Printable View
Well just to **** you all off I am very organised with the xmas shopping. Thankfully!! I only started about 3 wks ago but it was actually easier than I thought.
Wow so many of us with kids going to HS. It def did fly didn't it, from looking at our babies to preparing them for HS. Jordan will be 1 of about 90 yr 7's. Not sure how many kids at the school all up.
Ah Michelle, you smarty pants!! Wanna come do mine now??? please??/
I think the same things when I look at my older 3 kiddies, how did they grow up so fast? My eldest wants to get a p/t job next year, yikes to me it feels like he should only be 10 :( not 14!
Hi,
How fast has this has gone, Can not believe Ashleigh will be one on Friday, It feels like yesterday was the day she was born but it is 12 months ago.
Regarding to Christmas, I have only a few to get now because I have been laybying since July this year because I do not want to be in the crowds come Christmas time. We are planning to stay home this Christmas so the kids can enjoy there presents and having not to worry about driving to Sydney in the heat and traffic. Also we can have a few drinks without worrying about driving home again. We probably plan to go visiting before or just after Christmas. What are your plans?
Regarding high school, there seems to be a lot in the forum who have kids going to high school next year. Christopher has yet to attend his orientation day for high school. This happens on the 10th November.
On the 12th November we are having Ashleigh christened. Some of my relatives are coming up from Sydney to stay the weekend and I could have a extra four adults and four kids staying that weekend, thats on top of the seven of us and it is going to be not to squeasy in the house. Thank goodness we have a sofa bed, a blow up queen bed and a couple of extra beds or they would all be camping out the back.
Michele
Mother of Christopher, Luke, Melissa, Jayden and Ashleigh(1 on Friday)
Happy Birthday to Ashleigh!!!!
Not sure what we are doing this chrissy, we are both sick of doing the "usual" with the same narky people, haha ( mainly sil) thinking of going to the beach.
Wow your house is going to be packed this weekend Michele, hope you have a lovley time!!
Michelle....im so jealous of how organized you are!!!! Jess's school is big too....1100 kids..arggh..with 10 year 8 classes..im so worried about her. I still have her name down at a private school down here..currently she is at number 13 on the list...mmm.
Michele..busy weekend anhead for you.wow at fitting all those extras in..will be fun for you though...
Storm..its hard making chrissy work with family sometimes isnt it. We just flat out dont see darrens parents at all...too hard basket..
We have a kangaroo in the backyard...not sure what to do....it seems ok..but its an odd time to be out during the day....mmm...lol....Sammy loves it though!
Jo
Wow at your Roo visitor Jo, did he move on? I am sure Jess will be fine, I reme,ber starting high school, too. It is a very exciting but scary time.
Michele hope things are going well for you all, Happy late bday to Ashleigh. I recently bought 4 single air beds so I have somewhere to sleep people and especially for the kids friends, always feel bad saying they have to sleep on the floor.
It was Arons bday yesterday, he is at his mums atm, cos they are having a huge garage sale this weekend. I planned to do some sewing and stuff this arvo but just feel too tired. So have been working through thr emails. Gotta pick josh up from his friends soon and will drop out to MIL's then for a very short time.
We have been to little aths this morning as well.
hope you all have a wonderful weekend
Hi,
Arron & Ashleigh, share a birthday Michelle. How old was Arron yesterday. I can not believe how time is flying, Ashleigh is one and she will be classified as a toddler shortly, and I want her to stay a baby for a while but she is now standing and shortly will be walking so here comes the into the cupboards stage. Hopefully I will TTC my final child in March 2007 if I get the go ahead with my gyno.
Ashleigh had a good birthday yesterday, she didn't think much of the chocolate cake it keep ending up on the floor. Most of her presents will come next week when her christening comes around. It will be a busy time next week and thankfully we have enough room to put extra beds up in the house.
Michele
Mother of Christopher, Luke, Melissa, Jayden and Ashleigh
HI Michele
Aron is 32 as am I. My cousin had a little girl on the same day as Ashleigh last year. Must be a popular day lol, I also have a gf born on the 3rd. Sounds like a good bday. Hope you get the all clear from the gyno. IKWYM about the growing up fast. I wanted Jess to go slow and she walked bf 10 mths. So that was the end of my baby lol, and whats more she did EVERYTHING earlier than the others. But she is a tiny dot and so sweet so it is helping to keep her little.
Yes the 3rd was very popular, I can remember that there was so many births at the hospital that day but Ashleigh was the only girl, the rest were boys. This happened with one of my others, I think it was Jayden that there were more boys born than girls. and with Melissa, it was more girls than boys at that time.
Regarding growing up, I am glad she is still not walking as yet because of her foot, I don't want to rush her to walk in fear it might damage her foot. I am on the lookout for shoes that are stronger than the non walking shoes in her size. She has tiny feet due to her club foot and she is only wearing shoes that fit 3-6 month olds and even that is to big for her. I will probably have to go back to the specialist shop where we got her boots and bar from.
Is any one having a bet on Melbourne cup day. I might have one but not too sure who are the horses as yet as I haven't looked at the guide as yet.
Michele
Mother of Christopher, Luke, Melissa, Jayden and Ashleigh
poor Ashleigh it must be hard on her having to have the intervention. As for the cup, I usually pick something don't really win though. We are going to a friends for a bbq should be good I hope,as long as arron dosn't drink too much
Hi,
I have had a full on week last week, with appointments at specialists for Ashleigh and orientation day for high school for Christopher.
Ashleigh went back to see her orthopaedic specialists at Westmead on Tuesday and everything seems to to be going alright but she has to wear the boots and bar for another couple of years due to the fact that the foot can still turn back if we don't put her boots and bar on. He also asked me if Ashleigh had clicky hips when she was born but I said nothing was said to me. He said that it will probably be alright but we have to go back next March to have another check up when she will be walking.
The next day we went to see ENT specialist with Ashleigh because her voice has been hoarse for the last 6 weeks, so we have to go into hospital next month for the day, so they can put a tube down her throat to have a look and make sure nothing nasty is going on. I put it down to reflux but to make sure we are getting it checked out.
On Friday, my oldest and I went to his orientation day, He is going into a special needs class because he has a developmental problem and we went to check out the school. He has to go to this program on four seperate days so he can get used to going to high school. The good news is that his uniform is mostly the same as primary school, same coloured shorts, shirts, and shoes, the only difference is the sports uniform, the socks and the jumpers, so that is going to save some money for me.
Hope everyone is fine at the moment because at the school there is this stomach bug going around but thankfully my kids have missed out so far.
Michele
Mother of Christopher, Luke, Melissa, Jayden and Ashleigh
wow michele sounds like you have ben very busy, and bonus at the cst of uniform. Nt so lucky here iunfortunately. Have to buy everything for Jordan.
Hope Ashleigh is ok
just the usual busy stuff here. trying to get some work done.
see ya
OMG its been almost 2 months since anyone has posted in here, lol. Aren't we a busy bunch. Just thought I'd pop in and say 'hello'.
Hope everyone had a safe and happy festive season!
Nicole, hun, you must be due soon. Hope everythings going okay with you.
Hi Nat how are things going in your household, everything settled down after your little man joined the crew?
we are plodding along, just got home from 2 nights camping in Geelong with friends. It was good except couldn't get kids to sleep, ended up I slept with Jess and Jemma and jordan slept together and arron slept with josh.
Next week have to pick up jordans books and uniform for High school. And this Friday arron and I are going overnighg for our wedding anniversary.
hope you are all well
Hi ladies.
Sorry I have been so slack too!!
I had my little girl on Christmas day !! 3 weeks early. She is fine, I had a massive hemorrhage afterwards & had to have an op & a blood transfusion, slowly getting better now though. But what a nightmare!!
I've added some photos of her on Zaccie's site, I'm too slack to make on for her just yet ;)
Hope you are all well!!!!
hi nat,yep i am going in to have bub#4 today actually,so i will be officially part of the larger families thread very soon indeed.
nikki
Oh wow, best of luck Nikki, can't wait to hear your wonderful news!!
COngrats Storm...What did you call your gorgeous little girl?
Sounds like you had an awful time, my gf had something similar, had 5 blood transfusions and was in intensive care for 2 days. She was so upset that she didn't remember the 1st 2 days of her bubs life. But she was so lucky to survive and still have her uterus too. Hope you are feeling 100% soon.
Good luck Nicole, can't wait to hear the news.
We ended up calling her Angel. Just seemed to fit considering the day she came!!
Hi girls:hello:
Good luck Nicole, can't wait to hear the good news.
Congrats to you too Storm.
Mitch, your holiday sounds like it started when you got home;)
We have had a BORING 7 week break here so far, One more week to go and then it will be the start of term. I shouldn't say YAY because the big girls really have been a very big help with Ivy and Noah but I have also been doing this pre adolescent crap with them too and the older foster boy has an attitude from hell!So it will be a little Yay and a sigh of relief when they go back (is that awful?). Our bus broke down last week so we have been basically home bound for what seems like forever. I'm getting it back this afternoon though, so things are looking up in that respect.
Christmas was massive and expensive here with the babies home for the first time. Last Chrissy they were in the NICU. We all had a lovely day though, so was well worth the effort.
This year Dave and I have decided we are not getting toys or stuff for CHristmas, we are going to take the kids on a proper holiday... then we started researching and exploring costs :eek: to take two adults and seven children away for a week at Christmas time is VERY VERY expensive. I knew it would be but still got a shock at the overall cost. I wanted to go to Fiji. Let me tell you girls, that aint gonna happen! Then after we exhausted all the islands of Queensland we thought we would just have to settle for the Gold Coast. Don't get me wrong, I love it there it's just that we have gone there a couple of times and thought it would be good to go somewhere different.
I don't know if any of you remember that we took a driving holiday around Tassie in early 2005...before the babies were here and we established that it just didn't work with 7 people in a 7 seater on a driving holiday. So that is definately out! Even though we have a bomby bus now.
Dave and I were very disheartened with all of this and were getting ready to give up but then we stumbled onto P&O cruises (thanks to a friend's suggestion). Turns out we can go in January 2008 (ok, it's not Christmas but it can still be given as a gift from us) is still in the school holidays and costs half of what any of the other places were quoting us!!! Very happy and optomistic now.
I guess the only other news from over here is that I am going back to work next week too.:frown: So NOT looking forward to it but you've gotta do what you've gotta do, right? It's only part time night duty, so shouldn't be too bad.
Wow, I've rabbited on alot, will go back to my corner now!
Hope you are all good and keeping cool in this bodgy weather.
Hey gals!
Just saying hello, and hoping it's ok to pop in here.
I only have two kids, but would like more of my own, and also would like to foster kids so just want to read and chat with those who are already on the journey. Plus I struggle with two, so I wanna see how you guys deal with huge numbers of kids!!
HI Nickel, we all do the best we can with our kids and I won't say 4 is easy but I am used to it lol, I think the fact is building up slowly to 4 for me was a good thingLOL But it is always something new, like venturing it High school for our eldest this year.
Tiff holidays are soooo expensive, especially as the kids get older. This year we went camping because we couldn't afford much else, and WE SPENT $625 and were away Friday sat and sunday so an average of $200+ per day. We have decided that the only way we will be able to afford holidays is to camp from now on. We spent $1100 the year bf on accomodation alone for one week. As we have a wedding to go to in Mackay (the kids and arron are all in the wedding) we are stopping on the gold coast in April, just making off peak time. Accomodation in a sc unit with air con for 1 week is $910, paying for 3 kids (Jess is free being 2). In peak time it was at least $300 more. I think the best option for us is if we want to do somethng fancy like the gold coast or an OS trip then do it in off peak time, which does mean being out of school but maybe the only way. Our overall plan is a holiday house beach way in a min of 5 yrs or more. But I will have to be working then. I am planning to prob give my FT position up and do some casual teaching once Jess starts school, to help with money, but so I can still be there for the kids after school. Arrons work commitments will change as he moves into pest control so we need to consider he may not be available at 3.10pm for kids and I feel strongly they need a parent in the house when school is over. So I would be limited to teaching at the school they are at. Good luck with your return to work, I had to return to work after I had Joshua, he was only 13wks old, and as much as I would have liked to not, I did what I had to do. And it was all for the best.
sorry waffling away here. We are off tonight, Arron and I for our wedding anniversary (which is actually tomorrow). Should be relaxing I hope, although we don't know where we are going, just that we are staying away from Melb CBD, cos it is Aust open weekend, so no accomodation and if you do find something it is 3x the normal price.
see ya
Hey Michelle,
Happy Anniversary to you and DH!!!!!
I hear you on the expense! We usually take one big holiday a year. That's it. After last years holiday we started to gather camping stuff too, because you are right, we can't afford the accomodation! Having said that though, I just want to do this one thing for the kids for Christmas this year (and for Dave and I too).
There are lots of reasons I guess but the biggest is I think this might be the last time we have Christmas/school break with the boys. Their mother is going to court sometime this year to try to get them back. *SIGH* It's all very complicated and horrible, so I won't bore you with the details but we could be downsizing soon. I haven't admitted that to anyone, so there you go. (GULP)
Nickel, Hi, Welcome! I think you just learn to go with whatever you have. There are some periods in my life when I have found the jump in numbers of children hard but we have all adjusted eventually. Good Luck with your quest for a large fam! They are few and far between these days but so well worth it. Also, wishing you heaps of luck with looking into fostering. It is also hard at times but very rewarding too.
Oh Tiff, sorry to hear that bout your nephews. And wanting a nice holiday is very understandable. We have booked Airfares one way to mackay for 6 at $1290 and mackay to Bris for $414, so already $1704. We have app $400 for acc in mackay then $910 for accom on Gold coast, so we are already at $3000, without the train to the goldcoast, the flight home and the spending money! But my Dad agrees that holiday times are the most memorable times to spend with the kids, and going away and having fun is priceless, so whichever way you can afford to do it, then that is the most important thing. I am a littls sad cos when we went away the other weekend we had no camera and so have no pics to show from our great time away. And mum and dad said I should have borrowed their camera, but I didn't think of that bf we left.
Yeah, Michelle, it is one expensive thing but it is worth it all. I agree about the most memorable times. Certainly were my happiest times with my family, when I was growing up.
A week in Fiji for the 9 of us (the babies are included too, even though they will only just be 2) was a staggering $17,000 and that didn't include meals!!!!!:eek: When we asked about all the special 'affordable' package deals, the travel woman just about peeled with laughter! No, those deals are not for a family of OUR size!
The Queensland islands weren't much better, I'm sorry to say. I know it's the time we are wanting to go etc but, sheesh! I could buy a new bus with that amount of money!
The cruise comes in at just over $6000 and that is with everything included, including kids club. Dave projected that we could save about $5000 comfortably, so that price is definately doable.
Bummer about not having your camera. Don't you hate that? I am a big scrapbooker so I have to have lots of photos! Know exactly how disheartening it is when you don't have that all important camera.
Your holiday plans sound as though they are coming along nicely...got room in your bag for me?
[QUOTE=storm;590259]
I had my little girl on Christmas day !! QUOTE]
Please, promise me you will never give her a combo birthday christmas gift and make sure you use real b-day paper for the b-day present and actually have a b-day party for her!
I was born on christmas day and always hated it (until I met DW). I usually had combo gifts and usally wrapped in left over christmas paper. DW spoils me, we have a family b-day party Christmas eve and I get my b-day presents then. Maybe I'm just older and its not as big a deal any more, I dont know. I just remember never really liking it. But now I get spoiled between my two little girls and my wife and that is pretty cool.
Congrats though on the new Baby, glad your getting better.
Hi, thought I would briefly introduce myself. My husband and I have 4 children with one on the way (due mid july 2007)
My other children are: Boy 9, girl 7, girl 5, girl 3.
It was great to find this thread. Big families are a minority. So its great to talk to people who know the joys and challenges of big familes.
Hi 7th heaven!
Welcome to our little group! Congrats on your pregnancy.
Hope to get to know you better.
I have 7 kidlets; twins 10,(girls) a foster boy, 10, another foster boy, 8, my singleton girl, 8 and twins who have just turned 1.
Don't worry Rob, I would never do that to her!!! We were planning on having b'day parties (like for her friends) in the middle of the year, the poor bugger is only going to have 1 day a year for pressies & have to wait a whole year in between, so we though about parties earlier for her.Hehehehe I could never combine them on her. I was gunna do her b'day after lunch when everybody has settled down from the xmas excitement, so then she can feel special all to herself. But then we'll be making her wait for her b'day, ahhhhhhhh why did she have to come early???? :)
Hi 7th heaven, welcome!!
Welcome seventh heaven and congrats on your pg. I have Jordan DD 12, Joshua 7 Jemma almost 4 and Jessica 2. It is fun to be a big family isn't it??
Tiff that is a super price for that cruise!! Great find excellent and kids club to boot, you guys may get to relax ! I don't think there will be any room in the suitcase lol I packed my overnight bag the other night and took 4 outfits cos couldn't decide what to wear lol We are taking 2 huge suitcases with us and that is it cos we are not hiring a car so need to not have too many cases. Any souveniers will have to go in carry on luggage lol
Storm- xmas bdays are so hard, I remember having loads of dicomfort when pg with Jemma on xmas day (7wks early) and praying that she wouldn't come. She didn't either. My gf bday is xmas eve and it isn't easy to make it all about her, even her mum usually doesn't get her a bday pres which is sad. We have dropped around the last 2 xmas eve's to visit and bring her something. I hope you can make it partly her special day, it is def no easy task to buy 2 lots of pressies for her. Money isn't ery free flowing at that time of the year.
has there been an anouncement re Nicole's bub??? better go check!
Oh Dang, Michelle, thought I might have got me a free holiday and an invite to a wedding!!! LOL.
Sorry, not enough people to push the extra suitcase lol
But I wouldn't mind your cruise either!!
Gee I've been really slack huh? Sorry guys!
Things are going good here, except for a pesky 14 yo boy whose gonna find himself chained up to the bloody clothesline real soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Grrrr I have so had enough of his stinking rotten attitude it's not funny!!
Hi girls I haven't posted here for a while, gee anyone would think I was busy, lol. We moved to the gold Coast about 10 days ago. That was an experience as we moved ourselves. Quoted $8000 to be moved, we moved ourselves for a little under $3000. The older girls are loving their new school. We are having fun exploring our new habitat. Although I miss DH heaps and heaps. We have a two year plan. I could never be a single mum, OMG. It will all work out.
Welcome to the group Seventh Heaven, we are all pretty friendly here.
Oh no Dee, does that mean you'll be on your own for 2 years? I love the Gold Coast. Weve got a 2yr plan too and it involves a move to QLD, lol. Must be a big family thing, hehe.
Not a solid 2 years, lol. But he'll do thefly in fly out thing, 2 weeks on 1 week off. I'll finish my Teaching Degree and He'll stayout there (Tieri) untill his long service is due which is Jan 2009, He is also doing is contractors ticket. Him staying out there will nip a couple personal loans off and a chunk off the mortgage. I can be out Teaching next year (Fingers crossed I get a job) and do the Grad Bachelor of Ed inservice. It will be really hard but if we keep busy, time will fly. I just have to convince DH to keep with the plan. He's already changing his mind, but Iknew he would do that. He misses us heaps. The girls Hockey starts up in a couple of weeks, so does uni. So I know I'll be very busy.
EDT: Queenslands the best, lol. Make the move it's great up here. The Gold Coast is Fabulous. I'm a real advocate now, lol
Yes, I imagine it would be so hard on him not to see you and the kids. But just think of the catching up you can do ;)
I used to live in Brisbane and we have 3 blocks up there. One is under contract, which is fabulous and we will probably sell another to build on the 3rd - does that make sense, lol? Thats our 2 yr plan. We'll have to catch up when we make the move :)
Wow Dee thats a big move and tough all round, on you having 5 kids mostly ft and him having to be away so much, but if you are committed to it it will work. Good luck with uni too, what sot of teaching are you doing? I am a prim teacher, not working atm, will wait till girls go to school and then get back to it. I love it.
Have started my job roster for the kids, and last night I had 4 kids in bed on time and in clean rooms too, Josh has been on time for school for the last 2 mornings as well. They get points or their jobs and can trade 50 points for $1, Josh is trying hard, even vacced his room last night. Gotta love it!!
Thats a really good idea Michelle, I might give that one a go too.:
They get points or their jobs and can trade 50 points for $1, Josh is trying hard, even vacced his room last night.
Hi Girls....
Well everyone seems to be moving lately!! MY gf just moved to Townsville start of January..she was quoted $8000 as well but sold off all her stuff and then the rest only cost $2000...so off they went to start again!! must be very hard for everyone..she left from being in the drouught..to floods and cyclones!! Must admit being here in country vic with everything dead around you,no green to be seen..it does get you down. Some people are even getting fake turf for their front lawns..looks good but who's got the money for that????Not me!! Money has been real tight, bills pouring in and nothing seems to be going right lately..lol.. Well hope evryone else is well and good luck with moves and starting fresh!!
jan xx