Summary of Spring Days with the Moodys

[Miggy]

Ok Freejinger friends, I've taken the bullet for everyone and read Spring Days with the Moodys. It's taken me two days because it made my head hurt and I had to keep putting it down and walking away. It's boring. It's annoying. The writing is weird. (Making Great Conversationalists had snarkable content but at least Steve and Teri can write.) I will now go through the book and give you a chapter by chapter summary. This may take me a couple of days.

Meet the characters

Summary of both parents, the six kids, grandma, grandpa and eight random neighbours. As this is my first Moody book, this was character overload and I got bored. After reading a chapter or two I had forgotten all of the summaries given here so when I came across them in the story I had no idea who they were.

"Background

The Moody's lives in Sunflower, Kansas, and they have six wonderful blessings from the Lord. They keep busy homeschooling, serving the Lord, and finding ways they can minister. Join the Moodys as they experience an exciting spring."

1.Midnight Adventure

The chapter started well: Max woken up at midnight by the dog, he follows dog downstairs, gives dog a drink but the dog is still upset. Max thinks there is a fire in the basement and wakes up his dad. Dad finds it is actually a burst water pipe and turns the water off.

First odd thing; we are reading about Mitch and the dog getting wet then suddenly "As the guys lifted the old sofa to move it to a dry area ..." What sofa? What guys? Where did this come from? I feel like a paragraph is missing here.

Dad explains how the pipe has broken. Mitch collects towels to clean up the water. Maddie gets upset at Mitch because he has her towel. Dad says she must speak kindly so she apologises. They clean up the water then have a midnight snack of apples and cheese.

Overall this chapter was ok except for the weird paragraph about the sofa. However for some reason it just doesn't read quite right. It is similar in style to Enid Blyton but clumsy.

2. Birthday Repairs

Dad wakes the boys up. Bible time. They have to change their plan about making biscuits for breakfast because they have to go shopping. (Who cares?) Detailed description of a visit to the bakery. (Very dull.) Now driving to the home improvement store Mitch tells us how excited he is about a planned trip to the Safari Park in April. Grandpa has given this trip for Christmas. Next paragraph and we are back to the home improvement store. (Does Sarah normally write like this, jumping randomly from topic to topic? It's painful to read as the story doesn't flow.) Dad buys plumbing supplies and they go home. Mom is making a meal. Sarah gives us weird details "Mom mixed up a treat they called Rosie's juice, which was named after a breakfast hostess at a hotel Grandpa and Grandma had visited once. The juice was an equal combination of orange and cranberry juice and was a favourite of the Moodys." (I would make my students analyse the essential parts of that sentence and hopefully end up with something like Mom mixed up orange and cranberry juice, which was a family favourite. There are so many of these long descriptions that I found myself jumping over paragraphs to try and find the next piece of story.) Maddie and Mollie make a banner saying Happy Birthday but the dog eats it. The family eat breakfast. Dad and the boys repair the water pipe using the information in Mitch's fix-it book. Dad goes to work. "Mom consulted the brightly colored MOTH schedule ..." (Reference to the end of the chapter where it explains MOTH.) They start on the days activities. Mr Delome and Mrs Bagwell visit to drop off a present for Dad. In the last ten lines of the chapter Grandma comes over, Mollie is excited about visiting the safari park, Mom goes shopping after giving Grandma instructions on when and what to feed the babies.

I feel like I am reading in a monotone. This is so boring ... and then we went ... and then we did ... but broken up by ridiculously long descriptions. There is NO drama. If this was written by Enid Blyton, something would have happened at the home improvement store and we wouldn't have details about baby food.

[Miggy]

3. Shopping for Dad

Two paragraph description of finding a park at Wal-Mart. A full page description of choosing a balloon. Now to get a present "The children had prayed about what to get Dad." Max runs into someone and apologies. Mom tries to unlock the wrong car in the car park. (This had potential but Sarah didn't make much of it.) Mom goes to the gas station then worries dinner will be late because she hadn't planned on the time it would take to get gas. (I don't know about Sarah but it only takes us 10 minutes to fill the car and pay.) "I know I shouldn't be worrying. There's that verse in Philippians which says I should be careful for nothing." Maddie prays that Mom won't worry. Now the kids talk about an accident last year at the gas station. (Another jump in the story.) Mom talks to the attendant. She has become a Christian after talking to Mom and tells her she has been reading her bible. She also has a broken latch on her storm door. Back in the car the family decide they should repair the door as an "I-J-N". Apparently this stands for In Jesus Name and the kids pray for I-J-Ns. "I love how the Lord is answering my prayers. I can't wait to see how He will keep giving us I-J-N opportunities."

So, we bought a balloon and lunch box and talked to a lady at the gas station. I'm struggling to stay focused. (Yes I am aware I am an adult reading a book aimed at kids but as a teacher I know this would bore my students too.)

More tomorrow. I must sleep now as it's 1am.

[16strong]

I feel like Moody books provide a great insight into the lives of the Maxwells, because Sarah clearly has no creativity to come up with ideas on her own. All she knows is what she personally has experienced, so the books are basically autobiographical. Now I have to ask, does anyone know when the Maxwells had a burst pipe in their basement?

[nausicaa]

Ok Freejinger friends, I've taken the bullet for everyone and read Spring Days with the Moodys. It's taken me two days because it made my head hurt and I had to keep putting it down and walking away. It's boring. It's annoying. The writing is weird. (Making Great Conversationalists had snarkable content but at least Steve and Teri can write.) I will now go through the book and give you a chapter by chapter summary. This may take me a couple of days.

Meet the characters

Summary of both parents, the six kids, grandma, grandpa and eight random neighbours. As this is my first Moody book, this was character overload and I got bored. After reading a chapter or two I had forgotten all of the summaries given here so when I came across them in the story I had no idea who they were.

"Background

The Moody's lives in Sunflower, Kansas, and they have six wonderful blessings from the Lord. They keep busy homeschooling, serving the Lord, and finding ways they can minister. Join the Moodys as they experience an exciting spring."

1.Midnight Adventure

The chapter started well: Max woken up at midnight by the dog, he follows dog downstairs, gives dog a drink but the dog is still upset. Max thinks there is a fire in the basement and wakes up his dad. Dad finds it is actually a burst water pipe and turns the water off.

First odd thing; we are reading about Mitch and the dog getting wet then suddenly "As the guys lifted the old sofa to move it to a dry area ..." What sofa? What guys? Where did this come from? I feel like a paragraph is missing here.

Dad explains how the pipe has broken. Mitch collects towels to clean up the water. Maddie gets upset at Mitch because he has her towel. Dad says she must speak kindly so she apologises. They clean up the water then have a midnight snack of apples and cheese.

Overall this chapter was ok except for the weird paragraph about the sofa. However for some reason it just doesn't read quite right. It is similar in style to Enid Blyton but clumsy.

2. Birthday Repairs

Dad wakes the boys up. Bible time. They have to change their plan about making biscuits for breakfast because they have to go shopping. (Who cares?) Detailed description of a visit to the bakery. (Very dull.) Now driving to the home improvement store Mitch tells us how excited he is about a planned trip to the Safari Park in April. Grandpa has given this trip for Christmas. Next paragraph and we are back to the home improvement store. (Does Sarah normally write like this, jumping randomly from topic to topic? It's painful to read as the story doesn't flow.) Dad buys plumbing supplies and they go home. Mom is making a meal. Sarah gives us weird details "Mom mixed up a treat they called Rosie's juice, which was named after a breakfast hostess at a hotel Grandpa and Grandma had visited once. The juice was an equal combination of orange and cranberry juice and was a favourite of the Moodys." (I would make my students analyse the essential parts of that sentence and hopefully end up with something like Mom mixed up orange and cranberry juice, which was a family favourite. There are so many of these long descriptions that I found myself jumping over paragraphs to try and find the next piece of story.) Maddie and Mollie make a banner saying Happy Birthday but the dog eats it. The family eat breakfast. Dad and the boys repair the water pipe using the information in Mitch's fix-it book. Dad goes to work. "Mom consulted the brightly colored MOTH schedule ..." (Reference to the end of the chapter where it explains MOTH.) They start on the days activities. Mr Delome and Mrs Bagwell visit to drop off a present for Dad. In the last ten lines of the chapter Grandma comes over, Mollie is excited about visiting the safari park, Mom goes shopping after giving Grandma instructions on when and what to feed the babies.

I feel like I am reading in a monotone. This is so boring ... and then we went ... and then we did ... but broken up by ridiculously long descriptions. There is NO drama. If this was written by Enid Blyton, something would have happened at the home improvement store and we wouldn't have details about baby food.

Dear God, the Moody books are even drier and more boring than I had thought.

[ljohnson2006]

Maybe if Sarah smoked pot while writing the Moody books they wouldn't be so damn boring.

[anjulibai]

Why in the world would anyone need to schedule getting gas?

[uber frau]

If they're planning and scheduling work so well, why don't their making biscuit plans and their shopping plans clash?

And I love how they consult a how-to-fix-it book rather than Google or a YouTube video like the rest of us.

[Jane_Goth]

Thank you Miggy, you've really taken one for the team reading that stuff. I feel sorry for the poor kids who get bought this stuff to read instead of real children's fiction.

[daisyjane1234]

Maybe if Sarah smoked pot while writing the Moody books they wouldn't be so damn boring.

Screw Sarah. How on earth are you getting through the book without smoking pot, or drinking alcohol in large quantities?

[ILoveJellybeans]

I think I could have written a better story when I was 8.

[Khan]

What the bloody Hell? Is this being sold as a print book or epub? This sounds like a small child's journal for school.

[Jana814]

I feel like Moody books provide a great insight into the lives of the Maxwells, because Sarah clearly has no creativity to come up with ideas on her own. All she knows is what she personally has experienced, so the books are basically autobiographical. Now I have to ask, does anyone know when the Maxwells had a burst pipe in their basement?

I read the books she wrote & I have to agree w/ u about Sarah. After I read these books it made sad that the way the books discribed family live was how the Maxwell's were raised.

[quincygal]

I am hung up on the apples & cheese for a midnight snack. Were they served in Godly proportions, or was it a hell-bound free-for-all?

I agree with the poster who said it gives us insight into the Maxwell family.

[nausicaa]

Why in the world would anyone need to schedule getting gas?

Considering how tightly scheduled their lives are, they probably can predict exactly when they will hit "E" each month. But yeah, it's pretty sad that something that takes fifteen minutes tops throws them completely off if it's not on the schedule.

No wonder they can't get along with many other fundie families. I imagine most Quiverfull families (and as has been seen with the Duggars and Bates) are far less organized than even I am, often running late and having at least a couple unexpected events throw off their schedules every day.

As I suspected, the Moody books are a good glimpse into the Maxwells' everyday lives.

[Tish Cook]

I think that first you must experience life yourself in order to write a fictional account of another family. It is clear from Sarah's writing that she has very poor social interaction skills outside of her family (and by poor I mean none) and has no inspiration for her stories other than what goes on in the Maxwell home. They have even managed to stunt her imagination....which is truly sad. What a joyless existence these people lead.

[sparkles]

I can't imagine what it's like to grow up in a family that teaches you to be so consumed by where you're going to go when you die that you're afraid to live.

[Jana814]

I can't imagine what it's like to grow up in a family that teaches you to be so consumed by where you're going to go when you die that you're afraid to live.

Same here!! I bet they grilled it into them from the beginning.

[usmcmom]

I think that first you must experience life yourself in order to write a fictional account of another family. It is clear from Sarah's writing that she has very poor social interaction skills outside of her family (and by poor I mean none) and has no inspiration for her stories other than what goes on in the Maxwell home. They have even managed to stunt her imagination....which is truly sad. What a joyless existence these people lead.

Sarah has had the same life experience as the children for whom she writes. Mom and Dad tell her what to eat, what to wear and where she can go. They tell her who she can interact with and monitor her every move. They tell her when to wake up and when to exercise. They literally schedule her entire day, just like we would a small child. She really drives home the concept of "knowing your audience."

[Tish Cook]

Tish Cook wrote:

I think that first you must experience life yourself in order to write a fictional account of another family. It is clear from Sarah's writing that she has very poor social interaction skills outside of her family (and by poor I mean none) and has no inspiration for her stories other than what goes on in the Maxwell home. They have even managed to stunt her imagination....which is truly sad. What a joyless existence these people lead.

Sarah has had the same life experience as the children for whom she writes. Mom and Dad tell her what to eat, what to wear and where she can go. They tell her who she can interact with and monitor her every move. They tell her when to wake up and when to exercise. They literally schedule her entire day, just like we would a small child. She really drives home the concept of "knowing your audience."

Maybe it is just wishing thinking on my part, but I can't imagine the families buying this book being as strict and as sould sucking as the Maxwells. I like to tell myself they are in a class by themselves, but sadly that is probably not true.

[Miranda]

Thank you Miggy, you've really taken one for the team reading that stuff. I feel sorry for the poor kids who get bought this stuff to read instead of real children's fiction.

I was just thinking back on my favorite childhood books and authors and recalling how much I enjoyed them. Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Richard Peck and Lois Duncan come readily to mind. I just can't even imagine how depressing my childhood reading experience would have been if all I had been offered was this Moody drivel.

[Burpies]

Maybe if Sarah smoked pot while writing the Moody books they wouldn't be so damn boring.

Maybe if we smoked pot while reading them they wouldn't seem so damn boring. I doubt it though. I could barely get through the description of the book. Couldn't imagine reading it!

[Marianne]

When I was 8, I wrote a book (15 pages handwritten), about a young girl reading book whos had the power to go in and change the history. She came in Harry Potter and the Weasley twins became the hero of the series as Harry became a secondary character, she came in the Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf became drunk after eating the grandmother who was an alcoholic, etc.... At 8, I had more imagination and literrary reference than Sarah...

But Uber Frau, i disagree ! Fix-it books are amazing and sometimes more usefull than google !

[browngrl]

In honour of Sarah's story of the Moody's flood and Miggy (who has gone above and beyond the call of duty). I present the story "Springtime flood at the Browngrls home" aka "What I did on the Weekend".

It was a dark and stormy night. A large meal had been eaten and Mr and Mrs Browngrl were bloated and gassy. Suddenly a horrific stench filled the air. "Oh for God's sake go stop farting" exclaimed Mrs. Browngrl. "It wasn't me" protested Mr Browngrl. Then both Browngrls looked accusingly at the dog. The dog ran to the basement stairs and started barking. The Browngrls went to the stairs and gasped in horror. The basement was full of sewage which was geysering out of the floor. F**K! F**K! screamed the Browngrls in unison.

The Browngrls sprang into action. Mr Browngrl bravely waded into the sludge and tried to save what could be saved. Mrs Browngrl googled "emergency plumber". All the pets were anxious to help and ran downstairs to see what Mr Browngrl was up to. While Mr Browngrl cleaned the basement, Mrs Browngrl washed the now sewage soaked pets and then corralled them upstairs. She then bandaged up the many scratches the cats had given her. With the promise of large payment a plumber soon appeared at their door. He snaked out the problem. A burst water pipe. Emergency repairs were made. Mrs Browngrl pulled out her credit card and gave the plumber a surprisingly large amount of money.

Even though the water was now stopped, Mr and Mrs Browngrl could not rest. They toiled late in the night cleaning. Then, filthy poor and stinking they sat down and drank a rather large bottle of wine. They would have made out like weasels but both found the other's eau de sewage smell appalling. The End

[ILoveJellybeans]

That is hilarious :D

[PennySycamore]

Dear God, the Moody books are even drier and more boring than I had thought.

I got sleepy reading that and not because of Miggy's writing. It's just the subject matter is so boring.