Hey babe, I'm your handy man

Question: How many tribal men does it take to install a dishwasher?
Answer: Three. One to do the installation, one to hold the flashlight and assist with tools, and one to hold up the kitchen.

And you (high)light up my life...

These are Beth's new highlights, compliments of her amateur stylist sister Annie... our little version of "Movie and a Makeover" since we were watching The Interpreter at the time. They're kinda hard to see because of bad lighting, but those of you back in Texas will see for yourselves pretty soon. I know, the suspense is terrible!

Having a ball, wish y'all were here!

As Pawpop says: I've got Good News!

HE IS RISEN! Easter, blessedly, has marked the end of a rather difficult season for the Russell Family and we are indeed grateful to God for moving us on. His blessings continue to amaze us and here are our 6 favourite ones.

Easter in Virginia!

This is four of the six Warren sisters, missing their other sisters on Easter Sunday. CJ went to church with the Slaughters, and Beth went to church with the Weltys and then on to family dinner with the extended Welty family. It was a nice day and it has been great to have the sisters visiting from Texas... but we miss the rest of the fam too - come see us soon!!

EGGS!

The Russell, Krug, and Warren kids gathered yesterday for mass egg coloring and a spring cookout. Even Sam got in on the action! For more pics, hop over to Granny's House (www.atgrannyshouse.blogspot.com)




~~TheMatriarch

shackled by the sin we hold so dear

This is the latest wisdom from Molly:
(First the background -- #1. Molly has a mother who is fairly predictable in her TV viewing habits, mostly consisting of anything on FoxNews, A&E, CourTV and Discovery Channel. #2. Our most recent Children's Catechism questions have been about sin, the origin of sin, nature of sin, extent, etc. This has caused much good discussion.) Molly: So, if Adam hadn't sinned, would there be any bad stuff in the world? Mom: Without sin, there would be no death, sickness, and anything bad. Molly: Like there would be no murder at all? Mom: That's right, because murder is a result of sin in this world. Molly: Then if Adam hadn't sinned, we wouldn't have Forensic Files to watch!

give my regards to broadway...

here are some pictures from the kids' drama production last weekend. the play was set in the 1940s.

um, does anyone see the family resemblance here? yes, all three are biological sisters. shelley played a rich, fancy mom, beth was a member of the mafia (in case you couldn't tell), and cj was there to put stage makeup on all the actors.



nathan was a stud. all of the 600+ people that the production attracted over the weekend, really just came to see nathan as the "lone ranger".


caleb was most definitely the most handsome 40's boy that ever was. we had to slap all the girls away.

Still too little to see clearly, but...

Meanwhile, back at the (Remuda) Ranch....

Okay, fine, so the Slaughters left us...we'll just get a NEW family! A week ago, with the danger of a freeze largely over, I hung plants on the porch outside our room. Papa went out to set them in the rain yesterday but realized that one of them really shouldn't be disturbed:




Updates to follow :-)

~~The Matriarch

This is NOT beautiful

Folks, after being out doing some Sunday afternoon errands, this is what I came home to. Joshua has been begging his father to "bald" him w/ the clippers. Dirk laughingly obliged but only when I left the house. I'm hoping for a good amount of fuzz by Easter.

There were never such devoted sisters

Here are some pics from our A-team reunion in VA. Aubrey came to visit for a few days, and one day we headed downtown DC for some sightseeing. Here we are at Tortilla Coast, a little Tex-Mex dive by the Capitol. The rest were taken at the WWII memorial. We had a wonderful time together and wish it could be more often. Aubrey, come back soon!!!

never had to have a chaperone, no sir!

I'm here to keep my eye on her

many men have tried to split us up but no one can

all in a row, shiny and new

Here are the lovely Virginia cousins, Erin Grace and Carrie Ellen, having a splashing good time! They like baths together, and are becoming fast friends. They do like to steal food from each other, as well as other "valuables", but they forgive and forget quickly and return to general girly-squealing-play. Its so nice that they'll have each other to grow up with, though in a few years I won't be posting any more nudie-pics. They'll thank me for that later.

Im no Superman...

He can be your hero baby...its BATSAM. He is available on short notice for small emergencies, "Short" and "small" being the operative words.
His brothers are quite proud.

If I was brave I'd write a letter to the President....

A few wednesdays ago, we were having Bible study at our house and Jacob Krug went upstairs and saw the picture of Dad standing w/ the American flag behind him:
Jacob: Who's that in the picture?
Caleb: That's my dad, Mr. Warren
Jacob: YOUR DAD'S THE PRESIDENT?!?!?!

and these eyes are never gonna dry...

after the birthday party on sunday evening, the slaughters called abigail to wish her a happy birthday. i gave her the phone and she talked to kristen, then henry, then wes, then molly, and finally uncle dave." she was so excited to talk to them, and did not want to get off the phone.
after she had talked with dave for awhile she said, "love you, bye!" and then pause and said, "wait, uckoo dave!" and had another whole conversation with him. and then, "okay, love you, bye!" ...."wait, uckoo dave!" she asked him things like, "why you move to virginia?" and, "why you have to work there?" and, "why you not come back home?" and, "why i not play with henry?" it was so sad... this went on for about 10 minutes until she reluctantly gave the phone back to me. she told me afterwards, "take me in your car to see henry and molly. i want to go virginia, too!"





















"little did i know
how deep these roots had grown
until i felt the earthquake here
without you

and this ache is gonna break me love
until you come back home
right or wrong
there is no home without you"

it's my party and i'll cry if i want to....

here are some pictures of abby and dok's birthday party! abby thinks that dok is as much in love with strawberry shortcake as she is. abby also thinks that dok just turned 3 like she did. abby was very sad that dok didn't get a princess crown like she did. she thinks that dok should do everything she does. abby doesn't think that books, cds, and gift cards are very much fun. but abby and dok love each other the best!

Our Funny Valentine...

... is 19 today!! CJ was the best Valentine's Day gift that three sisters could have asked for, especially since we were tired of dressing Dinah the Cat in old baby clothes. A real baby was much more exciting :-) Happy Birthday, Cathryn Joanna!!

i'll stand for nothing less or never stand again...

they were upset because they couldn't go to virginia with nathan.
so, dad bought them new hoodie sweatshirts to try and console them.

when you start to miss me, remember you let me go...

Alright, so today I answered the door(cuz it rang) and our mail guy Mike was standing there with a package. While I was signing for it, he says "So how's my miniature fan club doing in Virginia?" to which I replied, "They're doing well." "Well you tell 'em that their friend Mike the UPS guy says Hi. I still miss them down at the end of the driveway waiting for me."

shelley

They were glued together, body and soul...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favourite! Dirk is 35 today and none too happy about it. But, I am forever grateful that God allowed me (11 1/2 yrs ago) to be his helpmeet. I love him more today than ever before. He is an amazing Dad and loving husband. I dont know how he does all that he does but I am daily reminded of how blessed our family is to have him. Happy birthday, dearest. I love you. Oh, and the STEELERS making it to the SuperBowl is better than any present I can give him!

hm....

As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grain
I take a look at my wife and realize she’s very plain
But that’s just perfect for an amish like me
You know I shun fancy things like electricity
At 4:30 in the morning I’m milkin’ cows
Jebediah feeds the chickens and jacob plows... fool
And I’ve been milkin’ and plowin’ so long that
Even ezekiel thinks that my mind is gone
I’m a man of the land, I’m into discipline
Got a Bible in my hand and a beard on my chin
But if I finish all of my chores and you finish thine
Then tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1699

We been spending most our lives
Living in an amish paradise
I’ve churned butter once or twice
Living in an amish paradise
It’s hard work and sacrifice
Living in an amish paradise
We sell quilts at a discount price
Living in an amish paradise

A local boy kicked me in the butt last week
I just smiled at him and I turned the other cheek
I really don’t care, in fact I wish him well
’cause I’ll be laughing my head off when he’s burning in hell
But I ain’t never punched a tourist even if he deserved it
An amish with a ’tude?
You know that’s unheard of
I never wear buttons but I got a cool hat
And my homies agree
I really look good in black... fool
If you come to visit, you’ll be bored to tears
We haven’t even paid the phone bill in 300 years
But we ain’t really quaint, so please don’t point and stare
We’re just technologically impaired

There’s no phone, no lights, no motorcar
Not a single luxury
Like robinson caruso
It’s as primitive as can be

We been spending most our lives
Living in an amish paradise
We’re just plain and simple guys
Living in an amish paradise
There’s no time for sin and vice
Living in an amish paradise
We don’t fight, we all play nice
Living in an amish paradise

Hitchin’ up the buggy, churnin’ lots of butter
Raised a barn on monday, soon I’ll raise anutter
Think you’re really righteous?
Think you’re pure in heart?
Well, I know I’m a million time as humble as thou art
I’m the pious guy the little amlettes wanna be like
On my knees day and night scorin’ points for the afterlife
So don’t be vain and don’t be whiny
Or else, my brother, I might have to get medieval on your heinie

We been spending most our lives
Living in an amish paradise
We’re all crazy mennonites
Living in an amish paradise
There’s no cops or traffic lights
Living in an amish paradise
But you’d probably think it bites
Living in an amish paradise

Ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh
Ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-yecch!

From John Caleb with love...

conversation with Dad and 'little Caleb' ;-)

Caleb: Dad, how many Bond movies won Oscars?
Dad: ....None. They're not that kind of movie.
Caleb: BUT THEY WERE SO GOOD!!

no knowledge is too much to bear in the end

Conversation today in the SlaughterHouse:

Molly: Mom, what does it mean to have a sense of humor?
Kristen: What do you think it means?
M: To really know a lot about life and stuff?
K: Well, mostly it means that if someone has a good sense of humor, they laugh a lot, and make
others laugh and have a good time.
M: Do they tell silly jokes and love to hear jokes?
K: Yes, usually they do.
M: Then I guess Papa has the best sense of humor I've ever heard of!

Out of the mouth of babes...

it comes down to the art of living on

here are the slaughters, about to check out their new house for the first time!










kristen is trying to figure out how to work that fireplace into her elaborate decorating plan.










the kids were very excited, but henry still wants to know when we're going to virginia.










carrie headed right for the stairs.










big caleb came over too, to give kristen some advice about coordinating kitchen colors.











kristen had those poor kids cleaning as soon as the truck was unloaded.











happy to have a new house!

how many roads have i traveled....

well, here are the promised pictures of our trip to virginia.

the kids colored and watched dvds, and carrie read books like a good little baby.































we were very happy to get out and stretch our legs every three hours.










and when we got back in the car, the kids fell asleep. see how cute they are?




















one time, kris and i got very bored. i decided to be dangerous and reach over and take our picture while we were going 75 mph through mountain highways. we like to be dangerous.











after three long days of driving, everyone was very happy to finally make it to annie's house in virginia!






















stay tuned for pictures of the slaughter's new house!

Hair today, gone tomorrow...

A lot of us around here feel like we're coming apart at the seams...


~~Granny