Sister Wives

[momrek06]

Poles become a tripping hazard so to speak. If you don't know how to use them properly they will cause more falls than they prevent not to mention how they will wrench your hands arms and get all a mess with the skis as well which does damage to knees, legs and the occasional ankle. You are frankly better off to fall back on your butt with no poles than you are trying to break falls with equipment not made for that.

If one can't balance using their core tucking poles under her arms isn't going to help. They aren't there for balance (though they affect it slightly) they are there to maneuver with turns.

Then maybe someone should have showed Meri how to fall. And it did not appear to me she was in a novice area … she was going so fast.

If you never skied before and watch this last week … you would probably think twice about learning … heck, I do not have any time in my life to be laid up with a busted knee.

[mindy384]

Maybe I can help with some insight on the ski issue since I used to live in the mountains and hit the slopes a lot. First of all, everything Meri was doing was WRONG and Kody is a moron for letting or encouraging her to do so much (or, not being adament enough to tell her/explain that she wasn't ready yet). You don't hit the lifts until youve done the bunny slopes a zillion times...and you aren't on elevations like she was shown coming down unless you are somewhat proficient at manuevering. Hell, Meri didn't even appear to know "french fries" and "pizza wedge"--basically the common lingo used to learn how to speed up and slow down (she didn't even know how to stop!). At her age, with zero experience, everything Meri was doing was very dangerous--I halfway expected her to fly off into the trees and get hurt even worse. Poorly handled, IMO, if Meri really hasn't hit the slopes before. Then again, Kody thinks strapping christmas trees to vans is more important that breaking up fights between his kids so whatever
*sidenote--it looked like Meri might have been on ski blades (they are technically trick skis--shorter and easier to handle/turn overall)--one way to tell is that they dont pop off when you fall (I cant recall if they released when she fell....?). But, you can also get much shorter skiis and often the rental outfitters will size you based on your experience and height.
**the pole argument is a goody--some instructors feel like they give beginners something to rely upon when they are starting out but in general they arent necessary for beginners who need to learn how NOT to crash before they hit the advanced slopes with precision turns, etc...
***finally, there is a correct way to fall and what Meri did was NOT it.

[Imperfect1]

Other issues about the Browns aside, the Brown 'parents' have made a huge issue of finding work since their move to Las Vegas --- and they have been shown to be trying very hard to figure all of this out. Plus, they're getting paid (probably very well) for each season of their reality show, and they've written a book (Becoming Sister Wives) which is out now, and certainly bringing in some income, and like every other entertainment show, there's payment for 'product placement' and there are also probably lots of promotional product gifts given to them by various manufacturers --- so I don't understand why this is invoking such a negative response. No matter how they are getting their money, their kids seem to be healthy and well fed and decently clothed, and they live in nice houses --- so why are we nit picking about what gifts (expensive or not) they are occasionally receiving? The kids gave Kody very inexpensive home made gifts for his birthday, and each of the wives said they contributed as much as they each could afford to the laptop gift --- so really, to me this is a non-issue and actually none of our business.

[PIMguy]

--- so really, to me this is a non-issue and actually none of our business.

Ah, the old "its none of our business" argument about reality TV stars. Let's get transitive. A = their lives. B = the show (about their lives). C = what we watch (aka our business). So, if A = B and B = C, then A = C. Thus, I have proven that their lives ARE our business. This formula should be studied by everyone who wants to go into reality TV.

[MsDiva2007]

Maybe I can help with some insight on the ski issue since I used to live in the mountains and hit the slopes a lot. First of all, everything Meri was doing was WRONG and Kody is a moron for letting or encouraging her to do so much (or, not being adament enough to tell her/explain that she wasn't ready yet). You don't hit the lifts until youve done the bunny slopes a zillion times...and you aren't on elevations like she was shown coming down unless you are somewhat proficient at manuevering. Hell, Meri didn't even appear to know "french fries" and "pizza wedge"--basically the common lingo used to learn how to speed up and slow down (she didn't even know how to stop!). At her age, with zero experience, everything Meri was doing was very dangerous--I halfway expected her to fly off into the trees and get hurt even worse. Poorly handled, IMO, if Meri really hasn't hit the slopes before. Then again, Kody thinks strapping christmas trees to vans is more important that breaking up fights between his kids so whatever
*sidenote--it looked like Meri might have been on ski blades (they are technically trick skis--shorter and easier to handle/turn overall)--one way to tell is that they dont pop off when you fall (I cant recall if they released when she fell....?). But, you can also get much shorter skiis and often the rental outfitters will size you based on your experience and height.
**the pole argument is a goody--some instructors feel like they give beginners something to rely upon when they are starting out but in general they arent necessary for beginners who need to learn how NOT to crash before they hit the advanced slopes with precision turns, etc...
***finally, there is a correct way to fall and what Meri did was NOT it.

I learned how to Ski without the poles. Once we all got the hang of it our intructor then went over the use of the poles. I think it was alot better that way.

[mindy384]

Other issues about the Browns aside, the Brown 'parents' have made a huge issue of finding work since their move to Las Vegas --- and they have been shown to be trying very hard to figure all of this out. Plus, they're getting paid (probably very well) for each season of their reality show, and they've written a book (Becoming Sister Wives) which is out now, and certainly bringing in some income, and like every other entertainment show, there's payment for 'product placement' and there are also probably lots of promotional product gifts given to them by various manufacturers --- so I don't understand why this is invoking such a negative response. No matter how they are getting their money, their kids seem to be healthy and well fed and decently clothed, and they live in nice houses --- so why are we nit picking about what gifts (expensive or not) they are occasionally receiving? The kids gave Kody very inexpensive home made gifts for his birthday, and each of the wives said they contributed as much as they each could afford to the laptop gift --- so really, to me this is a non-issue and actually none of our business.

I think most of us (including me ) have this negative reaction because of the huge gap between what the Browns SAY and what the Browns BUY. We can't go 5 mins without hearing how they have money problems (phrases like "we can't afford this," "we don't have the money for that," etc... are thrown out every episode) yet they are immediately followed by Kody driving a new car (when he previously had a lexus), receiving expensive gifts (guns and laptops), or showering his wives with new furniture, trips, extravagant dates and 4 homes! Now, we are approaching them actually purchasing 4 separate lots and (presumably taking out construction loans--which generally require larger downpayments) taking on the task of building and owning 4 BRAND NEW homes. I think we all understand that the Browns are getting a lot of stuff for free and paid well, but our problem is the fact that they keep telling the cameras that they are poor...and we see this as "selective poverty" and/or just something they feel like they should say for drama (perhaps at the behest of the producers who want to make them seem more "average").

Honestly, I think it would do them a world of good to drop the act and just be upfront--I would have no problem with them saying "we get paid X amount of dollars by TLC and therefore this is our primary business...and we are paid pretty well," but instead they keep saying that they have substantial money problems while not acting like they have any money problems. At the end of the day, we aren't stupid and it is just very frustrating (and frankly, insulting) for us to be treated that way.

All that being said, I personally enjoy the family and don't think they are all bad parents (particularly Janelle who is my favorite wife/mom--and Logan is a pretty good example of some darn good parenting)...I just have a problem when they are obviously stretching the truth about the $$ situation just for drama or whatever.

[momrek06]

Maybe I can help with some insight on the ski issue since I used to live in the mountains and hit the slopes a lot. First of all, everything Meri was doing was WRONG and Kody is a moron for letting or encouraging her to do so much (or, not being adament enough to tell her/explain that she wasn't ready yet). You don't hit the lifts until youve done the bunny slopes a zillion times...and you aren't on elevations like she was shown coming down unless you are somewhat proficient at manuevering. Hell, Meri didn't even appear to know "french fries" and "pizza wedge"--basically the common lingo used to learn how to speed up and slow down (she didn't even know how to stop!). At her age, with zero experience, everything Meri was doing was very dangerous--I halfway expected her to fly off into the trees and get hurt even worse. Poorly handled, IMO, if Meri really hasn't hit the slopes before. Then again, Kody thinks strapping christmas trees to vans is more important that breaking up fights between his kids so whatever
*sidenote--it looked like Meri might have been on ski blades (they are technically trick skis--shorter and easier to handle/turn overall)--one way to tell is that they dont pop off when you fall (I cant recall if they released when she fell....?). But, you can also get much shorter skiis and often the rental outfitters will size you based on your experience and height.
**the pole argument is a goody--some instructors feel like they give beginners something to rely upon when they are starting out but in general they arent necessary for beginners who need to learn how NOT to crash before they hit the advanced slopes with precision turns, etc...
***finally, there is a correct way to fall and what Meri did was NOT it.

Thanks, mindy! I appreciate your post. Yes, as I stated there was no way Meri was on the 'BUNNY' trail. Which she should have been. There was no way anyone showed her 'HOW' to fall. Which they should have.

And we need to remember her age. All in all a failed trip for Kody and Meri.

[AZChristian]

My further concern about their claiming to be cash-strapped and then spending so much is the example it sets.

There are segments of society who seem to think that their very existence is reason enough for them to have everything they want. Just watching "reality" tv and some of the shows like "Judge Judy" or "People's Court" provides daily examples of people who don't think they need to work like everyone else does, but who still feel entitled to have the fancy phones, etc., without giving any thought as to who is paying for them. Granted, Kody and his ilk are paid by TLC, but it's hard to think of what they're doing as "working" for the money.

We need less examples like Kody and Kate, and more examples of people like the Duggars, who - even with their pretty good income from the show - verbalize positive beliefs like "buy used and save the difference in cost."

/soapbox

[Debb70]

While I may seem critical, I'm a huge fan of the show. I really do enjoy it. I am curious of the money issues though.

I recall an episode of Teen Mom where one of the mom's wrecked her car. She didn't have $700.00 to get herself into another used one. She was also living with her child in a home that was based on her income. From all I have heard, they pay those moms a pretty good amount to appear on that show. Who knows?

The only think I can figure is that the houses are considered their set and TLC pays the rent as the price of doing business with the Browns. Still, there are utilities, groceries, medical, dental, clothes, etc. Their expenses most be huge for all those people.

Has anyone noticed how much Truly and Solomon look alike? Does Truly have any hair? She's a cute little girl, but maybe her hair so light I can't see it.

[gadmus126]

Did all Kody's wives grow up in polygamist familes? I think I remember them saying that Janelle did but did Meri also. What about Robyns x-husband does he approve of his children growing up in this situation.