Anonymous wrote:The lack of organization drives me crazy too. All those moms and so many older kids, they should have everything down to a science. I grew up with lots of older aunties and every family gathering went off without a hitch because they'd all been doing the same thing for so many years. From meal prep to serving to doing the dishes, no matter whose house we were at, same precision every time. They never use their size to their advantage. The Browns need to watch the Duggars once in a while.

But, like everyone else, I still watch! Meri does drive me crazy, but I feel so bad for her with her inability to have another child and having to share "her" husband and all the foolishness she's had to put up with. I loved Robyn at first, but now not as much.

True about the lack of organization, but I always hate to see large families like the Duggars saddling the older children with the younger ones to take care of. It seems incredibly selfish - mom and dad, you had the kids - YOU take care of them. Let the kids enjoy their childhood/teen years without turning them into caretakers because you chose to have a zillion kids.

Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now!

The lack of organization drives me crazy too. All those moms and so many older kids, they should have everything down to a science. I grew up with lots of older aunties and every family gathering went off without a hitch because they'd all been doing the same thing for so many years. From meal prep to serving to doing the dishes, no matter whose house we were at, same precision every time. They never use their size to their advantage. The Browns need to watch the Duggars once in a while.

But, like everyone else, I still watch! Meri does drive me crazy, but I feel so bad for her with her inability to have another child and having to share "her" husband and all the foolishness she's had to put up with. I loved Robyn at first, but now not as much.

One reason I like Janelle so much more than the other wives is because she's never melodramatic. She always seems very practical, honest, and down-to-earth. With Robyn, Meri, and Christine, one of them is always crying to the camera about something and Janelle just soldiers on. So much more mature.

Of the kids, my favorite is Aspyn (sp?). She always cracks me up!

I've never been a big fan of Meri but she won me over when she agreed to divorce Kody so that he could adopt Robyn's kids. That was a pretty selfless thing to do and showed that she really does care about the family and not just herself. I would have a hard time giving up the "alpha" role to another wife if I were in her situation, especially to one who it's pretty obvious that Kody favors. Then again, that guy is no prize so maybe this is just step one in getting the hell out of there.

I can't believe they don't have more systems for getting stuff done. After all these years, no recipe books for dishes for 20 people? No checklists for vacation packing? It's like they start from scratch every time and always leave like 8 hours later than they need to. I agree, it looks exhausting.

When they visited with that other polygamist family, I think that other family was shocked at the lack of systems and organization. I think maybe a bunch of them have adult ADD or something.

And Meri is just a bundle of shallowness and low self esteem. Why do you need a five bedroom house when you have one kid who is leaving the house??? So stupid. You have to heat and cool it, clean it, etc. Just her in that huge house? Eye roll. She could have had her stupid wet bar in a much smaller home.

I kind of like Christine but she's as dumb as a door knob. When she was trying to be a realtor and then suddenly had an epiphany that she would have to show houses on the weekends... omg.

and yet still I watch.

PP again - I also cringe when they go on "vacation," or anywhere for that matter. The energy it takes them to pack everyone up into the RVs and make meals for the whole crowd while on the road. Is this anyone's idea of a vacation? I'm always exhausted by the end of those episodes.

I've always hated the way the drag out non-dramatic moments and try to make them ultra-dramatic. Like when they were leaving Utah for Las Vegas and they heard a siren in the distance - everyone panicked as if the police were actually coming for them!!! And they keep flashing back to that moment, over and over. So much repetitiveness. At least half the series must be made up of "recaps" and flashbacks. Other non-moments that were constantly milked were when they were all waiting to see if they'd get the loans (OMG!) and when the wives had those hideous dresses made for their recommitment ceremony and one of them wasn't going to be ready in time. Umm... buy a dress??? Why didn't they do that in the first place? They always seem to be spending boatloads of money on their stupid parties. Is there no common sense?? And yet, still I watch.

So I've read each "family" (wife) gets $40K per episode from TLC = $160K or more per episode. If they are filing bankruptcy right and left is that money going into trust for the children? Is that how the kids can afford college? And how did they purchase the four homes in Las Vegas without TLC money?

Logan, Mariah, Aspyn, Madison and Mikayla are all out of the house. Logan lives in a house with roommates and goes to UNLV. Aspyn goes to UNLV and is majoring in elem ed. She shares an apartment with Mikayla who is interning with a fashion designer. Mariah is studying to be a PA at Westminster College in Utah and Madison is in college in Utah. So just 12 left at home. I realize it's pathetic that I know this.

I was so annoyed with the whole switch bait divorce commercial. I stopped watching a long time ago. They bore me. Janelle is the only smart one in the family. Robyn annoys me for some reason and I HATE Meri.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totally unrelated to any SW drama, but I've always thought Janelle is the prettiest, even if she's heavy. She can sometimes look so beautiful. Shallow observation, I know, but hey - what can I say?

I agree. She is beautiful. I think she often feels inferior to the other women, especially Robin, but losing some weight seems to have helped her be more confident.

I also think Janel is the only one who's ever made any kind of predictable decent income. I get the feeling there have been times she's literally supporting every single one of them.

+1
I've watched this show for years and so I'm kind of fond of all the characters, but have NEVER understood why they don't just have normal jobs to pay the bills? There's always some kind of scheme - first they were going to buy and operate a gym, then the jewelry business. So much angst when maybe they should just try holding down normal jobs? Can't figure it out.

^^ Very normal behavior for fundamentalist Mormons. It's called "Bleeding the Beast" and we (gentiles/federal government) are the Beast. Usually the first wife and husband report for taxes. The remaining wives file as single SAHM with no income and dependents. They are experts at welfare, tax fraud, property tax fraud and bankruptcy. See "Bleeding the Beast".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalist_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-Day_Saints. In those towns where polygamists have concentrated like Hildate, and Colorado City, Utah, the city and police are run by the heads of the largest families. They pass laws to ensure that no property taxes have to be paid. For example, they will pass a law stating that property taxes don't have to be paid for a "house under construction" so every house in Hildale or Colorado City has some structure left unfinished on it.

It looks like they are terrible with money management
http://starcasm.net/archives/308187

Anonymous wrote:So Robyn's kids' Dad-is he ok with Cody adopting his kids? That would mean he would relinquish all paternal rights, right? Has he been an unfit Dad? I've always thought that unless the bio dad willingly relinquishes rights, that step dad's can't legally adopt the kids?

They said last night they still had to deal with that aspect. It didn't seem clear cut that he has already agreed to it. I got the impression that they felt the by setting everything up they'd stand a good chance to Cody being able to adopt - regardless of the bio dad.

So Robyn's kids' Dad-is he ok with Cody adopting his kids? That would mean he would relinquish all paternal rights, right? Has he been an unfit Dad? I've always thought that unless the bio dad willingly relinquishes rights, that step dad's can't legally adopt the kids?