CHRISTMAS DAY is almost here where gift exchanging, playing games and enjoying a big feast will be underway. It can be a lot to organise, especially for parents, but can you imagine planning the festivities for 20 kids?
One mum, who loves being pregnant, has to organise the celebrations for her family-of-22. She spending hours cooking to forking out over $10,000 [£7,500] on gifts.
When Desiree met Christopher Hart-Spegal she had three children and he already had eight. After getting married in 2014, the loved up duo wanted to have children together – and they went on to welcome nine more kids together.
Together, the couple now share Gavin, 24, Skyler, 23, Braden, 21, Maliki, 20, Makaila, 19, Kaden, 18, Sarayia and Jayden, both 15, Donny, Chevelle and Andrew, all 12, Christa, ten, Izabella, nine, Chris Jr., eight, Lily, seven, Heavenly, six, Ellie, five, Briella, three, Ezekiel, two, and Zavior, seven months.
And, while they wouldn’t change their big family for the world, managing everyone is not always easy.
Desiree, who once had her waters break while filming a TikTok video, spoke to YouTube’s Truly TV she describes her family as “organised chaos”.
The 37-year-old has shared on her Instagram page @desiree.rose_beauty, clips of her making lunches for her family – including using 26 pieces of bread and seven bananas.
It can often take her hours just to make breakfast for everyone in their 37,000 square ft home.
Desiree previously told the Daily Mail that she and her husband fork over around $26,000 [£19,412] a year alone on food for the kids, which averages to around $500 [£372] a week.
Desiree says she hops to have spent less overall this year. She said: “’We have spent nearly $10,000 [£7,500] before on Christmas. This year we are actually keeping it a goal to be under $5,000.”
The busy mum says one of her children has a birthday in every month of the year. Each child has $200 [$149] spent on them for their special day.
As well as feeding so many mouths, Desiree said on her TikTok account @perfectly_blended_family that the biggest job is keeping up with the clothes washing.
The self employed business owner told her followers: “Laundry is my biggest tackle constantly. It’s the job that never ends!”.
On Truly TV, she added: “On the regular I do two loads of laundry per day just to keep up with it. Saturdays probably like an extra 10 loads.” Thankfully she has lots of helpers who do chores too.
She added: “The kids are really good at doing their own washing now too – so that helps out with the ten plus loads of laundry a week.”
After sharing their busy family life on social media, the parents have been subject to some criticism about having so many children, with some saying they are ‘overpopulating’ the earth.
She told the Daily Mail: “People literally say we are overpopulating the earth, we’re being selfish.
“We’ve had people call CPS stating there’s too many to be taken care of.”
“Why do you need that many kids?,” commented one on their TikTok page.
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Another baffled individual said: “But why? Kids are expensive.” “Oh lord, no more kids,” commented another.
Another applauded the mum, writing: “Omg! How? I have four and it’s a mission! You’re a super mum.”
One other said: “That’s an expensive family right there. So much love though and that’s what matters.”
One follower asked how they have time and space to make so many kids when they have such a full household.
Desiree explained: “Oh we have structure. And make sure to put each other first.”
Despite adoring the pregnancy progress and welcoming new children into the world, Desiree told Truly TV she “thinks we’re done now”.
She said: “Chris is going to get a vasectomy but if it happens somehow after that again then it’s meant to be. But it’s not something we’re planning.
“My baby making season is over but my grandbabies are just around the corner. I love having so many children. We’re a perfectly imperfect blended family.”
