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The 'Do-Gooder' Bates

March 7, 2018, 8:04 am
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Lawson Bates Puerto Rico

"Our goal is, when there is an opportunity that arises, do whatever we can to make a difference. Of course we can't do that all the time...but whenever we can, we do our best to."
-Lawson Bates

On tomorrow's new episode of Bringing Up Bates in addition to wedding planning and Isaiah's 13th birthday celebration, Lawson Bates and Nathan Bates share the details of their disaster relief trip to Puerto Rico (video below). Visit our post from October to see photos from their journey.

And during a brothers outing at the Bates' ranch, Trace Bates shares the results of his college basketball tryouts.


Photo/video courtesy of UP
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Icing on the Cakes

March 8, 2018, 11:15 am
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T.G.I.T (Thank Goodness It's Thursday!)

Tonight on an all new episode of Bringing Up Bates (9pm ET/8pm CT on UP), Isaiah is celebrating his 13th birthday with a laser tag party in the Bates' backyard.

Gil Bates, Trace Bates, Warden Bates
 Gil Bates, Trace Bates, Warden Bates

Trace Bates laser tag
 Trace Bates and a friend

All the structures in the Bates' yard, plus a bunch of inflatable bunkers, make for a great laser tag war zone.

Bringing Up Bates laser tag

Now before you go getting too concerned, that's a blowup tank, not a real one...

Bringing Up Bates laser tag

Later, Tori, Bobby, and Kelly meet with their wedding "team" to discuss details. Will the future Mr. and Mrs. be eager to make decisions, or will they sit back and let the others take care of everything?

Tori Bates and Bobby Smith wedding planning
 Tori Bates, Bobby Smith, and a wedding coordinator friend

What a beautiful setting for a wedding!
 
 
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes (you know the rest). Tori and Bobby have said in the past that they love children and are looking forward to having a family. Based on the love they are showing for their friends' baby, it might not be too long before they welcome one of their own.

Tori Bates and Bobby Smith

It's been a while since Trace, Lawson, and Nathan have been able to enjoy time on the ranch together. While riding horses, they share updates on their busy lives. 

Nathan Bates, Trace Bates, Lawson Bates
 Lawson Bates, Nathan Bates, Trace Bates

Photos courtesy of UP
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'Icing on the Cakes' Recap

March 8, 2018, 6:30 pm
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Bringing Up Bates "Icing on the Cakes"

  • Nathan, who has been down in Texas doing flight training with a program called ALERT, is back home for the first time in several weeks. He and Lawson and Trace drive over to the Bates' ranch to ride horses.
  • Trace shares the results of his recent college basketball tryouts. He wasn’t chosen, but he made it to the final round and was one of four guys to be cut at the very end.
  • “After getting cut from the team, of course I was a little disappointed just not making it,” says Trace. “I went and talked to the coach, and he was really nice to me. He said, ‘Look, you play hard and you have a really nice shot, but unfortunately, your lack of experience really hurt you.’” The coach gave him the title of team manager and is allowing him to practice with the team, in hopes that he will make the cut next year.
  • Lawson and Nathan tell Trace about their recent humanitarian trip to Puerto Rico. It had been two weeks since the hurricane touched down, and they were the first ones to deliver food and water to people living in a certain remote mountain area.
  • Kelly predicts that Trace will be the first of the three single guys to start a relationship, since Lawson and Nathan are so busy. “Trace is sitting in a prime position at college because is surrounded by very sweet, like-minded girls,” says the mom of 19. Gil protests, laughing: “He’s just a kid. That’s dangerous. We need to get him on a flight plan or something. Don’t you want to go do something, too?”
  • Kelly assembles a wedding planning committee (sisters Kay and Kim, who do flowers and cakes professionally; wedding coordinator friend Kim; decorator Kathy; and friend Elijah, who will help assign workers to different tasks). Everyone meets at the church, Calvary Baptist.
  • The aisles will be lined with trees, courtesy of Gil’s tree service company, painted white. “Hopefully it will look like a wedding, not a forest,” says Kelly.
  • Tori and Bobby sit back while everyone else determines how many trees will be needed. “It’s kind of nice, everybody doing our wedding for us,” says Tori.
  • Next on the agenda is figuring out the cake. Tori says she doesn’t care about the specifics, as long as it looks good. There are lots of decisions to make in a short period of time, and Tori isn't eager to make them. “Tori and focused, those are two words that don’t go together,” says Gil.
  • “I’m very thankful for my mom and all of my family, pitching in so much,” says Tori.
  • Later, Kelly travels down to Florida to babysit Allie Jane and Lexi while Alyssa and John go on vacation. She is bummed to have to miss Isaiah’s 13th birthday, so she plans him a fun laser tag party to make up for it. A family comes over to the house with a bunch of gear and transforms the yard into a laser tag war zone. 
  • Gil, the Bates boys, and a few friends have a blast. “These guys get really charged up about shooting each other,” says Gil. After the competition, they sit down to encourage Isaiah and discuss goals for his upcoming year.
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Warden the Cake Baker

March 9, 2018, 9:55 am
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Warden Bates the baker

"Whenever anybody is ever wanting a cake made, they sort of come to me."
-Warden Bates

It's Isaiah's 13th birthday, but Kelly is away babysitting Allie and Lexi Webster while Alyssa and John Webster take a cruise. The Bates mom has already arranged for a laser tag party, but who will bake the cake? Warden volunteers. He's only 14, but he is already considered the best cake baker in the Bates family. Check out this web exclusive from last night's episode.


Photo/video courtesy of UP
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Bates Fan File: Episode 710

March 9, 2018, 1:18 pm
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All You Need is Love

March 11, 2018, 1:12 pm
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We hope all our readers are having (or had) a wonderful weekend. To brighten your day, we have a couple sweet photos to share. The first is a granny-grandbaby moment with Kelly Bates and Brooklyn Paine. The second is a shot of courting couple Josie Bates and Kelton Balka.

Kelly Bates and Brooklyn Paine

Josie Bates and Kelton Balka


Photos courtesy of thebatesfamily.com, Josie Bates
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#FabFitFun Spring Box

March 12, 2018, 1:33 pm
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FabFitFun

With winter coming to a close and spring about to begin, it's time to check out the latest #FabFitFun box. For those who haven't heard of FabFitFun, it's a subscription box filled with beauty, wellness, fashion, and fitness products that is delivered to your door at the beginning of each new season. I was invited to be a #FabFitFunPartner, which means I receive the box for free in exchange for my reviews.

The FabFitFun Spring Box arrived last week, and it is filled with beautiful pastel colors (my favorite!). Check out my unpacking video below, and enter the code ELLIE at fabfitfun.com to get $10.00 off your first box. All opinions are my own.

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Bates Gathering...and Big News?

March 12, 2018, 5:49 pm
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"There's some kind of news in there. There's a wedding or a baby or something good, and I'm wanting to find out."
-Kelly Bates

During an outdoor dinner gathering with all his children, children-in-law, and grandchildren, Gil Bates discovers a stack of envelopes. Somebody has an announcement to make, and Kelly is eager to hear what it is. Check out this sneak peek scene from Thursday's new episode.


Photo/video courtesy of UP
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Tori's Purple Bridesmaids Dresses

March 14, 2018, 8:04 am
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Are you looking forward to tomorrow's new episode of Bringing Up Bates? The Bates have a family get together, and then the ladies drive up to Kentucky for an appointment at Renee's Bridal. After Tori chooses her wedding dress, it's time for the sisters to pick out their bridesmaids gowns. The color ("dusty purple," as Kelly calls it) that Renee has chosen is absolutely beautiful (promo video below).


Photo/video courtesy of UP
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Tori's Dress Day (Tonight)

March 15, 2018, 1:05 pm
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Are you all set to watch tonight's new episode? The show opens with a Bates family get together. The Keilens are in from Chicago, and the Websters are visiting from Florida.

Michael Keilen, Brandon Keilen, Lexi Mae Webster
Michael Bates Keilen, Brandon Keilen, Lexi Mae Webster

When Gil comes across a stack of envelopes, he knows that someone is about to reveal some exciting news. 

 Erin Bates Paine and Gil Bates

Is someone pregnant? Engaged? Or dating? 

Zach Bates, Whitney Bates, Alyssa Bates Webster


The following day, the ladies head to Kentucky to choose Tori's wedding gown and bridesmaids dresses.

Alyssa Webster, Whitney Bates, Tori Bates, Kelly Bates
 Alyssa Webster, Whitney Bates, Tori Bates, Kelly Bates

Tori Bates
Tori Bates

When it comes time for Tori to unveil the bridal gowns that Renee Miller has designed, some of the sisters are tempted to peek before she's ready.

 Alyssa Webster and Josie Bates

What a beautiful bride Tori will be!

Tori Bates wedding dress shopping

Tori Bates wedding dress shopping


Photos courtesy of UP
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'Big Decision, Bigger Opinions' Recap

March 15, 2018, 6:30 pm
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Bringing Up Bates "Big Decision, Bigger Opinions"

  • The entire family is in town, so they all gather at Norris Dam for an outdoor dinner. While setting up the food, Gil comes across a stack of envelopes. He tries to keep them a secret, but Kelly and Erin are onto him.
  • Kelly can’t contain herself. “What is that?” she demands. “Just give me mine, please!” An engagement? A new baby? Or maybe Nathan or Lawson have girlfriends?
  • “I knew right away when the cards went out that this wasn’t ours,” says Zach. “At least I looked at Whitney real sure, and ya, she was sure. And Erin’s already pregnant.”
  • Inside the envelopes is a card with a poem: “10 little fingers, 10 little toes, 2 little eyes, 1 little nose. Put them together and what do you got? Our baby on the way, ready or not! Due April 2018.” Alyssa is pregnant and due just a few weeks before Erin!
  • “I’m not going to lie, I was very surprised when I found out that I was pregnant again,” says Alyssa. “I am excited, but it did take me a little bit to be like, ‘Oh my goodness, I’m pregnant again. I’m having a third kid.’”
  • “When the announcement came, a lot of people were secretly hoping, maybe this is Michael making an announcement here,” says Zach. “That’s gotta be so hard.”
  • Alyssa had shared the news with Michael ahead of time by phone. “She was just really sweet and sensitive to call ahead of time knowing everything we’ve been going through,” says Michael. “And we were just really tickled for them.”
  • Before the Bates leave the park, Kelly reminds the girls not to overwhelm Tori with too many opinions while she is trying on wedding dresses.
  • The next day, the ladies arrive at Renee’s shop for goodies and girl time. Tori has her hair and makeup done while the other girls try on bridesmaids dresses. “For me being a sister-in-law, it’s just really special that Tori included me,” says Whitney.
  • The bridesmaids gowns are gorgeous. Renee has sewn three different styles (all long length) in the same color (a beautiful shade of purple). Each girl chooses the style they want to wear.
  • After Tori is all dolled up, she starts trying on bridal gowns. The first dress is fitted, has long sleeves, and is lacy with a champagne-colored layer underneath.
  • “I’ve been to those wedding dress fittings, and, hey, I’ve tried to tell them, you try on one you like, don’t try on another,” says Lawson. “That’s just like, if you find a girl you like, stick with her. The shopping is over.” Nathan agrees.
  • The second dress is similar but is pure white and has a heavier lace. Most of the ladies strongly prefer this dress over the previous one, but Tori prefers the first. She tries on another pure white gown, but she still really loves the first dress.
  • Tori ends up choosing the first dress, with a few small changes. “Looking up there at her and seeing my little tomboy Tori, and I’m thinking, ‘Where did the years go? She’s fixin’ to get married!’” says Kelly.
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Bates Go Skiing in CO

March 16, 2018, 6:01 am
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Lawson Bates and Nathan Bates skiing Granby Colorado
 Lawson Bates and Nathan Bates, Granby Ranch 2018

This week, some of the Bates are at Granby Ranch in Granby, Colorado, enjoying a ski vacation. And their good friends the Duggars are there, as well!

The Bates family went skiing for the first time last year at Virginia's Massanuten Resort, and now they're ready to take on the Rockies.

Bates family, skiing in Virginia 2017

Photos courtesy lawsonbates.com, UP
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Bates Fan File 711

March 17, 2018, 8:36 am
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Hope your weekend is off to a good start. This week's Bringing Up Bates Fan File was ready last night (UP graciously does all the graphics and editing) but I was too tuckered out from a long week to post it. The video is embedded below. Stay tuned for exclusive photos and details from Tori's dress fitting.


Photo/video courtesy of UP
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Evan Learns a Trade

March 18, 2018, 1:44 pm
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We know you all enjoy seeing photos of the courting couples. We shared a new snapshot of Josie Bates and Kelton Balka last Sunday, and now we have one of Carlin Bates and Evan Stewart. As many of you know, Kelton is a plumber and works with his uncle in Knoxville. But what about Evan?

At 22 years old, Evan is currently living north of Nashville and going to school to be an electrician. Now, when a Bates couple embarks on a fixer upper project (which Zach and Whitney Bates recently did), they will have access to both a plumber and an electrician!

Carlin Bates and Evan Stewart courting
Evan and Carlin

Photo courtesy thebatesfamily.com/Carlin Bates
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Little Bates Close on First Home

March 19, 2018, 7:00 am
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Zach and Whitney Bates

Zach and Whitney Bates are homeowners! They purchased their first home at the end of last year and will be sharing their journey with fans this Thursday on Bringing Up Bates. The property has a beautiful view (photo above), but the house itself needs a ton of work.


Photo/video courtesy of UP
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Tori's Dress Day: Exclusive Photos 1

March 19, 2018, 1:00 pm
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Last week on Bringing Up Bates, fans watched Tori Bates travel to Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, with her mom and sisters to choose her wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses. She and Kelly had already met with dress designer Renee Miller to discuss details.

Tori had a bit of a difficult time putting a finger on what she wanted, but she knew she didn't want anything "boufy" (Tori's word for poufy). She was okay with a touch of sparkles but not a ton, and she liked the idea of a long train.

According to Kelly, Tori doesn't like to make decisions, but she does have opinions, although it can be tough to pull them out of her.

On the day Tori chose her dress, the Bates were treated to delicious treats from Thyme Catering.

Whitney Bates and Alyssa Bates Webster







With all the Bates ladies but Ellie (who stayed behind to spend uninterrupted time with her nieces and nephews) gathered in one room, there were no shortage of opinions.

 Alyssa Webster, Tori Bates (with a family-friend who came along and was also a bridesmaid)


Before everyone arrived, I was given a peek at the wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses. They were all simply stunning!


As usual, it was a pleasure to spend time with the Bates. Such beautiful women, inside and out. They were also treated to a meal at Tomatoes and Flames (the same restaurant where Joseph Duggar surprised Kendra Caldwell on her birthday, shown last week on Counting On). The meal was off-camera, so Kelly encouraged Mr. Handsome and me to go along with them. We enjoyed chatting while eating delicious pizza and salad.







Photos are property of Renee Miller; may only be used with written permission.
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The Paines' Nursery

March 20, 2018, 12:36 pm
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Life in a two-bedroom house with two (almost three) small children can be a struggle, but Erin and Chad Paine are handling it well. With her due date only five weeks away, Erin has been redecorating the nursery to make room for little Everly Hope Paine. Carson Paine turns three in May, which means there will be a period of time when the Paines have three kids under the age of three.

All the furniture in the nursery, aside from the crib, has been either made or refinished by Chad. For those who haven't heard, he left his job at the metal scrapyard and is now doing contracting work and furniture refinishing full-time.

Erin Bates Paine nursery

Erin Bates Paine nursery


Photos courtesy of chadanderin.com
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Katie and Trace

March 21, 2018, 9:00 am
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With all six of her older sisters either married or courting, Katie Bates is the oldest Bates daughter who is still single. At age 17, she is in her last semester of high school and is taking dual enrollment classes at Crown College. Trace, age 21, has also been taking courses at Crown.

 Katie Bates and Trace Bates

Photo courtesy of Trace Bates/thebatesfamily.com
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Chad's New Job

March 22, 2018, 7:44 am
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"It's kind of like jumping out of a plane. You've gotta jump."
-Chad Paine

This evening on Bringing Up Bates, learn more about the new job that has Chad Paine excited about going to work each day (promo video below).


Photo/video courtesy of UP
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Home Renovations Galore!

March 22, 2018, 2:10 pm
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Grab your hammer and hardhat and tune in to an all-new episode of Bringing Up Bates tonight at 9pm ET/8pm CT. The Paines are helping with a flip house (photo No. 2), while Zach and Whitney are fixing up a home of their own.

Chad Paine, Erin Paine, Whitney Bates
 Chad Paine, Erin Paine, Whitney Bates

fixer upper house

Chad Paine, Brooklyn Paine, Erin Paine, Carson Paine
Chad Paine, Brooklyn Paine, Erin Paine, Carson Paine
 Erin and Chad

Jackson Bates
 Jackson Bates (working on Zach and Whitney's house)

 Zach and Whitney's new house


Photos courtesy of UP
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