New Maxwell post - more cleaning house!

[DowagerDuchess]

Mary has grown into a beautiful young woman and by the way she is wearing her hair, straight down with a side part and only one side behind her ear, it is obvious she is looking at herself in the mirror and she notices how she looks. I recall a post a few weeks ago where Steve commented that Mary had styled Anna and Sarah's hair in a different way suggesting they needed a change. Interesting.

I wonder how long Steve will allow this to go on before insisting that she cut her hair all off and wear it short--of course insisting that God revealed this to him while in prayer (I am sure god has other things on his/her mind besides the Maxwell's hair styles.)

As much as I am not in favor of young marriage, I can hope that at least Mary will court and marry young and get the hell out from under Steve's control. It would be nice if she could connect with one of the Arndt boys where she could have more freedom as a woman, and learn to laugh and have fun with her husband.

Abby and Bethany are adorable. And Abby dusting under the bed? I haven't dusted under the beds in ages.

[ncb]

Mary is very pretty, and yes, the little girls are adorable - but having good looks doesn't make them any more valuable than a girl who is plain. Just a little observation that annoys me. I have read newsreports about crimes against women and for some reason it seems always so much more dreadful if the victims were "beautiful." Ugh. One life is just as valuable as any other. What do looks have to do with it?

It's actually surprising that they allow Bethany to play office. If women working in an office is sinful, wouldn't this be sinful play in the eyes of the Maxwells?

Yes, and wouldn't it also be sinful to let her think she could someday be a railroad conductor??!!

[Wolfie]

The little girls are very pretty. Mary is also a beauty. Mel is 8 weeks away? I guess Anna must be 4 weeks out? I think she's due first.

Does anyone else find it strange there are no baby locks on the bottom kitchen cabinets? Bethy is only a year old and a new baby will be here soon. Either the girls are trained "very well" or there is nothing that might harm them there.

I would hope it's the second option- I have cats that get in and out of my bottom cabinets, so there is nothing of danger in them here either- so it isn't panic time when the nieces and nephews come to visit either.

[Justme]

Every successful small business I know is VERY appreciative of their custmers. I hear it all the time.

Thanks for coming by. Thank you for your business. We really appreciate your business. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be here. Thank you so much for stopping by. We know you could be lots of other places, so we really appreciate that you gave your time to come here tonight. My father taught me about xyz. My 5th grade teacher got me interested in xyz. My college professor got me the opportunity to xyz. My grandmother had a huge impact on my life. My coach took a personal Interest in me.

Even big businesses are appreciative. Just the other day when I was leaving Victoria Secrets, an employee thanked me for being their guest.

[Rosie]

Is it me, or does this family (extended family - Steve & Teri and Nathan & Melanie) have the most hideous living room furniture ever made?

Really, those sofas. My goodness.

[slickcat79]

I thought it was weird that bethany asked permission to go into her dad's office. Wouldn't most toddlers barge in and hop up on daddys lap?

i guess she has been well trained :snooty:

It's like when they went on What Some Might Call A Vacation last year, and Abby had to pray to god that Nathan would allow them to go back and visit the squirrels again, instead of just asking her dad if it would be ok. For people who literally spend all their time with just family, so many of their relationships are so stilted and awkward. Consequence of patriarchy, perhaps? :think:

[WonderingInWA]

Is it me, or does this family (extended family - Steve & Teri and Nathan & Melanie) have the most hideous living room furniture ever made?

Really, those sofas. My goodness.

Nope, not just you -- I've always wondered about those couches. And all the recliners. Wow.

[TMS]

Their houses seem to be decorated like houses out of a 1980's issue of Country Home magazine.

[darkplumaged]

Their furniture is outdated (and some of it, like the recliners, has never really been in style!) and is put together artlessly, but I've seen much uglier furniture in real estate listings. Much, much uglier. :shock:

I think it's unusual for younger people, like Nathan and Melanie, to have such, well, corny furniture, but I doubt Melanie reads decorating magazines or blogs. (Even if she wanted to, Nathan would probably tell her that such interests are idolatrous.)

[ncb]

Their furniture is outdated (and some of it, like the recliners, has never really been in style!) and is put together artlessly, but I've seen much uglier furniture in real estate listings. Much, much uglier. :shock:

I think it's unusual for younger people, like Nathan and Melanie, to have such, well, corny furniture, but I doubt Melanie reads decorating magazines or blogs. (Even if she wanted to, Nathan would probably tell her that such interests are idolatrous.)

I have a feeling that like their clothes and their "faith" Nathan and Melanie and Christopher and Anna inherited much of their furniture from Steve and Terri. Thus, the adult children seem to have more worn out versions of Steve and Terri's decor (and home for that matter!)

[Haligh the Liar]

How often do you think the Maxwell girls leave the house in a typical week? Their not-a-vacation vacation, the birthday trip to the zoo, and the conferences all seem to be one-offs or quite rare. Do they still go to the nursing home 'church' every Sunday?

Assuming that they do, a weekly average would be 3 or so outings- fake church, cleaning Nate & Mel's house, and maybe going to get groceries. I think that might be Terri's job though, unless she's writing a book. Maybe they don't even get that privilege.

So, we have adult and teenage women trapped like little birds in a plaid cage, reading one book over and over, talking to the same 8 people only, eating the same foods and doing the same chores and nothing else, over and over. How does that not break a person? How is that what Jesus would want? If they believe that God made the world and all of the things in it, can't they at least spend time going on nature walks, going to the zoo or animal sanctuary, or something like that?

The Maxwells make me a sad panda.

[TMS]

Their furniture is outdated (and some of it, like the recliners, has never really been in style!) and is put together artlessly, but I've seen much uglier furniture in real estate listings. Much, much uglier. :shock:

I think it's unusual for younger people, like Nathan and Melanie, to have such, well, corny furniture, but I doubt Melanie reads decorating magazines or blogs. (Even if she wanted to, Nathan would probably tell her that such interests are idolatrous.)

What I think (and I may be totally off, but...) is this: the Maxwells were pretty much "mainstream Christian" until the mid-90's. I'm sure they read, maybe even subscribed to, decorating magazines - and preferred the "country" look that was really popular in the 80's and early 90's (I'm old enough to remember that trend!). The last "secular" magazines they probably ever read were Country Home, Country Living, or something similar. Since they no longer read anything besides the Moody series and the Bible, they don't get any new or fresh ideas, and they are forever stuck in the 90's country decorating trend.

[TMS]

How often do you think the Maxwell girls leave the house in a typical week? Their not-a-vacation vacation, the birthday trip to the zoo, and the conferences all seem to be one-offs or quite rare. Do they still go to the nursing home 'church' every Sunday?

Assuming that they do, a weekly average would be 3 or so outings- fake church, cleaning Nate & Mel's house, and maybe going to get groceries. I think that might be Terri's job though, unless she's writing a book. Maybe they don't even get that privilege.

So, we have adult and teenage women trapped like little birds in a plaid cage, reading one book over and over, talking to the same 8 people only, eating the same foods and doing the same chores and nothing else, over and over. How does that not break a person? How is that what Jesus would want? If they believe that God made the world and all of the things in it, can't they at least spend time going on nature walks, going to the zoo or animal sanctuary, or something like that?

The Maxwells make me a sad panda.

They found an opportunity to evangelize at the county fair a few years ago, handing out free Cokes and fake million dollar bills with an "Are you a good person?" test on the other side. Something like that.

So, we have adult and teenage women trapped like little birds in a plaid cage, reading one book over and over, talking to the same 8 people only, eating the same foods and doing the same chores and nothing else, over and over.

Ah, so perfectly describes the Maxwell family. (Don't forget, getting excited about weekly bean burritos!) Reading it made me laugh, but then when you think about how true it is, you realize it's not that funny. What a sad life.

[WonderingInWA]

They found an opportunity to evangelize at the county fair a few years ago, handing out free Cokes and fake million dollar bills with an "Are you a good person?" test on the other side. Something like that.

Yes, they did, but they found that the kinds of people who attend the fair are unsavory characters who wear shorts and tank tops and that it was just a huge defrauding experience so they haven't been back.

[kpmom]

How often do you think the Maxwell girls leave the house in a typical week? Their not-a-vacation vacation, the birthday trip to the zoo, and the conferences all seem to be one-offs or quite rare. Do they still go to the nursing home 'church' every Sunday?

Assuming that they do, a weekly average would be 3 or so outings- fake church, cleaning Nate & Mel's house, and maybe going to get groceries. I think that might be Terri's job though, unless she's writing a book. Maybe they don't even get that privilege.

So, we have adult and teenage women trapped like little birds in a plaid cage, reading one book over and over, talking to the same 8 people only, eating the same foods and doing the same chores and nothing else, over and over. How does that not break a person? How is that what Jesus would want? If they believe that God made the world and all of the things in it, can't they at least spend time going on nature walks, going to the zoo or animal sanctuary, or something like that?

The Maxwells make me a sad panda.

I actually get claustrophobic sometimes thinking about their trapped lives.

[TMS]

Yes, they did, but they found that the kinds of people who attend the fair are unsavory characters who wear shorts and tank tops and that it was just a huge defrauding experience so they haven't been back.

Oh god. Did they actually make a post about that???

[WonderingInWA]

Oh god. Did they actually make a post about that???

Not in exactly those words, but they did say why they weren't going back to the fair and I remember something about how the people who are there are dressed. This was years ago -- pre-Abigail, and I don't remember exactly what it said. One of our other WayBack sleuths may be able to find it.

[twin2]

Not in exactly those words, but they did say why they weren't going back to the fair and I remember something about how the people who are there are dressed. This was years ago -- pre-Abigail, and I don't remember exactly what it said. One of our other WayBack sleuths may be able to find it.

I remember seeing that. IIRC, they didn't let the reversal kids go with because it was so worldly.

[WonderingInWA]

I remember seeing that. IIRC, they didn't let the reversal kids go with because it was so worldly.

Yes, they went to the fair 2 years in a row (and it was just the older kids and Christopher made balloon animals to suck all the young kids into the tent). And they wore pocketed aprons from Home Depot so they could carry their tracts while accosting people who were hot and wanted a free soda. And they handed out the million dollar bills.

The fair is an evil place -- not only is it defrauding, but I think it's also an idol.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

I have a feeling that like their clothes and their "faith" Nathan and Melanie and Christopher and Anna inherited much of their furniture from Steve and Terri. Thus, the adult children seem to have more worn out versions of Steve and Terri's decor (and home for that matter!)

Nathan inherited his parents' house, didn't he? It's entirely possible the furniture came with it, yeah.

[WonderingInWA]

Nathan inherited his parents' house, didn't he? It's entirely possible the furniture came with it, yeah.

Nathan "bought" his house "debt-free" at some point before I started reading the blog, so not sure how that worked. Christopher "bought" Steve and Teri's house "debt-free" when the house they live in now was finished (which they built mostly themselves). Who knows how much either Nate or Chris had to pay for their homes, but in the state I live in, real estate records are public information, so it probably wouldn't be too hard to figure it out. (How does $1 sound, son?).

Nathan and Melanie's house is a 60's-era split level, not sure what Christopher and NR-Anna's looks like. But when you "buy" a house from your parents, you end up with money to redecorate, which doesn't forgive those God-awful plaid sofas and ugly recliners. Or the hideous wallpaper.

[YPestis]

Nathan inherited his parents' house, didn't he? It's entirely possible the furniture came with it, yeah.

Nathan "bought" his house "debt-free" at some point before I started reading the blog, so not sure how that worked. Christopher "bought" Steve and Teri's house "debt-free" when the house they live in now was finished (which they built mostly themselves). Who knows how much either Nate or Chris had to pay for their homes, but in the state I live in, real estate records are public information, so it probably wouldn't be too hard to figure it out. (How does $1 sound, son?).

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Ah, I had Nathan and Christopher confused, then. I just remember reading those blog entries where the Maxwells were building the current Chez Maxwell (with more room for book shipping in a warehouse that hooks up to the driveway, PLUS a music room!) and one of the sons was going to get the old house (paying for it, yeah). Had the wrong son, apparently!

...so I guess he's fully to blame for his own plaid sofas!

I had a plaid sofa that looked similar to those (but shabbier and cheapier) in university, circa 1991. We found it on the street corner with a "Free Please Take" sign. Ugly as all get out, but quite comfortable once we threw some covers and throw pillows on it. Four years later when we moved out we returned it to the corner with that same sign on it!

[LurkerOverThePond]

Those blue sofas at the Main Compound are fugly as hell but look so incredibly comfortable. They would be perfect for lounging, reading a good book with a big cup of hot tea and maybe even napping. Something the poor Maxwell kids would never allowed to do...

[Jessica]

titus2.com/blog/index.php/2006/08/10/success-with-another-night-at-the-fair/

titus2.com/blog/index.php/2008/01/29/a-look-back-at-the-fair-week/