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Summary of Spring Days with the Moodys


Miggy

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Good grief that was mind-numbingly boring. I have second graders who write with more imagination than Sarah.

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Before I resume my summary ...

Yes, this is Sarah's life. There is even a page at the end where she tells us this but we're not up to that yet.

I have seven and eight year old students with much better imagination but more scarily, I have eleven and twelve year old students with better writing skills. If I was to slot a chapter of this book into a school writing competition it would fit in as a bright but not outstanding year six child.

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4. The Twins' Big Day

"A few days later, it was Wednesday, March 8th, the twins first birthday." (I remember being taught the first sentence of a chapter should draw you in.) This is followed one & a half pages on the ingredients in Mollie's muffins. Mollie thanks Mom for letting her bake them. Mom is grateful to Mollie because she was busy ironing and didn't have time to bake. Mom says the kids can have the day off school because they are ahead.Mom gets an email from Miss Carolyn the midwife, inviting the kids to go sledding. The kids get out their Chorepacks, do their chores and decorate for the birthday. The dog eats the decorations. (Again? Didn't she eat Dad's birthday banner already.) Mr Delome comes over and rescues the decorations by distracting the dog with dog treats. Mollie saves the muffins just before they are burnt. (Oh the drama!) Mr Delome has bought the twins balls from the dollar shop. "You know how I like deals." (Is Mr Delome Jim Bob or are all fundies cheap? I've bought presents at dollar shops but I don't brag about it.) half a page on why the muffins are chocolate instead of choc chip.

The family go to Miss Carolyn's place. She gives them a high chair but can't stay and talk because she has a mother in labour. (Is this a bit odd as a one line comment in a children's book? At the age I would have read this I knew woman had babies but I didn't know about labour. I guess fundy kids do.) Three pages of sledding. Nothing happens. It's just Max went with Maddie then Mitch went with Mollie then someone took a baby. Mom has a go and it makes her feel 20 years younger. (Me, I feel 20 years older!) "After another hour of sledding, they were tired and ready to go home. There was lunch to be made, cupcakes to bake, and presents to wrap." (Schedule! Never forget the schedule! This book has stirred one emotion in me = pity. Those poor Maxwell offspring. I didn't realise just how limited their lives were.)

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5. Hard at Work

"It was Saturday, March 18th. (Opening sentences still need some work Sarah.) Mollie is washing up. "The Moody house was a flurry of activity as they prepared to leave." (Now there is the chapter opening. Pity it's in the second paragraph.) Today is the I-J-N day and they are going to fix Kelly's window. First they have to go next door and say hello to Mr Delome ... and tell him about the door. (I wanted the door explained twice on one page, doncha know. What us that bible verse about giving in secret?) Driving. Unloading. Mitch packed the stroller - yay Mitch. Introductions. Ladies+girls garden while men fix the door. Max gets a cockroach in his trousers. (This is worth half a page.) Mom and Kelly are talking all things religious while gardening. Maddie is hungry. Mom stops her from asking Kelly because apparently it's rude for a 5 year old to ask what they are having for lunch. Kelly's dog steals one a the baby toys. Kelly invites the family to stay for lunch. Dad packs up. "After lunch, Mom and Mollie ..." (Once again I feel like a paragraph is missing. We had two paragraphs building up to lunch: Maddie asking and Kelly inviting. Then we went straight to "After lunch...") The family drive home. There is a pice car behind them and the kids think they will get a speeding ticket. The officer tells them a rear light isn't working. (Ah, the relief.) The family decide to visit the Parkers. (I had to go back to the beginning to work out who the Parkers were. They are a couple who help out at the nursing home. Mrs Parker is pregnant but is on bed rest. Sound familiar?) Dad tells the Parkers about I-J-N projects. (Third description this chapter.) Mr Parker picks up Moses, who cries. "You can keep holding him," Dad informed. "We don't want him to learn that if he fusses, he gets his own way." (Those selfish babies!) After half an hour, they go home.

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4. The Twins' Big Day

"A few days later, it was Wednesday, March 8th, the twins first birthday." (I remember being taught the first sentence of a chapter should draw you in.) This is followed one & a half pages on the ingredients in Mollie's muffins. Mollie thanks Mom for letting her bake them. Mom is grateful to Mollie because she was busy ironing and didn't have time to bake. Mom says the kids can have the day off school because they are ahead.Mom gets an email from Miss Carolyn the midwife, inviting the kids to go sledding. The kids get out their Chorepacks, do their chores and decorate for the birthday. The dog eats the decorations. (Again? Didn't she eat Dad's birthday banner already.) Mr Delome comes over and rescues the decorations by distracting the dog with dog treats. Mollie saves the muffins just before they are burnt. (Oh the drama!) Mr Delome has bought the twins balls from the dollar shop. "You know how I like deals." (Is Mr Delome Jim Bob or are all fundies cheap? I've bought presents at dollar shops but I don't brag about it.) half a page on why the muffins are chocolate instead of choc chip.

The family go to Miss Carolyn's place. She gives them a high chair but can't stay and talk because she has a mother in labour. (Is this a bit odd as a one line comment in a children's book? At the age I would have read this I knew woman had babies but I didn't know about labour. I guess fundy kids do.) Three pages of sledding. Nothing happens. It's just Max went with Maddie then Mitch went with Mollie then someone took a baby. Mom has a go and it makes her feel 20 years younger. (Me, I feel 20 years older!) "After another hour of sledding, they were tired and ready to go home. There was lunch to be made, cupcakes to bake, and presents to wrap." (Schedule! Never forget the schedule! This book has stirred one emotion in me = pity. Those poor Maxwell offspring. I didn't realise just how limited their lives were.)

When I worked in a ghetto school, one of my 3rd graders had a teenaged sister who had a baby the night before. The little boy was writing about it in his journal and asked me how to spell "labor." (This was American school, so it was "labor" and not "labour.")

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4. The Twins' Big Day

"A few days later, it was Wednesday, March 8th, the twins first birthday." (I remember being taught the first sentence of a chapter should draw you in.) This is followed one & a half pages on the ingredients in Mollie's muffins. Mollie thanks Mom for letting her bake them. Mom is grateful to Mollie because she was busy ironing and didn't have time to bake. Mom says the kids can have the day off school because they are ahead.Mom gets an email from Miss Carolyn the midwife, inviting the kids to go sledding. The kids get out their Chorepacks, do their chores and decorate for the birthday. The dog eats the decorations. (Again? Didn't she eat Dad's birthday banner already.) Mr Delome comes over and rescues the decorations by distracting the dog with dog treats. Mollie saves the muffins just before they are burnt. (Oh the drama!) Mr Delome has bought the twins balls from the dollar shop. "You know how I like deals." (Is Mr Delome Jim Bob or are all fundies cheap? I've bought presents at dollar shops but I don't brag about it.) half a page on why the muffins are chocolate instead of choc chip.

The family go to Miss Carolyn's place. She gives them a high chair but can't stay and talk because she has a mother in labour. (Is this a bit odd as a one line comment in a children's book? At the age I would have read this I knew woman had babies but I didn't know about labour. I guess fundy kids do.) Three pages of sledding. Nothing happens. It's just Max went with Maddie then Mitch went with Mollie then someone took a baby. Mom has a go and it makes her feel 20 years younger. (Me, I feel 20 years older!) "After another hour of sledding, they were tired and ready to go home. There was lunch to be made, cupcakes to bake, and presents to wrap." (Schedule! Never forget the schedule! This book has stirred one emotion in me = pity. Those poor Maxwell offspring. I didn't realise just how limited their lives were.)

In the Maxwell world, that IS an interesting sentence. Hell, the * Twins's* birthday is probably the most interesting thing that happens. And Chorepacks? Seriously? What's going to pop up next, the parents will learn to make Great Conversationalists? The Maxwells do like to shill their own books while they're writing books, don't they?

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I wonder if the dog eating something on every damn page is Sarah's idea of hilarity? As we all know that house is no laugh riot, so I am guessing she has no clue about how funny works.

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

I think smoking pot* while reading the Moody books might make them more interesting.

*preferably a joint laced with hashish--not that I would know anything about that, of course...

Edited to add: I see other FJers have recommended the use of various mind-altering substances to enhance the Moody book experience. Maybe the books should come with a warning: Reading this may promote drug and/or alcohol abuse.

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Mom talks to the attendant. She has become a Christian after talking to Mom and tells her she has been reading her bible.

Wait, what? Does Mrs. Moody seriously just magically convert the gas station attendant right then and there or were you joking?

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Sorry, that wasn't clear. Mom converted her some time in the past. On this visit she is just talking to Mom about reading the bible.

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Mr Parker picks up Moses, who cries. "You can keep holding him," Dad informed. "We don't want him to learn that if he fusses, he gets his own way." (Those selfish babies!)

what the fuck is wrong with these people? "the thing I am doing is upsetting this person" "well, you can keep doing it if you want" ... ? ???

21bipfr.png

why would he want to keep doing it, Daddy Moody? what is wrong with you? this isn't even basic manipulative-babiez fundiespeak, which says they shouldn't be able to manipulate you into doing something. the baby's cries are "manipulating" Mr Parker into not actively doing a thing, the thing being ... making the baby cry

an ocean of ???? would not cover this situation what is wrong with your brain Sarah Maxwell?

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Wow. This is, er, fascinating on so many levels. Miggy, thanks for taking one for the team. You really do deserve some sort of recreational substance!

I'm wondering -- are there order forms and/or advertisements in the back of the book for other Maxwell books?

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what the fuck is wrong with these people? "the thing I am doing is upsetting this person" "well, you can keep doing it if you want" ... ? ???

21bipfr.png

why would he want to keep doing it, Daddy Moody? what is wrong with you? this isn't even basic manipulative-babiez fundiespeak, which says they shouldn't be able to manipulate you into doing something. the baby's cries are "manipulating" Mr Parker into not actively doing a thing, the thing being ... making the baby cry

an ocean of ???? would not cover this situation what is wrong with your brain Sarah Maxwell?

Dear lord.

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Sorry, that wasn't clear. Mom converted her some time in the past. On this visit she is just talking to Mom about reading the bible.

Ahh. That makes a lot more sense than Mom hopping out of the car and converting her with the magic words (though that would be much funnier, and telling in its own way!).

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:wtf:

How depressing is that?! If this is Sarah's life then wow... That just fills me with pity.

I've never heard of the Maxhells before I came here and at first had no idea who the hell they were and why anyone would care about them - but then I saw their blog... and... woah. What an empty, sad life for those kids (adults, really)

As for Steve - I feel nothing but disgust and anger. Stevie honey, you're going to be awfully surprised as to where you end up. I'm sure God will show mercy for your kids but you probably shouldn't expect much. :nenner:

Miggy - you deserve much gratitude for taking one for the team!

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as 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.

No inspiration except to fund her dowry :sleeping-blue::sleeping-blue::sleeping-blue: for her eventual partial escape from this hell of boredom? :happy-jumpeveryone:

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what the fuck is wrong with these people? "the thing I am doing is upsetting this person" "well, you can keep doing it if you want" ... ? ???

21bipfr.png

why would he want to keep doing it, Daddy Moody? what is wrong with you? this isn't even basic manipulative-babiez fundiespeak, which says they shouldn't be able to manipulate you into doing something. the baby's cries are "manipulating" Mr Parker into not actively doing a thing, the thing being ... making the baby cry

an ocean of ???? would not cover this situation what is wrong with your brain Sarah Maxwell?

And poor Mr. Parker, who's probably thinking ,"Shit, now I gotta hold this kid 'til he shuts up."

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And poor Mr. Parker, who's probably thinking ,"Shit, now I gotta hold this kid 'til he shuts up."

First the homosexual agenda, now the infant agenda...

WHEN WILL THESE GROUPS STOP BULLYING GOD-FEARING CHRISTIANS INTO HAVING THEIR OWN WAY?!?!?!?!!!!11!!!@!@

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I wonder if the dog eating something on every damn page is Sarah's idea of hilarity? As we all know that house is no laugh riot, so I am guessing she has no clue about how funny works.

Off to the prayer closet Myfanwy! :naughty: There house is a laugh riot, there was that hilarious time when Uriah's driver seat kept vibrating Stevie's arse. And it turned out to be his sunglasses lodged in a crack. They laughed all night until Stevie decided they were making an idol of the situation.

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So far my takeaway from this book summary is that the Moodys and everyone they know (and by extension the Maxwells) have really annoying dogs, with all the stuff they eat/destroy and toys they snatch from babies. Maybe it's meant to highlight the dogs' animal nature and contrast it with the God-fearing piety of people who have to schedule gas fill-ups or they throw off their entire day. Or maybe there's not even that much thought behind it.

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So far my takeaway from this book summary is that the Moodys and everyone they know (and by extension the Maxwells) have really annoying dogs, with all the stuff they eat/destroy and toys they snatch from babies. Maybe it's meant to highlight the dogs' animal nature and contrast it with the God-fearing piety of people who have to schedule gas fill-ups or they throw off their entire day. Or maybe there's not even that much thought behind it.

I think they need to spend LESS time tying to train their babies/children, and MORE time trying to train their dogs.

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"You can keep holding him," said Dad. "We don't want him to learn that his feelings matter."

"You can keep holding him," said Dad. "We don't want him to feel that we respond to his needs."

"You can keep holding him," said Dad. "We don't want him to think that we care when he is afraid."

"You can keep holding him," said Dad. "We don't want to encourage him to communicate his feelings."

"You can keep holding him," said Dad. "We are trying to teach him it is hopeless to object to anything we inflict upon him."

"You can keep holding him," said Dad. "We are trying to teach him to submit to anything a stranger does to him."

Now that would be honest!

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My take on the dog is that he is Sarah's rebellious side. Everyone is this "book" acts like regimented wind-up dolls, only the dog has a mischievous, non-robotic nature. Watch out for the day that the dog escapes the family! Run, Sarah, run!

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