M is For Mama - where quiver full meets Pinterest

[JermajestyDuggar]

Oh look! Another ridiculously long humble brag by Braggie! I’m so surprised! 

13 minutes ago, FecundFundieFundus said:

They're the ones who (definitely) faked a "surprise" pregnancy reveal- he claimed he scooped her pee from the toilet when she was out of the bathroom* and used the toilet water to do a pregnancy test without her knowing. It was positive! He surprised HER with her pregnancy! (It was almost certainly an entirely faked pregnancy) That video went viral. A few days later, they had a new video claiming they miscarried. They were acting weird about it all so people started doubting them, like they tested if early pregnancy pee diluted with water would even trigger the test (nope). Then the guy started getting aggressive and douchey and got violent with someone at a YouTuber conference or something? 

Basically, they made a super fake "pregnancy reveal" for a pregnancy that didn't exist then tried to go viral again by claiming they miscarried. People who have gone through pregnancy and infant loss are NOT amused. 

*Also they apparently don't flush?? FUCK THAT NOISE 

Don’t forget that Sam had an account on Ashley Madison! 

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

There is nothing architecturally redeeming about that house. Too many different size and style windows, none in proportion to the house scale  It's just large. With a 3 car garage.

Braggie is definitely telling us, in her oh so humble brag way, her house cost over half a million.  Somewhere on her blog she mentioned they sold the previous house (completely furnished) for over half a million. 

Now she tells us this one cost what they made from the old house, plus savings. She wants us to believe that houses in East Texas that are 1/3 the size of hers "with fewer amenities" cost over half a million!!!?? And at the same time tells us real estate in her area is reasonable?? And that people might be envious they kept the price so low. 

Liar, Liar pants on fire Braggie. God doesn't like it when you lie.

She is a self absorbed, selfish, bitchy, bragging narcissist who thinks God loves her best because she pops out baybeez at regular intervals.

[sleepy_doggos]

She really could cut so many unnecessary sentences out of her posts. They would have stronger meanings if she quit trying to explain why she is bragging and just describe what she is trying to describe!

 

 

[AmericanRose]

Quote

I don't talk a lot of specific numbers bc it's pretty impossible to please everybody (somebody will be offended by a number they think is too high, while others will feel envious of our ability to keep the price so low)

Or you could just be honest, and if someone thinks you got ripped off... oh well?  That statement is so weird.

That is realllllllllly long post for Instagram.

[JermajestyDuggar]

7 hours ago, AmericanRose said:

Or you could just be honest, and if someone thinks you got ripped off... oh well?  That statement is so weird.

That is realllllllllly long post for Instagram.

All of them are that long! It’s insane. Most of her posts can be summed up in 2-3 sentences or less! I haven’t seen a post from her in the last 6 months that isn’t a huge long wall of words! 

[AmericanRose]

5 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

All of them are that long! It’s insane. Most of her posts can be summed up in 2-3 sentences or less! I haven’t seen a post from her in the last 6 months that isn’t a huge long wall of words! 

I always thought Instagram was for show, not tell ? Of course, I don't have to brag about how cute my cats are... that's just obvious! ?

[EowynW]

That house is such a huge waste of space & energy. Christians can be so environmentally careless. 

I do admit to being jealous. It sucks when horribly people like them look like they're doing so well, when people like Mr. & I can't even afford to build buy an acre and build a 500 square foot house right now. 

In my area of east Texas I have only so far seen one half a million dollar place for sale and it was a huge house with a lot of land and lakes, etc  

On another note, my sister in law who loves Braggie is also starting go down the humble brag "look my amazing tailor made life" path. It's being praised by them and all of our friends and family that their life being so amazing is a result of following God and striving to bring honor to him, but it always makes me wonder what are we doing wrong since we are trying to live for Him and love others too and things kinda suck for us right now. I'm in a very cynical place right now so I try not to over think it. But I do wonder sometimes. It's made me be extra considerate of what I say to people because life is not easy for many people. 

[luv2laugh]

Guys, it’s all a facade. 

 

Braggie has no life. She makes the two oldest parent the children and clean the house.

Of course Braggie has time to shop for deals, edit her blogs, and indulge in DIY decorations.

Braggie isn’t poor but she’s not rich either. They are simply, middle class country people. Nothing wrong with it but Braggie likes to act like she’s a trust fund princess married to a rockstar banker husband... Braggie deliberately buys the cheapest and makes the cheapest (again, nothing wrong with that). Her husband Shaun Halberstadt lives on fixed income (East TX does not pay well) and he’s attempting to go off on his own by taking vacations to work on his computer consulting side business. I will say it now and yes, it is snarky: Abbie, take a seat. Your husband is not “that” hardworking and he’s not a super genius, otherwise he would’ve graduated top of his class and been recruited to work at the tech firms in Silicon Valley, CA. Is your husband hardworking? Sure, but don’t you act like you are THE best, won a trophy, and have “the life” or you could die of disappointment. Be thankful. Be humble. You never know, Braggie, if just ONE of many in your family has an extraordinary unfortunate life event, you could end up devastated. Be nice to your friends and in-laws. You may need favors someday. 

Braggie lives her life by trying to make everything seem something they are not. Self-righteous Abbie’s goal to make you jealous of her life. We all need to pity Braggie. She needs our prayers!

Also, where did Braggie say she sold her house for over 500k? I don’t believe that. Lori Alexander, the most hated woman, lives in a wealthy California neighborhood with great schools and in a house much smaller than Braggie’s, yet, without a doubt, hundreds of thousands more expensive. If I’m correct, I believe Lori bought her home at 600k something? 

[danvillebelle]

22 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

All of them are that long! It’s insane. Most of her posts can be summed up in 2-3 sentences or less! I haven’t seen a post from her in the last 6 months that isn’t a huge long wall of words! 

I've got half a mind to track down her house, drive by, and hurl a copy of Strunk & White's Elements of Style on her lawn.

[danvillebelle]

adding - I know the rule about not contacting or posting about contacting the people we post about here.  I would never actually track her down.  Her windbagginess just makes this former English major stabby. 

 

[Tigerchild74]

Ugh.  As if there aren't a ton of people who work even harder than this family, for longer, and still don't have a big house.  #bighouseisnotthesameashardwork   I find it so tiresome (and pretty damaging to the culture) that we build up appearances and expensive houses and trappings of "success" as some kind of idol that equates to morality.  It's just gross.  Having semi-grown up in a very wealthy, political circle (and whose parents are now definitely in that category), there are so many horrific abuses and other bad stuff that goes on, my life is a lot less stressful since I left without looking back.

I feel sorry for those kids.  When you have fortune/fame/prestige grasping parents,  a lot of time the children are sacrificed on the altar of the parents receiving accolades , attention, and  wealth, and it is not a great feeling.  I used to think that the instagram mommies/mommy bloggers were pretty harmless (like scrapbookers) but over the years and seeing some very familiar behaviors crop up, I worry a lot about the kids.  At least my family really was wealthy, so I did get a great education, got experiences that many others don't, ect.  But a lot of these large family kids don't even get that while momma is pumping herself up as perfection on the internet.  

I find it hard enough to scrimp and save for my 4.  Three of whom are going to graduate high school in the next 2 years and I am losing sleep at night and working 12 hour days on the weekends (and 4-6 hours every week night) to supplement our income so that we can help them get through college/trade school/nest egg so they don't start their adult life in crippling debt.  I wish that they had the same opportunities that I did when I was a kid.  I think that is why the hollow humblebrag really gets under my skin.  I sure hope that in building that house, and keeping up appearances, that they're also saving so that each one of those kids can launch into adulthood on an okay footing, even if it's not the best.  I wish that maybe people were more real about it to their readers, instead of trying to lie to them about "just work hard, and you will be granted a big house".

[JermajestyDuggar]

Wow I’m shocked she can’t seem to keep friends ?

[feministxtian]

9 hours ago, luv2laugh said:

Braggie lives her life by trying to make everything seem something they are not. Self-righteous Abbie’s goal to make you jealous of her life. We all need to pity Braggie. She needs our prayers!

I'm not jealous one whit about Braggie's life. Hell no. Yes, I'm enjoying our nice townhouse compared to the places we lived before, but even then I was grateful for what I had...even if it objectively sucked. Yes, I can't wait to find out if we can build that house down the road that I absolutely love, but my life won't end if it doesn't happen. 

Objectively my life is great (we won't talk about stupid brain). Great job, awesome hubby, kids are doing great and for the first time in years I have a great relationship with all of them. Nice newer SUV in the garage. 

BUT...I know where we came from (see living in a 1999 Expedition with 2 cats). My worth isn't predicated on the house/car/paycheck. Braggie seems to feel hers is. Poor Braggie...sucks to be her. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

1 hour ago, feministxtian said:

I'm not jealous one whit about Braggie's life. Hell no. Yes, I'm enjoying our nice townhouse compared to the places we lived before, but even then I was grateful for what I had...even if it objectively sucked. Yes, I can't wait to find out if we can build that house down the road that I absolutely love, but my life won't end if it doesn't happen. 

Objectively my life is great (we won't talk about stupid brain). Great job, awesome hubby, kids are doing great and for the first time in years I have a great relationship with all of them. Nice newer SUV in the garage. 

BUT...I know where we came from (see living in a 1999 Expedition with 2 cats). My worth isn't predicated on the house/car/paycheck. Braggie seems to feel hers is. Poor Braggie...sucks to be her. 

Yep. Our house is absolutely tiny in comparison to here. Like probably 1/5 of the size of hers. Yet I would never want to switch lives with her. No way. I love our small old house and I love our neighborhood. We are happy where we are. And grateful for what we have. 

[katilac]

East Texas may not have high pay in general but I do know there are several companies there that pay very well indeed. And lots of expensive houses. Of course, I don't know how deep into east Texas she is, but Tyler is generally considered east Texas and they have million-dollar neighborhoods for sure. 

I mean, it still wouldn't make me want to live in east Texas, but to each his own. 

That's not the main point here, I realize, but the $500,000 selling price could very well be true. Real estate transactions are printed in the newspaper, so I don't think that's what a person living a public life would choose to lie about. 

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

Braggie sold the house & everything in it to a fangirl who admired the house and obviously, literally, wanted Braggie's life. Braggie admitted on her blog they sold everything but their clothes.

Even with all her wheeling and dealing I can't imagine how much it cost to completely furnish the new house. And if she's wheeling and dealing all the time to furnish the house  when, exactly, is she homeschooling and raising her children?

On wait I forgot. Her mom does the homeschooling and the 2 oldest raise the children.

Anyone else think it's interesting/odd that Braggie and Shaun come from families with 2 children and B&S are trying for cheaper by the dozen  None of whom they plan to send to college.  Even though they went.

Adding: College educated fundies who are actively refusing to allow them to attend/ obstruct their children from a college education make me furious.

[Anonymousguest]

15 hours ago, luv2laugh said:

Also, where did Braggie say she sold her house for over 500k? I don’t believe that. Lori Alexander, the most hated woman, lives in a wealthy California neighborhood with great schools and in a house much smaller than Braggie’s, yet, without a doubt, hundreds of thousands more expensive. If I’m correct, I believe Lori bought her home at 600k something? 

Someone posted the address and link on Zillow or some site like that. I remember the sales price of the previous house being listed around $450. 

I read through her insta house brag a couple times, and even though she used a lot of words I still wasnt entirely clear on what she was saying. What I got out of it is that on top putting in sweat equity, all their available savings and their previous proceeds, they got a mortgage for a third of what the average person is paying for housing. So they still paid a lot for the house, they just don't have a big mortgage? 

 

@Tigerchild74 she had said she didn't think college was necessary and they don't feel obligated to pay for college. I'm certain they are not saving anything for the kids We are in the same boat as you, 3 kids in college (and 2 in private school). We are probably better off financially that braggie, and even in a more expensive area, but every spare cent we have goes to education expenses. 

[danvillebelle]

The cost of living is lower here than many areas of the country, but there are also plenty of people with money (lots of old oil money in Kilgore and Longview) and plenty of expensive houses.  There are also MANY perfectly livable homes to be had for less than 100K.

Again, however, big doesn't impress me.  I actually believe in the current climate (pun intended) it's pretty irresponsible.

[JermajestyDuggar]

15 minutes ago, danvillebelle said:

The cost of living is lower here than many areas of the country, but there are also plenty of people with money (lots of old oil money in Kilgore and Longview) and plenty of expensive houses.  There are also MANY perfectly livable homes to be had for less than 100K.

Again, however, big doesn't impress me.  I actually believe in the current climate (pun intended) it's pretty irresponsible.

I’m actually a downsizing advocate in real life. People probably know not to get me talking about it because I’ll talk your ear off. My personal opinion is that more people could live happier lives if they sold their large homes, got rid of a lot of useless stuff, and downsized to a smaller, more affordable home. I’m not a fan of tiny houses because I find extremes to not work for most people in the long run. However I think smaller homes would benefit a lot of families yet they don’t realize it. A smaller mortgage and smaller heating/cooling bills can relieve so much financial stress on a family. So many people buy the biggest house for the top of their price range. Then they end up with a huge mortgage they can pay every month, but doesn’t leave a lot for extras (like vacation). And if you look at a lot of large houses, they often have rooms that are barely used. Why have a guest room if it’s only used twice a year? Wouldn’t it be cheaper to offer to pay for your visitors at a cute B&B or hotel twice a year? Why have a formal dining room if you only use it once a year at thanksgiving? 

People need to look at how they REALLY live and get rid of all the extra space. Over the last decade I’ve had to really work to change my mindset on how I view a home. I used to think I needed all those things that everyone else thinks they need. But I realized that we live just fine in our small home and the smaller mortgage is more of a benefit than and extra room in our home. Plus I hate moving. So fuck that noise ?

[BobJonesBabe]

On 10/14/2018 at 2:53 PM, danvillebelle said:

adding - I know the rule about not contacting or posting about contacting the people we post about here.  I would never actually track her down.  Her windbagginess just makes this former English major stabby. 

  

Haha, an idea for a new name: Windbraggie

[Tigerchild74]

Two out of my three will likely be doing college alternatives (Or delaying college), but we are still saving up, because trade schools and tool outlays for doing apprenticeships or whatever are also expensive.  They will each have a pool that we can use to help them with launching expenses (college or otherwise).

But I guess it would not surprise me if these people basically thought "we're not paying for college and don't encourage it anyway, so we don't need to think about how to give our kids a good send off into their adult life."

[SassyPants]

2 minutes ago, Tigerchild74 said:

Two out of my three will likely be doing college alternatives (Or delaying college), but we are still saving up, because trade schools and tool outlays for doing apprenticeships or whatever are also expensive.  They will each have a pool that we can use to help them with launching expenses (college or otherwise).

But I guess it would not surprise me if these people basically thought "we're not paying for college and don't encourage it anyway, so we don't need to think about how to give our kids a good send off into their adult life."

I think AH has said in the past that college is not a priority- I'm always baffled when people who have been given that gift and who have enjoyed some success based on the knowledge and skills obtained via that process, form such opinions.

[JermajestyDuggar]

40 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

I think AH has said in the past that college is not a priority- I'm always baffled when people who have been given that gift and who have enjoyed some success based on the knowledge and skills obtained via that process, form such opinions.

Most fundies think that way about their daughters and I guess I get it. If they only want their daughters to be a SAHM to many, college might be a waste. Especially if they aren’t actually homeschooling themselves (like Braggie). But I’m utterly baffled when they don’t want college for their sons. How are her five sons (maybe more in the future) supposed to support a family of ten? I think Braggie will be extremely disappointed when her adult sons realize there is no way they can afford to get married and pop out a ton of kids right away. I imagine they will put off marriage much to her disappointment. Or get married and use birth control. She’s an idiot if she thinks her children can live like she does without an education.

[danvillebelle]

2 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

People need to look at how they REALLY live and get rid of all the extra space.

PREACH, soul sistah!  

We have lived for the last 9 years in a 1260 sq. ft. apartment.  We're four now, but we were six for 5 of those years.  We've always had enough room, now we have plenty of empty space.  We will downsize from here, to a small home or a mobile, depending on what we can find.  

I grew up in apartments, so small feels cozy and "right" to me psychologically.  Living in a huge house would make me very jumpy.

[PlentyOfJesusFishInTheSea]

I don't think this has been mentioned before, but I remembered her newest house has the weirdest layout of bedrooms with no halls between. She says she uses the front bedrooms (only accessible through a first bedroom) as "hangout areas" for now. I can't help thinking it's all about controlling the kids by not providing privacy. Though she assures a commentor that they only use one bedroom "for now" and have a bathroom to change in too. (How generous.)

http://misformama.net/2016/04/our-house-layout.html

 

She also brags about the symmetrical boys' and girls' wings of the house. OK, Abbie.