cereality

Between pursuing a 14 yr old when he was headed off to college at age 18 + grabbing Josie's butt at the wedding in clear view of her parents and grandparents + posting a birthday message re 2 year old Willow that mentioned the child's virginity and her being pure for her husband - yeah dude's got issues. I mean sure maybe one can "overlook" that a 12th grader was pursuing an 8th grader because it was soooo long ago and he was a child himself blah blah. I don't overlook it but maybe one can. But the wedding was ONLY 5 years ago. He was a grown enough man then to know what he was doing. Grabbing her butt the way he did was very much a show to G&K that she was now HIS and ain't nothing Gil could do. For those who haven't seen it, it wasn't like a cute in the corner thing between husband and wife with a little "can't wait for tonight" whisper that no one was meant to see. It was more like they are walking into the reception, family lining both sides, stop and hug her and grab her butt right there for all to see with G&K and Bill/Jane standing feet away. The entire affair was one of bitterness as the rehearsal dinner best man speech included references to how G&K wouldn't allow them to be together years ago etc. I'm sorry your best friend only goes there in a speech in front of 100s of people only if YOU have made SUCH a big deal of it over the years that he remembers. Guys hardly remember the details of their own relationships, let alone their friends. You know he was crowing in Bobby's ear at engagement and beyond re haha I GOT HER, Gil can't stop me now. And Willow's virginity - uh he was a grown man and a father. What parent can think of their baby that way!? On top of all this being generally "I'm better than everyone" and "training" Josie on how his home should run - yeah IDK why he gets soooooo much credit. Just bc he's a plumber and makes some $ and cooks and pays for a vacation? That's a pretty low bar though I guess the bar is on the floor with fundies.

As much as I'm not wild about Kelton - I will say it's fairly obvious that they avoid C&E for the same reason that K&T and Evan's own parents sent them home after 4 days when they were jonesing for a 15 day visit and Z&W only have them over when there is a special reason like Katie is visiting and they want to have her over. I mean they've shown over and over that they are loud, bored grifters who if given an inch will take a mile. For all of Kelton's faults, it does seem like he and Josie have a friend circle that's their own age group. IDK if these are friends from church - they could be people from his or Josie's work that they like who also happen to go to the same church too, but in any event it goes beyond the barber and his wife who every Bates claims as their besties. While J&K aren't all loud "party party" about it, Josie does say every few months that they are having friends over to dinner or are going out for an evening with friends. I'm sure C&E would join this friend group with bells on if J&K so much as interacted with them at church. But can you imagine. They'd be thrilled to show up at J&K's and chow down on steak tacos this month while not letting anyone else get a word in edge wise, and then next quarter they're stuffing their faces at someone else's lasagna party. Then a few months later when their turn rolls around, Evan is all giggling gee we don't cook so we don't even have condiments, can one of y'all go to the store and grab ketchup and mustard; Kelton here's the ground beef, do you know how to make burgers; and can one of the guys go to Home Depot and grab a propane tank and replace it on my grill bc ooopsie it's empty . . . . While J&K have managed to find their own friend group, C&E are very much like those 9th graders who are so awkward that their best friend at school is their homeroom teacher bc she can't exactly tell them to buzz off. I mean they have GLOMMED ON to their 40+ yr old pastor and his wife - even going on a cruise with them and running to NYC on a girl's weekend with the pastor's wife and attending church basement football watching parties for New Years. As the pastor, I imagine they have to be inclusive so they can't tell C&E to get a life but it's obvious that people their own age have zero interest in hanging with them. Doesn't help that Carlin had the one church friend (Kristin?) over at her house watching Layla and scrubbing her tub + before Z&W drew some lines, Carlin was following them home after work as they tried to renovate their house, stepping in paint, ruining their floors, and not even noticing they were annoyed and wanted her to leave. I do agree with drawing lines on family like that. I don't agree with how Kelton is doing it otherwise though. Sure they didn't want a 2nd bedroom in their first apartment bc Josie knew Kelly would take that as license to send over her kids to be raised - I get it. But really at 5 years married w 2 toddlers, are they having sexy time 24-7 to the point that Katie or Alyssa or Law can't drop by for 30 min when in town? Those I think are Kelton's lines that he got Josie to buy into on day 1 when she was younger and looking to impress him and because it is HIS HOUSE, I don't get the sense Josie can go around him now without causing a fight -- hence no one visits if Lord Kelton is at the manor.

Moving this from the Carlin thread. I definitely wonder about the Josie & Kelton marriage and part of me thinks Josie regrets giving Kelton god like status day 1 to the point where he runs her life and she secretly needs to see her mom while he’s at work. I mean I think he’s a rigid person. Like he sat down at age 18 and mapped out his life plan re school, business, marriage, 5 kids and whoever he plugged into the wife role had to be a blonde haired blue eyed chick who would live how he demanded. Cue the 14 yr old desperate the get out of her parents’ home who decided Kelton was worldly and wise bc he was older and his fam had $. My sense is that first yr or so of marriage he was filling her head with ideas that HIS family was better, more successful, and that’s who they had to follow, her dad was an idiot for almost stopping them from marrying, and being that she was just glad to be away from the loud house w 19 other ppl and not enough money + eager to please her man, she agreed with him, bashed her fam, and he was shrewd enough to run with. I mean that first year of marriage before she pushed out the kid, she and Kelton would go on coffee dates every Sat morning and often she’d say Kelton was training her re how he wanted the house to run?! Who does that?! But I think Kelton laid down the rules immediately re cooking, cleaning, her family could only come if invited, yet his dad can stop by anytime to visit his kids, he’ll only go to her family for a Christmas party and ILY Day etc. While Kelton gets sooo much credit for cooking, he’s only been doing it for 1-2 yrs and says he cooks “to help Josie out” and whenever the house is messy/piles of laundry, Josie always acts sooo guilty - as if the people generating the mess aren’t HIS kids too. I think while he doesn’t say she can’t see her parents/siblings, he strikes me as the type who stomps his feet re seeing them/is clear that he prefers his kids spend time with HIS family, and all that has led to her only seeing her mom when he isn’t around + other siblings knowing they need an engraved invitation to come around. I mean I get not wanting her 18 siblings bunking at your house. But Katie visits from NJ and some visits it seems like she can come over for a few hrs when Kelton isn’t there, otherwise they just catch up at church?? Alyssa was in town when Josie’s 2nd kid was born and left without visiting Josie or the kid - and Alyssa and Josie used to be roommates?! Law for all his faults is a good uncle who seems like he’ll stop by for 30 min 2-3 times/yr just to see whichever nieces/nephews. We have seen him go to Zach, Carlin, Trace, Erin, even Alyssa who he isn’t super close with - yet never Josie?! While I get not everyone is close with everyone, we’ve seen some relationships between siblings and some really make an effort for siblings even if they aren’t super close - like when Nathan and Jackson separately drove down to see newlywed homesick Katie bc they were “only” a few hundred miles away. Yet Josie appears to take the - eh we’re good, see you at the next required ILY Day or wedding - and I sense that’s to keep Lord Kelton happy.

Honestly I think Josie & Kelton aren't interested . . . at all . . . and I think Carlin/Evan and Zach/Whit are fine with that bc in their heart of hearts, they're likely jealous of J&K. I mean I don't think it was random that Kelly's anniversary message to J&K when they were in Italy was basically taking them down a notch - condescendingly referring to their "perfect little life," and making sure to mention that their house is messy, their kids aren't well behaved, and they don't spend enough time together. I think a lot of the family envies the fact that they have real money - rather than the smoke and mirrors of driving 100k cars while hoping enough people watch their YT this week or buy a dress at their wives' store. What the family doesn't want to acknowledge however is they have $$$ bc Kelton is willing to go out there and work 40-60 hrs/wk for the money, not just make social media videos or horn in on his wife's biz so he can stay home; plus he lives frugally given the money they do have. He's the only one of these people who doesn't drive a 100k car and they've said before that they only partially renovated their house when they bought it bc they were pouring money into Kelton's biz instead. Carlin/Evan OTOH were creating excuses to buy a Tesla and Z&W couldn't fathom the idea of a stove costing less than 10k. And to add to it, Kelton doesn't like any of these people anyway. I think he's viewed this family as trash from day 1 - which is telling that he wanted to marry a girl from such a family. But he played the game to get the girl and once he got her, it pretty much was like - yep don't need to be with your family. I mean he's at G&K's house 1-2 times/yr max - usually Christmas party and ILY Day - as if he's an out of town son in law. We NEVER see Gil at his house and while Kelly visits, it's very telling that she does so only during the day when Kelton won't be home. And Kelton's always been super tit for tat. If he is forced to spend time with her family say for a wedding or if she goes away for a bridal trip or something with her sisters, he pretty much has it planned that the moment her flight lands, they MUST do something with HIS family. As time has gone by, she has dropped her family pretty much - I don't think she likes them much to begin with and she's probably trying to keep the peace in her marriage by being a member of HIS family. She sees her mom individually - without Kelton. And then I think as a couple they socialize with Tori bc of Kelton's bestie Bobby + Michael/Brandon bc it's hard to hate on such a Godly couple and let's be real Michael provides them a shit ton of babysitting, allowing them to jet off to Italy etc.

They're in Colo. Seems like a G&K vacation for the kids who live with them plus Trace/Lydia. It seems like it's Jeb, Jud, Addie, Callie, so I assume Ellie is there too but I haven't seen a pic; that Dillon person who always hangs with them; and Trace/Lydia. I assume Gil is there, though zero pics of him - just Kelly gushing how she loves that she doesn't ski bc she gets to stay with Trace's kid all day. Seems like Trace/Lydia are the only ones of the marrieds who went this year. I'm not shocked as this trip seems like it's gotten more of a cost sharing thing as UPTv money is gone. Last few times they definitely were having each family/couple provide dinner a few times, buy snacks, chip in for the AirBnb etc. bc Gil wasn't going to foot the whole bill. Not that that's a big deal, but I feel like the marrieds just don't want to do that. You know Evan and Carlin, they'd be there with bells on if it were FREE, but having to chip in for the AirBnb and do dinner a few nights, nope. Luckily Carlin prob isn't feeling much FOMO bc besties Katie/Trav and Z&W didn't go either and they're all in Tenn. hanging out since Katie is still in town. At the end of the day K&T can afford whatever vacations they want and don't need the cost splitting and Z&W seem to prioritize hanging out with their own kids on their own vacations, not with hordes of people. I feel like Nathan/Esther, Jackson/Emerson also like doing their own thing without the family. I'm shocked Law isn't there, but we may see him pop in sans Tiff for a few days; I feel like she has zero interest in skiing and even less in her family. Plus when these guys go stag - like John did last yr - they likely aren't required to provide anything in the way of food or are seen as a huge hero if they order pizza for all for dinner one night. Alyssa and Erin never attended this trip anyway with their hordes of kids. And Kelton - lol - he couldn't hate his inlaws more. While he surprisingly did go the last 2 years, I think as he does better and better financially, he's like whatever - we can go skiing on our own whenever we want and we'll pay for ski school for the kids and babysitting a few nights too for date night; like being with G&K ain't worth the free babysitting. Even last year when the Bates were staying 30 min from the mountain, he was on a gondola one time looking at the ski in/ski out cabins on the mountain saying to Josie - we should stay here next time.

Looking at those bored men sitting on folding chairs, I was like uh Carlin if this was a true party party, people who be eating pizza or hoagies with a beer in hand?! I know they don’t drink but many people do even church goers but watching a game IN church forces it to be dry. Why aren’t C&E bored hanging out with 40 yr olds? What do they have in common besides church? You’re right this is the 2nd trip in one month that’s been really short. I mean the K&T trip, Evan was standing outside the house on Saturday crowing that they’d still be here next Saturday. Meanwhile Trav was as direct as I’ve ever seen a fundie be saying - yeah we’re not running to NYC this time, we’re hanging at home. And C&E were either sent packing by Tuesday or they got bored and left by Tuesday. I tend to agree that maybe Mr and Mrs Stewart strategically planned a vacation or just HAD to leave on Dec 26 to see some long lost relative. And Evan’s sisters prob all magically “had to” go back to work on Dec 26 so MIL/FIL are locking up the house and leaving and there’s no sister to line up behind at Sbux so she buys my coffee, ok time to go I guess. K&T and the Stewarts are clearly sick of the grift. Both K&T and the Stewarts actually strike me as the - more the merrier, we love having company stay - types. But when adults stay with other adults for a wk+, they cook a few meals or get takeout for everyone a few times, clean up the kitchen many times, watch and clean up after their own damn kids, take their own kids out by themselves a few times or even daily - even if just a walk or errand - so the hosts get an hr of daily peace and quiet. Meanwhile C&E make sure MIL/FIL are responsible for 3 meals a day + chasing their brats all day, won’t even buy their own coffee let alone buy coffee or a meal for others, and had 9 mo pregnant Katie potty training 3 yr old Layla?! And wow Layla is still tiny. She’s apparently 2 mos older than Kolter who is a head taller than her. Granted Bobby is about a half foot taller than Evan so his kids will be taller, but Kolter just looks like a school aged kid while Layla still looks like a baby at 4 yrs old. IDK if it’s height or clothing or what.

Haha - looks like it but they needed the perfect closing shot to the 2023 reel. The "highlights" in the reel included pictures of Z sitting in a diaper on the dr's table and Layla at the dentist. So if one is looking for indicators of lameness of life - does anyone think of going to the dr and getting undressed as a highlight? Though for them it is bc those YTs are $$$. Then today's IG states the the New Years "partying" continues - cue a bunch of bored looking middle aged people sitting in a church basement watching whatever bowl game Tenn played in today. Not bashing middle aged people, I'm one of them but I certainly wasn't "partying" with them by watching TV when I was 25 or 29. What I want to know - did MIL kick them out or let it be known that she wasn't hosting them and feeding them 3 meals a day + watching their kids 24-7 for 10 days this year? Or did she just go back to normal life ASAP on Dec 26, so her house was boring enough that they left? Because I doubted that they were home Dec. 25 - I still think they lied about that to show it as if the kids got the playset on Christmas - but I do think they were back like Dec 26!? They were taking down the tree Dec 27 and responding to how that they got dragged last year for putting Layla down for a nap, taking it down, and then showing her it was gone making her cry and filming that; this time they made a big production of - oh it's a family event, we all take it down, let's say bye to the tree blah blah. But then like a few days later they're on IG in their car being like these days between Christmas and NY are sooooo slow, we don't know what to do, we just HAD to get out of the house or we'd go crazy so SHOPPING . . . and then went and bought crap at Target and stuffed Layla with a cup of whipped cream from Sbux!? With Evan referencing how this was a party . . . . I laughed bc everyone in America who ACTUALLY WORKS and is able to get Christmas through New Years off absolutely relishes that slow week to do nothing. We aren't a country with a ton of time off - it's not Italy where everyone disappears in Aug or parts of Europe where the holidays start by Dec 10-15. So normal people like the slow time, doing nothing, time with family etc. These fools OTOH because they don't work + constantly rely on everyone else to party party, they have no idea how to occupy their time as a family. Looks like Z&W didn't give them the time of day during this break; they seemed to thoroughly enjoy Christmas at home + Zach's birthday and clearly those were family events and they weren't inviting C&E to come take them over. While Josie and Kelton do their own thing it was interesting to see how much they seemed to relish their time together - seemed like they used most of their time after Christmas trying all kinds of cooking, baking together.

I tend to agree. I don't watch too many of Chad/Erin's videos but from what little I've seen it seems like they are focusing on giving their kids skills. Like the boys will get handyman/contractor skills from dad, the girls will get cooking skills from mom, and then it seems like all the kids have exposure to gardening, raising chickens/goats etc. When you're raising kids with little money and education as Chad/Erin are doing and as G&K did, I think skills like growing vegetables and knowing how to cook can only serve them well in the future. Yet Chad/Erin seem to be doing this while still taking the lead; while I'm sure the kids are expected to help with animals, cooking etc. - I don't get the sense that it's all the kids' responsibility as G&K made it Michael/Alyssa's responsibility to cook, keep house, raise the other kids. Carlin/Evan have given this zero thought. Not because their view is - so what - our kids will be well educated and will have good jobs, they'll buy their vegetables at the store and get takeout. More because they simply don't think about their kids or what they may need besides prancing for the camera and making $ so daddy doesn't have to go out and earn a living. I mean Layla legit talks about nothing but makeup, nails, and princess dresses - IDK how they think that's a positive thing.

G&K effed up their kids good by having 6000 blessings and then getting by on a shoestring and paying them no attention besides spewing god speak at them. How each of those kids is raising their kids goes back to how they were raised. Certain kids like Zach and Josie appear to have decided that they will do much better for their own kids. Their kids always have really nice toys and seems like the parents spend a lot of time with the kids too - just based on the fact that the kids present fairly well/speak well at young ages etc. Jackson - who doesn't have kids yet - has said rather pointedly more than once that he doesn't want any more kids that he has the time and attention for bc he doesn't want any kid to feel like they didn't have dad's time or attention; he thinks that number is 3 for him/Emerson. Katie - while she has Alyssa's selfish tendencies - seems to have come around to Travis/his family's way of thinking - that she wants the best for her child rather than just viewing the kid as a number. I think Trav has convinced her that only having 3 kids allows them to dote on their kids in terms of time and money, take really nice vacations, live in a great house etc. Carlin took her effed up upbringing and decided bc she never got enough attention, well she's gonna get it NOW - kids be damned, they can just stuff themselves with cookies and shut up bc mama and daddy need to act like they're childless college kids. Alyssa is the only one who seems jealous of anyone she deems as having it easier than she had it. I mean the way she talks to Allie and/or ignores her, she may as well say "oh please you think YOU have it hard, by the time I was 8 I was already in the kitchen with Michael cooking for a dozen+ people." I mean I'm convinced that's why she has Addie/Ellie visit SO frequently and it appears that she makes them cook/clean/watch her kids so she can have date nights. Bc in her mind Allie/Ellie have it way too easy with only like 7 kids at home now. Contrast that to Travis/Katie and even Law/Tiff - when Addie/Ellie/Callie visit, we don't see them doing anything and Trav/Law/Tiff are always asking where they want to eat and taking them out, and often taking them on little activities nearby whether a sunflower farm or beach or whatever. Kind of explains the thoughtless cheap Christmas presents. After all Alyssa grew up getting nothing for Christmas. G&K have said before that money was tight just after Thanksgiving so Christmas was just a meal and the gift giving was ILY in Feb; but even ILY didn't feature a TON of gifts. IIRC each sibling got a few bucks to buy a gift for whichever name they drew - so I'm guessing it was like a $10 gift. Maybe they got a second gift from G&K, IDK. I feel like one ILY we saw that whoever drew Katie's name got her a takeout pizza - just for her so she could have a pie without sharing. So yeah kids who were so hard pressed for gifts or even a small pizza have turned into adults who either give their kids a VERY nice Christmas or adults who say why should you get a bracelet maker, I never got one?? And John of course is fine with this bc he wants to spend as little $ is possible ON THE GIRLS. Guaranteed in a year or so the Prince will be getting ride on jeeps, sports gear and whatever else and if that makes his sisters jealous - oh well as Alyssa famously put it "that's how boys are treated."

💯. I’m convinced that the only reason Layla is SO eager to perform like a trained seal is bc it’s the ONLY time she gets C&Es attention. So she wants the cameras on - so she’s forever prattling on w princess stories or about her nails or whatever. And when the camera isn’t on, C&E are both lying on the couch with their phones and if L&Z are being unruly - here kids, have some Doritos and go back to your TV show - like basically make them zombies so they shut up. And why all the lying Carlin? Thought your God was against that? Is it ok if it makes you a buck or projects the image you need on IG? Bc on the 21st they’re sitting in some strip mall parking lot charging the car saying we’re leaving for Nashville as soon as the car is done. Afternoon of the 25th cue the kids sitting under their own tree playing with their boring beige toys, Carlin gushing how it’s every parents dream to see their kids’ joy at Christmas - as they play on the swingset IN THEIR OWN HOME. So y’all came home on Christmas afternoon? lol doubt that - I’m sure you made the kids film it all before leaving and are now passing that off at Christmas, when we all know Christmas and this 10 day span is being spent with MIL waiting on you hand and foot. She hasn’t posted a single thing from Nashville and I wonder if it’s bc of the criticism they’ve gotten in prior yrs. Where they show up for 10+ days like they’re on college break and do nothing while MIL/FIL run around cooking, cleaning up, and chasing the kids. Last yr on Christmas Day and days after when C&E just wouldn’t go home there were pics on MIL looking EXHAUSTED and in one pic sleeping hard from all the work she was doing.

Thing that gets me is the fact that this is a cult. There are lots of kids raised in shitty families that don't care, have their own issues like addiction/prison, whatever. Yet the one thing that almost all kids in America have is SCHOOL. So if a kid decides, you know what, I do NOT want to rely on these people for one more second than I have to, they can get thru their childhood and get out. Often they are the kid that does really really well at school and decides they're going to go be a dr, nurse, engineer, or whatever. Whether mom and dad support is irrelevant - they move out after HS graduation and if they have to go to college on 100% loans or paying their way one semester at a time or working 3 jobs or whatever - they decide they're getting away from the unsupportive dysfunction. Cue this cult. Keep the girls uneducated (Abeka or whatever ain't school - sorry, they're going to be at 6th grade level for the rest of their lives just like Alyssa, Carlin, Katie etc. are), so they have no place to go and have to deal with the parents. For Allie that means 10 more years of putting up with Alyssa's attitude, while raising 6 younger siblings (you better believe they're trying for brothers for the prince), cooking, cleaning etc. Until John nudges here towards some godly yet mildly abusive or disinterested man - just like Gil nudged Alyssa towards John and she ran with it bc at least it got her out of G&K's house. Cycle repeats . . . . From what we've seen Allie seems meek - she'll live thru this cycle bc she's "supposed" to and has no idea what else to do. Lexi IDK strikes me as having more of a mind of her own; if any child can revolt it may be Lexi. I mean she openly says she wants to play soccer or another sport and now asked for tools for Christmas bc she likes to build/do projects. Gasp not very lady like. I know they'll force her to become more feminine by hanging out with Allie cooking by the time she's a pre teen (just like the Duggars did with Joy), but IDK something tells me should be try to rebel. Zoey - given that she needed her parents' attention via a heart scare earlier this year and was THRILLED being at the hospital/drs etc. is on track to be Carlin part 2 - with the anxiety, seeking attention etc. Maci - too young to know but I love that kid's zero effs to give right now so hope she holds onto that.

Maybe it's just me but I'm starting to feel like Alyssa looks at Allie as Michael 2.0. Meaning she was put on this earth to raise Alyssa's kids, cook, and clean (soon - though we have gotten glimpses of - oh Allie was DYING to make her sisters lunch; and Alyssa barking at Allie to take the laundry upstairs). And no need to celebrate or thank Allie, like no one ever thanked or celebrated Michael bc as the oldest daughter she's supposed to have a servant's heart and WANT to do these things - and if she doesn't, well she'll just have to pray that away and develop a servant's heart. I mean we've def seen scenes where Michael is running around cooking for someone's wedding shower and all the other girls are playing a game, and no one else thinks to get up and help Michael or tell Michael to join the group - we'll all help with dinner after this game. And I'm sorry Payless/Walmart sneakers + Dollar Store junky toys + gifts like PJs are what you get kids when you are hurting for money. I'm not judging - lots of people are hurting for money so they use Christmas gifts as an excuse to get things family needs anyway like shoes or PJs and call it a gift. While Alyssa doesn't spend like her sisters - I have seen too many pics of manicures and coffees to think A&J couldn't set aside $20-30 per kid - as in $150 in the course of the year - to get each kid an actual toy they'd want and would play with. I mean the bracelet maker Allie referenced - I saw it at Target for $19.99, so this isn't a kid asking for an x box. Hell A&J went away on a 1 night getaway in Atlanta for their anniversary - i.e. hotel $, gas $, Atlanta Braves tix. If money was soooo tight that you couldn't do Christmas in 6 mos, maybe you could've skipped that trip? I mean frankly if money is tight most people would screw over the youngest kid and just get him PJs, to free up a few extra bucks to spend on the other kids - bc a 9 mo old doesn't know any better. Though what am I saying - screw over Prince Rhett?? And who does "Christmas" a week+ early?? Who cares if you make your $ via content - that's just weird to not do it on the 24th/25th, when you are going to be home that day and are only going to John's parents who live up the street. Hope both sets of grandparents actually give the kids some nice toys.

Nice to see C&E are pushing the - Carson and the boy (name?) are BEST friends, of course they are bc they're brothers . . . . Cue shot of boy sleeping on Carson. Yep of course they're besties - you don't need anything in common to be besties, just a penis and the same last name, that's it. I'm sure Carson doesn't need any friends now bc he has an 8.5 yrs younger brother. I'm sure he can def go throw the ball around with him and talk with him and discuss what he wants to be when he grows up with an infant. 🙄

Nice to see that BRADLEY gets a puppy for Christmas. Why isn't it a gift to all the kids? Or at least to Bradley and Kacie who are pretty close in age. Wonder what the girl gets. The ridiculous love that they have for their boys over their girls is insane and must be so hurtful to the girls who are often like a yr younger than the princely son - so they can see what's going on. I mean aren't they always featuring Bradley on some cool ride on car - wonder what Kacie got when he was gifted that - an apron or a doll? To think Z&W aren't even the worst of them. I mean they aren't Chad/Erin who would take Carson to California but not Brooklyn. But even still the love for boy > girl definitely shows thru in subtler ways.

Haven’t watched it - what does pranking mean in this context? Like she’d go up to him and say - I’m pregnant - and then be like haha just kidding? Bc I just saw the IG teaser and wasn’t clear why she announced the pregnancy so many times, so I assumed it was like she told him once for real and then the next day at the park or two days later grocery shopping she’d randomly say - I’m pregnant - to see his reaction. I’m guessing that’s not it though bc that’s not a prank.

Looks like we all called it. Think they left Tuesday night - bc at 1 pm today Carlin posts a pic driving at sunset time so that had to be a Tuesday sunset. Plus in that pic they’re near Washington DC and then at 4 pm today Layla is home coloring - def not the same day videos. It’s not my sense that K&T hate C&E or anything. If anything I think Katie thrives on their chaos. But I think there’s natural distance bc since H was born K&T have really settled down and put her first - even in little ways like simply being home for nap time even if on vacation, the rest of Trav’s family is at the beach - they’ll still head back to the house on H’s schedule. And not bitch about it. I think K&T would welcome C&E staying a week if it was a kid centric week. But given that C&E get bored of normal life in half a day and want to run hither and yon and Katie then feels she must accommodate it even if she doesn’t feel up to it - nails, Sbux, Christmas tree lot etc - my sense is Trav probably steps in. He’s the one who lets it be known this will be low key, no one is running them up to NYC, him and Evan can go to the gym and church once and Carlin and Katie can get nails done once - and C&E take the hint that this boring trip is just a Friday to Tuesday long weekend, not a week long party party.

Katie said in 1 IG that her stent was out and she felt better. So either she’s now allowed to lift H or it’s one of things where when people feel better, they unconsciously just do what they used to, even though they’re supposed to be restricted still. 💯- “everyone has kids and then they become just mom and dad, they don’t know how to be young and party party anymore. They totally coddle their kids - not going out mid day bc of naps or at midnight for an ice cream run bc their kid has to sleep?? Lame. They’re spoiling her. We go where we want and our kids sleep just fine in the car or on any floor.” 🤣 I mean it was interesting that C&E probably arrived at 3 am Friday having driven all night and sometime Friday, Trav takes Evan to the gym. Seemed very - do a bro activity ASAP to get it over with so then we can actually be home and not run hither and yon. And then later that day when all 4 are hanging out it’s like Trav makes it a point to say - last time you were here it was crazy, we ran to NYC, this trip will be much more “low key.” It’s as direct as I’ve seen a fundie say anything. I mean C&E could still do stuff on their own whether it’s run up to NYC to see the Christmas lights or take a day trip to Longwood Gardens which is great at Christmas. But reality is they prob felt slighted/like their party party buddies were being sticks in the mud bc Trav insisted they’d mostly stay home. Plus let’s be real C&E hate dealing w their own kids and were prob looking for local trips where they could ditch the kids with Ellie and Katie so that C&E, Trav, and Trav’s wallet could go out and seems like Trav nixed it. @BitterApple - in the last YT, filmed Friday or Sat, Evan is standing outside K&Ts house and clearly says - we’ll likely still be here next weekend. So yeah they were not looking at a regular 4 day weekend, they were looking for entertainment thru mid Dec. Though who knows maybe they’re still there and being super quiet and letting K&T rest, have some holiday fun with H? Seems unlike them but we’ll know when Carlin resurfaces or via YT.

Are C&E out of NJ? It's been pretty quiet and Carlin now posted a "NJ Recap" IG - which you tend to do after a trip. In last week's YT Evan loudly announced - we'll likely still be here next weekend, so he was clearly thinking a 7-9 day trip. While Trav was like - this trip is going to be more low key, last trip you all were here, we went to NYC with Katie about to deliver, that was crazy . . . . Lol did Trav give them the heave ho and let it be known that they viewed a long weekend visit as Friday through Monday, i.e. 4 days not 10 days? Or did C&E just pack it in when they realized that K&T now live a life that involves considering H's schedule, being home at nap time, and that isn't conducive to packing kids in the car at midnight and woohoo running out for ice cream or cheesesteaks? Thought it was interesting even last night - Monday night - that K&T posted an IG making a big fuss about holiday traditions with H - baking sugar cookies. And it was JUST K&T and their kid without feral Layla or Zade running around eating raw ingredients. So it was either hinted that this would be a shorter trip OR C&E are still around but it's been hinted that they ought to entertain themselves/their kids some too and not just be involved 24-7 with K&T. Maybe it was hinted that C&E should be getting on with their own family traditions in their own homes - too bad if said tradition is mom and dad building their own gingerbread houses, refusing to help Layla build hers so she sits there consoling herself by eating handfuls of white sugar. Though no worries - if they did have to go home - rest assured they'll be at the inlaws by the end of this week and staying thru Christmas/New Years.

So Z&W have postponed Hawaii until sometime in 2024 bc they were supposed to leave today but their 4 mo came down with strep and they just couldn't leave her. How mature of them. Whit said Z's family offered to take the child. But Whit still said they couldn't and would just have to look forward to Hawaii next year and do something fun locally for their anniversary. I can see what Whit and Carlin have less and less in common as the years go by. You know C&E would be dumping their kids in Nashville at the inlaws and be on the next flight out bc mama and daddy need their alone time and their content, kids be damned.

Yes they are 25 min from Philadelphia - right next door to my hometown. NYC isn't far though - 2 hrs away. C&E have taken the opportunity to visit NYC when bunking with K&T before though - when Katie was hugely pregnant after her false labor scare and C&E were in town to "help." I mean great content in NYC you know - bright lights, Rock Center Christmas tree etc. I'd imagine Trav puts his foot down at him/Katie/Hailey going this time, but doesn't mean C&E couldn't go - either dump the kids on Ellie or bring Ellie along as the nanny. I'm sure they'd say Ellie is done with school. They've always made a huge production of - ooohh our kids are sooo diligent they "graduate" early. What about Layla? Homeschool lasted all of what - 3 weeks? They've pretty much been doing their own thing since mid Oct - Carlin's 5 day test at the hospital; Jackson's wedding; camping with Z&W right after Jackson's wedding; Thanksgiving for a wk+; romantic getaway; and now bunking with Katie & Trav. That's the perfect stable atmosphere for school, no? Though I guess if pressed on it Carlin will say - oh Layla is done with school until Jan 2. Erin said the same just before Thanksgiving - she said she starts her kids' school super early so that they then are off from Thanksgiving until Jan; Alyssa has done the same in prior years - like kids off from early Dec through New Years. But from what I can tell, it DOES seem like Alyssa/Erin start in Aug or even late July and seems like their kids actually do some kind of schooling daily. The moms aren't out and about all day long and actually seem to keep some kind of schedule at home. I can't imagine Z&W aren't regretting going into business with C&E rather than starting up something just on their own. I wonder if they are looking at how to extricate themselves - without another falling out with another sibling. I mean I'm not suggesting Z&W work 40 hrs/wk or anything, but I do think they see the business as their business/job NOT a hobby to show up to, if and when there's nothing better going on. I mean they're headed to Hawaii presumably for a week - so it seems like they compensated by working Nov/Dec until they leave. I mean they spent the day at the store the day after Thanksgiving - packaging. We've seen them there are few other times since then doing the same, not to mention a photo shoot. Meanwhile what are C&E doing - talking about a sale that BSB is running on IG/posting a link to said said? Hell Whit just had their last kid in what - August/Sept? They could easily have stretched that into a "we're both taking maternity/paternity leave until year end" and they didn't. Zach seems to go to the store daily/multiple times per wk and he started going within like 2 weeks and Whit joined him not that long after.

I don't watch K&T videos but people on Reddit are saying that after Katie's procedure - she isn't allowed to lift anything heavier than 10 lbs for 4 weeks. So I guess that's what led to the - OMG Katie needs help. But eh we're not toting her kid around, changing diapers, we can barely manage our own kids, going grocery shopping - hey let's bring Ellie. Woohoo then there's ALWAYS someone around responsible for the baby + meals and we can party party - maybe even dump our own kids on K&T/Ellie and head up to NYC or on a local date night. Though that Katie even needs help seems BS. Hello she has a husband who doesn't work AT ALL who is hands on w his kid + inlaws who live in town who are actually helpful. While Katie posted a pic of some soup Carlin made (or reheated - I have no idea) - let's be real, C&E's MO usually is to lay around Katie's house, make noise, eat all their snacks, film, and then on the last day they try to be "helpful" by cleaning or doing ONE grocery run. I mean I guess they can't just take charge of all the meals while they're in town given that they don't cook. FWIW I've noticed that when the Stew Crew is around, Katie's inlaws ARE NOT. This was true when they parked themselves at K&T's house for 2 weeks before the birth. We never saw the inlaws once. As soon as the baby was born and K&T could've used actual help, C&E ran home and it was Katie's MIL that was bringing over meals and even camping out on their couch to help at night several times per week. Pretty sure MIL has realized that C&E and the entire Bates clan is boorish - after their display at Katie's baby shower. So I'm thinking she steers clear, lest she get stuck cooking for 4 additional people and minding C&E's feral kids.

Maybe they're just visiting Bill/Jane since they didn't go for Thanksgiving, but IDK then I feel like we would've heard at some point OMG we're soooo busy, we go away on a romantic getaway for a day and then come back and then off to South Carolina blah blah. I agree the mood in the convenience store was super relaxed plus if something were wrong (and I hope not) - I feel like other siblings would also be posting about making a drive down there or at least being worried or something. Z&W are posting about baking Christmas cookies with their kids tonight. I have a feeling this may turn out to be a - oh Katie really needed us soooo much after her procedure. Even though we don't cook or clean or grocery shop - instead we're just loud and will eat all your snacks and demand to be entertained and oh yeah if you could watch OUR kids, we could get a date night . . . . Hope I'm wrong about that too and they found someplace else to go to entertain themselves besides NJ. I agree re snacks. Their favorite is Bucees which has damn near everything but even regular convenience stores these days - as @BitterApple says they ALL have granola bars, crackers, cheese sticks, goldfish. Not to mention if you're taking off for a trip w 2 little kids starting at 7 pm - give them dinner at home. Pack some bland goldfish or whatever and let them sleep. What on earth are they soooo busy with that they couldn't have stopped by a grocery store/had snacks in their pantry to take?? I mean does there need to be a treat EVERY time they leave their house - even when it makes no sense to gives sugary treats at 7 pm and ask them to sit in the car?!

And they're off . . . overnight roadtrip. Kids in PJs and indoor slippers standing in the candy aisle picking out what treats they want. Because nothing helps a kid fall asleep for an overnight in a car seat like sugar. Where are they headed that requires driving overnight? Off to see Katie given her procedure? Because that's what she needs - a family of 4 arriving and making noise as she recovers. Off to Florida/ Even though they don't typically visit Alyssa or Erin. They hadn't been previewing any vacations so this sounds like a last minute - OMG we just HAD to go to x, all we had time to do was come home from our romantic getaway and re pack to leave again.

WTH kind of "romantic" getaway was this?? They've already previewed a ton of it via IG and it was all - making pizza (i.e. put stuff on pre made dough); coloring multiple coloring books; watching the Grinch (or some other kid Christmas movie - couldn't tell which); making paper snowflakes. You know - the things people do AS kids or WITH kids. T hey needed a night away from their kids to go to summer camp (winter camp)? I mean I suspect Evan got it up and made a baby but all in all it was a pretty nothing trip, and by the looks of it they spent most of it being like - wait set up the camera/drone here to capture us sitting in these chairs drinking coffee; wait when you put a record on the old timey record player dance around for a second so it looks cute - take 2 do that dance again . . . . ; hold on - color that better so it'll look nicer on the YT . . . .

IDK what you'd call it or if it falls within the bucket of anxiety but I feel like all of these girls (and the guys too) suffer from being sold a bill of goods by G&K and the church. I mean all they had to do was pray + be Godly + stay a virgin + marry a Christian/make babies, and life was going to be PERFECT. Those problems that happen in life - oh please, those happen to heathens not people like US, we are GODLY. Then fast forward, they all get with the first guy looks at them without ever considering whether the guy was really right or not, or whether this was the life they wanted or not and hmm - now many are unhappy. Hmm how did that happen - they were promised a PERFECT life bc G&K + God. I mean here's newlywed Carlin and Tori having to deal with the fact that their husbands leave the home - gasp - all day?? OMG what am I going to do? I'm home alone with a baby. The baby I HAD TO HAVE ASAP is sooo much work. What if another female smiles at my husband while he's out all day?? Then Carlin was having a hard time affording a house - that isn't supposed to happen to Godly people. And Erin still can't afford one. Michael - despite being sooo devout, no baby. Then Carlin badgers her husband to be home 24-7 but now hmm . . . he's home 24-7 and doesn't want to work except pushing to sell her health story on YT even though she doesn't want to. I think some kids dealt with these realities better than others. I feel like Zach (Jackson, Nathan, Law - it seems) all hint that they realize their parents are full of shit. Tori, Michael, Erin adopted the - get thru life by praying it away - method. Josie & Katie - I'll just follow MY headship and his family bc he/his family knows better than my family so I'll trust them fully, even though let's be real it's the same garbage - just done the way HE wants it now, instead of daddy. Carlin appears to be the one having the most trouble. Unclear why but I think she knows she isn't happy, but under Evan's "headship" her only way to deal with that is church - which continues to tell her she's wrong, she should be grateful, after she has a man when so many other ladies are taking out their own garbage (per Anna Duggar), she has kids when so many don't, she can have more kids - she SHOULD WANT that. Like in her heart of hearts, she doesn't want the life she has but can't point to why and just sits and feels guilty bc religion tells her she's #blessed.