The second bag I bought is a mummy style bag so I put it into the rectangular bag for the extra insulation. I mistakenly put the rectangle bag in the mummy bag the first night and I froze my keester off. Mummy bag in the rectangle bag second night was excellent.
TARGET sells camping gear if you like to avoid Wally's, check there but, I don't know prices as I haven't purchased camping gear there yet.

That is a truly good piece of info you stumbled onto WillyPete! And one that probably isn't thought of without being in the position you were in! I have a ton of those sleeping bags already. I hand them out when all the grandkids are here. They seem to prefer that to blankets and sheets! I do know to not wear all my clothes even though I want to. Not only is it uncomfortable but you wake up sweaty and miserable while your face is a block of ice. I will comparison shop for inexpensive bags that I can put together. Ollies has a bunch of swiss mummy bags (actually made there) that are supposedly good to 0 degrees. I have been watching the pile go down for a year now and last time I was there they only had about a dozen of them left. I may try a couple of those for abstart.

I found out the hard way that you can place one of those inexpensive 40 degree Wal-Mart sleeping bags inside of another one and keep toasty warm at 10 or so above 0 degrees F. The bags themselves cost about $30 or so and they are rather durable, I've had mine for prolly 10 years on one and 6 on the other and they're in as good a shape as when I bought them.
My wife gave me a very large 0 degree bag for Christmas and it's a good one too, the cost was around $100 though. I like the two bags more since layering for warmth is the better idea and, when it's warmer at night I just pull the inside bag out and use either one.
I found all this out by taking my usual 40 degree F bag on a hunting trip and the nighttime temps were getting into the teens and lower. My 40 bag wasn't cutting it so, I went to the nearest Wally's and bought another 40 degree bag, which was all they had, put it inside the first one climbed in and slept very comfortably.
I have found that the best way to sleep warm is to shuck down to your skivvies, wearing heavy clothing causes you to freeeze in low temps for some reason. I usually wear a T-shirt and sweat pants and sleep quite well.
The only real 4 season tent I would know about is the heavy canvas walled and roofed wall tent with a stove inside piped through the appropriate panel to the outside. Anything else ain't quite enough. Most of what you can get these days are only 3 season at best and 2 season usually. Winter is NOT one of those seasons by the way.

Here is a web address for the Montanna Canvas Wall Tent. These are what hunting guides use in the rocky mountains but they also use a pack horse to carry all the poles and other components. Check them out at www.walltentshop.com/MtCantent.html

The best sleeping bag I have found is the military mummy bag even though I am claustrophobic . I have 2 of them, one specked to 10 degrees above zero and the other is an Arctic bag, much bigger and thicker and harder to carry but good to minus 40 degrees. I paid $35 for the first and I bought the Arctic bag brand new at the Knob Creek gun show for $40. The European military has adopted the layered concept and I have seen surplus used and new units for sale in The Outdoorsman catalog, the mail order company from Minnesota. I have no idea about the reliability of those high priced yuppie bags because I went into shock when I looked at the price tag and never bothered to look any further. I carry a waterproof sleeping bag cover to keep my bags dry. Never used a tent, too heavy to carry and you need flat ground to set it up. Flat ground is very hard to come by here. I carry a new camoflauge tarp to make into a lean to or shelter if its raining. They are light weight and cost effective. You have a different scenario with all the family you are taking care of so maybe you should look at those "outfitters" tents that hunting guides use, the ones with a hole for a tin wonder stovepipe to go through. They still make them up in Montanna but I can't remember the name of the company.

What is the best type of sleeping bag? Is it the type with layers that you can add or shed depending on weather? That seems to make the most sense to me yet when I look at the -40 degree bags at cabellas or gander they are just one piece. Is it better to get one of those liners and a 0 degree? Or one of those insulated suits you wear into your sleeping bag or what? I am getting tired of looking and researching. I have 13 people to buy for so those $500 bags are way out of my limit. Are mummy bags truly better than the square bottom bags? I am too claustrophobic for a mummy bag but not opposed to getting them for everyone else if it is best?

AND is there truly a 4 season tent? Or is that a hoax? If there is a real 4 season tent...does anyone know the brand? Or style?