Maxwell 23: Backyard Breeding

[mango_fandango]

Elizabeth looks ADORABLE. Such a shame that she was born into the MaxBorg. 

The OfChris kids are posed in the exact same place the Reversals are posing in in this post: https://blog.titus2.com/2015/08/05/first-day-of-school-disaster-or-success/

I kinda like the photo of Benji with the Baby sign. I agree that it was an opportunity to include him in the family photo. 

[nausicaa]

46 minutes ago, Lisafer said:

From the pictures it looks like Melanie's kids have Abeka books and Anna Marie's kids have Rod and Staff. Rod and Staff is a Mennonite curriculum and Abeka is more regular Christian fundie, so maybe it's a personal preference/doctrinal difference thing?

There is a children's school curriculum called "Rod and Staff"?  Shudder. 

[bertnee]

Is it a thing for homeschooling families to pose with curriculum like this? I've never seen that before!

[Dru]

 

5 hours ago, MamaJunebug said:

May I say, I love that hussy Melanie! Letting a daughter child learn about poetry!  

Not to mention Tina's arithmetic book has anthropomorphized animals on the cover, which we know are verboten in Steve's world.

[mango_fandango]

I’ve only seen it with the Maxwells. I’ve seen other homeschooling families do first-day-of-school photos with grade signs. 

 

[johnhugh]

Maybe one curriculum only allows ill fitting beige chinos whilst the other allows men to be dressesed in jeans? 

[nastyhobbitses]

2 minutes ago, johnhugh said:

Maybe one curriculum only allows ill fitting beige chinos whilst the other allows men to be dressesed in jeans? 

Patriarchal Pantaloons: The Philosophy of Dad Jeans

One Belt, One Chode: The Economics of Chinos

[Abstract]

My kids learned to read with A Beka phonics in a Christian school. It’s a great program. The math books are good too.

Now they’re all using Rod and Staff English. The name is from Psalm 23, I haven’t run into any references to corporal punishment. It is very thorough and challenging. I don’t think you would get through it and still write like Sarah Maxwell unless you had zero instruction and guidance from a teacher — oh wait, that’s exactly what happened.

[JermajestyDuggar]

On 9/3/2018 at 2:44 AM, ViolaSebastian said:

I imagine the Maxwells as having permanent panties, like an American Girl doll. 

No, they are never nudes so they wear cut off jean shorts in the shower.

10 hours ago, nausicaa said:

There is a children's school curriculum called "Rod and Staff"?  Shudder. 

It sounds so dirty I can’t handle it. I want to make so many jokes!

[danvillebelle]

Oh my goodness - the pics of Ruthanne and Lydia gave me ALL THE FEELS.  I used those Rod & Staff preschool workbooks with all my kids.  They're very, very dear to me.

Rod & Staff materials are solid as a rock for the elementary grades; I don't have experience with their upper level stuff but I would bet it's good.  And I echo the above poster that Sarah obviously never applied herself or was actually taught A Beka (or any other) grammar because her writing would HAVE to be better if she had.  

 

[SPHASH]

15 hours ago, anjulibai said:

Because Steve is obsessed with his last name and needs it to be used as often as possible. I think it validates him somehow. 

 

 

Coward Steve's real name is Bargar.

[Dru]

23 minutes ago, SPHASH said:

Coward Steve's real name is Bargar.

While that was his birth name, I'm pretty sure he had it legally changed to Maxwell, his step-dad's last name. Sorry to nit-pick, but my daughter is adopted so the subject of "real parents" and "real names" is important to me.

[nelliebelle1197]

17 hours ago, Lisafer said:

From the pictures it looks like Melanie's kids have Abeka books and Anna Marie's kids have Rod and Staff. Rod and Staff is a Mennonite curriculum and Abeka is more regular Christian fundie, so maybe it's a personal preference/doctrinal difference thing?

BUT MAXWELLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE PERSONAL PREFERENCES/DOCTRINAL DIFFERENCES!

Never.

[anjulibai]

1 hour ago, Dru said:

While that was his birth name, I'm pretty sure he had it legally changed to Maxwell, his step-dad's last name. Sorry to nit-pick, but my daughter is adopted so the subject of "real parents" and "real names" is important to me.

Steve may or may not have adopted, as his parents seem to have divorced when he was a teenager. Most, if not all, of Steve's neuroses trace back to that divorce. Steve changing his name and subsequently becoming obsessed with it is a symptom of him rejecting his past and going off the fundie deep end. 

If you are not familiar with that aspect of Steve's backstory, @SPHASH quote might seem a dig at adoption, but it really isn't. To be perfectly frank, I doubt Steve would be happy with any of his children ended up adopting themselves. 

[Dru]

2 hours ago, anjulibai said:

Steve may or may not have adopted, as his parents seem to have divorced when he was a teenager. Most, if not all, of Steve's neuroses trace back to that divorce. Steve changing his name and subsequently becoming obsessed with it is a symptom of him rejecting his past and going off the fundie deep end. 

If you are not familiar with that aspect of Steve's backstory, @SPHASH quote might seem a dig at adoption, but it really isn't. To be perfectly frank, I doubt Steve would be happy with any of his children ended up adopting themselves. 

I'd have to dig back into it but I could have sworn Steve legally changed his name. I'll look again if I get time.

Honestly I hope none of his kids adopt either. Lol Regardless, we know Steve was just fine with himself doing things (dating, going to college) that he wouldn't want his kids to do.

FTR I didn't think she was making a dig at adoption. People often say things like "real name" or whatever without thinking about the implication.

[SPHASH]

No I wasn't slamming adoption at all.  What I was getting at is Coward Steve always criticizing his parents for not being Christians but they  according to their obits.  I just like to call Steve Bargar as a way to remind him while his dad wasn't perfect he did love the Lord.

[JermajestyDuggar]

23 minutes ago, SPHASH said:

No I wasn't slamming adoption at all.  What I was getting at is Coward Steve always criticizing his parents for not being Christians but they  according to their obits.  I just like to call Steve Bargar as a way to remind him while his dad wasn't perfect he did love the Lord.

If it’s pronounced like “barge-er” I think it would be perfect for Steve. He barges in on all the lives, thoughts, feelings, and ideas of all of his children. 

[kpmom]

IIRC, someone here did some research and found Steve did legally change his name as a teenager from Bargar to Maxwell.  I think we assumed that meant his stepdad adopted him.

I thought it was a little unusual (not unheard of, but unusual) for an older child well into his teens to agree to be adopted.  But, the few things he's written about his bio dad are filled with anger.  It sounds like his bio dad ran off with another woman,  abandoning his family.  I wonder if he and Steve ever made peace?

[Lisafer]

5 hours ago, nelliebelle1197 said:

BUT MAXWELLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE PERSONAL PREFERENCES/DOCTRINAL DIFFERENCES!

Never.

I giggled. Yes, I know, but the kids also dress differently. Melanie's kids' clothes look almost mainstream, while Anna Marie and her children could easily be mistaken for Mennonites except for the lack of head coverings. 

So maybe a tiny crack in the unity of the Maxwell Borg? Lol

[Dru]

52 minutes ago, kpmom said:

IIRC, someone here did some research and found Steve did legally change his name as a teenager from Bargar to Maxwell.  I think we assumed that meant his stepdad adopted him.

I thought it was a little unusual (not unheard of, but unusual) for an older child well into his teens to agree to be adopted.  But, the few things he's written about his bio dad are filled with anger.  It sounds like his bio dad ran off with another woman,  abandoning his family.  I wonder if he and Steve ever made peace?

That's probably what I'm thinking of. If someone legally changes their name, the new name is their "real name". I wasn't trying to throw shade at anyone or insinuate that anyone was "making a dig" at anything.

55 minutes ago, Lisafer said:

I giggled. Yes, I know, but the kids also dress differently. Melanie's kids' clothes look almost mainstream, while Anna Marie and her children could easily be mistaken for Mennonites except for the lack of head coverings. 

So maybe a tiny crack in the unity of the Maxwell Borg? Lol

Honestly Chris's family creeps me out. Not blaming the kids. Just really children of the corn.

[JermajestyDuggar]

Steve is passive aggressive so I can imagine Steve changing his last name to get back at his bio dad. Without any actual adoption taking place. 

[Lisafer]

5 minutes ago, Dru said:

 

Honestly Chris's family creeps me out. Not blaming the kids. Just really children of the corn.

They don't creep me out, but I can understand that. There's a "sameness" to their clothes and expressions right now. I hope their individuality starts to come out more.

[Dru]

2 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Steve is passive aggressive so I can imagine Steve changing his last name to get back at his bio dad. Without any actual adoption taking place. 

Maybe so. Yet a legal name change is what it is regardless of adoption. If you legally change your name, it is what it is. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

 What’s weird about the ChrisAnna children is that their expressions often don’t look genuine. Like their smiles are forced. The NathanMel children often seem to have a wide range of expressions including occasional silly ones.

[nelliebelle1197]

1 hour ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

 What’s weird about the ChrisAnna children is that their expressions often don’t look genuine. Like their smiles are forced. The NathanMel children often seem to have a wide range of expressions including occasional silly ones.

I do think Ruthanne is stunning though. Chris was a gorgeous kid himself. His own boys are odd-looking, likely due to the terrible haircuts NR-Anna sticks on them.