7 Little Johnstons - General Discussion

[gunderda]

Are they keeping the chickens in their coop all the time?? I thought they needed room to run around.  

[gunderda]

I work at the Goodwill store on the weekends. You wouldn't believe the number of girls who were trying on prom dresses. The price range is like between $15-$25.00

 

When my son took his girlfriend to prom last may, she had on a really pretty dress. She told me that her mom got it at a Goodwill for $20.00

 

$100-$150 for a prom dress. No Way!

 

You might die if I told you what I spent on my senior prom dress.  lol  BUT I paid for it myself. 

[DkNNy79]

Are they keeping the chickens in their coop all the time?? I thought they needed room to run around.  

I hope not, it looked like a pretty small coop.

 

I enjoyed the show (s).  It was kinda hard to watch Jonah at the soccer try outs as you can definitely see where his limitations were physically.

 

Loved seeing the flashbacks of the kids when they were first adopted.  I hope to see more of that.  They got Alex at 6 months and he was flown to Atlanta.  WOW!

[gunderda]

I hope not, it looked like a pretty small coop.

 

I enjoyed the show (s).  It was kinda hard to watch Jonah at the soccer try outs as you can definitely see where his limitations were physically.

 

Loved seeing the flashbacks of the kids when they were first adopted.  I hope to see more of that.  They got Alex at 6 months and he was flown to Atlanta.  WOW!

That's what I was thinking too.  My neighbors have chickens (in city limits) and they built them a small coop but gave them about half of their backyard to run around in during the day.  Apparently the chickens wanted more because they started hoping the fence into everyone's yards.  Then I started seeing them starting to wander across the street.

It benefited me for a week because I got about 7 free eggs one week when one of the chickens decided they liked my back porch lol. 

 

But now my neighbors have let the chickens roam their entire back yard which seems to keep them from wanting to jump the fence in our yards.  Pretty sure that's not legal.... but I guess it's working. 

The kids must go to a pretty big school.   I don't think we ever had tryouts for sports when I was in high school.  You started on JV and if you were really awesome as a fresh/soph then you were bumped up to Varsity but I think if you were a junior/senior you were automatically on varsity.

The only tryouts we had were for cheerleading. 

[silverspoons]

We had chickens for a few years. They would roam in our yard. We have a walkout basement and the chicken would sit and watch tv through the window. The biggest fear was cats getting in the yard. We have a block wall and fence and gates but it does not keep cats out and sadly we had a chicken die. Even in the coop , you have to be watching because cats or other animals can dig  their way in slowly. We found the chicken became pets. Our kids loved those chickens. Foolishly I let them watch a Martha Stewart show on chickens and they wanted air conditioned coops and chicken diapers. As the chicken became pets, my kids didn't want to eat the eggs. It was also WAY more expensive to have chickens then buying eggs at the grocery store.

When I saw Amber wanting to get each kid a chicken, I bet that at least 2-3 kids turn the chicken into a pet more then a chore.

 

I also enjoyed the backstory of the adoptions. TLC likes to have storylines like the chickens, dances, sports, but it is sometimes the simple stories or day to day stuff that is the best. Why did viewers like the little couple, because they had enough real life stuff like Jen's work at the hospital, the pet store, just day to day dinners and life that people related to.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

All that drama created about where to spend their income tax!  Living room furniture or a tv and the tv was comped anyway?  Not a fan of manufactured plots.  

[CousinAmy]

Did they show the name of the store where they "bought" the dresses? I noticed when the TV was delivered they showed the truck, and the father even said the store name. Gotta keep an eye out for product placement!

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Aaron's store was listed in the credits for the tv.  I didn't think twice about it until I saw that and then realized how duped the audience was watching the family rummage through a wrecking yard when they likely could have had free furniture too!

Edited April 10, 2015 by Foghorn Leghorn

[TEEVEE]

I kindof get the idea that repurposing is actually something they do. It may or may not be something they continue, but just look at their home. I don't think they have much money, yet. Does look like the kids are well dressed and they are taking care of medical/dental issues first. I like this little family.

[TEEVEE]

Jonah seems a little slow maybe, or perhaps he is just depressed. He has this far off look a lot of the times, and seems immature for 15.  The other kids seem right on track and are cute LP kids. Is dwarfism considered a disability? If so, this family could qualify for SS benefits. Which maybe Amber doesn't consider as welfare.

[TEEVEE]

I think $150 was the price for one of the dresses but I think one of them ended up being half price at the end.  

 

Every time a product brand or a place such as a shop, restaurant, hotel or pumpkin patch is visibly shown we know it is comped so this show is just like any other show on tv so it continues. 

Did you notice all the brands of the food on the counters were showing? Do you suppose those foods are all comped too. I even saw a kitchenaide mixer, Nike, Polo, Minute Rice, K cups to name a few.

While we have no idea what went on off camera, I hope they talked to Anna more about who she has been hanging out with and if there are any problems at school. Her sister who is one year older, went to the same school and had to leave because she was bullied. Did the parents find out if Anna's problems stem from bullying?

Since the family no longer lives in a subdivision and lives a bit remote, do they know their kids friends? I not only know my kids friends but I know most of the kids in their classes as well as I can. I openly talk with my kids and their friends (buying pizza and soda for late nights gets kids to open up). I'm not naïve even living in rural Utah that plenty of kids drink, smoke and do drugs(yet attend church). My oldest and I have discussed that you can't avoid the "bad kids", sometimes you are picked to work on an assignment in a group with random kids or play on a sports team with them. It is choosing who you spend the time with that you have a choice over that is important. I wonder if Trent and Amber know the good kids from the school or from their church community and ask Anna why she was choosing to hang out with kids with spray paint over her church friends or kids she is friends with that were not involved.

The punishment won't work if the underlying problem isn't solved. It could be she is being teased or it could be she is making poor choices in friends.

I believe Anna is 14 and Elizabeth is 13. Was Elizabeth bullied or Anna? Is that why they moved?

Watching Anna breakdown and be publically humiliated on TV was probably more traumatic then being bullied. I was physically impacted by that scene. That was raw and exploitive. Trent and Amber how dare you let a network do that to your child, let alone one with issues already.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Jonah seems a little slow maybe, or perhaps he is just depressed. He has this far off look a lot of the times, and seems immature for 15.  The other kids seem right on track and are cute LP kids. Is dwarfism considered a disability? If so, this family could qualify for SS benefits. Which maybe Amber doesn't consider as welfare.

 

I have wondered that about Jonah.  Dwarfism is a disability and they are entitled to claim for their 5 kids and for Amber too because she doesn't draw an income.  I am wondering if dental is included and the back surgery Anna had to have.     

Edited April 10, 2015 by Foghorn Leghorn

[gunderda]

I kindof get the idea that repurposing is actually something they do. It may or may not be something they continue, but just look at their home. I don't think they have much money, yet. Does look like the kids are well dressed and they are taking care of medical/dental issues first. I like this little family.

 

TLC aired some episodes before they made it an official series, people said they were older episodes from a different channel.  In those you saw they lived in a pretty nice house before this one.  Not like fancy nice but middle-class/newish house nice. Sounds like they moved to a different area and specifically wanted a fixer-upper.  I think they're doing pretty good financially.

Especially since the one daughter got all her 'designer' clothes taken away.  I'd kinda like to know what they're considering designer for a 14(?) year old though.

[gunderda]

We have stray cats in our neighborhood and I was worried for my neighbor's chickens because of that (and other wild animals) but amazingly I think all other animals leave them alone.  I can't remember how many they started out with, but it seems like they still have the same amount. 

That's the main reason I was worried about them jumping the fence and wandering around the neighborhood.  I didn't want to find a dead chicken in my yard =/

All that drama created about where to spend their income tax!  Living room furniture or a tv and the tv was comped anyway?  Not a fan of manufactured plots.  

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like Aaron's is an odd place to get a comp'ed item. Aren't they mainly marketed as rental or rent-to-own type of store? 

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like Aaron's is an odd place to get a comp'ed item. Aren't they mainly marketed as rental or rent-to-own type of store? 

 

I had never heard of Aaron's so I googled it and yes it is a lease/rent to own furniture/appliance shop headquartered out of Atlanta so it makes less sense to see them take credit and I wonder why they didn't include the furniture too.  No clue!

[gunderda]

I had never heard of Aaron's so I googled it and yes it is a lease/rent to own furniture/appliance shop headquartered out of Atlanta so it makes less sense to see them take credit and I wonder why they didn't include the furniture too.  No clue!

We have a couple of them here and they're mainly in the not so awesome areas of town.. where people would be more likely to need to rent/lease items instead of buying/financing outright. 

[CousinAmy]

I wondered about whether dwarfism was a "disability" and the answer is not quite clear. There have to be specific standards met, it's not enough to be short-statured. (There are also financial and asset requirements, too, so Amber may not qualify if the family income is too high.) 

 

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/resources/disability/getting-disability-growth-impairment-or-growth

[CousinAmy]

Maybe TLC is renting the TV until they know if the show will be a long-running one?

[ShaNaeNae]

I like this family. Little things (no pun intended) make me laugh. Like trying to do the Dirty Dancing lift, or him sliding in doing the Risky Business slide. The first episode of her trying to talk to the camera and he kept turning on his power drill. And the trick to having the truck door shut. 

 

Little Alex is cute, but sometimes he seems to get a little too mouthy. And Amber seems to have come from the same place Doug from Married At First Sight comes from. Great looking people, but can be even better looking if some of those moles can be taken off. But that's just silly nitpicking.

 

I do like them better than the last little family that was on. I like when families aren't afraid to show their warts on TV (ahem, Dr. Jenn). 

[winsomeone]

Alex talks too much, and thinks he is cuter than he is. At 9, I have trouble understanding a lot of what he says. They need to stifle the kid and let some of the others talk. Also, don't like the sex talk. Last night the mother told the daughter her hoo ha (sp?) was sore, and that she should tell the father she was off limits that night. What mother talks like that to a teenaged, or any daughter, for that matter. A big turn off. The father is always referring to sex too.

[gunderda]

Yet apparently the kids aren't allowed to talk about sex AT ALL or they will get in trouble. A little bizarre. 

Alex was cute at first but I think I would probably shoot myself in the head if I lived in that house and had to listen to him all the time. 

[TEEVEE]

Seems like some of the kiddos have some emotional issues. Alex repeats phrases a lot, and is always talking about food. Both Jonah and Anna are quick to pout, and Anna seems to cry a lot. Elizabeth seems age appropriate as does Emma, although she doesn't seem particualry comfortable with the cameras.

 

Trent most likely was under contract to make the weekend trip even though he had double pneumonia.

 

I do like this family, but I have a feeling, just under the surface is a militant mom. These kids seem just on the verge of being scared.

[piewackett]

I thought it was great that they chose to visit our mountains here in North Carolina. Then my ears began to bleed from Alex chattering constantly through the trip. When they were leaving the vacation house, Trent said to another driver " what are you looking at you Hee Haw person"..  clinched it for me. Totally uncalled for!! Pretty sure they wouldn't like it if someone referred to them in derogatory terms. First time posting- long term lurker, came over from TWP!!

 

[Christi]

Hate Alex..

Self entitled little jerk.

Dont care how old he is

[DkNNy79]

I DVR the episodes since it comes on too late and will watch tonight.  Amber and Trent make a lot of sexual innuendos when talking, which there's nothing wrong with.  But I just wonder if they rein that in with the kids around, especially since they've forbidden any sex talk in the house among the kids.

[DkNNy79]

Hate Alex..

Self entitled little jerk.

Dont care how old he is

This is on Trent and Amber.  They adopted him when he was 6 months old.

 

Trent and Amber seem like they are strict with the other kids, but they freely admit (especially Amber) that since Alex is the youngest that they definitely spoil him.

[KarmaG]

Episode 3 shows that even this series is aired out of order. In episode 3 we see Trent and Alex at the scrap place picking up the chairs that we saw in episode 1 or 2

The kids must go to a pretty big school.   I don't think we ever had tryouts for sports when I was in high school.  You started on JV and if you were really awesome as a fresh/soph then you were bumped up to Varsity but I think if you were a junior/senior you were automatically on varsity.

The only tryouts we had were for cheerleading. 

 

When I was in high school many moons ago, we had to try out for sports and I went to a small school, not even 300 kids in the entire school.

Edited April 16, 2015 by KarmaG

[winsomeone]

They have been on two expensive trips since this show started, and Amber wants us to believe they paid for them out of their own pocket. I am sure TLC covered all costs. If not, how stupid can they be, to go on a trip to an expensive ski lodge, and yet haven't a stick of furniture in their living room. Also, I wish they must take trips,  I wish they would do something that isn't so difficult for a little person to manage..there must be lots of things they can do well..skiing and zip lining just aren't some of them.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Agreed any money they have should be spent on their own house and furnishing it.  However that resort likely gave it to them free for all the exposure they got plus the whole family raved about the house and the experience.  And again TLC uses the same formula for activities too and zip lining has to be one of them and there seemed to be no problem adjusting for this little family yet the Hamills couldn't do it.  

[silverspoons]

I wondered about whether dwarfism was a "disability" and the answer is not quite clear. There have to be specific standards met, it's not enough to be short-statured. (There are also financial and asset requirements, too, so Amber may not qualify if the family income is too high.) 

 

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/resources/disability/getting-disability-growth-impairment-or-growth

I read some articles in which Amber talks about the adoption process and she made it clear they take no welfare or disability money. They use Trent's work insurnace for medical. I would assume one surgery would wipe out all of their out pocket in for the year. They did take church donations to pay for the adoption fees. 

 

 

As for Alex, he seems all over the place. I often forget his age. One moment he is talking about poop or has a very short attention span and I think he is 4 or 5 and the next minute his speech and vocabulary is right on age. He is the youngest but he was adopted as an infant so he wasn't the last child adopted. I think Trent sees him as his little buddy and maybe Alex gets away with his behavior because Trent is a bit immature himself. 

[DkNNy79]

I believe Alex & Emma are both 9.  Emma is only older by a few months, but she was adopted last.

[gunderda]

I dunno... renovating a house is a lot of work.  I'm sure they enjoyed the vacation. I don't think I cared about furniture when I was younger.  I spent a lot of time in my room.  If we saw the name of the resort then it was comped or deeply discounted. 

 

I'm having a hard time remembering a 2nd vacation? My brain is moosh today from the work I had to do at my job. 

[KarmaG]

Here in CO, middle school is 6th 7th & 8th grade.

 

That's how it was in the areas I went to school - mostly Washington state but also CO, WY and Montana.

I believe Alex & Emma are both 9.  Emma is only older by a few months, but she was adopted last.

 

You are correct, they are the same age and Emma was adopted last.

[KarmaG]

Am watching the ski trip episode right now and have, so far anyway, not saw the ski place name once nor have they mentioned it even in a talking head.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Am watching the ski trip episode right now and have, so far anyway, not saw the ski place name once nor have they mentioned it even in a talking head.

 

When they first arrive the sign is shown and I believe they make reference to it when they are praising Amber for finding such a beautiful place. 

Edited April 20, 2015 by Foghorn Leghorn

[gunderda]

I know TLC aired some 'old' episodes before this officially became a series... does anyone know if these episodes are new new or just new to TLC? 

Just wondering because they all seem to be very comfortable with the cameras and I think they come across better than the previous series (The Hamlins...Hamiltons....?). 

[Taylorh2]

My dh is from Washington State. Yakima

[CousinAmy]

I think it's Sapphire Something. They mentioned it several times. 

 

This show is even phonier than the last one! They can't finish painting the living room walls, but they can rent a high-end ski chalet, all the ski gear they need, pay for food, etc.? This was not a cheap trip. 

 

I wonder about the meals they are eating. They've bought enough groceries for 9 people, stocked up the fridge and the cabinets, and Amber just cooks them in that huge, unfamiliar kitchen? It's one thing to economize on your groceries when you're home, and you know you have an extra can of cream-of-mushroom soup behind the tomato soup, but when you're on the road, you're cooking from a slightly-less well-stocked pantry, and you probably don't have all the equipment - or the same equipment you're used to - you have at home. 

 

Now on my Hate-Watch list. 

[CousinAmy]

 

As for Alex, he seems all over the place. I often forget his age. One moment he is talking about poop or has a very short attention span and I think he is 4 or 5 and the next minute his speech and vocabulary is right on age. He is the youngest but he was adopted as an infant so he wasn't the last child adopted. I think Trent sees him as his little buddy and maybe Alex gets away with his behavior because Trent is a bit immature himself.

So I notice that Alex has talked about needing to use the bathroom, saying "I have to poop," etc. When they stopped so he could use the restroom, they made it into a sort of joke. If it wasn't appropriate for the Arnold-Klein kids, it's not appropriate for Alex's bathroom habits to be the subject of national ridicule either. 

[KarmaG]

My dh is from Washington State. Yakima

 

I was born and mostly raised in the Longview area. A great deal of my family remains there, I enjoy being many states away :D

[Foghorn Leghorn]

I You Tubed some old episodes of their show when they were on OWN going back about 4 years.  They had 2 doxies but now we see Jessie a big dog.  I wonder what happened to the two little dogs.  

[Chalby]

Was her punishment just the parents taking away her clothes? I thought that was kind of odd. I thought it would be the phone, computer, or TV.

I agree with you in that I didn't see how it was a 'logical' or 'natural' consequence. Perhaps, this has been a consequence used for prior issues that they simply carried over to this issue?

[silverspoons]

 

 

This show is even phonier than the last one! They can't finish painting the living room walls, but they can rent a high-end ski chalet, all the ski gear they need, pay for food, etc.? This was not a cheap trip.  

 

Now on my Hate-Watch list. 

 

I go back and forth on this show. I watched this morning pausing it as I did laundry and dishes. One minute I'm sick of the obvious TLC planted ideas. We love line dancing. We have never lined danced together. We normally don't celebrate Valentine's day. This year (even though we are near broke), we decided to celebrate it. We never buy gifts for each other. This year Trent buys a $1k gift. We never celebrate birthdays. This year we have decided to. Almost every storyline we have seen on the Duggars or Little Couple.

 

They need to somehow creatively admit that they are getting extras from the show. How many times did we hear how did you afford the dishwasher? Obviously TLC got it for them. They said they are doing a pay as you go cash renovation. They don't seem to be budgeters with food(take out on every episode & $121 in snacks for a road trip), and $420 gas bill in a month. As head of landscaping or maintenance how much can Trent make? 65-75k? You can see it has taken them over a year to get 2 basic bedrooms and a bathroom in place. Now somehow they are finding money for the kitchen which can't be cheap. A kitchen can be done cheap but that stove was not cheap and either was the dishwasher. Also I can't imagine that kitchen is going to be that small in the end given that the house is 6000 sq ft.

 

They start out the show with the whole sexting 50 shades stuff and show Anna is reading the texts. So we know Anna got in big trouble for texting a boy yet her parents openly sext in front of their kids? and then go up in the bedroom during the day when the kids are home. While I like the parents aren't fighting, I think they go way overboard on the sex talk.

 

I enjoy the backstory parts. I was trying to piece them together but not sure I got all the information right. Amber had never dated before Trent. Amber was 14 when they met and he was 18? They got married when she was 18.

Edited April 22, 2015 by silverspoons

[DkNNy79]

I still enjoy this show.  I'm not bothered by the obvious freebies that they are getting.  I figure its just reality tv for you. 

 

I enjoyed the second episode more than the first.  I liked the kids working together to put a party for Trent and Amber.  I loved the boys cooking dinner and the girls doing a spa.  Also, the fun run with Trent and Jonah.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

I think the kids are great!  Alex has replaced Will from The Little Couple as my fave kid!  He has personality and he can express it.  His smile lights up a room!  I saw some old pictures of him as a baby on You Tube and he was grinning from ear to ear then too, the kid was born with a smile.  Elizabeth is very mature for her age, she seems to have a wisdom about her and she is very pretty.  Jonah is funny and I love Anna's giggles, she too is a pretty girl.  Emma is cute and coming out of her shell.  

 

As for Amber and Trent PLEASE lose the non stop references to sex either in words or constantly hiking your eyebrows up and down in TH's!  America gets it and so do your kids!  Anna reading your texts and Elizabeth telling us "my parents do it a lot" is inappropriate especially when a couple of shows ago they weren't allowed to say the word sex.  Hanging a sign on your door so you can tell the kids you are having sex?  Discretion comes to mind.  Bill from the Little Couple likes to talk about sex too so the Johnston's Mommy and Daddy time is the equivalent of Bill and Jen's back massage time I guess.  It is obvious Amber enjoys her part but poor Bill is always begging for massages so I guess it is not one of Jen's fave pastimes!  I don't recall the Hammills behaving like that.  Trent using the word "undercheese".....neanderthal came to mind.    

 

A working kitchen and sufficient bathrooms are a priority in a house with 2 people never mind 7!  

Edited April 23, 2015 by Foghorn Leghorn

[gunderda]

That kitchen had to cost $$$$$.  I wonder if they got the labor for free or something.  It looked really nice though.  I don't think they got the entire thing for free. 

I'd imagine they're getting a discount from Aaron's for the appliances because it's really blowing my mind that they are choosing that store to buy appliances and a tv.  It's a lease/rent to own type of place. So there's no reason for them to purchase from there unless they can only afford it by making monthly payments.  But even then it would be way better if they found a store in the area that offered free financing for 2-3 years.  That's how I purchase all of my big items lol 

 

I really hope the fire department gave them a REAL good talking to after that fire.... I don't get why he didnt just call his friend in the first place. I hope they took that as a lesson that sometimes saving money isn't the best option. 

[DkNNy79]

I also think they try to do everything themselves to prove a point that they are just as capable as average sized folks.  I admire that, but average size folks need help and there is no shame in that.  That car fire looked real scary and the fire department got there real fast, I wonder if TLC called them.

[woodscommaelle]

Poor Anna. She seriously needed a hug. I know Amber hugged her for a second as she herself was still shaken up, but Anna just looked so frightened. Poor thing. Had that been my mom I would have been a mess as well.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Honestly the two of them trying to take that tree down on their own was just stupid.  Full sized adults would have been criticized for attempting it and would have ended up in the same predicament.  It wasn't their size that caused the issue it was how he was attempting to take the tree down in the first place especially so near to the road and traffic.  Of course you have to take the tops off first and not fell it from a stump like you are in the bush.  I thought it was odd we heard sirens even before Amber got out of the truck if I am not mistaken which made me wonder how come.  Everyone was genuinely upset and I hope they learned a lesson.  

[Cherrio]

Poor Anna. She seriously needed a hug. I know Amber hugged her for a second as she herself was still shaken up, but Anna just looked so frightened. Poor thing. Had that been my mom I would have been a mess as well.

The mom did not seem to hug her with any warmth or love. I thought, there is a bad vibe between those two. My guess is that she is looked at as the bad kid in the family.  I hope that is not the case.

     If Anna is flirting, texting with boys, gee I wonder where she learned it?    The parents are extremely inappropriate a lot.   Irrc, the mother went as far to inform her daughters she would not be having sex one night and to tell their dad?      

 

          The new kitchen looked very small.    Also, I noticed there was no evidence of any preparation or cooking for Easter. Those serving pans are what catered food comes in, the same for the holders and sterno.       She didn't cook a thing. More TLC fake stuff.