tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81951275272887002802012-01-24T06:02:57.101-08:00Moms of many share their tips, tricks, and secrets for keeping their households running smoothly.LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.comBlogger651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-5083775167891869422010-12-01T08:54:00.001-08:002010-12-01T08:59:08.220-08:00

Or at least they SHOULD have that many days if they're going to be as full as this! December and May are the craziest months in a large family -- or maybe in any family?In the next 25 days, we have two work parties, two Church Christmas events, a violin concert, a dance recital, a school Christmas party, my mother's group discussion and field trip, Scouts and Activity Day girls, Visiting

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-13273363830533922652010-08-31T07:47:00.000-07:002010-08-31T07:50:43.892-07:00

Need a better way of organizing your kids' papers? From art projects to cards to report cards, this is what has worked for me.1. Invest in a horizonal filing system. I have one slot for each child. I use post-it notes folded over to label them. This one is chock-full of last year's papers because I haven't yet gotten to steps 4-6.2. As papers come home, decide what's worth saving. I

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-28299745329012023192010-08-23T12:01:00.000-07:002010-08-23T12:57:44.347-07:00

Five kids in school means five backpacks, lots of papers, dozens of pairs of shoes, lots of socks. Without a plan and some basic organization, that can mean a huge amount of mess every day. I'm lucky enough to have a mudroom to contain some of the stuff, and here's what I've found works well for us.Last year, I bought these stacking bins to hold each child's backpack. After they do their

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-66467057371742284292010-07-24T22:21:00.000-07:002010-07-24T22:30:40.554-07:00

I gave birth to Katie, my eighth child, naturally. No drugs, no epidural, just me and a whole lot of pain. It was the first time I'd gone without an epidural and I'm still undecided about whether I'll go that route again.It's been interesting to hear people's reactions to my experience. By and large, women in my generation say, "Wow!" "Amazing!" "How did you do that?" or "I could never do

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-73562611556095654012010-01-04T08:17:00.000-08:002010-01-08T06:36:10.371-08:00

It's that time of year again -- time to get organized, get your life in order, make goals (one of mine? get that kitchen clean by 9:00 every day!), and put up your new calendar for 2010.You've probably already bought one or two, maybe even had one made with cute photos of your kids all over it and teeny little spaces to write your appointments on. Well, you can still use those -- put one in your

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-77122202033970632092009-12-31T14:17:00.001-08:002009-12-31T14:17:29.913-08:00

*** Cross-posted at all the Lotsofkids blogs. *** It's New Year's Eve (at least in this part of the world). 2009 is almost gone and 2010 is standing before us. It was a difficult year for many people. Financial hardships and insecurity made the year a struggle for so many. That said, even though things were hard, the trials led so many back to focusing on what is important, such as family and

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-54623448386698386512009-09-04T09:23:00.000-07:002009-09-04T09:28:02.123-07:00

I've had some Q&A sessions on my blog lately, and I thought this post about school and how to handle homework would be appropriate here as well.Do you homeschool your children or send them to public school and why?It's probably obvious by now that I don't homeschool my children. We live in an area with very good schools with great and dedicated teachers who have always done a great job nurturing

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-65875168515163348672009-09-02T11:06:00.000-07:002009-09-02T14:10:22.080-07:00

A while back Lots of Kids showed a GREAT shoe organizing idea. As usual, I filed away the idea & hoped to find a way to incorporate it into our house. I haven't yet found the perfect place for that idea, but I did recently figure out a shoe organizing system that works for me! I bought this 4 shelf wire rack at Target or Walmart on the organizing isle. It fits perfectly behind our front door &

Denisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16969173185045558595noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-58728567389276225712009-08-31T07:17:00.000-07:002009-09-02T10:19:28.127-07:00

I have become obsessed with winning things from blogs. I spend at least an hour each day looking through blogs & entering to win products. I consider this to be an hour that is well spent, so far I have won some REALLY great stuff & in the process I have also discovered some products that work well for my family that I had never heard of before entering the giveaway.This organizer would be

Denisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16969173185045558595noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-10681626477246813392009-08-24T07:46:00.000-07:002009-08-24T07:56:18.694-07:00

(written in May 2009, crossposted from my blog, Hands Full & Loving It)A few weeks ago, DH & I were at Payless Shoes during their BOGO sale. When we found a nice pair of all-brown gender-neutral shoes for less than six dollars, we began searching the shelves for the same shoe in other sizes (our school requires all brown or all black shoes). We were stacking the boxes five or six high when a

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-11181776831643279052009-07-30T16:12:00.000-07:002009-07-30T16:14:05.244-07:00

I hear those words often at my house, and I don't know about you, but kids' art supplies can get SO messy. Crayons never quite make it back into their box, marker lids are easily lost, and kids are often raiding my stash of pens and pencils so that just when I need one, I can't find it.We solved some of these problems a couple years ago by introducing each child to their own "art bin." We keep

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-5309357522808822242009-07-22T10:52:00.000-07:002009-07-22T11:31:41.679-07:00

I recently asked readers of my blog if they had any questions for me. I got lots of them and I've been taking time to answer them the last two weeks. I thought this question was particularly interesting and I'd love to hear from other moms of large families about your biggest challenge -- is it the same as mine or do you find something else to be more difficult?The question:What is the biggest

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-76233972626253294162009-06-05T18:17:00.001-07:002009-06-05T18:43:55.906-07:00

As of late, I have felt like I am drowning in house work, homeschooling, meal planning, cooking, diaper changing, nursing, laundry and such. I know other people have done this with many children (we currently have five kiddos ages 7 and under) and surely I can do it and not lose my mind in the process. One step towards this is setting up systems for the whole family to participate in, to run

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00154948687626639176noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-89694962914433115132009-05-12T14:59:00.000-07:002009-05-13T04:28:15.762-07:00

I was reading the blog over at LargerFamilies.com. Meagan Francis was talking about "must-dos" around the house. Basically, her assessment was that there are certain chores and/or areas around the house that a person finds particularly important, and when they are not done to liking, it can lead to a lot of stress. Now, this is something I have realized about myself for years. It's something

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-39558527416731290702009-04-30T04:34:00.000-07:002009-04-30T04:35:57.163-07:00

When I heard that there was a new outbreak of the Swine Flu, I have to admit my response was more of weariness than concern. Now, I'm not downplaying the seriousness of the situation at all. It's a dangerous flu and people have died--that's not good at all. However, over the last couple of months my family has been wracked with one illness after another. Stomach bugs, flu bugs, and severe

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-6788427983508829202009-03-03T10:14:00.000-08:002009-03-03T10:14:01.090-08:00

Washing and dealing with bedding can take a lot of time. To simplify things around here, we do the following:1. Except for my oldest daughter, age 9, we only use fitted sheets and mattress pads plus blankets on our children's beds. It simplifies daily bed-making considerably, as all that's needed is to either spread the blanket over the bed or fold it and place it at the foot of the bed. It also

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-60866829023813093182009-02-14T08:36:00.001-08:002009-02-14T08:36:58.775-08:00

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-79689065534559796922009-02-11T09:53:00.000-08:002009-02-11T10:05:17.566-08:00

Most moms I talk to hate laundry. The way it piles up, the way it's never done, the way it seems to multiply.Me? I've never minded laundry much. I wash it all one day, let it pile up in baskets, then fold it the next. Folding laundry is about the only time I watch videos, so it's almost a treat to settle down for several hours and fold. I used to do all the laundry once a week, but the piles

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-27807025374135563712009-02-07T01:00:00.000-08:002009-02-07T08:01:31.217-08:00

Well, I knew I had posted a challenge about chores for January. However, when I went to comment on it recently, I saw it had disappeared, and I went around scratching my head thinking I must be crazy or something. Or rather, I thought Blogger ate it. Well, it didn't eat it, it just glitched it. When it posted, it gave it the year of 2008. Why it would do that, I don't know. But I have to

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-67510160609670287352009-02-05T05:16:00.001-08:002009-02-05T05:18:26.304-08:00

Well, this is one of those things that is either a bit of techno-glitch and a bit of scratch-your-head. I had posted over a month ago about the new Household Challenge...a chore challenge. And I KNOW I had it not only in my drafts, but posted it to this page. And now it's gone....And because of my crazy life these last few weeks, and being sick, I'm not sure how long it has been gone. So, I

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-71323412252736434332009-01-20T06:11:00.000-08:002009-01-20T06:15:36.998-08:00

As we shiver through an extended cold snap through most of the north in the U.S., people have been talking about how to stay warm. Cranking up the thermostat can lead to high gas bills, not to mention can be ineffective if you have sources for cold air to come into your house. We live in an old house and our windows (and some doors) can be a huge problem. In a perfect world we would go and buy

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-83546466474141471782009-01-20T06:08:00.000-08:002009-01-20T06:11:33.758-08:00

We've gotten a few emails from people about our current Household challenge. Because people are now just getting caught up from the holidays, they were asking if they could have additional time to participate in this month's "chore challenge." Since we would like everyone to join in as possible, we have extended the deadline to February 14 (Valentine's Day)! So, if you wanted to be a part of

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-17918053602359396322009-01-03T16:17:00.000-08:002009-01-02T06:59:19.318-08:00

It's the first of the year, and for me, that means making goals, revising chore charts, cleaning out junk, organizing, and in general, hoping that somehow, this year I can keep the chaos to a minimum. This is the year I plan on being the perfect wife, homemaker, mother, and friend. I'm going to exercise, stick to my own cleaning schedule, lose weight, serve healthy meals, keep a clean house,

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-67983942153954727592009-01-01T10:41:00.001-08:002009-01-01T10:44:45.958-08:00

The new year is upon us, and with that comes resolutions. One of the main goals I have at Lotsofkids.com is to get more organized. Yes, I know that seems to be a never-ending task, but it is something I am really committed to. Not only for the benefit of the site, but to ease my stress level. That said, I have talked to a lot of people over the past year about this blog, and the overwhelming

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-21266051430090124962008-12-17T09:22:00.000-08:002008-12-17T09:26:33.825-08:00

The new Household Challenge is coming. This one is a total non-kitchen/non-cooking one. We'll be announcing it on Monday, the 22nd, so be sure to check back!In the meantime, we are looking for blogs to host the Household Challenge in 2009. If you are interested, please drop us an email at lotsofkids123[at]aol.com.

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-59188164803752135092008-12-08T05:58:00.000-08:002008-12-10T04:09:26.775-08:00

      If you are looking for good and inexpensive gift for teachers, the mailman, beauticians, or the other people on your list, a Cake in the Cup may be your answer. You can use dollar store mugs, a few inexpensive ingredients from the store, and with a little time and effort, put together some really nice gifts. Best of all, the recipe makes a truly delicious and decadent treat. First of all,

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-43196148883619157852008-12-07T03:28:00.000-08:002008-12-09T06:54:49.274-08:00

We used to have a real tree every year, we would go out to a Christmas tree farm, choose the tree and then chop it down as a family. The last time we did it, we spent $50 on the tree. That tree was beautiful for about 2 weeks, then dropped all it's needles on my carpet and cost us an additional $25 to dispose of after the holidays. That experience helped us to make the decision to switch to an

Denisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16969173185045558595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-42833075846929125412008-12-04T15:48:00.000-08:002008-12-04T15:50:13.039-08:00

Decorating for Christmas is challenging in a house with small children. It is made even more challenging when you have a large family in a small space & have to figure out where you are going to put a tree. Adding to this for us this year is the fact that we will have 2 one year olds running around (and wanting to pull things off the tree). Our living room is literally wall to wall furniture. On

Denisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16969173185045558595noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-30686637251158003052008-12-01T22:31:00.000-08:002008-12-01T22:55:43.801-08:00

Hi! I'm new here. Don't I look cute in the avatar to the left? It's fun to have an avatar because if I had to use a picture, I'd have to track down one of my children, get them to take a picture of me that's not too fuzzy, then photoshop out the messy house in the background and the spit up on my shirt to get such a good likeness of myself.But seriously, I'm cute in real life, too. My name

Handsfullmomnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-77641845043805303752008-11-26T15:05:00.001-08:002008-11-27T02:31:59.367-08:00

From all of us here at the Full House Blog, and from the Lotsofkids.com Family...

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-40218261049188644462008-11-25T04:55:00.000-08:002008-11-25T05:03:46.211-08:00

It's been lean times in these parts. Like many, we are struggling to survive in the wake of a wounded economy. Large families, in general, are weathering this time better, simply because they are used to having to be frugal and economize, even during times of plenty. Still, everyone I know is hurting in some way or the other. There are a lot of times people will ask me what my best cost-saving

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-58981017989711798882008-11-25T03:13:00.000-08:002008-11-25T05:15:20.143-08:00

Just wanted to post a link to a good post about one large-family mom's take on laundry. It's over on the 4 or More blog, and you can check it out HERE. Be sure to click through and check out the pictures of her family closet.

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-30580766148440980582008-11-15T05:12:00.000-08:002008-11-15T05:19:50.038-08:00

It's not what you think. It would take a pretty big giftbag to fit a dishwasher in! I just wanted to point out a couple of new articles that I put up on the LOK site. While laundry is the #1 scourge of most large families, the dishwasher is the appliance that actually gets used the most often. I did a lot of research recently and wrote an article on ways you can save money using this

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-55521609143348879122008-11-15T04:56:00.000-08:002008-11-15T05:02:19.121-08:00

We've been tidying up around the LOK blogs! We've been updating our sidebars so that our readers can more easily find what they are looking for. We've also added some new functionality like subscribing to our feed, as well as a translator so our friends from abroad can have an easier time reading. In addition, we are still looking for bloggers to join our group here. If you have a large family

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-20750928507098154432008-11-11T15:51:00.000-08:002008-11-11T15:56:41.844-08:00

I was reading the forum over at our sister-site, Tons of Kids, and there was a discussion on how to do a non-gift Christmas. As I mentioned in my previous post, this is a big consideration for a lot of families as they struggle with limited finances due to the bad economy. There was a post from a woman who was planning to do this but with a little twist. I thought the idea was so good, I'm

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-91774993726774310242008-11-06T14:28:00.000-08:002008-11-06T14:56:49.929-08:00

We've cancelled Christmas.Okay, not really. In actuality, because of unemployment and the struggling economy, our Christmas is going to be pretty meager. What's funny is the fact that last year during the holidays my husband was out of work too. We thought that holiday season was tight, but this one is turning out to be even more a challenge. I have to admit to feeling bad. We are not really

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-88396560942485018442008-10-31T08:37:00.000-07:002008-10-31T12:06:44.864-07:00

We are renting a split level house. Because we are renting, we are very limited on the changes we are allowed to make. I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with this house. I LOVE it because it works & we are able to live peacefully with our 5 youngest kids in it. I HATE it for too many reasons to name....mainly cost & energy efficiency, things that I have no control over.Since my options are limited

Denisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16969173185045558595noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-644489048095166422008-10-25T06:18:00.000-07:002008-10-25T06:22:23.635-07:00

Every year I do this dance. It's called the "when will we break down and turn on the heat in the house?" dance. Living in Chicago, we are used to brutal winters. Autumn is my favorite seasons, and while we are often gifted with a few lovely days well into November, we can get some pretty cold days as early as September. I hate the thought of the heating bills we are hit with in the deep

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-38482782592328982422008-10-23T15:29:00.000-07:002008-10-24T08:45:20.645-07:00

I have a new Michelle's Musing over at Lotsofkids. There has been a lot of talk about how the bad economy is having an unexpected positive effect. People are going back to the basics. Frugality was once equated with being cheap. Not anymore. Erika writes about how being frugal is a blessing for her family over at 4 or More. You can find countless articles and blog entries on the Internet

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-1573973122255615412008-10-08T07:05:00.000-07:002008-10-08T10:53:17.287-07:00

Last night we went clothes shopping for the kids!! I know to many this doesn't sound all that exciting, but this is the first time WE (my dh and I) have been able to really buy clothes for our kids. Up until this point it's mostly been grandma or hand me downs from other people.That said, for some time now I have been planning out how we can simplify our clothing. We have four children 7 and

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00154948687626639176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-59544534148234641442008-10-06T05:05:00.001-07:002008-10-06T06:10:08.391-07:00

A few months ago I had the idea to do a cooking challenge. Meaning that periodically we would run mini-contests, posing cooking tasks to the community, and seeing what everyone would come up with. I knew this was not a unique concept (official names for such contests are "food events"), but I wanted to do something that regular family cooks could participate it. Our first couple of rounds

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-3446571765785128342008-09-25T04:49:00.000-07:002008-09-25T04:58:14.533-07:00

One of the things that I think is hardest for large families is the "clothes" situation. That extends to outerwear and footwear. Keeping your family clothed appropriately for all seasons means that you need to store that stuff. My salvation in that regard was utilizing several cube organizers designed for shoes. I labeled them for easy use. You can see pictures on this page, near the bottom.

LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-86932200072258764722008-09-09T12:57:00.000-07:002008-09-09T13:08:28.568-07:00

Living in an old house, the layout of our home is not the most efficient. While the house it not small, it’s not huge either. Most of the rooms are narrow and there is not a lot of free space. The kitchens in particular are pretty small. That has forced us to be very practical and utilize the space wisely. One of the ways we do this is by using pot racks. Having the majority of pots hanging

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-55486957605379873202008-09-09T11:37:00.000-07:002008-09-09T13:39:34.949-07:00

Cooking with CerealThis challenge actually was born out of a dilemma I recently had. We had purchased cereal on sale a while back, and for whatever reason it had not gotten eaten. Probably because it was not a super-sweet brand the kids normally eat. So, I started thinking that I didn't want this to go to waste, but I had no idea how to eat it other than the traditional way. So, I thought--

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-29994147242657070822008-09-05T05:06:00.000-07:002008-09-05T05:17:26.248-07:00

Coming Monday. Our new Cooking Challenge for September! Be sure to come back and check it out.Also, we've been a bit slow here on the blog, but are hoping to get things started again. We have a lot planned, including cooking help, household organization, holiday fun, and more.Lastly, we are looking for bloggers to join our team! If you are a mom of many (4 or more kids--natural/adopted/

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-88392005383500139922008-08-08T22:07:00.000-07:002008-08-09T05:51:28.064-07:00

Goodness, it's been over 2 months since we started this challenge, and we're just getting around to finishing it off! It's been crazy. Unfortunately, we had a few hiccups along the way. Plus, July is Lotsofkids.com's "sabbatical" month, when we just kick back and take it easy. However, we're back on track, and ready to close out the current challenge.We didn't have a lot of participants this

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-32962580906709493892008-08-08T21:18:00.000-07:002008-10-25T13:36:13.386-07:00

I did this challenge last month, and when it got extended another month, I decided to give it another go, trying to come up with a totally different meal. So, with this in mind, I hit a different Dollar Store. Though, I should note it was a different location, but part of the same chain. What I noticed first and foremost was since I had shopped there last, their prices on most items had

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-16546497361542370632008-07-03T02:31:00.001-07:002008-07-03T02:36:07.516-07:00

With things being so hard economy-wise, even $15 is hard to swing. Or, probably more accurately, the gas money to get to the Dollar Store. So, in light of that, we have decided to extend our bi-monthly Cooking Challenge and amend the rules a bit. So, if you're game to play, now's the time. Here's the "cheats":The premise is the same, $15 to make a meal for 4 (appetizer, main course/side, and

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-20431612239819858452008-06-29T20:04:00.000-07:002008-07-03T02:36:51.191-07:00

With the deadline looming...TOMORROW...Anne and I have posted our entries for this month's challenge. You can read about Anne's HERE.You can read about mine HERE at my new blog over at the Large Family Network. I decided to go with a family friendly hash. The blog entry has pictures of everything, but my favorite pic is below. I just think it looks great on the Pooh plate!Blog/Site Roll of

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-50276788675997490762008-06-07T06:00:00.000-07:002008-06-07T06:01:59.891-07:00

I'm thinking about this in a realistic light, really. I mean, I do have moments where I'm totally frazzled by the fact that the kids seem to be following behind me as I clean, messing up everything I've just done. That's not an exaggeration, either. I've actually caught them doing it! In fact, just the other day I was cleaning up the "library" (a.k.a.

Annenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-17534587843757919512008-06-06T05:08:00.001-07:002008-06-06T05:14:24.018-07:00

I just posted this picture in the 1000 Words blog, but thought I would re-post it here, since it truly is a great tip for large families.I have to admit, I use frozen waffles. I know there are a lot of other moms out there who insist it is better and cheaper to make them homemade. Thing is, time does not allow, and since I only buy them when they are on sale, they end up being a relatively

LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-33070185116252759062008-06-06T04:15:00.000-07:002008-06-06T05:17:42.064-07:00

We have a new Cooking Challenge for June! Get over there and check it out. Even better, see if you are up to the challenge and participate!!

LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-64182016164803916322008-05-09T16:30:00.000-07:002008-05-11T20:02:04.236-07:00

Just a quick note. A great way to save money when running a large family household is to consider cutting your family's hair at home. I know this sounds daunting, but it is easier than you think. Even if you resort to giving your young boys a buzz cut, it can save you money even if you take the olders ones to the beauty shop. For more information and ideas, check out this Lotsofkids.com

LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-82721695754099417262008-05-09T16:24:00.000-07:002008-05-09T16:30:24.503-07:00

Okay, before I go and announce this, I do want to apologize. This challenge was a bit unorganized. That was due to my whirlwind idea to do it on short notice. So I do extend a "sorry" to those who couldn't participate due to the tight timeframe. We're hoping our June challenge runs a bit smoother.Anne has a post on her blog to all of the entries, so I'll just link to that post. However, I am

LotsOfKidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06752824616171575207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-44659332653537449782008-05-01T04:11:00.000-07:002008-05-02T08:53:15.852-07:00

Since we are hosting this Challenge, we are not eligible for the prize...but we/I want to play along too. So, here's the Lotsofkids.com submission.Note, this entry isn't officially late...the pictures are! I made this dish this past weekend and intended to post this on Monday, but our camera seemed to run off and hide for a while. Though all small children in this house are claiming innocence

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-28858723996294123912008-04-17T13:39:00.000-07:002008-04-17T13:43:03.134-07:00

We're very proud to announce our very first food event! In joint venture with CookingWithAnne.com, we have started the Cooking Challenge. Between now and April 30, 2008, participants will take the challenge, post their entries, and we'll decide a winner! This month's Challenge: $1 or Less a Person. For full details and rules, be sure to check out this page.This is a bi-monthly event, so our

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-4145391505649113942008-04-14T11:58:00.000-07:002008-04-14T12:00:28.512-07:00

It's been quiet, but don't be alarmed! There are things on the horizon for the Full House Blog. We have a new food event planned, and I have a couple of entries coming up on space-saving in the kitchen, as well as outdoor stuff for Spring! Be sure to check back later this week.

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-80072430406354951142008-03-31T15:56:00.000-07:002008-04-01T04:26:10.160-07:00

Trying to save money can take some creativity. Being creative can be hard when your brain refuses to operate due to lack of sleep. One area I find I can be creative and help our budget is with the food we eat. Not creative as in the sense of the food sculptures my children build but with how I serve and use our food. I think I am fairly good cook especially judging by my husband's waistline over

Ranaenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-64795499030329648992008-03-27T05:32:00.000-07:002008-03-27T05:45:55.929-07:00

A lot of people will ask how we "do it" with so many kids. A few years ago I was interviewed for an article when the first Cheaper By The Dozen movie came out. The reporter asked how much we spent on groceries, and when I told him(and at that point we *only* had 6 kids), he was floored. A couple years and 2 more children later, we spend pretty much the same amount every month. About $800-

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-88879229634144292112008-03-20T07:03:00.000-07:002008-03-20T07:34:46.735-07:00

Then there is me. I'm Ranae and live in central Illinois with a cornfield for a neighbor. I am a SAHM to 7 kiddos (ages 5 months to 15 years) and growing menagerie of animals. I am told I can be rather anal and organized.I beg to differ especially now since I am in the middle of a basement remodel. Perhaps I can join that knocking sound I hear often, the sound of many a mother banging her head

Ranaenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-1154256807753627802008-03-19T08:27:00.000-07:002008-03-19T11:08:04.190-07:00

I am Mom to 8, living in Texas.As I look about my house, right now, I'm thinking, "what could I possibly have to add to THIS blog?"Maybe I'm the example of what not to do. ;) The learn from my mistakes poster. I'm a natural born "Messie" fighting hard to break out of it. Being a Messie AND a LOK mom presents quite the challenge. I have made huge strides over the past 17years (since I was "

MsJennBugnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-62404805576198240322008-03-15T11:09:00.000-07:002008-03-15T11:14:27.975-07:00

Dinner the night before shopping day is often a spartan event and this week was no exception. It's not that I don't plan, I do, but sometimes, for various reasons, things don't work out and there's just not enough for a full dinner. So, I had a few cans of condensed tomato soup, about 6 hot dogs, a handful of mozzarella cheese and pepperoni, a small chunk of cheddar cheese, a couple packages of

Annenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-24616405808168979952008-03-13T11:53:00.000-07:002008-03-27T05:37:37.029-07:00

Since Anne gave a little peek at what she'll be focusing on in this blog, I figured I would follow suit. First of all, while I think the contributors will fall into their little niches, this blog is a free-for-all. I'm sure Anne may have some organizing tips that work, and I'll post a recipe or two. And so on...Nevertheless, looking for my little corner to stand in, I realize that I will

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-66535909374702474292008-03-13T10:06:00.000-07:002008-03-13T11:53:14.172-07:00

Some days soup from a can is just not right. Other days, it's all I can manage. Sometimes PB&J is abhorrent to me. Other times, it's just what works. Therein lies the crux of my position. I am a classically French trained cook. My culinary education was that of the brigade system in a kitchen and the belief that fresh is best and nothing should come from a can if at all possible. The train of

Annenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195127527288700280.post-90477638732107671382008-03-10T13:49:00.000-07:002008-03-27T05:37:52.559-07:00

There is a great quote from Phyllis Diller:"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing."If that's true for the typical household of 2 kids, imagine a house with 4 or 6 or 8! That's not to say the large families live in a big mess, but it means that there are certainly unique challenges to running a family with lots of children. That

Mirzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07434600358514028976noreply@blogger.com1