I've never taken time to check out the Hearthfire options other than building a house, putting my stuff in it and retiring that character.

This time around I got married (had Skyrim since 2012 and never been married) and I'm looking to adopt. So I was wanting to read what everybody has (or does).

For me:

_-I live in Lakeview Manor, with a Bedroom, Library, and Trophy Room

-I married Aela

-Llewellyn the Nightingale is my bard

-http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Adelaisa_Vendicci is my steward

-Sofie from Windhelm, and Runa Fair-Shield from Riften are my children

-Gunjar is my carriage-driver

-I am working on getting Rayya from Riften as my housecarl

Should my characters build a HF home, I normally pick Lakeview. Has a good view kf the lake. I've only picked Helchargen (sp?) Hall. Perhaps one day I'll get the one by Morthal.

I chose Morthal once, but it was a magical Conjuration type of character. He didn't last long.

I picked morthal because my Imperial is an empire supporter and wanted to get as far from Windhelm as possible (within price range).
Note he isn't in the empire, just outspoken supports them.

I like to buy Hjaalmarch because I love the area.

I always marry either Senna or Aela.

Never had any of the other things like a bard or housecarl (Even though I made a thread on that hahaha).

And I usually go for the smaller houses (Unless the wife starts to complain then..well...gotta make it bigger).

I once had a Male Argonian called: Loves-The-Ladies
He lived in Lakeview manor with his dirty wife called Camilla. She gives him a cut of the profit she makes from having people "visit' her.
He had Lydia as his Steward and Rayya as his Housecarl.
The 3 of them had nothing but boots on.

This sounds like one hell of a party.

All we need is cheese.

wtf does cheese have to do with it?

Wtf does cheese NOT have to do with it?

http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs47/f/2009/216/c/a/Sheogorath_De_motive_by_fkfkk.jpg

I limit my characters to one HF house apiece. Characters that specialize in Alchemy in any way live in Windstad Manor, and build the fish hatchery, alchemy tower, kitchen and greenhouse. All other characters live in Lakeview Manor, where I usually build the kitchen, bedrooms, and storage wing. For Lakeview Manor, I have a mod that puts a greenhouse/planters in the storage wing instead of the barrels and sacks, so I'll often set it up as more of a "conservatory" with pretty flowers where my character and their family can go and sit and relax, rather than a place where I harvest the plants for alchemical use. I tried Heljarchen Hall once, but didn't like it.

Whenever I build the bedroom wing for adopted kids, I don't put the double bed in there and just have it as the kids' room. This is because the double bed glitches (or at least, used to glitch) the steward, causing them to just stand by the upstairs double bed without actually sleeping. Since this was immersion-breaking (and creepy as hell!), I just stopped building the double bed in that wing, and pretend that the empty space is just open floor area for the kids to spread out and play with their toys.