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

[Fun-Dee]

We finally get a smiling picture of Melanie. I'll bet she and NR Anna had a fairly quiet day even though they were taking care of four small children. I hope they got to sit around and watch the kids play, and not talk about Death!

BTW, when I see the name NR Anna, I read it as Not Really Anna rather than Non Reversal Anna.

[Maggie Mae]

Isn't that one of the big plotlines in one of the Moody books? Maybe she's looking for inspiration. In her stockinged feet. ;)

In other oddness, in the side-by-side photo the owner hostess seems to be angling her foot out of her shoe .... so many questions, so little time. :think:

It looks to me like she has those bootie things that you put on when visiting a new house over her hiking boots.

[uber frau]

Ban, ban, ban the fun

Pepsi's banned as well.

Never daring to rebel,

Lest I go to hell.

[Alicepooh]

I'm still wondering what their biblical excuse for suddenly growing a beard is. Of course, they had to do this as a family... Bearded Steve just got creepier and creepier.

[Brittany15]

I don't think its odd that they take the same vacation every year. I know a lot of families who visit the same beach house almost every summer. What I do think is odd is that Sarah (31) posts a picture of her and her siblings and calls them the "children." YOU ARE NOT A CHILD SARAH MAXWELL!!!!!!!!!

[anjulibai]

I'm still wondering what their biblical excuse for suddenly growing a beard is. Of course, they had to do this as a family... Bearded Steve just got creepier and creepier.

There's quite a bit in the Old Testament about beard wearing and not shaving. Perhaps the Lord laid it on Steveo's heart that they were not truly obeying Jesus if they didn't follow God's law.

Or more likely, he felt the need to increase control by pushing a new rule on the family. I think I've read that isn't unusual in cults - new, more restrictive rules every so often to keep people in line.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I don't think its odd that they take the same vacation every year. I know a lot of families who visit the same beach house almost every summer. What I do think is odd is that Sarah (31) posts a picture of her and her siblings and calls them the "children." YOU ARE NOT A CHILD SARAH MAXWELL!!!!!!!!!

I dont think she realises she isnt a child :( Her parents have told her she is a child and has to obey them because thats what children do, and she isnt allowed to do anything adult.

She also hasnt been taught the critical thinking skills to realise that she cant be a child at 31, the law says 18, and when her mom and dad were 31 they werent children-they were adults and able to make decisions on their own with just eachother and no parental input.

Its like fundies are told that your brain doesnt grow into an adult until you are married, they put too much significance on going a ceremony and putting a ring on your finger. Its not like the second you finish that marriage ceremony, your brain matures. Growing up is a gradual process for normal people-you start getting more and more responsibility as you grow older and are taught more on how to look after yourself until the time comes when you are an adult and are able to manage on your own. For fundies, you are treated like you are a child all your life, even after you turn 18, until your wedding day, then suddenly its "Here you two, youve got a house on your own now, youre on your own". They may teach their daughters to cook and clean but theres more to maturity than that. And they say worldly parents just shove their kids out at 18...

[Marian the Librarian]

New post is up.

Just in case we haven't received the message yet, climbing can be likened to our spiritual journey.

And there is a photo captioned "All eight of the Maxwell 'children.' " :angry-banghead:

[Loveday]

"I can't imagine doing it alone..."

Well, no worries, Sarah, you'll never have the opportunity. :?

[twin2]

Does anyone else chuckle anytime Sarah uses the word "summit"?

[MamaJunebug]

New post is up.

Just in case we haven't received the message yet, climbing can be likened to our spiritual journey.

Yeah, yeah, Paul wrote it 2 millennia ago: likening the life of a Christian to running a race. While I'm sure the faithful will react with breathless kudos!!!!11!!!!!1 to Poor Sarah's sermonette, to me it's more like someone said, reflecting on one of those cute little stones you can buy that reads, "One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth." The reflecting person said, "No, one is nearer God's heart in a hospice room, or an OR recovery room, where you see the sadness and the joy, the hope and the despair, the life and the death."

My point is that Poor Sarah - guided by Steve - has a rather sterile, careful view of the world. Similarities to the Christian walk exist in climbing a 14er, but they also exist in getting through everyday life of earning a living for your family. With all the messiness, pettiness and lack of photos showing red-circled little dots on wide vistas.

And there is a photo captioned "All eight of the Maxwell 'children.' " :angry-banghead:

I really think that Stevovah reads here and then edits (or has his child Poor Sarah edit) the DryAsDust2.com blog to irritate us. :disgust: :?

[MamaJunebug]

Does anyone else chuckle anytime Sarah uses the word "summit"?

Along the general lines of scoffing at those who verb nouns? ;)

Or summit being like "climax"?

Or another that just occurred: summit sounds like "sumbitcher"?

I do chuckle ... through gritted teeth. :(

[LurkerOverThePond]

Does anyone else chuckle anytime Sarah uses the word "summit"?

Me :whistle:

[Justme]

Mel is only wearing 1 shirt in the pic where she is cooking with Anna. Fundie slut. :snooty:

I find it funny that they were making boxed mac & cheese. :lol:

[Coconut Flan]

What is even more amazing is that they only have one box out. Could it possibly be it's for the little children only? Are those dozens of hamburgers on the tray behind them?

[WonderingInWA]

What is even more amazing is that they only have one box out. Could it possibly be it's for the little children only? Are those dozens of hamburgers on the tray behind them?

The boxed mac and cheese is the FAMILY size, so it should easily accommodate all 16 of them based on Maxwell portion control sizing. Duh.

And no, those aren't dozens of hamburgers behind them. It's buns. No proof of burgers, just the buns. Buns are yummy. Everyone can have ONE.

[Coconut Flan]

You have better eyes than I do or more experience with Kraft macaroni and cheese to identify that as a FAMILY size box. I admit I didn't know they made such a thing. I can't tell if there is anything on the buns or not. That's why I asked.

[ILoveJellybeans]

They probably get a tiny amount of mac and cheese less than the average person would give to a two year old and one hamburger bun without meat inside it because Steve couldnt taste the difference without it.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

I dont think she realises she isnt a child :( Her parents have told her she is a child and has to obey them because thats what children do, and she isnt allowed to do anything adult.

She also hasnt been taught the critical thinking skills to realise that she cant be a child at 31, the law says 18, and when her mom and dad were 31 they werent children-they were adults and able to make decisions on their own with just eachother and no parental input.

Its like fundies are told that your brain doesnt grow into an adult until you are married, they put too much significance on going a ceremony and putting a ring on your finger. Its not like the second you finish that marriage ceremony, your brain matures. Growing up is a gradual process for normal people-you start getting more and more responsibility as you grow older and are taught more on how to look after yourself until the time comes when you are an adult and are able to manage on your own. For fundies, you are treated like you are a child all your life, even after you turn 18, until your wedding day, then suddenly its "Here you two, youve got a house on your own now, youre on your own". They may teach their daughters to cook and clean but theres more to maturity than that. And they say worldly parents just shove their kids out at 18...

Yeah - they fetishize the idea of submission (for girls in particular, but also submission of sons to their wise patriarch fathers) and the whole magic handoff of a girl from her father to her husband, but they never stop to think what happens when a suitor doesn't show up and the kid is 31. Oops.

With the Maxwells in particular I think they've fetishized and made an idol out of their idea of sheltering. They practice it at home and they make a great part of their living off of selling the idea to other families. They've been at it now for 20+ years (Sarah is 31 and this all started when she was maybe 8? Or earlier?) and so have a good "record" at it, and don't know how to stop. It's their "thing" they're known for.

They are kids in the sense that they're not allowed to make any meaningful decisions at all, they have to defer to their parents in all things. I've posted before that I don't find it particularly strange for adult kids to live in their parents' house (people even marry and move back home with the new spouse in tow!) but in a (dare I say it) healthier household, the kids are ADULTS already, married OR single, and so they have jobs and contribute to the running of the household, which they will inherit some day. It's not just about contributing money, either, they have actual say in what goes on because they're adult members. No one is filtering their internet.

I guess... my feelings on the whole "SAHD" thing is that the "stay at home" part could be doable, the problem is that they are required to do it AS CHILDREN.

[johnhugh]

Been away for a few days and jut seen that Stevie approved my comment on the chipmunk post:

Mrs T on August 30, 2013 at 8:25 pm said:

Glad to see that all the children young and old had fun with the chipmuncks! What a blessing to be able to interact with God’s creatures.

May I ask are the guy’s new beards just for the vacation?

Enjoy your last for days and until you are safe at home.

Mrs T

>>>>>>>>>>

The beards were something different. We will see how long they last. Heading home tomorrow morning.

So it was laid on Stevie's heart that he wanted a beard, so all the boys have to grow one :roll:

[Coconut Flan]

I agree. It's the forced immaturity and sheltering that drives me batty with Steve first off. It's wrong to basically steal someone else's life. It's the exact opposite of how I view parenting.

[WonderingInWA]

You have better eyes than I do or more experience with Kraft macaroni and cheese to identify that as a FAMILY size box. I admit I didn't know they made such a thing. I can't tell if there is anything on the buns or not. That's why I asked.

Oh, I hope I didn't offend you! Sorry! I was just trying to be funny. Yes, we have lots of experience at my house with the mac and cheese! And honestly, it's hard to think it wouldn't be beyond Stevie to serve buns with no burgers. We rarely see them eat meat.

[WonderingInWA]

They probably get a tiny amount of mac and cheese less than the average person would give to a two year old and one hamburger bun without meat inside it because Steve couldnt taste the difference without it.

Right. The kids under 10 get one tablespoon of mac and cheese which would be about 15 noodles. Each female "kid" over 10 gets 2 tablespoons, so about 30 noodles. Each male "kid" over 10 gets 3 tablespoons or 45 noodles. Teri gets as much as Stevie will allow and he eats the rest, or lets the male "kids" have seconds.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I agree. It's the forced immaturity and sheltering that drives me batty with Steve first off. It's wrong to basically steal someone else's life. It's the exact opposite of how I view parenting.

Yeah, Sarah's life has pretty much been stolen. 31 years practically locked in a cage. She will likely never get married, and certainly wont be able to have the big family she has been taught to want. And the other girls likely have the same fate.

He has screwed up parenting them all so badly that I dont think they would ever recover from it if they did get out, imagine the culture shock from being sheltered away from the world and treated like a child for so long...even little things like being able to have a short conversation with someone outside the family, go to the supermarket and make a decision on what to have for dinner or spend the night in the house alone would be absolutely terrifying for them.

I wonder how normally a life you could have if you excaped from spending the years between about 8 and 31 locked away from the world in a repetitive and dull existence, and sheltered away from knowing what goes on in the world.

Living in the Maxwell house is like being in jail. Although even prisoners get to have more fun than the Maxwells.

[ThatSnark]

What is even more amazing is that they only have one box out. Could it possibly be it's for the little children only? Are those dozens of hamburgers on the tray behind them?

I am SO not WK'ing for the Maxwells, but as a parent & cook just past the feeding toddlers stage, it's possible that the mac & cheese is for the third generation, while the sandwiches are for the Maxwell "children" and adults, or rather, all the adults. It can be hard for little hands to hold full-size burgers and buns, so I could see Mel & NRAnna saying "fuck it, we'll just make a box of Kraft dinner for the babies; we've been chasing them all day and deserve a break."

Or something like that. :D