We are going to be on TV!

 

 



 

 

Earlier on this year we were approached to take part in a television series to be aired on a major UK channel.

In the past when we've been asked, we have been hesitant to accept and have normally refused.  This was one of the few projects we accepted and it turned out to be a lot of fun to do, with the whole family thoroughly enjoying the experience.

The crew from Lion Television have been sharing the last few months with our family, following us as we've lived our every day lives.

We and several other large families have enjoyed their company since the summer, with each of us having our own story unfolding in front of their cameras, and now the series is getting ready to air.

We're not sure how it's turned out or how we'll come across but I hope you'll tune in and watch Channel 4's insight into larger family life.  I don't want to reveal anything but you will definitely find it interesting and (hopefully) enjoyable too, so do tune in if you can!

The three part series "15 Kids and Counting" begins on January 17th, 2012 on Channel 4. 

(No doubt I will be reminding you again before then!)

 

(Photo credit)

 

Top 10 baby names of 2011

Despite the celebrity trends of modern names it seems that traditional names won out for 2011.

According to baby site Bounty, the Top 10 Baby Names of 2011 are as follow:

Girls:

1 OLIVIA
2 LILY
3 SOPHIE
4 AMELIA
5 EMILY
6 JESSICA
7 GRACE
8 AVA
9 RUBY
10 MIA

Boys:

1 HARRY
2 JACK
3 OLIVER
4 CHARLIE
5 ALFIE
6 JACOB
7 THOMAS
8 JAMES
9 RILEY
10 ETHAN

The list of names was compiled from a survey that Bounty conducted nationally of babies born to 434,756 of their members during 2011.

Their findings show that Harry replaces Oliver as the top boys name, while Olivia holds onto first place for the girls.

Whatever the names at the top of the lists, they're sure to beat the Top 10 illegal baby names around the world!

{photo credit}

Today is the second Irish Twin's birthday

Last week I wrote about Sid's  birthday and how he is an Irish twin.

This week is the second Irish twin's birthday.

I couldn't mention one without the other.

So, Happy 7th Birthday, Eddie!

I have a secret

I am afraid we have been keeping something from you lately.

Actually, we've been keeping something from you for quite a while.

Do you want to know what it is?

I'm afraid I still can't tell you.

Not until tomorrow at least.

Come back then and all will be revealed.

{photo credit}

The top 10 illegal baby names

We prefer to stay safe when it comes to naming our children, opting for more traditional, old-fashioned names.  Celebrity culture has been an influencer of trends for a long time, but Yahoo has come up with the top ten illegal names from around the world.

What is the strangest name you have ever come across?

{photo credit}

Why I won't be making any New Year's Resolutions

An often asked question at this time of year is what New Year's Resolutions you will be making.

My answer for the last few years is, I'm not.

New Year's Resolutions are doomed to failure.  In January many people enter a new year promising to lose weight, or to stop smoking, or that they'll do 542 press-ups every morning as soon as they leap out of bed.

By February most have given up.

And because their promise to stop the habit or get fit or lose weight came under the title of New Year's Resolution, well, in February the new year is over and the resolution has been broken so that would mean - failure.

Don't get me wrong, I will be resurrecting my attempts to Free Skinny Me once all the Christmas goodies have been eaten but I won't be doing so under the title of a New Year's Resolution.  It's too much pressure and I will not be drawn into counting how many day's I have been "good" and stuck to the resolution before I finally crack and break it and that would mean I have failed.

No doubt I will have good days and bad days when I am back on the diet.  The difference is, I'm not putting extra pressure on myself which I simply do not need.  It isn't a challenge to see how many days I can manage before I fall off the dieting wagon.  My aim is to lose weight over time and accept that sometimes I will have good days, sometimes I will have bad days, but my journey is ongoing and will take time.

I can choose to change anything in my life that I am unhappy with at any time during the year.   Another bug-bear about resolutions is the fact that making good choices shouldn't be an annual occurrence.  We shouldn't limit ourselves the opportunity of turning our lives around to once a year.  If we have a habit we know needs to be broken, or if we need to get rid of behaviour which isn't good for us or those around us we need to be able to do it at any time - not just because a new year has begun.

What about you?  What do you think of New Year's Resolutions?  Extra pressure or an extra push to change your life?

You can subscribe to Larger Family Life and receive full updates directly to your inbox by clicking here.

[Photo credit]

3 principles for frugal living from the parents of 16 children

Chris and Wendy Jeub live in Colorado and are the parents to sixteen children.  They have written for Larger Family Life before, and are back again, this time to share their top three tips of living frugally.  You can visit Chris, Wendy and the rest of the family at their website, www.jeubfamily.com.

We were on television in 2007 for TLC, the same network as the Duggars and other large families, in a series called Kids by the Dozen. Similar to the hit movie in the 1960s Cheaper by the Dozen, most people found our finances as the most fascinating aspect of our show. We even did a poll on our website www.jeubfamily.com confirming this:

 

Clearly, our frugal living hit a nerve. Unique from other television shows on large families, our family enjoyed speaking of our frugality, saving money techniques, and the blessings that flow from living on such a tight budget.

 

We're sure you noticed that living prices, primarily groceries, have gone up considerably in the past five years. We live in Colorado. Grocery prices are up at the fastest rate since 1990. Milk, eggs and flour have increased double digits. Hard times are similar across the world. The cost of rice (the main staple for 3 billion people) has caused riots in parts of the world. Consumer confidence is at an all-time low as the global economy faces considerable challenges. 

 

It isn't a pretty picture. Yet when we explain specifics of our frugal lives, we get the attention of most parents. They often find it hard to believe we are able to live on such a small fortune. Consider:

 

• We have 16 eaters at home.
• Our income ins less than $40,000 per year.
• We are on no government assistance.
• Our children never go hungry.
• We often have guests over to our home.
• We spend less than $700/mo. on groceries. 

Like most large families, we get the question, "How do you do it?" Let's explain a few principles of frugality.

 

1. Frugal living requires faith.

 

Families on a tight budget are somewhat forced to have faith that God will provide. However, we've seen families with twice our salary fret over the next bill to be paid. It boils down to faith first. When you pray "give us this day our daily bread," do you mean it? We hope you do! Living a frugal life is an enjoyable and freeing life, but only when it starts with a faith that God provides.

 

2. Frugal living requires adaptability.

 

Frugal families need to remain flexible to the challenges that come their way. God often surprises us with creative solutions to our money problems, solutions that wouldn't have surfaced if we remained stubborn or set in our ways. The best example is in our cooking habits. We have our favorite meals, but when we are blessed with a large quantity of a certain food, we adapt and cook a lot of whatever was given us. We remain adaptable, and the blessings flow from there.

 

3. Frugal living requires an eternal perspective.

 

Focus on God's plan for your family, not what others think you should do. Sometimes this takes ignoring cultural expectations, styles and trends. Clothes is a big item in our home, yet we don't participate in the fashion crazes of the latest styles. We'd go broke if we did! Really, God is calling our family to keep up with relationships and love, not trends in clothing fashion, and we believe this is the perspective to keep. 

 

These are the basic principles of a frugal lifestyle. What follows are the typical money-saving techniques that you can find in a million places on the Internet. It's a liberating life, really. Frugal families, when they have the faith, adaptability and eternal perspective in their family budget, allow the love in their homes to grow.

 

Chris and Wendy Jeub

www.jeubfamily.com

 

Would you like to write a guest post for Larger Family Life?  Click here to find out how.

 

 

Just 3 things to organise your life

 



 

There are often days where nothing seems to get done no matter how busy you've been.  You get up earlier to give yourself extra time to get through your to-do list, but at the end of the day your list has grown and you've nothing to show for the previous hours.

The stress builds and the list gets longer and it's easy to feel overwhelmed.  There are only 24 hours in a day, there is only one of you and, no matter what the experts or the media tells us, there is no such thing as Superwoman.

All you need to remember is just three things.

Just three things.

Take a notepad and divide each of the following seven pages into three sections.  Number each section 1, 2 and 3 and write down one thing from your list next to each digit.  The task doesn't have to be anything major like clearing out the loft.  It can be something seemingly simple but easily forgotten in the busyness of every day like making an appointment.  But remember, every little thing you do is one less thing on your list.

Each day work through your three things.  When they're done cross them off and then - that's it!  If you manage to get nothing else done you have already achieved something.  No more beating yourself up about what you should have done, or what you didn't manage to do today.  You've done the three things you said you would!  Whatever hasn't been done can be put on tomorrow's list, or some time during the next week.

Just three things. 

That is all.

Photo credit

 

The forums are back again!

 

You may have noticed that I lost the new site earlier today.  It was entirely my own fault for fiddling about with stuff I know nothing about.  It cost me dear, as I lost the whole site and have spent the day putting it back together piece by piece (hence why a few posts from the last few days might be missing).

Anyway, one of the things I have had to reinstall were the forums, so anyone who had already registered now ... um... isn't.

So could you re-register again please? And say hello?  And build it up into a fab new community for us all?

Please?

Just click here.

Thank you.

[Photo credit]

Should children do chores?

As our family has grown, so my parenting style has changed.  Not least, my opinion on children and chores.

When my oldest two were very young and they were my only children, I believed in letting children be children.  My theory was that they would work enough when they grew older and childhood was for playing.  This resulted in me trying to clear up the trail of devastation they'd leave in their wake - often not successfully as they were quicker at making the mess than I was at tidying it.

As the family grew, I realised that I couldn't continue that way of thinking any more.  Not only was it impractical to have three, four or five children creating a huge mess that I was expected to clear up, but it wasn't doing them any favours in preparing them for adulthood.

I realised that there wasn't going to be any kind of a lightbulb moment when a child hit the age of eighteen, whereby they would suddenly know how to cook a meal or make a bed or clean a toilet.  I was not preparing them for the future and I was not encouraging them to develop any kind of work ethic or sense of responsibility.

It wasn't long before I worked out that even the youngest toddler could learn to put toys away into a box, or to put a book back on a shelf.  Any child can do an age appropriate chore and so that's what I set about teaching them.

The results aren't always going to be great.  Sometimes they'll do something a little less than perfect because they're kids and they are learning.  Other times they're doing to do something less than perfect because they want to see if they can get away with it.  But they can be taught so many skills from early on in life.

Wiping cupboard doors and appliances, cleaning the dining chairs and table and buffing the windows are all things even the smallest ones can do.  Even learning to separate the colours from the whites for the laundry, and learning to operate the washing machine and dryer are skills that can be developed (though they also need to realise that those jobs must be done only when they are being supervised by mum or dad).

What are your thoughts on the subject of children and chores?  Do you believe that teaching them to work is equipping them for adult life or do you think, as I once did, that children should be children and that there will be enough time for them to work when they're grown?

Photo credit

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you!

{picture credit}

Would you like to be a guest writer for Larger Family Life

Larger Family Life is growing and we need your help!

As well as my usual chatter the new site will be bringing you more of everything else and now you can bring your voice to the site too.

Whether you have something to say about pregnancy, parenting, or large (or small) family life, here is the place you can share your stories, tips and advice with other parents.

Do you have a favourite family recipe or some moneysaving tips you'd like to share?  Are you creative and want to share a craft project with us?  Or do you want to help the less organised amongst us with some management tricks?

Whatever you have to say we'd love to hear it.  If you'd like to guest post for us please send an email to us at: family@largerfamilylife.com.

Photo Credit

An Irish twin has a birthday

Sid and Eddie are Irish Twins.  That means that they are two siblings, neither one adopted, who were born within one year of each other.

Eddie was born on New Year's Eve 2004.  Sid was born on 23rd December 2005.

This means that for eight days of the year they are the same age.

Today is Sid's sixth birthday.

Happy Birthday, Sid!

The Polar Express - Review

Christmas is coming, it's cold outside and it's time to curl up in front of the television to watch a family film.  There is no better film to choose at this time of year than The Polar Express.

This film tells the story of an un-named boy who doubts Santa's existence.  It is Christmas Eve and he is woken from his sleep with the noisy arrival of The Polar Express which pulls up outside his home.  Uncertain, the boy decides to board the train and befriends a kindly girl.  As their journey continues they befriend another young boy who has never known the joy of Christmas.  Together, the three of them embark on a magical, thrilling ride to reach the North Pole and find Santa Claus.

The Polar Express is directed by Robert Zemeckis who has given a whole new meaning to animated films.  Indeed, the animations here are so lifelike and realistic that you are swept away into the story, mesmerising even the youngest viewers.

Tom Hanks is the voice of several of the characters in the movie and delivers an excellent performance as always.  The story brings forth courage, determination, perseverance and compassion through the rollercoaster ride of your life, delivering a final message at the end for everyone, both young and old.

The Polar Express is definitely the must-see film of the season, appealing to viewers of all ages and walks of life and certainly will be a classic years to come.

Can you hear the sleigh bells ?

5 of the best UK cottages for 10+ people

The old adage of 2.4 children doesn’t always stand true anymore, and with families getting bigger their needs for a holiday cottage change too. Especially over Christmas, a festive treat away from the hustle and bustle is a nice change – and, you can do this quite easily.

There are so many spots around the United Kingdom where people can enjoy numerous attractions, walking trails and hiking whatever time of year it is. With Sykes cottages you can pick and choose from any location across the land that meets your family’s needs. Here’s a glorious top five:

• Goosewell House, Callington – Down in the idyllic county of Cornwall you can find something for everybody to enjoy. This detached cottage is wonderful in its appearance, sat perfectly for frequenting both Devon and Cornwall as well as having a games room that boasts a full size snooker table. What more could you want?

• Whytings, Uplyme – Sometimes you need more than just space for your children in the home, but there also needs to be access for your dogs. This barn conversion near Lyme Regis is the ideal spot for that and within a stones through of a picturesque harbour; this is one of the best dog friendly holiday cottages on the market. A top spot for exploring the Eden Project and the many south coast beaches.

• Solent Heights, Ryde – Fancy a trip overseas? Well, you can, as the Isle of Wight offers this wonderful holiday cottage. This has always been a popular tourist destination and is well-known as a family resort that has something for everybody. With tenpin bowling and an ice rink, alongside beautiful coastline, surely it’s time you had a look. Picturesque is a word that is massively overused, but when it comes to this island it’s completely true.

• Ingleside, Adsett – The Royal Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire is a magnificent oak forest, and using this outstanding house as a base, you will be able to explore the wonder of it. From foot trails to horseback rides, kayaking to golf it’s clear to see that there is something for everybody. And, after a long day, you can all get around the open fire and enjoy some quality time. Just a short trip away you can find the Severn Estuary, Gloucester with its historic waterfront and the Norman Cathedral made even more famous by its appearance in the Harry Potter films.

• Meadow Place, Ipstones – When considering a British getaway, a stint in the Derbyshire Dales and Peak District is always going to be suggested. This stone-built barn conversion is sat in a beautiful village near Leek and is loved for its character and charm. What’s more is that you can bring the dog along too. Everyone’s a winner, especially once you’ve got kitted out to explore the moorland countryside. Nearby attractions include Alton Towers, Blackbrook Zoological Gardens and Chatsworth House.

While a lot of holiday cottages on the market cater for couples and smaller families, there are still plenty for the larger family and their pets! This is just a selection of five, but there are many more to choose from if you know where to look.

(Sponsored Post)

5 of the best UK cottages for 10+ people

The old adage of 2.4 children doesn’t always stand true anymore, and with families getting bigger their needs for a holiday cottage change too. Especially over Christmas, a festive treat away from the hustle and bustle is a nice change – and, you can do this quite easily.

There are so many spots around the United Kingdom where people can enjoy numerous attractions, walking trails and hiking whatever time of year it is. With Sykes cottages you can pick and choose from any location across the land that meets your family’s needs. Here’s a glorious top five:

• Goosewell House, Callington – Down in the idyllic county of Cornwall you can find something for everybody to enjoy. This detached cottage is wonderful in its appearance, sat perfectly for frequenting both Devon and Cornwall as well as having a games room that boasts a full size snooker table. What more could you want?

• Whytings, Uplyme – Sometimes you need more than just space for your children in the home, but there also needs to be access for your dogs. This barn conversion near Lyme Regis is the ideal spot for that and within a stones through of a picturesque harbour; this is one of the best dog friendly holiday cottages on the market. A top spot for exploring the Eden Project and the many south coast beaches.

• Solent Heights, Ryde – Fancy a trip overseas? Well, you can, as the Isle of Wight offers this wonderful holiday cottage. This has always been a popular tourist destination and is well-known as a family resort that has something for everybody. With tenpin bowling and an ice rink, alongside beautiful coastline, surely it’s time you had a look. Picturesque is a word that is massively overused, but when it comes to this island it’s completely true.

• Ingleside, Adsett – The Royal Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire is a magnificent oak forest, and using this outstanding house as a base, you will be able to explore the wonder of it. From foot trails to horseback rides, kayaking to golf it’s clear to see that there is something for everybody. And, after a long day, you can all get around the open fire and enjoy some quality time. Just a short trip away you can find the Severn Estuary, Gloucester with its historic waterfront and the Norman Cathedral made even more famous by its appearance in the Harry Potter films.

• Meadow Place, Ipstones – When considering a British getaway, a stint in the Derbyshire Dales and Peak District is always going to be suggested. This stone-built barn conversion is sat in a beautiful village near Leek and is loved for its character and charm. What’s more is that you can bring the dog along too. Everyone’s a winner, especially once you’ve got kitted out to explore the moorland countryside. Nearby attractions include Alton Towers, Blackbrook Zoological Gardens and Chatsworth House.

While a lot of holiday cottages on the market cater for couples and smaller families, there are still plenty for the larger family and their pets! This is just a selection of five, but there are many more to choose from if you know where to look.

(Sponsored Post)

 Tweet

Subscribe to Larger Family Life and get the latest news directly in your inbox or reader.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter too!

Larger Family Life is also available on Kindle!

Bear with me!

Oh dear.

I am trying to get the new site set up and am having HUGE difficulties as I am not techie minded at all.

So, you can see this if you visit http://www.largerfamilylife.blogspot.com

You can see my mess ups at the new site if you type in http://www.largerfamilylife.com

Hopefully I'll have it sorted soon. Or someone else will.

If I don't throw my computer out of the window first.


 Tweet

Subscribe to Larger Family Life and get the latest news directly in your inbox or reader.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter too!

Larger Family Life is also available on Kindle!

Life turns on a sixpence

It was as we were finishing up our dinner on Thursday that the text came through from my mum regarding my dad.

He hadn't been well this week and had ended up in A&E twice with a pain shooting down his arm. He had been in agony, unable to move it, his arm feeling cold and numb.

On Thursday he had received a call from his GP asking him to go straight to the surgery.

"Hi Tan," mum's text began. "I'm sorry to upset you but today dr surgery called and told him he has got in two places lung cancer and prescribe morphine".

My world shattered.

I immediately left the table to phone them and dad answered. I wasn't meant to know yet, which explained why mum took the option to text me on the quiet. But I knew now.

"Speak to me," Dad said. "Don't phone me just to cry. Speak to me."

How could it happen?

Minutes before Mike and I were talking with the children about Christmas being only ten days away. How we were looking forward to it and how we'd be spending Christmas Eve with Nanny and Grandad, Ben and Steph. My main concern five minutes previously was how much wrapping I had left to do, and whether I'd get Christmas cards sent out on time.

This was so unexpected.

My dad. My dear, sweet, funny dad. How can this happen to my dad?

The doctor told him that the hospital had carried out an x-ray on his lungs as well as his shoulder. The x-ray showed two patches on his lungs. One, he said, might be something to do with the shoulder. The second was definitely cancer.

The dr had left him hanging. At the moment there is no appointment lined up, no idea of how far along the cancer is or what the prognosis is. All Dad was told was that the departments would speak and decide what to do. Then he sent him home.

Christmas has taken on a new meaning for us. Where before I took for granted that we would have many more, now I'm thinking we won't.

My mind can't rest. I feel angry. So angry. I sleep fitfully, waking up and trying to work out if I am dreaming this, then realise it's all real and I get angry.

I am so angry.

I have cried, cried, cried. For a second here and there, I'll be occupied with something else and my mind has a moment to "forget". Except I haven't forgotten anything, and I quickly jolt back and remember why my eyes are sore and why my heart is hurting so badly.

My dad. I am not ready to be without my dad. Old as I am, I need him. I love him. I don't want to be without him. I want him to see my babies grow up. I want to be able to hug him. I want to be able to speak to him. I want to do all this for more years yet. I can't bear the thought of life without him.

When I spoke to him he, in his typical way, tried to joke and make light of it. How can you make light of cancer? I know he's terrified but he's still trying to take care of us, to tell us everything is ok but it's not.

"I just don't want to feel pain" he told me.

Please pray for us. Pray for him, for whatever he has to go through next.

Pray for him, please.

Just pray.


 Tweet

Subscribe to Larger Family Life and get the latest news directly in your inbox or reader.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter too!

Larger Family Life is also available on Kindle!

Ring o Rosie - Review

Ring o Rosie

Cbeebies fans will be familiar with super-colourful Rosie and her little group of friends.

Our non-resident reviewer Amy did, and she was very pleased to have received a Ring o Rosie doll to try out.

Ring o Rosie(rrp.£22.99) brings a whole new angle to the traditional song.  Hold both of Rosie's hands and the Everything's Rosie theme tune plays.  Let go and the music stops.

The doll is beautifully made and of good quality.  She's bright, cheerful and children are instantly attracted to her, as Amy's reaction of, "Ooh, is that for me?!" proved.

One great bonus that Amy's mum, Karen, pointed out was that the music would stop the moment either of her hands were let go of, unlike many musical toys which continue for a while after they are meant to stop.

Amy loved the doll, but when huge Everything's Rosie fan Dexter came to play he made a beeline for the doll and didn't let go - so smitten by it was he.  Amy very kindly gave him the doll to take home as he loved her so much.  What a sweetie!

At three years old, Dexter needed to get the hang of needing to hold both of Rosie's hands at the same time in order to make the music work.  With a short attention span and plenty of other things to be doing, Dexter still returns to play with Ring o Rosie over and over again which is never a bad thing!

As well as Ring o Rosie, Vivid Imaginations  have also created some other fun products in the Everything's Rosie range.  If you know a big Rosie fan like Dexter, click on over to take a look and you'll be sure to find something they'll love there.


 Tweet

Subscribe to Larger Family Life and get the latest news directly in your inbox or reader.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter too!

Larger Family Life is also available on Kindle!

Ribbon Flower Headband Tutorial

Over the last couple of weeks I have posted this tutorial on how to make Ric Rac Rose Headbands and this one on making Ruffle Flowers.  I loved seeing the accessories on little Libby and Anna so much that I decided to make another design of headbands for them.  Humour me!  After all, it's been twelve years since I last had a little girl to dress up!

This week I bring you the Ribbon Flower.  Here it is on a headband modelled by the beautiful Anna...

... and her equally beautiful sister, Libby...

Here is how to make them.  First cut two different coloured pieces of 25mm grosgrain ribbon to approximately 14" long.  

Fold them in half lengthways as shown...

And tie and knot in one end.  This will be the centre of your flower.

Snip the end of the ribbons off...

Now start rolling the ribbons around the knot, twisting them around and securing with hot glue as you go...

Keep going around and around.  When you come close to the end of the ribbon fold them to the back of the flower and secure with hot glue...

The finished ribbon flower can be glued onto a length of fold over elastic to make a headband or onto a hair clip.  You can also use it to embellish clothes, bags or anything else you want to stick it to.

 Tweet

Subscribe to Larger Family Life and get the latest news directly in your inbox or reader.  You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter too!

Larger Family Life is also available on !