S10.E10: Moving Meltdowns

[kicotan]

13 minutes ago, KateHearts said:

I was cringing at the couch scene with Christine when she murmured, "I have no idea," pronounced "eye-dihhh".  

My cringe-then-laugh-out-loud moment was when she went on about openly flirting with Kody before their marriage, but men doing something similar when seeking a wife was “gross” and “disssgusstink”.

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

So we know this "last minute' decision to move to Flagstaff is utter bullshit. Legal wife stomped her foot down and shook her 1940 wanna be Greta Garbo hair, batted her eyes and puckered her cold sore lip to Cody to move because precious Day'un was going to NAU. He thought the Cult-de-Sac in Vegas would be eaten up by rabid fans of the show for 200K more than what he paid, after a year and a half on the market, only 1 sold so that 200K was divided into the down payment for Christine's house and the land. Meri is mortgaged up to her orange neck in house payments, Robyns credit is still in the shitter, probably because she still owes on Day'un accident ( and I believe the reason she was the last approved for Vegas home ) Janelle whom in her sloth-like ways is just sitting back, literally sitting back and watching and probably breathing through 1 nostril wondering what to make for dinner tonight. I wonder if the houses will ever be built on Prairie Plague Lane. Someone needs to warn Truly that she will be ripped from the angels singingk land and whisked away to whatever college town Robyns other kid wants to go to. 

[FreemefromTV]

7 hours ago, Mothra said:

Agreed.  And Mariah was so much on Kody's side over the catfishing that I think she'll take any opportunity that presents itself to "punish" Meri for it.

I also think it's a little creepy how invested (and interested!) Meri is in her daughter's life, and I don't mean the lesbianness of it.  I mean the fact that Mariah, insufferable asshole though she may be, is living what I think most of us would consider a normal young-adult woman's life:  she's going to graduate school, living with her significant other, and full of beans, instead of sitting around waiting for the invitation to be courted into a polygamous family where her main goal is to be sweet and fertile enough to assure her place in the pecking order.  It's sad that Meri--who it seems is successful in two businesses--never had (or never seized) the opportunities her daughter has, but she really ought to explore what she can do for herself instead of being Mariah's barnacle (tm MBFFL).

Mariah told Kody on a visit to Utah “If this guy was real, mom would have left” and Kody tired to deflect and ignore that but that’s the truth and Mariah has been the ONLY ONE to acknowledge it! I don’t know if she is so much on Kody’s side (she might be) as she is not allowing Meri to rewrite how the Catfish incident happened. Mariah was home for the summer and saw it with her own eyes! 

Meri, if you want to take a road trip to Chicago, DO IT! Why are you trying to force yourself on this specific trip. Mariah doesn’t share your interest so why don’t you ask one of the friends (you are always mentioning you feel so safe with) to go with you? Then you can have a nice visit with the girls once you are there?

Mariah has learned from the best and Meri is going to have a hard time manipulating and using guilt with this one! 

[sucker4reality]

39 minutes ago, Pegasaurus said:

I was surprised and disappointed in Logan's behavior in that scene.  Was Kody pressuring him? 

I'm sure someone was. I don't know if Logan was young enough to buy the story that they had to run away from Lehi in the middle of the night or if he just didn't want to make Kody/one or more of his mothers (notably Meri) angry by letting Paedon pack his toys. I was disappointed in him in that scene (because that's what it was) but it seems he has either grown out of that or had something else going on at the time.

Edited April 2, 2019 by sucker4reality

[MakingBacon]

1 hour ago, B in Lee said:

Well, to be honest, the Duggars ARE a family, and they actually enjoy each other's company. The children elected to have one big bedroom each for boys and girls instead of carving up the space into smaller rooms that would still have to be shared. That provided space for a sewing/crafting room for the girls and a media studio for the guys - with doors that could be shut to keep the littlest Duggars out of harm's way. The Browns don't share that sort of family structure, or family closeness.

The Duggar family is the height of dysfunction. Those kids said and did what their parents expected of them because they were never allowed to be individuals. The girls stayed in one room and the boys in another, with the doors locked, because of Josh. It’s a laugh to think they decided on th or own to stay in the same room because they are so close. Well, I guess you could be close if you are only allowed to be with your siblings 24/7. Let’s not pretend they are a family to which the Browns, or any family, should aspire.

The Browns are a family. They may be dysfunctional as well but they give their kids what the Duggars do not, education, individuality and love even though they might not live the exact tenets of their faith. 

[kimaken]

1 hour ago, sucker4reality said:

I'm sure someone was. I don't know if Logan was young enough to buy the story that they had to run away from Lehi in the middle of the night or if he just didn't want to make Kody/one or more of his mothers (notably Meri) angry by letting Paedon pack his toys.

I wasn't watching this show prior to the catfishing scandal -- was Meri so hateful to all the kids that she wouldn't allow Paedon bring his toys? Wow! 

[DaphneCat]

1 hour ago, sucker4reality said:

I'm sure someone was. I don't know if Logan was young enough to buy the story that they had to run away from Lehi in the middle of the night or if he just didn't want to make Kody/one or more of his mothers (notably Meri) angry by letting Paedon pack his toys. I was disappointed in him in that scene (because that's what it was) but it seems he has either grown out of that or had something else going on at the time.

Logan is the oldest AND A BOY.  I'm sure he had a relationship with Kody when he was very young - he was probably as anointed as King Sol.  Then all the other babies started coming along (and they were all lesser girls for a while there) and pretty soon they were all this bunch of kids with no individuality.  Logan then had to grow up fast and take responsibility for the younger kids because Janelle wasn't going to do it.  Combine (I'm guessing) early exaltation with being made to grow up early and OF COURSE Logan was going to think it was his right to decide what was to be packed and what wasn't.  He probably thought of himself as one of the adults (after all, he was in charge of packing a truck).  I honestly don't believe any of the wives were paying attention to what the older kids were doing - they were dealing with their stuff and the younger children's stuff.  As he got older it seems Logan got over thinking he was in charge of the other kids (who knows, maybe there was a revolt) and we haven't really seen that sort of behavior from him since.

[gardendiva]

2 hours ago, KateHearts said:

When Kody lost his shit on the couch saying how he needs the kids to "BACK OFF" with their questions because he has BOXES TO PACK, the look in his eyes was stark raving crazy. I can't wait to read the tell-all book, "Growing up Brown," in which all the kids collaborate to discuss their frizzy headed lunatic of a dad and their brainwashed moms. I will be buying that book.

I happened to screenshot that moment because I was going to do a side by side comparison with Charles Manson...he looked so cray at that moment.

i was too lazy to search for a Manson photo, but here is that screenshot. And yes, he looks completely unhinged.

[sucker4reality]

12 hours ago, DaphneCat said:

Logan is the oldest AND A BOY.  I'm sure he had a relationship with Kody when he was very young - he was probably as anointed as King Sol.  Then all the other babies started coming along (and they were all lesser girls for a while there) and pretty soon they were all this bunch of kids with no individuality.  Logan then had to grow up fast and take responsibility for the younger kids because Janelle wasn't going to do it.  Combine (I'm guessing) early exaltation with being made to grow up early and OF COURSE Logan was going to think it was his right to decide what was to be packed and what wasn't.  He probably thought of himself as one of the adults (after all, he was in charge of packing a truck).  I honestly don't believe any of the wives were paying attention to what the older kids were doing - they were dealing with their stuff and the younger children's stuff.  As he got older it seems Logan got over thinking he was in charge of the other kids (who knows, maybe there was a revolt) and we haven't really seen that sort of behavior from him since.

I never said he didn't have a relationship with Kody, and he did seem to be a favored child with Kody in the early episodes, while he was doing what Kody wanted him to do. But he also seemed to  have a touch of the brooding/rebellious streak that all of Janelle's boys seem to have;  I noticed it first in one episode where some of the older kids went on a picnic and he dropped an f-bomb which offended Christine in a TH. Then there's the fact that he took his first chance to get the hell out even when Robyn tried to guilt him in to staying for his siblings' sake. That wasn't very long after the move to Vegas and that attitude didn't develop over night.

What makes me think he may have issues with Meri is that he was so close to Maddie growing up.  Maddie has said she remembers when her mom and full siblings lived apart from the family (she referenced it in an IG post or something and said she and Logan were close), so if she is old enough to remember that, Logan is probably old enough to remember the tensions between his mom and Meri that lead his mom to leave. In their book, Janelle hinted that Meri wanted to discipline Logan differently than she did when he was a toddler and the only child/ only mobile child--I remember something about climbing and jumping--so it makes me think Meri was probably stricter than Janelle was. Add to that Maddie's cryptic tweets about being scared of somebody all her life, which everybody assumes refer to Meri, and it makes me think Meri might've been harsh towards Janelle's kids when she was still checked in to the family.

Edited April 3, 2019 by sucker4reality

[Jeanne222]

On 4/1/2019 at 6:29 PM, Pingaponga said:

What's with Kody wanting friends and family to move to Flagstaff as well? Not his older kids - I don't think we've seen him suggest that Maddie move, Aspyn move, Mykelti move - but his brother and brother-in-law. Is he hoping a whole bunch of polygamists will follow him, see him as a prophet, and he'll get a whole new life?  Because if he wanted to be around family so much, he could have moved back to Utah.

If they build this mega house, what exactly are they going to be doing with all those bedrooms in five years time?  In 5 year - only 5 years! - the only kids not in college will be Truely, Sol and Ari.  All the other kids will 19+.  Why on earth would you build such a huge house with so many freakin' bedrooms if in 5 years most of the kids will be out of the house? It's nice to have room for when the kids come home for Christmas, but how many times a year is that really likely to happen?

He is building this mcmansion because nobody in the Brown family shares anything but kodys penis and we even have doubts about that!

[MissT]

16 hours ago, jumper sage said:

What is wrong with sharing a room?  It is a great way to learn to co-habitate as an adult.

I shared a small room and a full size bed with my sister until I was 23 and finally moved out to get married.    Back in day it’s what we had to do and we turned out fine.  Yes we fought and would argue about using makeup, wearing each other’s clothing without asking.   You know the sister fighting thing.  

[KnoxForPres]

36 minutes ago, MissT said:

I shared a small room and a full size bed with my sister until I was 23 and finally moved out to get married.    Back in day it’s what we had to do and we turned out fine.  Yes we fought and would argue about using makeup, wearing each other’s clothing without asking.   You know the sister fighting thing.  

Exactly. It’s what families do. 

What is wrong with sharing a house?  Their refusal to go back to that makes no sense to me. If I was a believer of polygamy and sister wife world I’d want to be under the same roof. 

Id retreat to my room when needed but I’d at least want to reap the rewards of having my “sisters” help me cook, clean,, parent. I’d be like “oh hell yes it’s Tuesday, I’ve just got salad duty tonight” (or whatever system was determined). What’s the point of living autonomously if your end game was polygamy?  It’s not economical and it’s not how families live. 

While I’m sure that drafter, whatever her title is is good at her job I found the whole thing kind of hilarious. She really enjoyed tooting her own horn in super serious voice  “I wanted to make the spaces were different too, it would be so easy to make them all the same”.  One, I’m just an idiot who works in a cubicle and would have figured that out that but two, the whole tone of that scene felt more like they were curing cancer than making a home where a dude bangs multiples. Like it played out with a lot of honor and awe.  At times I expected her and Kody to have tears and say “we did the impossible”.

Even her “I call it the gallery because I envision family pictures” or some silly bullshit was so over the top. 

I liked the girl and am not knocking her at all but if we all glorified our job duties like that it would be damn near like an SNL skit. 

[suomi]

Logan was an only child for 10 months; he had 4 sisters by the time he was 25 months old; he was the only son for 33 months.

Logan - May 21, 1994 (24)

Aspyn - March 14, 1995 (24)

Mariah - July 29, 1995 (23)

Madison - Nov 3, 1995 (23)

Mykelti - June 9, 1996 (22)

Hunter - Feb 9, 1997 (22)

Paedon - Aug 7, 1998 (20)

Garrison - Oct 31, 1998 (20)

Gabriel - Jan 8, 2001 (18)

Gwendlyn - July 23, 2001 (17)

Ysabel - Mar 7, 2003 (16)

Savanah - Dec 7, 2004 (14)

Truely - Apr 13, 2010 (8)

- - - - - - - 

Dayton - Jan 16, 2000 (19)

Aurora - June 4, 2002 (16)

Breanna - July 10, 2005 (13)

Solomon - Oct 27, 2011 (7)

Ariella - Jan 10, 2016 (3)

Edited April 3, 2019 by suomi

[notnowimbusy]

Ok, this one big house plan has me going nuts!  First off, I looked at the plans.  There is no way - with this occupancy load, sq. footage, that ANY building dept. allow for only one exit!  Despite the regulations, imagine if there is a fire at the entrance - how does everyone get out???   Windows in each unit are considered an "emergency exit", but a space this size, with the square footage would require several exits.

Then on to the "each wife needs to have her own deed".  OMG   Each unit, in order to get a loan, would be considered a condominium complex.   Therefore, a single "builder/buyer" would have to subdivide the parcel, build the mega-mansion, then sell off the individual units, with Kody's "area" as a common area.   They don't have the money to build it, then each wife purchase a "unit".   So, who is going to finance the initial built?  In a  condo you own from the painted walls in . . . the rest is common area.  But somebody has to build the complex first.    No way can each wife borrow towards something that isn't there. 

Finally, the owners got rid of the CC&R's that went along with the property.  But that doesn't mean that the whoever regulates the area (County, City, etc) would allow a condo complex in a single family zoning area.  The neighbors would surely complain about this during a public design review, planning hearings.   Not to mention the resale of this type of property would be well below market value - which is something bankers/lenders look at when considering a loan to purchase.

Besides all of this Kody is just nuts!  He has no practical knowledge of how things actually work.  He says "lets move", then casually checks in with his wives to see if "they" have lined up rentals, ets.  All depending on their individual income -  because they cannot include any money he makes into their income statements, except Robyn.   There was no plan, among the individual wives, to find rentals near each other.  It was everyone for themselves.  Then try to make the kids think it's about them, and one big family.    BS  It's a big con.

[AZChristian]

Maybe Kody doesn't want Meri to go to Chicago JUST IN CASE "Sam" is real, and he's afraid Meri will hook back up with "him."  

[TVFAN]

Mariah actually reminds me of a friend of mine. Growing up, her dad was absentee, but her mom took great care of her.  I always thought her dad was a jerk, but my friend thought the sun rose and set on him despite the many times he failed her.  I don't think she realized what a gem she had in her mom until her mom passed away.

Meri was Mariah's primary caretaker, and there is no way in the world Mariah would have gone to a private college without Meri's financial support, but Mariah has never evidenced any gratitude.  She has never said a word against Kody and seemingly had no problem with him divorcing her mother or sleeping with three other women. But when Meri albeit foolishly sought out love, Mariah froze her out.  Her sense of entitlement has made her my least favorite Brown--okay maybe she's tied with Kody for that honor.

[Joan of Argh]

19 hours ago, jumper sage said:

What is wrong with sharing a room?  It is a great way to learn to co-habitate as an adult.

I have a feeling that part of the reason for all the rooms is because Kootie wants a HUGE mansion.

You could see his ego almost bursting out through his eyeballs as his brother and brother-in-laws jaws dropped and they were soooo impressed with the size of Kooties house while looking at the house plans.

I think that's also why he wants ONE house.... Because in order to house everyone under one roof it has to be enormous...  Four regular size houses doesn't feed his ego the way one gigantic home with 10 garages, 20 bedrooms etc does.

He wants people to see Kody Brown's mansion with private lake etc etc.... Not just a few houses scattered over acreage..... He's such a shallow putz.  🙄

[B in Lee]

15 hours ago, MakingBacon said:

The Duggar family is the height of dysfunction. Those kids said and did what their parents expected of them because they were never allowed to be individuals. The girls stayed in one room and the boys in another, with the doors locked, because of Josh. It’s a laugh to think they decided on th or own to stay in the same room because they are so close. Well, I guess you could be close if you are only allowed to be with your siblings 24/7. Let’s not pretend they are a family to which the Browns, or any family, should aspire.

The Browns are a family. They may be dysfunctional as well but they give their kids what the Duggars do not, education, individuality and love even though they might not live the exact tenets of their faith. 

Sorry. We're just going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

[xwordfanatik]

No wonder I like Aspyn and Ysabel.  Fellow Pisceans.

10 hours ago, Joan of Argh said:

I have a feeling that part of the reason for all the rooms is because Kootie wants a HUGE mansion.

You could see his ego almost bursting out through his eyeballs as his brother and brother-in-laws jaws dropped and they were soooo impressed with the size of Kooties house while looking at the house plans.

I think that's also why he wants ONE house.... Because in order to house everyone under one roof it has to be enormous...  Four regular size houses doesn't feed his ego the way one gigantic home with 10 garages, 20 bedrooms etc does.

He wants people to see Kody Brown's mansion with private lake etc etc.... Not just a few houses scattered over acreage..... He's such a shallow putz.  🙄

Shallow putz is so right!  Showboat ass man-child.  "Lookie everyone, I get the biggest house in town!"

Compensating for a shortcoming?  hehe

[Irate Panda]

There needs to be a separate thread for hashtags #PayingYourDebtIs4Suckers #WalmartWeSellLongJeensToo       #FeelingsMutualTheNachosWereDisgustedByKody

As of today, is everyone living in Flagstaff full-time besides the adult children less Dayton? Is Paedon in Flagstaff and have they started any work whatsoever on the prairie dog burial ground?

[Roslyn]

13 hours ago, notnowimbusy said:

Ok, this one big house plan has me going nuts!  First off, I looked at the plans.  There is no way - with this occupancy load, sq. footage, that ANY building dept. allow for only one exit!  Despite the regulations, imagine if there is a fire at the entrance - how does everyone get out???   Windows in each unit are considered an "emergency exit", but a space this size, with the square footage would require several exits.

Then on to the "each wife needs to have her own deed".  OMG   Each unit, in order to get a loan, would be considered a condominium complex.   Therefore, a single "builder/buyer" would have to subdivide the parcel, build the mega-mansion, then sell off the individual units, with Kody's "area" as a common area.   They don't have the money to build it, then each wife purchase a "unit".   So, who is going to finance the initial built?  In a  condo you own from the painted walls in . . . the rest is common area.  But somebody has to build the complex first.    No way can each wife borrow towards something that isn't there. 

Finally, the owners got rid of the CC&R's that went along with the property.  But that doesn't mean that the whoever regulates the area (County, City, etc) would allow a condo complex in a single family zoning area.  The neighbors would surely complain about this during a public design review, planning hearings.   Not to mention the resale of this type of property would be well below market value - which is something bankers/lenders look at when considering a loan to purchase.

Besides all of this Kody is just nuts!  He has no practical knowledge of how things actually work.  He says "lets move", then casually checks in with his wives to see if "they" have lined up rentals, ets.  All depending on their individual income -  because they cannot include any money he makes into their income statements, except Robyn.   There was no plan, among the individual wives, to find rentals near each other.  It was everyone for themselves.  Then try to make the kids think it's about them, and one big family.    BS  It's a big con.

Yea...Kody is so full of shit his eyes are brown!! The very very first thing I thought of when the "one big house" theory was brought up on camera was...um...zoning.  They bought four separate lots, not one property.  It's most likely zoned in single family dwellings because although spaced out, it has a LOT of houses around it if you look at the area from above.

Get past the financing...past the zoning...and concentrate on water.  Water in, water out.  You no longer have typical water needs of a single family home when you have a million kitchen/bathroom sinks, laundry set up plus showers, baths and the porcelain thrones.  If they are on septic systems...holy shit!! My husband's cousin put in a double wide trailer on a foundation with three bedrooms.  Even though the home has only two occupants, since it's three bedrooms they had to put in a double tank sand mound septic system with double the cost. I have zero clue what kind of water system a home like that would need, but I'm sure it would be prohibitively expensive. Life on city water and country life with a well/septic are two very different lives.

AND!! I think Christine might be the most crafty!!  She said that she "couldn't find a rental" that suited her, so she had to buy.  However, her house is right near where they bought property, and has that same "angel singing mountain view" that she really loved.  Regardless of whether they ever build or try to build, Christine has a nice house, a purchased house, the view she wants and can settle in and let everyone else him and haw over the property/build future. SHE is set.

[Natalie68]

On 4/2/2019 at 8:47 AM, islandgal140 said:

There's enough prairie dog plague to go around. 

I always wonder if they have health insurance. None of them seem to have a 9 to 5 that would entitle them to benefits so how did they pay for Truly's hospitalization and poor Ysabel's doctor's visits? Obamacare? Medicaid? 

Good point. I don't see a hint of curl in any of his youthful photos. 

I do believe he scrunches the hell out of his hair.  Worked with a gal who could take the straightest hair and make it wavy with her scrunching.  She had a talent.  His short haired pics don't tell me his hair isn't curly though.  My hair when short is very straight.  When it gets length to it I get waves.  Not nice waves, but enough I have to straighten it.

[Natalie68]

21 hours ago, B in Lee said:

Well, to be honest, the Duggars ARE a family, and they actually enjoy each other's company. The children elected to have one big bedroom each for boys and girls instead of carving up the space into smaller rooms that would still have to be shared. That provided space for a sewing/crafting room for the girls and a media studio for the guys - with doors that could be shut to keep the littlest Duggars out of harm's way. The Browns don't share that sort of family structure, or family closeness.

Not to delve too much on this other weird family, I believe the Josh incident had something to do with how the kids rooms were designed.  Always having an accountability partner.

This giant family COULD share bedrooms.  It is silly that a family of questionable finances could afford for all kids to have their own room as well as all the wives have their own homes/space.  Kody is not wealthy.  He is upper middle class at best.  Until the show goes away and this 50+ year old man needs to find a new job in fields that have most likely changed since his last employment.  This family is in for a huge change of lifestyle.  

[Kohola3]

53 minutes ago, Roslyn said:

I have zero clue what kind of water system a home like that would need, but I'm sure it would be prohibitively expensive. Life on city water and country life with a well/septic are two very different lives.

My mound septic for a two bedroom home was $12,000 5 years ago.

[Granny58]

15 hours ago, notnowimbusy said:

Besides all of this Kody is just nuts!  He has no practical knowledge of how things actually work.  He says "lets move", then casually checks in with his wives to see if "they" have lined up rentals, ets.  All depending on their individual income -  because they cannot include any money he makes into their income statements, except Robyn.   There was no plan, among the individual wives, to find rentals near each other.  It was everyone for themselves.  Then try to make the kids think it's about them, and one big family.    BS  It's a big con.

your entire post was interesting and informative.  But this paragraph just gutted me!  You are so spot on.  I've just been too jaw-dropped over the nonsense of moving to even see it in this light.

14 hours ago, TVFAN said:

But when Meri albeit foolishly sought out love,

Meri didn't foolishly seek love, as I believe she NEEDS it so much.  But she did inappropriately seek out love given their arrangements.  

[Granny58]

47 minutes ago, Natalie68 said:

Not nice waves, but enough I have to straighten it.

Oh Natalie, me too.  Maddening, isn't it?

[Granny58]

somebody pages ago made an interesting point, that Kody should divorce Robyn and marry Christine for at least 10 years (40 quarters) so that his Social Security could apply to her in their dotage.   Again, this is ANOTHER thing I hadn't thought about in my run of the mill, by the book life.  When Christine is an old lady, and she hasn't been employed (wonder if what she does now counts), what are her SS options?

[suomi]

2 minutes ago, Granny58 said:

When Christine is an old lady, and she hasn't been employed (wonder if what she does now counts), what are her SS options?

Zero. No SS, no SSDI, no Medicare. What she does now counts if she and her employer pay into the system for 10 years. AFAIK reality stars are independent contractors so the employer has no responsibility. 

[Kohola3]

12 minutes ago, Granny58 said:

somebody pages ago made an interesting point, that Kody should divorce Robyn and marry Christine for at least 10 years (40 quarters) so that his Social Security could apply to her in their dotage.   

Except doesn't Kootie has to be paying into Social Security for that to work for any of them?  With their crackerjack financial management, have they ever thought about any of that?  Other than Janelle working at a normal job for a while (and then cashing out her 401K, the fool) , have any of them worked for any length of time and paid anything into the government pot?

[Granny58]

19 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

Except doesn't Kootie has to be paying into Social Security for that to work for any of them?  With their crackerjack financial management, have they ever thought about any of that?  Other than Janelle working at a normal job for a while (and then cashing out her 401K, the fool) , have any of them worked for any length of time and paid anything into the government pot?

Yes, kody used to be a salesperson and Meri worked at a counseling office.  They are probably covered, but I don't think Christine ever worked.  

[suomi]

There are two different spans of 10 years being referenced.

A person has to pay in for a minimum of 10 years/40 quarters in a job that qualifies for SS credits. They will collect (minimal) SS; obviously, somone who pays in for 80 or 120 or 160 quarters will receive a higher benefit. 

If one person has 10 qualified years of employment, then any spouse of at least 10 years can collect on that. If they marry 4 women every wife of at least 10 years can collect on his 10 years of employment. If a wife paid in and qualified and would receive more from her own employment record then of course she wouldn't want his lower benefit. And IIRC you can't get his unless it is a certain amount or percent more than your own benefit. 

[Kohola3]

1 minute ago, Granny58 said:

Yes, kody used to be a salesperson and Meri worked at a counseling office.

But the key is - for how long?  And wasn't Meri part time? 

 Social Security looks at 35 years of earnings and if they aren't paying in from TLC because it's in a family "pot"....

[suomi]

Sales commissions count as income. There is also a minimum income per quarter, for 2019 it's around $1300. 

https://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/11/17/3-income-sources-that-earn-you-social-security-cre.aspx

Railroad workers are exempt from paying into SS but they pay a little more than SS taxes and it goes into the railroad pension fund. There are some other exempt categories of workers as well but the employer has to have a retirement plan in place to gain exemption from SS. It has become dogma that workers in the US have access to participating in a plan that will provide at least some financial security in their retirement years or if they become disabled.

Edited April 3, 2019 by suomi

[Tabbygirl521]

I only started watching the around the time Kody and Christine were doing the marriage counseling/building a rockpile thing. (I had been following along on TWOP, though; just was too creeped out to actually watch for a long time.) Today I got a wild hair and started watching Season 1. In the first episode they all looked so young and quite happy, and they all seemed to move seamlessly through the Lehi house. Kody appeared to have naturally wavy hair or possibly it had been somewhat flat-ironed. As I watched, I thought Well, damn, this seems to have been working for them back then.

There were couch sessions with all the wives, who were chuckling happily at the idea of their having 4 sexual relationships and how that meant Kody was taking care of everyone. Even as I cringed at the idea, I thought, Hmmm, they do seem to have it working for them. No comprendo, but oh well  

Remarkably they all seemed fine and happy with one big house with “porous borders.”

it only took until Episode 3 before they were all crying about how hard it is to deny the jealousy inherent in their arrangement. They had been faking it pretty well until Kody started slobbering over Robyn. I don’t blame Robyn personally; she could have been anyone, I think. Clearly a fourth wife upset the carefully constructed House of Denial. 

So I'm going to keep watching. It actually made me a little teary to see them look so young and hopeful, then crash and burn so rapidly. 

I am posting in this thread because my overall thoughts about this have to do with their living in one house, and wondering why they are so adamantly opposed now, when the Lehi arrangement seemed good. 

This also pointed out how much Kody’s hair “style” has devolved. He is delusional if he thinks he still looks that good. He’s ruined his hair. 

[luvmylabs]

Well, I have to give that drafts person props for creating that huge place.  She met all his requirements and even went so far as to create differences in the bathrooms, etc. so there would be individuality.  You could NEVER have just one entrance to a place with that many people.  And I'll be the wives would all like separate entrances to their own places.  This, of course, will never happen (the house I mean) but it would be well worth watching IMO if it did!

[Kohola3]

9 minutes ago, luvmylabs said:

Well, I have to give that drafts person props for creating that huge place.  

If she was smart, she asked for payment up front.  

[suomi]

2 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

If she was smart, she asked for payment up front.  

If she was smart, she asked for and received payment up front.  

[Sandy W]

13 minutes ago, luvmylabs said:

Well, I have to give that drafts person props for creating that huge place.  She met all his requirements and even went so far as to create differences in the bathrooms, etc. so there would be individuality.  You could NEVER have just one entrance to a place with that many people.  And I'll be the wives would all like separate entrances to their own places.  This, of course, will never happen (the house I mean) but it would be well worth watching IMO if it did!

Unless there are patio doors in each of the units, I doubt if it would meet fire code regulations to have just one exterior door for that many people.  And could you just imagine Janelle huffing and puffing her way up from the 10 car garage laden with her fresh produce from her latest foray to the farmer's market?

[Owwwww ma leg]

22 hours ago, gardendiva said:

I happened to screenshot that moment because I was going to do a side by side comparison with Charles Manson...he looked so cray at that moment.

i was too lazy to search for a Manson photo, but here is that screenshot. And yes, he looks completely unhinged.

A picture says a thousand words. Also, lay off the Botox 

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

1 minute ago, Sandy W said:

Unless there are patio doors in each of the units, I doubt if it would meet fire code regulations to have just one exterior door for that many people.  And could you just imagine Janelle huffing and puffing her way up from the 10 car garage laden with her fresh produce from her latest foray to the farmer's market?

 that is the funniest thing I heard all day , especially the fresh produce and jaunt to the farmers market.

[NotinKansasanymore]

I finally figured out what drives me crazy about the Browns this season.

Stop playing the victim to circumstances that you created!

You made the choice to move.

You created your own deadline.

You chose Flagstaff knowing it's 3x more expensive

You chose to have 4 rentals apart from each other.

You chose that every child has to have their own bedroom, renting massive homes.

So I don't want to hear any of them complain about the stress of moving, or finances, or living apart.

You created it. You are not the victims but the architects of your problems!

[toodles]

7 minutes ago, NotinKansasanymore said:

I finally figured out what drives me crazy about the Browns this season.

Stop playing the victim to circumstances that you created!

Playing victim is the Browns' bread and butter.  Meri and the catfish, Kody so busy with parties and whatnot is would make a monogamist's head spin, rentals too far apart for Kody to see his kids and on and on.  It gets really old.

[xwordfanatik]

1 hour ago, NotinKansasanymore said:

I finally figured out what drives me crazy about the Browns this season.

Stop playing the victim to circumstances that you created!

You made the choice to move.

You created your own deadline.

You chose Flagstaff knowing it's 3x more expensive

You chose to have 4 rentals apart from each other.

You chose that every child has to have their own bedroom, renting massive homes.

So I don't want to hear any of them complain about the stress of moving, or finances, or living apart.

You created it. You are not the victims but the architects of your problems!

Love your post.  These supposed persecuted "Plygs" are their own worst enemies, when it comes to financial decisions.  I can't even imagine living in that nightmare.

[ChristmasJones]

Any income they individually  (or jointly, in the case of Kody and Robyn) receive from the show would have to be reported as self-employment income.  TLC would not withhold taxes, the Browns would need to do that on their own.  Assuming the correct taxes are paid, these will include payment toward Medicare and Social Security. 

In terms of health insurance for the adults... the only way they would currently be eligible for Medicaid is if their income was less than apprx $17,000/year (for a single adult).  This amount increases when married and when there are dependent children - a married couple with three children must make less than apprx. $42,000/yr to be eligible, and a single adult with two children must make less than apprx. $29,000/yr.     If any of the dependent children earn above a certain level of income, that income also counts toward the household income counted for health insurance. 

It seems extremely unlikely they are on Medicaid...unless we believe that, as a group, they are being paid less than apprx $150k/year. If they have health insurance, they are buying it through the exchange.

Edited April 4, 2019 by ChristmasJones

[Teafortwo]

I have a theory. Perhaps the rentals "accidentally" being so far apart is Janelle and Christine's payback since they originally opposed the move to Flagstaff. Payback = Kody having to travel so many miles to visit them (and breaking up the still-at-home kids, who didn't seem all that close anyway. I mean is Gabe close with his half sisters? With Sol? Are Ysabel and Gwen close with Aurora/Breanna? Truely and Solomon may be buddies, but I'd guess those are the only two.) Sheer speculation.

[Irate Panda]

I’m confused is the guy in this episode who is Kody’s brother in law that’s married to Meri’s sister the same guy who list his voice that married and Mitch.  I thought that guy was Mitch’s brother.  Are the two different people?  Is it the same guy but the guy is not related to Mitch or is it the same guy and he’s related to Mitch and Meri?   My brain hurts....it my defense I am very sick this week.

[Gothish520]

On 4/1/2019 at 12:46 AM, Tabbygirl521 said:

Just watching now. God, Kody is an idiot. 

I love the kids hassling him about motorcycles. 

Overall the scene was amusing, but Gabe put me off with his comment about how getting a motorcycle would "raise his status" - he seems quite full of himself and concerned with his image. Hopefully someday he will learn what is truly important in life.

[Sandy W]

11 minutes ago, Gothish520 said:

Overall the scene was amusing, but Gabe put me off with his comment about how getting a motorcycle would "raise his status" - he seems quite full of himself and concerned with his image. Hopefully someday he will learn what is truly important in life.

I interpreted Gabe's remark as a sardonic, mocking shot at Kody and had nothing to do with status or image.  It was as if he was saying "if I'm a good little soldier and conform to your whims, will you buy me a pony?"  Gabe is bitter and sees right through the whole charade, but has no voice or power.  Gwendlyn and Kody didn't catch the intended irony and got caught up in who deserves a motorcycle causing Gabe to storm off in frustration.  

I don't think his seething resentment could be bought off with a motorcycle or anything else, he needed to be heard and Kody wasn't listening and even if he did hear Gabe's anguish, it wouldn't have any impact.  His academic and athletic achievements were hard won by Gabe and he may never get over this.

[FreemefromTV]

1 hour ago, Irate Panda said:

I’m confused is the guy in this episode who is Kody’s brother in law that’s married to Meri’s sister the same guy who list his voice that married and Mitch.  I thought that guy was Mitch’s brother.  Are the two different people?  Is it the same guy but the guy is not related to Mitch or is it the same guy and he’s related to Mitch and Meri?   My brain hurts....it my defense I am very sick this week.

He is married to Meri’s sister. Kody describes him as his best friend and Meri had to point out that he was her brother in law first! Then he performed the marriage ceremony with Mitch and Aspyn.

Edited April 4, 2019 by FreemefromTV
Updated

[suomi]

If Gabe used the word status I think he justifiably threw some shade. I didn't see that scene yet, I'm going by what's been quoted here.

Kody has four wives and raised his status with each marriage. Do as I say not as I do. Don't bother me with your problems. Take a number.