Sister Wives

[antmaril]

Umm, I don’t think he is having “relations“ with all of the wives. Merri is too busy looking at trees on Coyote Pass to be interested

Well, that is probably true now, but Kody and Christine have been married for 27 years, so I think it is safe to assume that he was having marital relations with two other women when she joined the family.

 

[cats mom]

Does anybody here with an LDS or FLDS background know how one of these "celestial marriages" gets dissolved or if there even is a way? How do polygamists break up, if they ever actually do?

I lived in Utah for a while so I have at least a peripheral understanding of some aspects of the LDS church. At the time you almost had to if you wanted to function in the community.

You have to apply for cancellation of a temple marriage. That can only be done through the main church offices in Salt Lake, and approval is not always automatic or quick. (I knew someone who waited months to get approval back). Plus, you can't even apply unless/until you're ready to marry someone else in the temple. So a couple could be civilly divorced, but still be sealed together in the eyes of the church. So yes, temple marriages can be canceled and people can move on, but with a huge focus on getting back into another temple marriage.

But that's the LDS process, and anyone practicing polygamy cannot be a member of the LDS church. So although the Browns may have some beliefs that are the same as, or similar to, LDS beliefs, I don't know how much LDS procedural conventions mean to them.

The Brown family is affiliated with AUB (Apostolic United Brethren). AFAIK that church only has one temple, and it's in Mexico. That being the case, I'm guessing it's not like the LDS church where you have to be married in one of their temples to have your marriage recognized by the church. I'm sure the Browns consider themselves spiritually married, but maybe without as many rules as the LDS church? Without an AUB community nearby, I wonder how closely the Browns are currently following that religion? I could be wrong, but it seems to me that they make up a lot of things as they go.



Anyone else have the feeling that even though the show has been hugely focused on the Coyote Pass dream, we never, ever see any of the Browns actually living there? I just don't see how they get themselves together enough to make that work, whether one house or many houses.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Anyone else have the feeling that even though the show has been hugely focused on the Coyote Pass dream, we never, ever see any of the Browns actually living there? I just don't see how they get themselves together enough to make that work, whether one house or many houses.

I agree, I don't see it ever happening. Not only do they not have the $$, they don't have the motivation.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I think Kody is going to sell coyote pass for a profit. He’s mentioned it several times as a joke. It I don’t think he’s joking. His wives have said he’s acting like a real estate mogul.

 

[mom2rtk]

I wonder if any of them are questioning the entire move. The move with no reason.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I wonder if any of them are questioning the entire move. The move with no reason.

I think they all have had still are. Kody is way too impulsive. Remember the whole we can make a fortune on selling the Vegas houses NOW and Christine’s sat on the market for a year. They all lost money on those houses. Not to mention paying those mortgages plus they’re current mortgages and rents.

 

[antmaril]

I think they all have had still are. Kody is way too impulsive. Remember the whole we can make a fortune on selling the Vegas houses NOW and Christine’s sat on the market for a year. They all lost money on those houses. Not to mention paying those mortgages plus they’re current mortgages and rents.

Seriously, where is all this money coming from?

I, too, am in the camp that thinks they will never live on the Coyote Pass property. Kody will get the itch to move them. I wonder how many of the wives will follow once again.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Seriously, where is all this money coming from?

I, too, am in the camp that thinks they will never live on the Coyote Pass property. Kody will get the itch to move them. I wonder how many of the wives will follow once again.

Robyn said she’s not moving again. The wives told her Kody will move again.

We moved a lot as kids. It was stressful on me. It has scarred me in some ways. I have issues getting close to people and I think that’s because anytime I made friends they were taken from me so I became a “why bother” kind of person. Among other things.

I promised I would never do that to my kids. We’ve moved 3 times but we’ve always stayed in the same town and same school district. I couldn’t imagine ripping my kids out of high school their final year on a “just because” move.

 

[mom2rtk]

Kody is way too impulsive.

Which is a real problem when he's the authority figure in a family with 4 wives and a passel of kids.

Seriously, where is all this money coming from?

I, too, am in the camp that thinks they will never live on the Coyote Pass property. Kody will get the itch to move them. I wonder how many of the wives will follow once again.

I bet they'll all stay there at least until Dalton is done with college. I think that was floated as a potential for the reason the family moved in the first place.

 

[cats mom]

The move from Vegas to Flagstaff never made sense from a COL perspective.
From a larger city to a smaller city perspective - maybe.
Although the Sister Wives lived in a gated neighborhood in NW Vegas, probably 20 miles from the strip, so I have a hard time believing their little corner of Vegas felt particularly big city or crime-ridden.
The move to be near Dayton's university theory is much more believable to me, even if Kody & Robyn don't admit that was their main motivation.

I don't have numbers from the exact time they moved, although I know we discussed it back then so I imagine some info is buried in this thread, but from a current COL comparison:

Comparison Highlights
- Overall, Flagstaff, Arizona is more expensive than Las Vegas, Nevada
- Home/Rent Cost is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference.
- Median Home Cost is 35% more expensive in Flagstaff.
- Median Rent Cost is 31% more expensive in Flagstaff.

Having those Vegas houses sitting empty all that time while waiting for them to sell AND paying more expensive mortgages and/or rent in Flagstaff at the same time certainly wasn't a wise financial decision! That's especially true since they didn't make particularly frugal choices in Flagstaff.

Didn't they move from Vegas to Flagstaff summer, 2018?

Vegas sale dates and prices:
Robyn Feb 2019 for $603,000
Janelle April 2019 for $575,000
Meri June 2019 for $574,900
Christine September 2019 for $535,000

Flagstaff numbers:

Coyote Pass land purchased for $820,000 in June 2018

Robyn's Flagstaff house purchased for $890,000 in Aug 2019
4,395 sq ft on 2 acres.

Christine's Flagstaff house purchased for $520,000 in Sept 2018
3bd/3ba on 2 acres

Janelle's Flagstaff rental - $2,850 per month
3bd/2.5 ba 2,786 sq ft

Meri's Flagstaff rental - $4,500 per month
4,200 sq ft on 1 acre

Rumor has it they've already taken out a HELOC on Robyn's house, but if the numbers I saw are correct, at least it's for less than their initial down payment.

Thankfully for them, their TV show goes on. I can't imagine what they'd do without that income.


*Disclaimer - figures above are only as accurate as the sources reporting them, but most seem similar across multiple sites, so I think they're in the ballpark.

Edited to correct name

 

[CdnCarrie]

The move to be near Dalton's university theory is much more believable to me, even if Kody & Robyn don't admit that was their main motivation.

Dayton not Dalton.

It's ridiculous what they are paying out for housing. Most them have only one 1 or 2 children left at home.

 

[mom2rtk]

The move from Vegas to Flagstaff never made sense from a COL perspective.
From a larger city to a smaller city perspective - maybe.
Although the Sister Wives lived in a gated neighborhood in NW Vegas, probably 20 miles from the strip, so I have a hard time believing their little corner of Vegas felt particularly big city or crime-ridden.
The move to be near Dalton's university theory is much more believable to me, even if Kody & Robyn don't admit that was their main motivation.

I don't have numbers from the exact time they moved, although I know we discussed it back then so I imagine some info is buried in this thread, but from a current COL comparison:

Comparison Highlights
- Overall, Flagstaff, Arizona is more expensive than Las Vegas, Nevada
- Home/Rent Cost is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference.
- Median Home Cost is 35% more expensive in Flagstaff.
- Median Rent Cost is 31% more expensive in Flagstaff.

Having those Vegas houses sitting empty all that time while waiting for them to sell AND paying more expensive mortgages and/or rent in Flagstaff at the same time certainly wasn't a wise financial decision! That's especially true since they didn't make particularly frugal choices in Flagstaff.

Didn't they move from Vegas to Flagstaff summer, 2018?

Vegas sale dates and prices:
Robyn Feb 2019 for $603,000
Janelle April 2019 for $575,000
Meri June 2019 for $574,900
Christine September 2019 for $535,000

Flagstaff numbers:

Coyote Pass land purchased for $820,000 in June 2018

Robyn's Flagstaff house purchased for $890,000 in Aug 2019
4,395 sq ft on 2 acres.

Christine's Flagstaff house purchased for $520,000 in Sept 2018
3bd/3ba on 2 acres

Janelle's Flagstaff rental - $2,850 per month
3bd/2.5 ba 2,786 sq ft

Meri's Flagstaff rental - $4,500 per month
4,200 sq ft on 1 acre

Rumor has it they've already taken out a HELOC on Robyn's house, but if the numbers I saw are correct, at least it's for less than their initial down payment.

Thankfully for them, their TV show goes on. I can't imagine what they'd do without that income.


*Disclaimer - figures above are only as accurate as the sources reporting them, but most seem similar across multiple sites, so I think they're in the ballpark.

For that price, I sure hope Meri got a wet bar!

 

[Kitty 34]

For that price, I sure hope Meri got a wet bar!

......and the "stuff" to stock it well!

 

[dreamin_disney]

Umm, I don’t think he is having “relations“ with all of the wives. Merri is too busy looking at trees on Coyote Pass to be interested

She’s busy looking at trees because Cody hasn’t been into her for years. He doesn’t pay any attention to her and it’s so sad. I ish she would leave and find her own happiness. He’s all about Robyn .

 

[dreamin_disney]

Which is a real problem when he's the authority figure in a family with 4 wives and a passel of kids.


I bet they'll all stay there at least until Dalton is done with college. I think that was floated as a potential for the reason the family moved in the first place.

I agree! Gotta make a Robyn happy

 

[ronandannette]

...Didn't they move from Vegas to Flagstaff summer, 2018?

Vegas sale dates and prices:
Robyn Feb 2019 for $603,000
Janelle April 2019 for $575,000
Meri June 2019 for $574,900
Christine September 2019 for $535,000

Flagstaff numbers:

Coyote Pass land purchased for $820,000 in June 2018

Robyn's Flagstaff house purchased for $890,000 in Aug 2019
4,395 sq ft on 2 acres.

Christine's Flagstaff house purchased for $520,000 in Sept 2018
3bd/3ba on 2 acres

Janelle's Flagstaff rental - $2,850 per month
3bd/2.5 ba 2,786 sq ft

Meri's Flagstaff rental - $4,500 per month
4,200 sq ft on 1 acre

Rumor has it they've already taken out a HELOC on Robyn's house, but if the numbers I saw are correct, at least it's for less than their initial down payment.

Thankfully for them, their TV show goes on. I can't imagine what they'd do without that income.


*Disclaimer - figures above are only as accurate as the sources reporting them, but most seem similar across multiple sites, so I think they're in the ballpark.

Edited to correct name

Wait just a sec - Christine's house sold 18 months ago?!? It was portrayed as having just happened on last week's episode. If what we're watching is that old, does anybody anywhere have any real clue what's going on with them right now?

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Wait just a sec - Christine's house sold 18 months ago?!? It was portrayed as having just happened on last week's episode. If what we're watching is that old, does anybody anywhere have any real clue what's going on with them right now?

Yep! The current season of the show is tracking about 18 months behind. They haven't even gotten to the pandemic yet. From what I've read, they've all been sheltering in their own houses. Kody mostly stays at Robyn's, occasionally popping in to visit the others. He's the only one of the family who has been making the rounds. The wives have had very little contact with each other. Also from what I've read, there still hasn't been any progress on building on the land.

Speaking of houses, why the heck does Meri need to live in a 4200 sq foot house all by herself? Her rent is more than Janelle's and she still has kids at home. I guess it's the same story as the wet bar.

 

[cvjw]

$4500 a month for Meri to live by herself? She needs an apartment. Or a new life. Somewhere else without Kody.

 

[Claudia1]

If she has a home business, she could claim a significant amount as a business deduction. Not saying it isn't a boat load of money, but she could have a way to recoup some of it.

 

[prairie_girl]

Wait just a sec - Christine's house sold 18 months ago?!? It was portrayed as having just happened on last week's episode. If what we're watching is that old, does anybody anywhere have any real clue what's going on with them right now?

I always assumed they were behind real time. TLC showed the last season before this one started so I binged it because I haven’t watched for a few years. After Maddie had her daughter I googled the disease she has and saw a present day update that said her daughter was a year old.