Hi! We are a military family that fulltime with 2 kids in southern california in our Cyclone. (The same one Tony, aka TwoToes was talking about) How old are your kids? We have owned a fifth wheel for the better part of eight years, and have been weekend users, part-timers, and full-timers.
We have dealt with kids in our camper too from birth on up to 8, so we know about how to babyproof, etc.
The Elkridge line probably isn't waranteed for full-time use, BUT I haven't heard of Heartland turning down any warantee work because of it. (but again, don't quote me) We have a cyclone and bought it because, at the time, ours was the only model with the tub in in. I love the tub and have used it a few times for my own baths!
The rear bunk in the Elkridge looks like it should work pretty well. If this model had been around when we were looking, we may have had a harder decision to make. Storage is at a premium with three kids!
If it were me, I would not enjoy cooking in the kitchen in that model, because it appears that there is very limited counter space. We were in another brand before this one with less counter space. One selling point is the kitchen slide out with the peninsula counter. We enjoy that because the kids eat there for most meals, do school on the counter, and I have plenty of space to prepare meals for myself - and any guests. Even having the amount of counterspace I have (which I think is pretty high for an RV in here), there are times when I long for more space. However, I have survived with just the kitchen table and the small amount (smaller than what you have in an Elkridge) available in this model. So, it can be done. I would definitely recommend making sure you take the option for the larger fridge.
My concern would be winter in Ohio. I would definitely get the yeti package, and follow the advice posted earlier from everyone. Winter will be rough. I don't know that I would be willing to winter somewhere with a "real" winter - and we've been fulltiming for two and a half years. Winter brings new challenges, with pipes in the undercarriage, black sewage lines, the whole bit. BUT if you have to winter in an RV, I would probably not choose a toy-hauler. The garage is not insulated anywhere near as nice as the rest of the camper, and even here in San Diego, their room gets significantly colder than the rest of the place. The furnace vent doesn't do much but pump fresh air into the room. Winter also presents challenges because of condensation. All of the propane appliances put off water vapor - plus five bodies exhaling will soak the insides of your walls with water - especially at night. You will need to ensure you are venting air properly (which will mean you will have to work harder to heat the place), and you will probably need to run a dehumidifier. Learn from our mistakes - We had serious mold issues in our first camper when we spent three months over the winter in it. We lost a mattress, and all of us got pretty sick because we didn't notice it. Do take the fireplace. Electricity is often cheaper to heat with than propane - but you have to watch, because too much electric heat in the cabin means that no heat is getting to the storage area where your pipes are. Busted pipes and water leaks are not fun.
I would NOT want to move around or stay anywhere for any length of time that did not have full hook-ups. We have the washer-dryer, and love it. We just got a splendide all-in-one. Grant does his laundry one day per week when he's home - and I can usually do 3-4 loads per day for everyone else. With three kids, depending on how old they are, you might do better with a stackable, because that will allow you to do more in a day.
If you have specific questions, feel free to message me - or post here. I'm on pretty often. Fulltiming with our kids has been an adventure - and it hasn't always been ideal. One thing I know - is that I have not wished to live in a house nearly as often as I thought I would (but if we were somewhere in winter, that would probably change - I don't like cold!). I enjoy that we are all physically closer - because it sort of forces us to spend time together. The thing to remember is that attitude will make or break the adventure. Your camper will have issues, and they will come at inconvenient times, campers are NOT like houses - things get messed up quicker, and water intrusion is a big deal.
I have tons of stories and can talk (or type) until the cows come home about full-timing with kids, and all. So, let me know if you have specific questions. Also - your family, I assume will be staying with family while you are in Afghanistan, and you will be purchasing this upon your return? Or they will be living in it while you are gone? If that is the case, please be very sure your spouse is VERY familiar with the workings of an RV and is handy enough to handle fixing little things without help. My husband is gone for a year to Haiti - and we chose to stay in the camper alone, but that is because we have been fulltiming for a while already, and I have been in campers since I was just a kid. I know my way around them, and am comfortable fixing plumbing issues, and many other small things on my own (even if there are a few four letter words involved). I don't know if I would have been able or willing to live full-time in a camper with kids if I hadn't 1)already been doing it with my husband for two years before the deployment began and 2)if I wasn't in a campground that was EXTREMELY friendly. I know that if something big happened, I would have support and help from the campground staff here.
