Just another day in paradise

This is recent life at the Russell home. Summer is in full swing. Our boys (4 oldest full-time sons and 2 part-time sons!) are in their matching we-will-hopefully-spot-them-in-a-crowd orange shirts and a look at what we go through just to get the 8 children ready for a trip to Fiesta Texas. They all have so much fun and Dirk and I love that they all go to bed so easily when we get home!

Well, HOWEVER you define it....

It's obvious it wears him out!

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...