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Sherry
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| Posted: Feb 12 2007 at 11:45am | IP Logged
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If you ladies could have a resource center on the web for large families, I'm talking the one of your dreams, what would you like to find there?
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Lisbet
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Recipes (maybe a weekly menu generator!)
personal stories
household shortcuts
humor
Hmmm, I'll think on this some more!
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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ElizLeone
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--Definitely recipes
--Pantry lists
--Schedules
--Specific examples of how certain tasks are accomplished in big families: i.e., laundry
--Ideas for extracurriculars that are big-family friendly
--Big family-friendly gear (large vehicles, bike racks, bunk beds, etc.)
--Organization tips
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Elizabeth in Wisconsin
7 kids, 1 little saint
Munchkins on the Path
Our Adoption
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JodieLyn
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oh yes..
gear.. maybe places that sell in small bulk amounts.. you know.. you can find places that sell items in bulk for larger groups/businesses (say 50+) but seems like at least some places might give a discount on 10+ items or such.
and specific examples, not just of household tasks but of how you do other things... traveling, sports, camping, there's a whole different ballgame..
oh and large family friendly businesses.. like hotels.. how do you get a hotel room for the family when there's too many for any one room most hotels might have. Now if both parents are there.. you can do two rooms.. but they usually don't let young children in a room without an adult.. so what's a mom traveling alone going to do? when there's 8 people but only 1 adult. 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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humanaevitae
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Travel ideas- family friendly hotels...
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Nicole-Zane 10, Elizabeth 7, Xavier 4, and John Patrick 2
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Sherry
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| Posted: Feb 12 2007 at 7:46pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for the ideas! It is interesting that recipes are on the top of the list.
As for traveling, we've been doing hotels twice a year, with at least 12 of us for a week at a time with dh's work (he refuses to travel unless we ALL go along!) I have lots of tips for that. (we like Drury Inns because they include both breakfast and an evening "snack" which includes pizza and salad!).
Do we also need some practical how-to's with homeschooling so many ages?
How about tasteful decor that holds up to lots of kids?
How about some philosophy on how relationships work in a large family--since I came from a small family I know that they are very different.
This is very helpful--please keep up the input!
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Martha
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OH-oH raising hands wildly
I have the answer for hotels. Or at least the answer for us. 
SUITES!! Marriott and Holiday Inn are the best so far, but think mini-apartment. 2 rooms with queen beds, a living room about the same size as 1 of the bedrroms in the middle with a sleeper sofa and chair with ottoman (read as toddler bed) and a kitchenette. These have been awesome for us and really not that bad price wise.
Anything other than camping or RVs. I hate those things. That is not a vacation for me. Now, if dh should ever decide he wants to go with the kids.... That's never going to happen unless he finds a great outdoors locale with a thermostat.
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Martha
mama to 7 boys & 4 girls
Yes, they're all ours!
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Lisbet
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Sherry, the decor idea is a great one, also furniture and arranging it to fit lots of bodies in a house made for 4. Resources for dads of many too, and support on the whole 'putting food on the table and being home enough to sit at said table and eat', my husband struggles with that terribly.
Appliances and making them last when they get more than the average workout.
Lunches. Meeting the tastes of many different age groups.
How to do things with the older children while keeping the littles out of it. (games, projects, etc...)
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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benedicta
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Recipes
How to make the most of a small home....that contains a big family! Stuff like storage ideas, how to "divide" rooms to accomodate a couple of kids, etc.
Retailers that sell in lg. quantities or offer discounts for HSing families
Family-friendly vacation ideas
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LLMom
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| Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 11:48am | IP Logged
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Martha,
are suites reasonably priced?
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Lisa
For veteran & former homeschool moms
homeschooling ideas
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JodieLyn
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They aren't bad ($90-140).. less then getting two rooms ($60-90 each).. but everything I'm finding online still says a max of 6-7 people in them.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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vmalott
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Oh, the decor issue is a great idea! We just recently discovered a great paint by Sherwin Williams that stands up to washable marker (and other everyday dirtiness). So well worth the extra money to have walls that can actually be washed and NOT be high gloss!
We've done RV travel before, but we're transitioning back to hotel travel because we're just not using the RV as much as we thought we would. DS is on a travel baseball team, so we do lots of trips. This spring, dd is starting select soccer, so we'll be doing more split travel. 
The other thing I'd like to see is recipes for sure. You know, things mom can fix without spending a marathon to feed the freezer. Because mom can't always marathon cook, right? Nursing babies...demanding toddlers...busy older kids...running off to whatever games are an the schedule for the week.
How to get the most bang for your clothing bucks (for kids).
Valerie
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Valerie
Mom to Julia ('94), John ('96), Lizzy ('98), Connor ('01), Drew ('02), Cate ('04), Aidan ('08) and three saints in heaven
Seven Times the Fun
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Martha
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LLMom wrote:
Martha,
are suites reasonably priced? |
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well, we think so. You can get cheaper one, but umm, they are less savory. 
I think we pay between $85 and $120 a night and that include continental or even a hot buffet breakfast.
It's been well worth it for us. Everyone is cozy and comfortable. Daddy gets to sleep with mommy. There a frig with milk and snacks. They are almost always centrally located, so we've been known to head back to the hotel for naps and lunches. (Very important with a pregnant mommy and 3 under 3 yrs! Which is what it's been everytime.) For what we may pay extra for a suite, we've saved in food and gas easily.
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Martha
mama to 7 boys & 4 girls
Yes, they're all ours!
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Martha
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JodieLyn wrote:
| but everything I'm finding online still says a max of 6-7 people in them. |
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Okay. The max thing... I admit to umm, well not fibbing exactly, but to umm... well hoping they can't do math.
They ask how many beds we need and we tell them. So far it has not been an issue. If they still had those roomsset ups where they are seperated by a door, we'd be okay with that. However, all of those doors are no longer allowed to be used by anyone anymore. Most have been permanently locked/sealed up to assure security and privacy. We actually had one nut case say to just leave the hall doors cracked open. He said parents do that all the time so they can go swim or to the bar after the little kids go to sleep. Yikes! 
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Martha
mama to 7 boys & 4 girls
Yes, they're all ours!
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Lisbet
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We stayed at one in S. Carolina last year with 7 children, and they never even asked. When we trooped through the lobby we got only positive comments, same when we ate in the 'kids under 12 eat free' hotel restaurant.
We were worried, and we would've been upfront if they asked, but they didn't!
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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MarieC
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These are great ideas.
I'm especially interested in how to do activities that only involve part of the family...how do big kids do sports without the little ones always on the run.
Also, I liked the suggestions on making a regular sized home work for more the the "regular" sized family. I can get the beds in but the clothes and stuff just don't seem to fit!
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Marie
mom to 6
dds-98, 00, 02 and 09 & dss-03 and 06
Out in the Orchard
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St. Ann
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Possibly, this 7 to a room policy is geared more to adults. You know, like spring break parties .... or football fans who don't mind sleeping on the floor. My dad is in the hotel business and from what I've heard the policy stems from such groups taking advantage (and sometimes trashing) of the Suite opportunity.
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Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
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hylabrook1
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What we have experienced as to the maximum number of people in a room policies is that it was due to fire regulations. The way the room was configured, if there were more people in the room some wouldn't have a clear shot at an exit in case of fire.
Peace,
Nancy
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Large family resource center?
