cereality

Kelly was there too- Law made a comment thanking Kelly for coming to Nashville at 3 am. And yeah @BitterApple - in normal families, sure you don't have to post your congrats on social media. But in this family w these sisters?? Come on they can barely take a pee without letting the whole world know. And they HAVE all been posting on social media since yesterday, so it's not like they haven't been online - they've been sharing every aspect of their mundane lives. Yet only Esther and Michael could be bothered to "repost" Law/Tiff's post and add some words of congrats?? I mean at least Josie and Katie commented - I guess. But let's call a spade a spade, there would be a lot more interest in the 4th William Bates if Law had married a woman with a different look.

So they posted 18 hrs ago with the kid's name/bday etc. - and only comments from this otherwise social media obsessed family - are from Michael, Esther, and Katie who said "cute!" as if it was a random coworker's baby. Nothing from Erin though apparently Carson was texting Tiff as they were leaving for the hospital so I'm guessing Erin has been involved this whole time. And Tiff said that Michael/Brandon made a 6 hr round trip in one day to come visit while Tiff was still in the hospital and Law has mentioned that Michael gave them a ton of baby blankets/swaddles. Really Whit, Carlin, Josie, Katie (besides cute!) can't even acknowledge the baby here? And all have put up a number of posts in the last day and a half so it's not like they haven't seen Law/Tiff's posts yet. Hope Lawson is paying attention here. There really is no need to be running to Z's house with bday gifts for his kids or to take his kids on special outings or stopping by see Josie or Carlin's kids - when all of them can't seem to be bothered with his wife/kid.

IDK what Law/Tiff's timing has been regarding the baby announcement as they tend to be super late on everything. But yeah they could've said SOMETHING re it being an exciting week for Law/Tiff, something - if official news wasn't out yet by the time that reel went up. Honestly given how Carlin, Josie, Katie, Whit treat his wife - basically ignoring her and looking like they are just being polite when they are forced to see her, while she does cartwheels to go on about how much she loves their kids or gushes on their IG and they barely respond, Lawson should back way the hell away from them. No matter what I think of Lawson, I do think he is a good uncle and seems to go out of his way for his siblings' kids. Seems like he's always the one acknowledging their birthdays, stopping by with bday gifts, doing special outings with Z's older kids, and just stopping by Josie or Carlin or whomever's house to see the kids. When he's with the nieces and nephews, he pays attention to them which in this family is a huge thing. Yet his sisters and SILs - except Erin and Nathan's wife - don't give a shit about his wife. And I imagine his kid will be similarly ignored. Time to open your eyes Law, these people don't deserve your time and attention if they can't give similar time and attention to you family. Hate to turn everything into racism but with this family it appears clear as day that the lack of interest in Tiff is bc she's "foreign" and William Bates sure he'll be the 4th gen William Bates but the horrors to this family - he IS going to look half Asian.

So C&E's lack of self awareness continues. After chasing MIL around with a camera on Thanksgiving and her not liking it and hiding in the pantry and then the ensuing 8 months where both sides took a break from spending as much time with each other -- Carlin now posts a reel of MIL and FIL asleep in the back seat with heads on each others' shoulders and hands on each other's knee. While Carlin is all gushing about how - if we don't look like this when we're old, I don't want it - uh did you ASK MIL/FIL if you could video them as they slept?? I'm guessing not bc they were ASLEEP. Do they WANT video of them sleeping out there for people to see? Fifty billion Bates siblings and hanger oners have commented how sweet it is, but this will be seen by everyone from strangers to people at church that they politely say hello to but don't really know.

My guess is the younger and older Stewarts have reached a new understanding. Last year and all the years prior they were taking 10 day "long weekends" to Nashville monthly. Then Carlin chases MIL around the kitchen with a camera at Thanksgiving and doesn't stop even when MIL is hiding in the pantry and bam the visits fall off - to the point where they show up on Christmas on 12/24 and leave on 12/26. Since then we've barely heard of any visits to Nashville, whereas before they'd always be there for Layla's birthday week etc. and when they have gone now it literally is 1-2 days max. I'm guessing the Stewart grandparents took a stand on videoing every waking moment, showing random strangers the inside of their house, and C&E got huffy and said WELL THIS IS OUR JOB. And then 6 months later both sides relented. The grandparents probably miss the grandkids, and C&E - let's be real - they miss being able to dump the kids on the grandparents and act like teenagers for 10 days/month, while the grandparents worry about feeding the kids. Wonder if the grandparents in order to get C&E to visit more are now saying - ok we'll be in planned still pics with the grandkids so you can still have content for "your job" but no videoing our house or every waking moment whether someone is in a hair net or cooking and looking gross or the kitchen is a mess. The pics they posted last night at least gave the grandparents chances to make sure they looked ok and then they lovingly held their grandkids for the masses to see. Anyone notice that on the way to Nashville, C&E stop to give the kids lunch and pull out lunch boxes. How responsible - no Chick Fila or Krispy Kreme?? Open lunch boxes - cheez its, goldfish, chips, cut up rice krispy treats, cut up muffins. Uh -- that stuff doesn't suddenly become healthier bc you put it in your own lunch boxes and cut it up. It's like these 2 have never heard of a yogurt, cheese stick or a PBJ. Cue video from Nene/Papa's house with kids eating PBJ this weekend. It was like when we were on here suggesting PBJ or avocado as easy meals or snacks for the kids that aren't chips - cue Carlin who clearly reads here - serving PBJ and avocado together in the same meal. Should've specified what isn't served together.

Why exactly does the edge of the pool (or more likely the pool deck) start like 3 ft or less from the edge of the patio? That gives them like no space to put in a pool fence without making their patio seem like a prison - i.e. you'd be on the patio staring at a fence like a half a foot from your face. I mean obviously it means that these 2 buffoons aren't putting in any kind of pool fence. Wise decision with 2 kids age 4 and under and fixing to have more. Not that these two thing about practicalities but I was reading a thread just recently of various things that people don't do in their personal lives due to what they've learned in their profession/job. The 2 things that came up again and again - they'd never put in a pool or have a trampoline in their yard - too risky. That advice was being given by doctors but also people like insurance brokers etc. And some insurance folks were saying if they absolutely HAD TO have their own pool, they would fence it to the max + not let ANYONE swim in it besides the immediate family living in that home. And other insurance types were saying that if they HAD TO have a pool and couldn't not allow extended family, neighbors, friends etc. in it - then they'd carry like millions in liability/umbrella insurance bc it's just too risky. But these two - party party y'all. You know Z&W, K&T, Bobby & Tori, Josie and of course grifters Gil & Kelly will be spending a TON of time at that pool with dozens of little kids in tow. And then there's the 40 yr old church friends (though the pastor and his wife have a much bigger pool so maybe Carlin/Evan's won't be as popular) + that other (influencer?) couple they're now claiming as friends. It was Z's project and still isn't built. For as close as Zach has said he is with Papa Bill, he's being remarkably hands off with the whole thing. Took measurements for the ramp like months ago - still not built. And seems like the July 4 visit was just the 2nd one this year. Granted Z&W don't seem to stick a camera in Bill's face, the way Carlin/Katie/etc. do, but "influencer" Whit does let on when they're in SC - not showing the house but saying they're in SC, staying at a hotel etc. and seems like there's only been 1 trip this year aside from July 4. Wonder what that's about bc I doubt Z is soooo busy that he can't visit every few weeks like Trace and Michael seem to be. Nor does he seem like he's sooo busy that he can't build a ramp in a few days. I wonder if his reaction to Papa Bill not recognizing him etc. is just to stay away bc it's painful for him? Bc Z&W have said many times how close Z was to him, how much he looks up to him etc. In contrast, Trace seems to have jumped right in. Seems to visit every few weeks and as he's leaving, he's always saying to Mama Jane that he'll be back in 2 weeks, next month etc. And when he's there, seems like he's always doing something - fixing something in the house; cleaning up on the farm; landscaping; helping Bill with exercises etc.

Given that she hates 4 out of her 5 existing kids, I should hope not.

I mean the internet is littered with cheap beauty products, so yeah Josie will be just another seller in that space. But this is what she and Kelton are choosing. Writing has been on the wall since day 1 that there was no way Kelton was going to let Josie do the wedding hair biz forever. He "allowed" it when they first married bc he had goals of launching his own biz and while I'm sure it hurt his pride, he needed a second income coming in - just in case his biz didn't take off. Before she birthed Willow, sure she was gone on Saturdays at weddings but didn't matter to him. After she birthed Willow, he swallowed his pride and watched Willow on Saturdays bc they needed the income. After kid #2 however you could see that he was unhappy about having to watch both kids. Josie would effusively thank him over and over for watching the kids so she could work a wedding. Her family certainly wasn't running to the rescue, but nor were his sisters/aunts/grandma. As time went by Josie started doing fewer and fewer weddings total and the ones she was doing would often be Thursday/Friday weddings - i.e. Lord Kelton didn't have to be bothered with his own children bc the "sitter" (Michael) could deal with them as she normally does on weekdays. I had said years ago that as she is less visible in that business, her role will get subsumed by others - whether her partner or employees. It's a networking type of business. You do the hair for the bride and her 7 bridesmaids, you learn that 2 of the bridesmaids are engaged with weddings planned in 6 months, and they're happy with your hair/makeup job - great slip them a business card, 2 more weddings booked. At those 2 weddings, you book 4 more etc. Josie has been out of this for like 3+ yrs now - since kid #2 was born. So of course her partner and employees are getting those gigs and the partner may be feeling like - it's HER work that is getting these new bookings, not Josie's so why should Josie share in the profit here. Frankly I imagine Kelton just wants Josie to be a full time stay home mom - his biz can support the whole family now + there is a SON to raise. But Josie doesn't want to give up her #girlboss status + "working" allows her the excuse of "needing" a sitter - i.e. a few days a week, she can dump her kids on Michael and escape to her office suite. Pretty sure Kelton wouldn't be allowing all that on the regular if she was doing nothing - he'd be like why are we paying Michael and renting an office suite!? Though mark my words, the office suite is about to go whenever they get a bigger house -- Kelton will just put up a shed or section of the basement or whatever and make that for Josie's "business."

They 100% said their house in NJ was rented. That's why they were frantically packing and leaving on x day bc their renter was moving in the next day. So I guess that was just made for YT and really they could've left 3 days later? I had the same thought - the "indignity" of apartment life is getting to Travis and it's below his station in life as richy rich. I mean every time he is on YT he is somehow complaining about apartment life but covering with "but it's interesting . . . ." It's always like other people walk their dogs in the morning and that makes our dog bark early in the morning or when we're filming an IG ad even if I pulled the shade, how dare they disturb us. Or other people are going in and out of their apartments, how dare they. Uh sorry Katie and Trav other people don't keep the Bates family - get your day started at 10 am - schedule. People walk their dogs at 7 am bc they leave for work at 8 am, thus you hear people, dogs, and doors opening and closing. You wouldn't understand that given that your jobs = hawking products on the internet + going on "tour" - i.e. playing 1 show/month. Other people have places they need to be daily for many hours per day. And unlike normal 23 year olds, he WANTS to be a middle aged suburban dad worrying about weeding the flower beds. I mean most 23 year olds see apartment life as freedom - lock the door and go and live an actual life whether school, work, friends - without having to worry about needing to mow the lawn on Saturday or the random bees hive that popped up in the siding or calling the termite guy or whatever. But then most guys aren't marrying at age 20 and producing a baby at age 21 and a second baby at age 23. I do wonder if buying will be more of a struggle that he realizes. He's had everything in life handed to him - including his house in NJ. IDK that Daddy Clark is going to buy him a house in Tenn. free and clear bc obviously he and Mama Clark want Trav & Katie and grandkids back in NJ, going to the family school etc. So why would they financially enable them to stay in Tenn forever. So if Daddy Clark isn't buying, that now involves a mortgage - which these days is around 6-7%. Didn't watch the YT but Reddit people were saying that Trav was commenting that the houses Zach was showing were out of budget - houses prices haven't really fallen as interest rates have gone up. Sure they have IG/YT income + rental income after monthly property taxes/maintenance costs in NJ + Trav's monthly paycheck from the school (which he denies but give me a break) BUT unless Trav's monthly check from the school is sizeable, qualifying for a mortgage will be harder than they think. IG/YouTubers as well as real business owners complain about it - that banks often turn them down in favor of holders of W2 gigs bc banks see IG/YT income or any kind of self employment as unstable. I mean I'm sure they'll get a mortgage somewhere but I think looking at house prices + monthly payments at 7% is about to smack Mr. I Bought a House at Age 20 and Only Wear Ralph Lauren and Only Drive Luxury Cars - in the head bc this could be the first time he really has to consider a budget.

Back to vacationing with the 40 year olds. 2 day girls trip to Disney for the pastor's wife's bday. Did they legit not just return from a week long vacation with these people LAST WEEKEND!? Something seems wrong with the 40 yr old chick but also with Carlin. I mean even if a casual friend invites you to travel again next weekend for their bday after you just spent a whole week with them would you really ditch your 2 babies to go hang out at DISNEY?? I realize there are those adults that are Disney for life type adults, even when they have no kids -- but there's something about a mother with a 2 and 4 year old at home at Disney without said kids woohoo-ing away as she eats Mickey Mouse waffles and runs around the park with buttons on her shirt and stuffed animals clipped on her purse. When she was going on yesterday about how she was going away for 2 days for one of her best friends' bdays, I kind of hoped it was Joy Duggar's bday - you know a friend she's actually known for a long time who she has things in common with.

Are C&E on vacation with his side of the family? Because there have been 1-2 pics/videos which have quickly featured other random kids that aren't theirs nor from Carlin's side. If it is his family damn his parents/siblings have really laid down the law regarding NOT being on YT because they have been super careful to not feature any adults. Though I also think they're trying to play it as - see we took our family on vacation all by ourselves OMG what an accomplishment - like they did last year. Except they certainly aren't by themselves, they just aren't featuring others. But to keep the creeps interested, Carlin had to be sure to post a picture of the boy's fat rolls. And they may want to consider some better sunscreen on the kids because the boy is looking awfully tan very quickly. EDITED - lol - no the vacation isn't with Evan's family. It's with the pastor and his family + pastor's sister and her family. I've NEVER met any 26-29 yr olds ever who were SO eager to hang out with a bunch of 40+ yr olds ALL THE TIME.

Not sure this is the right place to argue about Covid. But in any event I think most people would agree that 600 people breathing in a 2 day old's face was not a positive thing - even back in 2019 or 1980 or whenever. Even before Covid existed there was RSV, colds, and the like that you want to protect a baby from who is days old.

I do wonder what's up with Tori and Bobby. I mean I understand that she doesn't give birth camera ready like her fame whore sisters do - I mean Josie had her stupid dildo like curlers in her hair while pushing so her hair would be perfect for a photo opp when she was done. And we've seen Katie and Carlin with enormous makeup bags after birth painting their faces. But I do think it's a bit odd that someone who is looking good enough to have 8000 visitors in the hospital doesn't have even one pic of herself, her husband and her child? Even if she doesn't want to deal with social media, she could easily have one of her sisters take a family pic of them. You can hear her in the background of Carlin's IG but that's it. You don't see Bobby in the background anywhere, nor hear him - at one point I was like is he even there or did he leave after the birth being like I'll come back with my own family (if they are coming which they typically don't). And IDK why I'm surprised bc they do this with every kid but holy $hit this kid is 2 days old and he's had William, Miles, Hailey, Layla and Zade visiting?! You know Layla after she danced in an auditorium full of people w/ Zade in the audience. And all the kids have been at Katie's public pool and playground and William just got off a flight!? I know they think Covid is fake but good God the kid is 48 hrs old barely. Of course Layla is asking to hold the child and shockingly Carlin and Evan start to say no and then you can hear Tori in the background saying "oh it's ok, you can help her." Yeah she didn't really hold the kid, Carlin held him over Layla's lap so she have the photo opp. And then of course Zade needed a turn. With Zade sticking his fingers in the kid's face. At least C&E said no touching faces and told both kids they couldn't kiss his face, they could only kiss his hat. But come on there is no reason a 2 and 4 yr old needed to be breathing in his face at all.

I mean yeah generally I err on the side of - these people are idiots who are divorced from reality. But in this case aren't their sweet friends the Duggars? Isn't Carlin's bestie Joy? Did Carlin attend some portion of the trial (I could be wrong about attending in person - but I feel like Carlin/Evan's name came up at trial as having bought a car from Joshie). So they really didn't take that chance to not listen to daddy and JB Duggar who I'm sure were playing the - "the system it out to get our Godly boy but that's ok he'll spread the Lord's word in prison" bullshit and just do a quick google of what Josh was doing? The trial coverage via Daily Mail was really really detailed. I'm a lawyer so I followed it out of my own interest and it basically was a tech trial - FBI witnesses testifying about how kid pics end up on the dark web, how Joshie was accessing those pics etc. Even though they are idiots and didn't understand 99% of it, if they had just read 1-2 articles, they'd at least know there's something called the dark web and creeps are on it and they take those "cute" pics of your little girls in bathing suits or your little boys fat rolls or whatever and do unspeakable edits to them and then jerk off!? How hard is that to understand? And maybe the girls are sooooo dumb that they STILL don't get it, but isn't the whole purpose of this system to raise your daughters to be dumbasses who can just birth a kid yearly but being a dumbass is ok bc their wise headships will guide them through life? Where are the wise headships? Evan and Kelton don't get it either? Or they simply don't care bc putting out pics of their kids non stop allows them to not work a 9-5 (Evan) or affords them the extras that may be tight on their income/take a bit more savings like 5 vacations per year and a new house (Kelton)?

I've been skipping over the 4 yr old dance recital IGs bc it's been weeks a 4 yr old's dance recital that they're treating like an audition for Juilliard!? But holy hell. It's IG, it is VERY possible that the days and days of clips of makeup and outfit checks, dress rehearsals, the recital which I assume is on YT already, all the congratulating her/flowers after, and then re-doing the dance again for the creepy pastor last night HAVE in fact helped some creepy guys ahem . . . finish. They want to stay blissfully unaware bc hey that means they get to hang out all day playing boutique and Evan doesn't have to work a 40 hr/wk job, but hello it takes about 5 min to put up a whole IG profile giving yourself a totally different identity. That "insta auntie" from Memphis with 3 young kids of her own who loves your kids sooooo much could just as easily be a 55 yr old dude living down the road who has his creepy eyes on your 4 yr old or 2 yr old. And this kid has what 18 Bates aunts and uncles + 4 Stewart aunts + 5 Bates aunts by marriage? This child needs virtual aunties, why exactly?? Sorry but you have enough people IRL to love and support your child. You want to share every detail and make your child feel so loved and special, share with them. Not just Whit but Aunt Michael genuinely loves all kids, Aunt Tiff would love a chance to be involved in anything. Kind of beats sharing with people who you don't know who could be creepy weirdos. Carlin, Katie, and now Josie are flirting with danger and they simply don't care. They have put their lives and their kids SOOO out there. Any creep who was at all interested could find them. I don't even mean knocking on their door - though frankly they've shown enough of their homes/including the outside of them in a small town that it wouldn't be hard. But we all know where they attend church, what days, Gil's church, we know where BSB is and it periodically invites everyone in for massive sales with the owners and families present. At this point someone wouldn't even have to be the creep in the white van with candy. They could simply attend a few BSB sales, compliment Carlin a few times and mention they're looking for a church. Bam invited to church, hang out with the Bates esp someone like Carlin and Katie who are looking for friends (Josie seems more closed off - like she'd be nice to you but she wasn't gonna be inviting you to hang out with her group for years); if you want to hang with C&E then start going to events sponsored by the pastor and there you have it!? Hell someone local could probably even figure out what dance school, swim school they attend and they helpfully show us exactly what days. I mean Josie who didn't used to go overboard with her kids on social media is certainly jumping on that train lately. How many pics have she and Katie posted with their kids in swimsuits just today? I get it - it's summer and they have access to a pool so kids will spend the summer in swimsuits but why do you need to post so many pics for the entire internet with your young daughters sitting there in a swimsuit legs open - as kids are apt to do!? I think Tori probably took the right approach on social media from day 1. I realize it was bc she couldn't keep up with social media and/or probably also wanted some privacy for her family after whatever went down with Bobby in Nashville, but I think very occasional pics of her kids fully clothed at their grandparents house, on Christmas and their birthdays is all anyone needs. Alyssa and Erin post more and Alyssa does post swimsuit pics but IDK it doesn't seem as egregious maybe bc we don't know either Erin/Alyssa's whereabouts 24-7 and they really aren't out in the world so much that you could easily get to know them/their kids.

And WOW - Carlin's inlaws really have an embargo on appearing on their social media. IDK maybe we'll see them in next week's YT which will predictably be about Layla's dance recital - but I imagine that would just be them in the audience at the recital, talking to Layla afterwards. But otherwise NOTHING on IG re their visit. They made it a quick trip too - prob bc they knew C&E wouldn't NOT film for long. Seems like they came in Friday morning and left Sunday morning - after Layla's Sat recital. Appears that C&E used that Friday night to go on a date night with the pastor/his wife - rather than stay home with the inlaws - why not take advantage of the babysitting (and to be fair maybe everyone came in Thursday night IDK). And all we saw of them on IG in 48 hrs was one pic of Evan's brother at breakfast with them Sat morning - and it was a close enough shot that it was just his brother, you couldn't even see his parents etc. at the table.

Sadly my first thought when I saw the graduation party and pics in cap and gown was WHY?? Sorry but for 99% of people you do the whole graduation party thing to celebrate with your friends and peers; in high school friends you've been with for 4 yrs - and often 12 yrs. I know this family thinks family is everything but yeah super fun to celebrate HS graduation with your 26-35 yr old sisters and their husbands and screaming children. And I'm sure they think it's a legit graduation now bc someone ordered a cap and gown off of Amazon. 🙄 Honestly the whole poster board with baby/kid pics + now grown up grad pics = advertisement for a fundie marriage. I imagine they are "worried" about her since she seems more reserved. Yet now with just Addie/Ellie/Callie at home, there isn't an Erin who was outgoing enough to call John and harass him into saying he like Alyssa or set up Evan with Carlin at a church event (enough though Carlin/Evan have made up a new story that doesn't involve Erin - for yrs it was Erin who set that up). Now the older sisters have moved on with their lives with 2-6 kids each and are like whatever . . . good luck. I assume that's where Bible Studies at Crown comes in - 1 yr program with mission trips, so she's likely to meet like minded fundies or their sisters or something who could set something up; pretty sure John and Alyssa first saw each other on some mission trip - or Alyssa was there with one of John's brothers who then introduced her to John, something like that. The NJ avenue is now closed since Katie has moved back. Though I suspect she'll be spending more time in Florida with both Alyssa and Jackson - in hopes of meeting someone at Alyssa's church or amongst Jackson's friends/through Emerson's family etc. IDK if we've ever seen her visit Erin/Chad - that's a potential angle but I wonder if Gil thinks Chad's church is too crazy even for him.

Chalk it up to the many many ways G&K held their kids back by giving them zero education + raising them with strict fundie gender guidelines + setting them up in a life where the best money they can make is playing to a camera. Far be it for me to sing Trace's praises as we know he's a racist douchebag with minimal social skills who thinks women are beneath him. Yet seeing him with Papa Bill was a refreshing surprise. He answered the same questions over and over again without the slightest hint of impatience - explaining multiple times that they live in Tenn; the drive to SC takes 3 hrs; how much traffic they expect on the drive home; re-introducing himself and his wife continuously etc. But we've seen other grandkids do that too. Beyond that it was seeing this 27 yr old getting on the floor putting grandpas shoes on and tying them. Holding Bill's cane every 3 min when Bill wanted to put it down. Walking with him at Bill's slow pace, encouraging him to take big steps, while making mundane conversation to keep Bill interested in exercising. It's the type of patience that you either are born with or not. It's the type of skills which make people good at hospital nursing esp for the elderly and often also careers like physical therapy - where sometimes you deal with older populations and you often do the same exercises over and over again with them while chatting about mundane things to keep them happy. But he grew up fundie. Nursing or physical therapy - he would've had to study real science in high school, not with Kelly, and then go to nursing school. Physical therapy - that's 4 years at an actual accredited university not Crown + 3 yrs in a physical therapy program. Not to mention fundies see these things as womens work bc they are "caretaking." Men are supposed to be out there doing "construction" - even if that means doing 2 flooring jobs a month from sweet church friends while making the rest of their money filming their wife and kid. While G&K did each of their kids a disservice in how they raised them, you see it a lot in Trace. Mr. Loved Hanging out with the Guys in College, Desperate to Play College Basketball - would have done well in public school. He would've been one of the average guys in any high school class, making Bs and Cs, but there to socialize with his friends and play a sport every season - and would've found is way to a nursing degree or some such thing, met and married someone at school that he maybe actually liked when he was ready to marry - not just rushed down the aisle bc his brothers were doing so.

Didn’t end up mattering as it looks like Josie arrived Thursday and left Friday/Sat morning bc yesterday she was posting about a pool day with friends and how precious to have friends who love your babies. So It wasn’t a spent the long weekend with my precious grandparents thing so much as a - everyone has gone, I’m starting to look bad - let me just go down there for 36 hrs, grab some pics, to prove I care just as much as my siblings. Mission accomplished. FWIW yes Trace grabs content while he’s there but he actually does help around the house and he’s actually incredibly patient with Bill. It’s obviously personality dependent but not every 27 yr old guy would be that patient with grandpa putting his shoes on, holding his cane, helping him walk. It’s not something you can feign for the cameras. He does it differently that Carlin, Law, Josie and what I assume of Katie when she visits.

Called it. Josie’s been there since yesterday and it’s been all about HER kids. HER kids watering the flowers, visiting the cows, swinging on the porch swing. Bill and Jane are just there as background props. I mean Jane is at least interacting - hugging the kids or making flower bracelets with the older one but you can tell that the interaction is very much for Josie to show HER kids, it’s not about Jane. And poor Bill looks just like window dressing. And predictably now there’s the reel of - I took my kids to visit their great grandparents and aww they’re reliving my childhood. Same approach that Carlin took. Meanwhile night 1 we saw Michael who’d just arrived cooking dinner - while watching Josie’s girls. Not sure why Carlin, Josie bother going if they don’t care to help. Though lol we know - CONTENT.

Michael goes all the time + is also Josie's kids' babysitter so it makes sense that they'd combine trips and go together. It is interesting how little interest Kelton has in her family - that he can't even go when he's hearing that Bill is unwell. I mean I get it, no one cares THAT much about their inlaws let alone their grandparents inlaw but sometimes you play along for your spouse's sake. But then unlike the other sons in law, I guess he can hide behind the fact that he can't constantly take off bc he has a business to run. Yet it doesn't stop him from taking beach vacations, trips to Italy, camping trips with his side of the family, fishing in Alaska with his side, ski trip yearly, Cali and Arizona trips already this year. Wouldn't think taking the Friday before Memorial Day off when you have an entire staff of people doing the work + now he has mgmt who manages a lot of that staff would be THAT big of a deal. But then I don't get the sense that Josie is so super close to Bill/Jane. This is the first time we're seeing her going to the farm since last Thanksgiving. I mean I'm sure she's sad about how they're doing, but I imagine she'll treat the trip like Carlin and Law do -- plenty of pics of her kids and waxing poetic about how her kids get to enjoy the farm blah blah. But not like Erin who baked up a storm to take treats to Bill/Jane and then cooked up a storm while there; Michael who has stayed with Bill at the hospital and visited many times often cooking; Alyssa who has cleaned their house top to bottom, taken Bill to drs appts; or Trace who has been shown doing all kinds of yard work, repair work, and very patiently helping Bill walk, tying his shoes etc.

Hahaahaha the delusion runs deep with that one. I mean when I think Nike, I def think Serena Williams, Lebron James, Rafa Nadal . . . and Carlin . . . and Evan who is sure to strut around and let us know when he's hit a gym for an entire month 🙄. I know she didn't grow up with a TV. Plus I'm sure it's 10000% discouraged for a fundie girl to know anything about sports bc boys don't like "tough" women; I mean her parents had her convinced that she needed to be stupid enough to squawk that she didn't know her dad's name and her own SS # at the marriage license office so that Evan would feel like he was NEEDED to take care of this dumb "hottie" . . . . So I guess they imagined Evan may run for the hills if Carlin had ever dared said she knew who Serena Williams was and liked watching her matches. But what exactly is Evan's problem? Just from his cultural references, he clearly grew up watching normal TV. He can't educate his dumb bride that Nike isn't looking for a nothing couple from BFE Tennessee to push the new Dunks bc they have a whole roster of pro athletes and now even D1 athletes who are going to be Olympians soon!?

I wonder how much C&E pushed Z&W that Zach should start a cooking YT because C&E have been over there for dinner like 3 nights/week. LOL. IDK why exactly but my sense is Zach either cooks a ton for his YT and someone has to eat it or more likely maybe he is testing out recipes to feature on YT and C&E have pushed themselves into this and volunteered to come over and give their opinion on the food. And bam 3 nights/wk, their kids get a home cooked meal rather than eating potato chips or CFA like they were before. I mean now that they aren't hanging out at Nene's 10 days at a time every month, they had to figure out something for food that didn't involve them making an effort. And as Jadon was "dancing" with Layla - not quite 3 yr old Jadon is the same size as Layla age 4.25. Wow she is tiny.

Agreed. He has to be up early to get to his business, not to mention he is gone all day at least 5 days a week and seems like sometimes 5.5-6 days. Meaning unlike Evan and Trav, he isn't randomly hanging out with his kids at the pool at 11 am on a Tuesday. So I think they prioritize having family time when he isn't working -- i.e. evenings/weekends. I don't think he wants his time wasted by the party party Bates being around all the time. Not only does he dislike them (or at the very best has zero in common with Evan/Trav), when they're around woohooing, that's time that he can't be spending with his kids, cooking with his wife etc. Even now J&K are on some beach vacation and seem perfectly happy to have family time together. J&K are cooking once the kids go to bed. Kelton was playing a board game with his daughters etc. Contrast to Carlin/Evan last year - "omg this is our FIRST vacation with our kids, just us, without your family or my family to help?? OMG it's like we have to be the parents?!" Uh?? Yeah doofus you became a parent when you made the honeymoon baby. It's def sad to see what Hailey could have had in NJ vs what she'll have in Tennessee. In NJ she had grandparents who doted on her, and frankly Trav's brother and SIL did too [I assume his sister/BIL did too but we saw less of them]. Here she gets grannie who stops by for a photo opp and Aunt Carlin who is just there to woohoo but that's about it. And being around a family that is more "traditional," she for a year had parents who were VERY attentive to her needs. Always heading back to the house when it was her nap time. Not allowing her to snatch their sodas or CFA. Trav telling Evan - sorry bro this trip is gonna be lowkey, we aren't running off to NYC to entertain you. But now being surrounded by the Bates + having an easily influenced wife, of course the Bates way of rearing kids is going to take center stage. When Whit invites her and Carlin to eat the Bates Kitchen food (which she's already done a few times), no way is Katie gonna say - uh you know we're gonna bail, Hailey still naps in the afternoon or sorry we start doing bedtimes at 7 pm so we can't make dinner. Nope it'll be much more of Hailey sleeping wherever, eating whatever. I def think Kelly and Carlin were 100% in Katie's ear regarding moving back to Tenn., and Katie is SOOOO impressionable still that it probably didn't take much. It's unforgettable to me that when G&K went to visit the Clarks for the first time, Kelly was AGHAST that Trav only had a brother and sister and Kelly kept overcompensating being all like "oh he has sooooo many cousins in NJ, they were all raised like siblings." I'm sure Kelly and Carlin went on and on about how it's soooo bad that Hailey is being raised in NJ with so little family - just Trav's one brother; come to Tenn. - she'll have soooo many aunts and uncles and G&K. Uh except her paternal aunt and uncle absolutely dote on her, whereas Carlin and Evan are idiots who can barely handle their own kids; Josie and Kelton could care less and affirmatively want less time with the Bates side; Zach/Whit and Bobby/Tori have their hands full with their own 4-5 kids; Michael loves all babies but has her hands full as Josie's babysitter; and Addie/Ellie/Callie simply don't care as they are constantly farmed out to sister mom wherever as they seek their own men. And G&K - lol - they show up for photo opps; 7 billion grandkids and there's no place in their home for a grandkid to nap - as we've seen Layla sprawled on the floor. Trav's parents - grandkid #1 comes along - the formal dining room completely transformed into a playroom that looks stocked with toys and activities like a preschool!? So yeah quantity in Tenn but no quality.

My first thought re Trav/Katie was - why exactly are they flying back Sat night, it’s not like anyone has to be at the office 9 am Monday?? Plus it was Mother’s Day - couldn’t Trav have spent that with his family? I mean it’s not like they ran back bc Katie had to see Kelly - Kelly’s off in Fla. So they came running back to become part of C&E’s pathetic friend group - ie the only church people that’ll hang with them - the pastor and his wife. You’d hope they’d be more like Josie/Kelton who do NOT socialize with C&E at church and appear to have made actual friends at church with people who aren’t paid to fellowship with them. Though given how much Josie wants her own life separate from the Bates, I doubt she’s interested in inviting Katie/Trav into their friend group. So unless they make their own efforts, they’ll basically spend life in Knox hanging with C&E and G&K.