Now Scheduling for Summer: Erika Shupe (pt. 7)

[nastyhobbitses]

On 4/24/2016 at 9:46 PM, molecule said:

If Erika thought (or hoped) that they would be able to sell the house and move into something bigger at any point, light and neutral would be more practical. We've had several realtors tell us that too much color or personality can make it hard to sell a home because buyers can't imagine their own stuff in there. It makes sense to me to have everything the same color and very neutral. It's easy to do touch-ups and replace carpet sections if everything is the same. 

Although I don't love her style, I have to admit that she has more of a sense of style than I do. My decorating style falls between "there's been a struggle" and "a good layer of dust protects the furniture."

That's why I like neutral paint on the walls (white, seafoam, or gray, not khaki) and simple furniture, but with brightly patterned rugs, throws, and pillows, and interesting, eye-catching art on the walls that can be removed. Part of that is because my overall style is sort of bright minimalist, and part of that is because I change my mind about stuff so much that it's easier to have my "personality" decor be stuff that's easy to swap out or alter.

[mango_fandango]

Anyone else see the photo of one of the boys on the mini trampoline? That can only be a good thing, then getting exercise. And Erika supervises like a hawk. Personally, though, if I had that small a house, the last thing I'd want to add would be a trampoline. 

[apandaaries]

2 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

Anyone else see the photo of one of the boys on the mini trampoline? That can only be a good thing, then getting exercise. And Erika supervises like a hawk. Personally, though, if I had that small a house, the last thing I'd want to add would be a trampoline. 

My daughter had one of those when she was smaller.  It was a life saver, especially on wet, rainy days when we couldn't spend a lot of time outside.  Those small ones are the perfect size -- they can jump a lot, but only one at a time, and they can't get enough height to cause serious injury (unlike those giant neck-and-other-bone-breakers some folks have outside for their kids).  Even if you have a bunch of kids over, the risk for injury is still low, because you can't have two bouncing at the same time (unless they're maybe 2 or 3, I guess -- my daughter got hers as a gift for her 7th birthday, so my experience with younger kids on those is limited).  

It is nice to see that the children are rollerblading, dancing (even if forced to do so outside, with the neighbors watching), and spending time outside.  Even prison wardens have to allow their prisoners some exercise time.  Glad to see Erika finally got the memo.

 

[Desertrose]

I feel bad for the kids. They are missing out on so much. I doubt she lets the jump in mud puddles, play nerd gun sniper outside. Oh wait, she'd have to schedule that in. No impromptu, fly-by -the -seat -of -your -pants  in that household. She would never survive in mine, she would stroke out. Actually, I'm not sure wife the kids would know what to do with "free time"

[16strong]

7 minutes ago, Desertrose said:

I feel bad for the kids. They are missing out on so much. I doubt she lets the jump in mud puddles, play nerd gun sniper outside. Oh wait, she'd have to schedule that in. No impromptu, fly-by -the -seat -of -your -pants  in that household. She would never survive in mine, she would stroke out. Actually, I'm not sure wife the kids would know what to do with "free time"

I would pay to see a Wife Swap with Erika and literally anyone else. Hell, I might even find a WS w/ Erika and the Maxwells fascinating.

[mango_fandango]

12 minutes ago, 16strong said:

I would pay to see a Wife Swap with Erika and literally anyone else. Hell, I might even find a WS w/ Erika and the Maxwells fascinating.

Oh Lord. Erika Shupe and Steve Maxwell in the same house. Whoops! What was that? Oh damn. I've shat myself in fear.

[THERetroGamerNY]

Erika knows exactly what to do with free time: Sit down and schedule things. :/

[Chevreuil]

I would joyfully watch a swap between Erika and Nicole naugler.

[ILoveJellybeans]

42 minutes ago, Chevreuil said:

I would joyfully watch a swap between Erika and Nicole naugler.

Erika would go insane with all the dirt, germs and disease, and be crying in a corner the first time she has to use their bathroom and finds out where it is. Nicole would mess up Erika's perfect house, send the kids out to play in the mud and teach them how to cook roadkill for lunch, and likely steal a bunch of stuff to take home.

[19 cats and counting]

Erika and Michelle Duggar (current checked out one).

[princessmahina]

1 hour ago, 19 cats and counting said:

Erika and Michelle Duggar (current checked out one).

Yeeeesss! Erika would freak about Duggar time, kids walking on the counter, and the general chaos. Michelle couldn't handle all those kids and would put Karen and Melanie in charge of everything. Karen would have to take a week off work to do all Michelle/Erika's duties.

[Eternalbluepearl]

21 minutes ago, princessmahina said:

Yeeeesss! Erika would freak about Duggar time, kids walking on the counter, and the general chaos. Michelle couldn't handle all those kids and would put Karen and Melanie in charge of everything. Karen would have to take a week off work to do all Michelle/Erika's duties.

Michelle would show up at the Shupe house with Jana, Joy, Jinger and Sierra as her crew. An argument between Michelle and the producers about why that isn't allowed would ensue. 

[19 cats and counting]

1 minute ago, Eternalbluepearl said:

Michelle would show up at the Shupe house with Jana, Joy, Jinger and Sierra as her crew. An argument between Michelle and the producers about why that isn't allowed would ensue. 

Or she'd turn Karen and Melanie into J-slaves (they already are) 2.0.  

[Eternalbluepearl]

Over at the Duggar house, We'd see Erika on the floor crying as howler monkey children ran circles around her. 

[princessmahina]

Imagine Erika trying to make those children get up at 6:00 am to make oatmeal and bread. 

Or a mandatory quiet time with no screaming Howlers. 

 

Ultimately though, a fundie woman like one of them wouldn't do a wife swap because they couldn't be joyfully available to their husbands.

[16strong]

4 hours ago, princessmahina said:

Imagine Erika trying to make those children get up at 6:00 am to make oatmeal and bread. 

Or a mandatory quiet time with no screaming Howlers. 

 

Ultimately though, a fundie woman like one of them wouldn't do a wife swap because they couldn't be joyfully available to their husbands.

The Maxwells in particular would probably find the very idea of a wife swap sinful.

[VanillaBean]

But if your amazing maternal abilities ARE your ministry, then might it not be more sinful not to show another family the light?

[Desertrose]

Maybe  TLC  will do a fundy- wife swap series, I would watch that!

[fundiesarefascinating]

Erika has reposted her instructions on how to make your children do chores. Now, not that I have anything against kids pitching in and helping around a house where they live, but I seriously hate this woman.  She says:

Quote

"It is best for both Anna Marie and for myself to let the job be done by her, and not by me.  This so so freeing when I have the discipline to let things go until their assigned day to be cleaned up.  I'm not letting things go out of laziness, or putting it off until later when it should be done - because that job does have a planned time and a planned worker assigned to it - but I'm letting the children bless me by their participation.  And that's a good thing." 

I think this sums up Erika's entire philosophy. Karen and Melanie aren't sister-moms they are simply "blessing her with participation" by raising their siblings.   

[defraudingjezebel]

30 minutes ago, fundiesarefascinating said:

Erika has reposted her instructions on how to make your children do chores. Now, not that I have anything against kids pitching in and helping around a house where they live, but I seriously hate this woman.  She says:

I think this sums up Erika's entire philosophy. Karen and Melanie aren't sister-moms they are simply "blessing her with participation" by raising their siblings.   

Yep! Only Erika could explain it in such a way that turns chores into Erika ever-so-graciously allowing her children to bless her. 

From the body of her post:

Quote

This may seem funny to some people, but I really did have to learn to surrender "my jobs" to our children.

Not funny at all, and totally believable. Girl, you are the dictionary definition of a control freak. Of course you struggled to let your kids do chores. Its a miracle that they are able to do them to your exacting standards!

[Rubaiyat]

9 hours ago, princessmahina said:

Imagine Erika trying to make those children get up at 6:00 am to make oatmeal and bread. 

Or a mandatory quiet time with no screaming Howlers. 

 

The saddest thing about this is that is seems as if both families would benefit enormously from a happy medium between their two lifestyles.  Can you imagine how the Howlers would flourish with more structure?  How the Shupe kids would bloom with more freedom?  Not to mention all the kids would be learning how to create and manage their own structure, which is huge for their ability to function as adults!  

 

Sigh, just Fundie Family Dreamin' I guess.....

[Naga Viper]

19 hours ago, ILoveJellybeans said:

Erika would go insane with all the dirt, germs and disease, and be crying in a corner the first time she has to use their bathroom and finds out where it is. Nicole would mess up Erika's perfect house, send the kids out to play in the mud and teach them how to cook roadkill for lunch, and likely steal a bunch of stuff to take home.

To be fair, *I* would freak the fuck out if I had to spend time at the Naugler homestead. Just the thought of walking around in the muck of that cesspit, infested as it is with broken glass, the waste of multiple species, and God knows what else, would have me running for a hazmat suit and chainmail waders.

[Apricot]

5 hours ago, Rubaiyat said:

The saddest thing about this is that is seems as if both families would benefit enormously from a happy medium between their two lifestyles.  Can you imagine how the Howlers would flourish with more structure?  How the Shupe kids would bloom with more freedom?  Not to mention all the kids would be learning how to create and manage their own structure, which is huge for their ability to function as adults!  

 

Sigh, just Fundie Family Dreamin' I guess.....

I think that's the whole premise behind Wife Swap.  New experiences are valuable for everyone.

Never gonna happen, their own way is right - because Jeezus!

[elliha]

1 hour ago, EscapedCardinal said:

To be fair, *I* would freak the fuck out if I had to spend time at the Naugler homestead. Just the thought of walking around in the muck of that cesspit, infested as it is with broken glass, the waste of multiple species, and God knows what else, would have me running for a hazmat suit and chainmail waders.

As an old scout I might the person to help them without offending them too much. I can build a safe toilet from more or less nothing, I could teach the children to build stuff out of branches and how to prepare food safely in a very rough environment. The dirt and the lack of proper attention to the kids' needs would creep the hell out of me though and to go all the way to the US I would want to go somewhere more nice though. 

[mango_fandango]

Someone's finally asked about the missing posts, or more specifically they said they had been reading the modest swimwear post but now couldn't see it. 

I predict *crickets* from Erika. Wonder if she'll ever mention it?