[Alyssa and John: Lunch with Lurch]

Not sure if you guys saw this, but Alyssa posted for her birthday and it's something. I wonder what she meant by "different life circumstances and shifts in relationships." Is she talking about her family or local friends? I can understand that the time around her birthday would be bittersweet due to the loss of her grandmother, but dreading the day is a bit extreme. It seems like there's a lot going on behind the scenes, aside from being overwhelmed with motherhood. 

 

[Carlin and Evan: But Mostly Carlin!]

3 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Carlin sitting on the exam table eating chips. Riveting and not a surprise.

And that's on top of the Frappucino with whipped cream Carlin had for breakfast. She better thank her lucky stars she's still young, because that post-35 metabolism crash is gonna hit hard. 

[Lawson and Tiffany: Warbling His Way Into Her Heart]

They've mentioned testing multiple times on their YouTube videos, and IIRC, Tiff had an ultrasound at one point. I'm not sure if she really thought she was pregnant or her period was half a day late and it was wishful thinking, but they've been pretty open about trying for a baby. 

This might sound messed up, but I actually hope the lack of conception is due to Lawson not wanting sex or not following the doctor's orders. At some point in the future Tiffany may have a different husband who adores her and it would sad if she wanted children and couldn't have them. 

[Lawson and Tiffany: Warbling His Way Into Her Heart]

I'm sure it isn't helping that the couple Tiff is closest to (Nathan and Esther) are totally smitten and in love and make no secret that they're having lots of sexy times. I imagine it's hard being around them and going home with a husband who gives you "best buddy" cards and seems marginally attracted to you at best. 

 

 

[Alyssa and John: Lunch with Lurch]

From everything I've read, it takes years to overcome religious abuse. I don't think it's quite so easy to say "I'll stop at two or three" when your worth is tied to how many kids you can pop out. 

I saw the pictures and I agree, Alyssa looks exhausted and dead-eyed. She's talked about having a hard transition from four to five, so maybe Rhett isn't the easiest baby. She's also said she works crazy hard to lose baby weight and I can't help but wonder if that's a big part of her problem. If she's over-exercising and calorie restricting, that'll wear you out pretty quickly. FWIW, I don't know why she stresses over it. She's height/weight proportionate and doofy John couldn't land anyone as hot on his best day, so he's not going anywhere. 

[Meet the Parents: Gil and Kelly Jo Bates]

Tiffany, put the broom down, sweetie. No matter how hard you try, these bigots will never accept you. Not to mention, there's plenty of able-bodied people living in that home capable of cleaning up their own shit. And to think, she gave up a role in a Netflix series to settle for this. 😥

 

[Carlin and Evan: But Mostly Carlin!]

19 minutes ago, BetyBee said:

And yet, they are influencers who give the little people advice on how to live!

I get the sense their fans don't have any more brain power than the Stew Crew. Speaking of which, what's up with Evan and Carlin glomming onto Zach and Whit lately? It seems like they're together all the time now. Have Evan's parents finally set some boundaries? Are they planting themselves at Zach's for the yummy food? It seems like things had cooled off for a while, but now they're back to being besties. It's so weird. 

[Alyssa and John: Lunch with Lurch]

1 hour ago, AstridM said:

How disgusting that they make their daughter do this just to “appease” a bunch of complete internet strangers. Awful. 

It was real slick of them too. Adults aren't going to be rude and tell off a kid. They'll just take the tract and toss it in the trash. It might have been a different story with John handing them out. It sucks poor Allie had to be the sacrificial lamb, but that's pretty much the story of her entire life. 

[Josie and Kelton: They Have Employable Skills]

I swear she pads, top to bottom or she's photoshopping. She isn't nearly as exaggerated in group photos and live action. 

[Alyssa and John: Lunch with Lurch]

54 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Poor Allie. While trick or treating, she was also tasked to pass out tracts to those who gave her candy. John and Alyssa obviously knew that no adult could say no after just giving the kid candy. 

Lots of garbage in that neighborhood the next day. 

Alyssa and John are such assholes. That poor child can't enjoy anything, can she? The only reason they made her do that was to appease their conservative followers. 

[Carlin and Evan: But Mostly Carlin!]

Excuse my language, but Carlin is so fucking stupid. Of course a baby is going to be drawn to bright, shiny, ball-shaped objects and is going to chuck them. It doesn't occur to her to keep breakables out of reach? And while I don't think there's a right or wrong time to decorate, I'm not sure I'd do so this early. If you're already putting up the tree and making cookies, what's left to keep the kids excited seven weeks from now? 

The pajamas are impractical and ridiculous but they were freebies, so Layla must wear them. 🙄

[Trace and Lydia: Can She Become a Citizen Now?]

50 minutes ago, SabineElisabeth said:

In this week's YT vid, Trace repeately tells the camera they're going to the Smoky Mountains to see the fall "fallage".  Or, as the rest of the world says,  fall "foliage." 

No idea why I keep watching their videos, and all I have to say about this one is, "bless his heart."

God bless Lydia. I think I'd rather be deported than do life with that rube. 

[Carlin and Evan: But Mostly Carlin!]

2 hours ago, farmgal4 said:

I didn’t realize until now that Carlin gets lip fillers.  She has a keyhole.  I didn’t know anything about lip fillers or keyholes until I saw it on YT today.  Carlin is crazier than I thought.

Personally I think the keyhole pout looks stupid and unnatural, but it's a huge trend with the Gen Z crowd. Considering a syringe of filler is around $600-$700, it's yet another exorbitant expense. Josie has also had a crap ton of Botox and filler, although she'll have to stop with the 'tox until after she gives birth. 

With regards to food, I think most of the Bates grands eat reasonable meals with occasional treats thrown in. Layla seems to be the only one whose diet is all junk. It's sad though because she's really lagging developmentally. She should be on par with Kaci and Willow, but in terms of speech and growth, she's more like Maci and Hazel, who are much younger. Carlin and Evan are really setting that poor kid up for a lifetime of issues due to their neglectful parenting. 

 

[Carlin and Evan: But Mostly Carlin!]

1 hour ago, Heathen said:

If they use the Gil Bates method of financial planning, they're not planning to pay their ER bills anyway. I would not be at all surprised if that's what they're doing. They've got a mortgage and a(n overpriced) car, so they might have decided their credit rating isn't so important now. Plus paying ER bills would cut into their fun money, ya know. 

People on Reddit were asking why they didn't go to Urgent Care, and your comment has me wondering: are urgent cares bound by the same laws as hospitals where they can't deny you treatment? I know it may vary by state, but if not, that may explain why E&C didn't use one. They might have had to show proof of insurance or pay up front, and they didn't want to do that. They'd rather drag little Gypsy Rose Layla to the E.R. and make her wait six hours to get a bandaid. 

[Katie and Travis: Young Love?]

Katie is still young and hasn't reached Alyssa-levels of awareness. And by that I mean realizing the nostalgic feelings of home she gets when she's at a big gathering is far different than everyday life. Katie also doesn't realize that aside from Carlin, everyone is pretty much doing their own thing. Alyssa, Erin, Nathan and Jackson don't even live in state, Lawson is in Nashville, and Michael and Tori don't hang out like that. Josie spends the majority of her time with her own friends and Kelton's family, and I don't think Katie is really close to Whitney. Addie, Ellie and Callie are too busy doing Kelly's job and cycling around as nannies, so that leaves....Carlin and Evan. Sure it would be great to have another lazy, non-working couple to pal around with, but I think Travis would quickly tire of E&C's all-consuming form of friendship. 

 

[Carlin and Evan: But Mostly Carlin!]

When I saw that C&E invited Z&W to go camping, that was my first thought as well. They know Zach will do all the work and cook real food, and Bradley and Co. can keep Layla and Zade occupied so C&E don't have to deal with them. I remember last year's camping vlog where Layla was a good distance away, screaming for her parents attention and they were both ignoring her. Evan was on his laptop editing videos, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else, and Carlin was bored a/f. This year, they got Z&W as a buffer to provide entertainment. 

 

[Meet the Parents: Gil and Kelly Jo Bates]

56 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

Is this Josies product or just something she's promoting?

Josie orders them wholesale and then resells them under the Effortless Beauty label. 

[Carlin and Evan: But Mostly Carlin!]

Okay, everyone. I need your opinions. Did Carlin deliberately ignore a dress code? Notice who stands out in the family photo....

It seems like way too much of a coincidence that every Bates is in blue, deep navy or black (minus the bridesmaids) but Carlin is wearing bright ass gold. I know Tiffy and Esther wore pink, but they wouldn't be in the siblings-only picture. Even the dark green of the bridesmaid's dresses blends in. Did Carlin's Main Character Syndrome get the best of her?

 

[Meet the Parents: Gil and Kelly Jo Bates]

2 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

Kelly looks really good because she has lost quite a bit of weight!  I noticed her weight loss in other videos her daughters did with her recently.

That's awesome. Trying to lose weight in middle age sucks. I'm 45 and feel like I gain five pounds just walking by a dessert table. I know Kelly mentioned struggling to stick to a diet so hopefully she's found a regimen that works for her. I know everyone is doing those Ozempic shots, but I hope she didn't go that route. I've read there's a lot of side effects. 

[Erin and Chad: Fifty Shades of Pink]

59 minutes ago, floridamom said:

Where are these photos? I'm not signed in to anyone's instagram/facebook.

They're on the Bringing Up Bates subReddit. 

[Meet the Parents: Gil and Kelly Jo Bates]

Josie posted a bunch of wedding prep reels, and she did do Kelly's hair and makeup. She's very good at her craft, because that's the most put-together I've seen Kelly look at any of the weddings. 

[Erin and Chad: Fifty Shades of Pink]

I noticed that too. She wasn't anywhere near as dolled up as she usually is. I also noticed she didn't post any pics of the wedding (or she hadn't the last time I checked). I think she might not have been feeling her best and just wanted to get through the day. 

Alyssa surprised me as well. That's the most casual I've ever seen her at a wedding. The family photo was so jarring because the ensembles ran from sloppy (Nathan) to nice but a tad underdressed (Michael, Erin, Alyssa) to getting ready to hit up the club (Josie, Carlin). If Emerson and Jackson weren't in the shot, you'd have no idea what the heck kind of event they were attending. 

[Jackson and Emerson: They're Boring; We're Snoring]

12 minutes ago, Heathen said:

Is it just me, or is Jackson's hair just off-putting? I want to go push down on top of his head. Of course, he probably uses Jim Bob-levels of hairspray and his hair wouldn't move. 

It reminds me of the God-awful wigs from the Twilight movies. 

[Meet the Parents: Gil and Kelly Jo Bates]

1 hour ago, Heathen said:

Think somebody else chose and styled it for her? Josie, maybe. Kelly's hair obviously enjoyed the light touch of a professional. 

Kelly thanked Miss Renee, so I'm assuming her or one of her staff. People in the bridal industry work with an array of body types and know which silhouettes are most flattering. Josie definitely got ahold of her hair. 

[Meet the Parents: Gil and Kelly Jo Bates]

Wow, date I say it, but Kelly looks nice. The blue color suits her and the dress is flattering. This is a rare moment where she knocked it out of the park.