New Year, Same Old Maxwells

[mango_fandango]

Sarah finally got round to posting about New Year.

Abby's hair is getting long again. Calia looks bored/pissed. Lydia looks adorable. 

Here's to another year of bad grammar, fasting and no marriage prospects. Woohoo!!

[blessalessi]

Good grief, they know how to make a drama out of the mundane.

If they want to break up their carolling festivities over 2 nights, fair play to them, but doing it to make the event "less stressful"? Basically, they have got out the folding chairs and invited family in for crackers and cookies.  If that is a stressful event then they are doing something wrong.

 

 

[VVV]

Just now, blessalessi said:

Good grief, they know how to make a drama out of the mundane.

If they want to break up their carolling festivities over 2 nights, fair play to them, but doing it to make the event "less stressful"? Basically, they have got out the folding chairs and invited family in for crackers and cookies.  If that is a stressful event then they are doing something wrong.

 

 

I suspect that this may be related to Teri's chronic depression, which probably makes normal activities of daily life seem stressful.

[FloraKitty35]

I love Calia's facial expression, especially when Stevehovah is holding her.  (Is Calia the Stewie Griffin of Maxhell?)

[fundiefan]

I am astonished. And that's saying something. The level of mundane they've reached has surpassed prior life and I never would have thought that possible. 

[nastyhobbitses]

I don't want a Duggar-Maxwell courtship, but Spurgeon and Calia have both mastered the art of looking like they are 100% done with their families.

[sparkles]

Over the years, the blog posts have gotten shorter and shorter and considerably less substantive. Even Sarah must realize their lives are nothing but lather, rinse, repeat these days.

[princessmahina]

2 hours ago, blessalessi said:

Good grief, they know how to make a drama out of the mundane.

If they want to break up their carolling festivities over 2 nights, fair play to them, but doing it to make the event "less stressful"? Basically, they have got out the folding chairs and invited family in for crackers and cookies.  If that is a stressful event then they are doing something wrong.

 

 

I can see how someone would find that stressful (I find most things to be stressful tbh). There has to be enough food for everyone, but not so much they'll be encouraged to gluttony. The chairs have to be comfortable, but not so much that they want to stay too long or take their minds off death...

That and the Maxwells make everything into a big production, which would make everything from getting dressed to having Bible time stressful.

[accountingstar]

Calia remembers me of angry Olivia from the Rodriguez Family. At least Calia has some cute clothes minus the bows.

I feel that other fundie families know how to have more fun. Look at the Bontrager Family. That family divides into pairs and each pair makes a gourmet dish for their Christmas Eve feast.  Some of the dishes included Fiesta Fondita Dip, Gluten Free Swiss Chocolate Cake Roll + Individual Berry Cheesecakes, and Cheesy Sausage Balls w/ Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. Then they played Settlers of Catan and Dutch Blitz. The Maxwell Family could play Apples to Apples Bible Edition. You can have fun and honor God at the least time.

I am surprised that Christopher hasn't expanded his kitchen. Soon there will not be enough space for everyone.  

I am so glad that I am not part of this family.

I am hoping that someone gets married in 2016.

[Dandruff]

Less stressful? 

My first thought, one which I could only come up with for the Maxwells, is that they're working under some sort of performance requirement or quota.  Which songs must be sung?  How do we best group them to fall within our 15 minute scheduling slots?  Who shall be assigned to calm restless babies during each song?  We must pray.  Everyone needs to stay synchronized and on key - nothing less than 100% will do.  Consumption of snack.  Clean up after snack.  Smile!

[formergothardite]

Quote

Did I surprise you? Here’s a random picture from a dinner over at Joseph and Elissa’s.

Poor Sarah. She doesn't even understand surprises. 

[Anonymousguest]

4 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Poor Sarah. She doesn't even understand surprises. 

When I read that I went back up to see what surprise I missed. She didn't surprise me, just confused me. 

[church_of_dog]

I am actually surprised by that photo.  Pleasantly so.  Because I notice Calia without a massive hair bow, and she's smiling!

 

(Note:  I suspect Sarah meant the "did I surprise you" to be aimed at the photo's subjects -- suggesting that they have surprised looks on their faces?  They don't look surprised to me, but perhaps a bit more relaxed than is typical for their photos.  Maybe it just means this one was "almost" candid, as in "hey guys, look this way and smile!" as opposed to their usual half-hour of getting the shot set up just right)

[kpmom]

By "did I surprise you", I assumed Sarah meant that picture was different than the others (i.e., at a different location).  But, who knows?

It was nice to see Gi Gi looking well and enjoying her great grandchildren.

Calia looks like a totally different baby without the giant flower.

 

[blessalessi]

4 hours ago, VVV said:

I suspect that this may be related to Teri's chronic depression, which probably makes normal activities of daily life seem stressful.

Or Teri's chronic control issues, which make the normal individuation activities of young adults seem stressful.

[FundieFarmer]

I am remarkably sorry to say that I read this "It seems birthdays in our immediate family come in clumps" and then automatically thought, "Wow. You're even all having sex at the same times."

Please someone save me from myself.

[nastyhobbitses]

22 minutes ago, FundieFarmer said:

I am remarkably sorry to say that I read this "It seems birthdays in our immediate family come in clumps" and then automatically thought, "Wow. You're even all having sex at the same times."

Please someone save me from myself.

Does sex get a 15 or 30 minute block in the schedule?

[FloraKitty35]

43 minutes ago, nastyhobbitses said:

Does sex get a 15 or 30 minute block in the schedule?

I want to know if that is one block or is it broken down in into sub-blocks? (example:  5 minutes pre-coitus prayer, 5 minutes coitus, and 5 minutes post coitus prayer)

[salex]

I am with the "what is stressful about cookies and crackers and cocoa after caroling instead of a week later?" crowd.   If my math is right, there are 7 adult women and 5 adult men and between them they couldn't prep cookies and a cheese ball without it being too stressful -- these people must have a low tolerance for stress...

Maybe if they had a better schedule or something.....

[Elegant Mess]

3 hours ago, princessmahina said:

That and the Maxwells make everything into a big production, which would make everything from getting dressed to having Bible time stressful.

Tedium expands to fill the space available, and without the big conference circuits and homeschooling days of yore, there's a lot of space to fill.

[elliha]

1 hour ago, nastyhobbitses said:

Does sex get a 15 or 30 minute block in the schedule?

In the name of efficiency I think that 15 mins is more likely. There is no need to waste so much time that could be used for cleaning or bible reading.

[nastyhobbitses]

1 hour ago, elliha said:

In the name of efficiency I think that 15 mins is more likely. There is no need to waste so much time that could be used for cleaning or bible reading.

Perhaps the ofMaxwells shave the block down to 10 if their headships displeased them.

[elliha]

5 minutes ago, nastyhobbitses said:

Perhaps the ofMaxwells shave the block down to 10 if their headships displeased them.

Very possible. Or they could combine the act with hymn singing so there is no chance that god will believe that it is done for selfish reasons and not to glorify him and his institution of marriage. Wonder which hymn would be the best though? My husband and I are not gifted with this much blessed efficiency so we have not perfected the choice of hymns for this purpose yet.

[SolomonFundy]

1 hour ago, FloraKitty35 said:

I want to know if that is one block or is it broken down in into sub-blocks? (example:  5 minutes pre-coitus prayer, 5 minutes coitus, and 5 minutes post coitus prayer)

You left out the 1 minute Frumper Adjustment Period on each side. That moves pre-coitus prayer to the 2-6 minute block, post-coitus prayer to the 10-14 minute block, and leaves a measly 3 minutes in the middle for the Shame Shimmy. 

[JemimaPuddle-Duck]

2 hours ago, salex said:

I am with the "what is stressful about cookies and crackers and cocoa after caroling instead of a week later?" crowd.   If my math is right, there are 7 adult women and 5 adult men and between them they couldn't prep cookies and a cheese ball without it being too stressful -- these people must have a low tolerance for stress...

Maybe if they had a better schedule or something.....

I was thinking more along the lines of by the time they're done caroling, the children might be tapped out, making for cranky babies, especially if they are then up later than usual because of the party. In that case, it seems like a courtesy to the mamas and daddies; I'd appreciate if my family thought about things like that.