The Bates before they were so shiny and perfect including grifting

[Shiny]

37 minutes ago, patsymae said:

I don't understand the Aldis thing. Is it regional maybe? The Aldi stores I've been to in central Jersey don't even sell cream of crap soup that I've noticed. I buy wild-caught salmon, 100 percent grass-fed beef, organic cereal and yogurt, natural cheeses, free range eggs and fair trade coffee there. I like their pesto and hummus, and they don't sell discounted brand-name process foods by the case. Just because they are in lower-income neighborhoods doesn't mean everybody who shops there eats crap all the time.

Aldi used to be gross. My mom shopped there all the time when I was growing up, and it was a step above the dollar store. They changed with the times and hit the organic market hard. There may have been an ownership change as well. 

 

[violynn]

37 minutes ago, patsymae said:

I don't understand the Aldis thing. Is it regional maybe? The Aldi stores I've been to in central Jersey don't even sell cream of crap soup that I've noticed. I buy wild-caught salmon, 100 percent grass-fed beef, organic cereal and yogurt, natural cheeses, free range eggs and fair trade coffee there. I like their pesto and hummus, and they don't sell discounted brand-name process foods by the case. Just because they are in lower-income neighborhoods doesn't mean everybody who shops there eats crap all the time.

The Aldi's around here definitely don't sell that stuff!  Your Aldi's sounds like Whole Foods, our Aldi's, at least in KY are discount stores where you don't really want to buy the meat.

[TuringMachine]

First of thank you @formergothardite for putting this together.  I will likely spend an embarrassing amount of time digging through this.

Second, I feel like I'm blind here but I can't find the part about the volunteering for caring for the young children can some one point me in right the direction?

[19 cats and counting]

45 minutes ago, patsymae said:

I don't understand the Aldis thing. Is it regional maybe? The Aldi stores I've been to in central Jersey don't even sell cream of crap soup that I've noticed. I buy wild-caught salmon, 100 percent grass-fed beef, organic cereal and yogurt, natural cheeses, free range eggs and fair trade coffee there. I like their pesto and hummus, and they don't sell discounted brand-name process foods by the case. Just because they are in lower-income neighborhoods doesn't mean everybody who shops there eats crap all the time.

The first Duggar special when they invade Aldi is from 2004 (when Jackson was born).  I only started shopping Aldi in the last 2 years, so I'm not sure if the chain has changed since 2004.  Now next time I'm there I'll scout out some stuff.  They don't have many brand names though (I did see Cadbury eggs at Easter), 90% of the stuff is their house brand.

I very rarely buy organic, free range, etc.  Even at Aldi's it is not in the budget.  I've stepped into Whole Foods once in my lifetime and I found it too fancy for my tastes.

I'm also in central Jersey (the town my Aldi is in shares a name with a planet and a Greek god).  I do know they have a larger section of organic stuff, but I haven't exactly noticed what. 

I eat cottage cheese for breakfast every day and they have the best prices on it of all the stores around (even with sales).  

 

[BeccaGrim]

7 hours ago, formergothardite said:

All this stuff was pulled from their blog practically over night and it wasn't because they changed over night, they stayed the same, just changed how people would perceive them. 

This amazes me.  How do you suppose they had this conversation? Sat the kids down and were like 'we have to change' so all of you start smiling and alter your clothes?  I couldn't possibly imagine how this went...

[kjmackin]

I only been to an aldi once but I don't really remember what it was like. But my parents while growing up sworn off that store due to getting several pre-packaged goods with worms in them.

[imokit]

5 hours ago, MorningMist said:

 

 

Now trying to identify the kids:

My guess from Left to Right - Josh, JD, Michael with Baby Alyssa, Jill, Erin, Jessa, Zach, Lawson, Jinger, Nathan, Jana.

If we weren't looking at the under 8 set and instead looking at adults, I'd note that JD and Michael are looking adorably close and I really want to know what he was whispering to her 

[Geechee Girl]

7 hours ago, formergothardite said:

Even their recipe for chicken involves opening a can of chicken. 

This immediately brings to mind the avatar that shall no be named. Just thinking about it gives me the heeby-jeebies.

 

7 hours ago, RosyDaisy said:

If anybody posts a pic of a canned chicken, I swear I'll flip my shit. I'm sick and nauseated.

Don't poke that bear. We don't need 4 pages of people asking to see it.

 

@formergothardite  But, but, but the Bateseses aren't racist because Kelly has a Black sister. That framed pic on the mantle was a different Nathan Bedford Forrest! 

[divadivine]

2 hours ago, violynn said:

The Aldi's around here definitely don't sell that stuff!  Your Aldi's sounds like Whole Foods, our Aldi's, at least in KY are discount stores where you don't really want to buy the meat.

Thank you for saying this because any time I mention anything negative about Aldi on here I get my hand slapped. I've tried shopping at Aldi a few times. I've never been impressed. I'll stick with Kroger, Walmart or my new love (discovered when I couldn't drive [or carry groceries up the stairs]  for two weeks after foot surgery) Peapod. And for the record, I spend less using Peapod. No impulse purchases. 

[formergothardite]

30 minutes ago, Geechee Girl said:

But, but, but the Bateseses aren't racist because Kelly has a Black sister. That framed pic on the mantle was a different Nathan Bedford Forrest! 

Totally! They accidently on purpose devoted an entire room in their house to the Confederacy! It must be true because it took Kelly two years to come up with that excuse! 

The Aldi's around here does have organic stuff, but it also has lots and lots of canned foods. Their produce is not always great. 

Here is where they were visited by their missionary friends who are taking to the Gospel to a country that just doesn't know about Jesus, England. 

https://web.archive.org/web/20110318082748/http://gilbatesfamily.com/2011/03/04/missionaries-matter/

I've been trying for years to get people to sponsor my extended vacation mission trip to Scotland.

[samurai_sarah]

2 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

(snip)

I've been trying for years to get people to sponsor my extended vacation mission trip to Scotland.

Please bring your own plane, printing press and fake Scots accent! And don't forget to blog/FB about how you're in an undeveloped country, while living it up in Glasgow/Edinburgh. Don't forget to NOT bother with visas, before you ship your entire family and household over.

Unless you fulfil all these requirements, I will not support your ministry!

[formergothardite]

Is it okay if I lose the plane along the way?   

 

[samurai_sarah]

Part of the requirements!

[formergothardite]

Speaking of printing ministries, the Bates gave money to one. Or "supported", who knows what they actually did. How many fundie printing ministries are there?!

https://web.archive.org/web/20110522090343/http://gilbatesfamily.com/2011/05/15/printing-ministry/

[divadivine]

I'm currently looking for people to sponsor my mission trip to Aruba. Anyone want to donate? I'll even throw in some Papiamento for good measure. Danki Dushis! 

[formergothardite]

5 minutes ago, divadivine said:

I'm currently looking for people to sponsor my mission trip to Aruba. Anyone want to donate? I'll even throw in some Papiamento for good measure. Danki Dushis! 

Do you have an accordion? It would help if this accordion was given to you. If you bought it it doesn't count. 

 

[JemimaPuddle-Duck]

9 hours ago, 19 cats and counting said:

Those recipes sound nasty.  Almost like the 'gross vintage recipes' that appear in some Buzzfeed (or similar) listicle.  At least it didn't involved mixing meat with Jello.

This is what I fail to understand about fundies.  For people who pride themselves on being homemakers, their skills in the kitchen are terrible.  Why all the processed food?  If you're feeding that many mouths, it is so much cheaper to use ingredients that do not involve opening a can.  Even beans.  Dried beans are a fraction of the cost of canned (that's what I mostly use) and can be soaked in crockpots overnight.  You also get much more quantity than canned beans.  (The second generation is mixed-- some show baby steps but others make chickenetti).

When I make tacos, chili, or burritos I use a variety of beans in the dishes (I typically freeze 2/3 of it).  I also stretch the recipe with veggies (frozen corn, tomatoes, onions, salsa), etc.  (Only one pound of ground turkey).  I can probably make a pot that could feed the Duggar or Bates family and do it for under $15 (or $10 if I really stretched it).  

I just have to comment on this because it literally comes up in every single thread that involves fundies and food. Not all fundies eat/cook this way. Let me repeat, not all fundies eat/cook this way! Is it an ATI thing? I just don't know, but it drives me absolutely bonkers. Their recipes are nasty, and don't even get me started on Erika's food issues. So many fundies are into healthy/gourmet food now. I'd say roughly 75-80% of my friends are foodies, me included. I just don't think the quiver full ATI crowd's funky food customs are representative of all fundie cooking. Okay sorry, I'm done now 

[busdrivingmom]

I do shop at Aldi (Northern Illinois) but I cannot do all my shopping there.  We will get milk, some produce, frozen fruit for smoothies, pesto, tortillas (they carry the brand I like on a regular basis), bleach and frozen pizzas (also carry a name brand I love).  I also bought lobster tales on clearance from there a few years ago to make stock with (they were frozen) and a chainsaw.

[SilverBeach]

9 hours ago, 19 cats and counting said:

Opening a bag of frozen vegetables is easier (and safer) than opening a can (the edges of a can are dangerous especially to young hands.  Seriously all it takes is a pair of scissors.  (Besides frozen veggies are healthier than canned or even fresh as they're frozen before transport).  Are fundies that dense?

(Confession-- I do shop at Aldi thanks to watching the early Duggar shows.  It has saved me money, but I don't buy cases of cream of shit soup.  I only buy some things there but they do have good prices and I haven't had a problem with quality.)

I just got back from Aldi. Bought  

[violynn]

1 hour ago, divadivine said:

I'm currently looking for people to sponsor my mission trip to Aruba. Anyone want to donate? I'll even throw in some Papiamento for good measure. Danki Dushis! 

Confession:  I used to tell my kids I was going on vacation to Aruba.  When they asked when we were going, I'd tell them Aruba was child-free, just so parents could vacation without having to take care of children as well.  

[TuringMachine]

I've been reading through some of Kelly's comments. She's really trying to sell people IBLP stuff. No way she'd mention any of that now. Wouldn't want to risk people finding out about the lawsuit.

[GoneDownTheRabbitHole]

This makes me think about JRod and her RV full of blessings. They are the "freak shows" that the Bates once were. They have the capability (maybe not the capacity though) to become just as shiny and perfect as the Bates appear. What scares me is how easily the Bates revamped their image, attempted to scrub their internet presence clean, and appear "relatable." Anyone with wacky beliefs can do it if this family can.

[19 cats and counting]

When did United Bates air?  From the timing of the old website, it looks like it came down right before the first TV show.

I wonder if there was something in their contract about it.

[benye]

When did United Bates air?  From the timing of the old website, it looks like it came down right before the first TV show.

I wonder if there was something in their contract about it.

The first episode was Aug 13 2012 and it ended less than a month later on Sept 3.

[TuringMachine]

I think this is my favorite courtship photo: