Sweet Fellowship: Duggars and Friends (aka the Bates Family and Other Featured Families Thread)

[merylinkid]

You can't even tell she is carrying a baby in that thing because you can't see the kid sticking out.   So if her goal is to have people ask if its her baby, its a major fail.   Like most of Jill's attempts at attention from anyone but her captive audience (her family).

[AgathaC]

I can’t say I’m surprised. This is the same family that produced “why should I put my infant in a car seat?” Nurie.

People like this care about creating and birthing babies but don’t give much of a damn what happens after that.

Edited August 19, 2023 by AgathaC

[Lindsay Loo Hoo]

This honestly upsets me and breaks my heart, I have a 3 month old, granted she was not born premature and was a healthy 8 lb and 13 oz…. I couldn’t imagine carrying her in that carrier like that. The risk of suffocation is high for that poor baby of kaylees. I truly hope someone reports this to cps. 

[CalicoKitty]

(Just shaking my head). I would not be shocked to read a post about his funeral before he is six months old.  I'm sure he was discharged from the NICU with instructions.  Specific instructions.  But hospital staff cannot do anything until they show up in the ER with a baby that can't breath.  Being dragged around in crowds of strangers, being mauled and suffocated by his grannie, being fed pink drink in his breast milk, being passed around to the children in the family, and being a preemie--he really has the deck stacked against him. I wonder if his mother learned a lesson from Nurie and Nemo and bought a new car seat.  I'm betting not.

[louannems]

7 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

They're going to take off that baby sling and find poor Gideon suffocated. Idiots. 

And Jill, you aren't fooling anyone, he is not your baby. You look pathetic. Give it up. 

Not only does Jill look pathetic wearing her grandson, but seriously, she looked like her breasts were all lopsided and very lumpy.  At first, I had no idea there’d be a baby under that weird shirt.

I wore my babies a lot.  Back in the 80’s, we had the Snugli carrier and you knew there was a baby in there!

[BetyBee]

9 hours ago, louannems said:

Not only does Jill look pathetic wearing her grandson, but seriously, she looked like her breasts were all lopsided and very lumpy.  At first, I had no idea there’d be a baby under that weird shirt.

I wore my babies a lot.  Back in the 80’s, we had the Snugli carrier and you knew there was a baby in there!

Jill wearing the poorly cared for Gideon, looks like my paternal grandma with boobs down at her waist. My grandma was a lovely person, but that is how I remember her, except she wore a big apron, not a grandbaby. Jill's wearing her premature grandson incorrectly and putting him at risk, in hopes that people will think that he's her baby. 

[Salacious Kitty]

I noticed that she gave Gideon back to his mother at some point. I guess that's because there didn't seem to be an audience for her antics. In all the zoo videos, whenever she planned around, there didn't seem to be anyone there except the Rods. I guess people actually saw the bad weather forecast and chose indoor activities. 😃

[zenme]

Ugh! This was at the zoo? I don’t know how hot it is out that way, but here in Dallas yesterday it was 109. I can’t imagine putting him in one of those snuggly deals on an uncomfortably hot day.

[crazy8s]

Jill has a new video up of the family at mcdonalds accompanied by a rant about her constant fight against evil.

Kaylee says what we all know. As Jill pans around the table, Kaylee gets caught putting food in her mouth and is then embarrassed and says something like "I was ready to smile when you turned the phone my way, you know how you turn the phone" and Jill says "yes, you are always so compliable" 

also Janessa, at age 5, is in a high chair🙄

 

[ginger90]

Screenshot from the video:

[merylinkid]

3 hours ago, BetyBee said:

Jill's wearing her premature grandson incorrectly and putting him at risk, in hopes that people will think that he's her baby. 

I think Jill wants people to ask how old "her" baby is so she can say "Oh its my grandson" and then have people say "Oh it can't be, you look too young to be a grandma."   But honestly, given how old she looks and actually is, its not implausible she is a grandma even if she had kids at a reasonable age and then the kids had kids at a reasonable age.   Jill is fooling no one with her "I'm so young looking" act.   Nor really with any of her acts.

[crazy8s]

The statement of" I am fighting to keep our family unified and at peace with one another" is interesting.

Jill recently posted something about the boys disagreeing with their father at times.

I wonder if some balked at the ONCE a year, mandatory family vacation. Timothy seems to have not been there the entire time. Samuel seems totally over it at mcdonalds.

All were wearing their family photo clothes in the mcdonalds video.

There is also a video in the van. Nemo is in the 3rd row in a forward facing car seat. Jill, Tessa, Hannah, Sadie and Olivia are not wearing seat belts. The boys in back don't appear to be either. Janessa is in a 5 point seat and seems to be buckled in. 🙄

 

 

[Scarlett45]

@crazy8s Statistically, with the number of kids Jill R has not all of them are going to tow the party line and adjust their life to her every whim. As the kids get older, someone is going to step outside of the box a LITTLE bit. Unlike the Duggar family, she doesnt have the income/resources to keep them comfortable enough to toe the party line because their needs/wants are met. With two girls married and half the kids teenagers or adults, I think she is seeing the cracks starting to show. When she realizes that her children are individuals an not a monolith that is evidence to the world of her blessed uterus, she will be very displeased. 

[Notabug]

2 hours ago, zenme said:

Ugh! This was at the zoo? I don’t know how hot it is out that way, but here in Dallas yesterday it was 109. I can’t imagine putting him in one of those snuggly deals on an uncomfortably hot day.

It's been unseasonably cool the past few days with a lot of rain and highs in the low 70's here in Northeast Ohio,  So, while the whole thing was pretty egregious, the weather wasn't a big factor.

[crazy8s]

@Scarlett45 Agree, so Jill adds imagery of keeping the family "united" as an attack of the devil she must fight against.

I would not be surprised if the very minute Renee's guy set the social media boundary Jill didn't start loudly weeping and praying to convince Renee he was actually not the man god had chosen for her. Surely MM wasn't going to miraculously fall in love with the Amish country, give up his job and live near the barndo.

I also think Jill is a bit miffed tim and KayJon changed churches.

[BetyBee]

1 hour ago, ginger90 said:

Screenshot from the video:

Eating at McDonald's should help in Jill's fight to remain salty and savory.

[Jeeves]

Just now, crazy8s said:

@Scarlett45 Agree, so Jill adds imagery of keeping the family "united" as an attack of the devil she must fight against.

I would not be surprised if the very minute Renee's guy set the social media boundary Jill didn't start loudly weeping and praying to convince Renee he was actually not the man god had chosen for her. Surely MM wasn't going to miraculously fall in love with the Amish country, give up his job and live near the barndo.

I also think Jill is a bit miffed Tim and KayJon changed churches.

Agreed. Not having total control over all her kids at all times must drive her nuts, and even adult kids changing churches would really claw at her ego.

Nurie's not literally and locally under her thumb, but as Mrs. Keller the preacher's wife, having married "up" in IFB circles, she's giving JillR enough bragging rights to keep Mahmo happy. (Mike Keller is or was IIRC well-connected in IBLP, and via the Kellers, Nurie is related by marriage to Wallers and Duggars, even if they aren't all buddy-buddy with them.)

If Renee's courtship was ended against her wishes, or even by her after one of JillR's massive narc pushes to convince her it wasn't right, Renee may be miserable. Despite her lifetime conditioning, Renee could be showing some signs of less than instant obedience and sweet happy behavior at the mo, which would also grind JillR's gears. 

[oliviabenson]

In the video Jill calls a zoo animal: jagwire 🤣🤣🤣.

[oliviabenson]

She is a senior gold.

Is $1800 before or after she buys her plexus inventory???

[mythoughtis]

24 minutes ago, BetyBee said:

Eating at McDonald's should help in Jill's fight to remain salty and savory.

I’m still trying to figure out what she meant by that in the context she put it in?  A salty person  is not normally what she thinks of as Christian. 

[mythoughtis]

1 hour ago, crazy8s said:

the statement of" I am fighting to keep our family unified and at peace with one another" is interesting.

I agree.   She doesn’t seem to be cognizant of the fact that she lived her own life as an adult separate from her parents and that her adult offspring should too.   As if her son-in-laws don’t get any any input into their own marriage.  As if her grown offspring shouldn’t notice how educationally behind they are.  

[ginger90]

24 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

She is a senior gold.

Is $1800 before or after she buys her plexus inventory???

It’s very amusing that there are so many different charts out there for Plexus. I’ve seen some that the amounts are not this high, close to less than half the amounts.

[merylinkid]

Even if accurate senior gold is not all that great.    Only to someone who lives by the grift and doesn't have any concept at work would $22K a year seem like a lot of money.   I mean that's below poverty level for a family of 4.    For a family her size its even worse.

[oliviabenson]

In MCD there was not much food on the tables. Guess no one wanted to truly feed the freeloaders lol. I mostly saw drinks and ice cream. 

Jill covered up the video, so we could not see what was in front of Dave food wise… hmmm.

Edited August 20, 2023 by oliviabenson

[xwordfanatik]

When the sons-in-law are both present, do they flip a coin to see who pays?  Surely Mahmo and DBD never pay for anyone, even each other.  Cheapskates!

[ginger90]

4 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

I mean that's below poverty level for a family of 4.    For a family her size its even worse.

 

[satrunrose]

In fundyism, when do the manly non-sissy sons (ugh that was painful to type) stop having to listen to sweet Mahmo? I know the girls are under DBD's headship (aka, Jill's because I think I've seen Dave actually interacting with his kids about twice) until marriage, but can Timbits say no to her now?

I'd like to believe that Jill's prayer for family unity was Jon and Kaylee pushing back on the way their poor little guy is being treated, but I think Kaylee is probably too "compliable". 

[Jeeves]

3 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

Even if accurate senior gold is not all that great.    Only to someone who lives by the grift and doesn't have any concept at work would $22K a year seem like a lot of money.   I mean that's below poverty level for a family of 4.    For a family her size its even worse.

And that's not W2 wages - it's 1099 self-employment income. That kind of income is subject to the off-the-top 15.3% federal self-employment tax, so $22,272 self-employment income is the equivalent of less than $19,000 in wages. (I don't know if that "annual income" in those poverty level tables is supposed to be wages vs. self-employment income.) And of course income tax has to be paid as well as the self-employment tax. 

Although TBH I don't think JillR is making that much money off Plexus, anyway. She's probably not eking out much after all her expenses. 

[merylinkid]

3 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

And that's not W2 wages - it's 1099 self-employment income. That kind of income is subject to the off-the-top 15.3% federal self-employment tax, so $22,272 self-employment income is the equivalent of less than $19,000 in wages. (I don't know if that "annual income" in those poverty level tables is supposed to be wages vs. self-employment income.) And of course income tax has to be paid as well as the self-employment tax. 

Although TBH I don't think JillR is making that much money off Plexus, anyway. She's probably not eking out much after all her expenses. 

All of this.    

I think the poverty tables are pre-tax income.   But even if Jill were making that much post-tax, its STILL an incredibly low figure.    But as usual, she acts like she is CEO of a major corporation.   Because in her world, 22K IS a lot of money.   

Also Jill will never make Ruby.   She is a low level grifter and doesn't have the skills or charisma to do better.

[Lady Edith]

That baby needed to be at home, getting used to life and growing stronger. Not being toted around in inappropriate places and risking his health.  Putting up boundaries in favor of your fragile premature newborn and postpartum wife is not dishonoring your parents/in-laws. It’s honoring your wife and HER needs and that of your infant son.  Love, honor and cherish…forsaking all others…remember those words from your wedding?  Jonathan, for the love of Pete, GROW A SET!  Be the headship you are supposed to be and say NO.   

[Meow Mix]

The fact that the courtship story for Renee has disappeared sounds like pretty conclusive proof that the relationship is over.  I can't believe JillR would voluntarily pull all the references to this guy and the courtship off her page if he was still around.  Not with the way she was straining at the leash when he told her he wanted his identity kept private.

My suspicion is one of two things happened.  1.  She was taunting him constantly about how she just might accidentally reveal his identity one of these days and he got sick of it and called the whole thing off.  I could see her doing this and thinking she was just so funny and cute when she was really being obnoxious.  2.  In addition to expectations of privacy, he was not going to "fall in love" with Ohio and move there like Jonathan did.  He cold have made it clear that he and Renee would be setting up housekeeping elsewhere and that was that.  JillR would then put a huge amount of pressure on Renee to end the relationship because supposedly Renee would not want to leave BME.  I doubt even Renee who seems over this whole mess would be emotionally strong enough to withstand BME's constant onslaught.  

Either way, JillR is keeping it quiet because unlike her diatribe against Moody when Timbits washed out, she can't figure out a way to spin this that won't blow back on her.  Talking publicly about the breakup might also scare off other potential suitors for her kids.

[Salacious Kitty]

The family strife bit could be aimed at her sisters. Someone is taking care of Pat and useless Tim these days. And Jill likely doesn't want them back, but is probably getting pressure to do something. That would cramp her style. With an infant of her own, Kaylee can't be relied upon for care when the Rods hit the road. I bet it's contentious. 

As for MM, he was from Ohio, but about 2 hours south. Just starting out in a real career, he probably wasn't keen on moving to be close to a domineering MIL. 

Edited August 20, 2023 by Salacious Kitty
Added a word

[AstridM]

1 hour ago, oliviabenson said:

She is a senior gold.

Is $1800 before or after she buys her plexus inventory???

 

1 hour ago, merylinkid said:

Even if accurate senior gold is not all that great.    Only to someone who lives by the grift and doesn't have any concept at work would $22K a year seem like a lot of money.   I mean that's below poverty level for a family of 4.    For a family her size its even worse.

And that’s pre-tax income. . . 

[LilJen]

3 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Screenshot from the video:

Where's the "FU b**ch" reaction emoji? 🤬

1 hour ago, mythoughtis said:

I’m still trying to figure out what she meant by that in the context she put it in?  A salty person  is not normally what she thinks of as Christian. 

There's a verse in Jesus's sermon on the mount in which he says his followers should be "salt" and "not lose their savor." Interpretations range from "you need to tell people the truth that they're going to hell = salty" to "meat goes bad in these parts if it's not salted and y'all have gone rotten, so, like don't go rotten in your faith" to ???

[smallfry]

I think all these posts are her reaction to something that didn't go her way. I am thinking that Renee's MM peaced out and could have stood up to Jill and all her family outings and SM posts. Maybe Renee is miserable and sulky and "mad" at Jill.

Could it be that Timmy was ready to propose and Heidi's dad put the brakes on it because he doesn't think Timmy can support his daughter?

Maybe one of the special churches she grifted from didn't invite her back.

Maybe she is all kinds of crazy because Kaylee had her baby and she doesn't have one because of her miscarriage. She is trying to make Gideon hers by insisting Kaylee & Jonathan join the circus instead of being home resting, and adjusting to each other. If anything terrible happens to Gideon is is all on Jill!

I am waiting for her head to truly explode, she is getting closer and closer everyday.

[GeeGolly]

Jill is pissed because her 'baby' is 5. And next year she'll be 6.

I don't think Kaylee and John know enough to push back. I'm guessing they think everything is hunky-dory and are fine with it all.

I hope MM is just washed from SM and is still a-courtin' Renee.

[crazy8s]

Even Heidi coming in to courtship with Timothy having her own social media, and now Timothy having his own, would be a threat to Jill. She has lost control of the entire narrative she created about the children not wanting social media so all post came through Mama. With none of the children being able to see what she posts. Tim and Heidi might decide to post, or not post things, about their lives without it having to appear only on mama's sm.

Interesting still nothing said about Samuel graduating the rod home school and future plans. Surely Samuel must be done with Jill's schooling, he will be 19 in Nov.

If the rods can scrape together the money, I would think joyful, compliable, future preacher Gabriel will be starting the online bible course for HS students through the college Phillip attends. He was at the potential student event with Phillip last spring where it was mentioned.

Edited August 24, 2023 by crazy8s

[Salacious Kitty]

Compliable cracks me up. Jill meant compliant, but didn't even realize her mistake. Her grasp on the English language is tenuous at best. 😂

[crazy8s]

8 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Compliable cracks me up. Jill meant compliant, but didn't even realize her mistake. Her grasp on the English language is tenuous at best. 😂

Yep. Jill saying Jagwire was her response to David who asked if it was a leopard...😂

[Salacious Kitty]

4 minutes ago, crazy8s said:

Yep. Jill saying Jagwire was her response to David who asked if it was a leopard...😂

Yup, that one was bad. 

[merylinkid]

2 hours ago, Meow Mix said:

1.  She was taunting him constantly about how she just might accidentally reveal his identity one of these days and he got sick of it and called the whole thing off.  I could see her doing this and thinking she was just so funny and cute when she was really being obnoxious. 

She would totally this becuase she is mad that MM wasn't doing what she wanted -- performing for her on command.

I am going through this with someone who I have told I do not like my picture taken.   So she either 1) tries to sneak the pic anyway or 2) make a HUGE deal about announcing I don't want my picture taken (in hope of guilting me into it, which is a huge fail on this person's part because trying to guilt me is guaranteed I won't do what you want then).   I finally had to say "And we respect people choices and not make a big deal out of it."   Person still tried to sputter a bit, but they got the message that no means no.   

More people need to tell Jill no and make it stick.   Starting with Kaylee and Jonathan when it comes to Gideon.

[CalicoKitty]

 

RE:  Janessa in the high chair.  Before her birth, Jill posted that Janessa had had a stroke in utero and was told that the corpus callosum was missing--but who knows because Jill exaggerates.  There is a very wide span of delay and problems that can happen.  The only baby I have cared for with agenesis of the corpus callosum was blind, deaf, unable to maintain body temperature and unable to eat.  We kept her clean and comfortable and she died after about a week.  But after Janessa's birth, Jill claimed a miracle and that there were no problems.  I still think Janessa has delays that Jill has either ignored or is consciously covering up.  Apparently the situation is not (thankfully) as dramatic as Jill posed pre-birth, so not enough for a good grift.  So better to claim a miracle, ignore any problems, and just baby her.  I feel so sorry for these kids.  What a bleak future.

[wilsie]

1 hour ago, GeeGolly said:

Jill is pissed because her 'baby' is 5. And next year she'll be 6.

I don't think Kaylee and John know enough to push back. I'm guessing they think everything is hunky-dory and are fine with it all.

I hope MM is just washed from SM and is still a-courtin' Renee.

As much as I hope for Renee to have a good and caring person in her life, I wouldn't wish Jill's presence on anyone in anyway.

[AstridM]

2 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Compliable cracks me up. Jill meant compliant, but didn't even realize her mistake. Her grasp on the English language is tenuous at best. 😂

And she “teaches” these poor kids 🥲.

1 hour ago, merylinkid said:

She would totally this becuase she is mad that MM wasn't doing what she wanted -- performing for her on command.

I am going through this with someone who I have told I do not like my picture taken.   So she either 1) tries to sneak the pic anyway or 2) make a HUGE deal about announcing I don't want my picture taken (in hope of guilting me into it, which is a huge fail on this person's part because trying to guilt me is guaranteed I won't do what you want then).   I finally had to say "And we respect people choices and not make a big deal out of it."   Person still tried to sputter a bit, but they got the message that no means no.   

More people need to tell Jill no and make it stick.   Starting with Kaylee and Jonathan when it comes to Gideon.

I am the queen of not wanting my picture taken. I dare this person to try it with me! 🤣

[andromeda331]

11 hours ago, xwordfanatik said:

When the sons-in-law are both present, do they flip a coin to see who pays?  Surely Mahmo and DBD never pay for anyone, even each other.  Cheapskates!

I imagine they push it back and forth because their so broke from paying for everything. 

Nathan: "It's your turn."

Jonathan: "No, it's your turn."

Nathan: "I paid for the zoo and meal yesterday."

Jonathan: "Big deal. I live here and paid for the last twenty meals out"

Nathan: "I paid for everything when they visited for a month."

Jonathan: "I don't have any money left."

Nathan: "Neither do I." 

David: "burp" crickets

Jill: "Let's go to Chuck E Cheese tomorrow!"

Edited August 21, 2023 by andromeda331

[Jeeves]

19 hours ago, Lady Edith said:

That baby needed to be at home, getting used to life and growing stronger. Not being toted around in inappropriate places and risking his health.  Putting up boundaries in favor of your fragile premature newborn and postpartum wife is not dishonoring your parents/in-laws. It’s honoring your wife and HER needs and that of your infant son.  Love, honor and cherish…forsaking all others…remember those words from your wedding?  Jonathan, for the love of Pete, GROW A SET!  Be the headship you are supposed to be and say NO.   

I doubt that Jonathan knows much about infant and child care, or childhood development.

Isn't all that stuff "women's work" in the IFB world?

Do fundie men ever change diapers or give their babies a bottle or feed the older kids even when their wife is really busy or even sick? 

I've learned a bit about the IFB way of life (and I don't mean just the IBLP sector). Including that they're really into gender roles. It's probably considered a huge hero move for a man to "babysit" his kids for a few hours while his wife is out of the house or otherwise occupied, like maybe delivering their next blessing. Maybe when the kids are a little older (able to walk, talke, feed themselves, and use the toilet), he'll take them, or at least the boys, out fishing or to a ball game or something. But the women will organize the food and make sure the kids are up and dressed for the day 'cause men have bigger things to handle. Like talking to God and conducting those nightly family devotionals.

So I see it as expected, that good old Jon is leaving all the baby care and baby carrying to the wimminfolk, and assuming that his dogly wife and her extra-dogly Mahmo are doing just what Jesus has ordained and taking fine care of his infant son. Seriously, I think he and Kaylee are both pretty clueless, and if that display of infant endangerment at the zoo is any indication, I hope they get a clue pretty fast so their child has a chance to thrive. 

[BradandJanet]

Since Jill brags about how much extra money she makes from pushing Plexus, she should pay for the next family evening out.

Of course that won't happen. She likes to control the men in her life, but when it comes to money, she goes back to traditional gender roles. Her money is for makeup, clothes, and other girly stuff. Men's money is for gifts, vacations, and "couples" evenings out.  

Making herself the center of the universe is the one principle that explains everything Jill does. 

[merylinkid]

2 hours ago, Jeeves said:

Including that they're really into gender roles. It's probably considered a huge hero move for a man to "babysit" his kids for a few hours while his wife is out of the house or otherwise occupied, like maybe delivering their next blessing.

AT Ff's sentencing Anna made a huge deal that FF cleaned up the cracker crumbs from the kids.   Like this was some amazing feat that showed what a family man he was.   In their world, that is unusual.   In normal people's world, its expected, not even the bare minimum but just like "well why didn't you clean up the crumbs " if he doesn't.

But Jonathan could still assert his headship and decree that Kaylee will follow the hospital instructions for caring for the child.

[Jeeves]

1 minute ago, merylinkid said:

Jonathan could still assert his headship and decree that Kaylee will follow the hospital instructions for caring for the child.

I know, and I hope he does!

[Future Cat Lady]

I know everyone says that Jonathan and Nathan are always paying for the Rods outings, but it's not an actual known fact.

I'm sure they pay or contribute sometimes but not all the times.

I think the Rods do pay for some if not most of their outings. The problem is that they spend money on this instead of essentials stuff like food/clothes for the kids or RV repair.

Anyway, just my 2 cents.