RebeccatheWriter
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Posts posted by RebeccatheWriter
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4 hours ago, Temperance said:
New dramatic post from Erin and Chad on Instagram. It annoys me to no end when people say something has happened but won't say what.
Plus the moody silhouetted pic of them. Those posts are simply about attention and engagement from their fans. Now they get to bask in the endless questions of what is wrong before revealing whatever happened and getting comments on that too.
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Season finale thoughts...
1. I suffer from acid reflux and have had to have surgery to help it. I also had surgery to relieve an issue with frequent bouts of diverticulitis. Kelly Jo and Gil are seriously dramatic about these things. Yes, there can be complications, but both were relatively minor (especially the reflux surgery). I'm seeing more and more where Carlin gets it from. (Please note that I am not discounting the seriousness of esophageal cancer and Barrett's Esophagus. Those are serious and Kelly Jo should be monitored and treated. I just remember on United Bates of America when Kelly Jo had her surgery for her gall bladder. Gil was waxing philosophical about how she might not make it through the surgery. When Gil had his colon surgery (not comfortable - I know), he and Kelly Jo were talking about what would happen without him. These people just seem very negative about medical treatment and surgery. There are risks, but the dramatics get to be a bit much.
2. I appreciate that they put the note up about Josie's miscarriage. It was super awkward last season? when they showed Whitney and Zach announce pregnancy. They were getting congratulations messages despite the miscarriage being announced on social media and in their Facebook Live.
3. Lawson is highly annoying and seems to think he is superior to everyone. He just loves the camera.
4. Chad seems like a nice person. I'm sure he has all those awful beliefs, but he genuinely does seem to like his own children and doesn't just say they are cute.
5. We got the dramatic diagnosis video from Carlin and Evan, but thankfully missed out on their sleeping in the car in the driveway of his parents house while visiting Layla though the storm door. Like her brother, she does love that camera. That was a super awkward way to have a video call with your parents.
6. Also appreciate that UP added that little note at the end that other Bates had been diagnosed with COVID and recovered.
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40 minutes ago, BitterApple said:
I'm sure Bobby would love to visit, but Tori probably whines endlessly about the packing, travel, costs, etc. Remember when they were moving back to Rocky Top? Tori didn't lifting a finger and still managed to complain and criticize every move Bobby made. She's a lifesuck.
I played a drinking game on how many times she told him he got the wrong size truck.
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5 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:
I heard John pronounce it. He's NOT from TN. 🙂
Yes, but I'm sure he is pronouncing it based on Alyssa's pronunciation. It's not like he's the one coming up with these names. He's not that into the details.
While he doesn't have a southern accent, he has what I refer to as a lazy tongue like a southerner. I say this as a southerner. The soft c, s, and z sounds very similar with that speech pattern. Another example is Don versus Dawn. In many dialects that is pronounced differently. I would bet that Alyssa pronounces them the same - as do I.
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On 9/19/2020 at 7:24 PM, MargeGunderson said:
I think it’s likely they meant Maisie but didn’t know how to spell it.
I have a cousin from Tennessee named Maci. Her parents pronounce Maci and Maisie the same.
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13 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:
Oh, absolutely. Bobby and Kelton came from the environment of PCC. Evan's family seems a little less conservative than the Bateses, but still fundie.
Evan's family seems to enjoy being on television and not worried about the cameras at all. Kelton's dad seems to be okay with it too. Bobby's parents either really don't like the Bates or they are nervous about being on camera. They seem to be religious and conservative, but not over the top.
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14 hours ago, farmgal4 said:
And she’s wearing almost as much eyeliner as JRod wears.
I used to assume that some of the girls' "choices when it came to makeup, hair, and clothes were based on their isolation. Alyssa would not have sported that near unibrow if she knew how and when to use some tweezers or wax. The jumpers were a result of Michaela learning to sew without knowing or being taught how to read a pattern. So every dress was a jumper that could double as a sack. Erin's hair that bordered on Gibson girl style was based on what she was exposed to musically and what she saw at a backwoods country church where women were getting perms even in the 2000s and jacking it to Jesus was the norm.
Their biggest outside the cult reference would be Kelly Jo pics from her high school and college days (1980s) where the makeup was heavier and the hair was over processed. Even their choices in styling items was probably limited to drug stores and the grocery store/Walmart. I guess we should be happy that none of them tried to sport the "Wet N Wild" blue eyeshadow, mascara, and eyeliner with the pink frost at the corners of the eyes.Now they are less isolated. Erin seems to try to express her individuality with her hair and makeup - usually overdoing it. We don't see her being as expressive with her clothing. She's still rocking the denim skirts with an oversized top. When pregnant she goes for the Kelly Jo fleece vest layer too. Tori seems to do this too, but her look in terms of makeup and hair has become softer and more subtle. Michaela seems to dress more for comfort, which I can appreciate.
I am not a size 2 and hate tighter, form fitting clothing. If you give me a business suit, I look like someone threw it at me. There is something about my shoulders that always make it look like I am playing dress up, plus my legs and arms are short in comparison to my torso. I'm not a slob, but I am also not a fan of spending hours getting ready. I still dress in my I'm late to class and was up to late last night look many days. When I do dress up and take time, people think someone died or I am on a job interview.
The other girls are experimenting more with clothing, but also using more expensive products. While they now have that freedom, there are some real missteps. Josie's eyebrows can be way too thin and her makeup can wash her out while Alyssa's can be overly dark in comparison to her hair color. Katie needs to calm down on the bleach, as does Carlin.
Most of us make these mistakes in our pre-teens and early teens. I am not sharing my pics of mall bangs and glitter peace signs I used to draw on next to my eyes each morning. The bad news is that the Bates girls - much like they are about motherhood, being a wife, cooking, being an adult - didn't get that experimental time or time to figure out who they really are in the world outside their family. They didn't even really have other girls to emulate. (I wanted Tiffany's hair and Debbie Gibson's clothes.) Even for their own weddings, Kelly Jo talks about splurging and going to the nail salon in the shopping center.
Since the show likes to show the Bates kids getting to try new things, maybe a spa day with individual consultations would be a good "story."
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On 9/13/2020 at 1:12 AM, 3 is enough said:
I did not watch the video, but if the disappointment was evident maybe it’s not so much that they are having another girl, but that now they feel obliged to try again for a boy.
Your average couple would close up shop after the fourth baby regardless of the sex, but these folks are so indoctrinated that they will continue to pump out babies even if they don’t really want them. The quest for the elusive son will continue. It is really sad.I didn't take it as disappointment any more than just not being that prepared for a live stream. They went live and apparently waited for key people to join them. It was boring and tense for them, as the camera is rolling and Alyssa was reading aloud from her tablet and trying to figure out where geographic locations were (not her skill with Kelly Jo's teaching) while John tried to keep the other girls in the shot and away from the giant balloons. They really should have prepared something to say other than if they thought the baby would be a girl or boy. It is one or the other. Not much else to say about it. Alyssa doesn't strike me as out in the open as say Carlin who can speak stream of consciousness style with nothing at all to say. I would imagine they were both feeling like they wanted to get the whole thing over with and wondering why they didn't just keep it private and release some pics later.
No doubt that Alyssa feels pressure to have a boy. Her family is probably providing 80% of that pressure on her.
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5 hours ago, sATL said:
a man wears a promise ring now ?
I did a little research on that "trend." It isn't exactly trending. However, when couples go for the promised title in high school or college, they will exchange rings. However, that seems progressive for a Bates.
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So ridiculous.
1. Whitney and Zach are doing most of the work. Then they show Whitney answering emails. So Carlin and Erin can't manage or be bothered to do that? They can't print mailing labels and drop those off at The shed in the backyard? What exactly can they do?
2. So this episode says Lawson and Nathan just got back from Arkansas, but last episode had Lawson back and putting together shelves.3. So Lawson is back to being in a relationship with his music. That wasn't a commercial for his new release, now was it?
4. Nathan is a drama queen. I realize that was staged for the camera. People don't spring questions like that on others without warning when there is filming going on around them.
5. Carlin is an idiot because she wants to be an idiot. She thinks it is cute or something. I feel sorry for Layla who needs to crawl right out the door and never look back. Take the baby to the doctor.
6. That off the one shoulder top on Addallee was racy for a Bates girl at home.
7. The t-shirts for all of their side businesses is getting to be a bit much. One person is wearing one in each scene.
8. A promise ring seems a bit silly for a 27 year old man. Am I supposed to guess his promised one is at home practicing writing her name with his?
9. And I still maintain the way he talked about it was not exactly promising that he has learned some respect for women. It was all about him and checking off the box of settling down before 30. It would be far better just to say, "I met someone and we are taking it slow right now. Since it is so new, we aren't really ready to make any announcements or anything. We'll see what happens."
10. He could have even tied it in with the COVID-19 storyline and said something about how it was harder/easier to get to know someone when you can't see or visit the person. They could have then switched to a talking head of Katie talking about only being able to call and text with Travis.
11. Kelly Jo, nobody in their right mind is feeling sorry for you about missing out on a picnic.
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6 hours ago, floridamom said:
Oh, wow. I"m sorry for them. Is it me or does it sound like lots of the Bates/Duggar woman of this generation are having miscarriages? Did Josie get checked out for the clotting issue that's in her family?
They tend to announce very early at least to parents and siblings. That can mean it is harder to hide or stay private about a loss.
The photos that they had taken around Willow's birthday were pretty big indications that they were about to announce. They are typical in that circle. All that was missing was Willow holding a sign saying she was about to be promoted to big sister. Then in a lot of the photos and video of them on social media, Josie would hold something over her abdomen. While she wasn't showing, she did the same thing when pregnant with Willow. Alyssa does the same too, as do many of the Duggar girls. So there were signs there and many suspected.While I don't think that Josie goes to Dr. Vick like her sisters, I think that she would have the sense enough to disclose that family history to a doctor. That said, we were greeted earlier this season with the sisters acting surprised that they could have the same disorder as Erin. So I try not to assume when it comes to common sense and the Bates.
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The two house renovation episodes were from 18 Kids and Counting. I believe Anna was pregnant with her first baby and there was talk about how Josh and Anna slept in a room together that was supposed to be private. However, the only way to get into the only bathroom that was operational was to walk through the room where they were sleeping. I remember feeling sorry for her, as they were sleeping on an air mattress and she had to be uncomfortable even without 40 something people tromping in and out all night long.
The first one was called Do It Yourself Duggar and the second was Duggars on a Deadline. Later they came back for a visit and showed the renovations nearly complete.
There were a few specials that had segments with the Bates on ABC's Nightline, including one called My Extraordinary Family. Their segment ran and then the next segment was a family with a transgender child. Most of the specials included shared footage, especially of the family when they were on their way to Big Sandy and stayed in a hotel lobby during a tornado warning. They later did one that used much of that footage and spliced in Alyssa's wedding. So part of their Nightline specials (two different reporters did filming) were shot prior to United Bates of America and some after United Bates of America and before Bringing Up Bates.While some people refer to the Nightline coverage as special episodes or specials about the Bates, they were more like feature stories that were part of longer magazine shows. These stories are like 15 minutes to 20 minutes long and placed together with other unrelated stories. The ones that were before United Bates of America were more than likely pitched by TLC to frame them as a normal family with a lot of kids. These segments included things like Lawson doing the grocery shopping and Erin attending Crown. Kelly and some of the girls took the female reporter out to a thrift store to shop. She picked out a shirt for Zach (apparently picking out a new item for each child). Gil is later shown wearing the shirt. She also shops with Lawson, wanting to buy a swimsuit that they won't freak out about because she has invited the kids over to swim at her hotel. Lawson gets very judgmental about the whole thing, But Alyssa and Michaela later compliment her on it and say it was sweet of her to want to dress like them for swimming. One segment also includes footage of Zach's first courtship proposal. This also includes Jackson's comments about ALERT being the Army of God.
A later one had a male correspondent doing the story. It was mostly the same fluff, but included segments of them making snow ice cream and more singing. It also showed the CCTV system that was installed so Kelly Jo could keep tabs on all the kids.
Most all of the Nightline segments can be found via Google.
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8 hours ago, floridamom said:
During those drone shots over the exterior of their house, you can see the old dilapidated house they lived in. It's attached to the back of the 'new addition', courtesy of Jim Bob Duggar's grifting abilities. They lived in an old shack-like structure that was beginning to fall down around them. I remember the old show, United Bates of America. They were in that old house back then and it was filmed in it.
The renovations had already taken place by the time they did United Bates of America. The opening of the show contains all of them on the same front porch they have now. Most of the old house still stands, but is used for storage and part of the "school room."
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2 hours ago, Tikichick said:
Isn't the 'gram big business in and of itself these days?
Having visited very near the area they live in several times(nothing at all to do with them and most times before I'd ever even heard of the family) and the brief glimpses of the home setting from the show, I'm not sure Zach and Whitney live in your average suburban neighborhood with a typical suburban lot. My impression was that their home isn't extremely close to neighbors and they might have 1/4 to 1/2 acre lot at least. I could be way off base. I did assume they were the ones who provided the building space because they're the only ones of the three not renting.
Anyone living within even the general vicinity of any Bates family member is probably used to a large onslaught on at least a few occasions. The only exception possibly being Alyssa's neighbors. Not because of distance, simply because she puts her foot down.
Their home is not in a high or even medium density residential area. Home businesses in general aren't discouraged for low density or even agricultural zoning, which is what I assume their street to be. I grew up in the Anderson County area and still have a lot of family in Clinton and Rocky Top (I still call it Lake City).
A few notes about what I meant:- Whitney had commented before she had Khloe that the house was on a street with other houses (large lots assumed) because she wanted Erin, Tori, and Carlin to all buy there and for them to all be neighbors and family. She and Erin commented that the kids could go from house to house to see each other and play. That would indicate that it is a house within sight and ear distance of other houses.
- The homes in that area are typically on septic not sewer. I highly doubt that Zach and Whitney had a larger septic tank installed to satisfy requirements. They might not have customers there, but they have said various siblings help out on site, as well as employees. It's a portable building. So I am assuming anyone needing a restroom has to go into the house. That can bring a strain on the public water source (if not on a well- a whole other issue). I wouldn't want to be down the road from them and down flow from a home that had a business with multiple people there all day every day.
- Roads in Anderson County and most of Tennessee (as well as other places) are notoriously narrow. I would get annoyed as a neighbor if all these cars were traversing up and down a quiet, country road and parking in the street (assumed).
All of the Bates who are married have this issue somewhat when camera crews come to film. It's not great, but I doubt it is more than once a week if that much. Most professional crews will carpool (van) to shoot sites that are low on parking. They are also usually very conscientious about not being a problem to neighbors.
I work in municipal government so when I see these sorts of things on television, I wonder. We have one woman in the city where I work who sells jewelry once a month from her carport/garage. She maybe gets 20 customers all day. I always know when it happens because the complaints are through the roof from her neighbors. "People were parked in the street and it was too narrow to get my car through to get home." "I don't want people parked in front of my house. I like my view and don't want to see some cheap car." "All the doors slamming echoes down the street and disturbs the peace we moved here to find."
It may not be an issue for their neighbors, but I would be surprised. The Bates aren't really known for thinking of others.
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5 minutes ago, Tikichick said:
So the Bates' boutique is busy enough that the 3 sisters, their husbands AND employees work there ordinarily?
According to Carlin's instagram stories, I'm not sure she works. Apparently, she carries around Layla, flips her hair, and shoots video for social media with commentary on what everyone is doing. That is when she isn't distracted by mirrors.
I have to wonder about Zach and Whitney's neighbors. I'm sure they didn't buy a house on that street to have someone with a business in basically a portable building in the backyard. If each sister drove separately, plus one or two helpers, an occasional husband, and a film crew when allowed, that is a lot of vehicles on what is supposed to be a quiet residential street. Given how strict cities and counties can be with zoning, I wonder how Zach and Whitney made that legal.
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My youngest cousin on my mom's side is like this. She wants family parties each month and talks on social media about how close we all are and wants to be close. To her the close family angle is the epitome of the perfect life she wants to portray.
I'm the cousin who never attends. I send a card...maybe. I've been hurt by family too many times. If my cousin is the Carlin of the family, I wonder which Bates is me?
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Best moment was Addy answering back that she didn't know labor signs because she hasn't been with a woman in labor.
I agree it makes no sense that they were talking in past tense while she had her hands like still pregnant. I think it must have been after. She looked less pregnant than in the blue dress.
Kelly Jo is hilarious with the comments that they are all staying home. Addy and katie were at Tori's. Lawson and Nathan were at Duggar Homegrown Airport. Then they were basically comparing labor and delivery units in hospitals to zombie movies.
On a superficial note, Bobby is getting a more mature look that is making him the bestish of the sons in law.
As for the group chats during labor. Did any of these people think about a tripod or even a stick?
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On 8/28/2020 at 9:57 AM, sATL said:
- Lawson might have been joking in his TH - but he made reference to a baby pool ; "I'll put $10 on that.."... so the Bates know about pools ?
2 hours ago, floridamom said:Who puts full make up on to go to the hospital to deliver a baby?
Never been through childbirth, but doubting I would stream it live to the family either.
Lawson has made the betting pool comment before with katie I think. He said he'd put money on something but the Bates don't bet. Then they acted like they were going to anyway.
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9 hours ago, sATL said:
I thought Knoxville was the closest... to everyone
There are at least two hospitals in Anderson County. There are numerous in Knoxville.
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On 8/25/2020 at 12:58 PM, BitterApple said:
I think Evan and Carlin thrive off drama, so they set up unnecessarily complicated situations to maximize the attention. For all of their "we miss Layla sooooo much" neither seems to give a rat's ass when they're dumping her off on the grandparents. If they're so disinterested in their first baby, I can't imagine how bad they'll be with the third, fourth, fifth, etc.
They really should've waited two or three years into their marriage before they had kids.
Carlin has always (at least since we've seen her on 19KAC and the Bates' own shows) wanted spotlight. One can certainly understand that with being in the middlish of 19 kids that she would want someone to pay attention to her and have things of her own. A husband and baby are just that. She now finally has something for Carlin. Now with Layla's health issues, Carlin gets to have even more attention. People offer advice, prayers, and even praise through her social media videos. It has to give her some sense of importance and attention that she has seriously craved.
They should have waited. It wasn't in their m.o. to do that though. After months of wedding planning, graduation from Liberty, destination engagement, wedding showers, photo shoots, and a fancy wedding that got televised, She got dancing lessons that weren't just time spent with her true love but her parents too. Carlin wasn't ever going to be a wife and pursue anything other than making babies.
I can't really speak to Evan other than he appears to have been coddled and treated like Carlin always wanted to be.It is doubtful either of them thought about what the real day to day life would be with a baby, bills, and adulting in general. I would hope that they would have gained more common sense and abilities, but I doubt they would have even if they waited until 30.
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18 hours ago, answerphone said:
It seems like it's about time for Erin to announce another pregnancy 🤰
Especially with Alyssa catching up in the baby count.
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20 hours ago, crazy8s said:
I did not watch, but did they address how if Evan was in the car all day and they slept in the car in the driveway, where did they use a bathroom??
Given how these two think that everything has to be documented, I am surprised that wasn't more of the focus.
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That was painful from an intellectual level.
Best part is the end with Layla looking at Evan like I look at Evan. WTH
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16 hours ago, Tikichick said:
Considering he's a spawn of Gil Bates, who quit his real job with good benefits as he begat to sire an army, takes his children to an orthodontist who gives deeper discounts for each successive child brought in for treatment, and uses said army to procure platforms like a TV program and social media where they share the benefits of this program, I'm gonna guess that Bates boys (Duggars too) attend for little to no tuition.
I don't know about ALERT specifically, but a lot of the IBLP programs are done with "scholarships" through churches. IBLP will sell their lessons and materials to small churches (and many larger churches) to get the IBLP curriculum or ministry out there in the mainstream. In return, they will tell the church to offer one of their boys or girls (or group) some money to go to different programs that IBLP offers. IBLP covers the tuition, which would have gone back to them anyway, and the church collects money for the other expenses like travel. The church looks good to its members for sending young people for some Godly experience and IBLP gets to brainwash more people to go back into the churches and bring them along.
Another example of this is when a couple approaches a minister at a church about marital issues. IBLP sells these churches kits where they can offer marriage counseling classes. So the couple is sent to this weekly class and told that they will benefit from it. IBLP contacts the church a few times a year and says that they are having retreats for married couples. They are having a special deal and why not send a couple or two to the retreat for a lower price. In exchange, said couple will now be "certified" to teach the class to others at the church.
The church leadership thinks they are getting a great deal and sending people to these wonderful programs. Meanwhile the program's purpose is honestly brainwashing and participants go back to their churches and convince others that their relationship with God is incomplete without these extra things IBLP has to offer. They begin lobbying, for lack of a better word, for the church to pay for more things from IBLP. Soon the church is selling IBLP sanctioned books, DVDs, etc. in the lobby. The congregation members who went to Big Sandy, etc. are the sales people who say, "you have to watch this or read this. I was there and it changed my relationship with God or encouraged me." For selling things, the church gets a cut and some of the people who were brainwashed get a cut in the form of a discount off of more programs they can attend.-
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Erin and Chad: Fifty Shades of Pink
in Bringing Up Bates
Too much time has passed for it to be Carlin who gave it to her. Erin wouldn't have held out this long to send out a message about it. She could have had it, but I doubt she would wait to be totally well again before revealing that journey to the world. Plus the pics would have included more than just a dark shot of her and Chad. That would have been a family shot of them all in bed looking pitiful and sad.
I'm guessing miscarriage.