Because I'm a blog junkie, specifically a large family blog junkie, I have a hard time admitting that I have reached Large Family Status. The blogs I read all have ten or more kids, which makes my six (in house) kid family seem small. I mean, come on! I still drive a mini-van! So what if we replaced the middle seat with a second bench seat so all the kids can fit? But when I've noticed that my behavior has changed because of the number of children in my home, I guess I need to 'fess up...I have a Large Family.
For example, I don't make pancakes, muffins, or cookies. The amount of time it takes to make individual serving sizes outweighs the amount of time it takes to consume these items. Instead, I make 13x9 pans of puffy oven pancakes (or Dutch Babies), muffin cake, and bar cookies. Same recipes, shorter time in the kitchen. My older kids remember what real cookies are and always ask, "Are you making round cookies this time?" Nope, sorry. Maybe....never! (which isn't true because I made real peanut butter cookies two weeks ago)
When we go on field trips or picnics, I no longer make sandwiches ahead of time. I pack jars of pb&j, a loaf of bread, a knife, and a spoon (for the jelly). I make the sandwiches while kids run and play. On our last trip to the science center, Mark and I had a beautifully choreographed sandwich-making routine. He would take a slice of bread and start spreading the peanut butter while I took the next slice of bread and spooned on the jelly. We'd slap our pieces together and I would hand the sandwich to a child while Mark started the next peanut butter slice. We got all eight sandwiches made in mere minutes!
And then there is the problem of boots-I've reached the point where I'm going to have to start buying boots of high quality instead of Walmart boots. If I had only one or two boot wearers and we didn't stay home in our swamp every day or have chickens, I would be just fine buying a $20 pair and handing them down when they grow out of them. But IJ alone has gone through three pairs of boots this year! The boots disintegrate in the sunlight and fall apart after only a few months; it's a little spooky. Shopping for $60 boots for a kid hurts...but if they last through three kids, it will be worth it. But I won't hold my breath and expect them to last through six kids.
I think I will have made the final leap when I go from traditional easy lunches (sandwiches) to full-on meals for noontime. I'm so close too. I made a real chicken soup with veggies the other day. And today I'm serving chili. One large family has the oldest daughter prepare salad bar fixings for lunch everyday. It's so healthy, cheap, and easy! It's only a matter of time...
