Wellfleet

That's so weird - our family too. Leftovers were split among 6 different households and all are reporting the green vegetables going first - !!!! In our case, creamed spinach and roasted Brussels sprouts. I had creamed spinach for breakfast yesterday morning...

I just Googled tasso... and it sounds delicious! PS - I heart 'pig' in almost all its forms!

Yes, this is true. There are positives about being a youngest - this is one of them. I do wonder though. How eager would Me-chelle be if she had had to mow that lawn in jeans and a tee shirt? She certainly has fixated on that particular incident - it seems like a real point of pride for her.

I think maybe even calling Me-chelle "shrewd" is giving her too much credit. If it's shrewd, it was the only shrewd thing she's ever done. I think her ability to get others to do her work is simply due to experience growing up as a petted and spoiled lastborn. It's rare for parents to expect a lastborn to tow the same line as older siblings. Parents have more expectations for older children - to become responsible, to do chores, to keep an eye on some of the younger sibs on occasion etc. They know who their older kids' friends are more often than not, they're more engaged in general. But no matter how many kids parents will have, they tend to get tuckered out toward the end. Youngest children often grow up in a MUCH more relaxed and unstructured environment. Hard-and-fast rules and requirements that older children were subject to no longer apply, or they apply but are never really enforced. Often Lastborns are treated as adorable but befuddled little darlings. Parents often do things for a youngest child that they'd never consider doing for older kids at the same age, and they often make excuses for the lastborn too. Even when the Lastborn is capable, he may not be required to show it. Me-chelle's experience as a lastborn was what showed her most clearly how to get other people to do her work for her. In her case, I'm guessing tears played a big part, tears and drama and the whole nine yards.

An excellent point. If John-David DOES live independently - and I think he does - then the pervert factor must be making the difference here. Boob & Me-chelle don't seem to have any issues with John-David having struck out on his own to a certain extent. I don't think they'd pitch fits about the other boys either. The girls? No way - but boys? Yeah sure, why not? Of course it could just appear to us that he lives alone, because they want us to think that they're normal. Unfortunately that ship has sailed, Boob.

Good question. All we can say for sure is that she certainly tows the Gothard company line. She's says everything she's supposed to - in public at least - and her gazes of rapt adoration cannot be topped. But whether she actually likes him, who knows? Hard to tell. He doesn't do much to help himself, IMO. He reminds me physically of both President Carter's goofy brother Billy, and Howdy Doody as well. I'm a massive SNL fan. Have watched it for - gulp - 40 bloody years, ever since the first episode in the Fall of my sophomore year in college. No kidding, isn't that nuts? It's been on TV for 40 years! Anyway for the last several years I've been praying they would parody the Duggars. Unfortunately when the molestation scandal broke the season had ended for SNL, so we missed that opportunity. But I feel positive that if and when SNL ever does parody 19 Kids, Boob will be portrayed as a very horny Howdy Doody.

I usually look for the most likely and common solution first, so I'm thinking... Could Me-chelle have become pregnant during last semester in high school? It's not difficult to imagine Boob becoming completely out-of-control some night while the two of them were locking up the yogurt shop. And hey, Me-chelle was a cheerleader! Everyone knows they're easy - LOL. That would be the likeliest reason for everything being rushed and for all the parents to be in relative agreement when in reality, these 2 teenagers had no business getting married at their age, and in their financial position. Most parents would REQUIRE a baby to be on the way in order for OK a wedding in these circumstances. Then, several weeks or a month or so after their wedding, a miscarriage or accident or whatever? Would fundies who married because of a baby divorce if it turned out there wasn't going to be a baby?

All interesting points to consider. I especially agree that Me-chelle is really not that into Boob; never has been. I also think in the end your last paragraph will prove to be the most accurate.

This year was my youngest sister's turn to entertain again and it was superlative. She told us she finally got organized and did everything she possibly could the day before - and this made a world of difference. No stress on the Big Day. Really, really smart. As long as quality would not be affected, she prepared the item the day before and then we just cranked on the microwave big time yesterday to reheat. I think the only things left to Thursday were making gravy and baking biscuits. Even the turkey was roasted and carved on Wednesday, then gently warmed for dinner yesterday. Delicious - and made for a very long, very enjoyable cocktail hour. We always start with tomato-clam juice, then move on to turkey, my Mother's dressing, my Mother's gravy, mashed potatoes [my middle sister is a past master], sweet potatoes [just baked-no sugar], relish tray [ olives, carrot sticks, radishes, celery sticks, green onions] roasted Brussels sprouts, baby peas, cranberry jelly - and this year there was a new item - cornbread casserole [think corn muffins with chopped sweet peppers and cheddar cheese - quite tasty]. My SIL's apple crisp and coffee come several hours later. Then we play games which is a lot of fun. Even more fun now that all the grandchildren are "of age." We thought we'd really miss them being little - and we do - but we are pleasantly surprised at how much fun it is for them to be young adults, and funny ones too - as well.

100% agree. I can't get over the feeling that there is something in Boob's past. Something he doesn't want made public. Because It's ALWAYS those who protest the loudest against Whatever that end up being neck-high deep into it at some point. In Boob's case it could be anything, because just about everything fun and joyful about Life is against Gothardism. Gee, you don't think Boob once danced with someone, do you?? Shocking!!!

Didn't she once say something about being the family's Scheduler-in-Chief or something along those lines? She must have a LOT more time for other things now, because the phone and the Inbox can't possibly be bringing in new offers like it once did. More of their calls these days must be "Thanks but no thanks, Duggars. We're un-inviting you to our event..." type. I can't imagine how she spends her days now. I can imagine what she's NOT doing however. It's very clear what she's NOT doing. Just about anything that an unmedicated, engaged and "normal" American mom would be doing.

Yes, now Derick can add "breakfast-making" to his LinkedIn profile's list of "Other Skills." He probably can't list auto mechanic or home-gardener, although these could be highly-useful skills in missionary work. But will shamelessly - and inaccurately - add "Experienced Breakfast Chef" to his online resume.

Starting in high school as we got PT jobs, my immediate family - parents and 6 kids - all bought for everyone else. When in-laws and significant others started showing up, we siblings drew names - and then we all also bought for our parents. Then grandchildren-nieces-nephews came on the scene, and the adults scaled back somewhat so we could focus on the kids. Now Mom and Dad are gone - and the second generation are all in their 20s - so we buy for everyone again. But no one wants to trudge through stores anymore - and none of us NEED a darned thing - so we buy small things, funny or creative things. There are about 12 of us and I don't think anyone spends more than $200-300 overall. Lots of fun stocking stuffers and even more gift cards. Which MY family loves and does not object to in the least. Getting a gift card is exactly the same as being handed cash and ENSURES that you will get something that YOU really like. Takes all the guesswork out of shopping. People who don't like gift cards are, in our collective opinion, not thoroughly examining the concept - LOL. It's win-win for everyone. We take turns hosting Christmas Eve each year and you almost never see a big wrapped-up box under the tree anymore. It's more challenging and fun to "shop small" too. Sometimes I'll think of a really perfect little gift in March, although I have learned - the hard way - that I better write it down right away, or come December, I'll have completely forgotten it. We also pool together for a charity each year too. Our favorites are anything for US vets or Heifer International, which helps families get started with livestock in their home countries. Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach him to fish, he eats for a lifetime...

In my family we all LOVE gift cards. They're perfect for people like us. Massively-picky. Because of gift cards, we each get a very nice present that we can pick out ourselves and we give very nice, appreciated presents too. Without having to truck out in bad weather, tramp through stores, stand in lines, worry that we're getting the wrong size or wrong color for someone. We usually don't even have to wrap the cards since many comes with very festive little envelopes. It's win-win for us all.

Wow, this is just what Josh would have looked like had he been born 100 years earlier. This fat, fey know-it-all has perfected the smug-and-entitled look too.

Absolutely, although I would say it's probably more from a position of fear than of weakness. Fear does make any group weaker however though. When a group - or an individual for that matter - is secure and confident in their beliefs, there's no need to fear or ridicule a different point of view. Thoughtful, intelligent MATURE people can disagree and debate different issues - without dislike or hatred coming into the mix.

Yep, very true. The Duggars don't really do anything of substance. Their kids will be the only accomplishments they'll ever have than they CAN brag on. Well, hopefully they'll be able to brag. I don't imagine Boob & Me-chelle have been bragging on Josh too much in the last 6 or so months. Or ever will be able to again.

It's usually just a thing at the university-level. My university was on a quarter system until very recently, and Thanksgiving week was always the break between Fall and Winter quarters. Nice for the kids because their Fall work, exams etc were done when they went home for Thanksgiving. They could actually relax and have some fun that week. Most students at semester schools were humping to get final projects and papers done that week however, since they'd be due during the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

You may not need to move. I'm seriously trying to get this concoction bottled commercially. First locally, then nationally. I'm always telling him "I'm trying to have your ship come in, Steve. I'm trying to make your millions for you. Why do you fight me on it?" LOL. My family switched from red to white pizza almost as soon as we tried the white, back in the late 80s I think. And we've never looked back. We've tried white garlic pizzas from virtually every place in our area [unbelievably some of the national chains still do not offer white sauce] and hands down, this little hometown shop near me is simply superlative. I won't quit until Steve bottles his "garlic puree" which is what he calls the sauce, or until, at the very least, he agrees to sell me a quart or two about once a month.

In the long run, entitlements are never good for people. The Duggars are solid-proof of that. After having been television "stars" and basically being well-paid for just living their daily lives, they've come to expect big paydays and lots of comfy perks. Permanently. No, I don't think so, Duggars. I have a few socialist leanings myself. I like the ideas of Medicare, Social Security etc. Much like European socialist countries, I think everyone should help pay for everyone else's health care, pensions, military etc. But NO ONE is entitled to a permanently-cushy life, just because they've gotten used to it. Work-hard-and-you-reap-the-rewards-of-your-work also needs to remain a big part of the equation.

Excellent point. I think it's clear that we have a case of People writing just what the Duggars told them here. And that it was probably Jessa that said it. Jessa - or maybe Boob, who would want to make the impression that there were trained, competent individuals in attendance. Even if there weren't. FWIW, I still think Boob directs the entire operation when it comes to People and any other media that approach them in a positive way, although obviously not with the tabloids or any media that criticize.

This - is - awesome. Well-done, Aja.

Yes indeed. Boob needs to shut that flapping trap of his - immediately. Someone whose firstborn son has been caught doing what his has should not be dispensing parenting advice - to anyone. But he has absolutely no concept as to how he comes off to the general public. Boob still thinks the fact that he has been able to physically-father so many offspring somehow makes him good at raising that life once it's born. That each notch in Me-chelle's uterus showers wisdom and understanding on them. News flash, Boob - nope. There's only one thing that has been bestowed on Boob because he's fathered so many children - and that was the TLC show and the benefits and perks that came with that.

Sixteen years of Catholic education here, and one of my favorite teachers ever - because of her enthusiasm and passion for her field - was a PhD nun from whom I took a full year of music history. Loved that course, and that Sister! One class I never skipped because it was so much fun!

The place where I always order pizza makes an awesome garlic sauce for their "white" pizza. Nary a tomato in sight. It is SO good it can actually make me moan - no kidding. Consists solely of pureed raw garlic, a little best-quality extra-virgin olive oil and seasonings [rosemary, oregano. salt, freshly-ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes]. Unbelievably delicious. They make chicken wings with this sauce too - oy. I know the owner and am always telling him he should bottle this stuff. I'd buy at least a quart each month. It would be delicious on hot cooked pasta. Or on oven-toasted baguette slices. Or layered in a vegetable lasagna. Or as a topping for baked potatoes or steamed veggies. Or stirred into mashed potatoes. Truth be told, I'm pretty sure I could happily eat it right out of the jar. But without a doubt it's at its best sitting atop a hot pizza with lots of nummy toppings.