Nathan and Ashley Salyer - Courtship

[DaisyD]

@19 cats and counting You're right. Even for birthday parties, if I can't afford a whole meal for everyone, I start the party at 1 or 2. That way people will eat lunch before they come and leave before dinner. 

[paulypepper]

On 3/31/2016 at 8:57 AM, nausicaa said:

Just read the blog. 

"Piers"? Oh dear heart...

Yeah so many grammatical errors...why can't these kids be taught properly? So sad.

[Snarkle]

6 minutes ago, daisyd681 said:

@19 cats and counting You're right. Even for birthday parties, if I can't afford a whole meal for everyone, I start the party at 1 or 2. That way people will eat lunch before they come and leave before dinner. 

Exactly.  When my son was younger and still having and going to birthday parties, I would always be horrified at the cost of parties ($300+ for a couple of hours at a bounce house place or indoor playground or whatever), plus the utter waste of food. Kids would eat a few bites of pizza, maybe a little cake, and that was it.  So I always had my son's parties between 2-5 so it was between lunch and dinner.  We'd serve cake and ice cream cups and give out really nice treat bags.  He managed to have really nice parties (at a karate center, a gymnastics place, a YMCA, etc.) without me spending money on food that didn't get eaten.  It also made it easier for the kids with food sensitivities/allergies because food wasn't the focus - the activity was.  My favorite party was at our local Lego store - it was at 9 AM before the store opened, the kids all got to build (and keep!) a whole Lego set, and we adjourned to the mall food court to have cake at 10:30 AM and then the kids all went on their way.  Parents told me they loved that they had the rest of the day free, and I loved that there was no cleanup and the kids got a great gift.

[VelociRapture]

13 hours ago, sansan said:

I have been married a long time and we had coffee, punch, mints, nuts, wedding cake and groom's cake. We were not cheap, that's just how it was done back then. Not sure when they starting putting on the feedbag. The food is usually not good and cold. I would far rather go out to eat with good company that subject myself to an inadequate meal. No one that knows these people should be surprised at what they serve.

I've found that food tends to be better when the venue only has one event at a time. The staff has more time to focus on the food that way - and everything else too, but food is most important to me. That's one of the big reasons we got married where we did (and it worked great because we got tons of compliments on the food!)

And full disclosure - I've never had bad food at a wedding. Some food was way better than others, but nothing was cold or undercooked or anything.

ETA: To everyone wondering why there is more food at these rehearsal dinners than the actual weddings... I believe it's because the main point of the wedding is so the couple can start boning for Jesus. A reception with dinner and entertainment would cut into the new couple's precious reflection time together. 

[DaisyD]

That actually makes a lot of sense. Asking a couple of sexually frustrated 20 somethings to sit through a 3 course meal before the big payoff is too much.

[sansan]

3 hours ago, VelociRapture said:

I've found that food tends to be better when the venue only has one event at a time. The staff has more time to focus on the food that way - and everything else too, but food is most important to me. That's one of the big reasons we got married where we did (and it worked great because we got tons of compliments on the food!)

And full disclosure - I've never had bad food at a wedding. Some food was way better than others, but nothing was cold or undercooked or anything.

ETA: To everyone wondering why there is more food at these rehearsal dinners than the actual weddings... I believe it's because the main point of the wedding is so the couple can start boning for Jesus. A reception with dinner and entertainment would cut into the new couple's precious reflection time together. 

We did have a nice steak dinner for the rehearsal, true that. Not feeding guests at reception (at that time) was just not done. And the boning part, no rush, been there done that, but that may be for another post.

[nelliebelle1197]

On 4/19/2016 at 9:57 AM, HereticHick said:

Ashley and siblings/girlfriends stayed with their friend Kelly Diaz in Arlington (Dallas suburb) Monday night, according to comments on this, and are headed to see crazy-eyes Sierra today. ATI Big Sandy family camp begins today, so I don't know if that means Sierra, the ultimate Duggar leghumper, has started attending Big Sandy events, or if they are headed to Arkansas.

 

 

Oh, look. ATI girls with Bible verses on their Instagrams wearingleggings. I bet they are taking baby steps away, huh?

[just...sare]

On 20/04/2016 at 1:57 AM, RosyDaisy said:

Has anyone noticed more food is served at rehearsal dinners than the reception? Also why so many people at the rehearsal dinner. It's usually just the wedding party, immediate family, and the preacher. Even in a family of 19, that doesn't account for all the people we see at fundie rehearsal dinners.

I think they also mentioned something (at possibly Jill's wedding) about having some of the "volunteers" attend the rehearsal dinner to thank them. I may be misremembering that (it seems uncharacteristically kind of them).

On 20/04/2016 at 1:05 PM, VelociRapture said:

I've found that food tends to be better when the venue only has one event at a time. The staff has more time to focus on the food that way - and everything else too, but food is most important to me. That's one of the big reasons we got married where we did (and it worked great because we got tons of compliments on the food!)

And full disclosure - I've never had bad food at a wedding. Some food was way better than others, but nothing was cold or undercooked or anything.

ETA: To everyone wondering why there is more food at these rehearsal dinners than the actual weddings... I believe it's because the main point of the wedding is so the couple can start boning for Jesus. A reception with dinner and entertainment would cut into the new couple's precious reflection time together. 

We had our wedding at a somewhat mid-range hotel, the only one with a hall small enough for our 80-guest wedding. The food was okay (granted I was flying pretty high, so I barely noticed what I ate). The wife of one of my bosses, who is quite accustomed to fancy dining, cornered me sometime later to ask if I had had it catered from outside the hotel, because it was so good. So I suppose it must have been decent.

[sophie10130]

On 4/20/2016 at 8:13 AM, Snarkle said:

Exactly.  When my son was younger and still having and going to birthday parties, I would always be horrified at the cost of parties ($300+ for a couple of hours at a bounce house place or indoor playground or whatever), plus the utter waste of food. Kids would eat a few bites of pizza, maybe a little cake, and that was it.  So I always had my son's parties between 2-5 so it was between lunch and dinner.  We'd serve cake and ice cream cups and give out really nice treat bags.  He managed to have really nice parties (at a karate center, a gymnastics place, a YMCA, etc.) without me spending money on food that didn't get eaten.  It also made it easier for the kids with food sensitivities/allergies because food wasn't the focus - the activity was.  My favorite party was at our local Lego store - it was at 9 AM before the store opened, the kids all got to build (and keep!) a whole Lego set, and we adjourned to the mall food court to have cake at 10:30 AM and then the kids all went on their way.  Parents told me they loved that they had the rest of the day free, and I loved that there was no cleanup and the kids got a great gift.

That sounds awesome!!!! When we were younger we each did a bowling alley party that was always a hit. We also rented out a one room schoolhouse that the local Rural Club owned to have their meetings and did a big outdoors field day type of thing.

Now I finally understand why my mom gave us the option between birthday party or $100. I didn't realize they were so expensive. For a long time I thought $100 was a bit much for an 11 year old, but I think in the end, she probably saved money when we opted for the cold hard cash!

[19 cats and counting]

When I was younger, my parents tied up the back yard with yarn and a small prize at the end of each piece (dollar store toy) for our birthday parties.  To this day, I have no idea how they did it.

Sometimes we played other party games, but the string maze was the highlight.  After that it was cake and ice cream.  

[BeccaGrim]

Just read that the Bates show is coming back in June.  Should be expect a fast wedding for Nathan and Ashley? Or will they get engaged in the last episode and married in the next group of shows?

[19 cats and counting]

43 minutes ago, BeccaGrim said:

Just read that the Bates show is coming back in June.  Should be expect a fast wedding for Nathan and Ashley? Or will they get engaged in the last episode and married in the next group of shows?

So I looked at that roller coaster photo they did and Nathan seems to be sitting with Lawson and Tori?   Ashley is not in the picture at all (I believe Brandon was in the pictures while courting).

Are they still together?

[VelociRapture]

7 minutes ago, 19 cats and counting said:

So I looked at that roller coaster photo they did and Nathan seems to be sitting with Lawson and Tori?   Ashley is not in the picture at all (I believe Brandon was in the pictures while courting).

Are they still together?

The first season promo picture (everyone wanting to use the same fucking bathroom) only show Gil, Kelly, and the 19 spawn - no spouses or significant others. 

Season two's picture (all those people in one damn car!) pictured the immediate family, plus spouses, and Brandon. This was the season where Brabdon proposed to Michael, which is why he was probably included.

Season three (that crime against nature haystack wedding look) had everyone from the previous picture shown as well.

So I don't think the promo picture tells us anything firm. It's likely they aren't engaged yet. Nathan may want to save up a bit first so he feels more prepared to support a family.

[Snarkle]

2 hours ago, 19 cats and counting said:

When I was younger, my parents tied up the back yard with yarn and a small prize at the end of each piece (dollar store toy) for our birthday parties.  To this day, I have no idea how they did it.

Sometimes we played other party games, but the string maze was the highlight.  After that it was cake and ice cream.  

My mom gave my brother and I the best homemade birthday parties when I was a kid.  We did homemade games at every party - kneel over the back of the chair and try to drop a clothespin into a glass jar, "Bozo Buckets" (throw ping pong balls into buckets in a line, trying to get into the last bucket), and more.  All the kids had parties like that.  Although I did convince my mom to let me have (I think) my ninth birthday party at McDonald's because that was the new rage (and the closest McD's was a couple of towns away).  Although my favorite away-from-home party was my 12th.  I lived in North Carolina at the time and there were a lot of debutante-type girls who were very prissy and proper.  I had my party at a Putt Putt mini golf place, which all of the girls thought they were too good for - until we started playing, an they loved it.  One of my friends even got a hole in one on the 18th hole and won 10 free games so we got to go back a bunch of times that summer    So you never know.  Last year for his birthday I took my son and his best friend to a cabin in New Hampshire on a lake and they had a blast playing mini golf and riding go karts.

[KnittingOwl]

On April 13, 2016 at 8:35 AM, HereticHick said:

I think we will know more about the status of their courtship next week, when the fundy world (including Ashley--she said on her Instagram that she is going) gathers at Big Sandy Family Camp.  Also, we may finally get info about whether or not Brandon N Michaella (as well as assorted Staddons) are going to move to Big Sandy.

Anyhoo--

since Lawson "Blue Steel" Bates, Ben "Binilla Ice" Sewald, and Alyssa "Hot Pink" Bates Webster are all modeling tshirts for 3Thirty Christian Apparel now:

https://www.instagram.com/3thirtyapparel/

i demand a Zoolander-style model walk- off in the next bates season.

 

Pretty sure TFDW wins a walk-off. But I would actually watch that. 

[Nikedagain?]

On 4/20/2016 at 11:13 AM, Snarkle said:

Exactly.  When my son was younger and still having and going to birthday parties, I would always be horrified at the cost of parties ($300+ for a couple of hours at a bounce house place or indoor playground or whatever), plus the utter waste of food. Kids would eat a few bites of pizza, maybe a little cake, and that was it.  So I always had my son's parties between 2-5 so it was between lunch and dinner.  We'd serve cake and ice cream cups and give out really nice treat bags.  He managed to have really nice parties (at a karate center, a gymnastics place, a YMCA, etc.) without me spending money on food that didn't get eaten.  It also made it easier for the kids with food sensitivities/allergies because food wasn't the focus - the activity was.  My favorite party was at our local Lego store - it was at 9 AM before the store opened, the kids all got to build (and keep!) a whole Lego set, and we adjourned to the mall food court to have cake at 10:30 AM and then the kids all went on their way.  Parents told me they loved that they had the rest of the day free, and I loved that there was no cleanup and the kids got a great gift.

Can I pleassseee do this for my 52nd birthday this fall?

[elliha]

37 minutes ago, Nikedagain? said:

Can I pleassseee do this for my 52nd birthday this fall?

Of course you can do this. My brother had "fishing for a goodie bag" on his 30th birthday. The kids (and the adults that wanted to) got candy and the rest got a bottle of fancy beer. He put up a sheet across a door with painted fish on it and had a fishing pole with a piece of string and a clamp attached to it. The person sitting behin the sheet gave people their "catch" by attaching it to the clamp. Sometimes people got a shoe and had to go to the back of the line. 

[Snarkle]

On 4/22/2016 at 11:26 AM, Nikedagain? said:

Can I pleassseee do this for my 52nd birthday this fall?

Sure!  What Lego set do you want?  We had the kits that made three different things, plus the kids got a Pick-a-Brick box.

[nastyhobbitses]

On 4/22/2016 at 2:15 AM, KnittingOwl said:

Pretty sure TFDW wins a walk-off. But I would actually watch that. 

Is there a fundie equivalent of David Bowie (God rest his soul) to judge it?

 

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Well @nelliebelle1197 was right - according to that Instagram the Salyers are at Big Sandy. That's too bad. 

[Snarkle]

3 hours ago, NotALoserLikeYou said:

Well @nelliebelle1197 was right - according to that Instagram the Salyers are at Big Sandy. That's too bad. 

Gotta hear those future in-laws speak.

[QuiverDance]

On kids' birthday parties... I'd rather fork over 300-400 bones to Chuck E. Cheese any day of the week than have 18 first graders running around my house.  

My daughter is 8, and she had a sleepover for her last birthday.  Do not want to do it again.  

[felinefundie]

5 minutes ago, QuiverDance said:

On kids' birthday parties... I'd rather fork over 300-400 bones to Chuck E. Cheese any day of the week than have 18 first graders running around my house.  

My daughter is 8, and she had a sleepover for her last birthday.  Do not want to do it again.  

I had a very large spa day themed sleepover party for my 9th birthday. All my mother's nice crystal was broken and every surface in our house was covered in dried silly string for months afterward. That was the last big birthday party I ever had and I can now see why, in retrospect. 

[QuiverDance]

41 minutes ago, felinefundie said:

I had a very large spa day themed sleepover party for my 9th birthday. All my mother's nice crystal was broken and every surface in our house was covered in dried silly string for months afterward. That was the last big birthday party I ever had and I can now see why, in retrospect. 

 

Yes!  They do more damage in a few hours than the cost of the party at a "party place," so that is always the route I go.  I only had four little girls for my DD's slumber party, and they still wrecked my house.  It took me weeks to recover.  LOL.

[OyToTheVey]

On 4/16/2016 at 5:49 PM, patsymae said:

A lot of New Yorkers are going to be pissed off if they travel all the way to Tennessee for a wedding and get handed a couple of cookies. 

hahahahaha If i had to shlep to bumblefuck no where from Brooklyn, and only got 2 cookies and a thousand people parking lot reception, I would be sooooooooo pissed. That shit don't flow up here. We pay for full cocktail hour, bar and full dinner plus dj/band. 

 

Edit: I'm also Jewish so a wedding without food, booze and music is beyond my mental capabilities. It's just not done. If you have a wedding, you have to do it right.