you are the dancing queen, young and sweet...

here are the pictures from beth's party, as promised. sorry it took so long, but i was waiting for the appropriate people to send me the relevant pictures from their respective cameras. only one of them obeyed me. thanks, nicole! to everyone else, you've missed the chance for your photography skills to be published on this very famous blog. better luck next time!
here we were getting ready for the party. hammering those torches into the ground, filling water balloons, making food to feed 60 hungry teenagers, and crossing things off of our to-do list as we go along.

































since the party was so popular and everyone in town was dying to attend, beth made tim head of security. he put up a chain at the end of the driveway and as guests arrived, he had to make sure they were on the official guest list before letting them in.










after our deck, yard, and house were filled with the most important people in beth's life, dad made a "it was sixteen years ago and we were driving to the hospital..." speech and then prayed for the food. and then it was time for, well, food.











after food, there were silly string and water balloon fights. (we needed a healthy outlet for all the teenagers to "express their feelings")












then cake and presents. as head of security, tim examined and kicked around all the gifts to make sure there were no bombs, and when he felt they were safe, he let beth open them.











and then of course, we sang some karaoke, had a bonfire, and for some reason, beat up caleb.
























all in all, beth had a blast with her friends, and mom and dad looked on as yet another child becomes old enough to wreck--i mean drive--their vehicles.

Change your ways while you're young...

Are these two the cutest baby girl cousins or what?? Carrie came over to play with Erin today, and after playing outside, they settled into the big leather chair to watch Baby Einstein.

Erin evidently thought that Carrie was there to make her comfortable, and poor Carrie was slumped under the weight of a rather "large" 15 month old.

But of course, interest in the DVD won over and Carrie forgot that she was being used as a lounging pillow.

Sweet dreams!

CJ, who is leaking pounds as well as spinal fluid, is starting to concern her sisters. So they're trying to help her dream of food that will help her replace the thirty pounds she's lost!

~~the Matriarch

CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2006!

Recent Injuries at the Ranch

Okay, well to be honest the only real injuries were incurred while trying to remove the makeup--but it was gory while it lasted! (We pay the drama troupe for this???)

one big love...

almost three weeks since Dok left, and Carrie still knows who loves her the best. Dok's brainwashing techniques include lots of candy and Dr. Pepper.

..And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you...

Due in part to Bethany's phenomenal facial expressions, and also in part to Emily's amazing camera skills.

i wanna be like you...

QUIZ!
If You Were a Warren Kid, Which One Would You Be?

Answer honestly!

1. What is your hobby?
a) running
b) eating
c) watching the Fox News Channel
d) throwing witty lines
e) reading
f) scrapbooking
g) rockin'
h) playing piano
i) tutoring

2. What artists/bands would most likely be on your playlist?
a) The Killers, Jason Mraz, Derek Webb
b) Jack Johsnon, Norah Jones, James Taylor
c) Flyleaf, Staind, Evanescence
d) 3 Doors Down, Idina Menzel, Amy Adams
e) Over the Rhine, Patty Griffin, Sandra McCracken
f) Jonatha Brooke, U2, Simon&Garfunkel
g) POD, dcTalk, Lifehouse
h) Eisley, Sixpence None the Richer, Caedmon's Call
i) Steven Curtis Chapman, Newsboys, TobyMac

3. What are you favorite foods?
a) creamy chicken, pizza (any kind), corndogs
b) french fries, fried chicken, homemade biscuits
c) meat empadas, berries&cream dr pepper, pulled pork sandwiches
d) mountain dew, cheese cake, twizzlers
e) key lime pie, sourdough bread, chocolate milk
f) raisin bran crunch, dr pepper, bean and cheese soft tacos
g) bacon&cheese spaghetti, sunkist, pepperoni pizza
h) steak, tex-mex, bratwurst
i) chocolate, chocolate, and chocolate!

4. Awkward Situation! Frankenstein is trying to tickle you to death...how would you respond?
a) "Franky, go to your room!"
b) "Get away from me, Freakazoid!"
c) pinch him hard
d) kick him where it counts
e) "Get back, Brokeback!"
f) "Hehe, you're green!"
g) kick him in the stomach
h) eat him
i) tell him sad stories until he sobs and runs away

5. If you could be any heavenly object, which would it be and why?
a) the Sun--cuz i'm hot
b) Jupiter--cuz i'm big and in charge
c) Uranus--cuz it's fun to say
d) Mercury--because i hate being cold
e) Pluto--ice, ice, baby!
f) a Star--'nuff said!
g) Mars--cuz i'm just out of reach
h) Earth--for practical reasons
i) Venus--i'm one of a kind

6. If you could pick one person, dead or alive, to be the president, who would it be?
a) Emperor Hirohito
b) Ted Nugent
c) Tim Duncan
d) William Wallace
e) Robert E. Lee
f) my sister
g) Mark Tremonti
h) Theodore Roosevelt
i) me!

7. In your opinion, what does our society need the most?
a) bigger guns
b) too many things!
c) better pain killers
d) harsher punishment for parole violators...and world peace
e) more people like me!
f) better christian films
g) smart people
h) more food
i) love, sweet love

8. What would be your favorite movie line?
a) "I'm impossible to forget, but hard to remember." --Elizabethtown
b) "Is that my soul I hear calling me by name?" --Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
c) "Did I miss the butt-whoopin'?" --Robotz
d) "Snap out of it!" --Moonstruck
e) "I've always felt very temporary about myself." --Gross Pointe Blank
f) "I'm the only cause I'm interested in." --Casablanca
g) "Like a kite...in the sky. Oh...so high!" --Napoleon Dynamite
h) "Life is pain! Anyone who says differently is selling something." --The Princess Bride
i) "I can't think about that today! I'll think about that tomorrow!" --Gone With the Wind

9. If you could be reincarnated as any person, dead or alive, who would it be?
a) Jodie Foster--actress
b) Karin Bergquist--musician
c) Kristen Chenoweth--singer
d) Alton Brown--food channel chef
e) King Richard III--duh
f) me!
g) that little Jewish guy, Sammy Davis Jr.--dancer
h) Samuel L. Jackson--actor
i) Joan Cusack--actress


When you're finished, post your answers in a comment, and then we'll tell you which Warren kid you are most like!


now wasn't that fun?

Our last baby...

...at the Ranch.


~~posted by the Rancher's wife

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.