Happy 35th birthday to Paul Arndt

[TXGirlInAMaterialWorld]

Of all the fundies followed on this board- I think the Arndt's are definitely the most fascinating. I am just wondering how long before something dramatic happens. Maybe someday there will be a tell all book from one of the manboys and we will all be going- What the French Toast? :pink-shock:

[Jana814]

Of all the fundies followed on this board- I think the Arndt's are definitely the most fascinating. I am just wondering how long before something dramatic happens. Maybe someday there will be a tell all book from one of the manboys and we will all be going- What the French Toast? :pink-shock:

Agree about the Arndt's.

[HereticHick]

Thanks for this info!! I didn't realize they made so much w/ court reporting.

If FIVE sons are doing court reporting, that is not very much. Not enough to support a wife and a couple of penguins in need of legos.

[JMO]

I remember since their TLC episode back in the day when he was only what, 24? And I thought that was weird then that he was still living at home. Ugh. This is cultish abuse if ever I saw it. At least they have more fun than the Maxhells. Sarah might clutch her pearls and faint if she ever saw them having fun at a softball tournament.

[Black Aliss]

I suspect the manboys' fates may be sealed with regards to marriage. Meaning none of them will get married.

Not just because of the obvious things like having never dated and thinking that Princess Charming will just show up on their doorstep. Cathy would never abide any woman coming in and "competing" for her sons' affections.

You'd think, with God having closed her womb, Cathy would really want some grandchildren to cuddle, er play with, er totally fuck up their lives like she did with her sons.

[JesusPony]

And there's another issue that would bother Stevehovah and that is the fact that the Ardnt's have had FUN at least once in their lives. :pink- shock: That has to be even worse than penguins and papists and Papa Arndt, oh my. :penguin-no:

A Maxwell could never marry an Arndt. At least one set of parents would have to give up control of their kidult and let them live on another family's compound. That's not going to happen with either of these families. :penguin-no: (Finger-wagging penguin because it never gets old.)

[MatthewDuggar]

Per Dad's Diary, he and Cathy are talking Paul out tonight (Monday) for a "celebratory meal". Yesterday they "had a chance to chat in the southwest room on the second floor. We laughed about several things, and recalled the day when Paul made his appearance into the world."

How

thrilling

...

[anjulibai]

I am still of the belief that if the youngest turns 20 without an older brother marrying, then none of them ever will.

They have a little over 7 years. I am not that hopeful for the eldest ones, but the younger ones might have a shot.

Wizzy is the only one with a decent chance, I think.

[quiversR4hunting]

Congrats Paul you are half way to 70! And Paul, what do want to do with your next 30 years?

Cue Tim McGraw https://youtu.be/fY6L7YMkVhA

[HerNameIsBuffy]

Per Dad's Diary, he and Cathy are talking Paul out tonight (Monday) for a "celebratory meal". Yesterday they "had a chance to chat in the southwest room on the second floor. We laughed about several things, and recalled the day when Paul made his appearance into the world."

How

thrilling

...

Either that's a piece of normalcy amongst the crazy, but I think it's sweet. Every year on my birthday my mom would tell me the story of the day I was born. Even once I was on my own and she had to call to do it there was no truncating that story until she was done. Even though my existence was kind of a spoiler that I eventually showed up. As sappy as it sounds I miss it since she's gone.

Although I don't know that we ever did it in the southwest room on the second floor. If that's a navigational thing, maybe, if it's southwest decor then now, I grew up in a world devoid of theme rooms.

[Dandruff]

Per Dad's Diary, he and Cathy are talking Paul out tonight (Monday) for a "celebratory meal". Yesterday they "had a chance to chat in the southwest room on the second floor. We laughed about several things, and recalled the day when Paul made his appearance into the world."

How

thrilling

...

What - no trip to ToysRUs?

[JenniferJuniper]

Either that's a piece of normalcy amongst the crazy, but I think it's sweet. Every year on my birthday my mom would tell me the story of the day I was born. Even once I was on my own and she had to call to do it there was no truncating that story until she was done. Even though my existence was kind of a spoiler that I eventually showed up. As sappy as it sounds I miss it since she's gone.

Although I don't know that we ever did it in the southwest room on the second floor. If that's a navigational thing, maybe, if it's southwest decor then now, I grew up in a world devoid of theme rooms.

One of Daddy's little eccentricities. He loves to add completely meaningless details to his little tales. I think it makes him feel more like a real writer. Or something.

[anjulibai]

One of Daddy's little eccentricities. He loves to add completely meaningless details to his little tales. I think it makes him feel more like a real writer. Or something.

I'm sure it also makes him feel like he lives in some sort of baronial estate a la Downton Abbey.

[HermioneSparrow]

Poor Paul, nice guy, hardworking, talented, nice looking and still not allowed to get laid... Hey, at least they have fun and have more achievements than the Maxwells. Happy bday Paul! I hope there's a miracle and Princess Charming shows up soon, although i doubt it.

[JenniferJuniper]

Poor Paul, nice guy, hardworking, talented, nice looking and still not allowed to get laid... Hey, at least they have fun and have more achievements than the Maxwells. Happy bday Paul! I hope there's a miracle and Princess Charming shows up soon, although i doubt it.

I know a lot of people comment about how much fun the Arndts have, but I'm not sure I agree.

If you were a 35 year old guy, would you really find it fun:

*Still living at home with Mom, Dad, and all the siblings

*Sharing a room with three of your 12 brothers

*Never going on dates

*Having your parents count your calories and your workouts

*Handing over your earnings to the family fund

*Only going on vacations with family members

*Going on family vacations that revolve only around filming Vine Valley

*Having your father dictate your career options

*Never being allowed any level of higher education, should you want to try your hand at something else

*Playing softball every night - sometimes twice a night - for 6 months out of the year

*Having your father insist you only watch "wholesome" family TV shows and movies and then watching those same shows over and over again

Something that's fun at 18 or 20 isn't necessarily going to be fun at 35. It's hard to imagine that softball (and they play a lot of that), disc golfing, Legos and all the other games the manboys play aren't getting very boring for Paul. He must have cousins or other acquaintances who own their own homes or have kids in middle school by now. Is he really having a fun life, or does he feel trapped and confused? We have no way of knowing for sure. Everything we see from the Arndts is choreographed; we've never seen anything but what Daddy wants us to see.

Anyway Paul, I hope you enjoyed your meal with your parents and the three or four siblings they no doubt insisted you take along "for the adventure".

[Odd1Out]

I know a lot of people comment about how much fun the Arndts have, but I'm not sure I agree.

.

Well compared to the Maxwell's life, the Arndts live in DisneyLand.

[DaffyDill]

I have such a soft spot for the Arndt sons. They seem like such nice guys, and enjoy life, such as it is for them. They even head off on vacations (road trips) in groups of 4 or 5. :o

On Paul's FB he had 154 Happy Birthday wishes, so no shortage of FB friends, and quite a few are female!!

I would love to see them start marrying, as I think they'd be better husbands than a lot of the fundies we snark on.

[MamaJunebug]

From FB: Arndt Photog. shot Jim & Meghan Edmonds wedding? That's HUGE! Jim's a formal MLB player and now some national sportscaster. Meghan is basically pretty and lucky, but I'm thinking their ceremony was in Los Angeles?

Dozens of photos to choose from & they picked Arndt? I know the photogenic are good but to have THAR level

Clientele ?

These guys lead way more full lives than famteam blog indicates and they must Connected to shoot the Edmonds event!

Also his FB says he's from Belleville, IL, but lives in St. Louis. Again: wonder how truthful the blog is.

[MatthewDuggar]

They took him to Maggianos and sounds like they only brought along Jude. Apparently they went in two separate cars, I am guessing so that each parent could have private talks with the birthday boy.

[salex]

I am willing to bet that the south west room is the master bedroom, a place that the whole family gathers at least once a day for "meetings" , "Prayer" etc.... it has been called "the big bedroom" in many Dad's Diary posts.

I also see that on August 22, 2015, he mentions that they have started painting the southwest bedroom then 2 days later says Cathy is finishing the painting in the master bedroom.

[JenniferJuniper]

From FB: Arndt Photog. shot Jim & Meghan Edmonds wedding? That's HUGE! Jim's a formal MLB player and now some national sportscaster. Meghan is basically pretty and lucky, but I'm thinking their ceremony was in Los Angeles?

Dozens of photos to choose from & they picked Arndt? I know the photogenic are good but to have THAR level

Clientele ?

These guys lead way more full lives than famteam blog indicates and they must Connected to shoot the Edmonds event!

Back in the day when the Softball Classic was in it's heyday members of the St. Louis Cardinals (usually devout Christians) would frequently participate. That's almost certainly how he knows the Arndts. And they are very good photographers with some fancy equipment and gimmicks.

Several of the boys recently traveled to Mexico to shoot a wedding. They also have a client base in Florida. But knowing famous ex-MLB players well enough to work for them doesn't mean they live "way fuller" lives. Its all work for the boys. Play time is at home with the fam.

[FoxyMoxie]

I'm in my mid-20s and live at home after illness meant I had to move back in. I would sooner put my head in the oven than still be living at home in ten years!

Living with parents as an adult is AWFUL, the exception maybe is if your parents are elderly or infirm and need caring for, or help with grandchildren. But being an independent adult living with parents sucks. Now I've found a job, I hope to be out within 6 months.

[salex]

They took him to Maggianos and sounds like they only brought along Jude. Apparently they went in two separate cars, I am guessing so that each parent could have private talks with the birthday boy.

They spend hours having talks with individual boys every day, it seems, based on the Dad's Diary entries, plus family time in the master bedroom and group times to go workout.....

I understand the older boys are the family earners, but how can any of them have time to work more than part time?

[JenniferJuniper]

They spend hours having talks with individual boys every day, it seems, based on the Dad's Diary entries, plus family time in the master bedroom and group times to go workout.....

I understand the older boys are the family earners, but how can any of them have time to work more than part time?

It would seem they all work part-time. Occasionally one will do back-to-back depositions if they are short and in the same geographic area, but no one is working 8 hours every day. The wedding business does involve most Saturdays, but that's split between several sons (and now Mary Elizabeth also) and is seasonal. I would guess those sons devoted mostly to Vine Valley probably work more than those who get paying gigs.

[MatthewDuggar]

I get very confused on which boy Arndt does what. It seems like some are in the court reporting side, while others do the photography, some do both and others do neither but are often "showing an interest" - whatever that means. Some day, when I am extremely bored I may scour dad's Diary and watch the fam team vids and make a job chart to get my mind clear. Unless anyone else has already done it...