Here's some exclusive pics of Moving Day for Meri provided by a friend of SWB who lives in LV and happened to be driving by Meri's house. Looks like the Krew are using an UHaul truck - just like the one reported earlier last month that moved Robyn, Christine and Janelle. How nice to economize with a DIY moving job. If you look real close, you can see a familiar hairdo flipping in the wind - and actually doing some manual labor. Sweet!!
Now here's an interesting tweet. Seems Mariah and Aspyn aren't the only Brown teens slated for graduation this year. Looks like Mykelti will also be leaving Centennial high school - in just two weeks!! Does CSN stand for College of Southern Nevada?
I guess you can file this under:
Things that make you go hmmmmm....
That's all for now. Feel free to continue any discussions on this page - on topic of course!
Mykelti is probably going to be taking college credits which also count towards her high school credits. We have the same type of program in MN and we call it (jokingly - I work in financal aid) the Middle Class scholarship since here the State pays for the college courses. So it's actually an excellent idea: college credit while still in high school.
ReplyDeleteWait! A Brown having an excellent idea! What are the chances?!
Mykelti must have heard about it from a counselor at school. No way one of the older people in her clan thought of it. Sorry, I can't bring myself to call Kody and the Kody-pendants adults.
DeleteI can see Janelle recommending that to the children of the other mothers as well as her own.
DeleteShe probably is starting to realize that her parents haven't saved any substantial amount of money for her education and she will be responsible for paying for classes and acquiring loans - fashion design schools aren't cheap.
DeleteYea, can you imagine being one of these older children coming up on college and realizing that the windfall you thought your parents "might" be socking away has been spent and you won't get a dime to further your education? That ALONE would make me high tail it outta there and never look back. What crappy irresponsible parents.
DeleteI can relate the issue. My mom always PUSHED college on me, my after graduating early by three semesters (I got in a horrific car accident so l was able to take accelerated at-home courses that didn't require going to class). I applied to a private Christian university close to home, I got accepted and I will never forget my mom looking at me, laughing and saying "I don't know who you think is going to pay for THAT" so at 17, I had no idea that I could go to community college for much cheaper. I worked and then eventually went to a state school and now I am a stay at home mom... Oh well.
DeleteCSN - College of Southern Nevada has a high school program called CSNHS where students can earn college gen ed credits while still finishing high school.
ReplyDeleteAm I lookIng too hard or has anyone else noticed this? None of the adults talk about living in the McMansions forever or the rest of their lives. Especially Meri, when she talks about wanting a nice house she says something like "if I'm going to be living there for a while."
ReplyDeleteI've noticed this for quite a few episodes. Why not say " if I'm living there the rest of my life I want nice things"? Christine talks about putting down roots, paying off mortgage, but I really get the feeling that Meri is choosing her words carefully to NOT actually say for the rest of her life. It really sticks out to me how Meri and Kody speak of them. If it is their dream home, I would expect more comments like Christine's or something forever.
Please! Will someone in LV make friends with someone who lives in the cuddle sac? Or as someone else recently said, the cult de sac.
Why would Mykelti finish high school through a collee program? I don't have the impression that she's so super intelligent that high school courses would not be challenging. Isn't this expensive? Are they talking about dual enrollment credit? Here, that's where high school students STILL go to high school for part of the day but take a class or two at a community college for credit at both schools. Most commonly done with English 101 and math classes. But they still have high school credits to earn like PE and government/constitution test. Her fashion drawings look like what my 8 year old draws with her Fashion Plates stencils. Those repetitive shoe drawings! She just doesn't seem to be academically minded. Could it be a GED program at the community college? Was she far behind from home schooling and decided a GED would just be a better choice?
To those that wonder who Meri entertains, don't they use her house to do the Green Goo recruiting sessions? I don't think she needs the darn wet bar, but I thought she had the meetings at her house. So when she snaps at Kody about her not being all to blame for being over budget, it made me wonder if Kody insisted on some of the size and features so he could look like the lord of the manor when they had Green Goo sessions.
The high school through CSN does not cost anything. My sons best friend is in the program and the program has other classes that the regular high schools dont offer. The only thing is that you have to supply your own transportation.
DeleteI really don't think it's necessary to be so negative about one of the kids. You have no idea how intelligent she is just from watching her a couple of times on T.V. Homeschoolong does not necessarily leave a child behind. I'm not trying to be rude but these kids are innocent.
DeleteWell said Annon 1:08! Remember what its like to be that age and how one piece of criticism can stick with you a long time.
DeleteAnon 1:08
DeleteThanks for defending Mykelti. I applaud her for her initiative.
CSN also has a "Learning and Earning" dropout prevention program for high school students who are in jeapordy of not graduating with their high school class. Provides job skills mentoring, etc. for kids not expected to go on to college, but prepares them and assists them with job placement.
DeleteI'm a first time poster ... I love this blog. I just wanted to comment on Sadly Addicted's view of Mykelti's repetitive drawing of shoes. When I was younger, I drew faces. Over and over and over. I'm sure most of them weren't very good (i seem to remember an "Egyptian Eye" phase, where the eye faced front but the rest of the head was in profile). Today, I'm a graphic designer and occasional still-life painter. To me, the repetitive drawing is a good thing!
DeleteWelcome!
DeleteI think Mykelti is a doll--good for her!! Hope she loves it. Actually, I'm impressed with most of the kids.
DeleteI also don't think it's right for us to be hard on the kids. They have it hard enough as kids on tv in a big, dysfunctional family and we don't see enough of them to know how intelligent/happy/moral/good/talented any of them, including Mykelti, are. Kody may not be a very present father to any of the kids but their moms clearly love them very much.
DeleteAbout Mykelti and her shoe designs: the only way to learn how to design something is to learn what works and what doesn't work. Almost all aspiring artists and designers have loads and loads and loads of sketches and ideas.
I used to draw dresses (lots and lots and lots of dresses) when I was young. These days, I sew and am taking metalsmithing classes. When I'm working on a design for either area, I still draw a kabillion sketches. One of these days I'll figure out how to sketch on the computer.
I'm impressed that Mykelti is sketching and trying out different designs and that she's pursuing her dreams. You go, girl!
I have to agree with on those defending the shoe sketches. I took pastry courses 13 years ago, and I CRINGE when I look at my first cakes. I mean, they look like I decorated them with my feet. Fast Forward, and I am in national magazines, and run a thriving business. I had the passion for cooking and baking my entire life, being from an Italian family. If there is passion there...it can ignite into a flame that will carry her.
DeleteIn spite of my reticence to endorse or appreciate much of this life-style, I would never want any of the children to suffer. I think the children are truly loved, and really, they are the reason for this chosen life.( don't get me wrong, I believe this religion is a cult) I believe these children are most definitely regarded as precious to all their parents, and I am impressed by what I see of the older Brown children. I would be proud to call any of them my own, and I have grown children who love & respect me and their father , my husband.
DeleteThat being said, I hope each and every Brown child remembers they are created by God and He alone is worthy of praise.
Reading this blog and watching the shows makes me all the more aware we are talking about the Brown children who are the children of Kody and his wives. They ( the children)want only what any other child wants, to be loved unconditionally by their parents.I see almost grown children thus far who intend to be good, for themselves and their families.
I love this blog, but am concerned. We should encourage and uplift the Brown children to true Godliness and not cause them anger & bitterness to truth, and believe me, polygamy is NOT part of that!
I just did a search for CSN, and it evidently offers high school and college courses to students who would be juniors and seniors at their home schools. She won't necessarily graduate from high school early, and any other college she attends after high school would admit her as an incoming freshman, although she may have some college credits that will transfer. I wonder if she is trying to "start over" in a new environment.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of gated community is this? Looks like the houses are right on a public street.
ReplyDeleteThe houses themselves can only be accessed through a gate, but the wall in back separates a couple of them (by about 10 feet) from a busy 4-lane street. I would never pay that much to live that close to a major thoroughfare.
DeleteThis was Meri's rental - not her McMansion.
DeleteI agree AZChristian. For being public figures their new houses are very accessible to lurkers, gawkers and the like. Any time I drive by their new "Cult-De-Sak" I cant help but slow down a little and try to spot someone coming or going... :-P It's just so easy to see from the main street. Their rentals were at least hidden a bit more, even if they weren't gated. Even worse their (new) houses back up to an empty lot. I WOULD NOT FEEL SAFE.
DeleteTo Anon 11:26 - The picture of the rental Meri was in is actually tucked away in a neighborhood so this picture looks deceiving, as if Meri's rental was off a busy road but it's actually just another neighborhood road.
IMO, the adults don't care about safety and WANT to be peeked at. I think in their twisted mind they thought if they got places truly private it would be "out of sight out of mind" but if they are the tiniest bit accessible then that will keep interest. I think the placement was done on purpose.
DeleteTook me about 5 minutes to find their cul de sac on google maps with that big mountain in the back of every shot when they are visiting the lots.
DeleteI am very proud of Mykelti for making plans to get a head start on college in high school. Auctually, I am proud of all the kids who are chosing to continue their education. The future will be so much brighter for them.
ReplyDeleteI agree--good for Mykelti. Such a nice contrast to, say, the Duggars.
DeleteAnna has a college degree & Michelle has professional RE license. The Duggars appear to value education. Their kids also go on international missions. They seem quite educated to me.
DeleteThanks for posting photos of the move. Things I've been wondering: how would they have a fitness studio when they're all overweight, how could they sell clothes when they have almost no style sense, how could they sell jewelry to polygamist families that can't afford it? How can the two have passed real estate tests and yet blindly stay on a path of impending doom financially? They are all in love with Kody but the more wives he takes on the less of a husband he is to each. I am fascinated yet appalled and am concerned for the kids and wives. I am convinced the women are "pain eating" for comfort. The kids look like it too. I like Janelle the most and Christine next. I have had enough of Meri. Especially since her daughter is moving out in a few months and Janelle will be slaving away in the hot sun mixing concrete - priorities are all out of whack Meri. Plus just come clean and shout from your little compound rooftop you don't want any more babies and you enjoy your freedom. No worries! Robyn's sister is next up...
ReplyDeleteIt's not something strange well at least in NV. I'm from Reno and the local community college has the same program. Its not so easy anyone can get in. You have to apply and be recommended to do this program. I had friends who did it and it's mostly a good way to get used to taking less structure school wise. You have a few classes that are requirements 4years of English, 2of science, 3math, 2pe, American history, world history and us government to graduate with a NV high school diploma, that leaves 7 electives. In this program and some AP classes if u planned right you can potentially get enough credits to be a sophomore your first year after graduation. Good for her, plus she can pick the times for her electives or college English classes and sleep in :)
ReplyDeleteVery cool! Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Robyn's sister, Taralyce, will be moving in soon anyways...When they finally introduced her to us, Didn't Robyn say that "if" they get the new homes, that her sister would be moving in with her to continue to help out w/ Sol?
ReplyDeleteI admit I quit watching a long time ago so I get all my Brownville scoop from here but isn't that the whole point of sisterwives...to help each other out?
DeleteSeems like it was Sobbin herself that she "married" into the family because of the close sisterly bonds. Duh, so she has to import help for her one infant/toddler? Wonder if the czar of LV Plygmania has gotten the "buzz" for the sisternanny yet? Hey, it will be just like his fellow celebs who fall for the nanny!
These people are nutz.
Robyn having her sister live with her is a head-scratcher for me, too. Since Robyn does not work. (Sorry, don't buy that she works 40 hours per week or even 5 or 10, on her closet business). So the sister is yet one more adult to feed and shelter. Or does the sister work outside the home, in addition to caring for this baby, that already supposedly has 4 "moms" and one "dad" to care for him??
DeleteDo you think they are just biding time for Robyn's sister to get a little older so Kody can get married to her without too much of the ick factor? Granted its gross either way but isn't Robyn's sister young? Kody seems to want to compete and have more stuff and since Papa Joe is married to sisters, I could see Kody adding another wife who is a sister to his collection.
Deletenot that it matters really if Kody hooks up w/her but just to correctly clarify: This "sister" of Robyn's is not biological. She's a step-sister. She doesn't share a common Mother or Father w/Robyn. She's the daughter of Robyn's step-dad and another woman. but yeah, still . . .
DeleteAnyone think that her sister moved in because she was having a rough time, or didn't know what she wanted to do in her life after her hair dressing diploma? It is probably not this big scandal that many of you think it is. Just one sister helping out another sister.
DeleteHmmm that makes sense that K would feel the urge to get in on the real sister action to be like papa Joe.
DeleteKnowing that love has zero to do with their mating rituals I cannot imagine a plyg slanted single young woman living within 5 miles of Kody's ego being off of his potential marriage list.
Do we even know if Taralyce is going to be a plyg? Has she talked about this or are we just assuming because she is Robyn's sister, or step sister...
DeleteI agree with Anon 11:48, she might be just helping her sister through a tough time.
DeleteIf they don't have a common mother OR father, they aren't even stepsisters, are they? They may have a relationship that they consider sisterly, but they aren't actually related. (Not that this will make any difference to Kody, but just an observation.)
DeleteWait.
DeleteTaralyce went to HAIR SCHOOL?????
HAIR??? SCHOOL?????
This will be a no brainer...in other words, right up Kody's ally.
Of course he will marry her.
I don't think Kody will marry Taralyce. It would reinforce all of the negative stereotypes about nasty old men and young girls in polygamy. He can't afford to alienate his viewers since they are living off of the TLC gravy train.
DeleteThat's what step-siblings are, they don't share a common parent just that one kid's parent married the other kid's parent.
DeleteStill gross.
Ann Onymous - i think she's actually Robyn's step-sister cause Taralyce's mother and Robyn's mother were both sister wives at the same time to Robyn's stepdad at one time. So, they're "divorced" stepsisters now, i guess! lol
DeleteI get a strong message in viewing Taralyce's FB - she's far from having the aspiration of being a plyg at all let alone w/Kody.
DeleteBut I thought Taralyce is the daughter of Robyn's stepdad and another woman. If Robyn isn't related by blood to her stepdad, then she isn't related to Taralyce's father OR mother. That doesn't make them stepsisters. If it was a plyg family, they may consider themselves siblings. All of Meri's, Janelle's and Christine's children are step siblings with each other and baby Solomon, but not with Robyn's other children. Again, it really doesn't matter. Just trying to be "correct" here.
DeleteTaralyce and Robyn share the same mother. They ARE biological siblings.
DeleteAlso, Meri, Janelle, and Christine's children are half-siblings, not step-siblings. Half-siblings share one biological parent, while step-siblings are related only through the marriage of their parents. A well-known example of this is "The Brady Bunch". Mike's sons and Carol's daughters are step-siblings, related only by the marriage of Mike and Carol.
DeleteAnn Annonymois, the Brown children are half siblings because they share the same bio dad. Sol and the Sullivan kids are also half sibs, but the rest of the Brown kids and the Sullivan kids are step-siblings (if we all agree Kody and Robin are married.
DeleteI have a step sister and a step brother, but I call them my brother and sister. We grew up together - their kids are my nieces and nephews.
yeah, i'm just saying apparently they were step-siblings for a while as plygs when both their mothers were married to the same man. that's how they roll. but Robyn actually calls her her sister as if she were actually blood-related somehow. just like Robyn also said she wanted the lifelong honeymoon marriage w/Kody that her mother and dad always had while failing to mention they were divorced! lol
DeleteRobyns children except for sol are step siiblings to the other kids for example, mariah is a half sister to kodys other kids because they share the same father but have different mothers.
DeleteMeri, Janelle and Christine's children are half siblings to each other and Sol because they share a blood relation to one parent, Kody. Robyn's other children are half siblings to Sol and step siblings to the rest because they are only related by marriage. If Robyn's mother is married to Taralyce's father they are step-sisters.
DeleteDuh! I was lying here trying to go to sleep when I realized how mixed up I was on the step sister thing. I was thinking about HALF-SISTER. Sorry I stuck my nose in where it wasn't needed. I apologize for not thinking clearly. On another note, I looked up Taralyce's FB page (after someone mentioned it here). Taralyce just turned 20 in November. I'd say she's too young for Kody. And the pix she has posted look like she's a bit of a party girl. (Nothing bad, just lots of socializing with people her own age.)
DeleteSo Robyn's parents are divorced, right? But didn't she say that she saw them stay in the "honeymoon phase" for a long time and wanted to emulate them? So apparently that honeymoon phase ended quite badly...
DeletePerhaps Dayton has more of a medical issue than what is said or shown on the show and Sobbyn really does need someone to help with the other children??
Deletelol Found Robyns FB, I'm going to FRIEND her hahahha
DeleteIf you look at her page and Taralyce's page, you can see their family members. Lots of their female relatives are married to Jessops or Allreds. The gene pool gets really small when everyone has the same father...
DeleteCan anyone explain to me how the Browns plan to pay for FOUR new house mortgages should the lucrative TLC show be cancelled??? Seems like total folly to me as no TV show last 30 years.
ReplyDeleteI've crunched some numbers. They could qualify for the loans if they put 40% down ($712,000 or roughly 1/2 of all the TLC earnings for all the seasons). They're monthly payment with taxes and electricity would be $2150 per house or a total of $8600 per month. The annual income needed to qualify for the monthly payment is $300,000 per year. This is probably the TLC and book royalties on an anuual basis.
DeleteAnon 1:14, I had the exact same questions, which is how I found this blog. Thanks Anon 12:40, you broke it down in an succint way.
DeleteAnon 12:40 - the big royalty checks for the book have more than likely come and gone. It was a flash in the pan book written to cash in quickly - not a book with "legs" or staying power.
DeleteIMO they have no intention of paying for these houses once the tlc gravy train runs dry. That's why none of them talk about living there for 'the rest of their lives' or a long time. Also why Krody shot Christine the 'what have you been smoking' glare when she talked about looking forward to owning them free and clear.
DeleteThis is my first time posting, but I have been a faithful reader of SWB for about 8 months and I love it! Thank you Mister Sister and CJ for all the work you do to keep us entertained and informed. I could be wrong but I believe that all of the Brown children are half siblings to the kids who don't have the same mom.d Robin's first three kids are step siblings to the Brown kids. A full sibling shares both of the same parents. Half siblings have one biological parent in common. Step siblings don't have the same biological parents but their parents are married to each other. Hope that helps.
DeleteI think while this last season was all about will we or won't we get the houses, the next season will be will we or won't we foreclose. I guarantee they'll talk about how they didn't expect things like electricity and HOA fees to be so expensive.
ReplyDeleteThe rentals look nice, especially moving from the Lehi house. Posts from other pages suggest the bloom is off the rose for Robyn and she will probably end up leaving. Are you kidding me? A few years ago she was divorced with three kids and living in a trailer with little heat. Now a husband and a McMansion. The AUB allows for a woman to leave her current situation for a husband who can give her a better lifestyle (or something like that). Robyn hit the jackpot (for now). I'll
ReplyDeletebet the Brown sister wives are the envy of sister wives every where ( at least materially). I think the houses at the other end of the cuddle sac were built and sold first. There's no way those houses would sell if propective buyers saw the Browns at the other end of the street. When they lose the mcmansions I can't imagine any other living situation that would work for them. If they have to move back to the Lehi house there will be a chick fight of epic proportions. It looks as though the kids want to persue higher education and I applaud them. Especially the girls. It gives them more choices if they want to leave an unhappy marriage.
Another Kody buzz word came to mind & I'm not even sure if someone has already mentioned it yet, since we've had tons of excellent comments & quite a few threads too....
ReplyDeleteHIGHER CALLING
I just saw a tweet Meri made saying she was feeling guilty and going to take a break and watch a movie. What could Meri possibly have to feel guilty about? Rambling around her huge McMansion with its french doors and dry bar and her sisterwives *try* to survive without......... Just a side note, every time I see Meri the Oompa Loompa song starts playing in my head... oompa, loompa do be da Dee......... :-)
ReplyDeleteI feel sooooo guilty. I think I will eat bon-bons and watch tv. Nothing centers a person like a little casual me-time.
DeleteGoing and helping the sisterwives would just remind me of all of the things I have to feel guilty over, right? I just don't need that kind of pressure in my life.
Maybe she's taken a peek over here and seen what a horror people think she is. I would have said "and seen what a horror she is" but chances are she doesn't have the insight or want to have the insight to see how awful she is and make changes.
DeleteThose rentals look pretty nice from outside....I still want to see the new places. I am glad these kids are getting educations too because if they follow in their parents footsteps there will be nothing but heartache and loneliness ( and a bunch of fatherless kids ) I am hoping the new season will be about more than the new houses and Kody's hair pugs. We need to see Logan's college life and the other kids. Not planning on watching if it's the same boring stuff again.
ReplyDeleteoh man. i so hope that Logan gets to enjoy his college life OFF CAMERA. i think he's not interested at all in wearing the neon plyg sign there as Kody and Co. would like for him to do.
DeleteAs much as I like knowing in general what's going on with the kids, I don't want to see more of them next season because I think that they deserve privacy. They're just kids and I don't think it's fair to subject them to the same kind of scrutiny their parents get. That kind of scrutiny can be damaging for an adult but devastating for kids.
DeleteI agree with Anon 10:44 that Logan should get to be at college off camera, even if UNLV allowed the cameras on campus, which I'm not sure they would. His parents signed up for this but he didn't so there's no reason to film him at school. I hope.
Whether Logan decides to become a polygamist or not, it's a private decision for him. He's clearly not as interested in fame the way his dad is.
Wow, Kody is short yea?
ReplyDeleteand he's not very tall, either.
DeleteAnon 1:50 AM, the other posters said Robyn will leave when the TLC gravy train runs out. Not now.
ReplyDeleteAre these new homes in the same school district as Centennial High School? They seem to be farther away than I originally thought. of course, that would e bad forHunter who plays football. I would hate to see him change schools. remember Mykelti said that she fell in with a relatively bad crowd. maybe that is why she is leaving.
ReplyDeleteActually the cult-de-sac is closer to Centennial and the elementary school.
DeleteIt does seem like Mykelti doesn't want to be at her high school for some reason, doesn't it?
Good - I am glad for Hunter and Maddie - I don't know LV at all. Is Mykelti a junior? I think that Maddie is, though I am not sure. The two of them do not seem to hang around each other much - it seems to be more like Maddie and Aspyn (or of course, Maddie and Logan).
DeleteI think Mariah and Aspyn are seniors. Madison and Mykelti are juniors and Hunter is a Sophomore.
DeleteIt could be that Mykelti got more negative attention and teasing from her peers as a result of the show and as a result fell into a bad crowd. Or maybe she just fell into a bad crowd because it was there and she hadn't been exposed to it before. Either way, leaving that high school would be a positive choice for her.
DeleteIt is not uncommon for juniors to "be done" with high school. Most high schools want more freedom. Going to college in high school is great if you are mature enough to go to your classes and do your homework. My daughter went part time her senior year and loved it. She received good marks and had received dual hs and college credit. She did know people who failed out because they didnt go to class and just didnt study. Hopefully, Mykelti is mature enough and she'll make the right choices! Good for her!!
DeleteI was sort of surprised that the interviewer didn't go into more detail with mykelti. She stated "I fell into the bad crowd" and Tamron says "so you were hanging out with the mean girls" or something like that. An I thought this girl is screaming for some attention, Christine is a great mother but as a child of a single mother I can imagine where poor mykelti is headed.
DeleteOkay, I've bit my tongue for a long time about Mykelti. I don't generally like to talk about the kids if I don't have anything nice to say so I will try to put this as nicely as possible. Not that this is necessarily speaking negative about her in any way but she reminds me a lot of myself when I was in high school. I made it a point to graduate early because I didn't fit in very well and was kind of naive and out of touch with reality. I even wanted to be a designer. I guess I didn't realize that drawing pictures of fancy ball gowns isn't the easiest way to make a living until later on in life. I eventually had to grow up and get a big girl career going. For the longest time though I had a rough time adjusting to becoming an adult. I was sheltered by my mother (just like Christine does with her kids) and I had an absent father (Kody anyone?). Once my eyes were opened up to what was really going on I dreamed a lot about a life that was very out of touch with reality to escape from daily burdens.
DeleteOkay so I don't mean to go on and on about myself, it's just that I really identify with her. You know that old saying "It takes one to know one." Well that is how I feel about Mykelti. I am not saying this is the case with her. I could be completely wrong... I just have this strong sense of her trying to escape from one bad situation just to jump into another only to later realize that eventually it is time to face the music.
I also want to make it clear that I don't think doing the high school program at CSN is in any way a bad thing. I wish I had that option when I was her age. I am just saying I see her trying to do exactly what I did when I was her age.
Lastly, I have read several positive posts here on SWB about the benefits of a program such as the one CSN offers and I hope that it does prove to be beneficial to her in a way I could have only hoped.
I, too, hope that Mykelti has the maturity to go to classes and study. I live with my oldest daughter and my granddaughter. Granddaughter has been diagnosed with ADHD and Asperger's. She barely made it through high school, but at least she was forced to go to classes. When we tried her at a community college, taking only two classes, she flunked out - partly because of missed homework, but mostly due to skipping classes and hanging out with friends. She has spent the past year cashiering part time at a grocery store. Her mother hopes she can try again at a local tech school in the fall. Living with an immature, unmotIvated young adult, I can see how easy it is for them to fall through the cracks. I hope Mykelti's unstructured upbringing doesn't make it too hard for her to stick with it.
Deletethat higher calling is really called being horney for another woman or lusting for something different. Higher calling is not something I associate with adultery.
ReplyDeleteFound this article from 2010 about how children on a reality show are in a legal "gray area" as to whether child labor laws apply to them. I am one who suspects that any monies paid by TLC are paid to a Brown Family corporation, and are then divided up equally to the adults (which is why Meri has so much spending money and Janelle/Christine are struggling). I don't think there's any legal requirement in Nevada that funds be set aside for the kids, and if accounts HAVE been set up for them, it will be the only sensible thing in which we've ever seen Kody participate. All he cares about are his shoes and his hair.
ReplyDeletehttp://articles.latimes.com/2010/jun/26/entertainment/la-et-reality-kids-20100627
If this is indeed true about the division of money from TLC being divided amoung the adults. Obviously, then Janelle and Christine will be at a disadvantage, with more children.
DeleteIt explains that "sour" comment from Meri to Janelle saying "I am sorry you think that I am taking something that you think you are entitled to" - or something very similar.
Meri will have more, and she will be spending like a spenda"holic". Her brat child will get more than the other children, and she can decorate her 5 bedrooms in theme room style for visiting plygettes and extended family plygs.
What happened to "the sharing" aspect of this lifestyle that they were all showing us in the first couple of episodes? Wasn't this one of the great things in this lifystyle - looking out for each other and caring for all the children as if they were their own? Didn't Janelle work in Utah and pool her earnings for the benefit of all?
It would seem to me that pooling the money for the benefit for each and every member of the family equally is the fair thing to do, as it is in monogomous unions.
Why should Meri get less because the others have more children????
DeleteThat is not her fault, why should she be punished? She is just as much a wife. She should get the same as the otherw wives. The other wives are the ones who kept having children for all those years while poor Meri suffered the anguish of not having more. Now, why should she have to suffer continued anguish of getting less than everyone else because they have more kids?
Anon 9.10....
DeleteMy thought is IF this were indeed a loving and supportive polygamist family that the resources would be fairly divided between families. Raising a family with 6 kids is a heck of a lot more expensive to support than a family with ONE child. The math is simple.
And IF Meri were a responsible part of this family she would completely be ok with ALL of the kids being treated as equals with equal opportunity to have food on the table, clothes to wear and help with their further educations.
All I see is Meri repeatedly bullying, turning on the tears and guilt trips to have MORE than any other wife. With only one child to support.
Which says a heck of a lot about her morals and belief in the polygamist lifestyle. She is SELFISH and only looking out for herself and her one child that will soon be moving out.
I have no freaking idea how this woman sleeps at night. (Although it probably involves decorating her precious home while the other mothers worry about how to pay the mortgage and keep food coming in...)
Anon9:10 - I think the whole thing about the wives being 'equal' is ridiculous if one wants to argue that Meri deserves as much money or more than the other women simply because she's the 'legal' wife or because it's not her fauslt that she has fewer children than the others.
DeleteFirstly, Meri hand-picked the other wives. Meri knew exactly what she was in for, because she grew up in a polygamous home. Meri knew she was having fertility issues BEFORE Janelle came into the marriage, so I think it's probably a safe bet that she knew from the beginning that she wouldn't be having 8 children.
Secondly, if this is one big, happy family like we are led to believe, how can she justify making her husband's other children (those whom she claims to love so much!!) go without when she was right there picking out the women who would be breeding with her husband. I hate that Meri's argument is always that SHE shouldn't be punished for not having more children. IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT YOU, MERI!! Should the other children be punished for being born to single mothers who were coerced into having more than one child by the weasel that is Kody Brown? If this is a family, the children have to come first if they're ever going to have a chance at any kind of normal adult life.
Thirdly, Meri will be finding out that having a big home filled with her precious 'nice things' is a sad and lonely way to live. I hope she enjoys her 'things'.
Eh, I can't make this family's financial problems solely Meri's to bear. Janelle and Christine knew that Kody and his wives did not make much money, yet Janelle and Christine, along with Kody, chose to have a buttload of kids. Meri did not make that choice for them.
DeleteI have 3 siblings. My best friend had one. It was obvious to me even at 8 years old, that the more kids, the less assets there are for each kid. We had less personal time with our parents, shared bedrooms, had less vacations, less "stuff", less assistance going to college later and so on.
DeleteThere are 4 Brown families so there are going to be differences in the standard of living between the kids just like in monogamous families.
But they are not monogamous families, they are a polygamist family and they are claiming(at least at first) that the MAIN positive point of living this lifestyle is pooling money/sharing/supporting each other when that is CLEARLY not being done and IMO, it's outrageous that Meri gets the same amount as the others with more children. Ridiculous. I don't understand how anyone can justify that.
DeleteMeri is clearly getting MORE not LESS for having fewer kids. Nice little scam she has going. Kody buys in hook, line and sinker. Janelle and Christine must be so fed up. Dumb little Robyn just cries and cries with poor Meri and agrees with Meri's and Kody's twisted logic.
DeleteAbout the tees under tank tops. I was in Junior high and high school in the late ninety's in Utah(just a few years younger than Robin). This was extremely popular then as a way to wear the latest trends and still be modest. We also put wife beaters under out Brittney Spears shirts so out stomach would not show, and camis under our low cut shirts. It seems to me they are still trying to look young. Especially Meri, who is the oldest of the bunch. The clothes symbolize a mind set. They just don't want to grow up and face life. Life (and fashion) goes on, it is time to be a grown up and stop playing house with your children's lives.
ReplyDeleteOMG those tank tops over long sleeves drive me completely BONKERS!!!! I admit I am into style. But that is just ssoooo wrong at any level..SURELY the producers are not encouraging this type dress. If they are then they are only making sport of them.
DeleteIt does seem likely that certainly part if not most of the new season will focus on Kody and CO's struggles and needs to now pay for their plyg compound.
ReplyDeleteDevoted fans had better prepare for even more cloying pleas and schemes for the fans to open their wallets and hearts "to help" the Browns maintain their new digs.
Be it hawking more versions of the green goo, more plyggie junk jewelry, custom-made memory quilts, weight loss/workout tips for sale, "hire a Sister Wife" to sell your house and whatever else they will dream up, Kodyworld will be expecting folks to kick in for their new economics.
Also likely that they are already scamming tax-wise with *creative* reporting and bogus tax dodges via the "businesses," but it may now be a bit tricky for any of them to use the single mother w/kids ploy to get subsidies. One would hope that with a half a million dollar house loan in their name, they would be shut out of freebies. But with these seasoned grifters, you never know !!!
I still think the main source of income is from tlc and book sales, appearance fees, things of that nature. The green juice and jewelry are just playtime where they can say see, we do work!
Delete*Playtime* or needed business-expense documentation to avoid paying taxes.
DeleteI imagine they get VERY little income from their book sales and appearance fees! they'd be tweeting all about "appearing for hire" somewhere if that was really happening for them. ditto to not much more than zilch with their mlm and jool-ery bidness as well. it's all TLC and oh yeah - Janelle and Christine's measly pay (if any) from their "assistants" job w/Mona. hah! and i guess some of the teens have got some part-time jobs now.
DeletePlease don't bash -
DeleteSomething somewhere just doesn't jive on this whole home thing. I will admit I filed bankruptcy three years ago due to a bad divorce that left me with a house that was way under valued for the loan that was on it, an ex-husband who just vanished in the middle of the night with no warning of leaving, and two young children who needed a mother to be strong and take control. After researching every option available and trying to work with my lender to get out of the home without leaving it empty or just walking away - I had to file bankruptcy. I eventually lost my home due to this event - at the time my husband and I qualified for a traditional home loan with about 5.5% interest and were able to make the payments no problem with both of our incomes. However, after he left it became a mess to either pay for daycare for my young children or keep the lights on in the house.
Either way - after doing that little dance and damage to my credit I have been told by many a real estate agent that I will more than likely not qualify for good rate mortgage for several more years and even then I am not going to be considered "good" risk - so how the Browns got this when all three of the original wives have a bankruptcy and Robin have over $4000 of credit card debt in collection is way beyond my understanding.
I know that for myself I could not in good conscience go to a lender with my credit background I have and feel confident in saying Yep-sign me up for this huge loan. I do not make near the amount that the Browns do in regards to their TLC income - but I could not qualify for nearly a third of what they have qualified for - and three of them doing it as single women....someone just help me understand?
I have been told by many a real estate agent that I will more than likely not qualify for good rate mortgage for several more years and even then I am not going to be considered "good" risk
DeleteThis is exactly why I don't think the Browns qualified for conventional financing. They are each high risk, with a strong tendency to live above their means and then file bankruptcy to get out of the mess they caused (Meri and Kody) or simply attempt to walk away from their debts (Robyn).
Hopefully, if they did put down a substantial down payment (and by substantial I'm talking in the 40% range) of their OWN money, maybe they will be less inclined to walk away from their equity in those homes and make intelligent financial choices in the years to come.
But that is contingent on Kody being able to make a rational decision. I can see him simply walking away from the homes at the first signs of financial difficulty.
A substantial down payment with unconventional financing is the only way the Browns can qualify for these McMansions even for D-listers with a TV side show. Banks don't care if you are on TV, they only make business decisions to make more money; nothing personal.
DeleteMaybe TLC advanced them the hefty down payment so they can close on these homes before the network's announcement of season renewal; which is probably their last. The Kody plan is they'll all pay the mortgage and living expenses from their make believe businesses and hollow websites.
We all know these credit-challenged misfits can't even balance a check book (except Janelle) or refrain from buying on credit and paying the bill afterwards knowingly without steady, sustainable incomes. But they certainly deserve applause for raking in the dough from a TV show now and being on the public dole for most of their adult life.
Latibugg no bashing from this gal...I too filed BK back in the mid 90's following my 1st divorce...had to as my then ex welshed on paying his half of the bills and all the creditors came after me. Had no choice.
DeleteBut I learned fom it...I have been way more careful with my credit ever since...saved my $$...
It doesn't just screw up your credit - it can potentially be a make or break when applying for a job as I found out...I was upfront about it but still if I wasn't such an excellent candidate it would have made the difference...yup.
The Browns however abuse the process...charging up knowing they aren't ever going to pay in full. Shame on them.
I have not been able to figure the whole loan thing out either. How is it they started building (which now they are built), and yet they had not yet qualified for their loans???? I did figure that TLC was footing the bill.
DeleteKody said in the finale that he WOULD be having more children. That would mean only Robyn or a new wife. I see Robyn in it for the long haul I see now that Meri personally picked Robyn out (which they acknowledge), just to piss Janelle and Christina off. Robyn thinks that she is Meri BFF, does she not know she is being used by Meri. Someone mentioned about the women "holding out" on Kody, I got a feeling Kody is not "sleeping" with Janelle or Christina, for that matter I am not to sure about Meri...it appears to be just Robyn. And Kody send the kids over to Meri to watch so he can "bed" Robyn. hummm who is using whom?
Didn't one of the kids say something about being able to live in a "nice home" when they moved to the cult-de-sac? Coming from a family that has struggled to survive financially for years, it seems odd that they don't think the rentals were "nice homes." They look pretty good to me!
ReplyDeleteYeah I wouldn't mind one!
DeleteThose were damn nice rentals. Those wives should have kept Kody on rotation and bought him some hair plugs.
DeleteI agree and thought the same thing when they alluded to the fact that they didn't think their current digs were nice. Looks like the entitlement gene is being passed along. Let's hope the fiscal irresponsibility isn't as well, but I'm not holding my breath. This is their lifestyle, otherwise they couldn't afford to continually have children and add wives. Cult insanity at it's best.
DeleteAnother thing I'm very curious about, re these new homes: We already know they've been filming in at least one of the new homes, thanks to the twitter picture shown here, that one of the Brown kids posted. Have they actually received permission from neighboring homeowners to film their show in this gated community? Or are the TLC producers trying to get as much filming in before a homeowners association is set up, and they get booted out of there?
ReplyDeleteHave they actually received permission from neighboring homeowners to film their show in this gated community?
DeleteKody's a polygamist with 4 wives. He is above the law - at least in his own mind, that is. I would be surprised if they got permission from the other homeowners. I agree that the producers will try to get as much footage now as possible.
I have a hunch that's why this "season" was so short, and TLC immediately started filming the new one, too. They are trying to squeeze as much out of this group as they can before they cut and run. By going immediately into filming the next season, they avoided the Browns holding up production with demands of new contracts with more money. Just speculating, but I know that happened with one of Bravo's Real Housewives franchises (New Jersey). They started filming a new season with no break, and when the "cast" realized it, they wouldn't film until they were given new contracts for the new season.
DeleteUsually the initial HOA is a set of rules from the builder. I wouldn't be surprised but what Pinnacle Homes put something in allowing filming, so long as they got publicity-- and their company name was clearly visible, even written on a dry erase board, in the "choosing options for the homes" episode.
DeleteI'm actually shocked they didn't hire movers....maybe they are broker than a joker now huh...
ReplyDeleteHi Iconic, That was my first thought when I looked at the photos. How come they didn't hire movers. It is a short haul, not that much stuff. It wouldn't have cost all that much. What if "Krochie" didn't pack the furniture corrently without padding etc and one of Meri's end tables got scratched?? Would this then be grounds for sending him to the "garage" to flip his hair in solutude, without his adoring plygettes to watch.
DeletePerhaps Janelle told Kody NO to hiring movers!!
DeleteThat's true! If she can't have her (what I think should have come standard) cement pad, then NO movers!
DeleteI bet they moved themselves because it was part of the script for the "Big Move" episode and full of reality "drama". TLC has to show them doing something and I think a lot of people are finally realizing these people don't work. For goodness sakes, Kody mortgaged a washer and dryer because he was too damn lazy to move it. That pretty much says it all. They are sooo lazy that the only way they could be prodded to manual labor was a TLC paycheck for an episode.
DeleteI live near their old rentals in Las Vegas, which were not that far apart from each other. I can tell you for a fact that I saw U-Hauls at Christine's, Robin's and Meri's houses over about the last 3 weeks.
DeleteAt Christine's it was 2 of the teenage boys moving and driving the truck.
Oh and I'm sure TLC ponied up the cash for the UHaul(s), gas, moving supplies and perhaps Kraft food services were onsite as well. I'm sure they were all famished after all that physical activity and were too tired to cook anything.
DeleteMy guess is this...many moving companies want cash money. And the ones that do take Visa, want a large deposit up front.
DeleteKody has demonstrated a preference to spending OPM or money not yet earned.
Didn't see any cameras in the pix, so doubt that TLC or F8F paid for the move.
Since cameras were clearly present for the faux Christmas, I'm willing to bet TLC did film (and fund) the move. Didn't MMQC just move into her mansion? Or were these pictures taken when Christine and Robyn moved as well? If these pics are recent,the timing is right for a film crew. I guess we'll have to wait for the new season.
DeleteOur community college offers a program where you go to them for your high school years (free) and when you graduate with your diploma, you have also earned your AA. Both my children attended this program and it saved a ton of money. It is pretty common program in my state. It isn't about intelligence, drop out prevention, or anything like that. It really depends on if a child is motivated in school since the workload was a bit more than the regular high school offered. And if a four year degree is their goal, they are already half way there without debt. Pretty smart move Mykelti.
ReplyDeleteMany High School programs have a connection to a college - where a student that isn't going for an Academic Diploma may enroll and take classes at a college, even in their jr year geared towards college. She may be heading into Fashion Design, not needing and A. Diploma. They also cover remedial Math and English.
ReplyDeleteIt does make your choices limited, so you need to really know what you want, but can work out great for the student.
well, hopefully, Mykelti checked it all out first - sans Kody this time due to his worthless presence w/the designer- to make an informed decision.
ReplyDeletelet me just say . . . i LOVE "cult-de-sac" so apropos.
ReplyDeleteHere is info on entertainment labor laws. Nevada does NOT require special work permits but "Courts may require a portion of earnings be set aside for the minor in a trust."
ReplyDeleteNevada child labor laws: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-609.html
All States: http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/childentertain.htm#Nevada
The person that was able to capture this picture captured an image so elusive so rare .... Kody Brown actually doing work! I'm surprised they didn't hire movers because we know how Kody hates all that "hauling and installing"
ReplyDeleteI thought that was Christine at first from the back. Then I was like "why on earth would Christine be moving Kody and Meri's stuff" so I took a closer look and that must be Meri? If so, she is HUGE now. My goodness. Shocking. These women are so much taller than I thought and they must dwarf Kody in size. Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI would really love to know why in all of the talks about upgrades to the houses, no one mentioned a place where they could all gather to pray and practice their religion. As far as I know they don't have a church in LV. There you go Meri, you got a HUGH house for 2 people so you have the room and also a wet bar for the refreshements after the service......
ReplyDeleteHaving prayer service with his entire family is probably the last thing on Kody's mind. It seems the ONLY time they have any sort of religious service is when friends or family is visiting, and I suspect only when the cameras are there.
DeleteOr.....at night on a road trip in the parking lot of a trailer park when Kody is pissy and tired like a toddler and wants obedience from his brides.
DeleteIn the interview, when asked about the homes, Christine gushed that she was excited to be a home owner and couldn't wait till she sold enough real estate to pay the title off "free and clear." Kody flinched and made a face. It was involuntary and more telling than anything else during the show. He had a physical reaction to the idea of Christine holding the title. Watch it again.
ReplyDeleteI think the Browns are grifters of sorts. Schemers. Kody has a plan and I doubt every wife is privileged to all the details. I do believe that he was behind Meri's budget blow out. I think he has no intention of maintaining four homes. He probably wants Meri & Robin's house to have the most space so he can move Janelle & Christine in, or just the kids, if he has to down the road. I'm also guessing that the real estate licenses will be used to market & sell their own homes as cheaply as possible.
The kids all coming of age is concerning. They will be receiving TLC and other monies too. Wouldn't surprise me in the least if they end up selling one or more of the homes to the kids to prolong their inevitable forclosures. NO WAY do any of those kids walk away from Kody with a dime in their pockets.
I imagine their family entangled in a web of resentment and greed. I do hope that Christine realizes she is the weakest link and the one most in danger of being weeded out or discredited. Janelle brings a few things to the table but isnt valued enough to be properly cared for when the axe starts swinging. Kody, Meri, and Robyn are the key players and I suspect they will be ruthless to the other two.
My fantasy is for Janelle and Christine to join ranks. They need to draw a hardline in the sand and make sure their children stand behind it with them. If their children invested their monies into their mother's homes then they would have a chance and a huge advantage over the axis of evil.
There's no evidence whatsoever that compensation is made to individual parties. From everything I've read, the evidence shows that there is a lump-sum payment made to the entire family. Remember this is not considered a scripted show so SAG is not involved, therefore TLC is under no obligation to pay each person separately. Even the HBB story that just broke indicates that TLC pays *the family* and Mama June *allegedly* has is split into individual accounts.
DeleteThe kids more than likely do not get their own paycheck...at least not from the show.
If thats true then there is no hope. That boob will march the entire family down a road of ruin.
Deleteboy if Christine isn't the poster child of "be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!" She always wanted to be 3rd wife. She forgot to qualify that w/any caveats tho.
DeleteAll plygs are grifters and users of social benefits. That is their "gig" - haven't you heard the saying they all have - "bleed the beast" referring to ripping off the government in any way possible to get freebies.
DeleteDJ - I agree with you with the lump sum payment - however PorkyPlyg may be on to something in regards to the kids and money - I can totally see the Browns using their kids that are of age to stash away/hide monies in order to claim no or little income or to the extent that they will be able to sell their homes to those kids to avoid foreclosure - either way I agree that none of these kids will walk away with a dime from this show - it will all have been squandered and spent by the time any of them (except Logan) are of an age to do anything about it.
DeleteConsidering that SAG is not involved with this because it is not a scripted show I highly doubt there are any trust funds or anything set up to help better the kids down the road. It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.
I have wondered if why Kody was so insistent on Janelle having tons of bedrooms because he knows she can keep the house. (She has the work ethic too and I honestly believe that had she not married Kody she probably would never had filed bankruptcy. ) A huge chunk of the kids will be leaving in the next few years so, when Christine's house goes into foreclosure, then she will move in with Janelle who has extra rooms. Same story for Ms. Wetbar and the herpes queen.
DeleteI have a GREAT work ethic (holding a full time job as well as a part time) AND make quite a bit more than Janelle did in her job with the state of Utah, but no WAY could I make the payments required on a $430k home - not just mortgage, but HOA, insurance, property taxes, maintenance etc etc.
DeleteJanelle isn't as smart as many people seem to think. Ultimately, she is going to continue to do what she has done for 20 years - whatever Kody tells her to do. Kody told her to get lots of bedrooms to satisfy his ego. For appearances. To be the BMOC.
Those are some of the ugliest new homes I have ever seen in my life.
PP - there IS hope for the children. They need to make their own luck and break away from the plyg mindset, seek out their own opportunities, and create their own future.
DeleteWe aren't talking elephant dollars here. If they are getting $25k per ep (as I believe is a high estimate) that money is being effectively divided between 21 people. Actually we know now that it's actually being divided between 5 people. And then the wives raise their kids on that. Each family unit is receiving $5k per ep.
And as has been pointed out - there have been fewer episodes per season. Does that mean the Browns are getting more per ep but effectively the same amount as previous seasons with more eps, or does it mean they are getting less? Who knows.
As far as the future foreclosure theory - I think that when they do - it will be ALL the homes at once or very close together. The domino effect.
DeleteI've never heard of anyone being foreclosed on and then moving next door or across the street, but I suppose it's within the realm of possibility.
They kept the Lehi home as a fail safe. My guess is they fully expect to lose the homes after the show runs its course.
As far as Taralyce - I think she's wanting to be ON HER OWN and there is way more opportunity to be a stylist in LV than St George. Robyn is giving her free room and board in exchange for occasional babysitting duties - I would expect that Taralyce has an entry level stylist position by now and hopefully is saving up to get her own pad. I also think TLC WANTS the viewers to think she might be wife #5. If she is looking to move out on her own, and away from the Aub, to me that means she's not interested in being plyg wife, especially to a balding guy who is more than 2x her age, and the father of her closest friend in LV who happens to be anti-plyg...
In my haste to comment before my lunch break was over I didn't finish my thought completely.
DeleteI think Janelle is more likely to fulfill her mortgage commitment than the others because of her work ethic.
When a house if foreclosed upon, the lender doesn't care where the heck you move but rather your crap is out of the house.
But I agree they are likely to move out together just as they all moved in.
I can just see Christine moving in with Janelle if they somehow "manage" to keep one or two of the house. But I think we all know that's a joke!
This is off the subject.....but, are the Dargers coming back to tlc and will this blog site be changing to blog about their show?
ReplyDeleteThe last I've read is that the Dargers 'My Three Wives' was a one episode documentary. There hasn't been any news if it has been picked up as a series. Tho if it is, it needs major work because it was boooorrrrrinng.
DeleteIf their show is picked up, of course SWB will discuss it! Sister Wives are Sister Wives whether FLDS, Kingston, AUB, LeBaron, or independents like the Dargers!.
Thank you!
DeleteIf you're correct, DJ, I'm disappointed. I was hoping tlc would (at least) be required to pay each child some money when they turned 18. Thought maybe that was why the big going away drama for Logan; maybe we won't be seeing him anymore, since he's no longer a minor.
ReplyDeleteWould also explain why we never see Robyn's sister; if we don't see her, they don't have to pay her.
Don't quite understand the negative comments towards Mariah. It's not her fault she's Meri's (only) child. Let's give her some credit; she's the only child it was mentioned about that she is in the National Honor Society. I think that's something of which to be proud.
For all the rotten things we can say about the Brown adults, they certainly seem to have done a good job with the children. All of the teens seem really nice, and to have better brains than all five "parents" put together!
Free Truely!
Free Christine!
Free Jenelle!
The sad part is Jenelle and Christine are free. They have access to computers, libraries, etc. If they were curious about the history of their faith they could read all they want. They live in Las Vegas for christ's sake. It seems that they deliberately don't widen their horizons.
DeleteI do have a question about the whole gated community thing - are we saying that the HOA will be of a total of the eight houses that reside in that small gated community? Seeing the aerial pics that have been posted (here and other places) it seems like a lot of work to put in an HOA association for eight houses - and how are the Browns going to keep up with all the regulations that happen as a result of an HOA - no weeds in yard, no parking overnight on street, maintain a well care for yard - I mean really I don't think they could handle those kinds of restrictions.
ReplyDeleteThat said - maybe the HOA will encompass the community across the street? It also looks as though the community could expand with all the undeveloped land around the homes - just thoughts?
I was thinking that just because they have a gate, that does not mean they have to have an HOA.
DeleteIt is amazing to me how when the show first started they all lived under the same roof....shared responsibilities and seemed like they had a routine that worked for everyone........I remember thinking that while plural marriage wouldn't be for me... they had a decent handle on their situation................
ReplyDeleteThen the next season you start to see the "cracks" in their lives a little more......but that was understandable........I don't care how much you "love" someone...sharing your husband with them is going to cause tension............
Cut to the big exodus out of Utah which seemed very dramatic.......I felt for their kids.....that had to be a tough time for them...........and the adults did not handle it well at all..........little was done to calm the kid's fears............
Next they are all living in their own places and suddenly living under one roof just wasn't something that would work at all........on top of the hostility between the women being so thick you could cut it with a knife.........
Now they are living waaay beyond their means......IMO........and unhappier than ever..............truly the only redeeming quality the show has now is watching the kids grow up and prepare to get out on their own.........
I think on their own.....for the most part.......any of the ladies would be okay......but for whatever reason they've decided this is how the want to live....which is their right......I'll be curious in 5 years to see an update on them......I bet it will be much different than it is right now............
All that in a short 3 years...I shake my head
DeleteCrimson, you wrote my thoughts. The 2010 Christmas Cabin episode was on demand and I watched it, amazed at the difference in this family. They actually seemed to like each other. I am sorry what they have sacrificed as a family in their search for fame.
DeleteThat they want to have the biggest mortgage, biggest house possible seems to me to indicate they have little to no intention of paying them off or staying. If you want to pay off your mortgage soon, you don't finance up to the limit of what you can, just because you can. You balance what you might be able to be financed for, against what you want to be in debt for. So if Christine had $$ she was eligible to finance, she might not go for extra features, if she didn't need them, because it will add to the mortgage and price of her home, and will take her that much longer to pay off in full.
ReplyDeleteBut if they don't really plan to pay off the mortgages, then why not finance all that they can. I wouldn't do that, because I don't like to owe money, and certainly would not want to lose whatever investment I put into the down payment, if I lost the TLC gig and could not pay the loan off. Maybe they think they can sell these houses and at least get the down payment back. Maybe they just don't care.
I thought it was funny that Kody was asking Christine to "give" the balance of her financing to Meri. Of course, if Christine was "approved" for the financing on her own loan up to a certain limit, there's no way she could give any excess to Meri and Kody. It's Christine's credit. She's not giving dollars away, it's the credit she was approved for. Hard as it may be to imagine how someone who has never held a job, and who filed bankruptcy in 2010, and who has six children recently on government assistance, can get approved for that kind of loan.
This is actually an interesting point. If he was asking Chris to share her budget, perhaps all of them really did have a cash amount. I'm in the camp who believes that they're getting money from an unnamed source anyway. I don't see Janelle agreeing to this without that being the case. Maybe they have just enough cash to cover the down payments, a bit of furniture, etc. Maybe they paid it down until they got 4 barely affordable payments. Who knows?
DeleteI'm in the camp who believes that they're getting money from an unnamed source anyway.
DeleteI think it was a matter of being pre approved by their lender for a set amount - for a maximum of probably $445K (house plus options). That would make sense that Meri would have to pay cash for whatever she was "over budget". Kind of like a credit card limit. If you charge over your limit, you have to include payment for the over-age in order to be underlimit.
Why would Kody allow the children's share of TLC family earnings to be placed in trust? He's Kody Brown, he has 4 wives, and God himself has annointed Kody to lead this family. What do financial planners know that Kody doesn't?
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say thank you to whichever of the Lv based posters took those photos! It's definitely appreciated.
ReplyDeleteCJ, A question for you.
ReplyDeleteIn all your research, and you obviously have done quite a bit on the subject, is there any sect or faction of plural/ plyg marriages where there are legitimately "good" stories. Where there is no "bleeding the beast" and where there are good outcomes for all involved?
Realizing that Sister Wives, and very possibly "My Three Wives," have been sanitized and spruced up (at least obviously initially in SW's case) for public consumption; question is, in your knowledge from reading so many, many books about them, and by them, have you found any consistently positive reports from any group that polygamy enriches the lives of the women and children?
Thank you for your thoughts.
Wow, that's an interesting thought - Are there any legitimately good stories. I think I have an example but let me think about it and get back with you!
DeleteThanks !
DeleteAUB is probably the most socially integrated and less extreme polygamist group, but from my experience the relationship woes of the Browns are typical. I would even say that the Browns are probably a better example of polygamy in AUB than most. There are much worse situations, and certainly poverty is the norm. Also, many children don't see much of their Dads, since fathers go out of state to earn better money in construction than they can in Utah.
DeleteThat's an expensive black SUV parked in front of the house.
ReplyDeleteRobin drives that! I've seen her in it.
DeleteI've been trying to catch up on all of the comments, but still haven't read through all of them yet. So I hope this hasn't already been addressed.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if we know if Meri went with the Ultra Grand Supreme Master Suite? Or does she have 4 bedrooms upstairs? Is the actual master suite the bedroom that is on the main level?
Hopefully the Brown kids will end up with more than the Gosselins.
ReplyDeleteUntil they moved to LV, they only experienced tunnel vision.
Bet the neighbors thought Octomom was moving in. Can't you imagine the
noise level of 25 people with postage stamp size lots!!
As a professional with advanced degrees, I don't qualify for this living level
nor am interested. Too many rules.
This is definitely an experiment for a psychology class to study the social, economic issues of the group.
I'm reading the last blog's comments and I pulled this "Kody and I have a different relationship w/each other than all the rest of these people have." not "sister wives" and not names spoke volumes."
ReplyDeleteDid Meri actually say "all the rest of these people" instead of naming them or calling them sister wives? What is WRONG with this woman? I mean, that is just SICK to decide to be in a polygamous marriage and then treat the other women like THAT!?! She is seriously mentally ill. I mean, SERIOUS.... IMO
I'm curious, how will Janelles and Christine's earnings from working at the realtors be handled? Will they have to give it to the family to split as their contribution? If so, what is Peggy Bundy oops I mean Meri's contribution?
ReplyDeleteMeri is the Boss Lady. Her job is to boss everyone else around.
DeleteThis has been percolating in my mind and just bubbled up to the surface...
ReplyDeleteWhen each of the women racked up all of their debt, I'm guessing it wasn't just their individual debt, like Christine buying herself and her kids some clothes at Kmart or Janelle buying groceries for herself and her kids. I'm thinking that the entire family/all of the adults put stuff on there with full knowledge that they had no intention to pay for it and bankruptcy was the ultimate solution. I think Kody encouraged it for the 'greater good'. I think this because each adult has allowed their credit to be ruined and not one of them learned form the mistakes of the others and kept their credit protected.
This may not seem very sympathetic, I know, but that's because I'm not sympathetic to their financial situation at all. With 5 adults in their 'marriage', not one of the 5 partners works full time, although Christine and Janelle each have a part time gig. None of them seem to have ANY time for volunteer work. Most marriages have 2 people and at least one of the partners works full time, often both of them do, and sometimes there are even a couple of part time jobs thrown in on top of the full time jobs.
This family has great kids with lots of potential, but the adults aren't doing their kids any favors by teaching them to be financially irresponsible.
good for her she's trying to get a jump start on her career, of course those children will have to do some of their financials on their own... but that's not because of their religion that's because they are in a large family in today's economy sucks
ReplyDeleteFuture episodes are obvious. The teenagers are soon to be at "marrying" age within the AUB. Mariah can "hardly wait." Aspyn and Mykelti williston likely follow suit. Just sit back and watch. It will
ReplyDeletebe so "surprising" to Kody and the Mom's when the girls find their perfect impoverished (humble like Christ) Polygamist.
Oh Dear Lord, a post on the Sister Wives facebook page just appeared in my newsfeed:
ReplyDelete"Due to the holiday demand some items are on back order. Meri is working frantically to email those whose orders are delayed. We will have your jewelry to you as soon as humanly possible. Thank you for your patience. Happy New Year! We hope everyone is enjoying your January!"
LOL "Meri is working frantically to email those whose orders are delayed."
DeleteHow hard is it to email a few people? It's not like there were THOUSANDS of orders delayed, I am sure! Too funny ~ thanks for sharing Vegas Mom!
I'm trying to envision Meri "working frantically to email.." Um, couldn't you type one message re the shipping delay, and send it to everyone in one email (with email addys hidden, of course)? Would take maybe five minutes to send to ALL those people with jewelry back orders.
DeleteTranslation - we got two orders for jewelry and we're not a priority whatsoever for the busy jeweler that makes these for us. so, we're hoping these two will be patient and not cancel their orders after the jeweler finally starts making the pieces and charges us for them.
Deletedangit - if only the two orders were for the pricey Sister Wives necklaces and then we could just send them Janelle's and Christine's who NEVER wear theirs!
Could the Brown's be receiving funds from polygamous sects because they are bringing publicity to help legitimize their life style and to further the court case they are fighting.
ReplyDeleteI have sometimes wondered if Kodster got some money from his father. I remember from one episode when Kodster went off on his bike with his brother I think, and some freinds.
ReplyDeleteWhen they were in the bar I thought there was a short conversation about if Dad would mortgage the farm for him......or something along those lines?
Please anyone correct me if I am wrong.
Depending on how much land the farm is, could it be possible that perhaps a portion of that land was sold to help finance the ugly mansions, or even partly remortgage some of it.
I really hope that hasn't happened i shudder to think what would happen in that circumstance for Kodster's Mum x 2 and Dad.
Wait I'm behind. Have they MOVED into the McMansions?
ReplyDeleteStill baffles me how they can afford these houses....
Hi Elle - Aussie!
DeleteYep, Hh Jed's a millionaire, said move them outta there!! (you may too young for that one!! ha)
Here's Cynical's articles on them, and also they are all the same, and large. Pretty cookie cutter, though. I had to laugh at the floor plan anme Condor - a vulture!
What's happening with those houses!
http://sisterwivesblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/whats-happening-with-those-houses.html
PART 2:
http://sisterwivesblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/whats-happening-with-those-houses-part.html
Here's an idea. Let's pretend Hollywood, given their lack of original ideas, decides to do a feature movie based on the Browns. It's a big budget picture, so cost is no object. Who would play who? Here are my suggestions. My movie would be a comedy, much like the Browns' life.
ReplyDeleteJanelle - Megan McCarthy. She'd have to tone things down a bit, but she could pull it off.
Christine - Laura Linney.
Robyn - Julia Louis Dreyfuss
Meri - Leslie Mann. She would need body padding and orange makeup, but she plays the entitled bitch to perfection.
Kody - Owen Wilson. This one is obvious. Surfer-doofus personified.
Any other suggestions?
I'm thinking Jeff Daniels for Kody. Isn't his "Dumb/Dumber" photo the one that looks so much like Kody?
DeleteMeri - Kate Gosselin (with padding). She INVENTED entitled b**** for reality "stars."
Robyn - Brittney Spears (with a dark wig). Trailer trash playing to type.
Christine - Kirstie Alley (with a blond wig). She plays ditsy like no one else.
Janelle - Jessica Chastain (with padding). She can do an icy stare withe the best of them.
Movie casting-fun!
DeleteKelly Macdonald for Robyn
Toni Collette for Christine
Wendie Malick as Meri
Camryn Manheim for Janelle
Helen Mirren as Mona the realtor
Paul Reiser as Kody
I LOVE this place and you folks are to darn funny!!
ReplyDeleteI predict that next season Janelle makes a confession...headlines on her blog about it read...If You Wonder Who Posts As "Anonymous" on the Popular Sister Wives Blog it's ME!!!
I LOVE this blog. Love that there is something to read almost daily.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see focused and talked about more is how morally wrong these people have been. The true level of their theft from the state of Utah. How can you say you are "married" yet tell the state you are "single"? Which is it women? You are all liars! It really pisses me off as a Utah tax payer. The AG turns a blind eye to these people. They have openly admitted to welfare fraud, so why doesn't the state go after them for that?
People say Jenelle is smart, or Team Christine. They are all dishonest crooks and will do it again.
Thank you again for the blog.
Utah Tax Payer
One more item, I am watching Big Love now. Anyone else a fan? This show, although fiction, is based on real poly lifestyles. Even the "good families" are in it for the money and weaseling deals with family members. Perhaps this is Kody is doing with the AUB. He knows the inner workings of this cult. Don't you suppose he's in bed with them to some degree? Particulary MONEY???
ReplyDeleteUTAH TAX PAYER
Those MLM companies can really generate some income. I have a friend who is involved in a beverage selling MLM and she lives in 2 million dollar house. As a single mom. It's all about getting other people in on the pyramid scheme. So if you're "famous" like the Browns, imagine all the people they can recruit. That's where the real money is...
ReplyDeleteThank you, I was wondering about that. Having been in publishing, I KNOW their money is not from book sales!
DeleteI was thinking when they say they, "work," they mean spend time handling Sisterwives Crappy Closet orders or promoting the Green Drink.
Since they mentioned some of the teens have jobs, I wonder if the teens are allowed to keep the money from their own jobs??
Your "friend" may be wrecking up huge debts and might not be able to maintain interest payments. I know some MLM's particularly Scamway preaches that their "diamonds" (higher ups) pay in cash for all and are rich as hell, but a lot of them recently have had houses foreclosed on, personal bankruptcies, etc. The common theme in MLM's is "fake it till you make it!", I guess it's the same in the magic water scheme (evolve, right?).
DeleteI hate to defend him, but I think it was smart to move themselves even if they could afford movers since the move was so close and they have plenty of nonworking family members to help. I'm anxious to read what "Friendly" has to say about her faux friendship with Meri. If Meri is reading this, she has probably already figured out who you are.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you anon 1:35pm, if Meri or the sister wives and even some of their pro-Brown fans will surely put two and two together..don't you think?
DeleteI posted earlier about MLM "jobs", the woman in my neighborhood sells something called NuSkin, vitamins and some kind of drink- all from the same company. She has made a lot of money in the past but recently is trying to "rebuild her business". I think all the people lower on the pyramid who don't make money quit. Now she has no interest in a real job with benefits because she has made so much money getting other people to sell the products. The thought of working all day for her is ridiculous. People to avoid for sure, never buy their stuff. Never.
ReplyDeleteThat's generally what happens - its not selling the products themselves where the money is made - it's signing people up under you (the Downline) where the $$ comes in. Of course once the people underneath you find out its not so easy to get other people in their Downline, they quit. Generally speaking if you sign up as a "distributor" you're on the hook to buy a certain dollar amount worth of product each month - if you don't put an order in the MLM company will autoship a box of stuff to you and charge whatever form of payment they have on file for you, until they cancel. The rescission rate is really high - I think the average is 6 months before they cancel. I bet Meri and Robyn spend a lot of time on the phone calling up people who cancel/quit trying to convince them to re-up, because generally speaking if a person cancels, the company immediately contacts the person who signed them up so they can start the pressure.
DeleteIf you want to know more on how the whole scummy MLM business works - google Penn & Teller Bullshit Easy Money. Very informative. As well as hilarious!!!
the markup is always really high for the product as well as it has to pay all the bonuses and commissions to all your upline. i avoid MLM's like the plague that they are. Utah is the U.S. MLM capital for new startup companies. I wonder why Browns weren't involved w/them while living in Utah? Maybe they were but they all fizzled (not enough AUB peeps to solicit to) and now they thought w/their new notoriety, they could join LIV and make a killing off "the gentiles."
DeleteMLM= Most Lose Money
Sure as rain, there are people who just want to be associated with the Browns and would hawk there own homes to sell there MLM nonsense
ReplyDelete