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

[irisheyes]

Lots of Mennonite girls work outside the home too. My parents live near Shipshewana, IN (Amish tourist trap) and most of the restaurants and stores have Old Order Mennonite girls working at them. The Rise n’ Roll bakery has a ton. (They also have the best donuts ever. Seriously. If you’re ever that way, get a dozen. There’s a reason they’re called Amish Crack. 😂)

So, once again, Jilly is clueless about everything. Jill, if you want to emulate the Amish, try this - FEED YOUR KIDS!

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, Rootbeer said:

Around where I live, a lot of young Amish and Mennonite girls play softball.  They play in leagues and everything, like other kids.  In dresses and headcoverings, of course.  They do wear sneakers.

They have more sense than Jill and her like in that way.

18 minutes ago, irisheyes said:

Lots of Mennonite girls work outside the home too. My parents live near Shipshewana, IN (Amish tourist trap) and most of the restaurants and stores have Old Order Mennonite girls working at them. The Rise n’ Roll bakery has a ton. (They also have the best donuts ever. Seriously. If you’re ever that way, get a dozen. There’s a reason they’re called Amish Crack. 😂)

So, once again, Jilly is clueless about everything. Jill, if you want to emulate the Amish, try this - FEED YOUR KIDS!

I know they pretty much work until they marry but at least they have a chance to do something. 

[GeeGolly]

Erin Bates might be feeling the pinch now that their show has been canceled because she is ramping up her SM and YouTube. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Bates, there really isn't a Duggar equivalent to Erin. She went from a frilly, helpless, 'dumb' (bouffant) blonde, to a fairly decent homemaker and cook and has maintained her Fundiness throughout, where some of her sisters haven't. So to me anyways, she's the last one I thought would go full-on SM queen.

On another note, I really think as far as SM image, Jessa thinks she comes off as an Erin Bates type Fundy, when really Jessa is more of a Joy when compared to Erin. Oh and one more thing, Erin's 6 year old son has started playing the piano, so I figure Spurgie is soon to be a master musician. 

 

[crazy8s]

JRod has some pics up of Jonathan's apartment. His "apartment" is a basement in the home of an older couple from church. Jill and the rods invaded and fixed up the space for him. Not a window/escape access in sight in Jill's pics. So not a legal apartment in any way.

Jill is happy Jonathan (and Kaylee) will live near them. How nice Jonathan fell in love with Jill's area of Ohio and wanted to move there. Just like Timbits who came to visit from school and fell so in love with the area he had to buy a trailer and live in BME's backyard. 

She takes another shot at the Keller's for living far away. I bet she endlessly nags Nurie to move to Ohio.

[iwantcookies]

Terrible photo. Looks like they are in a prison.

[iwantcookies]

I am SEVERELY nauseated by Jilldo.

How dumb is Jonathan? Seriously dude run back home.

So he will live in that horrible basement and not in the upstairs attic.  Guess Kaylee will live there too? 
 

They all better SEVERELY hope there is no fire… there is no way to escape.

 

[iwantcookies]

Gee how injured are you if you fixed up a basement. What a liar. And running a mile means you are not injured… 

what a horrible woman Jillcatraz is… keep on lying boo.

[iwantcookies]

Oh goody Shrek can eat all their crops for free.

[iwantcookies]

Lady leghumper are you blind?

[ginger90]

Jill creeps into everything. I could have seen these pictures randomly, and I would know who “decorated “. 

Throw rugs……

[GeeGolly]

This downstairs basement makes one sorry ass "apartment". Pegboards and cinderblocks for walls, and everything made worse by Jill's handiwork. I hope there's at least a bulkhead door exit somewhere.

 

[ginger90]

I want to know what’s on the other side of this door…..

[Westiepeach]

My favorite update is the dangling electrical outlet in the "kitchen"...

ETA: Oh! and the lamp on the kitchen table that is the twin to one of the nightstand lamps. Why couldn't she have matching lamps in the bedroom on the nightstands and put the other lamp in the kitchen???

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by Westiepeach

[crazy8s]

That old moldy and filthy dehumidifier is a quaint addition to the "decor" in the kitchen. Yikes that thing is disgusting.

[GeeGolly]

How many rugs are in that place? Jonathon's gonna need to wear a helmet so when he trips and falls, into or onto concrete, his survives.

[laurakaye]

So much to unpack here.

I wonder if the people Jonathan is renting from were okay with Jill posting pictures of their perfectly normal but messy basement (I say "normal" because my basement is not exactly organized but I also wouldn't take pictures of it for social media).  She's already barged into their basement and Jilled it up - but here's some pictures of how gross it looked BEFORE she got her hands on it.  The home owners must be thrilled.

What does she mean about the Kellers being the "center of God's will?"  Like, she thought that she was going to be able to pair off her spawn with theirs until one family ran out of kids to marry off?  Kind of makes it sound like Jonathan was a second choice because he's not a Keller.  On the other hand, if Jonathan has half a brain, he will read his future mother-in-law's words and look at the pictures of his future home and run for the Amish hills.

Which brings me to Jill's disclaimer about Jonathan and Kaylee being called "for now."  Like - for now, but if a better offer comes along (like a Keller or Keller adjacent), Jonathan can hit the bricks?

And which is it, Jill - do you need PT because you tore your knee in four places, or you just ran a mile?

That's all for now....except now I also want to know what's behind that door.......😳

 

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by laurakaye

[ginger90]

4 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

I wonder if the people Jonathan is renting from were okay with Jill posting pictures of their perfectly normal but messy basement (I say "normal" because my basement is not exactly organized but I also wouldn't take pictures of it for social media).  

I was thinking the same.

[GeeGolly]

This place makes Ben's shed apartment seem like the Taj Mahal. 🕍

[galaxygirl76]

3 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

Gee how injured are you if you fixed up a basement. What a liar. And running a mile means you are not injured… 

what a horrible woman Jillcatraz is… keep on lying boo.

She 'ran' a mile at a pace I can walk it. Also, I have chronic knee problems and anything like running is a no-no for me due to the impact of every step has on my knee. 

 

She's a fucking bitch for the shade thrown at poor Nurie for daring to not live close enough to BME. 

[SMama]

Where are they going to cook? I didn’t see a stove. Not that I would dare cook in that death trap. And yes, Jill is mad at Nurie for having her own life. What a vile bitch.

Edited April 8, 2022 by SMama

[GeeGolly]

God called on the Kellers to live in FL and JillR is hoping God calls on the new couple to stay in OH. Are Fundies God-bots? Does God tell them to pee in a toilet every morning?

[Picture It. Sicily]

How many times did she say God is SO good to me? Ugh, get bent, bitch.

[BradandJanet]

Since there's a stool/table blocking the mysterious Welcome Family & Friends door in that sad apartment,  the door probably leads to the furnace and water heater. The loose wires and overloaded outlet look like Shrek's handiwork. Does the place have a bathroom or at least a toilet? 

Jill must have cleared out the rug section of the local thrift shop. We'll soon find out if Jonathan has allergies. 

The bedroom setup suggests Kaylee will be moving in after the wedding. Even Nurie in the Keller's RV got a better start. She was at least above ground with windows. 

Johnathan needs to stop thinking that God is speaking to him in a high-pitched, baby-talking, female voice that sounds exactly like Jill Rodrigues's. 

[Turquoise]

1 hour ago, laurakaye said:

What does she mean about the Kellers being the "center of God's will?"  Like, she thought that she was going to be able to pair off her spawn with theirs until one family ran out of kids to marry off?  Kind of makes it sound like Jonathan was a second choice because he's not a Keller.  On the other hand, if Jonathan has half a brain, he will read his future mother-in-law's words and look at the pictures of his future home and run for the Amish hills.

And which is it, Jill - do you need PT because you tore your knee in four places, or you just ran a mile?

As I understood the Jillese, Kellers are Nurthan. She is unhappy they live SO FAR AWAY in Florida, but is throwing in the pious "God's will" thing to show she is bravely suffering as a good Christian mother. The Not Nurie Now Known as Kaylee is NOT going to do the same to her (at least for now)!

And yes, yes, yes to the bold. I already suspected, but this post confirms for me that the advice of the surgeon "not to do surgery now" was really not to do surgery ever. But disclosing that is not going to bring her the attention she wants.

[laurakaye]

Jill seems to like posting Before and After photos of her interior design creations, thinking that the Afters are so creative and inspirational, but sometimes the Afters look scarier and creepier than the Befores.  This is one of those times.

That entire basement "apartment" looks damp, probably smells like mold and cheap paint, with wiring designed to blow a fuse or set the kitchen on fire at any moment.  It could also double as a set for a Stephen King movie, if Jonathan decides to run screaming.

Edited April 8, 2022 by laurakaye

[Absolom]

5 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

Gee how injured are you if you fixed up a basement. What a liar. And running a mile means you are not injured… 

what a horrible woman Jillcatraz is… keep on lying boo.

When my daughter had her simple knee injury, she couldn't run.  In fact after the surgery, they had to get PT extended until she could run again.  

Jill is such a liar.  Perhaps she had a grade 1 sprain. 

Edited April 8, 2022 by Absolom

[BradandJanet]

That ugly table at the foot of the bed is one of Jill's craft projects she bragged about. I think she let a couple of the kids help her with the paint. She probably tried to sell it at the Creamy Ivory booth and no one bought it, so she dumped it on Jonathan. 

Looking at Jill's idea of an apartment for her almost son-in-law makes me wonder what kind of job she arranged for him. She claimed to have both an apartment and a job lined up. 

 

[charmed1]

31 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

Jill seems to like posting Before and After photos of her interior design creations, thinking that the Afters are so creative and inspirational, but sometimes the Afters look scarier and creepier than the Befores.  This is one of those times.

That entire basement "apartment" looks damp, probably smells like mold and cheap paint, with wiring designed to blow a fuse or set the kitchen on fire at any moment.  It could also double as a set for a Stephen King movie, if Jonathan decides to run screaming.

I was going to say I can smell this basement. No judgment, because I have a basement with junk in it too. But everything about their lifestyle already seems so stifling and claustrophobic to me, the thought of living in someone’s dark and cluttered basement while being in a cult just feels so Investigation Discovery channel to me. 

Knowing that David “noticed” Jill when she was 14, it makes me concerned for her younger daughters when they’re at these churches. I hope that there aren’t grown men “noticing” them as well.

[Rootbeer]

Quote

That ugly table at the foot of the bed is one of Jill's craft projects she bragged about. I think she let a couple of the kids help her with the paint. She probably tried to sell it at the Creamy Ivory booth and no one bought it, so she dumped it on  sold it to Jonathan. 

FIFY

[Minivanessa]

27 minutes ago, charmed1 said:

I was going to say I can smell this basement. No judgment, because I have a basement with junk in it too. But everything about their lifestyle already seems so stifling and claustrophobic to me, the thought of living in someone’s dark and cluttered basement while being in a cult just feels so Investigation Discovery channel to me. 

Bingo. 

And, anyway, to me, Jonathan's moving to Ohio and living in those basement quarters arranged by Jill, seems - odd. Especially if he's going to have a job arranged by Jill too. 

When the engagement was announced I looked up his family. His dad had a fairly mainstream type of career - as an executive with ACE - and now is large and in charge as pastor of a church. His mother seems to be in charge of the family farm. They've lived in that area for awhile, and Jonathan regularly speaks at Sunday evening services at their church. 

I really wonder why he's in such a hot hurry to move so far away from his family instead of getting established in a job or business of some sort where he already has roots and connections. Maybe his dad is a controlling a-hole, or Jonathan just doesn't get along well with him, or . . . ? 

Do we know what if any kind of work Jonathan has been doing? Nathan Keller had a lawn care business going by the time he married Nurie, so it made sense that he'd stay there after marriage. 

All we know for sure, is that Jonathan is going to join the Rodrigues circus in Ohio. Jill wins this round, adding another subject to her little kingdom. It must be such a bitter disappointment to Jill that not only is Nathan's status as ANNA DUGGAR'S BROTHER no longer a bragging point, he's taken Nurie away to Florida and doesn't seem likely to move to Ohio. 

[Zella]

7 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

I really wonder why he's in such a hot hurry to move so far away from his family instead of getting established in a job or business of some sort where he already has roots and connections. Maybe his dad is a controlling a-hole, or Jonathan just doesn't get along well with him, or . . . ?

It's possible he is trying to escape something from home, but it's also possible he just wants to get laid and doesn't have the life experience and brain power to realize that you don't have to marry the first girl that you lock eyes on and want to sleep with, especially when her mom is as crazy as Jill. I think we might have another Ben here. 

Edited April 8, 2022 by Zella

[wilsie]

Jill's prayers are so selfish.  

[thehorseofpower]

Man...that basement "apartment" is awful. It looks so dark and dirty. Nothing wrong with that for a typical basement storage area...but to live in as newlyweds? Yikes. If Jonathan actually has a job lined up, why would they not plan to rent a real apartment come November?

[lilwhitelion]

4 hours ago, Westiepeach said:

My favorite update is the dangling electrical outlet in the "kitchen"...

ETA: Oh! and the lamp on the kitchen table that is the twin to one of the nightstand lamps. Why couldn't she have matching lamps in the bedroom on the nightstands and put the other lamp in the kitchen???

 

Good eye!  All I can think is because the bedside table is so much shorter on the right, she needed to use the mismatched taller lamp there.  Now it is almost the same height as the lamp on the left.  If she had used the matched lamp, it would have been very noticeable that the tables are nowhere near the same height.

[Future Cat Lady]

Poor guy! That's an appartment for a little old lady.

[BitterApple]

Oh Jonathan, you sweet summer child. This poor schmuck has no idea what he's in for. He's gonna go broke keeping Jill in hair extensions and Olive Garden dinners. 

[Westiepeach]

This is like a bad accident I can't look away from. Maybe it's the angle, but does the mattress seem way to big for the headboard and bed frame? Like if you sat at the very edge of the bed it would not end well?

 

[merylinkid]

I ... like the quilt.

But, heavens, which Amish person did they grift that from?   Those things go for HUNDREDS of dollars.   Nice going Jill, you conned someone out of a good chunk of income for them.

[YupItsMe]

Hopefully this is his bachelor apartment and they will find a nicer, more private place to live together. He is a man, but may not be allowed to live totally on his own until married.

As for moving to be near Kaylee, he seems totally smitten and would probably do whatever is necessary just to be near her. I think it would be better for them not to live so close to Jill though. They will never gain independence from her.

[Westiepeach]

22 minutes ago, lilwhitelion said:

Good eye!  All I can think is because the bedside table is so much shorter on the right, she needed to use the mismatched taller lamp there.  Now it is almost the same height as the lamp on the left.  If she had used the matched lamp, it would have been very noticeable that the tables are nowhere near the same height.

True, she could have put the matching lamp on a stack of books (KJ bibles, perhaps - lol!) to balance it.

Poor, silly Jonny. He could have taken NotNurie far, far away from that circus. I don't buy for one second how NotNurie loves her family sooooooo much that she couldn't bear to live far away from BME and GWE! She's been told that her whole life and does not know she has a choice. I really, really hope that is not their newlywed home, but I am afraid it is. Sad. And like someone said earlier, Jonny is going to be broke taking the whole famn damily out to the "Good" Olive Garden all the time.

[laurakaye]

39 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

Oh Jonathan, you sweet summer child. This poor schmuck has no idea what he's in for. He's gonna go broke keeping Jill in hair extensions and Olive Garden dinners. 

Meanwhile, Nathan is in Florida gleefully counting down the days until the Jonlee wedding.

[ginger90]

45 minutes ago, Westiepeach said:

does the mattress seem way to big for the headboard and bed frame?

Did anyone see a heat source in any of the pictures? Perhaps there are multiple layers of blankets under the quilt!

[Teriacky]

That is an incredibly ugly living space. Jill’s decorating skills are on a par with her make up skills.  NONEXISTENT!!!

[laurakaye]

I also find it disturbing, yet not surprising, that JillRod decorated the bedroom of her daughter's future husband.  I'd like to assume that Jill gave Jonathan and Kaylee some say in how she decorated, but I know better - Jill just used whatever she could grift from her Amish neighbors and any furniture she found along the side of the road, plus every slightly damp throw rug from the local Goodwill dumpster.

[ginger90]

1 minute ago, laurakaye said:

I also find it disturbing, yet not surprising, that JillRod decorated the bedroom of her daughter's future husband. 

Jill said they did the room before he moved. He probably wasn’t even in the state. I kind of wish it were a video with Not Nurie giving the tour and remarking that the bed was big. 😁

[Boston]

8 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

Terrible photo. Looks like they are in a prison.

What on Gods green earth is Jonathan's EXCELLENT job??? (must be great since he lives in a basement).

5 hours ago, Westiepeach said:

My favorite update is the dangling electrical outlet in the "kitchen"...

ETA: Oh! and the lamp on the kitchen table that is the twin to one of the nightstand lamps. Why couldn't she have matching lamps in the bedroom on the nightstands and put the other lamp in the kitchen???

 

FIRE IN THE KITCHEN in..3...2...1

[Boston]

55 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

I ... like the quilt.

But, heavens, which Amish person did they grift that from?   Those things go for HUNDREDS of dollars.   Nice going Jill, you conned someone out of a good chunk of income for them.

I think she's a SIDE OF THE ROAD shopper (free).  My uncle is 87 and drives around and picks up broken junk; however, they are usually things with motors and he fixes them and gives them away.  (gives him a hobby since my aunt died).

[ozziemom]

I think BME has a never ending supply of junk that she’s found/grifted and using it in Jon’s “apartment” frees up space for her to collect more. Hopefully this is temporary until the wedding. I’m guessing she coerced the church friends into a free living space for Jon sort of like the Bates did back in the day with Bobby Smith. Next thing he knew he’s married to Tori and living in the middle of his in-laws! Run Jonathan Run!

[skatelady]

19 minutes ago, Boston said:

What on Gods green earth is Jonathan's EXCELLENT job??? (must be great since he lives in a basement).

 

If it actually was EXCELLENT, you can be sure she would've spilled the details. More likely is that she considers it excellent that she was able to find him ANY job that would tether him to Ohio - and keep him just close enough to the poverty line that he'll be able to treat her to frequent meals at the GOG but not be able to escape. 

[Minivanessa]

I wonder if the bed is a mattress + box spring sitting on a frame, and the headboard is pretty much just propped up on the wall behind the bed, or somehow attached to the frame. IOW, the actual bed frame isn't original to the headboard. Which, along with that camera angle, would produce that odd look of the bed as so large compared to the headboard. Years ago I had a bedroom set that had come down through the family, with what had originally been a full sized bed. Somebody had adapted the bed frame to accommodate a queen mattress and box springs, and yes the headboard looked a bit small - but overall not as bad as the one in the photo.