cereality

You’re giving way more credit to their understanding of law than I think they deserve. Yes almost all reality TV has disclaimers. That’s bc producing a reality show is a series of contracts and embedded in those contracts is that producers can take footage and use it in part or in whole or in a different order (ie create a storyline). You know why those disclaimers exist - bc TV channels including small ones like UP have a small army of lawyers who actually watch these shows before they air and make sure the required disclaimers are there so they don’t get sued later for breach of contract, defamation or anything else. A law school classmate of mine actually had that job for NBC for yrs. YT/IG are a free for all, not subject to the same contracts of TV - and here the producers + actors are the same ppl so unless they’re gonna sue themselves, why do disclaimers or even honest admissions matter here? No a viewer can’t sue them for being duped into thinking an event was real. As for them just being honest to their loyal subjects and telling if something is a re-creation - lol the fundie track record on honesty isn’t great esp when it comes down to making $$$.

Am I the only one who has been assuming this whole time that they have been re-creating stuff for the YT/IG audience? They come from a reality TV background where this is common - producers will stick you together and say discuss x and act like you haven't discussed it before bc they need it for the storyline [see the BUB episode where Erin was still part of BSB and was talking about her clotting disorder which Carlin had just been diagnosed with and they were discussing the shots at home as Whit was like "really OMG" "OMG" "I had no idea." BS you 100% knew that your then besties had pregnancy issues, that Erin had had a number of miscarriages and finally when her clotting disorder was treated she was able to have Carson.] IDK I always assumed that when they show Carlin zonked out from meds or whatever, it's re-created to show how she spent the afternoon - bc she's lying in perfect position, nary a hair or bracelet out of place, kids posed up in perfect position right up against her or screaming songs in her ear or whatever. What - it's never happened that she falls asleep like other people - shirt or PJ legs riding up, mouth open, drool? She always sleeps like Sleeping Beauty? While it would be mentally effed up to re-create something traumatic like this, what stops them? Per Reddit they say drs. have told them to record episodes but it's very possible that the dr is getting a recording that is less "lady like" - dress riding up, maybe even underwear shows etc. The one time we KNOW it wasn't a re-created was when Evan was recording her at home after VBS. She seemed out of it that time as Evan kept shoving a camera in her face to update viewers. And oh yeah now mastitis - she drops how she called mom for advice. I guess you can call mom if you have an issue relating to birthing, anything else - too scary for Kelly, nope she doesn't want to know. And so now we get a week of her updating the viewers on the state of her boobs. Can't she stop breastfeeding the kid already? I mean if drs. are suggesting that pregnancy triggered this, why not let your hormones go back to normal ASAP - i.e. stop breastfeeding. He's 5 mos old so it's not even like stopping at 5 days old - it's been a good amount of time. Edited to add - I'm not a dr and not suggesting she stop breastfeeding TODAY. But my God woman given your problems, just be done with the pregnancy, birthing, nursing phase of your life already.

I had no idea Jill went to therapy. They do YT videos right? I don't feel like going back and looking but I kind of want to watch some of hers to see if she touches on therapy. And having been to law school, ok it isn't 40 hrs/wk, but it is usually about 30 hrs/wk in class and this isn't undergrad class where you can just be texting your honey the whole time. And outside of class you're reading at least 150 pgs/night, so she was on her on for the last 3-4 yrs. Granted they did post a video of him studying and I got the sense he finished class and came home ASAP - all studying done at home, not at the library; and as he studied, she'd sit there in his office periodically. I thought it was bizarre and clingy after all these years but at the end of the day she wasn't sitting there chatting it up about how much she loves him blah blah; he was immersed in his studying, she was eating breakfast reading her phone - so it was physically the same room without the omg why don't you talk to me, I miss you sooo much, do you really have to read that blah blah. But @Notabug is right - the difference here is that Derick wanted to do these things whether it was being an accountant or a lawyer and he was getting frustrated with a wife who was so emotionally fragile that he needed to be home all the time, so they worked together to make her more independent and have her realize that independence for a woman isn't some terrible thing despite what her effed up fundie family taught her. Sounds more and more like Carlin needs therapy. I mean she's been taught that only a husband who is around 24-7 cares for you even in normal times. Given what she's going thru now, I feel like she may have it in her head that he can NEVER leave her again to work even once this problem is sorted out bc she is so fragile.

Jesus. I had no idea. That's Jill Dillard level clinginess when she first married. He was an accountant at Walmart HQ, and she used to go sit in his parking lot at work for hours at a time + meet him for lunch in the employee cafeteria daily, leading him to ultimately leave/get fired from that job. She'd say things like why don't you stay home with me as he'd be like uh bc I have to work/make money. Then it was years of wandering around as a missionary, in Central America, divinity school blah blah until he finally got thru to her that in order for them to live even middle class and actually be mainstream, he needed a profession. Over time she became ok being by herself with the kids - and now the kids even leave her for public school all day, he went to law school, and is now a lawyer for the District Attorney's office in some small town in Okla. Maybe Carlin should call or visit Jill and talk to her about how she adjusted? Who am I kidding though. The Bates think they know it all and any "fellowshipping" is surface level. They'd never discuss real problems bc Carlin wouldn't acknowledge that they have problems that aren't being prayed away. And I've always had the sense the Bates consider themselves better and more worldly than the Duggars anyway - look we married handsome guys with professions, we live in homes we bought ourselves, we are more mainstream, we went to Clown College blah blah. Yet the deeper issues of being raised being with your parents 24-7, no work or school for anyone, no friends aside from fellowshipping families, and keeping sweet/praying away all problems are exactly the same.

Agree with @Lisa418722 - the reality of working life was setting in. He would've already gotten his work schedule etc. before Law's wedding and was due to start right after the wedding but then Carlin's episodes started. I think they made it thru school justifying it as - well neither of us went to school before, this is just how it is, they only let you skip x number of classes or you don't graduate, that means only 1 wk for Zade's birth, it's ok it's just a season of life blah blah. But in their own heads once he was an electrician for real, he'd have sooooo much freedom. And then he got smacked with the reality that with most jobs, you EARN vacation time often like a few hrs per pay period, so no you can't just up and vacation 12 times/yr. And yes in skilled trades, the union may only have you working 40 hrs/wk but it CAN BE nights or weekends. BUB had a segment once with John eating dinner with the girls at 5-6 pm and then heading back out to work from 8pm-midnight, as he explained if you have a job with a car dealership or McDonalds, they can't shut down their HVAC during the day for you to work on it. Pretty sure electrical work in office buildings, restaurants etc. is done overnight or on weekends. Carlin was having a meltdown bc he was coming home from school at 9 pm ONE NIGHT/wk. Imagine if he got a six month long job assignment thru the union that was nights?? The horror . . . . I don't wish long covid on anyone, it's so awful. Given how they're trying to make a living on social media, even if a dr. has said to them - we don't know what triggered this but you've had covid 2x, once while pregnant - they'd NEVER breathe a word of that convo online. They know how divisive covid is. It's much more sympathetic to share the part where the dr. said well it could be pregnancy related - bc aww look such a beautiful young couple with a young mom having problems and now they'll only ever have 2 kids. The slightest speculation of long covid will bring out the viewers who'll say - you never masked, you traveled non stop, why don't you get the freaking vaccine etc. I wonder if they'd get vaccinated even now if drs. said they should? Evan's bro went out of his way to make fun of people getting the vax. The only fundies that have openly said they are vaccinated are Jill and Derick Dillard, and Jill has become far more mainstream since marrying Derick. Chad/Erin did say once that her issues were caused by long covid - and they caught some flack for that - but they also weren't trying to make a living solely via social media. And my feeling re the kids is they avoid the real pediatrician and just go to urgent care when possible bc the damn pediatricians keep finding things wrong when nothing is wrong [i.e. we don't want to know] - hole in Layla's heart, Layla's growth, now they'll label poor Zade an asthmatic when he just has a cold, NBD.

While I def feel bad for her and anyone who has a scary health issue like this, their handling of it is + their behavior before this is what makes me roll my eyes as she goes on about - he's worked soooo hard and now bc of me is career is on hold OMG. Carlin sweetie it was THIS YEAR [before health issues] when you staged a photo shoot at 6 am, perfect hair and makeup, BAWLING bc your sweetie had to go to school/apprenticeship and you'd be home alone. So really how supportive are you of his career? And btw IDK what your fundie parents told you, but this is what grown ups do - spend the day apart bc they have to work; it's not all gazing into your honey's eyes 24-7. And if career REALLY mattered, there was really no time in the last 3 months that they could even have TRIED intermittent FMLA? They couldn't have tried to see if it worked with a nanny/Whit/her parents so he could work for a few weeks, even part time - before deciding NOPE it won't work? And Evan are drs. REALLY saying see if you can extend your FMLA? Maybe drs. are saying she can't be alone or with the kids alone, ok fine, but no dr in their right mind is going to say ONLY HUSBAND can stay home. You're seeing drs. in freaking Knoxville not Beverly Hills - like they're used to people needing to pay the mortgage, and I doubt they see too many people that are so independently wealthy that leaving work is NBD. FWIW I stopped watching their YTs permanently when Carlin had her crying emotional breakdown of - OMG we keep getting outbid, what if we don't get a house, Lord's will blah blah. Even then I was like morons - what goes up must come down, you shouldn't even be trying to buy in a market where houses are going for all cash, 50k over ask etc. But hey they HAD TO BUY ASAP lest Katie and Alyssa have houses and they don't. Well congrats on buying at the absolute peak of the market + I guarantee putting down no more than 3-10% [as he was just a student and their YT wasn't as big then], which means on top of the mortgage they also are paying mortgage insurance which you do for down payments under 20%. Selling and moving to Nashville for his parents' help so he can work isn't even an option for a long time bc they're under water. PLUS they've used all their cash for this down payment - cue crying from Carlin re what if we never own a house [and Nashville is a pricier market, every type of house costs more than in Knox]. Aside from her medical issues, something seems wrong with her - whether anxiety, being raised to keep sweet/pray it away, being uneducated, hopping from wedding to 2 kids/house/husband gone 40 hrs/wk all in 3 yrs . . . .

Usually it's about $3-5 per 100k views. It's a pretty standard metric and people who do social media analytics have been confirming it on Reddit as I guess they can tell by looking at the stats on accounts what they'd generally make. So their EMERGENCY videos at first which were bringing in 500k views were making them $2500/wk, which I think got Evan pretty excited. But if you look at the views, there's only like 2-3 videos that got that many hits - right at the beginning when people were very curious. Their usual boring content - like crying hysterical tears about moving out of a rental or renovating the new house or whatever brings in closer to 150-200k views = $750-1000/wk. Hope Evan is watching his stats closely because lately even when he spins videos as medical updates, they're still getting about 200-250k views as people largely aren't THAT interested so that = $1000-1250/wk. Not saying $1250 wk is bad money as its = 65k/yr plus whatever they get from BSB which ain't much given their hordes of unsold inventory. 65k isn't bad money but not usually buy a big house and eat out constantly and vacation constantly w/ 2 kids in tow money either. And we don't KNOW they're on COBRA, for all we know they're on Medicaid [they're def sneaky enough to hide all the income to show the state they need Medicaid] - which then would make sense why they have to wait until a dr. says they can go to Mayo. But if they are on COBRA for a family of 4 even on a cheap HMO plan, that's no less than $1000/month [and if it were a good plan, closer to $1800-2000/mo].

Guess they aren't getting enough hits on YT bc they are now previewing their videos on IG hoping people will go watch. Reality is they've gone from 400-500k views per week for OMG EMERGENCY to back to the 200k views no matter how much they hype it up. That's a weekly income hit of $1000-1500 per week bc us snarkers just won't go watch - lol. But IG previews it all for those who don't want to watch for them to make $. It's got Carlin seizing and convulsing on concrete - WTF - who wants to show that and what was Evan holding a phone with the other hand?? It addresses that Evan asked for an FMLA extension and his company said no they'd have to fire him, with Carlin sitting there teary about how her man is putting his life on hold for her after working sooo hard for 5 yrs with Evan playing doting husband so - no babe it isn't your fault, I'm happy to do it. And they throw in the bit about Zade having a cough so Evan took him to urgent care. Um do their kids not have a regular pediatrician - they use drop by services to manage care of an infant who has had a cold for a month?? Edited to Add: Per Reddit people who've watched - they apparently considered hiring 1-2 ppl to watch Carlin and the kids so Evan could work but the cost of that and the discomfort of being away from Carlin was too much. [Uh isn't he away from her when she goes shopping with her sisters etc. or even at church when he's off socializing with someone else. Like they didn't even try it for a week to see if it'd work or see if he could be away 4 hrs/day and thus work PT?] And she's going to have an inpatient EEG for 5 days in Oct. and if that doesn't figure this out, she's going to be referred to Mayo. What is stopping them from going to Mayo on their own now? I wonder if they have an HMO thru his job [and now thru COBRA] so they need a referral - I would assume so as those are the cheapest plans but given that they get drs to order cardiology tests even w the drs saying it probably isn't going to show anything, why not start bugging the drs to go to Mayo NOW and then Mayo finishes the testing and figures it out once and for all? Rather than waiting until Oct, referrals in Nov, then you hopefully get in by year end. I mean this started in May - you could even present it as - we need this sorted out so Evan can go back to work FT w/ some comfort that Carlin will be safe on her meds w/ just a nanny at home, bc we just bought a house and have 2 kids. Shockingly drs. do understand practical realities like that and they don't expect that all their patients have YT income??

Let's be real these fools [along with Law/Tiff] go to Target and run SO MANY errands because they need something to do. I'm sorry but it is unnatural to be 24-27 years old and not working [or if you're a stay home parent doing things like cooking, cleaning etc. - something besides doing your makeup in the mirror]. At those ages, most everyone has a job or maybe you're in extended schooling that's demanding like med school or law school. This complete lack of structure or obligation is how fundies roll [i.e. the Duggars as well as G&K]. With no one going off to work and no kids to get off to school at 7 am, life is perpetual summer vacation -- roll out of bed between 10am-noon, can't be bothered to cook or do dishes so eat whatever junk, their big event of the day is ERRANDS and then grabbing Chick Fila or Sonic or Sbux, and then they come home from errands and it's "family time" - as if they haven't just spent all day hanging with the family doing nothing. For these 2 morons they think they "work" bc they go to BSB on Tuesday and Thursday - like rolling in at 10am and being done by 2pm. And somehow this lifestyle glorifies Jesus. IDK how - maybe by not being in work situations where there could be heathens? Because let's be real they ain't sitting in prayer 24-7. They mock other religions but there are other religions that pray 5 times/day. I have no actual proof but I think for mental health, all people need more to do and more structure than that. It keeps you going, and in life the more you do, the more you are able to do - esp. at young ages. To Carlin that dumbass list of dropping off the dog, drs. appt, stopping by school and Target was A LOT TO DO bc they don't get that people do all these things WITH A FULLTIME JOB. These people all live the retiree life where errands are the HIGHLIGHT of life and we have all seen how retirees who have nothing else - no other life interests to keep them going - tend to age faster.

She's bringing her germy young kids - or at least one - bc Carlin said something about her kids being so excited. But I mean come on Covid has never been real for these people. They didn't mask ever, they didn't vaccinate - they certainly aren't going to now, doesn't matter if their infant needs breathing treatments or not. I mean I remember the "masks" they wore on a few flights to Fla. bc they were running back and forth to Alyssa's as Katie got her wedding dress in Fla or something. These masks must've been made for 300 lb men bc they were so freaking big that Carlin and her attention whoring sisters didn't even have to pull down their masks to show their face on IG, the masks sat like 6 inches off their face. And Lord Kelton was a big fan of masks below the nose so he technically couldn't be denied boarding back then but no masks for that macho plumber AND when his 2 yr old was masked correctly and not fussing with it, he'd pull the mask down "so she could breathe." This family deserves each other they are so freaking stupid.

That was the first thing that jumped out at me too - Carlin saying they have SUCH a busy day and then listing out that they are dropping off the dog for grooming, going to a dr. appt, picking up paperwork at school, going to Target [for the 3000th time this month], and cleaning up the house before Joy comes. Uh it's as if it never occurs to stay home fundies that people with jobs do all of these things regularly, just around the job?? The time that Evan worked as an apprentice - which I think is the last 2 yrs of school - counts as time with the union. Bet you he's picking up a form from school that certifies that he's done 2 yrs with the union. Bc the school is prob like - oh this is a temporary family issue - well we can't send the union paperwork to any union employer so take this bc when you go do your next 18 yrs with the union, you'll qualify for the $$ pension, why lose those 2 yrs. Little do they know the moron they're dealing with who is like pension - what - who cares, God will provide. And I'm unclear what "partying" for Evan's bday involved? I mean the day before they sat in Teslas, went to Dicks Sporting Goods, and dinner at a Japanese restaurant. Day of was just Layla babbling/screaming happy bday to him?? Woohoo party time. They're 24-27 years old, do they really have no friends besides that sweet pastor they chase?? And let me guess with Joy arriving prob from Thursday night-Sunday, woohooo party time -- i.e. Carlin is back to staying up until 1 am for a few nights? I get it you want to hang with your bestie but if lack of rest doesn't go well for you, then wind it down by 10-11 each night, I'm sure Joy will understand.

Can someone explain Evan's constant begging for a Tesla? Do they think their leghumpers will pitch in and buy them one? Do they think Tesla is going to give them a sponsorship? You're unemployed and plugging together a living on social media + your wife's dress shop bro and oh yeah you have 2 kids and a mortgage. Maybe set your sights on something where the cheapest model isn't 48k?? And even a used Tesla [since even the oldest ones on the market aren't super old] is going to be 35k. But per Reddit he went on in some YT video 2 wks ago about wanting a Tesla [as Carlin was quick to say - you have to pay my medical bills - THAT's what they want leghumpers to chip in on]. Then the other day Carlin was going on about how maybe she'd rent him a Tesla for his bday but he was like no that'd be such a tease. And tonight, yep they're at a Tesla dealership. Not just driving thru the lot but inside the dealership sitting in the cars, and probably picking up the rental. And yep there's Carlin walking around holding Layla. Layla walks, why does Carlin pick her up in public spaces given her condition?? And yeah so Zade had a cold and breathing treatment like 2 trips to Nashville ago - so like 3-4 wks ago and STILL hasn't kicked that cold and now needed a breathing treatment again?? At least now they bought a pediatric sized mask, in no doubt due to all the criticism they got on Reddit last time for using a nasty used adult sized mask. But yeah if it's been a month and your 4 month old hasn't kicked a cold, maybe look into it further and actually try to show up on time to that drs. appt. God forbid their kids ever need anything, they are such self absorbed morons.

I do wonder how much she’s told drs about her lifestyle. Cardiology and I imagine neurology tend not to ask a ton about lifestyle but sometimes cardiologists do ask about caffeine, drinking, salt intake, sleep, and hydration. Is she thinking and answering truthfully or is she more like nah I never get coffee at Sbux and glossing over the fact that Sbux non coffee drinks have caffeine too, the corn dogs from Sonic and chips that they always have on hand are high in salt etc. Is Evan speaking up and saying well several of the episodes have been the day after staying up until 2 am at her parents’ “partying” and then running someplace else the next day? I feel like bc she grew up in a family where primary care was a foreign concept, she’s never been around a dr who’ll talk to her about that stuff. Primary care is usually the one discussing food choices or sleep or day to day life things like that if the need arises. Thing is she grew up in a family like this - unscheduled, unstructured, eat whatever, sleep whenever - and her 50+ yr old parents are fine, as are many other families like the Duggars so to her how could sleep or coffee or running around for no apparent reason matter here?! But the reality is G&K have lived a life with way fewer health problems than their daughters AFAIK. Sometimes what a healthy as a horse person can do isn’t the same as what someone who needs to take care of her health does. Not saying meals or sleep will solve her issue but really could 3 meals/day and consistent sleep hurt here? And not that it’ll solve her medical problems but I wish she’d reconcile with Erin, who knows what health problems can be like, and hang with Tori more - simply bc she and Tori grew up together and it could only help mentally.

They didn't exactly go to a Dr. Vick like private practice for cardiology. They went to a hospital based practice. I find it hard to believe that there isn't a MyChart or some similar electronic platform that spits out notifications for upcoming appointments, requires them to confirm, and requires them to do the pre-check in online as that tends to save time in the office. Yet knowing these 2 they prob mindlessly hit confirm without double checking the time and were like eh I'm not pre checking in, the office staff can do that when we grace them with our presence. And @geegolly I agree - having gone thru cardiology things before, they are VERY clear on how quickly things need to be done or not. When there have been instances of actual concern about what the testing will show, I've had drs sit down and very clearly say - look you cannot put this one off bc I'm concerned about x,y,z and then the office harasses you non stop to get it scheduled and will work around your schedule a fair amount to get you in fast. OTOH when it's more routine testing/rule out testing where they are fairly certain there's no huge concern, they are quicker to say - you should get this done but in the next few weeks/months is fine and then predictably they don't work as hard to get you in, you basically get an available appointment down the road. Carlin even said they are fairly certain it isn't a vascular issues but want this testing to confirm - that means it'll get done when it gets done. I imagine if Carlin had shown the slightest hesitation and said do I really need this - the dr would've been like well actually no you don't HAVE to do this. They are clearly reading here and on Reddit - as demonstrated by the Layla post clarifying they didn't go to church, prob in response to all the people who say why don't you stay home more. As for Vegas, I imagine any episode was in transit to Vegas [as she was in the wheelchair at Vegas airport too] or when they got to the hotel that night. I mean their flight landed at 11 pm and she was posting pics from their hotel at like 2 am Vegas time -- freaking 5 am EST. IDK what is or is not going on with her but in what universe is pulling all nighters going to help?

From a few video clips from this week’s YT posted on Reddit - FMLA boy appears not that good at his job. Turns out the cardiologist appt was at 930 the other day but they came wandering in at 1030 and thought this was the funniest thing ever. No not bc Evan was trying to squeeze in a few hrs of paid work but bc Evan wrote down 915 on some piece of paper, Carlin put 1030 into her phone and hahahaha in the 4-6 wks they waited for this appt no one could double check, busy as they are 🙄. Of course they prob could’ve been there on time but they had to stop at Sbux, Carlin had to post IG stories from the hospital parking lot, and Evan had to film a YT segment updating her health from the parking lot. Then Evan casually goes we’ll see if they’ll still see us or we’ll come back another day. Uh not how people usually treat appts when they’re worried about their health + rescheduling could easily take 4-6 wks these days. Of course they were seen. I’m sure they have zero awareness that the red carpet is rolled out a bit in healthcare when it’s a young white couple cooing about how they had to drop their babies off at the sitter blah blah. If they looked different or were age 40+, no doubt some receptionist would be like better luck getting here next time. And Carlin isn’t doing well at all mentally. Can’t blame her as much as I hate on her. As much as she’s an actress, she also seemed genuinely sad when talking about the episodes in the parking lot. This is where her keeping sweet, aww we have sooo many IG and YT lookyloos, we’re so blessed - training will hurt her. You almost wish she could talk to someone in private for real about how it’s been, her fears etc - whether a therapist or even a secular friend who won’t just tell her to be grateful and quote the Bible. Love Evan being like - it’s getting harder for her to talk about these episodes, she didn’t want to discuss the one in Vegas (so there was one), so I have to respect that. Bro you know what’d respect her more - if you went to WORK, rather than staking the payment of the mortgage on your wife’s health bringing in the YT lookyloos?!? Like I know they both say the BS of how they get sooo much support from their IG and YT leghumpers but really?! They’re strangers, are they doing anything for you? No but bc they’ve shown interest + you need to keep them in the fold bc your kids eating now depends on it, now you’re obligated to show videos of yourself at the dr or worse, provide details that clearly are hard for you to discuss etc?! Is this worth it for your mental health?? But at the end of the day a fundie marriage is a fundie marriage, Evan wants it so that’s how it’s gonna be and mental health can be prayed away.

Man they're really projecting an image of how hard they're working. Carlin posted an IG of them having a "business meeting" at Z&W's house at 7 pm. Whit looks totally checked out and is talking to the oldest boy, and Carlin is sure to pan over to Zach and Evan both on their laptops. I'm sure they're getting a ton done with 6 kids screaming in the background. And Evan can be heard telling Layla to get off the $10,000 white couch bc she has chocolate on her outfit - he didn't say the price but lol Whit fantastic move spending that much on a pricey WHITE couch with young kids in the home [yeah it's washable blah blah but stains never disappear entirely no matter how washable anything is]. Though at least it's good that Evan has the instinct to tell his kid no, you cannot destroy anyone else's stuff. The Bates def were not raised that way - they were raised to destroy it and then laugh and they still do that as grown adults at Mama Janes. And geez Zach is sporting a significant gut and even with Evan you can def see the double chin/thick neck emerging. I imagine sitting around at the dress shop all day eating fast food and drinking coffees that are actually desserts and following it up with more fast food for dinner [at least for Evan/Carlin] isn't helping. Somehow I don't see these two manly men lugging boxes or unloading the trucks - I imagine they pitch in for 10 min with that stuff every few weeks and then their staff has to finish it. As for what the other guys are thinking - I bet Gil is "proud" as that man's motto is grift any way you can and don't get off your ass and work a real job. Even if that means horning in your wife's small business, she should be glad you're home with her 24-7. I imagine Kelton [and Josie's] disdain for Evan and Carlin has only grown; both couples are comparative and I'm willing to bet when it's just them K&J have a lot to say re hahahahah he's working for his wife's dress shop, didn't even launch his career, look at me I have my own business with 15 guys working for me etc.

They're letting Evan's job status be known and hoping that their leghumpers/critics just leave it alone and they never have to address it directly. Though if they do hey - not so bad - that's at least a half a YT video about Evan prattling on about needing to be with Carlin and his kids in this season of life and Carlin crying along about how much she loves him. Not that any adult goes to work to fit in or make friends, but I 100% think Evan was not cut out to be in the skilled trades working with manly guys and is far more comfortable being social media director sipping on Sbux all day with a bunch of ladies chatting about dresses. His only other job prior to electrician school was at a medical office reception desk - all women coworkers - and if you look at his old IG pics, he looks plenty happy at work. I believe he's said before his dad is a retired plumber. I have a feeling dad was putting it in the sons' heads all along that if they weren't going to go to college, the skilled trades would provide a nice living when it was time to take a wife and have kids; his newlywed brother is also in electrician school. [Not saying dad was wrong and not mocking hard working skilled tradesmen in any way. Lord knows we need them more than the world needs another freaking IG influencer.] During school though there was more than one instance where Evan would be eating dinner in his car and FaceTiming Carlin and Layla. He couldn't deal with 2 nights/wk of being at school late w/o his kid? And let's be real Layla has no bedtime and was still up when he got home at 9 pm. And even if he did need to call to check in, wouldn't most guys do that in 3 min and then go eat dinner in the break room with everyone else? I'm thinking he has zero in common with these guys. While they're at work being like can't wait to get home, crack open a beer and watch X game, I can imagine Evan being like - ah can't wait to shower and slip into my $100 Cuts joggers, these work pants and boots are so uncomfortable, hey did I tell you my wife gets my $100 Cuts pants for free, they're so soft against my ass, you should get some using my wife's code, they'd only cost you $80. As the other guys are like WTH is wrong with this prissy boy??!

The FMLA papers were signed in Nashville at the very beginning and then it made sense. She had started having scary episodes out of the blue, no one knew what it was, and they had to go to the hospital ASAP each time. Back then Evan was even saying that he didn’t have time off but maybe his family could watch her and he could go to work during the week so he didn’t have to go on unpaid status. I have a feeling his parents said no to that. As much as they help, I have a feeling that they were overwhelmed at the idea of being alone with 2 babies + a DIL having scary episodes who’d they’d have to get to the hospital ASAP while managing the kids. I have a feeling his parents - back then - said they’d help 100% but he had to be there too so they could tag team. That’d be enough to get drs to sign off on FMLA - the only family that can watch her right this moment in this city is my retiree parents and they don’t feel like can manage her + an infant + a toddler without me. Of course any dr would be like yeah that’s a lot, plan on being home from work for a while. Now the drs don’t force you to use the entire 12 weeks if you can make other arrangements like daycare/nanny/her family. And frankly after about week 3 when she was on meds and things were more managed, I feel like his parents then would’ve been like yeah we can keep her here + the 2 kids, go back to work 4-5 days/wk. I just feel like maybe they couldn’t do it initially when all hell was breaking lose. Yet the Stewarts decided once 12 wks was signed, he was taking all 12 — no going back to work for the 6 wks in the middle that were better etc.

I do think the Bates family is useless and selfish, so they aren't just going to on their own start walking in and helping and caring the way the Stewart clan does. The Bates only do that if there is a new grandbaby to hold or a gender reveal party or a house warming or wedding - something where they can get pretty pics, not for the day to day drudgery of life. But I also don't think the siblings are SO awful that if asked to help in specific manageable ways, they'd say no. G&K don't manage their zoo of a household anyway, so if Evan said look Carlin needs someplace to be all day so I can work, so 1-2 days/wk can she and the kids spend 8 hrs here, I hardly think G&K would say no. Frankly it's just 3 more people for Addie, Ellie, Callie to manage, feed etc. so what do they care. G&K wouldn't lift a finger for Carlin just like they didn't for Alyssa, but at this point all she needs is someone with her which her teen siblings can do. Same with Z&W - I hardly think they'd say no we won't watch Carlin and the kids 2 days/wk at BSB and on those days when we wrap up at 2 pm and head home, I can't see Z saying no my sick sister can't come sit on my couch for the next two hours until her husband can come. Same with Michael - I also don't see her saying no to being a nanny 1 day/wk and if E&C were SO concerned, they could offer to pay her the going nanny rate. Hell Michael already babysits Josie's kids one day a week, so I doubt she'd say no for Carlin's kids esp. in light of Carlin's situation. I think they haven't cobbled these solutions together because either at the start of this or somewhere through the last 12 weeks, they BOTH decided they want EVAN home, not anyone else.

They're the ones that have created this image of themselves that now makes everyone doubt them. I mean they walk out of there kind of "excited" that she has a stress test and some test to look at the arteries in her neck but she doesn't know what that's called. All I could think was - are you "excited" because the dr. suggested you need this testing and it'll point out your problem or are you excited because more testing = 2 more YT videos on this subject? I mean it's weird to me how excited they get coming out of doctors' offices with news that others would consider scary. Though it's not like they're telling us everything so it's very possible the cardiologist said - I really think it's not your heart, but since you insist we'll do these last two tests just to confirm. And uh Carlin the test is most likely called an ultrasound bc I doubt they're doing anything invasive right off the bat. You know that thing that you and your sisters get all the time to detect a penis in utero and to make sure you have the appropriate colored cake and confetti for the party. And yes they need very detailed birth control directions and none of this -- oops we were preventing but I guess we just messed up. Evan can ask his brother -- married for a year, also in electrician school, and no honeymoon baby or baby announcement at all from them so clearly they're using something workable.

Lol I thought that too. They are definitely going to do an EKG, you really don't want to eat or drink anything weird. She had one of the pink drinks - I don't imagine that's coffee, but probably is sugary. Though I mean her diet is 50% Sbux - maybe it's better that a cardiologist know that. And it gets better, they're sitting in the exam room taking pics of each other so she just posted a posed pic perched on the exam table. Nope not one bit concerned which is super interesting given that she DOES NOT KNOW what her problem is/what they could say?? Maybe life is easier when you don't know what you don't know . . . .

I really hate that I'm snarking about anyone's health but these people 🙄. Headed to the cardiologist this morning - full face of perfect make up, both sipping on their fave Sbux drinks, perfectly curated IG stories with Jesus music ending in a videos of them holding hands walking into the hospital though you don't see them, you see their shadows on the parking lot . . . . As someone who has had a cardiac issue and thus have had to see a cardiologist regularly since I was younger than Carlin, uh I don't think that's what this experience is like for a normal person. Even knowing what my issue is and knowing what to expect, there is massive nervousness going to every appointment that they'll say -- hmm your EKG looks different, let's get more testing etc. You just want to go and get it over with ASAP so stopping at Sbux for your favorite drink or doing your makeup or videoing anything and uploading it to music as if this is a fun outing - LOL NO; it's more like hair in a ponytail, throw on whatever jeans and t shirt is handy and go. Let's see if she says anything after. Hopefully it won't be her bitchy - more testing woohoo, party time BS she does that basically mocks the drs. And @65mickey - they haven't found a solution re Evan going back to work bc they don't WANT to find a solution. It's August - every preschool and daycare in town is enrolling right now. They really can't work out a solution like daycare/preschool? And even if they prefer Layla to be feral and won't send her - how about dropping Carlin and the kids at BSB 2 days/wk w/ the agreement that Z or W stays with her the whole day until E picks them up, dropping them at G&K's house 1x/wk, and/or paying Michael or Christian to nanny for them 1-2 day/wk? Evan was on a four day work week before and likely could get that again, they just aren't looking for a solution that has him back at work. Insurance be damned.

Sounds like it's been multiple episodes. It sounds like something happened last night - Saturday night when she was out for a girls night for that girl Christian's bday. If there have been multiple episodes yet Vegas was fine, then maybe something on Wed night/Thursday in Nashville? Bc they flew most of the day Wed, Thurs was quiet, but then on Friday she and Evan were out at some pizza place on Broadway, she took a million pics holding Zade in a touristy area, out to a baseball game in a stadium with his family, and then at some point that evening they drove to Law's house and drove home to Knox late that night. They've continuously been moving since last Sunday when they flew to Vegas to a girls night on Saturday "because she never gets to do girls nights" -- uh sweetie you dumped your kids for three days just this week, didn't you? Pretty sure that's as direct an announcement as they're going to make about Evan's work. If he was returning, he'd be back to work tomorrow as it's been 12 weeks. I feel like now they just ignore the issue until weeks/months from now they answer it in an IG question series or on a YT live. And if in the meantime people offend them by asking that question on their IG posts, they'll start deleting and blocking. Not that they share everything but I wonder if the cardiologist will want further testing. She and Evan keep saying they don't have results yet, but the heart monitor was done like the week after Law's wedding in mid May and even if things are super slow [which they are due to pandemic related cardiac issues], the cardiologist would still have gotten results by late May and if he saw something worrisome/wanted more testing, he wouldn't wait until mid Aug to get her into the office/into testing.

I know the Lord was leading them blah blah but did they not ever realize that house sales CAN and DO fall through all the time?? They have a TON of limiting factors when it comes to real estate. Given that they've said they'll only buy in cash, they can only pay so much. Seller may have agreed in principal on said amount and then oh look a higher offer comes along bc someone else will take a mortgage -- are they really gonna take a 20k or 50k or whatever loss to do a favor for some strangers from Tenn just bc they're Christian?? And looking at Deland, a LOT of the housing there is new construction/newish construction - much like what Alyssa has. No way the Paines can afford those as they are in the 300-400k range. What they can afford in up to 200k [assuming they even have that much and I highly doubt it], is a LOT like what they have now, 2 bed [though mostly 2 bath which they could use], 1000 sqft - much like what Lawson has in Nashville. Though Lawson at least has some land which these fools need for their zoo, yet these small homes in Deland are in regular subdivisions where you can't keep your sheep, goat, chickens, pigs etc. And even if they were to change their mind re mortgages [which I can't see bc Chad is a TRUE fundie who refuses to "sell out" -- see their housing situation, making his wife quit a business where she could've brought home some $], they won't get a mortgage esp. now. Credit has gotten way tighter - Chad doesn't hold a W2 job with stable income, and would be moving to a new place to start a business with no track record of making any money in Fla. What lender will touch that? What the heck was the rush to transition the business away? What Trace and the younger brothers were SOOOO marketable that they gave him an ultimatum that he had to close down shop? Give me a break. I realize he didn't sell his business but by cutting Trace and co. loose, obv Trace with a wedding looming started the same business for himself. Great except they are ALL competing for kitchen or bathroom or flooring jobs from the same group of sweet friends from church. In case no one has noticed, we're in a growth slowdown/recession, day to day cost of living is up, and there is no more fiscal stimulus money -- people are going to live with their ugly flooring rather than drop 1k+ to make it prettier bc that 1k is now needed for food, gas, and rising electric bills. The people who use unlicensed hobbyist contractors are sweet friends who are tight on cash. The people who still have cash rolling bc their stock portfolio throws off an extra 50k/yr in dividends don't exactly move in Chad's circles + they don't need to cut costs by hiring unlicensed teams of brothers and brothers in law to finish the basement or whatever.

Oh I know SD is a big city - you’ll see everything from drunk ppl to homeless ppl to ppl who simply don’t look like you, if you open your eyes and look. But that’s 100% what they did - in a huge city with tons of things to do, ALL the couples went to the same 3 places on the beach and even ran into each other there though they weren’t sightseeing together and just stood there taking 8000 pictures. And then on the way back to LA for their flight, the only thing Evan and Carlin were interested in doing was stopping at a freaking office park off the highway to take a 1000 pics of themselves and the “view.” Travel is wasted on these morons. They learn and observe the same amount of whether they are in a brand new city or their local Sonic. I’ve never seen 20 somethings with such little curiosity or interest in anything besides themselves, their kids, and church.