Raising Arrows » Search Results » label/My+Van http://www.raisingarrows.net Bringing blunt-edged babes to finely-sharpened arrows Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:01:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Large Family Living http://www.raisingarrows.net/large-family-living http://www.raisingarrows.net/large-family-living#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:37:43 +0000 Amy http://york.site5.com/~raisinga/?page_id=417 Have a large family?  Want a large family? Intrigued by large families? Here’s your chance to learn more! Life In A Large Family “You’ve got your hands full!” If I had a dollar for every time I heard those words, I’d be a very wealthy woman. These are words that I would venture to guess [...]


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Have a large family?  Want a large family?
Intrigued by large families?
Here’s your chance to learn more!

Life In A Large Family


“You’ve got your hands full!”

If I had a dollar for every time I heard those words, I’d be a very wealthy woman.

These are words that I would venture to guess every larger-than-average family has heard at least once. Some people feel very offended by comments like this, but honestly, I *do* have my hands full. And I’m not the least bit sorry.

Life in a large family is different than life in an average-sized family. Remember, I used to be an average-sized family. I haven’t forgotten what it was like to feed lunch to two children or to bathe two children, or put two children to bed. We were a two child family for nearly 4 years, and yes, life is different now. Not a bad different…just different. In fact, I could make a good case for it actually being a *good* different!

Shortly after the birth of my second child, I adopted a large-family mentality. We were desiring to add to our little family (something God intended to delay a bit longer). I joined every forum and email digest I could find that catered to large families so I could learn just what it meant to be the mama of many.

I immediately put into practice much of what I learned. Things like a Bath Schedule and a Cleaning Schedule and how to teach children responsibilty and obedience.  Even though these things aren’t just important for large families, it seemed the large families had the market on efficiency. Transferring to a large family mindset made my small family run much smoother.

Now that we are a large family by the world’s standards (even though many days I don’t feel like a large family at all), I realize that many of the tools and skills I was toying around with as a small family are absolutely integral to a large family. There has to be a Bath Schedule because without one, I would be in a perpetual state of soaking wet children. There has to be a Cleaning Schedule because without one, the clutter and every day dirt would soon overtake the household. There must be delegated responsibilities and obedience from the children because without those things, life soon becomes chaos. So, yes, running a large family household is different. And yes, my hands are full and therefore, busy. But, I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

So, I invite you to take a moment to peek in at the world of managing a large household. There are many, many things here that are applicable to any size family!  A large family mentality is an asset…no matter how many children you have!

Why Do We Have So Many Children?

When I wrote the following series on Becoming Quiverfull, the word “quiverfull” had not yet been skewed into the ugly and twisted word it has now become.  I do not wish to change the permalinks to my posts, but I do feel I must add a disclaimer here.  Our family is not part of some strange religious cult that promotes hurting women and abusive husbands.  We are simply followers of Christ, living in His Word, desiring to receive whatever blessings He may have in store for us.  I pray that rings loud and clear amongst the posts here.

Becoming Quiverfull ~ 4 part series – Our Story: a conviction, not a movement

Enjoying YOUR Quiverfull – Find contentment with the number of children you are given

A Movement is Not a Messiah – from Pursuing Titus 2 blog

Large Family Living Tips

A Tidy Home
Child Training
Cloth Diapering
Laundry
Homeschooling
Organizing
Recipes
Shopping
Sewing
Time Management
Vacations

You’re Pregnant Again???

My Birthing Journey – VBAC and Back Again
Morning Sickness
Preparing for Baby
Mind Over Belly
Emotional Birthing
Keeping Up With the Snails
Why People Stop & Stare

Worthy Reading
By, For, and About Large Families

Adopting a Large Family Mentality When You are a Small Family

“How to Exasperate Your Children” by Heather @ Sprittibee

“Family Closet” with Detailed Pictures by Tara @ Too Many Kids in the Bathtub

“15 Passenger Van Organization” by Betty @ Peace Creek on the Prairie

A Few of My Favorite Things

The Family Homestead
The Dugger Family
Keeping the Home Blog
Purity Rings
Monkey See Monkey Do Videos on Cleaning & Organizing
Frontier Coop

Large Family Books

Large Family Sites:

http://www.quiverfull.com




http://lotsofkids.com




Quiverfull Blogroll
Interested in reading blogs by other Quiverfull families?

Click on one of the links below:


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]]> http://www.raisingarrows.net/large-family-living/feed 3 Until Next Year… http://www.raisingarrows.net/2009/12/until-next-year.html http://www.raisingarrows.net/2009/12/until-next-year.html#comments Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:00:00 +0000 Amy http://blueyonderdesign.wordpress.com/2009/12/18/until-next-year-2 The sun is setting on 2009. It’s been a year of healing for our family.  A new baby.  The one year anniversary of our daughter’s home-going.  Returning to the places I was never sure I could return to. The 3 year old got potty-trained.  I managed to put together a few sewing projects, but most [...]


HUGE selection of cloth diapers and accessories
from another mom of many!

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The sun is setting on 2009.
It’s been a year of healing for our family.  A new baby.  The one year anniversary of our daughter’s home-going.  Returning to the places I was never sure I could return to.
The 3 year old got potty-trained.  I managed to put together a few sewing projects, but most of them were quick and easy since I found myself needing to regroup and refocus.
This blog also brought it’s own blessings.  The readership here more than quadrupled in 2009!  (Welcome to all my new readers!  I hope you are blessed by what you read here.  I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you!)  I got a blog makeover (and hosted my first large-scale giveaway!) My header picture took on a new meaning.  I did my first ever series on Creative Writing.  I joined the team At The Well.  And just recently, I won a 6 month contract to write for a natural parenting internet company!
Our family started working on eating healthier (continues to be a work in progress) and my closet got a makeover.  I learned more about genealogy, wool longies, and driving a 15 passenger van!  I even learned something more about babywearing…a topic I already felt pretty well versed in!
I found myself climbing out of a crisis of faith that stemmed from losing Emily (I hope to write about that journey in 2010) toward a recommittment to raising children who see God’s grace in me.  I learned to listen to my children and enjoy the blessing of children who actually like each other.
I gave all of you some of my favorite recipes, our If/Then Chart, a look into how we homeschool our littles, and the embarrassing and enlightening confession that a man taught me how to keep my kitchen clean! *gasp*
My husband stocked our freezer with buffalo meat and I stocked our pantry with my once-a-month shopping.
We loved, we laughed, we lived.
And now we rest…until next year.
Merry CHRISTmas All!


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