The Duggars and Their World: Fashion, Food, Finance, Schoolin’ and Child Rearin'

[Growsonwalls]

8 minutes ago, awaken said:

It’s never been mentioned that she works. I believe John David had some kind of statement on the show against a wife working. 

Oh gross. And Abbie could probably get hired tomorrow as a nurse if she wanted. They really need nurses right now. 

[awaken]

4 minutes ago, Growsonwalls said:

Oh gross. And Abbie could probably get hired tomorrow as a nurse if she wanted. They really need nurses right now. 

I doubt any duty could be higher to them than staying home to breed. Even saving lives as a healthcare worker during a crisis. 

[emmawoodhouse]

13 minutes ago, Zella said:

It's definitely irresponsible, but I don't think she's worked since she got married. If she does, someone here will know! 

She did get licensed in AR, but if she actually worked after her marriage, it wasn't for long, and she kept it really quiet. 

I don't think she worked. 

Now, back to the Duggars and SATAN!!!! errrr.....Santa!!!!

[GeeGolly]

What's with the random pillow on Jer's lap?

[GeeGolly]

Too cute the way Giddy is hugging Henry and then Henry has his arm around Giddy in the family pic. Its good for Henry to be the 'big boy' with Giddy because at home his sandwiched in between King Spurgeon and Princess Ivy.

[crazy8s]

no Jed, Jill, Jinger or Justin in the group pic

[Westiepeach]

Ah, Lauren... again with the stupid hat...

[BitterApple]

Hannie is so pretty. She's starting to look exactly like Joy.

I'm jealous of Abbie's curls. 

[Growsonwalls]

3 hours ago, Westiepeach said:

Ah, Lauren... again with the stupid hat...

Lauren is really into boho chic. Most of the time her fashion is on point, like when she wore the fitted jeans and boots. 

[Churchhoney]

4 hours ago, Westiepeach said:

Ah, Lauren... again with the stupid hat...

The only acceptable outlet for individuality and a-feeling-that-she's-living-in-the-wide-world that seems available to her? 

Pitiful.  But they are so conformist. And the track they run on encompasses what they're required to view as the whole world. And Lauren has a major ego and is prone to being down in the dumps and resentful, it appears. So maybe the hats (and her wardrobe generally) act as some kind of safety valve? 

Edited December 26, 2020 by Churchhoney

[madpsych78]

4 hours ago, crazy8s said:

no Jed, Jill, Jinger or Justin in the group pic

Jinger and Justin are out of state, and Jill is, of course, not invited. Surprised about Jed!'s absence from the party. Perhaps he is with HIS "darlin'?"

In the first pic, I wondered about Abbie maybe expecting again. It looks like she has her hands over her stomach.

Never noticed how much Smuggar's hair has receded until I saw that first pic.

Edited December 26, 2020 by madpsych78

[crazy8s]

or he was the one taking the picture

[xwordfanatik]

39 minutes ago, Churchhoney said:

The only acceptable outlet for individuality and a-feeling-that-she's-living-in-the-wide-world that seems available to her? 

Pitiful.  But they are so conformist. And the track they run on encompasses what they're required to view as the whole world. And Lauren has a major ego and is prone to being down in the dumps and resentful, it appears. So maybe the hats (and her wardrobe generally) act as some kind of safety valve? 

She's a modern-day sourpuss version of Lucy Ricardo.  A new hat always cheered her up.

[Churchhoney]

5 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

She's a modern-day sourpuss version of Lucy Ricardo.  A new hat always cheered her up.

On the money! 😀

[Barb23]

I still can't believe how Jim Bob continues to "hold onto/grasp" Michelle.  I know this is their thing but can't he  change it up once in a while  by putting his arm around her shoulder like most couples do?  We know she's your property Jim Bob.

ETA - that is one big Christmas tree. 

[MunichNark]

19 hours ago, BitterApple said:

I'm jealous of Abbie's curls. 

I'll let you have some of mine😅 they make Abbies waves look bland. I have poodle hair

[Totally]

On 12/27/2020 at 10:04 AM, Barb23 said:

I still can't believe how Jim Bob continues to "hold onto/grasp" Michelle.  I know this is their thing but can't he  change it up once in a while  by putting his arm around her shoulder like most couples do?  We know she's your property Jim Bob.

ETA - that is one big Christmas tree. 

My husband does the JB grasp ... I hate it with every fibre of my being 😑

[BigBingerBro]

It's satire, but humerous 

Duggar Family Found In Violation Of Ban On Large Gatherings

[Temperance]

A lot of the Duggars seem to be visiting the Bates or the Bates are visiting them. There could be a reason for gathering!

[Zella]

7 minutes ago, Temperance said:

A lot of the Duggars seem to be visiting the Bates or the Bates are visiting them. There could be a reason for gathering!

Stupidity? 

[emmawoodhouse]

If Nathan got married, it would have to have been on Friday. Joy and Carlin were at the zoo on Saturday.

[riverblue22]

I've learned a lot about fundies and their lives but I just learned tonight about The Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando, Florida.  Here I thought they just had that Ark in Kentucky to visit.  So sad, it's currently closed.

http://holylandexperience.com

 

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by riverblue22
trouble with the link

[MaryAnneSpier]

There's also this one in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I went when I was a kid, about 20 years ago. 

https://www.greatpassionplay.org/holy-land.html

[BigBingerBro]

19 hours ago, riverblue22 said:

I've learned a lot about fundies and their lives but I just learned tonight about The Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando, Florida.  Here I thought they just had that Ark in Kentucky to visit.  So sad, it's currently closed.

http://holylandexperience.com

 

 

I've been there many times over the years.  It's actually pretty interesting and a nice diversion from the other huge parks.  They have a pretty nice history of the bible attraction and museum.  The gift shops have a lot of interesting stuff you can't find anywhere else.  TBN took over it at one point and they expanded and added more buildings.  The live drama plays of different biblical events are a bit over the top and cringe-worthy, but overall I give it a thumbs up if you want to do something a bit different in Orlando.  I can see the Duggards loving it if they ever go there.

[Zella]

1 hour ago, MaryAnneSpier said:

There's also this one in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I went when I was a kid, about 20 years ago. 

https://www.greatpassionplay.org/holy-land.html

The Passion Play is popular with fundies, but Eureka Springs is not. I know a lot of them who boycott Eureka so, by default, boycott the Passion Play and any of their related attractions. 

Not sure all the details on the ground, but Eureka Springs itself is having discussions (okay, maybe more like fights) about not promoting tourist attractions or allowing events until at least this summer due to the virus. 

[BigBingerBro]

[crazycatlady58]

29 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

That pile of clothes is almost as tall as she is. If she had to fold all of those it probably took all day, with the knowledge tomorrow there would be more.

Edited February 4, 2021 by crazycatlady58

[Normades]

1 hour ago, crazycatlady58 said:

That pile of clothes is almost as tall as she is. If she had to fold all of those it probably took all day, with the knowledge tomorrow there would be more.

No wonder MEschelle had a breakdown in the laundry room!!

[drafan]

9 hours ago, Normades said:

No wonder MEschelle had a breakdown in the laundry room!!

They probably didn't find her for a month.

[crazy8s]

 

 

[FizzyPuff]

18 hours ago, Normades said:

No wonder MEschelle had a breakdown in the laundry room!!

Seriously though when Michelle had her breakdown why didn’t she take that as a sign from God to stop having children? 

Edited February 5, 2021 by FizzyPuff

[GeeGolly]

26 minutes ago, FizzyPuff said:

Seriously though when Michelle had her breakdown why didn’t she take that as a sign from God to stop having children? 

Isn't it crazy? But that's what being knee deep in a cult will do to you. She prayed and God sent her a woman to do her laundry. Then God allowed her to become pregnant again. And again and again, etc.

To me this is one example of how submissive and blind JB & M have been all along. No one knew who they were at this point, so fame had nothing to do with popping out more babies. God (& Gothard) were in control of how many children they had. If they used birth control, they were dishonoring God's gift of children, as per Gothard's teachings.

[doodlebug]

6 hours ago, FizzyPuff said:

Seriously though when Michelle had her breakdown why didn’t she take that as a sign from God to stop having children? 

Because it was a sign from God that the children she already had needed to step up and raise themselves so she could keep having more?  And a sign from God that her wonderful neighbor, the kids' piano teacher, I think; needed to step in and do all the family's laundry for years and years until Grandma Mary was available to take over?

[Tikichick]

6 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Isn't it crazy? But that's what being knee deep in a cult will do to you. She prayed and God sent her a woman to do her laundry. Then God allowed her to become pregnant again. And again and again, etc.

To me this is one example of how submissive and blind JB & M have been all along. No one knew who they were at this point, so fame had nothing to do with popping out more babies. God (& Gothard) were in control of how many children they had. If they used birth control, they were dishonoring God's gift of children, as per Gothard's teachings.

I've wondered if before they had TV fame they weren't actually enjoying the attention of people they encountered in their community and the status they may have had in their church, displaying their godly brood?

- My my, look at all those children.  Those parents work so hard.

- Can you imagine, they not only have all those children, but look, they home school and make sure those children are churched, etc.

Wouldn't be surprised if they had some generous offerings come their way by people so moved by this oh so righteous family and their ever growing number. 

[GeeGolly]

4 minutes ago, Tikichick said:

I've wondered if before they had TV fame they weren't actually enjoying the attention of people they encountered in their community and the status they may have had in their church, displaying their godly brood?

- My my, look at all those children.  Those parents work so hard.

- Can you imagine, they not only have all those children, but look, they home school and make sure those children are churched, etc.

Wouldn't be surprised if they had some generous offerings come their way by people so moved by this oh so righteous family and their ever growing number. 

The Duggars have been through many different church situations and home churched on and off as well. They talked about receiving many "love offerings" during the early years. I believe they lived for a time for free in a house a church owned. @emmawoodhouse knows more about those details, I believe. 

[farmgal4]

7 hours ago, FizzyPuff said:

Seriously though when Michelle had her breakdown why didn’t she take that as a sign from God to stop having children? 

I think their life was dictated more by the word of Gothard than by the word of God.  They were guzzling the KoolAid at that point.

[Nysha]

7 hours ago, FizzyPuff said:

Seriously though when Michelle had her breakdown why didn’t she take that as a sign from God to stop having children? 

Because god doesn't tell them things they don't want to hear. Josie's birth should have been another sign that it was time to stop, but they went on to have poor tiny Jubilee. The only reason Michelle stopped having babies is her  biological clock stopped. I'm kind of surprised they didn't try fertility drugs or in-vitro using their own sperm & eggs.

[crazy8s]

by the time JB paraded the line of kids in the red outfits, it was always and ever about "we have a lot of kids, look at us, look at us". TLC came along and gave them money for that reason alone, the Duggar Brand started to pay off for JB and Meech. they got a TV show, they got a house built and furnished, they traveled.

I did laugh at Jessa throwing some shade on how they used to dress in the video when she and Jing were sorting clothing in the garage closet. She said some of the clothes were really old and maybe worn on Noah's Ark or something like that. I think they were probably the old clown collar prairie dresses.

Edited February 5, 2021 by crazy8s

[Minivanessa]

8 hours ago, FizzyPuff said:

Seriously though when Michelle had her breakdown why didn’t she take that as a sign from God to stop having children? 

 

8 minutes ago, Nysha said:

Because god doesn't tell them things they don't want to hear. Josie's birth should have been another sign that it was time to stop, but they went on to have poor tiny Jubilee. The only reason Michelle stopped having babies is her  biological clock stopped. I'm kind of surprised they didn't try fertility drugs or in-vitro using their own sperm & eggs.

Bingo! I think Michelle really got off on the pregnancy/childbirth thing, although she didn't have much "heart" for the infants after they got a little older. IMO if Gothard's doctrines hadn't aligned so well with her own inclinations, the Duggars wouldn't have become such avid followers. But it was a win-win, since Michelle not only got to keep pumping out babies, she got all this adoration as a godly mother of a super-sized brood.

Gothard's doctrines also provided great cover for fobbing off the household management and schooling of children to the older daughters. A super-win for Meech! She got to bask in the glory of her fecundity while her daughters toiled away behind the scenes. They weren't nicknamed the J'Slaves for no reason. 

[Albanyguy]

3 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

The Duggars have been through many different church situations and home churched on and off as well. They talked about receiving many "love offerings" during the early years. I believe they lived for a time for free in a house a church owned. @emmawoodhouse knows more about those details, I believe.

I don't think it's a coincidence that they started to "home church" right around the time that TLC first showed interest in them. Jim Bob was happy to accept the charity of his fellow church members when his huge family was crammed into a tiny house and living on food baskets dropped off on their doorstep. Of course, Jim Bob was never really poor (he had a quarter of a million dollars to blow on a vanity political campaign), but it would have been easy to present the picture of a Godly family struggling to make ends meet and deserving of assistance.

Then the TLC gravy train came along and it would be hard for the Duggars to hide the fact that they were now very comfortable. It would be only natural for the church that had helped to support them for so long to expect them to "pay it forward" and share their good fortune with other church members in need. So Jim Bob, who has no intention of sharing anything with anybody, selfishly decides to withdraw from church membership and start a "home church", dressing it up, of course, in lofty spiritual reasons. I'm not saying that money was the only reason for the move (Jim Bob's desire to be the big cheese and not have to answer to a pastor and deacons was also a consideration), but I'll bet it played a big part.

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by Albanyguy

[andromeda331]

7 hours ago, doodlebug said:

Because it was a sign from God that the children she already had needed to step up and raise themselves so she could keep having more?  And a sign from God that her wonderful neighbor, the kids' piano teacher, I think; needed to step in and do all the family's laundry for years and years until Grandma Mary was available to take over?

Yeah, Michelle brags that piano teacher ended up doing the family's laundry for 12 years.

[crazycatlady58]

1 hour ago, andromeda331 said:

Yeah, Michelle brags that piano teacher ended up doing the family's laundry for 12 years.

Now that's a true servants heart.

[Westiepeach]

I’d make someone a meal or two... but there is no way in hell I would do anybody’s laundry for 12 years. And I consider myself a somewhat nice person.

[rue721]

Damn, I have enough trouble keeping up with my own laundry.

That said, the neighbor probably did it because otherwise the kids wouldn't have clean clothes, and nobody wants to see a bunch of kids running around in dirty second-hand clothes. That the Duggars were relying on neighbors and their church to provide their home, keep their kids in clean underwear, etc, shows that life in that house was tragic.

[Minivanessa]

8 hours ago, Albanyguy said:

I don't think it's a coincidence that they started to "home church" right around the time that TLC first showed interest in them. . . .

I think you made good points in your post. I also wonder if JB and Meech were happy to get away from the church where the membership (or at least the "elders") knew about Josh's molestations. Wasn't there some confession by Josh to the church, and some statement of forgiveness by the victims? I wonder if JB wanted to keep the TLC production company and crew well away from those church members in case anybody even inadvertently spilled the beans. I know TLC soft-pedaled the Dugg's religious activities but if they were regularly attending a (not home based) church I can't believe the producers wouldn't want to shoot some footage of that. It's all water under the bridge long ago, but reading this made me think about it.

[emmawoodhouse]

TLC did show the Duggars fellowshipping after home church back in the day, but they have never shown them at any of their churches since. I for one would be interested in hearing Pa Caldwell preach knowing we'd be getting a sanitized version of his usual fire, brimstone, and hate.

[Albanyguy]

43 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

I think you made good points in your post. I also wonder if JB and Meech were happy to get away from the church where the membership (or at least the "elders") knew about Josh's molestations. Wasn't there some confession by Josh to the church, and some statement of forgiveness by the victims? I wonder if JB wanted to keep the TLC production company and crew well away from those church members in case anybody even inadvertently spilled the beans. I know TLC soft-pedaled the Dugg's religious activities but if they were regularly attending a (not home based) church I can't believe the producers wouldn't want to shoot some footage of that. It's all water under the bridge long ago, but reading this made me think about it.

I hadn’t thought of that, but it fits perfectly.

[floridamom]

Their piano teacher who was decades older than Michelle doing their laundry for 12 years goes to show you that from the get go Jim Bob and Michelle were and are 'takers'. There is no way that I would allow someone else to do my family's laundry for me; let alone for years and years. A curious thing is that when Michelle tells this store, she has NEVER said what SHE DID for this woman in return....that's because she did NOTHING to repay her. 

[MunichNark]

23 minutes ago, floridamom said:

A curious thing is that when Michelle tells this store, she has NEVER said what SHE DID for this woman in return....that's because she did NOTHING to repay her. 

Jilly Rodders would like her title of "most precious blessed grifter" back please

[Twopper]

15 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

TLC did show the Duggars fellowshipping after home church back in the day, but they have never shown them at any of their churches since.

Well, their children keep marrying in a church so there must be some connection to it unless the pastor is using it for publicty/ outreach purposes.  I am not familiar with Protestant church weddings, but our parish requires pre-marital counseling and some tie to the parish and it isn't free.