cereality

What was the job that David's sugar daddy offered him last season? I can't remember now, nor the sugar daddy's name. But what was it that David just wasn't willing to consider. Also do we know anything about his past life. Before the divorce, bankruptcy etc. -- what was he doing? Was he like some kind of senior exec so now he won't consider an "regular" job. Bc give me a break that you can't find work -- we're sitting at a sub 4% employment rate right now and even retail and warehouses are struggling to find and keep workers. If you're too proud to work at Target bc you're worried people will see you, I guarantee your local Amazon fulfillment warehouse or UPS/FedEx sorting warehouse is hiring -- and there are TONS of those in the middle of the country.

I like Nicole's mom. She's saying everything we're all thinking -- that Azan was delaying w/ more paperwork bc it would be a ploy to ask for more money. And then when the visa didn't happen -- she thinks he threw it on purpose. We've watched this show for a couple seasons -- we all know they decide right there if you get the visa. That's how it was with that couple with the girl in FL and the guy in Israel -- she stayed up all night and he called as he walked out of the embassy to tell her yes/no. Russ is so freaking insecure. So what if the motorcycle guy was Pao's boyfriend probably in high school? So what if she slept with him? She married you. And her getting on the back of his bike -- it's not like she ripped off her clothes and started having sex right there. Pedro and Chantal aren't going to last. I think at some level they do love each other, but the family drama on both sides is legit. He seems to think making a home with his wife is a lower priority than getting mama/sister their apartment, TV etc. And her family is hellbent on not accepting him, no matter what. Can't stand River. He goes to lunch with his sister and she specifically says -- don't start anything, don't bring up anything. And he says -- I can't keep my mouth shut. Shut the eff up -- she is telling you NOT to say anything, but you must bring up what she asked you not to?? And I love how her family makes SUCH a big deal of -- you MUST respect our family, you're dissing us right now blah blah. Um respect is a 2 way street and while I can't stand his mother or sister, come on -- you people didn't get out of the freaking car at his grandma's house bc the house wasn't nice enough and didn't seem to have much electricity, when this elderly woman had slaved all day making you a home cooked meal. Are you sure you want to talk about respect? Damn next week's promo -- the lawyer says Azan has some connection to drug trafficking?? And Pedro drops it on Chantal's fam that he and his fam have a plan re the DR. Chantal goes -- we're going to live in the DR. And he goes -- no, only me. Damn!?

I don’t keep up with these people when they aren’t in season, but I’m so confused. Last week they’re eating tikka masala and bopping to Bollywood and this week they’re at a mosque with Iraqi friends eating shawarma and biryani? What exactly are they trying to prove – that they don’t hate anyone who isn’t white and Christian? Because come on, we have seen enough of your family and husband’s ranting and raving to know it isn’t true. I mean wouldn’t she risk losing her base by doing this? Clearly she’s trying to keep her base interested – as evidenced by the cream of burrito recipe. I mean she’s hanging out with a [gasp] hijabi Muslim at a [gasp] mosque. And she makes it about their feast for their holiday – nothing about conversion. (And I’m Muslim and let’s be real no Muslim is going to convert during Ramadan. Even if they wanted to, even if they were secretly planning on it – the family strife it would cause would just not be worth it. And if it’s a loner type of Muslim who doesn’t have family/friends to talk them out of it – guess what those types don’t hang out eating dinner at the mosque which is a hub of religious and social activity during Ramadan.)

Bet you we'll see a horse drawn carriage at Carlin or Josie's wedding. Erin and Chad had one for their engagement but having seen it so recently, guarantee a showboat like Carlin will want one.

You're so right! While either party can theoretically break off a courtship, you know fundie guys are raised to think -- it is MY choice who I marry and the woman just goes along bc ANY fundie woman will be jumping for the chance to marry me, despite my lack of skills/friends/education/self awareness/exposure to the real world bc after all I am soooo Godly and am there only chance at them fulfilling their life purpose of being a mother. So while Ashley expressed reservation about leaving her life behind in NYC to come live in BFE Tenn with her hillbilly cowboy wannabe, you know Nathan was thinking (and I bet you Gil and Kelly were putting in his ear), OF COURSE she'll get over it and want to be with me bc she'll see that I and my way of life are superior and that I am saving her from the sinful life in NYC. And when she had the nerve to break it off, he likely "turned against" outgoing/opinionated women bc how dare a woman have the last word on anything whether a relationship or a hairstyle. I believe he/his sisters had said that Ashley was a lot like Tori/Carlin/Josie -- feisty/opinionated etc. Maybe he now needs to turn to finding a "traditional" fundie bride like an Anna Duggar or Tabitha Paine type. Someone he can meet at a homeschool convention who will smile at him adoringly and be sooooo impressed by the fact that he's on a minor TV show. Funny how Nathan's failed courtship made him more entrenched that he is THE man/his way is right etc., whereas Zach turned inward and looked more at his shortcomings. After his failed courtship, Zach said something about how he realized that he didn't know how to talk to girls and when he met Whit, he'd go to the restaurant where she waitressed and just chat with her about daily life etc. and that's how they got to be friends for a bit before dating. Who knows while he hasn't said, maybe Zach also thought -- a relationship only works if both people are happy so who am I to say that my wife MUST bear 10 children or CANNOT work or CANNOT watch TV, what if those things don't make her happy; maybe he thought -- hmm I'll be FLEXIBLE and see what my wife does/doesn't like and we'll decide things together rather than me just deciding for her bc I'm the headship.

So the episode was a mix of past weddings/engagements - basically a repeat. Watching it, I had to go back and look at when Chad and Erin married bc Chad looked SO young and fresh faced. Can't believed how much he has aged in only 4.5 years of marriage. Though I guess a few miscarriages; a wife crying 24-7 about how they'd never have a baby; 3 high risk pregnancies -- with the attendant insurance/medical costs Chad was responsible for; and leaving a job and steady paycheck to start a business all in 4.5 years would age anyone. Though that's also why normal people don't do all of these things in under 5 years absent some kind of dire reason -- like meeting your spouse around age 40 and quickly wanting to have a baby before the fertility window completely closes. And even then I've known couples to quickly have 1 -- and kind of leave it up to mother nature whether they'd conceive kids #2 or 3. Interesting that Erin admitted that she thought getting married, kissing and having sex all on the same day would be mind blowing and she was scared going in. But then of course it all ended up fine bc they were horny as hell -- couched in the fundie speak of "natural desires" etc. Interesting to see Alyssa and John's wedding which wasn't aired previously (I don't think). Ugly as hell with bridesmaids looking like their hot pink and turquoise blue dresses were picked by a kindergarten who only likes pink and blue in the crayon box. But interesting that John cried thru the ceremony. He otherwise comes across so stoic and manly that I wouldn't have expected emotion. Alyssa OTOH was clearly ready to get out of dodge. Just before walking down the aisle with Gil she tells him -- you'll just raise another Alyssa. Damn. Hope he realizes his kids feel interchangeable. At least he was sweet and said there can never be another Alyssa. And interesting to see that Nathan has always been a jackass. In a recent episode he was overly opinionated re Tori's hair -- when it's her damn choice how to wear her hair and if she needs help, she has 10000 sisters to ask. Well he and Lawson went dress shopping with Michaela, and in the TH Lawson acted like a regular guy and said "if a woman asks how she looks, the answer is always beautiful/perfect." Nathan acted like a dick and went on about "if you need a real opinion, you have to ask a man, a man's opinion is the one that counts; and if a woman doesn't look good in a dress, I'd tell her she doesn't look her best." And then at the dress shop he was overly interested and opinionated about the pros/cons of every dress. OTOH Gil and Lawson told Michaela she looked great in every dress and at some point started looking at their watches as they wondered how many more dresses she'd try -- like normal guys. What's up with Nathan?? Is he on a fundie power trip of-- a man must approve every decision and since their fiances can't approve this one and my dad and bro don't seem to care, they must get MY approval? Is he a fashion designer at heart? Though Lawson is described as a clothes horse (about his own clothes - not women's clothes) and he doesn't act that way!?

So looks like Crown's tuition for a commuter student is $3300/semester or $6600/yr, that means 13.2k total for a 2 yr degree like Josie's and 26.4k for a 4 yr degree like Tori and Trace (I assume Bible studies is 4 yrs bc Trace is 21-22 now). What a waste. For Tori, she's literally not even going to work 1 school year. Mid school year pregnancy is always tough for teachers but when you've been working at a school for a few years with a good track record, schools work around it. If you show up, interview and say -- oh I can start in Aug but then will be gone by Nov bc BABY and of course I want to be home for a year with said baby and then I'll probably be pregnant with #2 -- the school's gonna say, uh call us when you're actually ready to work. Gil and Kelly are old world -- in their minds, a girl should have an education "just in case" she HAS TO provide if everything went wrong with the marriage . . . . Never occurs to them that any woman would WANT to work -- to have her own experiences outside of wife and mommy, to provide financially to her family, to use her brain etc. And that's exactly what they've imparted in their girls. As for Trace -- Bible Study -- give me a break. Why do you need a college degree in that -- unless you're going to an actual seminary, not some unaccredited college. Trace was one of the ones who didn't really want to go to college. Kelly had the heart to heart with him in the thrift store -- LOL -- when he was nearing the end of high school and he said he wanted to work for Gil's tree cutting business and take over Lawson's law business if Law was doing music fulltime. Kelly was the one who said -- we want all the kids to go for one semester and if it isn't for you, you can quit then. Guess he didn't hate it bc he stayed with it for 4 yrs getting a worthless degree. Crown has 2 trade programs for boys -- HVAC and auto/diesel tech (I cannot imagine any girl would be allowed to enroll). Either would be a way to make good $$$. Or he could have gone the same route as Kelton and Chad -- both studied finance at their similar fundie colleges. Kelton knew he was going to go back to Tenn. and work in his uncle's plumbing business, but the finance degree probably allows him to do some work managing the books and if one day he takes over that business/starts his own plumbing business -- then that business background will be helpful. More than Trace's bible degree will help him in tree work!?

Shocking that healthy 21-22 year olds can have sex at least 1x/day for 4 months and end up pregnant. I'm guessing they were pregnant within a few weeks and now are announcing after the 1st trimester. Bet his parents are thrilled . . . .they were barely ok with the idea that he was marrying Tori by the looks of it; now they have to get used to her as the mother of their grandkid and the fact that she'll be imparting her irritating personality upon the grandkid. I have the repeat mothers day special on in the background. In Zach and Whit's segment, they say -- the first thing we experienced as a couple together was Bradley's birth. Uh -- maybe you al rush to the altar and then into the delivery room too fast if your first experience together wasn't a trip or a move or job change but freaking CHILDBIRTH.

Rarely check in on the Duggars when they aren't in season. Jill and family are eating Indian food? Why? What are they trying to prove exactly -- that they're soooo cultured and open minded? Just 4 years ago Derek was introducing Jill to exotic things like vegetables and hummus - bc before that Jill and her siblings were making faces at ethnic food - and now we're supposed to believe that 4 years later it's all different that they chow down on chole masala on the regular and listen to Bollywood music?? Did someone have to tell Jill what Bollywood even was so she could get it right on the blog? I can imagine Derek liking Indian food bc he lived in Nepal for a year or 2 and Indian food isn't all that different from Nepali. And Indian food doesn't have to be spicy at all -- things like rice, lentils, chicken can be made without heat and usually are in Indian homes with young kids.

Wasn't that Chad's car? I feel like the Duggars showed up, JD Duggar PROUDLY announced himself "chief car trasher" and then him, Lawson, Nathan set off to destroy the car. No idea if it was Chad's real car or a rental but in either case, it's effed up bc putting anything into a car's vents is going to cost some serious cash to fix later. Bobby was desperate for sex, but the more Kelton sees of his lame family -- how is he not thinking, hell no, I'm out??? He doesn't seem nearly as desperate as Bobby to get some. I get it . . . he likes Josie and she isn't like that, but with a family that is so big, loud, and obnoxious, you WILL have to deal with them. Kelton and Josie seem much like John and Alyssa to me -- not into the big obnoxious family thing; John and Alyssa naturally escaped it and only have to deal with it a few days here and there because John's business is in FL so of course they had to build a life there. It won't be as easy for Kelton -- who works for his uncle's business in the area (and even if he started his own - he is from the local area so it's not like he could convince Josie that being a plumber REQUIRES him to move to Florida or North Carolina or something). Hope the 2 of them find a way to carve out an independent life even living near the family bc I don't see them liking these car pranks and other idiotic Bates things.

Didn't notice how big/small their wedding looked but it was less than 10 days before Christmas, right? Most of these fundie weddings end up with 1000 guests bc everyone hitches up their trailers and brings their 13 kids in hopes that their kids will mix and mingle over soda and cake and meet their intended, since there is an open invite to the ceremony and the church reception after. But when you throw a wedding 10 days before Christmas, I doubt a lot of people are willing to do that unless they are your super special fundie family friends, not just some fam you met at Big Sandy 11 yrs ago and now admire their fam on UPTv. Holidays are hectic, there is snowy winter weather in some places already making driving a hassle, plus most of these families aren't well off so with the added expenditure required for Christmas gifts/meals in that time of the year, they may not have a few hundred to throw into fuel and a night at a motel to drive half way across the country. IIRC Zach and Whit had a Christmas wedding -- right after Erin and Chad's Nov. wedding -- and their wedding was MUCH smaller. I think it was a few hundred people max and was held in a regular church rather than a mega church. I'm sure some of it was having 2 weddings close together in the same family -- of course the 1st wedding and the daughter's wedding (Erin) becomes the one people attend if they can only attend 1 out of 2; but I'm sure some of turnout for Zach and Whit had to do with the proximity to Christmas.

Kind of figured the wedding would be the season finale, but apparently there’s a new episode next week. I used to like this family a lot, and yet every time the feature is Tori (or Carlin) – it diminishes my like for the whole family bc they are so damn annoying. I get that they wanted the wedding to be a winter wonderland bc they had seen it in some magazine/social media, but when they show that pic THAT looks like a real winter wonderland. Tori’s décor just looked cheap for lack of better words. IDK what some celebrity couple did to have a real snowy woodsy theme to their wedding, but I doubt they chopped down 40 trees and spray painted them. And the trees were jutting out at such odd angles that when they were walking down the aisle together, the couples were smooshed together bc otherwise they’d get smacked by random branches. Despite that, Zach got smacked, as did Tori and Gil. You’d think he’d go with “I Robert Smith take thee . . . .” rather than “I Bobby Smith . . . .” Are his parents even happy – they looked so serious, and not “proud-serious,” more like “uncomfortable-serious” the whole ceremony. Whose stupid idea was a unity braid? Tori was being a bitch about it at the rehearsal yelling at him “I hand you this one, you hand me that one,” and he probably for the first time called her out and said “this doesn’t bode well.” Um yeah Bobby – you’ve been thinking with your dick this whole time, she is dumb AND obnoxious, so enjoy that . . . For a bride who is so dumb and stressed, why not do something like a unity candle or unity sand, which are harder to screw up?? Tori doesn’t know the vows – didn’t know “lawful wedded husband” or “for better or for worse” and then got the giggles in front of 1000 people?? WTF?! Isn’t every fundie girl taught the vows by age 5?? Bobby’s song was dumb in that way these fundie songs always are – just one long cliché re their song never ending and how they’re in perfect harmony . . . . Not sure why he needed to do that, but he’s got some balls to be willing to sing a dumb song in front of a 1000 people on his wedding day. Could those 2 be any hornier?? We get it – you can’t wait to get it on. But it’s unnecessary to be so clear about it, esp given how modest you’re supposed to be. Evan shows up to help Bobby’s family set up tables etc. for the rehearsal dinner and asks how Bobby’s feeling and Bobby goes – I’ll be fine in a few days. Um!? Same in his apartment where Tori is doing a TH and says – the next 2 days are going to be horrendous (leading up to the wedding) but the cabin in Yosemite will be heavenly. And then even leaving the ceremony, the first thing Tori says “let’s just say hi to the people and get out of here . . . .” And then in leaving the reception, where her family is hugging her and saying goodbye, you can tell she just wants to go and blurts out “there’s soooo many of you . . . .” Um yeah – 19 kids is kind of your guys shtick – I’m sorry they’re soooo “unreasonable” to expect a goodbye from you after they hauled ass to pull your wedding together – guess you and Bobby will be delayed by 5 min in getting it on at the Holiday Inn tonight, but once you get to your heavily cabin in Yosemite in 2 days, don’t worry, you won’t have to leave the bed for days . . . .

I’m about a week behind – but in the Thanksgiving episode, it was nice to see Zach and Whit and John (and I imagine Alyssa was there too) sitting on the porch with Bill and Jane before the hordes arrived. Zach and Alyssa seem to be especially close to the grandparents, so it’s nice that they were able to sit and maybe just tell them about their lives – John/Alyssa’s new cleaning business; Whit’s new job in real estate; the house Zach/Whit remodeled – in a normal conversation fashion without Lawson/Nathan/little kids taking over the conversation or Kelly screaming about fellowshipping or weddings or whatever it is that she loudly prattles on about taking over every conversation. Whit has said before that Zach is especially close to Papa Bill and talks about him at home all the time and with any decision wonders if Papa Bill would agree/be proud etc. Josie and Kelton were taking THREE years ago and Gil told them to dial it back!? She’s only 18 that means she’s been talking to her man since age 15. She REALLY was on the Alyssa track – I know I’m not going to college (at least I’ll go to trade school), I need to lock up a man young bc I’m outta here at 18, babies starting at 19. Gil’s probably the first fundie ever to tell a daughter to dial it back – most would be THRILLED to get a daughter married off at 16. Only saw a few min of this weeks episode. Kind of enjoyed Bobby’s boss mocking him for planning a honeymoon at Yosemite in the winter when he’s never seen snow before let alone 3 ft of snow and doesn’t own a proper winter coat . . . . Loved that Bobby had to say that they had considered going someplace warm but they didn’t want to go anywhere where there would be millions of people and wanted it to be more “private,” as Tori eagerly nodded along. We get it. You two don’t to leave the cabin or even the bedroom for the entire week and you don’t want hotel walls where neighbors can hear you getting it on multiple times a day – thanks for sharing . . . . I swear these fundies rush to the altar just for a kiss and sex. Guess it was good to hear Bobby say that the wedding is for the bride/bride’s family, but planning the honeymoon and life after the honeymoon is the groom’s responsibility. Guess that’s good at least someone is thinking about life after the week of honeymoon sex because Tori can’t seem to plan past jumping his bones . . . . Oh and BS on Erin's whole -- 3 strikes and I'm out -- i.e. done with 3 kids. BS. She said the same after kid #1 and #2 but oops they just seem to keep getting pregnant -- gee wonder why that happens or how to stop it. And no sooner did she say maybe 3 was it for them, Chad can be heard saying quietly -- we need a brother for Carson. They're on the as many as God gives us track -- until/unless there are financial troubles in which case they'll still have no less than 6-8.

Loved Mac saying everyone else’s wedding was portrayed as a fairytale but MTV screwed us. So tell me Mac of the 2 others weddings on this show (Cate/Ty; Maci/Taylor) – did Ty/Taylor drink so heavily on their wedding day that their groomsmen had to tell them to slow down bc they needed to be sober to say vows in 30 min; did their groomsmen have to harass them to write said vows; when harassed re vows did either say “I don’t care – doesn’t matter what I say”; did either have dip in their mouth up at the altar; did either spend their wedding reception asking their new bride how much everything cost and why she got a real cake; did either start the first dance only to stop in 2 min and say ok let’s stop now and have their new bride tell them, no we have to finish it . . . . There’s a reason your wedding looked like a train wreck. MTV didn’t impose voiceovers – you both said these things and looked this way . . . . . And why doesn’t Dr. Drew ever ask the “ultimate” questions of any of these people? Ryan – WHY would you agree to piss in cup but not hair follicle? Is it bc you can fool a urine test and/or have clean urine if you stop using for a week yet a hair follicle test will show if you’ve used at any time for months and clearly you’re high!? Or Catelynn – WHY did you go back to rehab a second time for SIX weeks without first even trying to adjust meds or work with a therapist at home? If you really felt unsafe adjusting meds at home, couldn’t you have flown to Arizona and stayed at/near the facility and started taking the new dose for say 4-5 days and flown back instead of SIX weeks? And Catelynn – you’ve mentioned before that you need the “structure” of rehab. What other ways can an adult get structure – have you thought about being a full time student or a full time employee where you wouldn’t have time to sit around lamenting Carly and your mom’s druggie ways and your dad leaving 10+ years ago? And love that as Maci was walking out to the couch for the session with Ryan, Larry goes “get him girl.” LOL they (esp Larry) want to hate her. They really really do, but in their heart of hearts they don’t hate her and know she is generally right when it comes to parenting.

I imagine Alyssa and Michael were pretty serious growing up and also pretty pragmatic. I bet 12 yr old Alyssa was thinking (without telling anyone) -- hmm -- I'm going to be married in 6 years, my husband will expect me to know how to cook and keep a nice home, I better start learning. So of course she then tells Kelly she wants to start cooking and grifter Kelly heard "I want to cook 3 meals a day every day for 20 people until my prince charming shows up." Bc why just use a child's help or maybe assign her 2 dinners a week, when you can push the whole thing off on her. Bet the same thing happened with Michael and laundry. Are Michael and Alyssa close? I can't tell with Alyssa bc whenever we see her she seems so disinterested in her siblings, but I wonder if they are close bc Alyssa called Michael to tell her about her pregnancy so as not to shock her publicly etc. I wonder if they bonded over the years of running the household together. And while I like them better than some others, they are still fundie thru and thru. Of course Lawson and Nathan can come and go as they please, while the girls -- mom needs to think about who'll take over their household chores. Though it isn't my impression that it's as much of a problem now-- Tori and Carlin seem self involved -- did they even do much around the house? I don't think they ran the home the way Michael and Alyssa did.

Alyssa seems to do big birthday parties with the family -- so I imagine they were invited to attend and didn't just show up to see the baby. I'd be shocked if they were staying at the house. I imagine they were at a rental and showed up for the party.

Gil and Kelly are grifters plain and simple. They taken advantage where they at allowed to take advantage. When Mama Jane and Papa Bill quietly seem stressed or tired or make "minor" comments like -- glad to see them come but also glad to see them go (which Mama Jane said after one of the get togethers - maybe Bill's birthday - and you know Gil and Kelly saw it bc it was on freaking TV) -- it's easy to "ignore" those comments as, nah mom doesn't mean that, she just gets stressed and dramatic. At the end of the day they know they can come and park themselves all over Jane/Bill's house (they've got to be sleeping wall to wall, no? Doesn't seem like THAT big of a home) and Bill/Jane won't directly say "next time, make other plans." OTOH -- enter Alyssa. They tip toe around her now. They rent a house/AirbNb near her home and NEVER stay in her home. She has CLEARLY said only mom and dad can come after a birth and then 2-3 siblings can come a month or two later, and many months later everyone can come. And guess what -- only Gil/Kelly show up AFTER births and stay for like 1-2 days max with Gil running around the whole time getting food, mowing John's yard and doing anything he can to be helpful; and the entire horde of 19 doesn't land for months after -- often not until that child's first birthday party. And then last time when the entire horde went to 1 of the first birthdays and was pissing Alyssa off as the older ones "helped" her prepare food for the party with the game of -- put a grape/strawberry on the platter, eat a grape/strawberry -- as if they had never seen freaking fruit before and as if they don't understand that you don't start eating food for guests while prepping it bc it's unclean and you'll run out -- and Alyssa was getting visibly pissed, Gil ran around running interference saying "ok -- everyone we're going to the park/running errands/whatever" to get them out of Alyssa's space. Reality is Gil/Kelly realize Alyssa means business and would have NO problem limiting their access even further so that they weren't welcome at any AirBnB near her home more than 1x/yr and when they made that visit, Alyssa would only invite them over for 2 hrs one day and be done with it. They know not to push the limits with her too much if they want to see those grandkids, ever. Interesting that Mama Jane directly pointed out that Alyssa is on the same track as her parents with 1 kid/year. Even more interesting that Alyssa -- like most fundies everywhere -- views boys as more "coveted" than girls. It was a bit "direct" of her to say that if it's another girl, they will try for a boy but if #4 is a girl too, they're done. She seemed a bit rude in her - yeah yeah I have enough girls, I want boys . . . . And she's BS-ing, she's a decisive kind of person who has said 6 kids until day 1. She ain't stopping until there are 6 even 6 girls. Though maybe Mama Jane could explain to her that you're 23-24, feel free to slow it down.

Only caught the last part of last week. I found Nathan annoying too and I wonder what his deal is. My impression is that when he’s around his family and people who he’s grown up with who are just like him (I.e. all the fundy guys at his birthday), he acts relatively reasonable and normal. When he’s around ANY outsider he starts putting on his hillbilly cowboy act. It’s not like Bobby and Kelton are Prince William and Harry but I do think both of them were raised slightly higher class than the Bates and are marrying down. And so in front of them he goes on and on in a VERY obvious southern accent regarding the wild times to be had in an escape room so Bobby gets one last hurrah before settling down with HIS sister. He did the same thing with Ashley - acted like a hillbilly. He showed up to Rockefeller Center in a loud plaid shirt complete with boots and a huge cowboy hat and yet at home we’ve never seen the boys in cowboy hats and often Nathan does THs in a plain button down and jeans like any normal guy his age. And then he went on and on about how you go to Ashley’s house and there’s a door and another door and another. Um yeah they’re called apartments, they have them everywhere including BFE Tenn bc Bobby is living in one . . . . I kind of wonder if it’s an insecurity thing. These kids were exposed to so little growing up and now likely feel uncomfortable around anyone who isn’t like them and Nathan compensates by acting like a country bumpkin “aw shucks we don’t have them apartments back home . . . .” Ashley had to be embarrassed by it at some level. Honestly Nathan will probably do better with a girl he finds at a fundie convention who was raised similar to him.

What is up with Catelynn? Does she just not want to do life and it's easier to live at a therapy resort in Arizona? I mean the dr. gives her the option of trying outpatient therapy and switching meds under the guidance of a local dr. and she says -- nope -- I need inpatient therapy for a month and a half!? Not even -- ok we're rich so I'd like to fly to AZ to see THAT dr and stay for 2 days in a hotel to make sure I handle the meds ok. But -- sorry Tyler, deal with Nova who will "manage" at the age of 3, I'm outta here?? Why does Tyler stay with her? I did agree with him when he was talking to his sister and said Butch used to tell them he could do what he wanted bc they had a good mom -- i.e. a mom at home. Catelynn is doing the same -- Tyler's around to deal with Nova, so I can leave and nah -- I don't really need to say bye to my toddler. So I take it it's the beginning of the end for Mac and Ryan? I mean at the end we hear him say -- I can't do this for 9 months, let's separate for 9 months. Yeah Ryan, you're separate for 9 months and then you'll really come back when the baby is here bc you care so deeply about being a father. See Exhibit 1 - Bentley. What did Ryan mumble to Mac at the dr when the dr left?? I assume it was something snarky but have no idea. And is Larry delusional -- he's soooo happy about this baby, this is why Ryan went thru his drug problem and now that he's all healed, the baby will make him even better?? Jen looks legit worried bc she knows how her son is.

I was more freaked out by the fact that they were touching the raw meat packages, opening them, mixing up the meat with their hands and Jessa kept going back and forth to touching her phone!? OMG - would it have been so hard to hand the phone to Johannah who was hiding in the corner to be away from the raw meat and have her read off the recipe? I know this kind of thing happens, but if you're getting raw meat juices on your phone, you should be Lysoling that thing off before you leave the kitchen with it. Knowing Jess though, I bet she had no problem walking out of there phone in hand and just plopping it on the dining table or giving it to one of her kids to chew on. Ben seems to be a germophobe - how does he live with such nastiness? And I know people who aren't even germophobes really but they are at least careful when handling raw meat/eggs so as not to get any of that on themselves/anything else and if they do - do a quick scrub down. Michelle really taught these girls to be housewives didn't she!?

I like JoKen together but honestly seeing Kendra shows how messed up fundie culture really is. Girl was soooo excited and nervous about the first kiss, it was all she could talk about. She’s whispering to him about it and how he’d do it the whole time during pictures and even on stage at the wedding, she’s telling him to take his time with it. If girlfriend is so nervous about a kiss, I can only imagine how she was when Joe got it up and put it in . . . . Her parents were sooo proud when she smashed cake in his face — mom saying she was encouraging it, dad yelling out “that’s my girl.” It’s sad that the parents and the girl think — see I am spunky and my own person; the only way I can prove it is with cake?!? Kendra’s FINE dad was a bit over the top with the whole — we’ve raised her for 19 yrs, 28 days, prayed for her husband for 19 yrs, 28 days. We get it marriage is all that matters, but you’re acting like your 19 yr old who appears to have the maturity of a 6th grader is actually 45 and you’re worried she’ll never meet a man. I can’t imsgine how any parent in 2018 feels ok with a daughter marrying with NO education or skills or job or ability to support herself - even just as a fallback.

Awesome to hear how much the Duggar inlaws want to be no where NEAR the TTC. Austin did the whole song and dance re -- every couple is different, but for me I needed some more space -- in response to the discussion that Joe was parking his house in the Duggar front yard. Jessa went on about how there would be more rules for the siblings if they were to live right on the TTC property, as Bin goes -- yeah Josie would have to knock!? And even "sweet" Kendra herself skeptically goes -- I'm sure we'll have our own space. I'm SURE Mr. and Mrs. Duggar will be good about keeping siblings from coming over all the time at least for the first year. Ahem - yes JoKen, we know you want to get it on anytime you want; just pull the shades. But I can't even feel bad -- why not WAIT to get married until you can freaking afford to rent a house or get a house that's YOURS!? Ma and Pa Caldwell love her SOOOOO deeply but not deeply enough to encourage their daughter to have some kind of education/job/trade to have a bit of her own $ or to marry a guy with some kind of profession that isn't odd jobs for his dad or her dad!? And Joe took care of the "electrical" for that house by tying wires around his waist, running them up the hill, and handing them to Jer who was hooking them into the house. WTF!? God help them. Michelle is sounding mentally challenged "oh SO Preeeety" when she sees Ken in her dress; "you're sooooo tallllll" when wishing Jer a happy birthday. Um ok!?

I've said it here before -- Chad is the oldest 31 year old I've ever seen. Those eye wrinkles -- you see those in the late 40-50s, not typically at 31. And he does always look exhausted. I have to imagine that being the provider, having 2 kids with a 3rd on the way, having various goats/chickens/whatever else, and now starting a business -- all of that has to be taking a toll in terms of stress. And some of it might just be his built as well. He's a thin guy which appears to run in his family; they've shown his brothers before who are positively gaunt. Typically thinner people age worse and show stress on their face more -- though not at 31!? I get that if/when you want to start a business, at some point you just have to do it. But I question the wisdom of this move, despite his love for construction. Construction is an up and down business -- right now it happens to be up bc the economy is good, so he's getting a lot of work from the one builder friend. What happens when it goes down? I can't imagine they have SOOO much in savings that if business were to fall off for 5 months, they'd be ok; I doubt the scrap metal yard paid him THAT much that there's huge savings lying around. That has to be worrying him at some level. He does seem like he wants to be a good provider, so it's possible that he is taking every job he can right now and working from sun up to sun down 7 days a week to "plan for" a downswing in business. And that builder himself said -- either this flip pays off a ton of debt, or I have even more debt. Construction may be trickier as a business than these 2 realized when he was merely refinishing china cabinets on the side of a real job for some extra cash. Frankly Chad could/should have started this as a side business and grown it to the point where he had so much to do that he couldn't work both construction and the metal yard and THEN quit; it would've worked too as he got weekdays off at the metal yard -- so he could easily be doing construction then, meeting with subcontractors, pitching new jobs etc. - so it's not like his only options were to work in the middle of the night on Sundays. Though I will say, I don't feel that bad for these fundie guys who want to marry these uneducated, sheltered fundie girls who fawned all over them. I'm sure having a princess of a wife who constantly needs this or that re painted is stressful, along with the finances. I'm sure it's stressful to explain finances or work or the stresses of work to someone who has no clue bc -- oh daddy handled that. In normal couples/households, when one wants to start a business, the other often picks up/hangs onto a job so there is SOME steady income coming in and health insurance. What do these morons do for health insurance - Medicaid? Bc Obamacare could easily be 700-1000/month for a family of 4 in a state like Tenn. And of course these idiots won't slow down their baby making. Dude is starting a business, probably has little to no health insurance yet needs to get the wife pregnant yearly to prove his virility -- cost of hospital care and high risk interventions that Erin needs be damned, God will provide. Erin can't even call Dr. Jilly Muffin and switch to home birthing given her bleeding/clotting issues. I think Zach and Whit are doing it right, and I honestly hope he doesn't join Chad's business/start his own. If he likes construction, do a bit of it on the side when Chad needs extra help on weekends. They seem to have taken out a mortgage for a normal home -- that could easily contain 4-6 kids (sharing rooms of course). But I wouldn't be shocked if they stop at 2 or 3. I wonder if bc Zach as the oldest remembers how awful it was to grow up poor in a small run down home with a new sibling arriving yearly and doesn't want to live that way again. The way they went all out on granite; wood floors; subway title etc. seems to suggest maybe he's ready for the good life. His job provides that right now and joining the construction business could upset the apple cart. I hope they're considering that police jobs - while they don't have a huge salary though do fine - tend to have a huge pension benefit at the end. Would love to see Zach stay 20 yrs until his mid 40s and then cash out with his pension and pursue any kind of job he wants; but even if that's too much -- even staying 5 yrs or 10 yrs leads you to a far more secure retirement than any fundie has seen. Frankly theirs seems like a more equal marriage where he doesn't need to explain every little thing to Whit like mortgages, pensions, vesting etc. -- so I imagine they've had/will have that conversation when he wants to leave the police force to see if it would be beneficial to them later in life to stay another yr or 2.

So I take it Zach and Whit have gone fundie lite enough that they believe in mortgages? Bc while they made that house look great with the latest trends - open concept; barn door; white kitchen etc. -- it wasn't bad to start with (just out of style). NOTHING like the falling down shacks Chad was driving around looking at last season bc Chad/Erin have said they want to buy in cash - but what they can afford tends to look like it won't withstand a storm. So Chad quit his steady job for construction. Great. I mean that's what fundies believe -- don't work for others. But while I get the construction market has been booming bc the economy is hot, what happens with the next recession? He's married with 2 kids, a 3rd on the way and if a recession isn't for another yr or so -- we'll be on kid #4. Don't they need solid health insurance which for a family of 4 would be like $1000/month? As for the flip home -- OMG only in Tenn. Ugly - like a log cabin with ugly wood walls/trim everywhere, except you don't get to go home after a weekend bc you freaking live there. And the contractor was expecting to make 60k after all costs etc. -- listing for 400k -- so he bought that ugly POS in the 300k range!? Hope Chad isn't learning business skills from this dude. I also don't get Erin's role in Chad's business? He's a subcontractor - i.e. doing construction for others' jobs. So he brings his wife (and small kids!?) to properties multiple times to get her decorative opinions? Um - you aren't Chip and Joanna Gaines, and the contractor hasn't hired your WIFE for interior decoration - he's hired YOU to knock out walls/floors etc. Kind of wondering when/how Zach learned construction. I pray he did learn it somewhere bc it's one thing to mess up flooring or cabinets, it's another to crawl under the house, look at the foundation, and purport to know what you need to do to shore up the foundation. Looks like these fundies are dreaming of being a family business altogether. At the end Chad goes on about "all the skills coming into the family as it grows" -- Chad doing construction; Zach doing framing (again - where did he learn?); Whit - real estate; Erin - interior décor/staging; and while he didn't mention it -- ahem, Kelton at plumbing. Me thinks Chad wants the siblings in a big family business. I wouldn't be surprised if Zach gives up the cop thing sooner rather than later -- he even said that he'd like to get with Chad's business and help other families with their homes . . . . I'm guessing John is thanking his lucky stars that he and his HVAC skills are all the way in Florida. Though I kind of wonder if all of these siblings getting by paycheck to paycheck look at John and Alyssa and say -- hmm maybe owning your own business in skilled trades is the way to go!?

Just caught up on both episode's since I had a snow day today. Bachelor Party/Pregnancy: eh, boring as usual. Austin continues to be a dick (shocker) as he has to scream out "where's your chaperone" as Joe straddles Kendra during whatever that water/jet ski activity way. I suspected Jana ONLY got a text instead of in person news like Jessa bc she's single. I mean they don't view her as a grown adult bc she isn't a married woman. (And Jill likely got a visit off camera, but even if she didn't - that one at least makes sense bc you can blame it on TLC cameras not wanting to see Jill/Derick). I did notice Jer was enthusiastic when Jing said at the coffee shop that she had been thinking of roasting coffee as a side gig. Actually his eyes kind of lit up as he said "like a part time job?!" And then suggested she could debut her blend at Joe/Kendra's wedding. I think Jer is saavy and thinking about how to capitalize on their "fame" while the show is still on the air. It's not like selling bags of coffee will pay the mortgage, but frankly it could buy the groceries/clothes/utilities and thus allow them to save a bit more/pay down their mortgage a bit faster. Jer may be the only one of these idiots who realizes life is expensive and extra money never hurts. Bags of coffee beans sell for $6-15ish usually depending on the brand. If she were to push this endeavor via social media, I bet she could get Duggar/Bates leghumpers to buy. Go debut the coffee at Joe/Kendra or Josiah/Lauren or Carlin/Evan or Josie/Kelton's weddings (probably for free) and there are thousands of additional leg humpers who could be a potential market. Frankly the Duggar weddings are sad enough that you could set up a table outside and sell. Bates - may not allow that but you could hand out little cards or something w the coffee cups giving people a discount code with a coupon. These people LOVE a bargain. Delivery episode: what is there to say. These people are playing Dr. with childbirth -- and don't seem to get that things could go REALLY wrong, despite already needing 3? emergency c sections in the family (2 - Jill; 1 -Joy) plus having a dangerous bleeding situation after (Jessa). Maybe it's bc I've never lived in the country but when Austin's mom asked if there was a plan b for the birth and Joy casually goes - yeah if I need to get checked out, we can go to the hospital it's ONLY 30 min away - I was like WTF!?! If a baby is stuck with a decelerating heart rate or there is profuse bleeding -- ONLY 30 min -- won't be so comforting. And we can't count on Dr. Jilly Muffin to be able to anticipate such things say an hr or 3 hrs in advance so the patient can get their safely with time to spare. I mean it seems like she was taken to the hospital around 2:30-3 pm with the baby born at 3:39 pm - so transported there after 20 hrs of labor (so starting ~6:30 the evening prior, probably labored thru the night until calling the grandmas at 4 am). Neither Dr. Jilly nor any one of the other 12 people in the room (at least a few of whom were medical "professionals" and almost all have birthed kids) could figure out from 4 am-2 pm in 10 hrs -- hmmmm -- the bowling ball that is the head isn't anywhere near the crotch -- hmm, maybe this isn't right!? Joy looked REALLY pale to me post delivery. Blood loss? Hopefully it was in a controlled way in the hospital and actual MDs were on top of it.