….to start preparing for Christmas. I’ll confess, I don’t love to shop, especially under pressure, and even more so, when I am buying gifts for eleven children and other family members. Over the years I’ve developed a few strategies that I am passing along if you are interested. Start Early: Several years ago I began […]
family
Investing in our Children
For years Russ and I have talked about wanting to spend more individual time with our children, but we have never managed to make it happen on a regular basis. In the last 18 months the intensity and noise level in our house has ramped up considerably. Dinner is a challenge every single night with […]
A Birthday Party – Finally!
~Lisa Friday was the day Boo had been waiting for and she enjoyed every minute of it, from frosting cupcakes to opening gifts. It was great! We have “friends parties” when our kids turn five, ten, and fifteen. This schedule takes a lot of pressure off of us and eliminates year-to-year decision making. Boo turned […]
Large Family Tip #2
Our first dinner as a complete family on the day that K. and Russ arrived home from Ethiopia. (Yes, the rice cooker is on the table and the rice is not in a nice serving bowl; it was a full day.) As I’ve been considering the things that help me manage my home and family, […]
Large Family Tip #1
Over the years I’ve had many people ask me how I run a household with such a large family. I know that there are many experts out there, but I find that I am still learning from other moms, so I plan to blog about some of the things that have helped me manage my […]
What They Say is True
Many times I’ve heard people say, “Just wait, your children will be grown before you know it.” Yesterday morning this phrase came true for me. Our oldest daughter, H., crept quietly into our room at 5:45, tiptoeing so as not to wake the baby who sleeps in the small crib next to my bed. She […]