Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears

[Rhondinella]

I'm a little worried that empty nest syndrome may send her over the edge.  What do you think?

[Chris Knight]

Its possible. I feel bad for Meri. I know she's made an ass of herself on natl TV, what with all the nonsense about her minibar, her empty McMansion, her constant tears, etc. But, I will say one thing: infertility sucks. Big time. And in Meri's situation, with Jannelle & Christine popping out babies left & right, that must have been horrible for Meri. If I were her, I doubt I would have stayed in the marriage. No matter how much she loves Kodi, the constant reminder of her "inadequacy" must have been torture.

[all4mom]

Menopause - or the arrival of Robyn - or something - has not been kind to Meri.

[Absolom]

She looks dreadfully ragged in that last photo that came out.

[Jellybeans]

I think Meri would have been happier with someone who was not into polygamy. Someone other than Kody.

[Goldielocked]

 

I think Meri would have been happier with someone who was not into polygamy. Someone other than Kody.

You may be right, but she'll never admit it!!!

[Jellybeans]

No she won't admit it.

I do wonder if the "empty nest syndrome" angle is being played up.

[Goldielocked]

Probably, since there is very little drama left for them to hone in on, at least until there is another pregnancy or a new wife.  Maybe Mariah will stay at school over spring break or summer vacation instead of going home.  That could really send Meri into a tailspin!  

[all4mom]

I think Meri would've been left in the dust if she hadn't agreed to Cody's dream of a harem; wasn't he into the "religion" before they married?

[Absolom]

I think Mariah came to California for spring break. I can't remember now, but she was twitter about going somewhere with friends.

[FinePoint]

I thought Meri came from a "plyg" family, too, not just Mormon but plyg. I could be wrong, there. But I agree with what some of you have said. She talks the talk about how it makes them all better people, but in her heart of hearts, I think it breaks her heart having to share her husband. Maybe that's my own bias coming into play. I just think she was willing to go all into this in order to keep Kody, and she's in too deep now to turn back and say this is really making her unhappy. Plus, then Robyn would have an even deeper hold on Kody, so just that primal competition to hold onto him is going to keep Meri in the game, I think.  
 

Edited April 17, 2014 by FinePoint

[Absolom]

Yes, Meri came from a polygamist family and has said she accepts the sister wives because she wanted Cody so much.  I think the lifestyle is killing her on the inside.  It will be interesting to see how she adapts to an empty nest.  Judging by the last photo I saw of her, she's heading downhill fast. 

[FinePoint]

Is Meri looking worn out or something? I haven't seen her pictures lately; I think the last I saw of her was one of the next to last episodes; I'm a bit behind. I don't know what her emotional or physical issues are but I am going to guess that she is very unhappy in a plural marriage, whether she is able to admit it to herself or not, and the stress of sharing her husband has created depression which is taking a physical toll on her. That's just my guess. I'm sure others have said as much. As much as some of us may think he's a doofus, he's her doofus. Reality tv is so not a good idea for so many people. It just exacerbates their problems, IMO. 

[Absolom]

Here is the link to the photo.

[Jellybeans]

She looks like a lot of my unhappily married girlfriends.

[all4mom]

Wow; Janelle looks THIN (and beautiful)!  Who's the young chick standing between her and Meri?  Not a potential Wife #5, surely?  Can't be; it's not Robyn's LV sister...

Edited April 18, 2014 by all4mom

[Rhondinella]

OMG, that's Janelle!!!!  Would never have known that.

[Galloway Cave]

They were at a restaurant; the girl in between Janelle and Meri has a name tag on and is probably a server. Last summer, before the Sister Wives Blog went down, someone reported that Robyn's sister had moved back to Utah, enrolled in school and was living her life on her own there. From what friends were reporting, she was only visiting Robyn to babysit and was never a consideration for marriage.

[Jellybeans]

Robyn's sister is very young too.

[WimminWinning]

Maybe it's just the shirt and the angle she's posing in, but Robyn looks like she's pregnant again in that picture.

This is really vain, but wow, Janelle is now beating out Christine for prettiest wife! (not that this is some fucked up competition or anything) Janelle is glowing and her facial features are more prominent with the weight loss.

[Songbird]

Christine and Janelle look great in that picture!! Very pretty!!

 

And Robyn does look pregnant there....  Meri looks worn down, but could just not be a good pic of her.

 

Anyone know when the show is coming back on?

 

I really didn't like My Five Wives at all. Sister Wives is much better!

[jellywager]

 

Here is the link to the photo.

Wow Kody and Meri are morphing into each other. Bad frizzy hair and big bellies. Janelle's face is so thin now, good for her. Robyn's head is really, really big. 

[MMLEsq]

Anyone know when the show is coming back on?

I saw a commercial today -- the next season starts Sunday, June 8th.

[MamaMax]

Wow, Meri looks bigger than Christine or Janelle in that photo…wasn't she thin when the show started? This show wrecked her life, I think.  When she lost that job she loved and got thrust out there into the limelight where every one is hating on her and making fun of her….. she  looks so so unhappy and unhealthy!

[jellywager]

I think Meri was thin when the show started b/c she dieted before taping. I remember reading that somewhere. She is certainly a confusing character in that she picks out the wives for Kody but seems to hate sharing him. It is also sly of her to demand 1/5 of the money, so that is split by the number of wives verses splitting it by the number of people. 

[TVFAN]

I have always found it interesting that Meri seems to be a lightening rod for criticism for things over which Kody is given a pass.  For instance, if she is indeed receiving 1/5 of the proceeds from the show, that means Kody is receiving 1/5 as well.  If there is a problem with her getting 1/5, why is it okay for him to get 1/5?  (BTW I honestly have no problem with the adults divvying up the proceeds equally.)  Similarly, Meri has been slammed for having a big house and for the delay in getting in the paperwork for the house.  But my understanding is that her house is also in Kody's name.  I believe she is the only wife who is sharing  title (though I could be wrong).  If paperwork needed to be submitted, why was it her job, not their job?

[GuiltyPleasures]

Janelle and Christine look the best they've ever looked since they've been On TV.  Robyn's head is expanding horizontally and she'd look right at home in a prairie dress and one of those high-bump hairstyles.  You can tell exactly what she's going to look like when she's 65. 

 

I'm no longer bothered by Meri taking a bigger piece of the pie than the other wives.  I look at it as that's her fee for putting up with Kody and the lifestyle.  Somehow as I see Meri in that picture I am reminded of Vincent from Beauty and The Beast.  Wow that's mean.  I should be ashamed.

[Featherhat]

I don’t actually mind Meri getting an equal slice of the pie regardless of the number of kids everyone has. Yeah it would be much fairer if it was divided by kids but Meri already feels terrible for having one kid when Janelle and Christine popped out 6 each without a problem. She’d feel and act much worse if she lived in a much smaller house or apartment whilst everyone else got McMansions. For the sake of her remaining sanity and everyone else’s I can see why they do it. There’s no way she wouldn’t see it as “punishment” for her lack of fertility and she already hates the fact that she wasn’t enough for Kody. Plus she’d still need non kid related “housekeeping” money for general use. If they actually were a unified family who lived in the same house it would be a different matter, but they aren’t, they’re 4 separate families. Not that that excuses her from demanding an even more expensive house than everyone else.

 

I am glad she’s going back to school, she needs something to occupy herself and its way more constructive than the jewellery business and might lead to her getting a job and realising there are some benefits of not having Mariah/other kids around all the time any more.

[CofCinci]

Thread should have been named Meri and her wet bar of tears.

[RedheadZombie]

I think one of the reasons that Meri tends to be the most miserable, is because she's the most demanding.  Being the most demanding, she's going to be frequently disappointed.  Janelle asks for very little, and Christine asks only for her children to see Kody more than once a week.  Meri wants Kody to be her soul mate.  And I think he is.  But watching Meri's personality influence Mariah's petulant and spoiled actions has gotten to Kody.  He's had that conversation with Meri, and Meri has acknowledged she does influence Mariah negatively, and that having to live with Mariah has given her some sympathy for Kody having to deal with Meri.

 

I do feel for Meri.  She was horrible to Janelle back in the day - no question.  But it still comes up in their book and in every reunion.  I can see how Meri parses her words now, and I've watched her become frustrated when she can't express herself, for fear of the feedback.  But she remains lacking in self-awareness.  The whole wet bar conversation.  The showing up and shutting down of construction to the point that she's asked to stop coming.  Her crying about not getting into the new house before Christmas, when she had only herself to blame.  The coddling of Mariah who parks the vehicle aimed at the empty house and stares at it like a psychopath, and refusing to help or even be happy for her siblings. 

 

I do think that Meri has been incredibly selfish in demanding an equal share.  For one thing, she has given Mariah an unrealistic vision of what polygamy is.  It's no surprise that Mariah is the only child planning on that lifestyle.  She has lived (prior to the LV move) a life of relative privilege while her siblings were crammed into bedrooms like sardines.  In the first season, they contrasted Janelle feeding the children cheap Aldi garbage, while Meri is upstairs preparing herself more pricey and healthier food.  As she says about herself, she has expensive taste.  This has trickled down to Mariah's need to go to the expensive out of state private school - absolutely no other school was even considered.  And she absolutely could not send her to school without a nice car.

 

The Williams family distributes money per child, and there is far less disparity of children in that family.

[Adeejay]

In the first season, they contrasted Janelle feeding the children cheap Aldi garbage, while Meri is upstairs preparing herself more pricey and healthier food.

 

It was Christine who prepared a fat and sodium laden meal for her family and Janelle’s, while Meri dined on chicken breast, wild rice and asparagus.  I remember this clearly, because posters on TWOP went ballastic.

[Featherhat]

Wasn't that because she was on a diet (for the show) and no one else was? I think even Mariah was at Christine's eating with the rest. One one hand yeah she could probably afford better food than the others for obvious unfair reasons, OTOH it is possible to eat fruit and veg on a budget, in fact it would have been hard to eat more unhealthily than some of the recipes they publicly put up on the internet as regular meals. And It doesn't seem like any of them made a big healthy change until after they met with that trainer. 

[RedheadZombie]

It was Christine who prepared a fat and sodium laden meal for her family and Janelle’s, while Meri dined on chicken breast, wild rice and asparagus. I remember this clearly, because posters on TWOP went ballastic.

You are absolutely correct. I don't know why I would type Janelle - she does not cook anything ever. However, Christine prepared meals for both their children, and I think Mariah would join them. So even with the extra food budget for Meri, Mariah ate Christine's food.

[jellywager]

 

It was Christine who prepared a fat and sodium laden meal for her family and Janelle’s, while Meri dined on chicken breast, wild rice and asparagus. I remember this clearly, because posters on TWOP went ballastic.

I remember the meal was tacos made with fish sticks, I thought that was so odd at the time. I wonder how many children came over to eat with Meri and had chicken breast, wild rice and asparagus? My guess is Mariah can share what the others have but the others can not partake in what Meri and Mariah have.

 

Regarding Meri's (very, very) tight jeans, I think she squeezes into a certain size so as to not face the numbers on the scale. I have a sister (not sister wife..heh) who wears equally tight jeans and claims she is a size 12 when she is really more like a size 18. 

Edited June 19, 2014 by jellywager

[Marigold]

I don't care for Meri (or any of the wives) but i think it is a GREAT idea for her to go to school. Just because her sister wives have little ones doesn't mean that she can't do her own thing now that her child is grown.

The fact that the other wives (robyn) can't see that...no wonder Meri is such an unhappy person and so unstable. 

It is symptomatic of their entire marriage. 

[Featherhat]

My guess is Mariah can share what the others have but the others can partake in what Meri and Mariah have.

 

Well if everyone was eating at Christine's then Janelle and her kids were eating Christine's portion as well (I think Christine used to regularly cook for everyone and Janelle didn't very much). I guess the kids would prefer to be together and eating junk rather than sitting alone with Meri eating her healthier diet food and IIRC there was some suggestion that they went to Meri's if they wanted quiet time, although I don't know how true that was. It was probably a lot easier to share resources when you had wings of one house to a wife and not 4 separate houses. 

[DakotaJustice]

Well if everyone was eating at Christine's then Janelle and her kids were eating Christine's portion as well (I think Christine used to regularly cook for everyone and Janelle didn't very much). I guess the kids would prefer to be together and eating junk rather than sitting alone with Meri eating her healthier diet food and IIRC there was some suggestion that they went to Meri's if they wanted quiet time, although I don't know how true that was. It was probably a lot easier to share resources when you had wings of one house to a wife and not 4 separate houses. 

I still think that whole scene (not on the show itself but in a clip titled "Christine's Fabulous Food Pantry") at least the part where Meri is healthfully cooking her chicken breast and asparagus, was a huge put on and that Meri wanted to look like the healthy wife for the show, also think that she purposely lost weight for the filming.  If that was her normal way of eating, she would still be eating like that now.

 

http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/sister-wives/videos/christines-fabulous-food-pantry.htm

 

It always amazes me to look at Christine's dinner and see not one single green anything.  Everything is yellow or white.  Corn, tortillas, fishsticks, tater tots...

Edited June 19, 2014 by DakotaJustice

[Litnit]

The problem with polygamy (okay, one of many) at the empty nest stage is it's the time for the married couple to reconnect with each other after raising their children.  Now she gets to continue to share a man with 3 other women who are raising children for at least another 16 years.  I can't imagine being an empty-nester with a dude who isn't an empty nester with me.  Of course Meri chose all this for herself.  It is still a sucky life style.

[WimminWinning]

The problem with polygamy (okay, one of many) at the empty nest stage is it's the time for the married couple to reconnect with each other after raising their children.  Now she gets to continue to share a man with 3 other women who are raising children for at least another 16 years.  I can't imagine being an empty-nester with a dude who isn't an empty nester with me.  Of course Meri chose all this for herself.  It is still a sucky life style.

 

I don't know if polygamy is a sucky lifestyle or if the Browns are just doing it in a way that limits the potential benefits for the wives. Theoretically, if they were one big family, polygamy could be better than monogamy when it comes to empty nesting because she would have 3 other sisterwives with children that would feel somewhat like your own children that you would be raising for another 16 years, thus she wouldn't really be an empty-nester. In a monogamous relationship, she wouldn't get that extended parenting stage in her life.

[Absolom]

So far in the few polygamous relationships I've seen, but it happens in all of them, is the striving for attention and the power struggles.  It's one of the basics of the situation that there is only so much time and attention to go around.  Until they find a way around that one I think everything else becomes a side issue.

 

That the Brown adults and children view the other mothers as aunties has been said by the kids and visibly shown by the adults.  I think that's generally true for the other polygamous families.  It does leave Meri in a different situation.  She's either on her own or she's being used as a babysitter.   

[DakotaJustice]

I don't know if polygamy is a sucky lifestyle or if the Browns are just doing it in a way that limits the potential benefits for the wives. Theoretically, if they were one big family, polygamy could be better than monogamy when it comes to empty nesting because she would have 3 other sisterwives with children that would feel somewhat like your own children that you would be raising for another 16 years, thus she wouldn't really be an empty-nester. In a monogamous relationship, she wouldn't get that extended parenting stage in her life.

I'm still trying to figure out why continuing to raise children until you keel over whether or not you gave birth to them is a perk. My parents raised us, they love seeing us and their grand kids on occasion, but they are soooo done with the raising bit. I think Meri is too and with all her apparent reluctance to let go of Mariah, she was looking forward to having her own time to do what she wants to do. I bet Janelle and Christine are also looking forward to that. Kody - he's only on the periphery so he doesn't care.

[SometimesBites]

I don't know if polygamy is a sucky lifestyle or if the Browns are just doing it in a way that limits the potential benefits for the wives. Theoretically, if they were one big family, polygamy could be better than monogamy when it comes to empty nesting because she would have 3 other sisterwives with children that would feel somewhat like your own children that you would be raising for another 16 years, thus she wouldn't really be an empty-nester. In a monogamous relationship, she wouldn't get that extended parenting stage in her life.

Personally, I don't view extended parenting as a perk. In fact, the notion of having to continue that stage with some other mother's children is pretty repellent--I'd consider that a drawback of polygamy, if that was the expectation. My kids are all young adults now, and even though there was a sense of melancholy when each of them launched, the pleasures of the empty nest are varied and numerous!

[Kohola3]

. Theoretically, if they were one big family, polygamy could be better than monogamy when it comes to empty nesting because she would have 3 other sisterwives with children that would feel somewhat like your own children that you would be raising for another 16 years, thus she wouldn't really be an empty-nester.

 

Theoretically that would be possible IF they were truly polygamous.  But they are four baby mamas living in four separate McMansions which is hardly conducive to helping out with kids from another mom.  It's not like they are underfoot and Meri can instinctively step in as needed.  Someone needs to call and ask for her assistance.

[tabloidlover]

I gotta agree, auntl.   She definitely hates Janelle, and I do think it is based in pure jealousy.  She was the first additional wife taken on by Kody, and also the first to get pregnant, first to have a son, and Kody genuinely enjoys being with her.  I think it really bugs her, and she lets it eat at her.  The thing is, she is choosing this lifestyle, so I don't understand letting something like that gnaw away at you.  Seems to me you would need to let some stuff go if you are going to be relatively happy in life.  You're either all in or get the hell out, right?  

[wrestlesflamingos]

Meri lacks the intellectual and emotional capacity that polygamy requires. She isn't living by a spiritual calling or deeply held belief, she did this to keep her only teenage boyfriend. She's bitter and purposeless.

[Galloway Cave]

I've often wondered if when the house of cards collapse and they have to move back to Lehi, Meri moves out into her own place and the other three wives and their kids move back into the old plig house. Meri can have her solitary lifestyle with Lover that she has always wanted and the pile o' wives and kids are all over in the plig house for Kody to visit.

[purpleflowers]

I actually did not notice any bitter looks from Meri when the family talked about Maddie and Logan; in fact, she even chimed in and said how impressed she was with Maddie's leadership skills. I think she really helped raise some of those older kids even more than the younger ones (with everyone being somewhat separate units now) and is really proud of Logan and the others. I will never forget when she said "Logan is all our boy" or something. Yet, I have never observed Janelle showing affection towards any of the other moms' kids. 

I think Meri is very much in love with Kody and that may have been some of her motivation to pursue polygamy with him but I do think spiritual reasons seem to be a big reason too. In the past she has tearfully spoken about how she probably wouldn't be in this lifestyle if she didn't think it would bring her closer to God. I think she's better suited for monogamy but it looks like her faith is the one thing that stops her from considering that seriously. 

Edited July 8, 2014 by purpleflowers

[Featherhat]

I don't think Meri is shown as any better or worse than the other 3 wives in terms of spiritual belief about this lifestyle or polygamous wives in general from the Williams family to Centennial Park. None of them seem very happy particularly often but most of them were raised in this, so it is at the very least their familiar spiritual base, even if very few of them actually seem emotionally suited. 

 

I think Meri thought she could handle it better theoretically as a teenager than when it eventually happened and that Janelle did end up having the first baby (boy). 

[SPR26]

This is their lifestyle and I am not here to judge that. I am here to share my observations. I have not seen anything that remotely resembles any great 'sisterly' love between these four women. I see jealousies and meanness. If this is the lifestyle they were born to or well aware of then they should have understood the 'teachings' of (in their faith) thou shalt not be jealous of thy sister wife !! So there is a huge contradiction right there. Jealousy is the crack on the head that should tell them that sharing your husband with other women in a Marriage is not a good idea!!

Meri is a master manipulator, she wears her 'first wife' status like a badge of honor. Always sending out subtle reminders as to who is Queen B. Through her Mariah has the same 'entitled' attitude. Who sits in a car staring at a house, angry at everyone but her Mother. After all it was Meri's fault, she kept making changes and was late in putting her documents through. As for the wet bar!! OMG! On her tour of the house she points out the 'infamous wet bar' and says she uses it a lot. Then walks into the kitchen and says it doesn't get used much because she has no one to cook for!!! I thought she has 17 children!!! So basically, once Mariah left for (expensive) college, Meri's work here is done??? This is where they talk the talk but don't walk the walk!! She should now be giving back to the others, Christine and Janelle and even Robin. Look after their children, (like Christine did for her while she worked) so janelle, Christine and Robin can get full time jobs. This would indicate to me that they are truly one family, supporting each other. Ever since they got their McMansions they lifestyle has changed.... They are now, 4 women sharing a man. One woman is married and the other three are his mistresses. Which does nothing for his credibility in singing the praises of a plural lifestyle.

 

This is not a religion, don't kid yourselves, this is a lifestyle. Men have been doing this for years, married with mistresses, the only difference with Kody is he is justifying his infidelity by calling it a RELIGION so he can live it out in the open. Sadly, he has sold these 4 women his kool aid. These women have to support themselves and their children. I am sure they are paid handsomely by TLC, what happens when the show is cancelled? Nothing is forever you know!! Does Kody really think that these women would band together if anything should happen to him?? Not a hope in Hell!! They don't like and most of the time don't even tolerate each other. Queen B is only legal one and good luck to the others!! I read somewhere that when Kody married Robyn they went away on a two month honeymoon...TWO MONTHS? Now that may have been a typo in the article, not sure, but if they did... (1) did he do the same with the previous wives. (2) how does he afford that (3) how does that work out in spending equal time. My husband and I spent 10 days in Singapore, loved it but missed our respective kids and were happy to be home..we have the rest of our lives together. There is no order or rules to this plural marriage, which is what causes a lot of dissention and I cannot see any happiness here. The children are amazing and that is ALL AND ENTIRELY due to Christine!! She is a bit wacky but she is an amazing mother and those kids love her. I wish them all the best but I am dubious of a happy ever after for the wives..eventually someone is going to spit out the kool aid.

[SPR26]

The honeymoon with Robin was 11 days.

Thank you for clearing that up. That was a huge typo in the article I read. Cheers.