On Monday's episode of Counting On, we watched footage from the camping trip that Joy Duggar and Austin Forsyth took with friends and siblings for their joint bachelor/bachelorette party.
Before setting up their campsite, the group took rafts and kayaks down the Mulberry River in Northwest Arkansas. Are you an outdoorsy person?
Rafting
Josiah Duggar and friends
Joy always looks super clingy. That's going to get old fast.
ReplyDeleteShe is in love. That explains it. A lot of couples do this.
DeleteI guess Austin's the only one who can really decide whether it's going to get old.
DeleteI doubt he minds :)
DeleteOh just leave her alone for goodness sake! She's young and in love.
DeleteMy husband and I just celebrated our 15th anniversary. And we are still "clingy". Our love for each other grows stronger each day. Nothing wrong with being close.
DeleteI agree. She is head over heels in love. I see older couples to this. It's so sweet!
DeleteJust be clingy in private please.
DeleteIt is like marriage is just all roses and moonlight with you commentors, how about a real portrayal of marriage..? I can imagine couples feeling like such failures when its a little rough sometimes if this is the only example given.
DeleteIf you dont like it dont look my goodness you act like people make you look. Keep your negativity to your self I hear its contagious and I dont want ut
DeleteWhy do people have to have such derogatory comments about. Other people? Leave them alone, and pray for their continuos b
DeleteI think 4:51 is simply being realistic. With the exception of Josh; all the Duggar marriages are portrayed as sweet perfection. That's unrealistic. It would be encouraging to hear about some seasons of married life they needed to work through.
DeleteThey are chewed up and spit out all the time for the good and ordinary things they do already. Do you expect them to post something about being broke or having financial issues or marital issues??? They'd be condemned and the ignorance would be ridiculous. And then everyone would complain that they shouldn't post the negative. And all of the "fans" would provide all the answers. Too young, too old, shouldn't have had kids right away, should have waited. You should spend more time together, show more affection. Someone just ridiculed Ben for not being romantic as he was when he and jessa were dating. But joy is too clingy.
DeleteThey show josh and Anna, the world of perfection flips out. They cannot win. So let them show that they want!
I agree Anon 9:22 Thanks for posting your comment:)
DeleteIf they can't win, they why are they even trying?
DeleteIt looked like a really fun trip.
ReplyDeleteMay? It's October.
ReplyDeleteThe trip was in May, before the wedding. First week of May.
DeleteIt took place in MAY!!!!!!
DeleteThis was filmed months ago.
DeleteThat water looks completely gross. I wouldn't go near it!
ReplyDeleteI think it's good that she is a completely open person. Not afraid to show affection and also not afraid to admit to someone she so obviously loves that she has stinky feet! Ha ha (you know what I mean if you watched the episode). She is not a girl that tries to put on some "cool" front or put on an act. Nothing wrong with being completely in love with your husband.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but sometimes when you're so very open about private matters like smelly feet or using the restroom in front of your spouse it detracts in a certain way. If I were her, I'd handle my private business in private if possible.
Deletewhere did anyone say anything about using the restroom in front of your spouse, 11:42?
DeleteAm I an outdoorsy person? Certainly. I always stand outdoorsy while handing my car the keys to a valet as I check into a swanky hotel.
ReplyDeleteHaha!My idea of camping. Is a hotel without room service
DeleteMe too ;-) I enjoy the outdoors by birdwatching from inside my home, ha ha!
DeleteLol
DeleteLOL!! Apparently Joy demanded this was a no make-up camping trip. Why she cares if others want to put some on I don't know, but Joy is bossy and barky. Anyway, when I read your comment I thought " I would be outdoorsy too in my Naked eye shadow palet and nude lipstick". That's "earthy" right??
DeleteI have to get outdoorsy to get the mail in every day, and then take the trash out. But I have to do that before dark because there are roving totally outdoorsy raccoons and possums in this area...
DeleteAbsolutely pre-dark mail runs!! I live in Florida...I just KNOW gators and snakes must be waiting for me after dark😜
DeleteThose nocturnal snakes are the worst! Way too outdoorsy for me.
DeleteThere's a good reason why indoorsy was invented! LOL
DeleteI love fall and early spring walks in the woods, and I don't mind cutting the grass and chopping & stacking wood, but I'm so thankful I married someone who dislikes tent camping as much as I do. I've done a lot of it in my life-it's just not my thing. I'd never insist that my spouse do it, nor anyone that didn't really already enjoy it. That's just rude. Likewise, my mom hates to wear makeup,but she never gives me grief over mine or demands that I not wear it for one of her events. Rude.
DeleteAre snakes nocturnal??
DeleteIf someone told me I had to go camping and I had to leave the makeup at home, I'd stare at them and ask if they had lost their mind. Then I'd say have fun without me. See you when you get back.
DeleteLet's face it, as much as we love God's creation -- and I know we all do -- there's nothing like modern plumbing and sanitation.
DeleteI've heard of more ridiculous demands than that at a bachelorette party, like either dying your hair blonde or wearing a blonde wig because "blondes have the most fun", dress like a whore, clown your makeup, be a Dolly Parton look alike (STILL!) It's amazing what you get to hear about when you go to Women's Only AA meetings, LOL!
DeleteHelmets would have been a good idea in those rapids; Austin and Joy were lucky not to have hit their heads when they flipped. Austin said he had experienced this river; he should have known better.
ReplyDeleteI'm not much of a helmet person, but I agree.
DeleteThe majority of outfitters where I live would never rent you the equipment, take you out, or act as guide without everyone wearing helmets for the trip. Nobody: wants their party to get injured; really wants to need to put those emergency First-aid/CPR/Rescue skills into practice; wants the lifetime guilt if someone is paralyzed or killed; or wants the liability. I'm surprised in Austin's line of work with the family camp that he didn't insist on it. Not exactly a shining endorsement for me for their family camp. Even if he 's had experience with this river, the others in his party did not. His prior experience can't predict with certainty what may or may not happen with a river on any given day, with any given raft/kayak and how it handles, and who's handling it. Just like a youth-they tend to think they're invincible and it won't happen to them. That's how a friend of ours ended up at the bottom of a waterfall on a hike too. Thank God the water wasn't deep, albeit literally freezing cold. She couldn't stay in her freezing soaking clothes for the 2 hour drive home. Thank God she kept a blanket in her car for emergencies. With her blanket, all of our coats, and the car heater blasting the highest temp. all the way home, she recovered just fine. Things can go south so quickly in the great outdoors; safety should always be priority #1.
DeleteI have gone river rafting, and we weren’t given helmets. No one had them on and several of us fell out. We weren’t injured in any way. I know people can get hurt in any number of ways. You can also fall while walking and injure your head... so should everyone wear helmets all the time? There isn’t a reason to take unnecessary risks, but they weren’t going down a river with major rapids.
DeleteBeen River rafting tons of times. Never once wore a helmet. Ever. White water rafting maybe.. these currents would not have prompted me to wear a helmet.
DeleteRivers have rocks, rocks make rapids for rafting. Walking along,falling and injuring your head is not the same as being knocked/thrown from your raft. You have a little more control just walking along (unless you're impaired by alcohol, drugs, or illness). You're grasping a little to make the lack of safety seem harmless.
DeleteMaybe it's just me, but I wouldn't ask my family and friends to participate in activities they didn't care for so I could have a Bachelor/Bachelorette party. Where did we get this notion that because a person is getting married, it makes them some sort of a queen or princess and they get to "order" people around and get everything their own way??? If I were having (or hosting) a party, I'd certainly take into account what my family and friends enjoyed doing and wouldn't ask/insist they go tent camping when they really dislike it (ditto on the Kayaking and rafting).
ReplyDeleteExactly@9:22! I want to know when getting married required family and friends to give up entire weekends just accommodate your bachelor/bachelorette "party".
DeleteAgree. Weddings have gotten totally out of hand.
DeleteWeddings, kids' birthday parties, and just about anything involving people getting together these days. They've all gotten out of hand. My parents used to have friends over to play cards at the kitchen table & it was some of the best times I remember from growing up. Food was the bag of pretzels someone would bring.
DeleteI could never put friends into a situation they didn't like, just because I had some crazy idea to do something that I wanted to do. Just as I would not go along with the crowd if they were about to do something I didn't like.
Delete3:10, you are making me SO miss my grandparents! They loved to play cards and have a few friends over. When my brother and I would stay with them in the summer months,those were the best times of my growing up years! Simple and yet everyone had a grand time! And 9:22, no its not just you,I agree with everything you said!
DeleteAnonymous @3:10- So true! I've got many memories of Saturday nights spent just like that too, with us children playing outside or board games together while the grown-ups played cards. :) Honestly, the simpler the better. It's like somehow by creating a picture perfect event, people are making up for whatever's lacking in substance. It's very sad. We've lost something as a society.
DeletePeople are invited to attend these events. You can choose whether to participate or not. No one is forced to go anywhere. The bride and groom should choose what activity they want to do for their bachelor/ bachelorette party. Can you imagine asking twenty or thirty people what they would like to do? Then with all those different opinions whose activity do you go with?
Delete3:10 - I remember my parents having good old-fashioned dinner parties and then sitting and talking with their friends. Us kids had to eat a TV dinner in the kitchen because my mom had already set the table. I haven't had guests over for dinner in years -- we just meet at a restaurant -- everyone's too busy. We picked out Hallmark invitations for our birthday parties and filled them out by hand. Those were the days -- before Pinterest and Instagram. Simpler times.
DeleteOh wow, I have a black & white picture of my aunt, uncle, grandfather, parents, and cousins, all around our old Formica dining room table, playing cards one summer night! Adults sitting, kids standing or on stools. There's a bottle of Tab on the table. Everyone gathered together having a fun time, and no electronic devices in sight!
DeleteI also remember summer days on the carport, playing board games with the neighborhood kids. No grown-ups around, and we had to learn our own social skills. Someone would lose, someone might get called out for cheating, someone's feelings would get hurt, but we'd all make up, get over it, and go on! At birthday parties, you went to someone's basement rec room, you got a balloon and a piece of cake, then you played Pin the Tail on the Donkey or went outside to run around playing Freeze Tag. No "destination" birthday parties, hired magicians, pony rides, or inflatable bounce houses needed! Kids back then knew how to make their own fun, for free.
They didn't have to go.. you can rest easy now.
DeleteAgreed. Don't want to do what's going on at a party, don't go. If you're particular about what you do and do not do, ask the host/hostess what will be happening BEFORE you accept the invitation. If it's something you don't want to do, politely decline.
DeleteNo one suggested Joy and Austin ask everyone in their party what they would like to do. We're just saying Joy and Austin, being that these are supposed to be their closest friends and family, should already have a pretty good idea of what their friends and family like to do and choose something everyone could enjoy- rather than "make" everybody do what they wanted. Joy's the same girl who stated she didn't like camping when the RV camping was shot for that "Wilderness Survival Training" with the Duggars episode. She's also the same girl who said she wasn't sure if she liked camping because she'd never been camping "outdoors". I seriously doubt this was her dream Bacherlorette party, but it is what Austin likes.
DeleteHow could you politely decline when TLC was there to film? If everyone had declined, there would have been nothing to show.
DeleteHaha! That was a good one. Made me laugh. :)
ReplyDeleteSince I moved to AZ I have become more outdoorsy than I was in CA. I guess leaving the city and living in a rural town has given me a better appreciation for God's creation.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same Regina! I lived in the suburbs my whole life and 4 yrs ago this month my husband, 2yr old son (at the time) and I moved to a rural town. I love it. I didn't think I would but I too have grown to appreciate nature and beauty of God's country :)
DeleteNone of the girls were dressed appropriately for camping. One just doesn't wear skirts and improper footwear. It was too cold to go kayaking in that cold water. I noticed they changed clothes...where did they do that? I didn't see a facility to change at their campsite. How did they dry their hair from that river water? Joy stated that camping was fun, but then says that she never went camping. How could she know it was fun? Didn't they have that wilderness episode a season or two ago? So, she did go camping before? Not well done IMO.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure someone had a curling iron along! They probably changed at the raft rental place.
DeleteThe girls 'camped out' in the RV during the wilderness episode.
DeleteLol, you can change in the woods. I've done it a million times. It's not hard.
DeleteYou can't change in the woods if there are boys around! At least not if you're a Duggar. It isn't done.
DeleteI thought maybe they did bring a small camper , so the girls could change clothes and get cleaned up ...
Deleteyou never know with that bunch 😬
No, you can't change clothes in the woods if you're a Duggar guy or girl on a Co-Ed camping trip! LOL I'm actually surprised they allowed Joy to do a Co-Ed Camping Trip in the woods. Whatever happened to that Bible verse about avoiding even the appearance of evil? Guys and girls spending the night in tents in the woods with their friends for chaperones? Is it no wonder people on social media are questioning Joy's pregnancy news? Although I personally don't believe Joy and Austin did anything untoward, it probably wasn't the wisest thing they've ever done. I'm quite surprised no one (Michelle, Jim Bob, their pastor, etc.) advised against the idea just for the sake of avoiding the appearance of evil and giving no place for anyone to besmirch their reputation or their witness.
DeleteThe Duggar girls and the Bates girls with thei moms, had a “camping” trip in an episode of 19KaC. Did Joy forget about that time?
Delete5:46 PM You say you're surprised that Jimbob or Michelle didnt advise Joy against going on the camping trip. Maybe they did? But don't forget Joy IS an adult! The way the girls are so sheltered its easy to forget that they are legal adults. Old enough to marry and have a baby, so I'd think they can decide for their self if they want to go in a co-ed camping trip.
DeleteSure you can change in the woods. There's the female side and the male side of the woods. You respect each other's privacy and look the other way. My church has been having co-ed camping trips for years. The kids have been taught to respect the other gender. If you've been raised to believe that premarital sex is okay, then it would seem horrifying to go on a co-ed camping trip and fraught with all sorts of problems.
DeleteSince when do Jim Bob and Michelle allow unmarried girls still living with them to decide what to do by themselves, when it comes to boys? Remember, one of the girls couldn't even go play miniature golf without the parents along.
DeleteAnd six months later we hear about the canoe trip.
ReplyDeleteFor the life of me, I cannot figure out the reasoning behind women wearing skirts on a camp out. What are they trying to prove? At what point does common sense come into play? Long pants can protect you from poison ivy, etc. Those skirts are no more modest than a pair of jeans or those baggy shorts the some of the guys are wearing. Sometimes these MAN-made convictions just look plain ridiculous and it's sad to see other women feel they need to conform. And no, I am not advocating street-walker attire!
ReplyDeleteI can't see how a jeans skirt would be safe while on a swift-moving river. If you tipped, which some of them did, that skirt would be like a weight pulling you down. There's a reason outdoor wear is made to be light weight, windproof, water-resistant, and fast-drying.
DeleteNot to mention the show everyone would see if you flipped the kayak! Or even just climbing in and out without flashing your undies
DeleteI think they wore leggings under those skirts in the kayak, but even so - denim doesn't do well as clothing when it gets sopping wet. Zero insulation value!
DeleteI wouldn't be a bit surprised to find that the girls wear shorts underneath their skirts, as I always do when I know I'm going to be active.
DeleteIn swim class I learned that if you ever tipped a canoe, kayak, etc and was in the middle of a lake, you can use your jeans as a temporary life belt. You would have to take them off,tie them at the legs part and blow into them. It's been years since I've done this. I'm sure they wore life vests but this is just to show that jeans/pants are helpful :)
DeleteOnce in Swim Class, we were required to come to class with jeans and shirts over our suits and tennis shoes. That morning's lesson was emergency survival. We had to quickly get our shoes off and jump in fully clothed. We were timed on how quickly we could get rid our excess clothes- the idea being how heavy excess material is when wet and it has the potential to drown you. It's surprising how heavy jean material is when saturated. Their modesty swimsuits would have been a better choice for this outing (although they would have been cold). An early May camp out was not a well-thought out idea. It would been appropriate had this been an October wedding.
DeleteAgree with other posters that jeans skirts are not very practical for outdoor wear. I have never really understood wearing leggings or shorts underneath the skirt, if the leggings or shorts are whats making you modest why do you need the skirt in the first place? Also in warmer weather the skirt just adds another layer to make you even warmer. I have read that in certain parts of the US ticks are a real problem, and Lyme disease is being diagnosed more and more so pants of some kind would be better in those areas for protction, rather than a skirt.
DeleteI just keep thinking... don't their legs get cold?!! What decent man would want or make his woman freeze? I think they should wear pants certain times, at the least, for safety, warmth, and common sense. Personally, if a guy ever told me what to wear... I would promptly tell him he's got the wrong woman, and I would turn around and leave. But,... they believe in the guy dictating that, and that's their choice. Maybe they can bring back the fashion of long gauchos or pant skirts ss a more modern, sensible option. Gotta be some of those in the thtift stores they always shop in.
ReplyDeleteI wear skirts and dresses all year round by choice and never get cold. I live in a much colder place than the duggars as well. If that is what you choose to wear then there are ways to be warm.
DeleteI am about the same age as the older Duggar girls, and my dress code is very similar to theirs. I wear skirts every day, and I'm here to tell you - staying warm is not hard in skirts! You just wear tights or leggings underneath, and it's not an issue. Most of these "issues" people bring up about wearing skirts are simply because they don't WANT to wear skirts.
DeleteSkirts and dresses are one of the best things invented ever! we ones that wear skirts all the time stay cool in the summertime! We have air movement underneath not some tight, scratchy, heavy fabric such as denim up against our legs. I never could understand how people sacrifice cool and comfortable for fashionable skinny jeans just to stay in vogue with their peers. I'd want to tear them off 5 minutes into them. And yes you just wear warm cozy leggings underneath in the winter. Super easy.
DeleteI agree, 6:33. Skirts w/ leggings or tights are just as warm as pants, and I can do a lot of things in a skirt.
DeleteI would say that skirts are not the best when it comes to camping , but we don't need to be judgmental toward them as if they were doing immoral. It's not like they are forcing us to wear them. They are the ones who are camping in skirts, not you. Let's just forget about what they wear and focus on what is really important.
DeleteDenim is not scratchy. If your pants fit nicely, jeans are very comfortable.
DeleteI wear only skirts and dresses. No human - I repeat none! - has forced me into this decision. Not one of the tasks or activities that I ever engage in requires me to wear pants. If needed, I can put some calf-length leggings under my skirt, to protect me from insects. This manner of dress doesn't inhibit me from doing anything I want to do or need to do. I have never told anyone that she's wrong for wearing pants. Why do some of you feel so strongly about the Duggars' clothing choices? I look at some of the comments you're making, and can't help but think that if the Duggar family made those same comments to you for your manner of dress, you'd be all over them for being judgmental.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. I am so tired of every one tearing down the family. Such judgemental people. I have always worn skirts even in snow and never had a problem staying comfortable and warm.
DeleteExactly. I think part of this comes from the whole "feminist movement." It should be the ladie's choice but she shouldn't be looked down upon
DeleteDo you belong to a family or church group where the women wear skirts or dresses all the time? If so, there's likely an expectation or subtle pressure to do so, even though no one ever demanded you conform. I spent part of my growing up years in such a religion, so I speak from some experience. I guess you have to ask yourself if this is truly a wardrobe preference or some outside expectation of modesty. If you would not consider wearing pants for a practical reason, such as horseback riding or climbing, or if you would put a skirt on over the pants, it's something more than personal preference.
Delete8:25 - I'm the person who posted that comment, and these are my answers to your questions. No, neither my mother or sisters dress this way. I grew up wearing jeans and shorts. I am a Christian who is actively involved in church, but "dresses only" is neither required nor stressed at my church. Most ladies wear dresses to my church, but some wear pants, and all are completely accepted. Many of my church friends wear dresses to church, although they are not "dresses only". You are right - it is not just a matter of personal preference - it is a matter of conviction. You wondered if I had been pressured into this, but you may be surprised to find that most of the pressure I've felt was to NOT dress this way. I've encountered both relatives and acquaintances who I feel have been judgmental, rather than accepting. This is something I rarely think about - it's become a way of life for me. I get dressed each day and then forget about what I'm wearing. It takes me by surprise to find others offended by a woman wearing a dress.
DeleteI don't follow the same dress code as you, but I couldn't agree with you more, it is startling to read comments on this blog about the skirts only choice. Highly judgemental and condemning. Very disappointed to realize how narrow minded people are and how insistent that this family conform to mainstream choices. It is all nasty and negative, Joy can wear her skirt camping and have a ball I can wear my jeans and still prefer a hotel - to each his own! I may not share their "dress code" but I respect their commitment to their standards.
DeleteI grew up in the world - wore shorts,pants and swimsuits. I was deeply convicted at age 39 to give all that up and dress modestly for the Lord prior to becoming born again. I honestly don't miss wearing pants or shorts and would not be comfortable wearing them. I wear long dresses I make myself since I enjoy sewing. In the winter, I wear calf length leggings if needed to stay warm. I would wear leggings under my dress if I were doing an activity that would need an extra layer of modesty such as horseback riding, etc. Speaking for myself, I am honoring the Lord in my obedience.
DeleteThey make tights with fleece like material inside. It's very warm. I too only wear skirts. I'm not cold in the winter.
DeleteI was the first Christian in my family. No one went to church but me. And I decided myself what to wear. Be
I really don't think wearing only skirts is being obedient to God. If that's what you want to think and it makes you feel good, that's fine. However, please don't think wardrobe choices are what define Christians or good people.
DeleteDiana, please explain why those other things are not "for the Lord." You see less skin with pants than you do with a dress!
DeleteAnon 10:38, pants are really form fitting. That is the problem. Yes, dresses and skirts can get immodest too, but really form fitting pants attract attention in the wrong places.
DeleteI grew up bicycling, horseback riding, hiking, rafting, etc., exclusively in skirts or dresses. I tried on and bought my first pair of pants at 23 years old. For over a decade now I have comfortably and modestly worn pants or dresses, whatever I felt I wanted to wear for the day. I will say, I have never found skirts restrictive or unsafe. They can be worn modestly and comfortably, as can pants. To hear those who DON'T wear skirts often call them a bother or hazard is as silly as hearing those who DON'T wear pants say they can never be worn modestly. It's a matter of personal conviction or preference, and really shouldn't be a point of argument, as long as one dresses modestly and decently. One can have fun appropriately dressed in either skirts or pants!
ReplyDeleteMichelle Duggar has come very close to putting other females down for not wearing skirts or dresses. Her 'explanation' of her wardrobe indicated putting other women down as violating a passage in the bible which says that a woman shall not dress like a man and vice versa. That is telling other females they are wrong for wearing shorts, capris or pants. That's why some women here on this blog feel insulted. By saying 'it's her conviction' then stating that bible reference, it's putting those others down for THEIR choice.
ReplyDelete10:22 - I disagree with you. I don't think the Duggars have ever put others down for the way they dress - or even come close to it. They have said repeatedly that these are their convictions and that they are not trying to tell others how to dress. In watching the show, I've noticed the producers asking Jim Bob whether it doesn't seem strange for his daughters to wear skirts while doing home reno work or riding horses. Jim Bob answers very assertively that it's not strange to their family, and why shouldn't he?
DeleteI do think, though, that you have touched on the heart of the matter regarding why so many criticize the Duggars instead of just saying, "to each his own". When the Duggars are asked why they dress this way, they give an honest answer, using the instructions they've found in the Bible. This makes some people feel uncomfortable, because it causes them to wonder whether they themselves are disobeying the Bible. Instead of seeking what God would have them to do, they find it easier to get angry with the Duggars for pointing out what the Bible says.
Incorrect. What SHE is convicted of has nothing to do with others convictions. She is living her life for the lord and it's a choice she made. People are convicted of things all the time when you have a relationship with the lord. Gossiping, smoking. Cursing. Certain tv shows or music. Convictions come in many forms.
DeleteIf that's what Michelle said, they it's clear she feels that pants are dressing like a man. What if the Duggars were Scottish?
DeleteMichelle is the one who taught us all what "Nike" means, and why you have to say it. If that isn't telling other women that she thinks they're dressing wrong, and judging them for their clothing choices, I don't know what is.
Delete8:52 - I disagree. Michelle recognized that her sons are going to live in a world where some women will dress immodestly. She knows that their best hope of overcoming the temptation to lust is to avoid that temptation whenever possible. She's teaching them to look away instead of looking at the source of temptation. In all of this, she hasn't judged or condemned the women in question. Four of the Duggar girls wrote a book several years ago, "Growing Up Duggar". Perhaps you could try to get a copy of it. They give a picture of their mother that is very different from the one you've gotten from online critics. They even specifically talk about her teaching them not to speak badly about an immodestly dressed woman that they drove by one day.
DeleteAnon 10:18, I agree with you and I really liked how you put it. Thank you:)
Delete