Season 8 Discussion

[BitterApple]

Is the entire season going to be one long product placement?

Top Golf and AARP? Seriously?

[Sew Sumi]

I'm shocked that the bridal shop didn't get a shout out. Hell, they special ordered Carlin's dress so she could have a fitting there. 

[Absolom]

Ratings this week:  206 K viewers and a .04 rating.

I'm always surprised by how many people enjoy watching wedding gown shopping.

[Lisa418722]

When Erin said she wished she could go back 5 years and wear a different dress (or something like that I wasn't going to go back and watch it) I had two thought: #1  guess they are going to be doing  vow renewal so that she can wear a different dress and #2 how is it that Chad has aged 20 years in 5 years?  I do worry about him and how much stress he is under

Then when Carlin tried on THE dress and loved it "but it was PINK!!!"   What?  Unless you are wearing a pure white dress people might think you kissed before you were married.  White does not mean virgin in today's world any more than a pink dress means you are a slut (their thoughts not mine). 

Edited September 28, 2019 by Lisa418722

[BitterApple]

I thought the exact same thing when Erin was ogling Carlin's dress. Vow renewal #2 is on the way as soon as she loses the weight from baby #4. 

[RebeccatheWriter]

Yes, that's what Erin needs to do...spend money on a redo wedding when the kids are stacked like firewood in that tiny house. 

[lookeyloo]

Because they need stories for the show. If there were no show there would be none of this nonsense

[Pasha Kitty]

7 hours ago, BitterApple said:

I thought the exact same thing when Erin was ogling Carlin's dress. Vow renewal #2 is on the way as soon as she loses the weight from baby #4. 

Bitter Apple, is Erin expecting baby #4?  Aside from Carlin, who else in the Bates/Duggar clans are expecting?  Did Anna have baby #6 yet?  Thanks.  I'm not up on the baby brigade at the moment !!! 

[BitterApple]

18 minutes ago, Pasha Kitty said:

Bitter Apple, is Erin expecting baby #4?  Aside from Carlin, who else in the Bates/Duggar clans are expecting?  Did Anna have baby #6 yet?  Thanks.  I'm not up on the baby brigade at the moment !!! 

Yes, Erin is having #4, Whitney is expecting #3. Anna, Kendra, Abbie and Lauren are all pregnant on the Duggar side. 

[Kiss my mutt]

Vanity, thy name is Bates. 

[Sew Sumi]

1 hour ago, BitterApple said:

Yes, Erin is having #4, Whitney is expecting #3. Anna, Kendra, Abbie and Lauren are all pregnant on the Duggar side. 

Carlin is also pregnant.

[RebeccatheWriter]

It's getting to be about time for Tori to announce another if she's like her sisters. I'm hoping that John and Alyssa at least hold off until the doctors are certain she will not need further treatment. 

[floridamom]

Gil had shoulder surgery due to his own stupidity acting like a teenager. I wonder how they paid for it? Thousands of dollars for that type of thing. Not everyone has insurance and they have bragged about how they don't have any insurance and used the ED as a doctor's office for their family in the past. They owe the insurance-paying, working people lots of money IMO. I'd like for them to state how these bills will be paid. (Hope his shoulder comes out ok.)

[andromeda331]

3 hours ago, floridamom said:

Gil had shoulder surgery due to his own stupidity acting like a teenager. I wonder how they paid for it? Thousands of dollars for that type of thing. Not everyone has insurance and they have bragged about how they don't have any insurance and used the ED as a doctor's office for their family in the past. They owe the insurance-paying, working people lots of money IMO. I'd like for them to state how these bills will be paid. (Hope his shoulder comes out ok.)

He probably didn't like he has every time he takes his family to the ER. I really wish there was a way to put an end to that. Or the ER force them to pay something or get put a garnish or something on their UP checks. They know very well their not getting anything from him and haven't ever. Who knows how much money they didn't pay. 

[lookeyloo]

The ER doesn't provide routine care, does it?  Unless his shoulder surgery was an emergency?  One does not schedule that through the ER, do they?  Go in and say "my shoulder hurts" and they do an X-ray, MRI, etc. and just like that, admission and surgery, free?  

[Sew Sumi]

3 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

The ER doesn't provide routine care, does it?  Unless his shoulder surgery was an emergency?  One does not scshedule that through the ER, do they?  Go in and say "my shoulder hurts" and they do an X-ray, MRI, etc. and just like that, admission and surgery, free?  

I think he went through the ER. He injured his rotator cuff doing push-ups or something he shouldn't have been doing. He was showing off for a bunch of teenage boys.

Kelly posted a pic of Gil with his surgeon, and someone commented about him. Apparently, he's quite good.

[crazy8s]

On 9/27/2019 at 5:19 PM, BitterApple said:

Top Golf and AARP? Seriously?

so funny on AARP - anyone who looks "old enough" can get their discount or a similar senior discount. I started getting their offers for membership at age 28. we did it for a yr -but politically we are opposed, so we dropped. plenty of discounts out there without the lobbying.

it is odd AARP and Bates - aren't the bates' anti groups that include everyone? Like AARP has members of LGBT etc. It's all about the money for these ever so humble jesus loving reality tv "stars"

[RebeccatheWriter]

On 10/1/2019 at 11:31 AM, lookeyloo said:

The ER doesn't provide routine care, does it?  Unless his shoulder surgery was an emergency?  One does not schedule that through the ER, do they?  Go in and say "my shoulder hurts" and they do an X-ray, MRI, etc. and just like that, admission and surgery, free?  

I have a very bad ankle and foot problem. It has been known to cause me a lot of pain to the point that I cannot walk. The last time that happened on a weekend, I called (or a friend did) the orthopedic doctor's office. His service contacted him and called me back to say to go on to the emergency room, as someone from his office was on call that weekend. 

The ER ran the x-ray/ct and did all of that. Then the on call ortho came in and explained that it was time for me to have the surgery I had been putting off all this time. (Surgery didn't fix my problem, but that's another story.) Since my insurance charges $175 for an ER visit unless you are admitted, he went ahead and admitted me and got me prepped for the surgery. He admitted to me later that it was cheaper that way, as I don't have to pay for both the ER copay and another copay for the surgical visit.  It also allowed me to avoid that in network/out of network thing because it was considered an emergency at that point and that I was not stable enough to transport. 

[lookeyloo]

3 hours ago, RebeccatheWriter said:

I have a very bad ankle and foot problem. It has been known to cause me a lot of pain to the point that I cannot walk. The last time that happened on a weekend, I called (or a friend did) the orthopedic doctor's office. His service contacted him and called me back to say to go on to the emergency room, as someone from his office was on call that weekend. 

The ER ran the x-ray/ct and did all of that. Then the on call ortho came in and explained that it was time for me to have the surgery I had been putting off all this time. (Surgery didn't fix my problem, but that's another story.) Since my insurance charges $175 for an ER visit unless you are admitted, he went ahead and admitted me and got me prepped for the surgery. He admitted to me later that it was cheaper that way, as I don't have to pay for both the ER copay and another copay for the surgical visit.  It also allowed me to avoid that in network/out of network thing because it was considered an emergency at that point and that I was not stable enough to transport. 

But you did have insurance?  I was under the impression the Bateses don't?  Do they use that Samaritan?  One of my cousins is a fundy/evangelical, don't know which, but she posted on Facebook a while back that they were looking for something better than Samaritan.  But nothing related to ACA.

[RebeccatheWriter]

2 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

But you did have insurance?  I was under the impression the Bateses don't?  Do they use that Samaritan?  One of my cousins is a fundy/evangelical, don't know which, but she posted on Facebook a while back that they were looking for something better than Samaritan.  But nothing related to ACA.

I had crappy insurance at the time. I only told that to show how docs sometimes tell patients to go to the ER to elevate things and avoid higher costs. If a doc doesn't treat a surgery as an emergency, then the patient has to pay more up front. My coworker's daughter needed her gall bladder out. She had no insurance and was sent home from the ER with a referral each time. The hospital wanted 5k up front to schedule the surgery. She ended up getting arrested and got it done while in jail. The surgeon told her that if The treating doc at The ER would have said it was an emergency then she would have been sent straight to surgery without payment in advance. 

Same with my appendectomy. Mine was scheduled and I paid up front. Mom had an emergency and was admitted immediately. Granted a payment tech was at her bedside when she woke up.

The Bates seem to have some sort of coverage now. Gil had surgery for diverticulitis and Addy has expensive hearing aids. Those are not expenses they would have voluntarily accepted in the past. 

Edited October 2, 2019 by RebeccatheWriter

[Sew Sumi]

Hearing aids aren't generally covered by insurance. Especially any cheapo sort the Bateses probably have to avoid paying tax penalties.

[babyhouseman]

5 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

Hearing aids aren't generally covered by insurance. Especially any cheapo sort the Bateses probably have to avoid paying tax penalties.

That's right. I have worn them most of my life and have to pay for them. It was on the show so maybe the network paid for them. 

[RebeccatheWriter]

5 hours ago, babyhouseman said:

That's right. I have worn them most of my life and have to pay for them. It was on the show so maybe the network paid for them. 

Discount maybe, but no way it was a product placement. We would have had a brand name drop and more focus on it. That segment seemed more in response to many audience members on social media commenting about Addy's speech and asking if they had taken her to a speech pathologist or audiologist. A freebie would have been shown differently than just saying she had new ones she liked better.

UP or any network/production team would not pay for such things, as that is a huge can of worms. Two parents, 19 kids, spouses, grandchildren, etc. Where would they draw the line? They would have to be pulling in mega money from sponsors and advertisers to have UP pay for everything. 

There are programs in Tennessee that help fund the hearing aids for school age children depending if the loss affects learning significantly. Many times it is an early intervention that is not income based at her age. Gil and Kelly and insurance would have to cover the doctor, fittings, and testing. Who knows what they use or qualified to use? 

I just think their attention toward prevention and treatment has become more focused in recent years. While they make money from the show, some of their medical decisions indicate at least some sort of plan. If they were still ER and urgent care for cash only, there is no way they could get the same attention to treatment. Gil would still be getting antibiotics for diverticulitis rather than resectioning. I'm sure they are saving some now that Kelly isn't pregnant every year, but they travel a lot without the cameras, and live less frugally. My guess is a high deductible plan or group share. 

[65mickey]

Why is it assumed that this family has no health insurance? Have they ever addressed this on the show?  Maybe years ago before they got the TV show they existed without health insurance. They could be covered under the affordable health care plan better know as Obama Care or part of their compensation for the TV show could be health and life insurance. The average family cannot save up enough and bargain their way out of a hospital stay for even a day or two.  

[RebeccatheWriter]

3 hours ago, 65mickey said:

Why is it assumed that this family has no health insurance? Have they ever addressed this on the show?  Maybe years ago before they got the TV show they existed without health insurance. They could be covered under the affordable health care plan better know as Obama Care or part of their compensation for the TV show could be health and life insurance. The average family cannot save up enough and bargain their way out of a hospital stay for even a day or two.  

Before the show they had two or three ABC Nightline features. Gil was shown in an interview saying they had no insurance and They took the kids to the ER, as they couldn't be turned away. He traded tree jobs for dental work and Kelly saw Dr Vick because he did a sliding scale of fees. Reality show productions don't typically offer insurace, as all talent and crew is contract. This is UP, not a big network. Insurance for gil, Kelly, 19 kids, seven spouses, 10 grandkids would be huge. That doesn't count production crew. Given how little It costs to advertise on UP, there is no way that is economically possible. 

Reality show casts don't qualify for SAG like actors. 

There are group share plans some fundies join. But the probability is that they used charity care prior to the show and now have a high deductible plan for Gil, Kelly, and the at home kids. From an image standpoint alone, Gil cannot parade a family in tv and show big weddings, etc. only to be spotted trying to barter for free surgery. 

Edited October 3, 2019 by RebeccatheWriter

[floridamom]

Since they let us know about using the ED as a doctor's office all those years, they should give up a brief update if they have medical insurance now and how they 'do it'.

[ehall1052]

My 34 year old son went to the ER a couple of weeks ago for heart palpitations and pain between his shoulder blades. Although he’s in great shape (he’s a runner), heart problems run in my family and I didn’t want to chance it. Long story short, he’s fine, but he got the bill today’s mail...$3200 total, his insurance paid about $3000, he has to pay $120.  Anyone using an ER for minor maladies is crazy. And I suppose Gil told them he was unable to pay because he had a bazillion kids. No wonder health care is so expensive.

[RebeccatheWriter]

The exact quote about insurance comes from the Nightline episode in a series called, "My Extraordinary Family" that featured different families around the US. It aired August 25, 2011 so much has changed in the lives of the family since then. 

Host JuJu Chang (voice over): "The Bates have no health insurance. So when there is a medical emergency or a broken limb? "

Gil (on camera): "When there is a medical emergency, we just go to the doctor. When you walk into the emergency room, I don't care what your status of living, they give you the best care possible." 

cut to Dr. Vick's office and clinic sign 

 Host JuJu Chang (voice over): Their prenatal care is provided free of charge at a small Christian clinic. 

[EtheltoTillie]

I stopped watching this a while ago  because it got so boring, but I had to search out the episode with dancing.  I thought they didn’t allow dancing in their cult.  Also how could they be looking at a vineyard?  They don’t drink. Someone please fill me in. 

[RebeccatheWriter]

11 hours ago, GussieK said:

I stopped watching this a while ago  because it got so boring, but I had to search out the episode with dancing.  I thought they didn’t allow dancing in their cult.  Also how could they be looking at a vineyard?  They don’t drink. Someone please fill me in. 

Apparently Carlin really wanted a father and daughter dance. She got a sort of dance (neither knew what they were doing) for pictures during her engagement. Kelly then did some social media and said that while they have always been against dancing that ballroom dancing was more appropriate and didn't encourage impure behavior. 

They do a lot of the back peddling thing these days.

As for the vineyard, I'm sure they will have some sort of excuse for that too. Kind of like Mr. Keller (Anna Duggar's father) and the water/wine/grape juice debate.

With the exception of Erin, the other girls have wanted traditional or modern weddings that do sort of mimic their style or sensibility. Erin and apparently Carlin are very traditional with IBLP and the whole idea of a fairy tale courtship, wedding, etc. They have gone for the poofy dresses and carriage rides, etc. I think that Carlin, in addition to getting some sort of discount at Castelton Farms, was taken in with the whole idea of walking down those stairs in her dress and that image of her on her father's arm, etc. 

It's one of the reasons I've been dreading this half season. I don't particularly relate to Carlin or her need to be loud and in front of the camera. I had similar feelings about Tori, but courting and engagement mellowed her out a lot more. She started getting on my nerves with how indecisive and rude she was about the planning of the wedding, but Carlin is going to be worse in the opposite direction. She's already in tears over every single decision. I'm not really interested in a significant portion of every episode being about her and the wedding. 

I was more interested in Michaela and Brandon's move and her going back to school. Or even Katie, who should be done with school at this point. Is she still wanting to go back for nursing? A conversation with her and Michaela (even staged) would make sense. 

[Sew Sumi]

Isn't Katie just starting her second year of cosmetology school? I thought she started last fall.

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, RebeccatheWriter said:

Apparently Carlin really wanted a father and daughter dance. She got a sort of dance (neither knew what they were doing) for pictures during her engagement. Kelly then did some social media and said that while they have always been against dancing that ballroom dancing was more appropriate and didn't encourage impure behavior. 

They do a lot of the back peddling thing these days.

As for the vineyard, I'm sure they will have some sort of excuse for that too. Kind of like Mr. Keller (Anna Duggar's father) and the water/wine/grape juice debate.

With the exception of Erin, the other girls have wanted traditional or modern weddings that do sort of mimic their style or sensibility. Erin and apparently Carlin are very traditional with IBLP and the whole idea of a fairy tale courtship, wedding, etc. They have gone for the poofy dresses and carriage rides, etc. I think that Carlin, in addition to getting some sort of discount at Castelton Farms, was taken in with the whole idea of walking down those stairs in her dress and that image of her on her father's arm, etc. 

It's one of the reasons I've been dreading this half season. I don't particularly relate to Carlin or her need to be loud and in front of the camera. I had similar feelings about Tori, but courting and engagement mellowed her out a lot more. She started getting on my nerves with how indecisive and rude she was about the planning of the wedding, but Carlin is going to be worse in the opposite direction. She's already in tears over every single decision. I'm not really interested in a significant portion of every episode being about her and the wedding. 

I was more interested in Michaela and Brandon's move and her going back to school. Or even Katie, who should be done with school at this point. Is she still wanting to go back for nursing? A conversation with her and Michaela (even staged) would make sense. 

Thanks for this info.  So as I understand it, Michaela and Brandon have never been able to have a kid.  What is she going to school for? 

[Sew Sumi]

Nursing. 

[BitterApple]

I agree that the courtship/wedding/baby cycle has become old hat. It's the same song and dance with different people plugged into the main character roles.

I'm curious as to what the real reason is behind Michael moving home. Surely there are nursing schools in Chicago. I wonder if she isn't coping well and Brandon figured the family would provide some much needed distraction. Kelly must be thrilled to have her top nanny back in the fold. 

I felt like they focused way too much on Carlin's dance lesson. I wanted to see more of the dog.

[Sew Sumi]

The party line about Michael moving back home is that it was cheaper to live and attend school in TN. Which is true. Maybe the school in TN also took her time as an EMT into consideration. One program at the school she's attending does, but it had a summer start date. Michael didn't start school until the fall semester, and being a one-year program, I figure she's going the LPN route.

[IndianPaintbrush]

Lawson's latest music video features him scandalously holding hands (and dancing!) with a young lady who is not his future spouse. *clutches pearls*

I love the cheesy shots of him standing in the rain. His fundie fangirls must love this stuff.

[RebeccatheWriter]

On 10/7/2019 at 5:34 PM, Sew Sumi said:

The party line about Michael moving back home is that it was cheaper to live and attend school in TN. Which is true. Maybe the school in TN also took her time as an EMT into consideration. One program at the school she's attending does, but it had a summer start date. Michael didn't start school until the fall semester, and being a one-year program, I figure she's going the LPN route.

Michaela has said she studied in the pre-healthcare program at Roane Community College (mostly online) and earned her associate of science after marriage. THe program is part of the Tennessee Transfer program that fast tracks students into BS programs in nursing, etc. WIth her EMT training and with the Roane program, it is possible she is in the RN program. The LPN program would be very redundant given Roane's program.

[Sew Sumi]

The 1 year RN program that she could have been fast-tracked into is the one with the summer start date. Maybe they also have a program that begins in the fall, but for such a small college, that would seem cost prohibitive. At least to me. 

I hope she is in an RN program after all the work she's put in so far.

[andromeda331]

On 10/7/2019 at 3:26 PM, BitterApple said:

I agree that the courtship/wedding/baby cycle has become old hat. It's the same song and dance with different people plugged into the main character roles.

I'm curious as to what the real reason is behind Michael moving home. Surely there are nursing schools in Chicago. I wonder if she isn't coping well and Brandon figured the family would provide some much needed distraction. Kelly must be thrilled to have her top nanny back in the fold. 

I felt like they focused way too much on Carlin's dance lesson. I wanted to see more of the dog.

That's my biggest worry about Michael and Brandon moving to TN is Michael ends up back raising her mother's kids and doing everything else. I really hope she sticks with nursing, passes and gets whatever job nursing and not being the primary person raising her siblings again.

[LongDenimFrumper]

I follow Whitney on Instagram... she’s promoting the $500 adhesive wallpaper she just bought for the accent wall in baby Khloe’ ‘s nursery. These people certainly aren’t thrifting any more. 

Also, side note, I absolutely hate the name Khloe’ spelled with a “K” a la the Kardashian Klan. Her name choice is the worst by far in this new round of babies. 

[iluvobx]

Why do you order/buy a weding dress that needs to be taken in more than 6"?  Talk about spending money needlessly.  Not to mention the additional cost of the new lining.  Guess it really doesn't matter the cost when it is someone else's dime.

I am tired of the weddings, the wanting of a vow renewal.  I have been married 37 years and the one and only time I thought about a renewal was one our 25th.  I was just a thought and truthfully, thought that would be a good way to get the children and grandchildren together in a cabin for a few days.  Translation, a vacation :) 😉😊

I am sure that there are other things that are going on in their lives than just that.  

[Patricia07]

Erin seems to be thinking about a vow renewal. And Whitney sounds as though she wants ANOTHER renewal. They're coming across as a little privileged and spoiled. 

Edited October 11, 2019 by Patricia07
clarify

[Squirrely]

3 hours ago, Patricia07 said:

Erin seems to be thinking about a vow renewal. And Whitney sounds as though she wants ANOTHER renewal. They're coming across as a little privileged and spoiled. 

Erin really had the stink eye going when Kelly was proclaiming that Carlin's wedding was going to be the best one yet. It just goes to show you how sad and mundane their lives are. Popping out babies isn't so special now that there are a hoard of grandkids. How else do you get attention as a woman in their world? You plan another, totally indulgent and unnecessary, wedding! 

I personally don't understand the concept of a vow renewal. Do they expire? Did I miss that when I signed on the dotted line 17 years ago? I guess I can understand (sort of, for people into that sort of thing) doing it when you meet an actual impressive milestone, like 25+ years. Have any of them even made it 10 years? 

Edited October 11, 2019 by Squirrely
Typo

[JessDVD]

I think a vow renewal makes sense when there's some sort of redemption involved, separation or infidelity or something, followed by reconciliation. Or if the couple eloped or only had enough money to do a courthouse wedding, and wants to do the "wedding thing" later on, I understand that. Some people in religious circles might do a vow renewal if they didn't have a Christian ceremony when they first got married, but then at some point converted and want to do a Christian ceremony. Occasionally I have a fleeting moment of thinking "I could plan my wedding so much better now at 35 than I did at 22" and wish for a do-over, but then I let the moment pass.

I think for Erin and Whitney, it has/had something to do with the more modest approach of their weddings, as they weren't rolling in it as they all seem to be now. Maybe Whitney is a bit of the whatever with her parents/bio-parents/whatever. But otherwise, it does seem to ring of "The only way to get attention around here is to have a wedding or a baby", and I still suspect that not all of them really want to continue annual pregnancies into their 30s and 40s, so a vow renewal is the best shot I guess.

[BitterApple]

I know Carlin doesn't want to jinx her wedding by talking about rain, but you need plan B on deck, just in case. Erin looked salty as hell when Kelly said Carlin would have the best Bates wedding yet.

Good to see Tori was her usual positive self during the move (sarcasm). She sure did a hell of a lot of complaining for someone who didn't lift a finger the entire time. Welcome to your life, Bobby.

Why on Earth would they install light-colored carpeting in Gil's church? Unless they're steam cleaning after every service it's gonna be wrecked in no time. 

Callie is such an adorable old soul. 

Chad looked pretty miserable in next week's preview. Poor guy needs to learn the value of the word "no."

Edited October 12, 2019 by BitterApple

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Bates Watchers,

1) If you have an issue with a post, report it for Mod review.  Do not tell other people what they can and cannot post.

2) This is the show thread so we should try, as best we can, to stick to discussing what is on the show.  The couples have their own threads in which you can discuss their excessive social media and any other media representation. 

Note: If you have questions, PM @PrincessPurrsALot.  We do not debate Mod actions in the forums.

[RebeccatheWriter]

On 10/12/2019 at 11:23 AM, BitterApple said:

I know Carlin doesn't want to jinx her wedding by talking about rain, but you need plan B on deck, just in case. Erin looked salty as hell when Kelly said Carlin would have the best Bates wedding yet.

Good to see Tori was her usual positive self during the move (sarcasm). She sure did a hell of a lot of complaining for someone who didn't lift a finger the entire time. Welcome to your life, Bobby.

Why on Earth would they install light-colored carpeting in Gil's church? Unless they're steam cleaning after every service it's gonna be wrecked in no time. 

Callie is such an adorable old soul. 

Chad looked pretty miserable in next week's preview. Poor guy needs to learn the value of the word "no."

I am glad that Callie does not have Erin's banging on the keys technique. I believe they said Carlin taught her. Way to go Carlin. 

Rather than six minutes of will the stuff for in the truck, I would like to have heard the reason for the move. Tori is so spoiled for having grown up with nothing. 

I make fun of Erin and Lawson for their vanity projects, but dang if that church isn't one big vanity project for Gil. 

[cereality]

So it looks like Tori has broken Bobby and he has now accepted what his life is/will be. I feel like last season, he looked more frustrated and like he was trying to carve a life for him and Tori, not just trying to become a Bates. Now it looks like he fully believes he’s a Bates and that’s that. As evidenced by him saying “when I graduated college [all of like 2 yrs ago] I had all these dreams about these perfect roles in ministry, and now my goals are to be the best I can be for my wife and son.”

So it took less than 2 years of being in the Bates family for all dreams except – have a kid yearly – to go away.  Hate to break it to you Bobby, but there are plenty of people who graduate college and pursue their goals for years and [gasp] some even keep pursuing them after marriage and babies.  But Tori must be happy that her constant complaining and misery about being SOOOOO far from home and having SOOOOO much to do for their kid with no family help while Bobby works [gasp] 40 hrs/wk was enough to get Bobby to throw in the towel on his “dreams” within 9 mos and make him say – fine let’s just go live next door to your parents and I’ll pretend I want to be a plumber, at least I get to spend 40 hrs/wk with my BFF Kelton.

Erin and Whitney both seem jealous of Carlin’s wedding. I zoned out during the wedding dress part of the episode and even still I heard Whit say – that dress would be great for a renewal. Uh – didn’t you just have one? Are you angling for another one? And Erin said – where were these dresses when WE got married. I feel like Erin and Whit both hold some resentment that being the first two weddings in the family, everything was much “stricter” and exactly how the fundie parents wanted it. And now as time has gone by, they’re seeing that the other girls don’t have to choose dresses that are long sleeves and totally covered up, they can dance at their weddings, they can have dinner/meal receptions etc. Whereas Erin and Whit just went along with what Kelly said they “had to” do because they didn’t know better.

And yeah Erin looked PISSED when Kelly said Carlin’s wedding was going to be the best yet. Honestly what else do these women have besides weddings + pushing out babies? And now Erin is realizing that being like 5-6 years out, her wedding is old news and even having babies isn’t that exciting anymore because it is no longer the 1st/2nd/3rd grandkid – it’s just another one of the 97 grandkids that Gil and Kelly will have.

[BitterApple]

14 minutes ago, cereality said:

 fine let’s just go live next door to your parents and I’ll pretend I want to be a plumber, at least I get to spend 40 hrs/wk with my BFF Kelton.

Erin and Whitney both seem jealous of Carlin’s wedding. 

I think Bobby's friendship with Kelton is the only thing making life tolerable for him in East TN. 

I also completely agree about Erin and Whitney. They're trying to come across nice with the fakey-fake enthusiasm, but you can tell they're secretly hoping a tornado hits Castleton Farms the day before the ceremony. 

[RebeccatheWriter]

14 hours ago, cereality said:

Erin and Whitney both seem jealous of Carlin’s wedding. I zoned out during the wedding dress part of the episode and even still I heard Whit say – that dress would be great for a renewal. Uh – didn’t you just have one? Are you angling for another one? And Erin said – where were these dresses when WE got married. I feel like Erin and Whit both hold some resentment that being the first two weddings in the family, everything was much “stricter” and exactly how the fundie parents wanted it. And now as time has gone by, they’re seeing that the other girls don’t have to choose dresses that are long sleeves and totally covered up, they can dance at their weddings, they can have dinner/meal receptions etc. Whereas Erin and Whit just went along with what Kelly said they “had to” do because they didn’t know better.

And yeah Erin looked PISSED when Kelly said Carlin’s wedding was going to be the best yet. Honestly what else do these women have besides weddings + pushing out babies? And now Erin is realizing that being like 5-6 years out, her wedding is old news and even having babies isn’t that exciting anymore because it is no longer the 1st/2nd/3rd grandkid – it’s just another one of the 97 grandkids that Gil and Kelly will have.

Erin has acted jealous or superior at each and every wedding so far. She complained at Tori and Bobby's wedding shower that nobody showed up for hers. She seemed put out at Josie and Kelton's wedding (either for the heat or playing back up to super pregnant Tori). At Michaela's she was giving advice and asking her sister questions like she had been married for 40 years and had some wisdom to impart. 

I'm not defending Erin, but Kelly Jo really does not have a filter. She is constantly saying stuff that might offend or hurt one of her daughters. I was just glad to see it wasn't directed at Michaela this time. Between comments about motherhood and grandchildren in front of her daughter with fertility issues to the immediate requests for help with mundane tasks when Michaela walks through the door, I would personally have had a long discussion with my mother about appropriate conversation. I will never forget that episode where Jeb and Jud almost burned down the house while Kelly Jo was visiting Michaela in Chicago. She point blank said to Michaela that she didn't want to be there. While I understand feeling torn about responsibilities, you don't tell your child or anyone that you don't want to be with them. Michaela has a lot more patience with her mother and the rest of the family than I ever could.