The Arndt homestead/Vine Valley MERGE

[flojo]

I found this gem from Papa Arndt. Ugh. wnd.com/2014/06/whose-side-are-we-on/

[16strong]

:animals-duckie: :animals-duckie: :animals-duckie: :animals-duckie:

[johnhugh]

How long has Vine Valley now been in production? And have any networks signed up to broadcast it? :wink-penguin:

It must be costing a fortune, as they seem to have professional filming equipment, then there is the travel and accommodation costs. Rick is a lazy fcuk who doesn't work, Cathy just collects white shorts, so how do they fund their lifestyle? A few of the manboys doing wedding photos and the court reporting cannot sustain all of this?

I pity the manboy that has to edit Vine Valley - Ricky is too lazy, when they finally call it a rap - if they ever do?

[JenniferJuniper]

How long has Vine Valley now been in production? And have any networks signed up to broadcast it? :wink-penguin:

It must be costing a fortune, as they seem to have professional filming equipment, then there is the travel and accommodation costs. Rick is a lazy fcuk who doesn't work, Cathy just collects white shorts, so how do they fund their lifestyle? A few of the manboys doing wedding photos and the court reporting cannot sustain all of this?

I pity the manboy that has to edit Vine Valley - Ricky is too lazy, when they finally call it a rap - if they ever do?

In Rick's most recent kooky rambles filmed during their late winter visit to Maine, he said they were actually re-filming scenes they'd shot three years ago, presumably because the equipment is so much better the old film looks like crap compared with the new. It's hard to imagine them ever having a finished project. It may be a way of keeping the under- and unemployed manboys busy, although I really think Rick is insane enough to imagine they'll win the Christian equivalent of an Oscar someday.

They have the computer repair business, the wedding photo business, and a few boys work part-time as stenographers. Cathy's family is well off, so maybe there was some sort of inheritance, but she has a ton of siblings. Rick seems to have retired to his fantasy world long ago. So even with no mortgage, it's hard see how they manage to feed and clothe everyone, heat that big house and pay for things like cars and insurance and their frequent travels. You think they'd work some of that land instead spending their days playing with ducks and Legos in Neverland.

[nelliebelle1197]

They have to have family money. No way they could afford all this without it.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Maybe I'm remembering the wrong family, but didn't they have a Court Reporting Service? If they planned well, bankrolling retirement early and not incurring debt, then they could be doing ok. Being weird doesn't mean you can't invest well! They may have family money, too, as someone suggested. I think they Maxwells should send a couple of daughters over to marry those guys. I'm sure Sarah would adore a stuffed penguin of her own along with a manly Arndt man, but ALAS! we all know Steve won't let her!

[nokidsmom]

Maybe I'm remembering the wrong family, but didn't they have a Court Reporting Service? If they planned well, bankrolling retirement early and not incurring debt, then they could be doing ok. Being weird doesn't mean you can't invest well! They may have family money, too, as someone suggested. I think they Maxwells should send a couple of daughters over to marry those guys. I'm sure Sarah would adore a stuffed penguin of her own along with a manly Arndt man, but ALAS! we all know Steve won't let her!

IIRC, Kathy's family has some money associated with a local family business.

I can only envision Sarah getting her own very stuffed penguin as a gesture of love from an Arndt man. But Steveovah would disapprove lest the penguin become an idol, they have birthday cakes instead of animal crackers, Kathy's short shorts and the whole family (in comparision to the Maxwells) probably still has way to much fun to be completely Steveovah approved.

[actionsub]

SO MANY NEW STUFFED PENGUINS AND PIZZA STONES!!!!!!!111!!!!!!111!!!!!

No, but seriously. These people are my fundie crack. How old is Mary-Elizabeth now? She's going to be able to vote soon and she still looks like the 10 yo I used to babysit.

That's hilarious since the Arndts, last I heard, were staunch Catholics. (That's why there's so many of them, Paul is really hardcore about no birth control and apparently also lacks "rhythm".) The hardline Catholicism probably explains some of their more way-out ideas about sex before marriage.

[MatthewDuggar]

I am checking the Famteam website and I see they did end up going to NY to do some more "filming" this spring. (why does that sound so creepy?) Anyway, do they own the "Seneca Farmhouse" or do they just rent/borrow it?

I wish there was something more exciting happening with this family....

[JenniferJuniper]

I am checking the Famteam website and I see they did end up going to NY to do some more "filming" this spring. (why does that sound so creepy?) Anyway, do they own the "Seneca Farmhouse" or do they just rent/borrow it?

I wish there was something more exciting happening with this family....

They borrow the "Seneca Farmhouse" as I understand it. I don't know where the owners go (snowbirds, maybe?) when the Arndts descend, but Rick has said they stay there for free in exchange for the boys (mostly James it seems) doing work on the house.

Rick is in full editing mode these days. He's evening going to edit during their "ongoing honeymoon trip" (he and Cathy return to Colonial Williamsburg Every.Single.Year) when Cathy is resting or otherwise engaged.

Who wants to bet the editing goes on even longer than the filming did?

[Letgo]

What is the purpose of Vine Valley? Do they sell the videos? Have their own TV station? Some type of subscription for it? From what I have watched on youtube, they seem very slow moving and pointless. Yet, like Rick, the manboys appear to be pretty involved and interested in filming Vine Valley. Is there some great V V story I am missing?

[JenniferJuniper]

What is the purpose of Vine Valley? Do they sell the videos? Have their own TV station? Some type of subscription for it? From what I have watched on youtube, they seem very slow moving and pointless. Yet, like Rick, the manboys appear to be pretty involved and interested in filming Vine Valley. Is there some great V V story I am missing?

You are not missing a thing.

Vine Valley is based upon a story written by Daddy Arndt about a liberal New England college professor who, because of peer pressure during his adolescence, is an atheist.

Professor Greene goes on sabbatical in the Maine woods (for what reason, I don't know) and probably because he's a silly egghead liberal, promptly gets lost in the woods. He has trouble walking in the snow and falls a lot. At some point he runs into a character played by his wife who walks around carrying a small picnic basket which contains foodstuffs she distributes to local shut-ins.

The manboys and Wizzie play various characters they meet on their travels.

I'm not sure there is anything more to the plot, although I suspect Professor Greene eventually learns the error of his evil liberal atheistic ways and with the help of the characters he meets in OZ the Woods ends up accepting Christ as his personal savior.

They've been filming it for years and will probably be editing it for several more. I'm not sure if it's a silent film or a talkie.

They do or did have a show on some DirecTV stations. You can find some of the older episodes on Youtube. Or you can find some paint and watch it dry.

[Letgo]

Thank you. I opted to watch paint dry. I had the misfortune of watching a few minutes of a Vine Valley video several months ago. That was more than enough. I did get to see Rick falling in the woods and Cathy carrying the hamper, so I guess I've hit the highlights of V V.

[MatthewDuggar]

I'm just amazed how the whole family is absorbed in it. They act as if working on VV is some sort of cathartic experience for working our their own transgressions. Which would be what?!?!

Does Daddy Ardnt have a job? They always said that most of the manboys took after him with court-reporting. Does he still do this? Based on his daily Diary, all he does is watch/assist the manboys with filming, sit in his office (which is always pointed out that is next to the laundry room or have prayer meetings in the master bedroom.

When I read his entries, he almost seems "slow", if you know what I mean....

[JenniferJuniper]

I'm just amazed how the whole family is absorbed in it. They act as if working on VV is some sort of cathartic experience for working our their own transgressions. Which would be what?!?!

Does Daddy Ardnt have a job? They always said that most of the manboys took after him with court-reporting. Does he still do this? Based on his daily Diary, all he does is watch/assist the manboys with filming, sit in his office (which is always pointed out that is next to the laundry room or have prayer meetings in the master bedroom.

When I read his entries, he almost seems "slow", if you know what I mean....

No, Rick no longer works. Hasn't for a number years.

I wouldn't guess he has an average than lower intelligence, but something is up with him. Aspergers?

[Elegant Mess]

Check out this lovely old family photo I found on their archived website from 2001. Oh, the caption is priceless! :dance:

Seven brothers for seven brides!

Source: web.archive.org/web/20041203234033/http://www.famteam.com/of12.htm

[MatthewDuggar]

Does anyone else follow dad's diary? They have been praying a lot lately to "break free from chains" and it seems that several of the older boys are headed to Mexico soon for a "filming project". I thought maybe it would be for destination wedding for the boy's photography business, but Mark seems to head that up and he's not going. Dad says the "event" will take place in an area south of California.... is it just me or does the entire thing sound super shady??

[Elegant Mess]

Does anyone else follow dad's diary? They have been praying a lot lately to "break free from chains" and it seems that several of the older boys are headed to Mexico soon for a "filming project". I thought maybe it would be for destination wedding for the boy's photography business, but Mark seems to head that up and he's not going. Dad says the "event" will take place in an area south of California.... is it just me or does the entire thing sound super shady??

I don't follow the Dad's Diary, but I do check the famteam.com website periodically to see if they post any updates to the main page. It appears that several Arndts have been traveling lately, and that Mom and Dad recently took an anniversary trip together.

The latest blog entry says that Luke, James, Mark, and Phillip are getting ready to go on a big camping trip to the Northwest U.S. and Canada. There is a photo on the main page showing Mark and Phillip working on a very large tent.

[MatthewDuggar]

I do see now from Dad's latest entries and the Fam Team feed that the three boys that went to Mexico were shooting at a destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas. Apparently they actually flew there vs driving as it would have taken 42 hours for the "journey". The camping trip should be boring. I wonder if it's an actual vacation or they will be "filming" for dad? Yes, Mom and Dad are just back from their annual trip. It seems like Cathy has been on a never-ending painting project throughout the house. Does Dad ever do any work?

[heagleca]

How in the world did Momma Arndt go from that fantastic prairie dress to the infamous white shorts?

[FullmoonOverDuggardWaters]

Ha! Strange bunch, all things considered.

[youtube.com/watch?v=P0rG-2MgB1c]

...Apparently, the Arndt's also enjoy wake-boarding in speedos and awkwardly editing the footage so as to replay their "big air" in the most infuriatingly-slow-motion imaginable. It seems as if the video isn't streaming correctly, but no - its intentional!

Stranger than the edit is the random clip at 5:02, wherein the wake-boarding footage is abruptly cut, for a mere five seconds, in order to watch a random clip - from behind - of two sons, hiking in their speedos, atop their smoothly shaven legs. So we take in this random ass shot, before returning to the exceedingly lame and repetitive wake-boarding session, whilst hearing Arndt's praise for the "big air" his boys are [not] getting.

Granted, I am irrationally annoyed... But really, what kind of crackpot edits video like that?! One would think, with their Famteam "show" experience, they'd be able to chop together a decent video. Also, you do not often see younger American men wearing speedos, considering the homophobic or European stigmas associated with their wear, especially at a place like Lake Powell. (Just IMO)

Oops. I haven't exactly brought anything worthwhile to the table, conversation wise - forgive the diatribe. :doh: ::sigh::

[Letgo]

Ha! Strange bunch, all things considered.

[youtube.com/watch?v=P0rG-2MgB1c]

...Apparently, the Arndt's also enjoy wake-boarding in speedos and awkwardly editing the footage so as to replay their "big air" in the most infuriatingly-slow-motion imaginable. It seems as if the video isn't streaming correctly, but no - its intentional!

Stranger than the edit is the random clip at 5:02, wherein the wake-boarding footage is abruptly cut, for a mere five seconds, in order to watch a random clip - from behind - of two sons, hiking in their speedos, atop their smoothly shaven legs. So we take in this random ass shot, before returning to the exceedingly lame and repetitive wake-boarding session, whilst hearing Arndt's praise for the "big air" his boys are [not] getting.

Granted, I am irrationally annoyed... But really, what kind of crackpot edits video like that?! One would think, with their Famteam "show" experience, they'd be able to chop together a decent video. Also, you do not often see younger American men wearing speedos, considering the homophobic or European stigmas associated with their wear, especially at a place like Lake Powell. (Just IMO)

Oops. I haven't exactly brought anything worthwhile to the table, conversation wise - forgive the diatribe. :doh: ::sigh::

Sadly, I don't think that is this Arndt family. They refer to a Mitch in the video and there isn't a son named Mitch. Also, I looked up other videos by the poster and there were some about a boy named Josh and his senior year. Our Arndt family does not do high school. Nor do they have a son named Josh. I can't see them wearing Speedos, either. They wear shirts over shorts or board short type swimming gear.

[JenniferJuniper]

Sadly, I don't think that is this Arndt family. They refer to a Mitch in the video and there isn't a son named Mitch. Also, I looked up other videos by the poster and there were some about a boy named Josh and his senior year. Our Arndt family does not do high school. Nor do they have a son named Josh. I can't see them wearing Speedos, either. They wear shirts over shorts or board short type swimming gear.

Yeah, definitely not our Manboys.

But the Arndt males do swim without shirts.

[MarblesMom]

Check out this lovely old family photo I found on their archived website from 2001. Oh, the caption is priceless! :dance:

Seven brothers for seven brides!

Source: web.archive.org/web/20041203234033/http://www.famteam.com/of12.htm

What in the actual Fluck is up with the kid on the left? Meds just kick in?? :shock:

[MatthewDuggar]

What in the actual Fluck is up with the kid on the left? Meds just kick in?? :shock:

Isn't that John? He pretty much looks like that now too. He makes everything he says sound absolutely fascinating! "I drove home and found Mom on the PORCH and Marry Elizabeth was coming down the STAIRS! (with the eyes). Yes, I seriously think he's medicated (or should be)