an issue .I'd go with that ,simply because it works well for us.This year our youngest will be 8 ,oldest 16 they love to join in the conversation and order their own food and drinks etc .If they dont start eating out now when will they?

Yes you are, but it’s natural & shows what a caring person you are.
Nine times out of 10 the things we foresee happening never do, but there is nothing wrong with contingency plans .
Take a taxi telephone number with you
Ring her every hour if you think it will help or
Employe a career for the evening
Get thinking & planning & then have a great time best wishes