Maxwell Christmas 2012

[PennySycamore]

That "wreaf" sounds tacky as hell!

[Kitty]

I came.here hoping to find a video of an.adorable child incorrectly stating that Joseph and Mary made a wreath for Baby Jesus.

You disappoint me, Maxwells.

[Eternalbluepearl]

They better not be making idols out of Christmas decorations. I thought there was a strict religious only policy when it came to Christmas decorating?

[Witsec7]

In addition to the relationship-building, character-building aspect of sharing a bedroom, we found out that brothers sharing a bedrooms and sisters sharing a bedroom also gives great accountability. When families write us about problems their children have gotten into concerning the Internet, their phones, outside relationships, music, and more, those children often had their own bedrooms. They had the privacy to give in to temptation when they were faced with it.

Yup the big kids can now tattle to mommy and daddy just like ten year olds do. And no they don't have outside relationships Teri, quit your lying.

[Arete]

Yup the big kids can now tattle to mommy and daddy just like ten year olds do. And no they don't have outside relationships Teri, quit your lying.

This just brought the acid up my esophagus. I shared a room until I left for college, and the cardinal rule of that living space was "Thou shalt not tattle". And seriously, if we had, my dad would have punished the tattler. We plotted some of our best plans from the confines of the shared room. Only the Maxwells could turn it into something so vile. Hey Steve, we also liked analyzing our outside relationships together in the shared bedroom!

[jockosmom]

So privacy = succumbing to temptation and doing bad things? You know, Maxwells, some people have a NEED for privacy. I have to have some 'alone time' every day or I'll go nuts. Not everybody looooves being around other people, whether family or not, 24/7. Just because you want or need privacy does not mean you're going to do something bad or forbidden the minute you're by yourself. Sheesh!

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Yup the big kids can now tattle to mommy and daddy just like ten year olds do. And no they don't have outside relationships Teri, quit your lying.

Nah, you just read too fast (can't blame you either, it's boring!!) - it's those other heathen problem kids whose parents wrote to her that have the outside relationships. Teri isn't claiming her own precious kids would have outside relationships, because she raised 'em right!! :roll:

Meanwhile though... the Maxwell kids have bunk beds. Presumably they have quilts. We know that they have iPhones. It's quite possible to mute your phone and surf the net all night or have a chat with people under the covers if that's really what you're wanting to do. People the world over who just can't afford to have separate sleeping rooms manage!!! Who knows if the Maxwells ever do - they might be brainwashed completely away from all that, but on the other hand if they did surf places they shouldn't be, they probably keep it on the down low. Though I suppose they might have parental controls on the phones...

I found it weird that Sarah is always so much "one of the girls" at 30 though (as do we all). She's TEN years older than Anna. This wouldn't strike me as weird at all if they had more independent lives (even if they still all shared a bedroom at night), but somehow the way that Corner is written is just creepy. The spread of boys' ages isn't so large.

Also of course they're always working out in the basement. Somehow I'm not surprised.

[lilwriter85]

This is a bit of OT, but the Muncks are doing a giveaway in which they are going to give a copy of The Nativity Story and Davy and Goliath DVD. They said on the blog that they like watching those movies and cartoons. Elizabeth must be happy to not have married into the Maxwell family in which a Christian themed movie or kiddie Christian DVDs are banned.

[VooDooChild]

So privacy = succumbing to temptation and doing bad things? You know, Maxwells, some people have a NEED for privacy. I have to have some 'alone time' every day or I'll go nuts. Not everybody looooves being around other people, whether family or not, 24/7. Just because you want or need privacy does not mean you're going to do something bad or forbidden the minute you're by yourself. Sheesh!

This. I highly value my privacy and will about pull out my hair if I can't get a decent amount of it daily. Much to the Maxwell's chagrin, I'm sure, I don't spend that time, masturbating, stealing my neighbors cable, surfing porn sites, or on any other form of debauchery. Sorry to disappoint.

Also, I was quite put off by the wreath business. As I read it I pictured Joseph buying supplies, plunking them down in front of his servant sister and demanding a wreath for his castle. Of course she has no choice but to comply. Maybe I'm just being too critical.

[mirele]

All I can say is that the Maxwells are lucky not to have a kid on the autism spectrum in their household. If I lived there, I would have slit my throat before now. Sometimes I just have to BE ALONE so I can recharge. Even if it is something as simple as turning face to the wall and counting backwards from 100, SLOWLY. That'd be so unacceptable for the Maxwells, why who knows what sort of evil I could be up to?

I would have never made it in the Maxwell household. *shudder*

[AVENues]

So privacy = succumbing to temptation and doing bad things? You know, Maxwells, some people have a NEED for privacy. I have to have some 'alone time' every day or I'll go nuts. Not everybody looooves being around other people, whether family or not, 24/7. Just because you want or need privacy does not mean you're going to do something bad or forbidden the minute you're by yourself. Sheesh!

It is the basic element of my life. I had never had any before. I only felt good alone with my books/laptop and everytime I had to attend a party or meet people that I did not like, it exhausted me to the point of being depressed and suicidal. Dining with other people takes my appetite for 2 days. I want to read while I eat and not be bothered by chatter and other noises. I have tinnitus and every loud noise makes me sick to my stomach. And I live alone now and I do not want anyone to come to my bed with me and I'm extremely relieved. I enjoy daytime activities/work but then, the rest of the day is mine and mine alone. I guess they cannot imagine people living alone and not doing anything else but involving themselves into activities that they condemn. If I'd tell them that I'm grading papers at night then I read a book or watch a movie alone, they would not believe it. They probably think that woman living alone have orgies every night like they read it in the bible in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Chamomile tea and literature just does not makes sense when it comes to a woman living alone. They cannot pass up the opportunity to invite over an entire baseball team every night. *sarcasm* Shows how dirty their mind really is.

[SisiL78]

Darn, the Wreaf reference must have been fixed by Steve.

Is Teri still updating MOm's corner? The last one I could find was from earlier this year.

[fundiefan]

What sad lives they continue to have. My sister and I made a wreath and a small tree for my aunt, with the supplies she chose. We did it as a gesture to her. It was just...what people do. Nothing special, except to my aunt who was dealing with cancer at the time. It was personal and special for us. It wasn't such a big deal though that we had to tell others or make it seem something so special; it's what family does.

If any of them had real lives it would be a side note, not an entire blog post with supporting pictures.

PS - I think it is an ugly wreath. Everyone has different tastes, of course, but there is far too much 'embellishment' for it to be anything other than...ugly. Less is more with crafts. Really.

[IrishRose]

I'm an extreme introvert. Being forced to have all that closeness with no alone time would smother me. And I read all the time...I'm sure most of my books would not be Maxwell approved.

[fundiefan]

I'm an extreme introvert. Being forced to have all that closeness with no alone time would smother me. And I read all the time...I'm sure most of my books would not be Maxwell approved.

I agree. That kind of (no) life would have killed me. I grew up in a very open family with people around all the time; I lived with my grandmother, so the aunts, uncles and cousins were there probably daily. I prefer quiet pursuits and books to being with people all the time. I'm not anti social, but for as long as I can remember, I've needed (and fortunately been given) time alone, to do what I need to do. Even in the insanity of my grandmother's house and later with my mom and her alcoholic, violent husband.

I was born to refresh, focus, energize, cope and gain perspective by being alone. My grandma always told the story of me being three and locking the door to my uncle's bedroom as soon as I learned there was a lock on the door (apparently, they were talking about installing the lock and I heard it). The let me be. I don't remember it but it was one of my grandma's most told stories about me.

I'd have died heart and soul in the Maxwell house.

[ricky_ticky]

Wow it is not cross shaped.

Do you mean like this one? It's hanging on the Maxwell's porch, complete with halo. (I can only dream that it lights up.)

www.titus2.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/ ... 66x400.jpg

[fundiefan]

Do you mean like this one? It's hanging on the Maxwell's porch, complete with halo. (I can only dream that it lights up.)

http://www.titus2.com/blog/wp-content/u ... 66x400.jpg

It is somewhat interesting that it was just your average circle wreaf. It doesn't have crosses or godly symbols on it at all. It's all...decoration.

So un-Maxwell of them.

[clarinetpower]

Do you mean like this one? It's hanging on the Maxwell's porch, complete with halo. (I can only dream that it lights up.)

http://www.titus2.com/blog/wp-content/u ... 66x400.jpg

Good thing Jesus didn't hang on evergreen. Hella itchy.

[Miggy]

I agree. That kind of (no) life would have killed me. I grew up in a very open family with people around all the time; I lived with my grandmother, so the aunts, uncles and cousins were there probably daily. I prefer quiet pursuits and books to being with people all the time. I'm not anti social, but for as long as I can remember, I've needed (and fortunately been given) time alone, to do what I need to do. Even in the insanity of my grandmother's house and later with my mom and her alcoholic, violent husband.

I was born to refresh, focus, energize, cope and gain perspective by being alone. My grandma always told the story of me being three and locking the door to my uncle's bedroom as soon as I learned there was a lock on the door (apparently, they were talking about installing the lock and I heard it). The let me be. I don't remember it but it was one of my grandma's most told stories about me.

I'd have died heart and soul in the Maxwell house.

I think this describes fairly well what has happened to Sarah, it's just that nobody acknowledges it.

[YPestis]

I feel bad for saying this but I don't like Mary's wreath. I don't like the color scheme she has, it just looks....odd. It's nice to see Mary involved in something semi-creative.

[yewnique]

Only today did I realise they have a Joseph and a Mary. Took me long enough.

Me, too!

[Wolfie]

All I can say is that the Maxwells are lucky not to have a kid on the autism spectrum in their household. If I lived there, I would have slit my throat before now. Sometimes I just have to BE ALONE so I can recharge. Even if it is something as simple as turning face to the wall and counting backwards from 100, SLOWLY. That'd be so unacceptable for the Maxwells, why who knows what sort of evil I could be up to?

I would have never made it in the Maxwell household. *shudder*

This!

I am diagnosed as ADHD, but I'm right on the borderline for aspergers/high functioning in terms of symptoms, especially as a child.

My parents made sure we had our own spaces until we got our own rooms- it was as much for their sanity as ours.

[Wolfie]

Me, too!

And, gasp! Having both a Joseph and a Mary is very old school Catholic.

[lilith]

It is somewhat interesting that it was just your average circle wreaf. It doesn't have crosses or godly symbols on it at all. It's all...decoration.

So un-Maxwell of them.

Those crazy frivolous kids and the things they get up to!! That'll show Steve the ungodly things that ensue when he allows Mary to participate in craft activities without a same gender accountability partner! It's practically pagan!

[Mrs Ms]

Really? A blogpost about that? :roll: The other day my partner decided he wanted us to have an advents wreath (for the table not the door, but anyhoo) and that he would make one. This took him about 2 hours, involved sawing down branches from trees, him setting his tool-shed on fire and a 5 minute fight to get 4 candles stuck on top of it. He is a very practical and talented person and his projects normally go very smoothly so this was quite something. And you know what Maxwells? No blogpost!

I/we don't have a blog for many reasons, one big one being that I consider our lives to be pretty boring, but man, compared to the Maxwells our lives are RIVETING!