cereality

I'm not watching but this week's YT clickbait is "BABY NUMBER 3? HERE'S OUR THOUGHTS." You have thoughts?? Beyond - our last 2 stupid YTs re Thanksgiving and New Traditions didn't even make $500 each and we gotta car payment to make?? Here's a thought C&E maybe raise the freaking kids you have. Maybe give them food that isn't Doritos and some kind of academic enrichment other than nail polish and makeup and h maybe watch them rather than letting them hang out in their rooms alone at 18 months like they are teens. Whatever happened to Layla's "school"? Funny how we never heard about that after the first few weeks. Per Reddit folks who watched the YT - Evan is definitely all in but Carlin admits she keeps going back and forth on whether they are ready or not. Evan also said the decision is entirely up to Carlin since it's her body. Per Reddit that means Carlin is already pregnant/is about to be so this lines up a nice - OMG we didn't know what we were going to do re baby #3 but God showed us the way by granting us this accidental miracle. Also amazing how it's "her body" works when it's YOUR wife WANTING another kid, but not when it's another woman who decides she doesn't want a kid, huh?

While I agree Z didn’t bear the work of having 18 younger siblings like Michael did, he was always plenty resentful of how he was raised - presumably bc he saw things get worse as they went from a reasonable 3-4 siblings up to 15+ mouths to feed. He’s very directly criticized Gil about never getting to go out to restaurants, never even getting to order a soda on a fun outing as Gil considered it a treat to order 3 sodas for 15 kids and everyone got a few sips. And yeah Z was the one telling Trace that pre marriage he needed to be working w the sheriffs office and on his off days pick up as much construction work as he could bc he needed to be as financially prepared as possible for marriage, fatherhood. Trace asked - is that what you and Whit did, and Z was very honest as he said - no it’s what I SHOULD HAVE done but I didn’t know (ahem Gil). Honestly I think this whole - quit the sheriffs office to sit home/send a few BSB packages - is Whit’s idea and Z isn’t the headship that can stand up to Whit bc he’s still so desperately in love with her, he’ll agree to anything. At first it just seemed like Kelly knew Whit’s desperation to fit in w the Bates so she was in W’s ear that it was soooo bad that Z works out of the home, long shifts, holidays/weekends, he isn’t “investing” in his kids - and Whit bought into all this and whined until Z quit. In retrospect I think it was more. Tori and Bobby come running back to Knox in spring 2019 w allegations that Bobby looked at/spoke to/whatever another woman. While I’m sure Tori didn’t sit down and detail what Bobby did, we know that Kelly used that opportunity - which was right before Carlin’s wedding too - to shriek at her daughters/DILs about how it was THEIR responsibility to keep their men close, to keep an eye on them, not let hussies around them all day. Bc it is very telling that Z&W went from a couple who was ok w Zach working in a county office where women residents stop by to going away to the police academy for a few months where he had female classmates to bam - within 1 yr of Tori/Bobby moving back, Z is suddenly glued to W’s hip. I’m thinking W worked on him hardcore re how bad it is to be away from her and his kids gasp ALL DAY. Also sheds light on Evan’s comments that all 3 yrs he was in electrician school post wedding, Carlin would cry daily, begging him not to go. Same hysterics to keep her man away from all the hussies, alas she had to wait 3 long yrs for him to finish school before he quit work for good - lol. But no worries Carlin, that man ain’t ever working again so I hope you and Mama B are happy.

Hysterical that they each drive 100k vehicles, which we can only assume they're writing off as "business expenses," yet no one was gonna be bothered to dirty up their car with used USPS sacks and drive to the post office to ship out the junk that pays their bills. I think we can pretty much assume C&E are swimming in CC debt. They seem just dim enough that they probably see "minimum payment $25" and say hmm that's all we NEED to pay, great! I assume Z&W may be a bit like that too, though I have a feeling they probably have something of an inheritance from JC and have decided that instead of saving/investing that, the Lord wills them to spend it now and to "invest" in their kids. That being said I think Z remembers and deeply resents how he was raised, so as there are more mouths to feed and BSB inevitably slows down at some point, if that means there isn't enough money to vacation or go to their favorite Japanese restaurant a few times a month, I can see Z quietly picking up police shifts and/or construction work with someone in town while his wife crows about how HER man is with her all the time . . . . Frankly I also think Z likes nice things for real and doesn't just get them bc some bro in law has them. Sure they "needed" an 8k stove + grill + griddle, yet at least we see Z using them regularly. Meanwhile Evan needed to run out and buy the grill and griddle and then laugh about how much he hates to cook and it's cheaper to just go to Five Guys. FWIW that video of Zade coming down the stairs did NOT strike me as safe. And I say that fully understanding that kids learn to navigate stairs and 2nd kids do those things quicker. I just feel like when kids are learning stairs, they tend to have a parent close at hand/a few feet behind just to make sure they get down safely. Here we had one parent at the base of the stairs filming and the other likely setting up lighting rigs and boom mics in the living room for their Christmas spectacular. I mean the child's 3 year old sister runs up the stairs and screams "Zade time for Christmas lights," and opens the stairway gate for him. He comes to the stairwell alone, gets thru the gate, turns around and shuts it behind him and comes on down. Uh am I the only one who thinks you shouldn't be showing kids how to open/close baby proof things bc then what's the point of baby proofing?? Why not just show them how the cabinet latches and seatbelt connectors work so they can rummage through the cabinets and unbuckle themselves when they're in the mood? And WTH was an 18 mo doing upstairs by himself - listening to some tunes and smoking some pot? Was his 3 yr old sister babysitting him? I mean while C&E would think it was the cutest YT moment ever if he painted his face with Layla's nail polish, I feel like I'd be worried that a child that age could think that his sister's hot pink nail polish and his mother's powdered foundation looked absolutely delicious.

WTH is wrong with that chick and with her fundie mother's housewife training? I get it, things happen. But IDK when you don't cook in your regular life + are asked to help with something that will be eaten by other people, most people are then super careful. Like they know they don't cook so they can't rely on knowing what salt vs sugar packages look like, so they READ the package. Though what am I saying Dumb and her Dumber DH were likely too busy lining up the perfect shots for next week's YT and the perfect photoshoots to show how #blessed their "little family" is to keep their eyes on the task at hand and then oopsiee sugar - OMG hahaha - that'll make such a cute anecdote for next week's YT . . . . As they prob then handed the turkey back to MIL to "fix" as best she could. So I take it all the "FU" meals shown last week were NOT cooked by C&E? I mean I assumed not bc Katie was visiting and we saw G&K, Jeb, Jud etc. hanging at C&E's house - presumably to visit with Katie, so I assume that meant that Addie/Callie's slave duties transferred to C&E's home for the week. But Carlin was posting one FU food pic after the next - clearly in response to all the - you feed your kids chips and cookies bc you can't be bothered - criticisms she gets on here and on Reddit. Though I mean who isn't going to be falling over IMPRESSED at pics of OMG a turkey sandwich; pre made burger patties ready to be thrown in the pan with lettuce/tomato/ketchup sitting near by; chinese food in pots and pans - wouldn't put it past them to order that out and then heat it up to show they made stir fries; spaghetti bolognese - which I'm guessing meant boiled pasta + jarred meat sauce 🙄

I have to assume that C&E didn't go bc Whit and Katie weren't going to be there - both were with the other side of the family for Thanksgiving. And Carlin ain't going anywhere without her besties bc without them it is Josie/Lydia, Esther/Tiff, and Erin/Tori hanging out and she doesn't fit in; doubt she was going to drive that far to hang out with random brothers and Addie/Ellie/Callie. Bc other than that I don't think the Stewarts would have cared if C&E weren't in attendance. Let's be real, they ain't helpful. And Evan has said before that his family is ALL about Christmas - like Christmas celebrating starts after Halloween and they basically take a weekend break for Thanksgiving - so doesn't seem like it's a huge holiday for them. I'm sure Z&W were thrilled that C&E are again taking another 5 day weekend - as Z&W spent Thanksgiving with her mom and then today spent the day at BSB with their older kids packaging up orders. Though who knows maybe they are happy to have the place to themselves - they can go in, get the work done in a few hours, and leave without anyone woohoo-ing, wasting time, or demanding CFA or convenience store runs.

Where have they mentioned pregnancy tests? On their YT? Given that he isn't hot for her and likely thinks any woman can just be impregnated at any time, yeah I'm thinking they probably BOTH need to go to the dr and have the general discussion re having regular sex around ovulation time etc. Even if Tiff has been going to the dr, having checkups, and has been given advice re frequency and timing of sex, I could see him being dismissive if he isn't hearing it directly from the dr. I could see her politely relaying that they need to have sex on these 4 days and him being like - oh please what to drs know - bc he doesn't want to have it . . . and he'll do her the favor of sex when he's ready whether those are the best fertility days or not. I do tend to agree that if Tiff is in the marriage for the long haul for whatever reason, she NEEDS to start the - I'm praying on it, God is laying it on my heart that we belong in Cali. I mean there she can resume somewhat of a normal life and Lawson will follow along. Sure she'd have to be the main breadwinner but she could do it getting back to acting plus with her rentals; she'd have to push him to get some kind of job to make some extra money but he can do things like landscaping even seasonally. Lawson is a different kind of person and older but lets be real certain of G&K's kids have grown up due to their inlaws - Katie, Jackson seems headed that way. It sucks that other parents need to finish raising their kids, but I think having 2 mature parents around who aren't just spouting God speak all the time will only help him and will help them as a couple, as Tiff would be less miserable. I mean Tiff wouldn't have to be running around cleaning Kelly's house or hanging around with Ellie or Callie or sucking up to Erin to be liked and accepted by the family. They'd fly to see his family 3 times/yr, and day to day she'd have her family and her old friends who presumably like her for her. If she doesn't get pregnant for a while, Gil wouldn't be there elbowing Lawson in the ribs with - git er done, you aren't getting any younger hardy har har, and Erin wouldn't be all like - my kids are praying for you to have a baby ASAP. She could do normal things like WORK without G&K's input or Gil being in Law's ear about it every other week. I mean she could make a nice career for herself doing the Christmas movie scene - which these days is looking for diverse actresses. Except now, it would be SCANDAL. What do you mean your wife is leaving for 4 weeks to shoot a movie!? What do you mean the movie has her starring opposite a man and in the last 2 minutes of the movie man and woman fall in love and kiss one time!? Law you better get your woman under control - this is how women stray blah blah. Being around that scene and being around her godly parents who have no problem with it, Law would start to realize that the Hallmark Christmas scene is as chaste as it gets and not everything is the scandal his parents make it out to be.

I assume she's had checkups if it's been 18 months or 12 months or whatever of trying to conceive. But how old is she - 22-23? I can't imagine any dr will say anything other than - keep trying. Though I guess if they HAVE actively been trying for the last 18 months and it hasn't happened, speak up. I mean I even wonder how much sex they're having to begin with. Law has always seen mom and sisters pop out baby after baby every 9 months. With the exception of Michael, it has worked out for every woman in that family so he prob thinks all women conceive easily NBD. Tiff doesn't know if she comes with a family with any types of difficulty conceiving. Law also doesn't seem like he's into her or into sex, so I can see him being the type who thinks having sex once in a month should get it done - and then when it doesn't, I can see monthly massive disappointment. But if they haven't sat down and had the discussion with a dr yet, I can see them not having enough sex around her ovulation days to make a baby. Just randomly having sex here and there through the month isn't going to result in a baby even for a young woman.

So 18 months of marriage and Tiff has an IG pic re how marriage is an instrument of sanctification? So in 1-2 years Law has either failed her, been difficult with her, sinned against her, and/or isn't only deserving of good things - per the write-up posted. So it's going well then . . . . Run Tiff. If this is how you're feeling in the newlywed years, how do you expect it to be 50-60 years from now?? They come across as nothing but platonic travel buddies. Seems like she wants a marriage - complete with chemistry etc. Seems like he simply does not love her like that and IMO maybe just doesn't love women like that but may not even realize that himself. So I think he views her as someone there to cook, clean, clean his mother's house, keep him company, travel with, birth and raise his kids. I do wonder if the kid issue is becoming a thing. I mean Law married at almost 30. In this family everyone has several kids before 30 and even though he married later, 18 months in his wife isn't even pregnant. For all his faults, he does seem to genuinely love kids and seems like he goes out of the way visiting and paying attention to nieces and nephews rather than just treating them like his 65th niece/nephew. He def sounds like he wants kids as he drops hints. They put some bench in their yard and were sitting on it and randomly he goes - well could be 3 of us on this bench a year from now, you never know. If Tiff is having trouble getting or staying pregnant, that's going to be a problem for him. I don't see him like a Brandon who would just be like - kids shrug take them or leave them; I mean Brandon seems to like kids too but he also seems like he can get his fill from being an uncle or teaching sunday school or whatever and then just live a quiet life with his wife. If Tiff is holding off on kids/taking BC bc she just isn't sure about the marriage - whether she's telling him that or not - I suspect that's already becoming a problem for them 18 months in.

I actually don't think they visited. Travis visited a bunch of times and seemed unimpressed with Katie's behavior - making fun of him, shoving ice cream in his face - but we don't know if he noticed the house or what he thought of it. Honestly I think Trav needed to get married, saw a hot fundie on IG willing to give him a chance, and was pulled in by her large fun, always screaming about something family. Like it was just a huge contrast to his more buttoned up formal family. When it was time to meet the inlaws heehaw Ma and Pa Bates showed up at the Clark mansion. I only remember that because Kelly went on and on to the point of it being uncomfortable that Trav has many cousins and they all live close by and were all raised like siblings. As if to say, she isn't marrying into some weirdo family with only 3 kids, there's tons of other family too. Like we get it you don't approve that Ma Clark closed up shop after 3 babies but uh that's what allowed them a nice mansion, where each kid had their own room, actual healthcare at real health systems - not on the barter system with creepy Dr. Vick, vacations, and you know - parental attention. I don't recall how G&K behaved that first time at the Clark home other than the # of kid comments, though Katie again took it as an opportunity to smash cake and ice cream in Trav's face after he told her not to - getting it on his sports coat etc. But I'm sure seared in Ma Clark's mind is the baby shower - where G&K showed up with pizza in hand, proceeded to sit there and eat with loudass Carlin, Evan, John and whoever else they brought, as she/FIL ran around setting up tables/chairs/food/everything for the guests. Oh but it's ok they offered up 15 yr old Addie to help her. Her inner Jersey girl was about to come out . . . .

I'm sure Tiff was doing this to be "liked" by Kelly and be considered one of the helpful inlaws. But sweetie these grifters will just expect you to do more and more while still thinking of you as just their Asian DIL, so don't start. Floors are gross - you don't live there - just don't take your shoes off while you're there. If it really is a matter of being too gross for you to stay there for a few days, fine clean up the bedroom + bathroom you are using and that's it. Wish Tiff would run the other way from this family back to her own upper middle class family, where she could get back to acting, making $, buying more income properties and having friends and family who ACCEPT her for real. I mean damn if you love Law for whatever reason/can't see that he doesn't love you, take him with you. Sure it'll be expensive in Cali but totally doable if she goes back to acting, continues to hold onto her rental properties, and Law can get a job - anything from mowing lawns to working construction under the table. These people have zero sense of embarrassment. It was a mess when Kelton and his dad came to get Josie for the courtship ask. It was a mess when Bobby's parents came to visit the first time and Tori was giving them a tour; you could see junk piled on the stairs, laundry stacked to the ceiling in the laundry room. It was a mess at Christmas - when they also invited Kelton's dad to come over - as his grandkids ran around barefoot inside and their feet were black . . . . I mean I get it, a lot of people live there so it's hard to keep things perfect. Yet when you know you have Kelton's dad or Bobby's parents coming to visit or for freaking Christmas, can you not make an effort? You can't make people pick their junk up off the floors and put it in their own closets? You can put the laundry in baskets (or don't - but then don't give tours of the house). You can't run a mop or wet jet type of thing thru the family room floors?

I laughed when C&E said he threw THREE ornaments and Evan was all like ornaments are expensive. Uh ok we get it, you're not attentive parents and apparently have never seen a child before so maybe you were caught flat footed when he threw the first one. Yet was that first one not enough for you to remove the box and/or remove him, when you realized he thought they were balls to be thrown? And fine it's the social media trend to start Christmas the day after Halloween, but for the love of god does all celebrating in that family HAVE to involve junk? Why on earth are you baking Christmas cookies on Nov 1? I imagine that Layla now expects and will want to keep baking Christmas cookies until Dec 25/Jan 1, no? I mean you want to set up your crappy garland and boring beige stockings, fine, but uh maybe don't break out the Christmas junk food 2 months in advance? Why not give her some Christmas theme coloring pages for now to start "celebrating" with. And I'm sure C&E have to have fancy ornaments bc they've never seen a child before, but hello big spenders - Target sells a whole box of 50 shatter proof ornaments for $15. You can go with those or frankly just those ornaments up top with only lights at the bottom, since you're going to have a house full of children for years.

Man the Reddit folks REALLY keep tabs on these chicks in detail. Apparently Josie changed her IG bio to "girl mom" making readers speculate that she knows the sex and it's another girl. (Though others say it means she knows it's a boy so she's just trying to take advantage of the "girl mom" schtick for a few more months. So who knows.) If anyone can/wants to read an ultrasound, she has one on her IG feed. Though doesn't look to me like she posted a low enough shot to see the business end but I have no idea as I don't read ultrasounds for a living. In any event this kid is big - 87th percentile, while her first two were 10th-12th percentile. Is that indicative of a boy - or have people seem same sex babies across the same family be born at such different sizes?

How much does all this lip filler BS cost? And is it for life or is it like Botox where you have to keep going back every so many months/years or the lips will deflate? And if you let the lips deflate (if that's even possible), do you go back to having what you were born with or will they forever look like you messed them up. And mostly importantly WHY do fundies living in bumblefuck Tenn need this - do they legit believe they are runway models bc they have an IG following?? I mean they do realize their IG following is sizably less than even other fundies like Jill or Joy Duggar, let alone any real celebrities, right?

What's the age difference between Layla and Josie's 2nd child? It saddens me to see Layla - she just seems so behind compared to others. Josie posted camping IG videos. Turns out her 2nd kid really loves the moon - is always looking for it. So as they're out camping, the kid is like - look the moon is hiding behind the trees (bc it wasn't high in the horizon yet); then - I want to hold the moon. When Josie is like how would you get up there? She's like - I'll fly in the sky to go touch it. I'm not saying the talking was super clear bc it wasn't, but it's like look a kid with independent thoughts. It was similar with Willow a few months ago when she was sitting in their living room window watching construction trucks. A truck got stuck in the mud and Willow was asking what they would do. Josie was playing out all these scenarios with her - hmm do you think 1 person can push it out? 2 people? No - is it too heavy? Then when they pulled up another truck, she explained how they can hook up one truck to another and pull out the one that's stuck. Can you imagine Carlin - ewwww dirty construction trucks and mud, IDK what they're gonna do, that's yucky boy stuff. I mean legit have we EVER seen Layla have an interest or ask anything other than asking for lipstick or nail polish? Honestly I can see Z&W pulling back bc they are raising their kids differently and as their kids get older they prob don't want to hear - well Layla gets to eat Oreos anytime she wants!? I mean Zach made baked apples with oats for a camping snack one day yet Layla is polishing off a bag of Oreos? Problem is she's 3.75 - the ship has sailed on healthy eating. Now that she's had Oreos, Doritos, Fritos, cake pops non stop for years, you know that's where her tastes lie - super sweet or salty processed food. You know she'd now pitch a huge fit at apples or carrots as a snack and even baked apples prob wouldn't be sweet enough. She strikes me as a bratty child and I see C&E giving in in 2 seconds flat when she starts howling that she wants Oreos not apples. Z&W OTOH are trying to be normal parents. While I'm sure they dine out, they cook full meals most days and even with dining out they've said their kids like Japanese food the best!? So it isn't necessarily Chick Fila 3 times/wk. They seem to do a weekly movie night and there's times where if Whit is grocery shopping that day, she'll say the kids told her what snacks they wanted. Yet she's also said the movie snack they love most is Z's home made popcorn - i.e. raw corn + oil/butter + salt. So yeah while they aren't denying their kids Doritos, I also think they're like - if these kids happily eat corn, let's not stuff them with Fritos every Friday night. TBH that was my first thought too. They said recently the heart thing is now done - hole is closed and fine. But IDK as someone who has heart issues, it'd make me nervous if a kid who had previous heart issues said toddler dance makes her tired. I mean hopefully the drs have 100% said the heart issues have resolved bc these two are so dumb you wonder. I mean these were the same people who went told Z needs iron supplements, took him back for another appt but didn't know what the appt was for and expected an iron check, as the dr was like uh no this is a regular checkup, he's only been on iron for a few weeks . . . that ain't long enough to retest. Uh I'm sure the drs explained this when putting him on iron but C&E were probably too busy filming to listen to the drs. I feel like Evan's parents have taken the approach of encouraging C&E to come stay as much as they want - which when they go 2 "weekends" per month usually ends up being 7-10 days per month. Then in those 10 days grandma runs herself ragged feeding the kids 3 meals a day stuffing them full of homecooked meals, so they're at least getting SOME good food. Thing is IDK if that's enough. Growing kids don't just need real food 20-30% of the time and then can live off of Oreos and cake pops the rest of the time?! I feel like they should open their mouths but given that this is a DIL, I bet they fear they'll see the kids less [though they shouldn't - C&E would be insulted and still showing up with bells on for the free child care and free food and lodging].

So they're in Nashville and Layla hurt herself playing with the cousins, bleeding from the chin, needs to go to the ER to get stiches (steri strips) and C&E's reaction was - wait let's take video? At one point in the hospital the camera is in her face as she's crying!? And then Carlin is sitting there comforting her. Did she legit turn to Evan and say film this? Did Evan say honey sit on the edge of the bed and we can use this in next week's YT? I wonder about their kids. They were going to dance class at like noon one day this week (uh - school? Oh wait we do that whenever, wherever, NBD) and ask Carlin is all like - are you going to dance etc. Layla says "yes but I get tired when I dance??" I mean maybe she's just saying that for attention, but how many 3 year olds admit to getting tired, ever? They're like balls of energy at that age, and when they get tired - they zonk out in the car on the way home for 15 min and they're good to go. Like they don't remember or care next week that dance made them tired?? It was the same once when Z&W came over (and Zach got stuck setting up the griddle and cooking on it) and at some point Layla is fast asleep in the hammock and Carlin is like awwww she played too hard!? Uh most 3 year olds don't get tired from running around the yard for an hour w cousins - and Z&W's kids weren't sleeping!? Though that time I believe Law had been over that week so party party C&E decided midnight ice cream run with Law and as Law was talking to the child about whether she was coming with them, what ice cream she wanted - she looked MISERABLE - bc of course she should've been asleep for 4 hrs by then. They really ought to think about food + sleep when a kid who is supposed to be a bundle of energy at her age is talking about being tired frequently.

Exactly @65mickey. They really dote on their grandkids - H and their daughter's son and they didn't drop H when a grandson came along - with these types of families you never know. When I first heard that they were making the dining room into a playroom, I was like whatever, they'll make a corner with some toys. They went all out - got rid of all the furniture and basically set up a room that looks like a daycare complete with padded activity mats for the kids which will be great when the kids are walking/crawling, all kinds of colorful toys, a swing that they had hung from the ceiling. Contrast G&K's massive home/property - they could never be bothered to designate one area as a play area with kid toys and one bedroom for naps, despite having eleven billion grandkids they love sooooo much. I mean Layla would routinely fall asleep on the floor anyplace, Josie's kids will run around the family room barefoot and their feet are black at the end. Being around the Clarks is what is showing Katie that you/your kids will live a great life - vacations, each kid having their own room, feeding your kid fruits/vegetables/fresh food - if you have 3 kids. But Katie is a follower. If she stays in NJ, when she sees Trav's siblings and cousins all having 2-4 kids, she'll want to fit in and do that. If she gets back to Tenn and sees Whit ultimately prob having 6-7, Josie and Carlin prob with 5 each, Tori with as many as god gives her - suddenly 3 won't be enough and she'll constantly be whining about not having a baby. Plus staying in NJ, pretty sure her kids will go to school - since the family owns one, her SIL teaches there etc. I'm not saying it's the best school in the world but it's WORLDS better than Layla - who does workbooks running all over the house, in the car, and sitting by a campfire while eating cookies and that's considered "school." H will get socialization with kids her age + will develop interests in something other than makeup and hair. Even if Katie pushes that at home, teachers even at Christian schools are having kids draw and paint and play blocks and Legos, not try on lipstick all day. Honestly I feel like if Trav does give in and they move in a year or two, they'll end up staying a handful of years and moving back to NJ. Like something will happen that'll show Trav who is inlaws really are and how much more his parents care about him/his kids and the Lord will lead them back . . . . NJ ain't a cheap place, no reason to set aside the start you've made with your house etc. bc of G&K and C&E, only to have to come start all over again in 5 years, when prices will undoubtedly just be higher.

Everyone hit the nail on the head. To me it seems like Katie HAS matured being away from the Bates for nearly 2 years. And it helps that she appears to have inlaws who've really taken her in, pay attention to her AND her kid - NOT JUST her kid, and have shown her what it is like to have parents who are involved and care. But then she goes back to the Lord of the Flies existence that is the Bates for 4 days and is like OMG my family LOVES each other SOOOOO much, they're SOOOO fun . . . just because they're loud and together for 72 hrs. Yet she's immature enough that she hasn't thought through that anyone can put on an ill fitting suit and show up give a weird sermon at their son's wedding; anyone can put on a denim skirt and show up to squeal and take IG pics at a daughter's childbirth or the next wedding/baby shower. But where are her parents and siblings when it matters? Did she notice that her parents barely showed up for 24 hrs when their daughter had heart surgery - and none of the siblings showed up at all? Did she notice that when Carlin's episodes began and no one knew what was happening and they had to move out of their apartment at the same time, her parents were no where to be found and instead her inlaws showed up? Did she notice that when Erin had long covid and surgeries, it was her MIL that moved in even though her mother lives down the road? So yeah being loud and squealing for IG pics doesn't a supportive family make. At this point they'd just be moving to party party with Carlin & Evan. And Trav is also immature enough to not realize that while he loves running with Evan for 4 days bc it's more loud and "exciting" than his family, it'll grow old in 3 months. If he had ever gone to college - or even high school - he'd understand that you have friends sometimes that are lots of fun but they aren't the best for you, they distract you from your life - so while you party with them once in a while, you don't make it a point to hang with them 5 days/wk. And uh yeah Trav - you'd be paying for EVERYTHING if you set up a life with Gil and Kelly 2.0. I imagine Whit and Kelly are in Katie's ear about moving back. Kelly considers it a personal win when she can make a SIL move to Rocky Top - even though she can't get her own sons besides Zach to stay + she'll pay that kid/SIL zero attention once they're here. And Whit bc she and Zach seem like they are ready to back off being C&E's besties and have their own family life. I wouldn't be shocked if Katie moves back, Whit at some point sells her share of BSB to Katie & Trav and she and Zach are out - under the guise of "investing in our five kids." And then Z&W start up their own biz without any siblings. Frankly Trav should delay -- i.e. "pray on it" -- for another year or two. As more time goes by Katie will mature more and will start to realize how much her inlaws do for her vs. how useless her own parents are. Plus given that K&T actually seem interested in raising their child, I think they'll continue to get more turned off when say H is 3 and C&E are like oh just give her Fritos for lunch so we can go go go, that's what we did with our own kids and they turned out fine.

We don’t know how it came together though. C&E have decided they MUST camp even though they can barely handle their kids at home. Even though their version of camping involves setting up a tent next to some retention pond on the side of the road and calling it camping, letting Layla stand way to close to said water as they ignore her sitting there on laptops and phones, and snarfing down Chick Fila all weekend. Gotta have that perfect fall content y’all. Plus Josie camps - how can we not?? Z&W OTOH camping seems to be kid driven - as their kids have been asking to go over the years. So they started off buying a tent and sleeping outdoors a few times each fall, and they’ve said before that at some point Whit would go into the house and Z would stay in the tent bc certain kids wanted to go inside after half the night. So seems like they waited to go for real until they thought most of the kids would enjoy it. How parental of them. You know Z&W mentioned - we’re going camping after J’s wedding and Gil and Kelly 2.0 were like omg we’ll come too, it’ll be sooooo fun. And by that point Z&W prob didn’t want to cancel or change the dates bc their kids were prob excited. Not that changing the dates would help anything - C&E are available anywhere anytime. So C&E got 3 days of full meals, Bradley/Kasey supervising their kids, bestie Khloe entertaining Layla, and Uncle Z even bringing a projector for movie night, all while they got to look cute in their perfect fall plaid, gush about how these are the days, and make content . . . .

Just when we think their parenting can't get more questionable, Carlin posts a video of Evan sitting in a camping chair holding Zade. The game they're playing - Evan lights a lighter and then he and Zade take turns blowing it out. And last week it was Carlin letting him hold a lit sparkler. Man talk about introducing a 1 year old to things he need not have. And given how organized and baby proofed their house is, hope it never happens that the lighter is just carelessly tossed in the garage as they dump their camping gear for the next 364 days and Zade toddles up and grabs it before anyone realizes what he's doing . . . . Can kind of see why they chose to go camping with Z&W rather than by themselves. In the years they've gone by themselves we've seen them sitting by a retention pond of the side of the road pretending to "camp" - with bags of Chick Fila clearly visible. This year actual camp site - Z is cooking breakfast potatoes over the fire in the morning; then burgers for lunch; then baked apples w oatmeal for a snack; then steaks for dinner . . . . And in each of these IGs it was JUST Z standing over the fire doing this. Neither C nor E was even standing nearby pretending to help/available in case he wanted help . . . . Aren't Z&W sick of them?? At work a few times a week. Then shared a house with them in Fla for like 3-4 days and now a week later camping for like 3 days!? It was noticeable that Z&W booked it out of there early the next morning after Jackson's wedding. But they must be tired of them overall. It's one thing to go on vacation with another family when everyone is helping out - tag teaming with the kids, meals etc. Here it's like having 4 extra kids on top of the 5 they already have. In contrast Josie & Kelton are camping with his family for the entire week and J mentioned that each family was responsible for 2-3 meals in the week. And then I laughed bc Kelton made steak fajitas using flank steak for his family yet when the Bates are over for anything - even an invited event like the kids' bdays - they get nothing besides the cheapest chicken + potatoes with salt. LOL.

Kudos to Carlin letting a one year old hold a sparkler at Jackson/Emerson's wedding departure. Sure she's holding it but then she's holding him + his hand is holding the sparkler too. The whole time she's cooing about how cute he is - gazing adoringly at him, looking behind her blah blah, never once looking at the sparkler - the kid had every opportunity to move his hand off the stick and stick it right into the fire to see what it was, as mom was not watching his hands at all. And notice how at the rehearsal all the other flower girls were running around with empty baskets and Layla was the only one who needed snacks in the basket?? Carlin thought it was the cutest that Layla had a snack break during the rehearsal and then later Carlin was taking snacks out of Layla's basket and giving them to Zade. Yet none of the other kids in the wedding needed to be bribed with crackers to get thru a 45 min rehearsal - one that was probably followed by dinner anyway.

When I saw Katie's pics from yesterday my reaction was 100%, this is what KATIE always wanted as a kid so they're at Disney. Nothing wrong with that, but I love the spin re - oh Hailey won't remember this day but we'll smile forever thinking about how much she enjoyed it. Give me a break a 6 month old could care less about Disney - they smile the same way when they see florescent lights at the grocery store. But yeah I agree with @JAYJAY1979 - so much of what these girls do is to compensate for what they didn't have growing up with 85 siblings and a dad who decided corporate work and salary weren't for him. I legit think the obsession with getting Layla a cake pop every time she left the house as soon as she had teeth was Carlin feeling PROUD that THEY weren't going to deny their kids snacks and treats. Same way the Carlin/Katie must get themselves Sbux every time they leave the house; we've even seen the sons do it - Law, Nathan, Trace, Jackson leaving convenient stores with arms full of chips and snacks. Clearly bc they didn't have that stuff around the house growing up and when/if they asked for it, they were laughed off as Gil was like $2 for Doritos (back then) - lol no. But then it took on a life of its own as we all know C&E don't want to parent and have realized that snacks shut a kid up when they're being whiny or crying and you don't want to deal with it. They did it to Layla starting around age one and now they're doing the same to Zade - the boy CONSTANTLY has a chip, cookie, cracker, candy in his hand. Hell Layla walked down the aisle at someone's wedding (Law? Nathan? Katie - I can't recall) with a cookie in hand!? I get it sometimes kids need to be bribed to behave at a wedding but it was telling that the same wedding featured Willow, Kade, etc. and none of them required a snack in hand to walk down the aisle. She's setting Layla and Zade up for a lifetime of issues re food bc she herself refuses therapy to deal with her own problems. I mean as someone noted above - even REAL food in the the US isn't super healthy compared to Europe; I mean even our bread and butter have way more ingredients and preservatives than the rest of the world. Yet she isn't even giving them bread and butter, she's giving them Doritos and Fritos non stop. Interesting that Z&W and C&E are sharing an AirBnB (not sure if K&T are there too) but Z&W declined Disney. Wonder if C&E feel judged or like Z&W are now sticks in the mud for prioritizing their kids. But I assume Z&W were like - ugh DIsney for a day after a 10 hour drive and the next day is Jackson's rehearsal, everyone will be exhausted and cranky, pass. Wonder what they tell their kids - why their cousins stay up until midnight, go to Disney etc. and they don't. Though they're young - could always play it off as - we'll go soon, just not now bc we have to focus on Uncle Jackson's wedding. Z&W's kids are in the wedding, Layla is too but whatever someone will hand her a cookie to go down the aisle and if she's napping during the service bc she stayed up until 3 am, oh well.

Well pregnancy number 5 . . . announced in Fla while the family is altogether. Damn 5 pregnancies in under 6 years. That's one way to keep the marriage together . . . . Bobby has aged and lost weight . . . he def looks older than 28. Tori has lost a ton of weight too. I wonder how happy she really is. Or even how happy he is. Weird thing is he always seems happy with her family - including at the airport yesterday. No idea where Tori and the 4 kids were but he seemed like he was chilling with C&E, Law & Tiff, Isiah, and Addie.

That video was like watching paint dry and all I could think was - did they just drop $300 this week for the 2 of them to have breakfast/lunch/dinner out for 5 days?? Every morning Evan is running someplace to get them fancy acai bowls that had to be at least $10-12/bowl. Then Sonic/fast food for lunch and dinner daily. At one point Evan "complains" that he spent $4 to get one bag of vending machine Fritos for Carlin bc the machine kept eating his money and it wasn't fair . . . . Grifter Evan certainly didn't learn from Gil. Not suggesting that he could run home and whip up lunch/dinner a few times - well bc he was in party party mode, he wasn't gonna go home + he doesn't cook anyway. But Gil shows up to his daughters/DILs child births bag in hand with snacks. They couldn't at least stop by Walmart and buy bags of chips, granola bars, drinks etc. rather than paying $2-5 for every snack?? So what's next for C&E? Most immediately they're headed to Jackson's wedding. IDK when it is but Whit last week was pulling out suitcases and starting to pack so she wouldn't have to do it last minute. And C&E have said they plan to "travel" after Jackson's wedding so I suspect we see them in Fla for the week after or at Disney. Anyone think a trip to Europe is coming for the 2 of them bc now J&K have been to Europe, Law & Tiff have gone more than once, hell even Chad & Erin have been (Ireland for their honeymoon). And then after that pregnancy number 3? I mean in the YT Carlin seemed like she's "done" with the health thing - saying the big stuff has now been ruled out so why not just "live with it" and move on, maybe it was something hormonal and it's over etc. Evan OTOH was like NO we are going to figure this out. They gave some explanation re the doctors will now "work backwards" to figure out the "minor" things like blood sugar etc. now that neuro, cardio, etc. is done. But this has been going on 1.5 yrs, I can't imagine that things like blood sugar haven't been looked at at all yet. Carlin mentioned doing a lot of bloodwork now and you wonder if that's drs just updating bloodwork from a year ago to make sure nothing has changed. Though if even C&E believe/suspect/have been told it maybe had something to do with pregnancy, holy $hit be happy that you got your boy and girl and move the hell on, don't freaking roll the dice again. But what am I saying - Carlin has already obnoxiously said "well what are we supposed to do if doctors can't figure it, ONLY have 2 kids!" - the HORRORS!? Plus they need to keep up with the Bates baby races + need YT content for years to come . . . how can they do that with only 2 kids.

Wow that comes across jealous and condescending - "perfect little role models"!? I mean I think a lot of that family (ahem - Carlin and by extension Kelly since she's very similar to Carlin) are jealous of the life J&K have. And this current trip to Europe, while being pregnant with #3 can't be helping. Love how no one wants to see that they have that life because the husband is willing to work hard and build an actual business with a dozen+ employees and not just sit around making YouTubes all day or horning in on his wife's barrette business like Evan did. Also love how no ones sees that they appear to prioritize living responsibly. They don't grab CFA 8 times/wk they actually cook; when they remodeled their home they only did what was most important to them and gasp lived with an ugly bathroom for 4-5 years to save money; when they bought another car recently they bought a used SUV with 20k miles on it that they could drive for a long time with no maintenance cost rather than running out and getting 100k cars like Z&W and C&E. So yeah of course they can afford to go to Europe for 5 days by themselves or take the kids to Cali for a week. So I guess why not take them down a notch by letting them know their kids act up, their house is messy, and they don't have real "togetherness" . . . . Either Kelly is jealous or she posted this to show other daughters (Carlin, Erin) - look they may seem rich and perfect but they aren't, don't feel bad , they don't spend nearly the time "together" that you and your husbands do so they don't have the same marital closeness that you all have or Gil and I have . . . . Uh yeah they're not together 24-7 bc the man is off WORKING, which is what is buying the European vacations that you are jealous of . . . .

I imagine there’s also the matter of payment. My sense is that for the kids Michael watches regularly x number of days per week (J’s kids and the other non family kid), it’s a paid nannying job much like she had pre marriage. They’ve never clarified it but it’s been insinuated by Josie rudely referring to her as “the sitter” (though she’s backed off that a bit bc she said it pretty crassly once and within hrs Michael posted pics of having taken Willow/Hazel someplace that day and Josie had to awkwardly gush about how great Aunt Michael is) and Michael has suggested it too - that she uses some of her earnings to buy games, art supplies etc for the kids. I can’t see C&E being willing to pay a dime - they’d expect Michael to watch their kids anytime for free if Michael hadn’t put down boundaries/let it be known this is a nanny gig with specific days and prices. I mean Evan crows about how going to his parents is the best bc free lodging, free food, hell he even lines up behind his sisters at Sbux so they’ll buy his coffee. Yeah so he ain’t the kind of guy paying anyone for childcare.