The Human Beings Known as the Arnold-Klein Family

[Rap541]

"As an example, they adopted kids from foreign countries because they wanted kids. They would have taken the first boy and girl they could, by any means. They weren't these saints saving kids from horrible situations out of the goodness of their hearts. " Come now, they adopted children they were not required to take. While I don't assign "sainthood" to them, at the end of the day, morally Bill and Jen were under no obligation to adopt any children and could have said no, and didn't. Heck, some parents, upon realizing that their child is difficult or special needs, actually "unadopt" the kid in question . Yes, they wanted kids, but morally and legally they weren't required to take on the responsibility at all. No one is forced to accept an adopted child. Unlike biological parents who theoretically have to accept what they get, Bill and Jen didn't really HAVE TO say yes to either child.

[floridamom]

When is this show coming back? ..or is it?

[toodles]

3 hours ago, Rap541 said:

Unlike biological parents who theoretically have to accept what they get, Bill and Jen didn't really HAVE TO say yes to either child.

They joyfully and gratefully adopted those kids.  Granted, they have the means to do so, but they wanted a special needs child and were hoping for a little person.  They said on one of the q & a that they would have taken a US  child if one were available.  They were on the list five years before Will came along.  They wanted children and their children needed a home.  I don't see the problem here.

They have also gone on to crusade to help children with special needs receive the medical care they need.  Are they using their TV show as a platform?  Probably.  Should they continue to put their kids on TV?  My vote is no.  Are they saints? Certainly not. They are just people doing the best they can, just like the rest of us.

Edited February 27, 2018 by toodles

[mythoughtis]

Bill and Jen adopted for the same reason many people do..they wanted children. They couldn’t safely, and then just couldn’t,  have biological children. They have the money to do it.  They wanted little people because they understand the issues and because they could provide the emotional support. Doesn’t make them saints nor devils, just people. 

I wouldn’t take a 7 year old on  business trip to a neighboring state, let alone  foreign country. Why should Bill?  

[Snow8585]

On 2/27/2018 at 1:25 PM, BitterApple said:

TLC foots the bill to bring along the extra adults as nannies. I can't see Bill spending thousands out of his own pocket to fly three or four kid-wranglers to China, especially if the trip was for business purposes only. 

Good points. I just thought it seemed theoritically a good idea.

On 2/27/2018 at 4:28 PM, mythoughtis said:

Bill and Jen adopted for the same reason many people do..they wanted children. They couldn’t safely, and then just couldn’t,  have biological children. They have the money to do it.  They wanted little people because they understand the issues and because they could provide the emotional support. Doesn’t make them saints nor devils, just people. 

I wouldn’t take a 7 year old on  business trip to a neighboring state, let alone  foreign country. Why should Bill?  

Bill and Jen took BOTH kids to Scotland and London. Those kids have travelled more than many adults ever will. Of course TLC PAID for it though.

On 2/27/2018 at 3:27 PM, floridamom said:

When is this show coming back? ..or is it?

Good question. Still some lawsuits going on. Bill and Jen's suing LMNO is coming up in June.

[mythoughtis]

True- and Jen spent quite a bit of time at her conference. That was one of the problems with the kids and the trip. Bill either wouldn’t or couldn’t corral them at the castle, for example.  Many of us commented then that the kids should have stayed home with the grandparents. A business trip with  Bill would have been similar. Someone would have to be with the kids while Bill conducted business or went to dinner with the factory execs, etc.   it’s just not appropriate to take kids that age on a business trip.  

[Libby]

9 hours ago, mythoughtis said:

it’s just not appropriate to take kids that age on a business trip.  

True, but the show must go on. I think that Bill and Jen left appropriate behind a long time ago in the interest of the show.

[Rap541]

Wait... is the problem that Bill *isn't* taking his 7 year old son on an age inappropriate business trip?

Or that Bill is on tv and therefore should be required to take his 7 year old son everywhere for filming purposes?

I genuinely don't understand the problem on this particular choice. He went on a lengthy business trip overseas and didn't pull his son (who appears to have special needs) out of school so that the 7 year old could sit in a hotel room waiting for Dad to get done every day.

How is it even reasonable to expect Bill to take his son or his daughter or both on a business trip, Because he and the wife in the past have traveled with the kids on vacation?  I mean, the kids do have school and seem to get plenty of travel regardless. 

[SongbirdHollow]

I imagine it only came up because he went to China. If it was somewhere else it probably would not be a thing.

[BW Manilowe]

16 hours ago, SongbirdHollow said:

I imagine it only came up because he went to China. If it was somewhere else it probably would not be a thing.

No, if he went to India it'd be a thing because he didn't bring Zoey with him. Just saying.  

[Ina123]

The Houston house is below a million, now. Just barely.

https://www.har.com/2802-fairhope/sale_33680584

[Foghorn Leghorn]

On 2018-04-07 at 6:50 PM, Ina123 said:

The Houston house is below a million, now. Just barely.

https://www.har.com/2802-fairhope/sale_33680584

Bill is pushing it on his twitter account saying the house price has dropped AGAIN...

[Absolom]

I'm not happy with their problem of unloading the house, but many people here did comment that it was possibly too customized for easy resale.  I know they redid at least part of the kitchen, but that house was built very specifically to their tastes and won't work for a lot of people.  They repainted it a different blue, but it still looks quite obnoxious to me for the neighborhood. 

[lookeyloo]

Here I am back in St Petersburg. John’s Hopkins children’s hospital is a few blocks from here. I keep hoping I’ll catch a glimpse of one of them on our daily excursions. 

[rainbowrockgal]

For some reason I had thought that their Houston house had already sold. Did a sale fall through?

[RedheadZombie]

On ‎4‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 3:20 PM, Absolom said:

I'm not happy with their problem of unloading the house, but many people here did comment that it was possibly too customized for easy resale.  I know they redid at least part of the kitchen, but that house was built very specifically to their tastes and won't work for a lot of people.  They repainted it a different blue, but it still looks quite obnoxious to me for the neighborhood. 

They repainted the repainted blue house?

[RedheadZombie]

On ‎12‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 7:25 PM, lookeyloo said:

That is some story!!  My late ex husband the doctor used to say Medicine is an art and a science. I guess that is true in your case! Glad you are on the good path. I'm at the point where I think whatever is wrong with me will get better or kill me because I am not thrilled with doctors or medicines unless my life depends on it which sounds like yours does. 

I had JRA, went into remission, was diagnosed as active RA as an adult, and have been told many different things from several rheumatologists at this point.  The last rheumatologist I saw said:  Ask a roomful of rheumatologists and you'll get ten different diagnoses.  Well that was encouraging!  LOL.

[Absolom]

1 hour ago, RedheadZombie said:

They repainted the repainted blue house?

Just the repaint from sea blue-green to the more medium bright blue.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Jen is advertising the house on her Instagram account this week...I think their customization was too much to change making their target buyers more limited especially if they are asking a fortune!

[AZChristian]

22 minutes ago, Foghorn Leghorn said:

Jen is advertising the house on her Instagram account this week...I think their customization was too much to change making their target buyers more limited especially if they are asking a fortune!

According to Bill, "We un-customized the home we made for us and re-customized it for the prospective new homeowners."  So it's back to being for non-little people.  I think the problem is that they are trying to sell a million-dollar house in a neighborhood where the median price is more like $400,000.

They're having an open house on Sunday.  Anyone here who can swing by?

[Absolom]

Things like the windows and the elevator and floor plan couldn't be readily reversed.  They redid the kitchen and probably the bathroom counter heights. 

That house in that neighborhood is probably a really big issue. 

[Mindthinkr]

4 minutes ago, Absolom said:

Things like the windows and the elevator and floor plan couldn't be readily reversed.  They redid the kitchen and probably the bathroom counter heights. 

That house in that neighborhood is probably a really big issue. 

One of the things it does have going for it is the fact that it didn’t flood the last time that Houston experienced water issues. If they can’t sell maybe they should consider renting as it would help to cover the insurance, taxes and any mortgage. 

[Cherrio]

The problem with selling the home is that they priced it ridiculously when you look at the price per sq. ft. I think it was around 3 times the average originally.

They are still at above average even with this deduction in price.

They have also priced it way above what it is supposedly appraised at.

The taxes alone are over $2000.00 per month on the house.

I don't see them selling it for anything over 650k and even that is doubtful.

Never build or buy the only big or out of place house in the neighborhood.

Plus, that blue is hideous.

[Libby]

10 hours ago, AZChristian said:

I think the problem is that they are trying to sell a million-dollar house in a neighborhood where the median price is more like $400,000.

They're having an open house on Sunday.  Anyone here who can swing by?

Apparently they made the same mistake a second time. Someone familiar with their new neighborhood in Florida posted that their current home is way too much for the neighborhood. They said that the house looks out of place. It's the same with the house in Houston. 

[lookeyloo]

Didn't they build the Houston House?  But bought the Florida house already built?  Anyway, they bought the out of place house.  Maybe someone will by the Houston out of place house.  But at a reduced price I'm guessing.

[RedheadZombie]

On ‎4‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 9:28 AM, Foghorn Leghorn said:

Jen is advertising the house on her Instagram account this week...I think their customization was too much to change making their target buyers more limited especially if they are asking a fortune!

Unless I had a disabled person in my family, I would absolutely not buy a house with an elevator.  The upkeep and inspections required could be pricey and it could be difficult to keep children from playing in it.

21 hours ago, Cherrio said:

The problem with selling the home is that they priced it ridiculously when you look at the price per sq. ft. I think it was around 3 times the average originally.

They are still at above average even with this deduction in price.

They have also priced it way above what it is supposedly appraised at.

The taxes alone are over $2000.00 per month on the house.

I don't see them selling it for anything over 650k and even that is doubtful.

Never build or buy the only big or out of place house in the neighborhood.

Plus, that blue is hideous.

Isn't the "rule" to buy the worst house in the best neighborhood versus the best house in a worse neighborhood?  Not that the Houston neighborhood was bad, of course.  But the point stands.

[gonecrackers]

I never understood why they wouldn't consider a ranch house, especially since they could probably afford a gorgeous one. I never liked the colors of their Houston home & yeah, it was way out of place. Their new home looks like a pompous monstrosity to me.

Just my opinion though... it's their life.

[babyhouseman]

Bill was at some TLC event last week. He said Jen had to work. 

Edited April 17, 2018 by babyhouseman
wrong word

[CousinAmy]

On 4/14/2018 at 4:04 PM, gonecrackers said:

I never understood why they wouldn't consider a ranch house, especially since they could probably afford a gorgeous one. I never liked the colors of their Houston home & yeah, it was way out of place. Their new home looks like a pompous monstrosity to me.

Just my opinion though... it's their life.

I moved into a first floor apartment when I was 39. Now I'm 69 with a bad knee and I am so appreciative. One-floor living is great. (It's a garden apartment with no one over me and my windows look out on the garden.) Ranch houses are probably not "grand enough" for them. Even with an elevator, that new house covers a lot of ground. I would find it exhausting going from one room to another. 

I think they must have a lot of help. The children are rambunctious and someone needs to keep an eye on them at all times. They can easily disappear in that huge space. There is probably a housekeeper/cook, and someone to do maintenance and outdoor work.

[dorcastrilling]

22 hours ago, CousinAmy said:

I moved into a first floor apartment when I was 39. Now I'm 69 with a bad knee and I am so appreciative. One-floor living is great. (It's a garden apartment with no one over me and my windows look out on the garden.) Ranch houses are probably not "grand enough" for them. Even with an elevator, that new house covers a lot of ground. I would find it exhausting going from one room to another. 

I think they must have a lot of help. The children are rambunctious and someone needs to keep an eye on them at all times. They can easily disappear in that huge space. There is probably a housekeeper/cook, and someone to do maintenance and outdoor work.

My husband and I moved in to our first floor apartment when I was 35. I am coming up on 62 now, widowed, and still here. Also bad knee and pretty much every other joint along with serious back issues.I agree that one floor living is the best.

[ginger90]

[DianeDobbler]

New to this show, have just read a couple of pages of posts. How is it known that the Houston home is out of place in the neighborhood? I haven't watched every episode, but did see the Halloween one where they went around in electric cars, and the whole neighborhood seems fairly upscale? I did just check the medium price in the neighborhood, and the high end is 750k. My own take is the house is in line with the higher end homes around there as far as what it looks like (I have no problems with the current color or the original) but the asking price was way out of line. They're not going to sell until it comes down another few hundred thousand. They may be show business vets but maybe their broker oversold them on the boost the "pedigree" would give. Don't know if potential buyers would really care. 

I have a sister in adoption services - she's traveled the world for her job, and now most of the time an international adoption has special needs attached, as many countries have shut off the "pipeline" even if they have to keep kids in orphanages. It's a bad look for a country's self-image to be known as a place that is constantly adopting out to the states because they can't care for their own. I know she would be very happy to have a set of prospective parents like Bill and Jen, who already know some of the things other prospective parents have to be trained and counseled about before they can be accepted as prospects.

[Libby]

On 4/26/2018 at 11:15 AM, ginger90 said:

I hate to be mean, but, gag. If he wants to say all of that, say it to her in private. Bill sickens me.

He's such a kiss ass, both to his wife and his kids. Be a man for goodness sake.

[DianeDobbler]

Isn't that absolutely typical for Instagram? And my sister says stuff just as OTT on her facebook about her husband. It's not about Bill, it's just some people's way. What my sister does is not my style, but she and her husband absolutely have a strong marriage and adore each other. You'd have to stick needles under my fingernails to get me to do that, but she does it, and it's just her.

I kind of suspect the Houston house was partially funded by the show. Has that been speculated before? Reality shows go back and re-shoot stuff to fudge timeline all the time, or make something seem predictive. In the early episodes Bill and Jen talked about their dream of a custom house. The home they lived in at the time was perfectly nice but also ordinary. I presume that was their means. They move to Houston - presumably she has an excellent salary, but still she just started the job - and VOILA - massive home, custom built. I just know these reality shows. The house is SO TV friendly, way too big for them as a family but with lots and lots of space for camera crews, kids running around. Based on their first home in S1, it didn't seem to me as if Jen and Bill were especially interested in or well versed in decor. They get to this Houston home and suddenly Jen is super specific, the show absolutely RUNS with the blue green theme, and their decorator is doing his utmost audition for a slot on Queer Eye. It looks like a reality show home to me - big curb impact for establishing shots so we always know it's their house, huge space inside for these little people so there's plenty of room for the camera crew to move around, and also a wide variety of angles and locations. The new house is the same. Canal location AND a pool. Features all over the place. Massive interior. Seems to me it's all about the show, and the show might be footing a good deal of the bill. Could also explain why they want to unload the Houston house and push it a little bit, but don't seem worried. I'm sure they're making $$ off the show, and jen has a great job, but that's a lot to carry - new home and old home - if it's just them. When the show is over, they move somewhere reasonable. That's my feeling right now. Meantime, they're earning money for future medical bills (even though Jen is a doctor), possible trust funds for the kids when Bill and Jen are gone, education money, etc. The trade off of living in a reality show home might be worth it. No debt, huge savings.

Edited May 2, 2018 by DianeDobbler

[silverspoons]

I would think the house being on a reality show is a big negative. Bill and Jen used to talk about people riding by and some knocking. Anyone looking for an upper end home I'm sure wants privacy. I live where a lot of reality TV has been filmed and I think someone could make money off of selling maps like they do in hollywood.  People want to see the smallest filming places, not just the great light fight house, or a disney movie set but the grocery store, high school or golf course that was filmed. Jen and Bill's house will be a forever tourist spot. There was an LDS (Mormon) movie filmed in a home in my neighborhood over 30 years ago. I know it is a movie  given out by missionaries and was watched at some point by most devout members. People still drive by and take pictures of this home. 

 

As for the house, I don't know why Jen and Bill built a forever dream home when Houston was not their forever dream city. Houston offered Jen a great job but you could tell she loved the beach and loved Florida. Bill had success in his medical business before the show and Jen as a specialist certainly could afford to go overboard and have massive home but they should have been sure Houston was their forever city. 

[Colleenna]

On 3/3/2018 at 10:03 AM, mythoughtis said:

True- and Jen spent quite a bit of time at her conference. That was one of the problems with the kids and the trip. Bill either wouldn’t or couldn’t corral them at the castle, for example.  Many of us commented then that the kids should have stayed home with the grandparents. A business trip with  Bill would have been similar. Someone would have to be with the kids while Bill conducted business or went to dinner with the factory execs, etc.   it’s just not appropriate to take kids that age on a business trip.  

Aaaaand this is one of the reasons I quit watching this show. It seems neither of them wants to actually *gasp* discipline the children. The kids --- especially Will --- have become incorrigible, insufferable *brats* .

[BitterApple]

On 4/13/2018 at 5:06 PM, Libby said:

Apparently they made the same mistake a second time. Someone familiar with their new neighborhood in Florida posted that their current home is way too much for the neighborhood. They said that the house looks out of place. It's the same with the house in Houston. 

Yeah, I remember looking at the Google Earth view of their Florida neighborhood and the house is WAY overbuilt for the area. It's kind of strange that such educated people would keep committing the Cardinal Sin of real estate.

[Mindthinkr]

At least they can afford it and I hope that they can afford to hire people to keep their yard well maintained. It should only hurt them when they go to sell. Same thing happened at their previous place. 

[ginger90]

[AZChristian]

When you remember how much she screamed every time she saw him at the orphanage in India . . . this is so lovely.

[Libby]

It looks like Jen gave up on the boy cut and is growing out Zoey's hair. I'm glad. Zoey looks much prettier with longer hair. Her hair is her crowning feature.

[gonecrackers]

Hate the dress, but it's a cute picture of them.

[BitterApple]

I'm glad they're growing out her hair. I think Zoe looks cute when she has that little bob with bangs.

[humbleopinion]

Zoey is poised to take over the show...get ready for the real star of the Little Couple....

[bichonblitz]

On 4/13/2018 at 3:22 PM, Cherrio said:

Never build or buy the only big or out of place house in the neighborhood.

I never did understand why they would choose that lot in that neighborhood to build that big house on. It must be close to the hospital where Jen worked. 

[Absolom]

On 5/15/2018 at 2:31 PM, bichonblitz said:

It must be close to the hospital where Jen worked.

It is.  It's in the 10 to 20 minute range IIRC.  They had looked farther out, but decided closer was better given Jen's long hours at the time.

[Libby]

Bill wanted to buy a pre built house and modify it to meet their needs. Jen wanted to buy that lot near her work and have a house built from scratch. Of course, weak Bill gave in. Now it is costing them financially. In all fairness to Jen, she makes the bulk of the money, so I guess it's her right to waste it.

The thing is that Bill no longer just rolls over for Jen, he rolls over for the kids too. I find it very unattractive. 

[silverspoons]

On 5/25/2018 at 6:30 PM, Libby said:

Bill wanted to buy a pre built house and modify it to meet their needs. Jen wanted to buy that lot near her work and have a house built from scratch. Of course, weak Bill gave in. Now it is costing them financially. In all fairness to Jen, she makes the bulk of the money, so I guess it's her right to waste it.

The thing is that Bill no longer just rolls over for Jen, he rolls over for the kids too. I find it very unattractive. 

I always thought Bill had and made more money? While Doctors make good money , it is usually a set salary 250k-300k for a hospital employee (Obviously some speciality surgeons make much more but Jen's field will always her to being an employee of a hospital), which again is great money but doctors salaries like Jen's are capped. Bill owned a medical company and that call center when the show first aired. There is an episode season 2 that shows him visiting his company in NY.  Then he went into the pet business and now is working on several other businesses. He also has some some of consulting for small business. There is really no limit on what Bill can make. Plus once he got money it seems he has invested in rentals and other solid long term money makers. 

[saylubee]

I grew up in the neighborhood in Houston that Bill & Jen lived in.  The problem was they didn’t have the money to live in Bellaire, the richest part in town.  Tear-down lots start around a million, especially if you buy two to build your mega mansion.

So Bill and Jen bought on the fringe.  If the trajectory continued, it was the next neighborhood to get the “Bellaire” treatment.  But first the oil market crashed. Expensive homes without the Bellaire address bottomed out.

Then three bad floods happened to the same area back to back to back.  Memorial day flood, Tax day flood, and Hurricane Harvey.  While their property didn’t flood, there are thousands that did.  Drive up and down Braeswood and you will see house after house empty and decaying.  If you’re a millionaire who wants a big house in a fringe neighborhood, you’re going to pick up one of those flooded lots for $400,000 and spend the extra $500,000 building a flood proof home.  And still be cheaper then buying the Klein-Arnold property.

I’m sure if Bill and Jen could do it again, they’d spend the money to get in Bellaire.  They are never going to sell that house as-is for anything close to a million, but that’s not necessarily Jen’s fault either.

[BW Manilowe]

On 4/26/2018 at 11:15 AM, ginger90 said:

OK, I have to be an English (like you learn in school, not someone from England) nerd here & wonder if Bill forgot some words at the beginning of his post & didn't/couldn't edit. At least in my opinion, "It's not just hard, it's impossible that" needs "to believe" between "impossible" & "that".

I don't know... maybe you can say it the way he did, but I've never heard it that way, without "to believe".