M is For Mama - where quiver full meets Pinterest

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

 

4 hours ago, Lurky said:

Why would someone else post something like that publicly??

Because you're Braggy and you love Jeebus, and he loves you.

Because hey ...... look at her shiny happy sparkly sugary Pinterest-worthy life with huge house, Anthropologie decor, happy(?) scrubbed faced children and a hubby that makes major bank and pays for every bit of her Pinterest life.

If that's not Jeebus showering her with love I don't know what is.  And if Jeebus loves her that much -- then well...  she's all good Just. The. Way. She. Is.

No need to change or work on a character flaw, because that's just Satan talking, and Jeebus wouldn't have showered her with her fabulous life if there were any flaws.

[Insert major eyeroll and snark/sarcasm font here]

[EowynW]

My sister in law just did a post on instagram fangirling about M is for mama. I was so surprised. She's "hoping she's going to run into her at the store since she's local." Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. Since my SIL has decided her family is special enough (long story) to deserve a public instagram and Vlog themselves since they're living a much better life than the rest of us mere mortals. 

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

(Pulls up a chair with tall glass of iced tea}  "Long story" @EowynW  Do tell I'm all ears.

 

[TuringMachine]

Braggy is mad that people can make comments about her family size but she can't oppress LGBTQ people.

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

7 minutes ago, TuringMachine said:

Braggy is mad that people can make comments about her family size but she can't oppress LGBTQ people.

 

Does she ever hold her toddler? Is there something in the Bible forbidding that? 

[EowynW]

3 hours ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

(Pulls up a chair with tall glass of iced tea}  "Long story" @EowynW  Do tell I'm all ears.

 

Disclaimer: I fully admit to being a bit put off & jaded about this situation since Mr & I have busted our asses since day one to stand on our own two feet, shoulder all our bills, do the responsible adult thing, have never once asked for help even on the months we barely make it, and are so full of freaking neat ideas and dreams that we long to accomplish but just can't right now because life and bills and lack of $$$ getting in the way, and not one person in his family ever supports us, cheers us on or tells him how proud they are of him. Instead they constantly harass and try to give their opinion about what they think we should be doing. 

 

Cliff notes they're the family darlings due to being the breeders of grandkids. They popped out 3 kids in 3 years. Got on government assistance for them and to have them. They lived in a place with no rent or utility bills since virtually day one of their 6 year marriage due to his job. Last winter she "decided to live bravely", bought thousands of dollars worth of videography & photography equipment and overnight started a "professional videography business." This summer he quit his job and they have moved into the city into an apartment complex so they can "live off their business" without taking any time to build it up into a solid source of income first. They'd been using inlaws and family as free childcare but the deal was that when they moved to the city her husband would be the SAHD while she worked the business. Now he's the co business partner and they still use family for free childcare while they work events. They've been happily bragging about how they're crafting their best life now, get to set whatever schedule they want and do whatever they want, and have the happiest life ever and how if the rest of us went a life like that all we have to do is "be brave, pray & plan and just do it." And now they've decided they're so radical and important they've started a Vlog and public family instagram account to share all the details about themselves. 

 

[EowynW]

Mama's salsa chicken recipe looks as bland AF. 

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

Are they actually living off the business profits or are your in-laws supporting them (in addition to all the free childcare)?

Your ILs were actually OK with them being on govt. assistance?  I thought that was a big N. O. for fundies?

I'm so sorry that Mr's family doesn't applaud you all for being the hard working responsible adults that you are.  They are wrong, wrong, wrong.

So piffle on them (trying to be polite because I'd like to say something else).  We here on FJ think you all are the absolute tops. We are so, so, proud of you two for breaking out of your narrow fundie world and making a new life for yourselves -- a life on your terms. Keep doing what you're doing and being the amazing people you are.

(couldn't find  cheering emoji, so these will have to do)

    

 

[EowynW]

@Red Hair, Black Dress I think it's a combination of business profits (for now) and a savings account. We'll see how it goes. She's already said she doesn't care if it fails, that they'd just move in with her mom to get their footing again. Their apartment is a low income apartment but still a pretty hefty rent. 

The inkaws seem to be okay with the government assistance. My MIL wanted  us to move into sec 8 housing. A thought that horrified both of us. We want people who really need it to live there. We can scrape by.

my fundie mom was always okay with government assistance because it meant your babies got fed and she was allllllll about families having the babies. My dad tho? Bless him on this point. I remember him arguing with my mother and saying parent shouldn't have kids if they can't afford it. And they should wait awhile after getting married so they can enjoy married life before having kids. Deep down inside, my fundie dad isn't that fundie in some ways, I think. He he is the only person who hasn't ever asked or even hinted about us having kids. 

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

So they start this business, move to the city to live their best life, instabrag about it, vlog about it, and think they are #SoAspirational.

 But SIL doesn't care if the business goes bust?  That is just so ..... so ...... stupid and effed up (sorry not sorry) .

#LifeGoals (not)

[ophelia]

@EowynW, how many subscribers do they have? Are there really people out there interested in their vlogs? 

I have to admit that I watch Kendull Rich's youtube channel every once in a while. Older FJ members might remember her. She used to flirt with fundamentalism quite heavily for one time and had a blog post in which she described how her husband discipled spanked their daughters an entire day. Her turn into a what seems "normal" lifestyle (besides the youtube part that I find quite odd) fascinates me somehow.

[luv2laugh]

I don't think I've used so many puke emoticons before in any FJ threads. Braggy just always gives me the pukes. I believe it's because I have many "Braggy Abby's" in my family and social circle, so it strikes a nerve.

Honestly, I think that Braggy's husband earns a decent living but some posters here are claiming he is a millionaire fat cat. I don't believe one bit of it. You see, that's what Braggy wants you to believe and you're falling for it. She carefully and calculatedly reveals and shows ONLY the MOST flattering parts of her entire life thrown in with little humble-brags interspersed throughout her long paragraphs. She lives far out in the boonies, her husband built the property through *likely* discounts from suppliers and connections (taking a page out of the Duggar's book), and has a job that allows them to live in a remote area. Per Braggy, his "day job" is a software developer at a small company and his side-gig is doing projects for clients, using his off-days to travel to clients as a "consultant".


Braggy is someone who is not trying to be *just* real or show her life. Braggy isn't even trying to just show the good parts of her life, no... Braggy is desperate to have everyone think she is the Queen Bee in the Beverly Hills of TX with perfect everything. It feeds a part of her to have comments pour in, "7 kids?! Pilates instructor?! DIY!? Super clean MANSION!? HOW DO YOU DO IT BRAGGY?!"  Braggy, in a sad way, likely lives for these moments.... just like she lives for the moments she goes to the grocery store and is asked "Are they all yours?"

I think Braggy dreams of becoming a modern-day Beth Moore packed with book tours and speaking engagements. IF Braggy wants to be successful in blogging and wider media, she should start trying to act more like Ree Drummond of the Pioneer Woman because Ree gained a following by pretending she's just like everyone else when her wealth was always an advantage. Braggy is starting to go down the path of Lori Alexander.

[hoipolloi]

45 minutes ago, luv2laugh said:

IF Braggy wants to be successful in blogging and wider media, she should start trying to act more like Ree Drummond of the Pioneer Woman because Ree gained a following by pretending she's just like everyone else when her wealth was always an advantage.

Agree with much of what you've said here but IMHO, Braggy is acting like Ree only it's not going to work nearly as well. Unfortunately for Braggy, her timing is bad -- she should have started this BS 5-10 years ago. Too late now and way too many IG accounts that are a lot like hers, not to mention the original Pioneer Woman marketing juggernaut.

I came across Ree's blog over 10 years ago when it actually stood out for several reasons. I followed it for a few months (mostly for the food porn & I liked her photography), and then realized what poseur she was/is.

 

[luv2laugh]

34 minutes ago, hoipolloi said:

Agree with much of what you've said here but IMHO, Braggy is acting like Ree only it's not going to work nearly as well. Unfortunately for Braggy, her timing is bad -- she should have started this BS 5-10 years ago. Too late now and way too many IG accounts that are a lot like hers, not to mention the original Pioneer Woman marketing juggernaut.

I came across Ree's blog over 10 years ago when it actually stood out for several reasons. I followed it for a few months (mostly for the food porn & I liked her photography), and then realized what poseur she was/is.

 

The only thing is that Ree Drummond can pull off the "Aww, shucks! See, I'm just like you!" act with her oven mittens MUCH better and come off way more sincere than Braggy, and Ree comes from major family money on both her side and in-law side, unlike Braggy.

Ree Drummond is a master, in my opinion, at this fake act.  If you did not know anything about Ree's dad being a successful surgeon and her in-laws being millionaires, you would think she is a friendly girl next door. Braggy's blog reads as a deliberate need for an ego boost. Braggy will take perfectly clean, sparkling kitchen pictures and say "Please excuse the ginormous mess! #Momlife, am I right? #Livingmybestself #Childrenareablessing".  

Most people want to learn from people they can relate to. Martha Stewart built her empire this way. Many SAHMs could relate to her. Ree Drummond tries so hard to be her but if you dig deep, you will see it's all PR and calculated, similar to Taylor Swift. Braggy is too opinionated and no one wants to learn from a "know it all". Gwyneth Paltrow has spent years going on interviews trying to undo her "ice queen" stereotype since she knows that people would be more likely to buy GOOP products if they liked her. 

Reese Witherspoon has always had the "America's Sweetheart" label and because of that, she's been very successful with her Draper James southern clothing company. Why? Reese comes off as a relatable southern girl, working mom, that is kind and won't talk behind your back. The truth? I won't forget her drunken incident where she asked "Do YOU know who I AM?!" she also was stuck in a rut for awhile with a few rom-coms that didn't perform well at the box office. When she got rid of Ryan Phillippe and married Jim Toth... she COMPLETELY changed. Jim Toth has been a talent agent with CAA since 1995. CAA is said to be the most prestigious talent agency but was in the news a few months back in hot water with Weinstein scandals. Suddenly, Reese announced she was doing a book list and turning them into movies via her own production company, produced Gone Girl and starred as lead in Wild same year, and now is having major success with Big Little Lies AND her Draper James Co. while doing movies here and there.  Reese is hard-working but having CAA connections and an in-home talent agent DEFINITELY helps.

[EowynW]

1 hour ago, ophelia said:

@EowynW, how many subscribers do they have? Are there really people out there interested in their vlogs? 

I have to admit that I watch Kendull Rich's youtube channel every once in a while. Older FJ members might remember her. She used to flirt with fundamentalism quite heavily for one time and had a blog post in which she described how her husband discipled spanked their daughters an entire day. Her turn into a what seems "normal" lifestyle (besides the youtube part that I find quite odd) fascinates me somehow.

They just started their vlog last month. Not many subscribers yet. 

[BobJonesBabe]

Okay, folks...the last post was about family size + the newest alludes "P.S. The balloons are from family photos I'll share soon."

I'm placing bets on...family pics with a pregnancy announcement. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmtugC7B8qc/?taken-by=m.is.for.mama

(Not sure how to insert an IG post. Maybe someone can help me?) 

 

[Beermeet]

Just found this thread and wow.  First off, I love that house!  Oh, I'd be so happy!!!!  Second thing I noticed;  Braggie is the queen of the humble brag.  Ok folks, I'm going back in.......

[Hane]

On 6/22/2018 at 2:21 AM, feministxtian said:

Years ago when I was with my X and we had the "5 little stairsteps" (5 kids with just under 8 years between oldest and youngest), I got a lot of "I don't know how you do it". Now that I think about it, neither do I. My house was never "clean" like hers. 

Its just the two of us now with 2 cats and I STILL don't have a perfect house. But, I don't give a shit nor do I feel the need to show off...

@luv2laugh, FYI: Martha Stewart is the empress of all phonies, and a nasty person to boot. Read the expose “Just Desserts.”

Also, friends of mine have had professional dealings with her, and found her appalling:  Back in the wireline communications  days of the ‘90s, my friends were telecom specialists who handled federal government accounts. Martha was hosting a fundraising event for Bill Clinton’s re-election campaign at one of her estates. She came bustling over to them with a big smile and gushed, “Are you from Washington?”  When they said, “No—we’re from [Local Telco],” she instantly dropped the friendly act and walked away from them without a word. She kept locking up the equipment closet their technicians needed in order to get their work done. Finally my friends went to the White House Communications Agency people and said, “We’re trying to provide security for the POTUS, and she isn’t letting our guys do their work!” 

Telco trainees who had worked for Verizon told us, years later, that she used to call them and scream at them when her employees’ cell phones got turned off for non-payment. They explained that they could not discuss other people’s accounts with her, and she went batshit.

[TuringMachine]

33 minutes ago, BobJonesBabe said:

Okay, folks...the last post was about family size + the newest alludes "P.S. The balloons are from family photos I'll share soon."

I'm placing bets on...family pics with a pregnancy announcement. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmtugC7B8qc/?taken-by=m.is.for.mama

(Not sure how to insert an IG post. Maybe someone can help me?) 

 

Oh absolutely.  She's been pretty consistent with her pregnancies.  Honor is about the age Theo was when she announced her pregnancy with him.  

And I dunno about the embedded posts. It just does it automatically for me?

[3SecondSideHugger]

20 hours ago, EowynW said:

Disclaimer: I fully admit to being a bit put off & jaded about this situation since Mr & I have busted our asses since day one to stand on our own two feet, shoulder all our bills, do the responsible adult thing, have never once asked for help even on the months we barely make it, and are so full of freaking neat ideas and dreams that we long to accomplish but just can't right now because life and bills and lack of $$$ getting in the way, and not one person in his family ever supports us, cheers us on or tells him how proud they are of him. Instead they constantly harass and try to give their opinion about what they think we should be doing. 

 

Cliff notes they're the family darlings due to being the breeders of grandkids. They popped out 3 kids in 3 years. Got on government assistance for them and to have them. They lived in a place with no rent or utility bills since virtually day one of their 6 year marriage due to his job. Last winter she "decided to live bravely", bought thousands of dollars worth of videography & photography equipment and overnight started a "professional videography business." This summer he quit his job and they have moved into the city into an apartment complex so they can "live off their business" without taking any time to build it up into a solid source of income first. They'd been using inlaws and family as free childcare but the deal was that when they moved to the city her husband would be the SAHD while she worked the business. Now he's the co business partner and they still use family for free childcare while they work events. They've been happily bragging about how they're crafting their best life now, get to set whatever schedule they want and do whatever they want, and have the happiest life ever and how if the rest of us went a life like that all we have to do is "be brave, pray & plan and just do it." And now they've decided they're so radical and important they've started a Vlog and public family instagram account to share all the details about themselves. 

 

OK it’s like you’ve found my relatives, minus the Vlog. They live in a house rent free, utility free, etc paid for by my parents. They had multiple kids unplanned and my whole family gave them so much money when the babies happened. They worked my elderly relatives (who weren’t in the best of health) to the bone caring for the kids often 12 hours a day while they were at work. They do both have decent jobs, but alas, where THE F does that money go??! They don’t pay for anything!!!! Maybe their new toys and cars they buy while my partner and I can’t save up enough for a house with 0 kids working more and making more than them but we don’t beg for everyone else to pay for our lives. It’s infuriating. If they added a YouTube channel and blog I’d really be walking out lol

43 minutes ago, BobJonesBabe said:

Okay, folks...the last post was about family size + the newest alludes "P.S. The balloons are from family photos I'll share soon."

I'm placing bets on...family pics with a pregnancy announcement. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmtugC7B8qc/?taken-by=m.is.for.mama

(Not sure how to insert an IG post. Maybe someone can help me?) 

 

Oh and she’s got 2 dishwashers. One for each older son to be responsible for while she takes pictures and blogs *eyeroll*

[Anonymousguest]

1 hour ago, 3SecondSideHugger said:

OK it’s like you’ve found my relatives, minus the Vlog. They live in a house rent free, utility free, etc paid for by my parents. They had multiple kids unplanned and my whole family gave them so much money when the babies happened. They worked my elderly relatives (who weren’t in the best of health) to the bone caring for the kids often 12 hours a day while they were at work. They do both have decent jobs, but alas, where THE F does that money go??! They don’t pay for anything!!!! Maybe their new toys and cars they buy while my partner and I can’t save up enough for a house with 0 kids working more and making more than them but we don’t beg for everyone else to pay for our lives. It’s infuriating. If they added a YouTube channel and blog I’d really be walking out lol

Oh and she’s got 2 dishwashers. One for each older son to be responsible for while she takes pictures and blogs *eyeroll*

She has two stoves too, side by side, which looks ridiculous. My husband wanted 2 dishwashers when we remodeled, but I preferred the space for dishes. Plus what's the point? Just so you don't have to run the one as often? What difference does it make if you are running one twice or 2 once? And the stove thing? I do wish I'd gotten the 36in instead of the 30, but honestly, even if I'm cooking for a crowd, and we've had 11 people in our household, I rarely use all 4 burners. Even cooking Thanksgiving for 30 my one little stove did fine. I don't even have a second oven. 

[3SecondSideHugger]

Just now, Anonymousguest said:

She has two stoves too, side by side, which looks ridiculous. My husband wanted 2 dishwashers when we remodeled, but I preferred the space for dishes. Plus what's the point? Just so you don't have to run the one as often? What difference does it make if you are running one twice or 2 once? And the stove thing? I do wish I'd gotten the 36in instead of the 30, but honestly, even if I'm cooking for a crowd, and we've had 11 people in our household, I rarely use all 4 burners. Even cooking Thanksgiving for 30 my one little stove did fine. I don't even have a second oven. 

Lol I couldn’t tell you... I hardly use more than 2 burners at once or I’d burn the house down

[JermajestyDuggar]

1 hour ago, Beermeet said:

Just found this thread and wow.  First off, I love that house!  Oh, I'd be so happy!!!!  Second thing I noticed;  Braggie is the queen of the humble brag.  Ok folks, I'm going back in.......

Evidence of constant humble brags:

[Beermeet]

@JermajestyDuggar  She's the best at that.  Of all the things she does so she can brag, humble bragging is her forte.  I can't imagine being near a person like this.  It's everything ( besides the house and most of it's furnishings) I don't value in a person.  She's lacking in every category of why I would ultimately like another human.  Ew.  

[CatholicLite]

She tries way too hard but she doesn't try hard enough to look like she's not trying that hard. It's too fine tuned to relate to anyone, and because her life looks like a fantasy world, it appears disingenuous. Combined with the humble bragging it's too much to handle. If she didn't have such long captions she might almost even be someone that I could hypothetically follow, but since she's so overbearing it's hard to handle. She makes it seem like her life is way too perfect, and even when she mentions the things that go wrong in her life, they're so insignificant and petty it makes me roll my eyes.