Thank you for your input and advise - everyone, please feel free to keep your knowledge and experience coming. As far as the bat solution - I have something that Truckers use called a Tire Thumper - I'm thinking of getting another one for the house - it looks a lot like this one:
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=204601
The end is actually weighted by steel inside. I think it makes a nice club and there are not the length issues which Fire brought up in reference to using a baseball bat.
I like Fire's advise about the mace. I found a page with Sabre brand pepper spray - does anyone have a favorite of the ones listed on this page? I don't know which to buy.
https://www.knifeworks.com/index.asp...S&Category=992
I spoke to a friend who is a gun enthusiast. I think it might be wise to purchase a revolver pistol - easy to use and I can teach the Wife and kids to use it as well. Between the club, gun and mace....we should probably be covered in our home. I still have an unexplainable urge to purchase a mean nasty double edged fixed blade knife - even though your information has been an eye opener to say the least.
A short spear. What an interesting idea. That's something I never would have considered if someone hadn't suggested it. I guess you could charge with it to stab, swing it to cut - smash someone in the head with it. I don't think it would be a good idea to throw it - not the short spear anyway.