Janelle Brown: Smarter Than Your Average Brown (Maybe)

[Rhondinella]

Just breaking in to say, kinda off topic, that I make a version of that peanut butter Frito recipe (called Frito Fruckies) which is AMAZING!!!  Yes, very, very bad for you.  But for an occasional treat I highly recommend.  It's salty, sweet, crunchy and chewy all together.  I always joke that a woman on PMS invented it.

 

Oh, but I drizzle mine with melted chocolate.  So, yeah.

[Quickbeam]

Just saw this show for the first time in years; I can't believe how lovely Janelle looks. She'a always been my main draw to the show. 

[jellywager]

Just breaking in to say, kinda off topic, that I make a version of that peanut butter Frito recipe (called Frito Fruckies) which is AMAZING!!!  Yes, very, very bad for you.  But for an occasional treat I highly recommend.  It's salty, sweet, crunchy and chewy all together.  I always joke that a woman on PMS invented it.

 

Oh, but I drizzle mine with melted chocolate.  So, yeah.

What is the recipe?

[LuckyBitch]

@jellywager, I Googled Frito Fruckies and all the results use the exact same recipe, so I assume that's it.

 

 

@Rhondinella, thanks a lot for making me Google that!  ;-)

[jellywager]

Thanks LuckyBitch! After making this I will be calling Janell's trainer. LOL. Okay, I just clicked on the link. Really? 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup on corn syrup, then chocolate? Dang, I'd think the chocolate would make it sweet enough. 

Edited July 17, 2014 by jellywager

[AZChristian]

Thanks LuckyBitch! After making this I will be calling Janell's trainer. LOL.

 

Given how slow her progress has been, I'm not sure calling Janelle's trainer is a good idea.  Maybe you should call a REAL trainer, who combines nutritional training with the physical stuff. 

[technorebel]

@jellywager, I Googled Frito Fruckies and all the results use the exact same recipe, so I assume that's it.

@Rhondinella, thanks a lot for making me Google that! ;-)

Why you gotta show me that recipe when I have both a Frito and a corn syrup addiction! It'll be the death of me.

Well, this kind of explains Janelle's weight loss problem.

[4leafclover]

Ok, I just had to make those Frito Fruckies today and all I have to say is..........sugar-induced-coma.........................................

[LuckyBitch]

@4leafclover, ha ha! It's all @Rhondinella 's fault.

 

I really want to try them. It's a good thing I don't have Fritos in the house.

[Rhondinella]

4leafclover, ha ha! It's all Rhondinella 's fault.

 

 

You're welcome!

 

Seriously, they're perfect for when you're PMSing, depressed, or need a sugar high.  Or all the above! :-)

[Granny58]

"If we could somehow magically make all of them 21 years old and reasonably slender (for comparison), I'd still knock Meri out of the contest first (and, okay I'm going to get snarky here: if you have enough money for that useless house, you have enough money to get that brown tooth fixed. There. I said it.) Robyn is long-limbed and I think her hair is lovely; she has pretty eyes, but that Dudley Do-Right chin in profile is not happening, so she's out, too. Between Janelle and Christine (in my silly made-up scenario of slender and 21) I think Christine would be prettier; I think Janelle's wide-set eyes are fine when her makeup is done well; but I have a little trouble with the "gummy" smile.

I honestly think there has been a HUGE improvement in Janelle's hair and makeup, though. If you look at her in, oh, season 3, she consistently has super heavy under-eye black liner (WAY too harsh for someone with her delicate coloring), she has no eyebrows (which has a much bigger impact than a lot of women realize), and her hair is all white--no dimension to the color at all.  Here recently her hair has soft layers with caramel undertones (caramel--heheh...see what I did there?), a softer eye, nicely defined brows, and a gold highlighter across the cheekbones. I think there's been a big change."

 

Oh NewBaku - I don't know if I agree or disagree...but you sure made me laugh!  Thank you.

[LuckyBitch]

I would have to go with Christine or Janelle on personality alone. Meri and Robin seem like no fun to be around, ever. I'd just have to knock both of them out of consideration based on their negativity and constant teary crap alone. Then, having Janelle or Christine to choose from, I'd probably choose Christine because she seems like the most fun, and on an even more shallow note, she's prettier.

Edited July 24, 2014 by LuckyBitch

[BuddyMom]

I don't know who I would want to spend time with. They all seem miserable in their own special way. I think they all exude a sense of negativity and bitterness. Plus they would all think I was trying to put the moves on Kody.

[Absolom]

I think Janelle and I could talk.  I'm on the quiet side also.  Christine I might enjoy just watching but if she got on the polygamy/monogamy hobby horse it would work if she'd answer questions, but not if she only wanted to put down monogamy or talk persecution.

[jellywager]

Ok, I just had to make those Frito Fruckies today and all I have to say is..........sugar-induced-coma.........................................

@4leafclover and @Rhondinella did you find is necessary to use the 1 cup of sugar with all of the corn syrup and candy bars? IF I ever try to make it I think I'd leave the 1 cup of sugar out. What do you both think? Please advise. =)

Edited July 25, 2014 by jellywager

[4leafclover]

@jellywager--I'm not too handy in the kitchen (but these looked easy enough to try) so I can't really advise on changing recipes.  However, I noticed that the corn syrup and sugar heated together became a nice consistency when the peanut butter was added.  I'm not sure it would be thick enough without the sugar, and the liquid might just ooze through the chips instead of setting up the way it did.  But again, that's my inexperience talking!  Also, I used chocolate chips instead of Hershey bars--much cheaper!  Good luck!

[jellywager]

Thanks 4leafclover. I doubt I'll ever make it unless I have a get together to go to and I want to make it as a joke (like the year I made White Castle stuffing for Thanksgiving). But I wanted to know out of curiosity. =)

Edited July 25, 2014 by jellywager

[Rhondinella]

Yeah, the sugar and corn syrup melted together with the peanut butter added form sort of a soft taffy, or peanut butter carmel (which, btw, is delicious on its own) and I'm not sure if it would work without it.  As I said, this is something I only make very rarely for special occasions, and usually for big church gatherings or something where it's being eaten by a lot of people.  Cause it's certainly not healthy in any way.

[4leafclover]

 

Yeah, the sugar and corn syrup melted together with the peanut butter added form sort of a soft taffy, or peanut butter carmel (which, btw, is delicious on its own)

 

Yes, I gave some to a friend who asked if it had caramels in it, so that might be a substitute for the sugar......a bag or two of caramels?  Again, not enough cooking smarts here to know if this is feasible or not.

[Rhondinella]

I don't know if that would work or not, but it might.  Except . . . caramels are really just sugar, corn syrup and water anyway.  So I'm not sure there's that much less sugar in them than making them yourself.  Plus commercial caramels would probably have additives and preservatives that you may not want, if that's a concern. 

 

I'm thinking there is no good "low-sugar" way to make these.  I suppose you could try a sugar substitute, but I'm guessing the caramel may not turn out right.  But then, everything I know about chemistry I learned from Breaking Bad, so . . . .

[jellywager]

Oh I wasn't that much of a fooligan (TM Zach BB) to think I could somehow make this recipe healthy, I was just making sure that if I ever invest the time and money in making these they wouldn't turn out super sweet.

[Rhondinella]

I tend to be very sensitive to overly sweet things, and I can eat these just fine.  I think the slight tang of chocolate (if you use semi-sweet) and the saltiness of the Fritos cuts the sweetness nicely.

[CofCinci]

We all know that Janelle is just rolling her eyes of this divorce/remarriage bullshit.

[youcantbeserious]

This just occurred to me: is it possible Janelle stands out so much in a positive way because she wasn't raised in a polygamous family? She didn't have to resort to

obnoxious survivalist tactics like the others. Janelle seems to add so much because she subtracts nothing.

[jellywager]

 

We all know that Janelle is just rolling her eyes of this divorce/remarriage bullshit.

If she is, then I'm rolling my eyes at her. She had made many unwise financial choices and had left and came back. I give her no credit what so ever.

[purpleflowers]

 She didn't have to resort to

obnoxious survivalist tactics like the others. 

Or did she? We don't really know how exactly Janelle did figure out her way into second wife position, and I'm not convinced at all that it was Meri's idea.

 

Also, yes Janelle does come across well compared to the others (rational, articulate, etc.), but she can use those unique personality traits as leverage to maintain a good wife status. Granted, she may not have the romantic/chemistry aspects that Kody shares with Robyn and maybe the other wives, but Kody can depend on her to be calm and agreeable around him. Kody runs around the cul-de-sac from house to house, and considering his statements about not being responsible for his wives' emotions, I'm sure someone pragmatic like Janelle pleases him just fine. I think Janelle must know she has that to her advantage. I'm not saying she acts more that way on purpose or anything, I just think she's aware of it.

[youcantbeserious]

Or did she? We don't really know how exactly Janelle did figure out her way into second wife position, and I'm not convinced at all that it was Meri's idea.

 

Also, yes Janelle does come across well compared to the others (rational, articulate, etc.), but she can use those unique personality traits as leverage to maintain a good wife status. Granted, she may not have the romantic/chemistry aspects that Kody shares with Robyn and maybe the other wives, but Kody can depend on her to be calm and agreeable around him. Kody runs around the cul-de-sac from house to house, and considering his statements about not being responsible for his wives' emotions, I'm sure someone pragmatic like Janelle pleases him just fine. I think Janelle must know she has that to her advantage. I'm not saying she acts more that way on purpose or anything, I just think she's aware of it.

I agree that Janelle is mature & rational. It appears to be her inherent personalty. However, IMO, it also works againt her, making her an advisor & confidant rather than the fun sexy girl she'd need to be to be his favorite.Robin with her Victoria Secret wardrobe, understood what he wanted.

fun sexy girl that appeals to Kody's eternal teenage

[youcantbeserious]

 Christine I might enjoy just watching but if she got on the polygamy/monogamy hobby horse it would work if she'd answer questions, but not if she only wanted to put down monogamy or talk persecution.

I think she's getting closer to putting down polygamy. I just saw taped highlghts of past shows of SW. Christine was telling Meri that " I was the last wife for a long time.

I felt the 3 of us were balanced very well until she ( Robyn ) came."  I'll bet monogamy is getting to look beter & better.

[youcantbeserious]

I like Janelle the best also.  She's clearly the brains of the family (although that's not saying much).  I hope she continues with her weight loss/exercise regimen.  Christine's my second favorite, followed by Robin (there's quite a gap in my "likeness scale" between Christine and Robin), and then -- after a huge gap -- Meri bringing up the rear (heh!).   

If her rear gets any bigger, she'll be dragging it.

[SunnyBeBe]

Didn't Janelle show an unattractive side this season though?  She seems to be a lot more immature than I had thought.  It seems she harbors a lot of resentment.  I think it might be an issue with her sons too.  I'm glad she's getting that therapy.  

[RazzleberryPie]

Didn't Janelle show an unattractive side this season though?  She seems to be a lot more immature than I had thought.  It seems she harbors a lot of resentment.  I think it might be an issue with her sons too.  I'm glad she's getting that therapy.  

I don't think she did. I think she's the only one willing to admit that they have a lot of problems, and is trying to resolve them. Meri will admit problems and also admit she doesn't care about being friends with Janelle. Christine pretends everything is sunshine and Roses, then melts down, but reinvents all situations. Robyn's worse than fake, manipulative, lying and reinventing. The only unattractive thing about Janelle, IMO, is that she goes along with every idiotic, abusive thing Kody does to her. No way in hell would I support all these fools financially or emotionally.

[SunnyBeBe]

Janelle admitted that Meri had extended the olive branch to her, but she would not accept.  Then in the counseling session, when there is so much to discuss, Janelle is still upset about some comments from Meri in the kitchen from 12 years ago.  She's made other comments this season too. plus her walk out on the graduation practice session.  IMO, it's petty.  I never saw it before, but it's holding her back. I always wondered why she seems helpless when dealing with rude, aggressive, angry sons, but now I get it.  I think that behavior is condoned in that household.  

[zenme]

I appreciate that Janelle doesn't make "nicey-nice" for the camera or for the viewers.  IMO, she doesn't say she's happy about a situation if she's not.  I think she's pretty honest, and I like that.  It seems as though she's intellectually aware that her relationship with Meri means that she should try to co-operate with her, try to get past certain hurts, but her heart is finding it hard to do, and I think she struggles. In an ordinary relationship, two friends may no longer remain friends, or be in contact, but this relationship and their family ties won't allow for that to be done so easily. 

[youcantbeserious]

I appreciate that Janelle doesn't make "nicey-nice" for the camera or for the viewers.  IMO, she doesn't say she's happy about a situation if she's not.  I think she's pretty honest, and I like that.  It seems as though she's intellectually aware that her relationship with Meri means that she should try to co-operate with her, try to get past certain hurts, but her heart is finding it hard to do, and I think she struggles. In an ordinary relationship, two friends may no longer remain friends, or be in contact, but this relationship and their family ties won't allow for that to be done so easily. 

I can see why you think that, but on the Divorce episode, it was discussed what would happen to Robyn's kids if she died. Abruptly Janelleyelled out, " I WANT

THOSE KIDS!! "  IMO it was quite uncharacteristic of her, knowing how sheneve rshowed interest in kids other than hers. I suspect it was scripted & therefore dishonest.

[BlackWidow]

I can see why you think that, but on the Divorce episode, it was discussed what would happen to Robyn's kids if she died. Abruptly Janelleyelled out, " I WANT

THOSE KIDS!! "  IMO it was quite uncharacteristic of her, knowing how sheneve rshowed interest in kids other than hers. I suspect it was scripted & therefore dishonest.

It may be one of those things where you might as well seem to be all on-board, since it isn't likely to happen, you have nothing to lose. This happens a lot at corporate meetings, someone comes up with a lame idea and people get behind it so as to seem moreof a 'team player'.  That and/or it may be a kind of Big Love Barb thing, like when she was going to rescue that awful girl who sings from the compound- then again we don't know if the kid's dad is living in a trailer on some dusty plain, with grandmothers farming in the dirt or whatnot.

[purpleflowers]

I thought it was Christine who yelled that out. Although Janelle did express she loved those kids like her own. 

Edited March 12, 2015 by purpleflowers

[RazzleberryPie]

Janelle admitted that Meri had extended the olive branch to her, but she would not accept.  Then in the counseling session, when there is so much to discuss, Janelle is still upset about some comments from Meri in the kitchen from 12 years ago.  She's made other comments this season too. plus her walk out on the graduation practice session.  IMO, it's petty.  I never saw it before, but it's holding her back. I always wondered why she seems helpless when dealing with rude, aggressive, angry sons, but now I get it.  I think that behavior is condoned in that household.  

Sometimes "the Olive Branch" can mean "let's bot apologize, forget the past, and start over," but a lot of times it can also mean "I'm not sorry and I'll never try to meet you half way. I'm saying let's start over, and I initiated the Olive Branch talk to look like the peacemaker, but I have no intention of meeting you halfway. You still need to bend to my rule."  This is pretty much how I see Meri. 

Janelle isn't perfect, but it's pretty difficult to keep being the one who meets in the middle, only to have the other person keep manipulating you and being extremely selfish.

Meri is extremely selfish. Case in point, having to have the largest and most expensive house, when she has the smallest household, thus forcing the large households to cut corners to fit spacewise. Requiring the same size budget for 1 child as the households with 6. I know Meri wanted more children, and I dont think any of them begrudge her that, but fact is, if they're all one big family and all the kids are equal, resources for the children should be divided equally, not by moms. Having the fit at Meriah's graduation, bc she can't see her child! So.....other families are supposed to move and not see their own children, just bc 1000 Browns showed up late?

Purposefully isolating herself from Janelle and Christine, who bonded, then whining that she didn't have a place in the family now that her kid was grown. She did that isolation to herself. Refusing to help her BFF Robyn with the joory business on claims she was going back to college, then never going to college. She just didn't want to help her (I kind of enjoy that selfishness, though).

Edited March 12, 2015 by RazzleberryPie

[youcantbeserious]

I thought it was Christine who yelled that out. Although Janelle did express she loved those kids like her own. 

That was the strange thing. It was more in fitting with Christine's behavior, which was why coming out of Janelle was so bizaare. Janelle also had a weird stiff look on her face while saying it, as if she wasn't comfortable about it.

Edited March 13, 2015 by youcantbeserious

[BlackWidow]

Sometimes "the Olive Branch" can mean "let's bot apologize, forget the past, and start over," but a lot of times it can also mean "I'm not sorry and I'll never try to meet you half way. I'm saying let's start over, and I initiated the Olive Branch talk to look like the peacemaker, but I have no intention of meeting you halfway. You still need to bend to my rule."  This is pretty much how I see Meri. 

Janelle isn't perfect, but it's pretty difficult to keep being the one who meets in the middle, only to have the other person keep manipulating you and being extremely selfish.

Meri is extremely selfish. Case in point, having to have the largest and most expensive house, when she has the smallest household, thus forcing the large households to cut corners to fit spacewise. Requiring the same size budget for 1 child as the households with 6. I know Meri wanted more children, and I dont think any of them begrudge her that, but fact is, if they're all one big family and all the kids are equal, resources for the children should be divided equally, not by moms. Having the fit at Meriah's graduation, bc she can't see her child! So.....other families are supposed to move and not see their own children, just bc 1000 Browns showed up late?

Purposefully isolating herself from Janelle and Christine, who bonded, then whining that she didn't have a place in the family now that her kid was grown. She did that isolation to herself. Refusing to help her BFF Robyn with the joory business on claims she was going back to college, then never going to college. She just didn't want to help her (I kind of enjoy that selfishness, though.

 When they were at the old house, it seemed like there was more give and take, like they were all part of the same 'cause' so to speak, but now it doesn't feel as if they are one big family, but rather 4 separate ones with the only things in common is a baby daddy and 50% DNA of the kids. None of the other wives seemed all that jazzed about the online store. On one of the latest shows Meri said something about how she registered for school and then didn't go so maybe she ended up getting guilted into being a MSWC lackey after all. I mean how does one go from that other episode a while back where we sat through that whole "oh I have something to tell you , I'm going back to school..." Robyn: "but what about meeeeee and the cuhlahhsit business? waaaa" - how do you go from that to oh, well, I'm not going to go, and when I do go, I'll only take one class, and oh yeah, before I forget, you can have my husband too..

 

  The thing about the size of the houses I believe someone posted way back is probably right regarding the zoning and how they had to make them all somewhat similar, to me they are all humongous, but then while I'm in an average suburb, the prices of things in the bay area makes it so that if you are in a subdivision and your house is not custom built and is like 40-50  years old, many houses in an average tract home subdivision are about 1100-1200 more or less square feet and 3 bedroom 2 baths and many are not remodeled or upgraded with all the new nice stuff like you see in their places- so to me their places are all unbelievably huge and luxurious -one having an extra bedroom or a wet bar doesn't really make a lick of difference. So I guess it is all relative to what one's experience is.

 

As far as selfishness, I don't see it as much as some here do. They are no longer scrapping over EBT cards and 2 people's somewhat meager salaries- going from what I saw on the bankruptcy papers it wasn't that impressive what any of them were making compared to now.  Many kids or not they all still have been making loads more than many of us out here- none of them are going hungry-Not saying Meri can be sort of a pain in the butt sometimes -and she would probably rather had more kids than the disneyland trips -but I feel like it is more a kind of immaturity or stunted emotional growth from all this more than selfishness. I suppose when you have to share a person, maybe this sense of 'scarcity' or not having enough period is always there no matter how much one has. That and we don't really know how it is all divvied up as far as who gets what, and this 'community pot' they supposedly have.

 

Two of them had like one real relationship before this and the other two likely none, and probably none of them lived on their own before marriage/children. All of their eggs, somewhat literally have been in one basket. You can just tell by the way they speak and act they have not had all kinds of experiences out in the world- although you can see the change from season 1, they seem much more jaded and embittered than how they seemed back then.

[CofCinci]

In the new Robyn pregnancy photo, Janelle looks way too happy.

[RealityCowgirl]

Heh. I was thinking the same thing, CofCinci. Like she either has a surprise of her own coming (NOT baby. Yeesh. Maybe an exit strategy - or a secret fund gaining interest.) or she's medicated within an inch of her life.  :)

[Galloway Cave]

Well, Kody has said he spends a lot of time at the house with the mom and newborn, in order to "bond". Maybe Janelle is thinking "Yay! I'll have at least 9 months or so of free time without that floppy haired bastard slumping in one of my reclining chairs, computer surfing and ignoring MY children!"

[JocelynCavanaugh]

According to this All About Janelle special, the timeline is: 

• She'd never heard of polygamy until age 19.
• She was in her early 20s and single, and that is a lonely time for Mormons.
• She knew Meri and Kody before they were married, and was friendly with Meri's family.*
• Her mom tried to talk her out of polygamy and ended up marrying Kody's dad. Somehow, this grossed her out, but her marrying Kody did not.
• She married Kody. 

 

*This is probably where she should've mentioned that she MARRIED AND DIVORCED MERI'S BROTHER. That seems slightly relevant!

[leighroda]

Lol, I noticed that too... She kinda glossed over that by just saying she knew Meri. I was watching a rerun earlier today, and I already had noticed some hypocrisy over the whole thing with Meri saying her divorce is just on paper and regardless she's bound to them spiritually, and my first thought was "so what about janelle, and Robyn's divorces?" And then I realized Jenelle was actually the one doing the talking head about how the divorce doesn't separate the family.

[Galloway Cave]

Six years on the air, all the media and documentation, and they STILL won't admit she was married to Adam Barber. Plus she spins the timeline. Such idiots. If they'll lie about that, they will lie about anything.

[algebra]

I don't know why you all are discussing which one is the prettiest. Obviously, Kody is the prettiest.

As for which one he loves the most, the only person he's in love with is himself.

Ultimately, a narcisscist is trying to find a partner who looks just like himself. This is why the inbreeding is so popular with polygamists: they want wives who look like themselves.

Kody won't stop getting married until he finally finds a mirror image of himself.

I don't know why you all are discussing which one is the prettiest. Obviously, Kody is the prettiest.

As for which one he loves the most, the only person he's in love with is himself.

Ultimately, a narcisscist is trying to find a partner who looks just like himself. This is why the inbreeding is so popular with polygamists: they want wives who look like themselves.

Kody won't stop getting married until he finally finds a mirror image of himself.

[3girlsforus]

Other than Robyn, Janelle is the only one who seems content in the marriage. I wonder why. She's being cast aside for Robyn, just like the other two, but it doesn't seem to bother her.

 

I  think she's the most content because she wants the least from Kody. She doesn't care that they don't have a real relationship. She doesn't yearn for attention or a physical relationship from him. She's fine with being a single mom and not really having to deal with Kody. Meri and Christine both are unhappy because they are wanting a husband/wife relationship but their husband is only married to Robyn in terms of his heart and his actions. 

[CofCinci]

Janelle came to peace with the fact that she is meaningless to Kody a long time ago. I think she only came back into the family for the kids who probably missed their siblings and Christine's free childcare.

[BlackWidow]

I don't know why you all are discussing which one is the prettiest. Obviously, Kody is the prettiest.

As for which one he loves the most, the only person he's in love with is himself.

Ultimately, a narcisscist is trying to find a partner who looks just like himself. This is why the inbreeding is so popular with polygamists: they want wives who look like themselves.

Kody won't stop getting married until he finally finds a mirror image of himself.

I don't know why you all are discussing which one is the prettiest. Obviously, Kody is the prettiest.

As for which one he loves the most, the only person he's in love with is himself.

Ultimately, a narcissist is trying to find a partner who looks just like himself. This is why the inbreeding is so popular with polygamists: they want wives who look like themselves.

Kody won't stop getting married until he finally finds a mirror image of himself.

 

Agree with you on the narcissist part , maybe not as much on the looks part- the thing is with narcissistic people, they don't really want someone like themselves, would a vampire want another vampire as a victim? (wait I just insulted vampires) - they don't want someone who can out manipulate them or be able to charm others better than themselves, that is considered a threat.  His new fish,  not a deep end of the pool type like himself. Sorta flaky like him, immature like him, opportunistic like him, manipulative like him  but in the end, not MORE than he is with those things and still a needy, approval-seeking type.

 

It's kind of like when you have a high school clique, or even a gang-  the leader doesn't have to be that great just because he's the 'leader', he just has to find those weak enough to prop him up in that position. People always say there wouldn't have been the SW show without adding #4, but think about it in reverse, would there have been #4 without the show?  We hear so many speak about who is the favorite , who does he love the best etc., but the real question is, does he love any of them more than himself? We seem to think he is all enthralled with the latest but in true narcissist fashion, is he only enthralled with her placing him on a pedestal (probably because she hasn't put up with his crap for 20+ years)?  Loving the fact someone worships you is not in fact, loving them and who they are for themselves, but loving your reflection, magnified in their eyes.

[SometimesBites]

Janelle came to peace with the fact that she is meaningless to Kody a long time ago. I think she only came back into the family for the kids who probably missed their siblings and Christine's free childcare.

I think Janelle gets exactly as much as she wants and needs from Kody. Her expectations are realistic (meaning she doesn't expect him to meet many of her needs and she's reconciled to the fact that she'll never be number one in his heart), and therefore it's easy for Kody to meet those expectations. I think Kody actually has a pretty solid bond with Janelle because she is the one woman who doesn't push or challenge him--and as we know, Kody HATES feeling challenged. Janelle goes along to get along and is content with whatever crumbs are leftover for her. As hard as it is for most of us to imagine, Kody is the man Janelle wants, and I don't think she EVER had the expectation that he would lavish on her the level of adoration that he reserves for Robyn. I have a hunch that, after being married to Adam Barber, Janelle found Kody quite attractive and exciting. (I base that speculation only on the fact that Janelle and Barber didn't stay married long at all, and he frankly wasn't much to look at. Early pictures of Kody show a good-looking, fit young man.) It seems to me that Janelle is, for Kody, the PERFECT second wife at this point--undemanding, amenable, practical, not prone to outward jealousy. She lets the drama mostly swirl around her. I would just about bet that when she split from the family in the past it was almost completely to do with Meri. Meri doesn't have the same currency and power in the family now, and Robyn will never ever be able to bully Janelle the way Meri did--I think Robyn is afraid of Janelle. I think Janelle sees right through Robyn and just lets her run her little schemes and dramas. At the end of the day, Janelle knows that Kody can't be talked out of or manipulated out of plural marriage, because it is a principle that's intrinsic to his ego. She knows that as a pragmatic, non-combative, potential wage earner, her position is rock solid. All my personal opinion! :)

Edited October 10, 2015 by SometimesBites