Large Family of the Week – The Matt Family!

This week’s Large Family of the Week are Kristie and Josh who have seven children. They are participating all the way from Australia. It’s great to meet them!

Introduce us to your family (names and ages & tell us a bit about yourselves):

We are Kristie and Josh, married for 7yrs and been together for 8.

Hubby is currently completing his university degree this year and will graduate a qualified molecular scientist – he is the thinker in our family and the level head to my often scattered, impulsive ways LOL!

I’m a crafter – love to knit, crochet and sew….I hardly sit still and can be quite picky when it comes to my house and cleaning ways (Don’t touch my washing baskets lol!)

We have 7 children (although the first two are mine from previous relationship)…..

Madeline is 13, Gabriel just turned 11, Theodore is 7, Angelus is 6, Israel is turning 4 in a few months, Calliope is almost 2 and our newest addition born 6^th March this year is another little girl we called Sevyn.

So 3 girls and 4 boys – it’s been nice to finally bring the female quota up in the family 🙂

I would say we are quite a loud family and we definitely have our fair share of the usual sibling fights, rivalry and dramas but it is always worth it in the end even if your sanity has flown away for the tenth time that day!

We love to garden and grow our own food, we live on a rural property with lots of space and have two dogs, two cats, two chickens and three fish.

Our children go to a very small school (usually under 20 students go there at one time) down the road and our eldest catches the bus into town for high school.

It’s a happy life for us!

Do you consider your family to be large? If not, what do you think is the magic number which turns an average sized family into a large one? 

Hmm, I do and I don’t….when I look around at the families and people in our life I’d say we are considered to have a “large” family but then for me personally I don’t feel our family is that big yet. 9 or more children for me is big!

Did you ever think you would have a large family?

I always wanted babies but when I was younger I do remember saying only two and one of each sex LOL! I don’t recall an actual time when I sat down and said ‘yep I want twenty’ it just happened along the way and each child is a blessing.

What is your best money saving tip? 

Ebay and big sale times…..I don’t pay full price for anything – we’d rather find it secondhand or wait until it comes on sale. Also we never fell into the credit card trap, if you don’t have one you can’t end up with a huge debt.

What is your best tip for organisation? 

Industrial style wire racks found at dept/hardware stores. Easy to put together and clean and you get movable shelves and they can double as wardrobes when you hang your clothes on hangers from the open racks.

What is your favourite recipe?

We found a gluten free pumpkin donut holes recipe a few weeks back and they are just so delicious!!!!

Do you cook the same meal for everyone or cater for different tastes?

We generally cook the same meal for everyone and yes always have one or two that will turn their noses up……if you don’t eat dinner you don’t get dessert, although we are more lenient on the younger ones.

Sometimes hubby and I will have a separate dinner later on especially if we know it’s a meal that the kids won’t eat.

What is the best thing about having a large family?

All the little faces at the table.

And what is the most difficult?

Transport – we’re now at the stage where we don’t all fit in anymore so juggling town trips and school runs can be a mission.

If you could offer one piece of advice to parents, what would it be?

Big family or not I think it’s important for parents to take time out to look at their big life picture and find the good things and the achievements you’ve made as a parent. I know I’ve sat and cried many a times over a petty comment made about my big family or felt ‘not good enough’ as a mom because I have sat there foolishly comparing my house, my kids and my life to some unattainable goal or a vision that society has. You need to do the best you can and know that love and time are two of the greatest parenting qualities.

Don’t you have a television? Why yes we do but alas it’s in the lounge room not our bedroom LOL!

Actually my Dad has asked us this a few times now.

Do you know what causes it? To this question our answer is “LOVE”

And finally, will you have any more children?! Yes although I’m not sure where it will stop or when the next will come.

Read more about Kristie and her family over at These Little Wagons.

If you would like your to see your family featured as our Large Family of the Week email family@largerfamilylife.com with ‘Large Family of the Week’ in the subject line. Click here to find out more.