It's time for what some would call a vacation!

[terranova]

Steve would probably require him to move near the compound; no way is he going to let his girls move away and get out of his orbit. Maybe moving would impact his business which then would impact his eliglibility? Bit of a catch-22 maybe?

John-Marie's business is irrigation for farming. Orchards and vineyards specifically. Would there be much call for that around the Maxwell area? Plus, I imagine he travels a bit for work (he recently opened a 2nd branch in Washington state). I'm not sure Steve would approve of him travelling alone.

[already hungover]

John-Marie's business is irrigation for farming. Orchards and vineyards specifically. Would there be much call for that around the Maxwell area? Plus, I imagine he travels a bit for work (he recently opened a 2nd branch in Washington state). I'm not sure Steve would approve of him travelling alone.

Surely the fact that he supports the propagation of (gasp) vineyards makes him unsuitable for a Maxwell husband...

[lovemygsp]

Ugh, am I the only one who thought they were total morons for trying to make loud noises to hear echoes?! Great way to start an avalanche. My mom grew up in co and would always freak out if people hooked their horns in tunnels.

Also. How about actually trying to learn something and find out what those"badgers" are. Hint: yellow bellied marmots. Eye roll. Way to take the chance to actually teach your kids things.

[lilith]

Surely the fact that he supports the propagation of (gasp) vineyards makes him unsuitable for a Maxwell husband...

The vineyards are for growing grape juice, just like Jesus drank. Just ask Pa Kellar.

[Maggie Mae]

So, even though Terri has a bad back, she goes on a 10 hour hike up a mountain. Is she totally masochistic, or is Steve afraid she'd make a break for it if he let her stay behind?

Some people really enjoy hiking, and are willing to deal with the physical fallout. My boss is always talking about her back pain, but she still has a lot of fun on the weekends, hiking up mountains, fishing, enjoying life despite the pain.

Oh. I just defended a Maxwell. :embarrassed:

[Black Aliss]

People with poor posture (candids of Teri often show her with hunched shoulders) sometimes get relief from back pain when they strap on a day pack with a little weight in it. Or, as with a lot of us, she's going to be in pain whether she sits in a chair or climbs a mountain so she might as well have a little fun along with her back spasms.

[lilith]

Could anyone who wasn't a masochist stay married to Steve? His answer to her depression was more submission, more Jesus, more babies, more cleaning, more homeschooling, more scheduling and less Pepsi.

[Evilbad]

Yeah I wouldn't automatically assume that she was forced on the hike regardless of her pain. I have bad knees, that actually get worse if I neglect to exercise on a regular basis. I can always tell when i've skipped too many days because my knees remind me.

If she moved slowly and wore good shoes and took care with her posture, and the docs didn't tell her NO activity, staying healthy and moving is actually a good thing. My brother has a bad back and it's still recommended that he exercise and maintain his weight to keep it from getting worse.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Also. How about actually trying to learn something and find out what those"badgers" are. Hint: yellow bellied marmots. Eye roll. Way to take the chance to actually teach your kids things.

Seriously. This is a perfect homeschooling opportunity.

Show your kids what happens when you don't know something, how you get excited about the mystery of finding out. Show them how you take some pics of the unknown animal (or leaf, or rock, or whatever it is) with your phone so that you can refer to it later while researching on google or paging through picture guides at the library/ranger station, or show a park guide.

It's about what the animal is but even more it's about "isn't this cool, the world is full of mysteries and patterns and we can find out just what's going on! Here's how! It's fun, isn't it?"

[kpmom]

According to what Sarah has written in the past, it is Teri, of all of them, who particularly likes to hike (flat and mountains).

Hopefully she wouldn't do it just to please Steve, but then this is the Maxwells we're talking about.

[Markie]

I sometimes wonder if Nathan and Melanie allow their girls a bit more freedom when Steve and Terri are out of town. I am not talking drastic freedom, just going to the park and watching some of the kids' cousins play baseball or watching some g rated movies. Who know? Perhaps they do all this on a regular basis, but since their lives are only shown via the Maxwell Blog, we only see Stevie sanctioned activities. I wonder how NR Anna has adjusted to living so far away from her fmaily. She could have contact and visitors, but since Steve only blogs about his own, we will never know. I wonder if she ever accompanies Christopher when he photographs weddings? I wonder if he has loosened up his stance on what kind of wedding he will photograph? (no drinking, dancing, tarty women)

There have been a lot of "I wonders" in this post. Guess the Maxwells just make me scratch my head and wonder "Why?'

[Hane]

Seriously. This is a perfect homeschooling opportunity.

Show your kids what happens when you don't know something, how you get excited about the mystery of finding out. Show them how you take some pics of the unknown animal (or leaf, or rock, or whatever it is) with your phone so that you can refer to it later while researching on google or paging through picture guides at the library/ranger station, or show a park guide.

It's about what the animal is but even more it's about "isn't this cool, the world is full of mysteries and patterns and we can find out just what's going on! Here's how! It's fun, isn't it?"

Now, now--can't have Stevehovah admitting he doesn't know something!

[Letgo]

I wonder if he has loosened up his stance on what kind of wedding he will photograph? (no drinking, dancing, tarty women)

I wonder what he would do if the wedding party passed muster but some of the guests did not? The Maxwells have extended family who are not as extreme and I'm sure some of the Christopher approved weddings have definite NIKE! women attending. What would he do? Refuse to include them in photographs?

[Justme]

Chris isn't changing anything. He's as big as a prick as Steve. Anna was raised by parents as weird as the maxwells. That "look" he now has is from getting laid, nothing else. IMHO

[Odd1Out]

And this is so badly written,

I'd've edited to read, "They sometimes wait at a viewpoint so that those of us who need a bit more time can catch up." No biggie, but I wonder at the popularity of the Moody books; if they're similarly so clunky in their writing, the SOTDRT children who read them must be getting a weird idea of proper syntax and phraseology. *shrug*

Hang on, Sarah's sentence seems to contradict itself (or have I read it wrong??)

So the "younger" take longer at viewpoints, then catch up to those who take longer to get to the next point? But I thought the younger ones were the ones taking longer? Good Lord get this woman into writing school

[Maggie Mae]

I had a serious case of the giggles when looking at the Costco photos. I'm not sure why, but they just made me laugh. I can't imagine what my reaction would be if someone was like "STOP LOOK AT THE CAMERA" while I'm grocery shopping! At Costco, where no one smiles and people are generally assholes. (Also, have you ever been there at closing? In my neck of the woods they employ the same tactics used to empty bars.)

[Hane]

Chris isn't changing anything. He's as big as a prick as Steve. Anna was raised by parents as weird as the maxwells. That "look" he now has is from getting laid, nothing else. IMHO

The video of the Chris/NR-Anna wedding is seared on my brain. During the actual wedding ceremony, Chris praised Stevehovah for having gotten rid of the TV, and Anna tearfully thanked her parents for having "trained" her--she didn't even mention loving her.

And don't get me started on the whole appalling "transfer of authority" section of the ceremony. The African-American minister who officiated gave off a definite "Crazy whitefolks be trippin'" vibe.

Oh, and then they all had to wait around for Bill Gothard to get up and bloviate, because Gothard's flight had been delayed.

[MamaJunebug]

Hane, do you know, is the Chris/NR-Anna video still up? I'm curious as to how NR-Anna speaks. Clearly? Demurely? In a submissive murmur?

ETA: Never mind - I found Poor Sarah's note to someone who missed the live stream and who asked about the opportunity to view the video. Seems the family (Steve) decided not to post the video. Snooze, lose. Tch.

[sparkles]

I just went looking for it because I could only get through half of it the first time and ,yes indeedy, it looks like it's still up.

veoh.com/browse/videos/category/lifestyle/watch/v20537373bNjtddZ8

[VodouDoll]

Oh, and then they all had to wait around for Bill Gothard to get up and bloviate, because Gothard's flight had been delayed.

Seriously? I don't remember him being there. Was it after the live stream ended, or did Gothard show up in the wedding pictures or something? This is very interesting information, since the Maxwells are too isolated to go to Gothard events or send their kids to the camps or anything. I wonder how they know each other.

[Hane]

Seriously? I don't remember him being there. Was it after the live stream ended, or did Gothard show up in the wedding pictures or something? This is very interesting information, since the Maxwells are too isolated to go to Gothard events or send their kids to the camps or anything. I wonder how they know each other.

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong about the Gothard part! I know I saw SOMEBODY's wedding that had him show up at the end, and I could have sworn it was this one!

[DrPusey]

I see from the latest post that the grandchildren have indeed shown up on schedule. No mention of whether or not Stevehovah saw fit to let them feed the chipmunks yet.

I also see that Christopher has joined the brigade of hipster stubbly beards. But he looks to have been hiking in khakis! :lol: Kind of a contradiction in presentation, eh? Maybe he's taking his wardrobe inspiration from David Waller these days.

I am kind of surprised that NR Anna was pictured hiking along with the rest of them. I guess they don't worry about her falling and something happening to the next upcoming blessing?

[nelliebelle1197]

Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong about the Gothard part! I know I saw SOMEBODY's wedding that had him show up at the end, and I could have sworn it was this one!

Wasn't it the Pecan Thief's wedding?

[Coconut Flan]

He was definitely at David and Priscilla's wedding.

[MamaJunebug]

I just went looking for it because I could only get through half of it the first time and ,yes indeedy, it looks like it's still up.

veoh.com/browse/videos/category/lifestyle/watch/v20537373bNjtddZ8

You.

Are.

My.

Favorite.

Forever and ever and ever and you can tell ALL the others!!!!!! :dance:

Chris with stubble? Well, I guess that means the girls have all stopped shaving their legs .... but we'll never know, will we. :shifty:

ETA: Melanie doesn't have the approved toothy grin. No smoothies for you, girly. :shock: