"Living in the RV is definitely...fun. Sometimes it can get a little tight."
-Joy-Anna (Duggar) Forsyth
In this scene from Monday's episode, Joy and Austin Forsyth make their first meal together as a married couple. The RV is cozy, but it isn't without its issues, so the Forsyths are looking forward to completing their fixer-upper home and moving in.
Photo/video courtesy TLC
Good for them for being willing to experience humbler circumstances while they work for their goal.
ReplyDeleteAww, so cute!!! Do what you have to do. Also, the home they fixed up is cute too!
ReplyDeleteWe have been living in a small RV since we got married 2 1/4 years ago. We now have a 16 month old son and a two month old son. The youngest was born at home in our RV. We bought a house in another state, but my husband needs to find a job there before we can move. I do my canning in the RV and have also processed pigs and deer. I also sew and of course do a lot of cooking. Just saying you can make it work for a long time with children as well.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering why you would buy a house in a different state where your husband has no job? Shouldn't you wait to buy a house when your husband does get a job there? I was just thinking how mad I would be if I had to live in an r.v. for years for that reason
DeleteOk, I'm going to say it... If you and your husband want to live in a small RV, that's up to you. However, I fail to understand why you chose to bring children into the world under those circumstances. They don't need a palace, but they do deserve better than that. By the way, where on earth do you store your canned goods and all that processed meat?
Delete4:44 Her little children will never remember living in an rv. They are too young to think about it long term. As long as children are loved, then they should be brought into this world. Where they live isn’t as important until they are older.
DeleteYour comments were not very nice. You don't know the whole situation, so I don't think you should say stuff like that. I am happy with what my husband has provided; we have a warm place which is more then a lot of people have. People long ago used to live in houses as small as our RV and they didn't have the convenience of a bathroom, electricity, and running water. We didn't choose to bring children into this world to live in an RV. We left that decision up to God, and He blessed us with a son nine months and ten days after our wedding. If he hadn't been born then, my husband's grandfather would never have seen any of our children as he passed away two months later. He was waiting to see him. Our boy has toys to play with and he's happy. We aren't just waiting on my husband to find a job to move. We have our RV on his family farm and his grandfather lived here as well. After he passed away there were a lot of things we needed to be here to do. And then we decided to wait until after our second son was born. So where do I store my canned goods and meats; I store them at his parents place. I enjoy our trailer; it will be sad to leave our first home (this is where we spent our honeymoon) and the place where our son cried for the first time. We call this trailer our Little House in the Big Woods and we are thankful for it.
Delete10:25, don't pay attention to those who are questioning your choices. I admire your content, thankful attitude toward your circumstances!
DeleteI am glad your situation has worked well for you and you are ok with it all. I am not judging, but I am curious....space wise, where in an RV did you have room for 2 children's cribs for them to sleep? Was there ever a problem where you are with child/family services investigating your living situation? That would never be allowed in my area, but I know areas and states differ on that sort of thing. Am glad the grandpa got to meet his grandson.... I never got to know my grandmother, she was ill and died about a month after I was born and lived too far away for either party to travel at the time.
DeleteGood for you, standing up for yourself! Those comments were not nice, and you have shown a loving, gracious and THANKFUL heart. Your babies are lucky to have you as a mama! Keep doing the wonderful job you are!
DeleteAnonymous 10:25; Except for possibly making Pa sleep in the barn, which my great-grandmother eventually did after 7 children, the pioneer women had little control over when, how often or how many children they had. Their lives were grueling and life expectancies were not wonderful. Today, women are fortunate to be able to make these decisions by using birth control. Having children to please other people, like a grandfather, is not a good reason to have them. For your sake and your children's, I do hope your husband has a steady job and steady income, so you can move into the home you purchased sooner rather than later.
DeleteThanks for the nice comments. It is encouraging that not everyone thinks we are doing the wrong thing.
Deleteto 4:44. Such a silly comment. I know a guy who thinks any man who cannot make at least $80 000 per yr should not have children. Your comment about the size of a house as a criteria for having children is just as ridiculous! Money and materialistic goods mean nothing. I grew up with a very hard-working mother who started with very little and gradually got a house and filled it with nice things. I am THANKFUL to have lived through the entire process so I could witness the benefits of hard work. It made me ambitious and made me so very proud of my mother.
Delete3:07 You are doing a great job. Don't listen to those crtical people!
DeleteMy husband is a surveyor and we have a house in one state and live in an RV in the whatever state my husband happens to work at the time once our house is paid off we'll go home permanently . Our rv is 2 bedrooms but small. How dare anyone say someone shouldn't have children because their home is small!!
DeleteWe also have 2 kids 2 son's.
And they thrive! In an RV! They play do school go outside play at the park etc.
It's funny because if you would have said "tiny home" no one would say anything because they're an voice and there are articles everywhere praising people who are raising families in them.
An Rv is EXACTLY the same as a tiny home just more towable.
1:13- I am an adoptive parent. We were required to have exensive home studies prior to being approved. Had my husband and I called a small RV home, we would have never been allowed to adopt. There are also income and health requirements. We were required have pre and post adoption counseling and attend parenting workshops.
DeleteJust saying...
Not at al judging, just very curious since this question wasn’t answered, why did you purchase a house before being able to find work in that area?
DeleteAnonymous 12:24. I appreciate your comment, but we have chosen not to use birth control for various reasons; the main one being that the pill can cause a miscarriage. I know there are other types of birth control, and we may use some natural family planning so they aren't one on top of another, but I do want a big family. I was the oldest of 14. The house we bought has 92 acres that we hope to have a family farm raising vegetables, grains, and animals. Also we did not have children just to please his grandfather. We didn't know he was going to die. I was just saying I'm glad he got to meet him.
DeleteAnonymous 11:22. My oldest sleeps in a playpen and the baby sleeps in a small rocker seat that fits beside our bed. He really likes it; my other son did too. We don't have a problem with child protective services.
Unknown 1:13. I love what you said about a tiny home. Sounds like you're RV is bigger cause ours just has a bedroom, bathroom, and main area. Sounds like you're doing just fine.
And in relation to some of the other comments, my husband does have a good job that he's had for six years. He doesn't make $80,000 a year, but we try to live simply and save money by raising our own food and shopping at thrift stores.
Oh, and we also use cloth diapers. That saves a lot of money especially since I got them used from a diaper service. I paid about a dollar apiece for the really good prefolds.
DeleteDid I see him fling a bag of trash out the RV door on the show? I can only imagine the critters that would be happy to see that once the sun set...
ReplyDeleteI`ll bet that there was a trash can or something else there that they put their trash in and Austin was just doing it the easy way and tossing it.
DeleteAnother example of not picking.
DeleteI was wondering about that too! Sounds like when he flung it, it just plopped on the ground, not in a can. Where I live, you can't have an RV parked on your property like that and have anyone living in it. It's like subketting and against zoning regulations. We had a neighbor have a relative visit who parked his RV in their yard and he got fined and had 24hrs to remove it.
DeleteWhat a very refreshing comment in this day & age for joy to say she is just grateful to have a roof over her head, she sounds like a very thoughtful young woman.
ReplyDeleteThat's great:) It's nice to see a young couple roughing it and not having everything so perfect. They'll be more appreciative when things are a bit nicer. It'll be a hoot for them to look back on these memories & fun stories to tell their children!
ReplyDeleteThe shower didn't work, the microwave didn't work...... Who gave them this RV to use? Meanwhile, back at the Duggar main house, there was a perfectly good RV sitting in the driveway. Plus all the Duggar boys (and Jana) are supposed to be so good at fixing things! Why live like that?
ReplyDeleteWell, since they are neither delicate little flowers, nor spoiled brats with a sense of entitlement, they can certainly deal with the realities of imperfect plumbing and no microwave in their temporary housing. You can do a whole lot when you have an attitude of thankfulness.
DeleteMaybe they wanted to do things by themselves?
DeleteNo sense of entitlement? I think everyone has that, to some degree. Joy's entitlement is fame, being on TV, being in magazines, and having two rich families behind her. For any of the Duggar kids, if they could survive just fine without the fame and exposure, why aren't they doing that? Why aren't they following Derick's lead and pulling themselves out of that system? Austin could say that's it - no more for himself and his wife, too.
DeleteIt's good they had all that survival training. But I guess the course forgot to show them how to make a microwave with sticks.
ReplyDeleteThe whole point of a microwave is that it's fast and easy, not need to be sarcastic.
DeleteWho were the girls who refused to leave the RV on that episode? I know some of them stayed in (a bride-to-be was non-stop texting her groom-to-be), but did any of them venture out?
DeleteAnd now I have Alan Jackson's "Livin' On Love" stuck in my head... 😂
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteHaha! Me too!!
DeleteWhen is the banner getting updated for Gideon? (+upcoming babies)
ReplyDeleteTime 11:48PM Wed 3/7/18
ReplyDeleteSo once again I would like to say congrats on Austin & Joy Forsyth on the birth of their son Gideon. Guess in this scene they look happy being in the TV.
I live this couple. I think they've are so cute. I can't wait to see how they fix up their home.
ReplyDeleteIt was a nice little meal in their soon to be home.
ReplyDeleteI bet the small rv is even more tight with the film crew in as well
ReplyDeleteThese two seem to be more upfront than the other couples. Maybe, as time goes by, their honesty and tell-it-like-it-really-is personalities will come completely to the forefront! It would be refreshing!
ReplyDeleteI laughed so hard when Joy said "living on love" and Austin rolled his eyes.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure? I didn’t see that part
DeleteJoy saying "livin` on love" was the last words in the video. Austin wasn`t there and we didn`t see Austin after that except for when he was throwing out the trash and closing the door.
DeleteThat was adorable! I love Joy's cheerful disposition.
ReplyDeleteI know how tight a space that can be! When I was a teenager my mom and I rented a big RV/camper from a friend of hers until she was able to buy a mobile home. It was crowded, but kind of an adventure-like long- term camping I guess!
ReplyDeleteI bet you have some fun memories from those crowded times! :)
DeleteAustin reminds me of my husband when things in the house don't work or something breaks. He tries to fix it usually but Austin's reaction made me laugh a bit
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I love about Joy and Austin is that they seem so well-suited to one another. I think no matter where life takes these two, they will always be together and seeing it through. They are a wonderful example of married life.
ReplyDeleteWe really don't know what their lives are like since we only see what is filmed.
DeleteDebbie, I agree. They are willing to work hard, willing to put up with less-than-ideal living conditions until they meet their goal, etc. They could have just expected their parents to subsidize them like so many are doing now.
DeleteI agree Debbie, and I also know we don't see everything. But what I have noticed on all the episodes with them, Austin seems to uplift Joy a lot. "Good Job" "I'm proud of you" She seems to be a good balance for him. You can see that they were friends for a long time before the relationship. They seem comfortable with each other.
DeleteYou can totally tell from voice inglection and body lsnguage thst neither of them are very thrilled with the situation. But... at least they are being troopers and trying to make it work, rather than some peopke who would live beyond their means or not be thankful for what they do have. Personally, I would not want RV living other than on a vacation, as i get a bit claustrophobic, but it clearly can work just fine for most when they put in effort to make it work.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't Austin's dad make him flip a 6th house before he could get married? One for himself!
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteI gathered from some of the previous season's episodes, they expected to be done with the house before marriage. He was working hard on it. But I think things did not go as planned.
DeleteAn experienced house flipper (like Austin is supposed to be now) should have looked at that house and said no way could it be done before the wedding! What were they thinking?
DeleteHow much money do they make on the show? I thought it would at least be enough to afford a microwave oven and a decent place to live between the two of them! This RV sounds like it needs quite a bit of work! Is this really how any couple should be starting off a marriage? Thank goodness they got the house done before baby came! Pregnant and in a cramped, broken down RV does not sound like a very good time to me.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't sound very cozy or ideal, but your attitude goes a long way toward whether you enjoy life or not, despite the circumstances.
DeleteI bet they were spending the money they made on fixing up the house. They only had to live in the rv for months. I am sure it wasn’t too fun, but they didn’t impose on friends or family. They were able to have alone time. They also were close by their house so they could work on it as much as possible.
DeleteAgree
DeleteI agree! Regardless of what income they earn, neither of these families are destitute. JimBob stated that a basic Duggar wedding costs about $20,000. I think it would pretty poor planning to spend that on a wedding and then live in an outdated camper. Me thinks this was thought up for the sake of being good "material" for the reality show. I am not buying it.
Deletewhy would you let your pregnant daughter live like that anyway? If they just spent 20K on a wedding they could afford to help them get the house done sooner (where are all these contractor friends the Duggars have?) or they could have helped them rent an apt. til the house was done. They probably got money for wedding presents too.
DeleteWhere are the siblings to help them with their home? Or why didn’t Jim Bob let them live in one of his houses like the other couples till their home was done? I’m sure ther are capable of making due in the RV, once she was pregnant this could not have been comfortable. They are cute together though.
ReplyDeleteI know! They did a complete makeover for Ben and Jessa and Jill and Derick. Anna and Josh were also given a home. Why not Joy and Austin?
DeleteKathy- You're no doubt a long time viewer and raised some really thought-provoking questions, especially since Joy was pregnant so early on the marriage and we've been told for years how proficient the Duggar offspring are in construction and renovation. Yet, they're largely absent in aiding Austin and Joy, even though Austin's such a close family friend and friends with most of the Duggar boys (as the story line went). Yet another unexplained, large inconsistency. *sigh*
DeleteI'm sorry but as far I am concerned, when you become an adult and take on adult responsibility such as marriage, it is not the family's job to help you out all the time. People need to stop making a big fuss over them living in a RV and realise that they are a young couple just starting out. It seems to me that they do not want to accept assistance or help from their parents and good for them. That is called being an 'adult'. I am sick and tired of self entitled bratty children who think that their parents should keep on providing for them well until they draw their pensions.
DeleteHonest to God, where I live and I am sure this is the case in America, most young couples rent instead of buying a new home because nobody can afford to buy a house and these are working people as well. Joyanna and her Hubby are very fortunate to be able to buy their own home even if it is a fixer upper.
To expect a couple their age to go from living at home to a well decked out fully functional home straight are marriage is ridiculous. Neither Michelle and Jimbob and I am sure Austins parents did that.
They are very lucky again to be able to have their own space. I know of people also who married and had to live in a room inside one of the spouses parents house and that was a struggle because they still think you are ten and if it is an inlaw (in the ladies case), the mothers want to boss you around and tell you how to raise your child and treat your husband.
You can see that Joyanna is elated about living like this because perhaps it is the first time she will have her own personal space. She is not crying over it unlike some of the commenters here and people should be happy for her rather than running down the family and Austin who obviously is being man enough to realise that he would have wanted to house his new bride in their new home shortly after marriage.
Think everyone about all of this before you embark on a 'whingefest' over their living accomodation.
Agree 11:29. Not only are the kids supposed to be expert remodelers, they have all sorts of friends who are in the business. The one who helped Jessa finish the lighting project, the one who took Josh to do carpentry, the ones who helped them finish the big house, etc. Austin was told 5 houses before what - courting? engagement? He should have been told 6 so he had another home ready for them. That would have been more responsible. They could have been the first couple engaged for a year before marriage while a house was done. Other people do it.
DeleteAnonymous 11:18 I totally support their choices, I was only wondering why Derick and Jill and Ben and Jessa got assistance to set up their first homes from the Duggar family, yet Joy Anna and Austin seemed to be doing it on their own. The siblings even traveled to Texas to help Jinger and Jeremy twice, once before they got married and then when they bought their home. I was glad to hear the house was ready before they brought the baby home. I ment no judgement with my questions, just wondering why the difference.
DeleteKathy, we don't actually know if Joy Anna and Austin actually were totally left on their own. They may have refused help, or got help that wasn't publicized on TV.
DeleteI actually wouldn't be surprised if the whole "roughing it in an RV" angle was just something made up for the show. J and A have essentially been marketed as the "independent DIY nature loving couple" and the RV storyline fits that. Even if not totally staged, I doubt Austin routinely throws trash bags out the door like he did here.
I also think the Jinger and Jeremy scenes were staged to some extent, just to provide the show with a structured storyline, as "Jessa and other sibs come to Laredo just to hang out" really doesn't make for the equivalent of a 24 minute sitcom. That's the issue with "reality TV", there has to be a LOT of editing to make episodes that have any coherent story at all.