Super Size Saturdays - Guidelines

Super Size Saturday is planned to be a regular feature on Choosing Joy. I've been asked to make it a carnival....here we go. SSS is not a meme - I don't plan to post questions for you to answer or rules about tagging etc. I will try to share something weekly about raising a Super Size Family. Check back weekly to read my thoughts and find links to what others have to share.

Most often you will be able to use ANY post on ANY topic that YOU feel is applicable....some weeks will be themed. It is my hope that this feature will not only bless large families, but families of all sizes. Why title it Super Size Saturdays, then? Because I receive a lot of questions about how a "large family REALLY works." ::snort:: Super Size Saturday is a catchier title than "thoughts for anyone who wants to read them about my unusual family", don't you think? ::snort::

Visit here for past SSS archives and to read more about my heart for SSS.

Here are a few fairly common sense guidelines to help the carnival run smoothly. If you've participated in other carnivals/memes the routine will be familiar.

1. What is a blog carnival and Super Size Saturday specifically?

As mentioned above, this is a blog carnival and not a true meme. Click here if
need to read more about that topic. In a nutshell, you post a little tip or thought on something that would be helpful to those raising a large family. You read MY weekly post, go to the comment section of that post, and leave a link to YOUR POST. Yes,
you can use old posts. No, I don't mind if you use the same post for SSS that
you've used for other memes/carnivals - AS LONG AS THE SUBJECT MATTER IS G RATED AND IN SOME WAY PERTAINS TO SUPER SIZE FAMILIES.

2. You do NOT need to ask me before you participate. Just choose a Saturday and leave a link.

3. You do NOT need a blog to participate.

Simply leave a comment in the comment section if you'd like to leave a thought
and either don't have time to post on your blog, or don't have a blog.

4.You do not have to be of any particular faith, family size, educational bent etc to participate. If you have thoughts or a tip that would be helpful, please participate. I'll take advice from anyone. ::snort::

5. Yes, you can use the graphic at the top of this post.

Please save the graphic to your hard drive first. Feel free to use it in your
side bar. Please link back to the SSS
heart/archive page or the current weekly post. You can learn how to insert a
clickable image to your blog here.

6. No, you do not have to use the SSS graphic, or host it in your side bar to participate. If you do, thanks for helping to spread the word. More participants benefit us all.

7. Please do not leave a link if you've not written a SSS post. Please mention
SSS in your post and link back to our archive page. I will delete empty links (links not accompanied by appropriate posts or linked to the front page of your blog).

8. Please link to your POST and NOT your blog's front page.

Linking to your post makes it much easier for readers to find the specific
article they are interested in reading. If you need instructions on how to link to a specific post (Permalink) read this.

9. Contrary to popular belief I am NOT a Computer Geek! ::snort:: I often have to ask others or read tutorials to figure out how to do various things. Please check your blogging platform or Blogging Basics 101 for specific answers to your questions.

10. Please enter a short description of your post with your link. We're sure to start small, but as we grow it will be easiest for others to find the info they desire if they know what your post is about.

Examples: De'Etta @ Choosing Joy (storage tips)

Or

Mary (date nights)

Or

Cindy (scrapping your story)

Or

Jodi (small appliances)

11. I'll try to have SSS posts up by midnight Friday (frequently a few hours earlier). I'll close the links Saturday night to avoid spammers.

12. I will delete any links that I deem to be inappropriate. It's my blog, my decision will be final. I do strive for a family rated blog.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Super Size Saturdays - Heart & Archive

It is my heart to be an encouragment to moms in the trenches. I'm there...though my family is shrinking. I currently have six children who live at home. We have a total of nine children.

I'm often asked questions about our family: we are a bit "odd". We are quiverful, we homeschool, we bake our own bread, our girls are currently single and living far away from us ( with our 100% blessing), we tend heavily to grace based parenting, we are an Air Force family, we eat crunchy, I submit wholeheartedly and usually joyfully to Mike, but am also a licensed pastor at HIS urging ...we don't fit most boxes. (Feel free to share what other boxes we may not fit and I'll add them to the list. LOL)

HOWEVER - those who know us have blessed us by repeatedly commenting on the HEART of our adult children and asking how "you got them to that point". I used to simply say, "it's the grace of God". Which is TRUE!!!!! Oh, His grace! I still like that answer best. Another answer I used to give is "it takes a lot of WORK!" I was challenged by a godly mentor at a pastor's conference a year ago to begin to give more of an answer when asked. Why? She felt (after observing our adult daughters in service and worship) that we had heard specific words on how to raise and mentor our children and that people are honestly wanting to hear what we have learned on our journey.

I had earlier begun "big family myths" on the blog. I had also addressed various issues as I was asked. I'm sort of combining it all here under a new title...with a deadline.

My heart is to encourage. I suspect that some with "small" famlies will be as encouraged as those with "super size" families. Afterall, if YOU feel like you have a super size family - you do! ::snort::

I'm quite sure I won't make deadline EVERY Saturday....so let's exhibit some grace from the start and aim for "most Saturdays" or even "many Saturdays. ::snort::

I'm considering having a carnival by the same name tied to the blog eventually. This would give the opportunity for others to share THEIR thoughts and link to one spot so others could find it. The logo is still a work in progress...eventually I hope to have it as a clickable graphic (linking back here) that you can upload to your blog. Feel free to save the graphic to your harddrive and make it clickable yourself if you know how...

Guidelines for Super Size Saturday.

Schedule for 9 May - 4 July.

I'll link posts here and put the page in the sidebar so they are easy to find. In the next few days/weeks I'll transfer most the big family myths to this page.

You Know You're a Large Family When...

Meeting Individual Needs in a Large Family

Schooling Without a Schedule - first posted on Home School Blog Award by moi

Summer Project - first posted on Home School Blog Award by moi

Teaser

Logo choices and credits

Joyful Mothering

The Wise Woman

Cool Treats for HOT days

The Power of 15 Minutes

Of Chores and Checklists

Taming the the Family Schedule

The Power of a Vision - Young Adults

Storage Solutions - Backwards SSS

Table Solutions

Road Trips with Children

Games!

©2007 - 2009 D.R.G.