Erika Shupe *leer smirk* Large Families on Purpose Part 6

[Koala]

1 minute ago, iweartanktops said:

I don't think the amount is necessarily the point. I think it's the sum of all the parts. I am troubled by Erika's need to control everything, and how that control spills over into controlling their food intake. It doesn't appear that the kids are ever allowed to just let loose and indulge. 

Exactly.  If it were anyone else, this would hardly be noteworthy, but when a person is very public (as Erika is) about rationing Jelly Beans and feeding her kids popcorn while she enjoys and nice take out meal, well...then there's going to be snark.  Given that this is a snark board and all...

[Eternalbluepearl]

I do think it is smart to do a family Easter basket vs. individual ones when you have nine kids. That being said... couldn't she and Bob do individual ones for the teens? I don't think Melanie and Karen are as impressed with eggs full of pennies anymore. They could have a giftcard to that coffee drink place they like, some candy just for them, etc. *shrug* I'm ALL for streamlining and consider myself a minimalist, but I do think the teens should be acknowledged for being in a different age group than the 5 year olds. 

[Emilycharlotte]

Some people like to give their kids insane amounts of toys and candy for Easter, and some like a minimalist approach. To each his own.  If the family basket had contained the book, the cookie kit, the plastic eggs and one little tiny bunny per person, that would be a nice, low key Easter present. If there were no bunnies, just the eggs---kind of skimpy by most standards, but whatever. But ONE little chocolate bunny to be divided between all those kids????  I'm sorry if it's petty, but it is also pretty snark worthy, IMHO.

[mango_fandango]

7 minutes ago, Emilycharlotte said:

Some people like to give their kids insane amounts of toys and candy for Easter, and some like a minimalist approach. To each his own.  If the family basket had contained the book, the cookie kit, the plastic eggs and one little tiny bunny per person, that would be a nice, low key Easter present. If there were no bunnies, just the eggs---kind of skimpy by most standards, but whatever. But ONE little chocolate bunny to be divided between all those kids????  I'm sorry if it's petty, but it is also pretty snark worthy, IMHO.

That's what I meant, really. One small chocolate bunny that would normally be given to one kid is instead shared out by nine, ESPECIALLY when they each had invididual bunnies four years ago. Wonder why they changed?

[16strong]

I wonder how Erika divided the bunny into 9 "equal" parts (without the kids complaining)? I also want to know if her and Bob took a cut, too? At a certain point, these kids are going to check out and stop caring about being deprived, and they're just going to bide their time until they can give Erika the middle finger and leave the hamster cage forever.

[umsami]

20 hours ago, countressrascal said:

Looking at their Easter Basket goodies-as a Jewish kid I got more candy on Easter Monday, which every Jewish kid called the Jewish Easter, all the candy was half price so we finally got jelly beans and my favorite chocolate peanut butter eggs, my brothers loved Peeps, I did not like marshmallow so they were out. My mom asked me tonight it we were going to have Jewish Easter tomorrow, I always do it-just because it is wrapped in pastel colors it does not mean it is bad. First thing tomorrow am chocolate shopping with Mom. Too bad Ericka doesn't know about Jewish Easter maybe her kids would have something to look forward to.

FYI One of my new favorites are Butterfinger Eggs

Jewish Easter is also Muslim Easter.   Although, we'll buy Easter candy full price, too.  Hershey's used to use Kosher gelatin in their Mashmallow-filled eggs, which was awesome....but sadly they no longer do. (Most gelatin is pork-based, thus verboten for many Muslims (well depending on how observant they are).) 

Erica, why not make Easter Sunday all about Jesus being risen, etc. and then use Easter Monday for secular candy indulgence?  That way your kids could have nice full Easter baskets for very little money. 

[Antimony]

I bought on-sale jelly beans today. Sadly, I didn't find any Jelly Belly ones (my favorite) but I got some nice Jolly Ranchers ones. And I ate as many as I liked.

In one of the photos, one child seems to be clinging to that chocolate rabbit. I wonder if that is an issue. Karen and Melanie also don't seem to be counting coinage so I wonder if they do get something different?

Also, personally, instead of a cookie decorating kit I would just....bake cookies and decorate them with the kids but whatever. (Karen and Melanie love to bake anyway, right? And it's cheaper. But maybe the idea of more than 12 sugar cookies is just too much!)

[elliha]

7 hours ago, umsami said:

Jewish Easter is also Muslim Easter.   Although, we'll buy Easter candy full price, too.  Hershey's used to use Kosher gelatin in their Mashmallow-filled eggs, which was awesome....but sadly they no longer do. (Most gelatin is pork-based, thus verboten for many Muslims (well depending on how observant they are).) 

Erica, why not make Easter Sunday all about Jesus being risen, etc. and then use Easter Monday for secular candy indulgence?  That way your kids could have nice full Easter baskets for very little money. 

My Muslim neighbors apparently follow this rule: If the gelatin is specified as coming from pigs you can't eat it but if it just says "gelatin" it is OK even if it logically in our country almost always means it is from pigs. I was told this when their daughter came to visit and I asked what she could and could not eat. 

[crawfishgirl]

I actually bought most of my kids' Easter candy after Valentine's Day when it was 50% off.  I didn't buy anything with hearts on it, but they were wrapped in red and pink instead of pastel colors.  My kids didn't notice the colors.  I supplemented it with some chocolate eggs and bunnies, so it still looked holiday-appropriate.

[slickcat79]

18 hours ago, alexandracabot said:

This is the point where the snarking on Erika just gets exhausting and petty. Going to bow out for a few pages and come back when you guys are done analyzing how many grams of sugar the Shupe kids get vs. how many you believe they are entitled to.

LOL. Don't let the door hit ya

[Hisey]

8 hours ago, slickcat79 said:

LOL. Don't let the door hit ya

Why is Erika's Easter candy-giving so irritating? I mean, I don't care what my neighbor gives her kids for Easter, and it's probably not exactly the same as what I give. Why is Erika so irritating?

I guess it's because with Erika, you get the sense she is trying to manage and control, while pretending to be joyous and giving. I get the sense she is trying to give as little as possible while still looking "good."  She'd give less (or nothing) if she could get away with it.

That's different from most moms I know. We'd give our kids everything, if it were good for them. I'd give my kids 20 Easter bunnies, but hold back because I care about their health. I'd buy my kids the fanciest electronics for Easter if it would make them happy, but I don't because the grownup in me comes reluctantly to the fore and reminds me about college funds and retirement.

Erika, in contrast, gives her kids the bare minimum and doesn't seem to feel bad at all. Meanwhile, she claims the best things for herself. She takes the best bedroom in the house for her and Bob. She eats Olive Garden while convincing herself the kids prefer popcorn. Her children look pinched and hungry because food is not a priority for her. When Erika cares about an issue, however, she is a big spender. Her teens get expensive hair products, for example, because looks are important to Erika. She buys a dog (I doubt Happy is a pound puppy) because having a purebred Shitzu was important to her. What's important to Spencer, Tyler and Anna Maria, however, is barely on her radar.

[FundyWatcher]

@Hisey that hits it on the nail. Like the second oldest daughter is clearly into sketching and art but you don't see her being given any sort of nicer art supplies or going to art classes. I'm sure that Erica could afford something like that for her daughter if she just kept an Olive Garden dinner or two.  The oldest daughter gets a book on haircare and styling but really with just the goal of cutting her siblings hair or something. Not being able to explore her interest in the beauty industry in any meaningful way that may cost Erica time or money. I can only imagine what sorts of things the younger children Yearn for but never get. 

[happy atheist]

I grabbed a small bag of these for Mr HA and the kids to try. They're not as gross as you might imagine*

They're non-alcoholic, and a pretty, shiny gold color. Do you suppose Erika would allow them? LOL

*not a paid endorsement 

[Hera]

I'm gagging at the thought of eating beer-flavored jelly beans.  Some things are just not meant to go together.

[Koala]

The beer Jelly Bellys made me think of this game:

http://www.amazon.com/Jelly-Belly-Boozled-Spinner-3-5oz/dp/B002QGLFXM/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1459365708&sr=1-1&keywords=bean+boozled+jelly+beans

I hope posting that link is okay. 

[OnceUponATime]

24 minutes ago, happy atheist said:

I grabbed a small bag of these for Mr HA and the kids to try. They're not as gross as you might imagine*

 

*not a paid endorsement 

Are they better than rotten egg flavor? moldy cheese? And do they actually taste a bit like beer?
 

[JillyO]

33 minutes ago, happy atheist said:

I grabbed a small bag of these for Mr HA and the kids to try. They're not as gross as you might imagine*

They're non-alcoholic, and a pretty, shiny gold color. Do you suppose Erika would allow them? LOL

*not a paid endorsement 

Speaking of alcohol, Erika posted this picture on Facebook. As usual, it's about time management, but I'm more interested in the recipe. For one, I am SHOCKED that she uses wine to cook. SHOCKED! (I hope everyone is reading this in Phoebe Buffay's voice.) For another, WTF is it with these fundie wives and "home makers" and their inability to cook? Mushing together a can of soup, a package of "lite" cream cheese, a package of salad dressing mix, some wine and frozen chicken does not a recipe make, Erika. Yuck.

 

[sawasdee]

That recipe sounds absolutely disgusting .

And does Campbell's sponsor a fundie cookbook?

[Jingerbread]

7 hours ago, FundyWatcher said:

@HiseyI can only imagine what sorts of things the younger children Yearn for but never get. 

Affection that isn't a reward?

On 3/29/2016 at 5:48 PM, umsami said:

Erica, why not make Easter Sunday all about Jesus being risen, etc. and then use Easter Monday for secular candy indulgence?  That way your kids could have nice full Easter baskets for very little money. 

Because they'd have something to look forward to and wouldn't focus on Jesus enough.

[happy atheist]

33 minutes ago, OnceUponATime said:

Are they better than rotten egg flavor? moldy cheese? And do they actually taste a bit like beer?
 

Strangely enough, Mr HA did not finish his beer jelly beans. I can't imagine why not!

I just got the bag off his desk to give a true taste test. The things I do for FJ.

First impression upon opening the bag - they smell a LOT like beer.

Taste - there's a definite beeryness to the flavor, but they're very sweet. The sweetness soon overwhelms and the beer-ness quickly fades, leaving an aftertaste that is slightly beer-like. Like you kissed a beer drinker.

It reminds me a little bit of a beer cake recipe that I have, but the cake is better.

[THERetroGamerNY]

Beer flavored jellybeans?? You basically are consuming Satan's liquid damnation in bean form, AND violating the draconian Shupe jellybean law!

[iweartanktops]

1 hour ago, happy atheist said:

I grabbed a small bag of these for Mr HA and the kids to try. They're not as gross as you might imagine*

They're non-alcoholic, and a pretty, shiny gold color. Do you suppose Erika would allow them? LOL

*not a paid endorsement 

Only one. But obviously the beer flavor is just for heathens! 

[mango_fandango]

1 hour ago, Jingerbread said:

Affection that isn't a reward?

Because they'd have something to look forward to and wouldn't focus on Jesus enough.

She does. She's said before that all the basket stuff/egg hunt stuff happens on the Saturday, leaving Sunday for reflection about Jesus. http://www.largefamiliesonpurpose.com/2012/02/celebrating-easter-fun-simply.html That's the Easter post. It says they do the church service on the Sunday morning, then the basket/hunt stuff, then the afternoon is for reflection. It is from 2012, though. I'm sure I saw about the egg hunt/basket on a Saturday thing before. Like on the "cheat sheet" photo it mentions the egg hunt for Saturday. 

[happy atheist]

1 hour ago, THERetroGamerNY said:

Beer flavored jellybeans?? You basically are consuming Satan's liquid damnation in bean form, AND violating the draconian Shupe jellybean law!

I only ate one, so I am not in violation.

I guess that's the advantage of this flavor.

[Antimony]

3 hours ago, Hera said:

I'm gagging at the thought of eating beer-flavored jelly beans.  Some things are just not meant to go together.

I bought these for my roommate once. He did not like them at all. I couldn't force myself to try one.