Bringing up Bates"Nesting Mode and Mommies on a Mission"
- Michael, who has an associates in medical health science and an EMT certification, is at a phlebotomy lab with an LPN lab instructor. “I don’t exactly know what field I want to be in with nursing,” she says. “It’s just a desire that I’ve had. Nursing school is wonderful. It is very, very fast-paced.”
- “Even as a teenager, she always talked about going to nursing school,” says Erin of her older sister. “Her going into nursing is such a natural thing, that I think everybody is just so pumped that she’s going to be doing that,” adds Josie.
- “My teachers say over and over and over again, ‘Be the kind of nurse that you would want to have,’” says Michael. “Hopefully my patients will know that I care. I’m just looking forward to being a nurse.”
- At Josie and Kelton’s new house, Erin, Chad, and Lawson come over to cover the red brick around the fireplace with white mortar. Addee the baby whisperer holds Willow. “The good thing about recruiting Erin is, Erin is married to Chad, and somehow she always can get Chad on these projects,” says Josie.
- “My idea of moving into a new house and getting it ready to do is like, sweep and mop,” says Gil. “Their idea is like, take out walls and redo this and redo that, repaint that. I’m thinking, ‘Guys, slow down.’ But they’re driven.”
- Josie comments that Lawson is fun and easy to have around. When asked why everyone gives Lawson such a hard time about not having a girlfriend, Callie responds, “Cause he’s 27 and doesn’t have a girlfriend. That’s very odd.”
- When Lawson gets up on the ladder and tries out the German schmear technique (basically just a fancy way of describing the process of covering old brick with new mortar using a trowel) Erin and Josie wonder if he is precise enough. “Lawson is always willing to lend a hand, but I think we all know that Chad is the professional,” says Josie, chuckling. “He’s definitely better at his music.”
- “About halfway through the project, I think it dawned on me after hearing Erin’s comments about my technique that I might be involved to see this project through to the finish line,” says Chad, who initial came over to provide tools. The fireplace looks amazing when it’s finished.
- Michael and Brandon have the nieces and nephews and younger siblings over to make caramel apples. The tradition started when Addee, Ellie, and Callie were tiny, and now those three girls are helping the Keilens carry it on for the younger kids. “I think it’s going to be fun having little people over, but the thought of little people and sticky substance with a lot of little hands that touch a lot of things in the house, it’ll be interesting, but it’ll be fun,” says Brandon.
- Even Kade gets in on the fun when Addee and Michael give him some licks of caramel. “I do typically try to stay away from giving Kade all of the candy and the sweets because all of his aunts and uncles try to do it way too often,” says Tori. “But I definitely expected that somebody would give him something while he was there.” After making apples, the group jumps in the leaves that Brandon had raked.
- At Zach and Whitney’s house, Erin helps reorganize and redecorate Kaci’s room to add Khloe. “Kaci is so excited about sharing a room with Khloe,” says Whitney. “We have found her several times in Khloe’s crib rearranging her pillows and trying to get it ready and stuff.” Whitney says she loves having Erin’s help. “Zach probably hates you,” says Chad, laughing hysterically. Erin agrees.
- Erin only has one bedroom for four kids. She has a bunk bed for Carson and Brooklyn with a pull-out trundle that Everly will use soon, plus a crib for Holland. “I’m just trying to work with what I have but still keep our eyes open if property comes up,” says Erin. “The location is everything to me, so finding a location that I love.” She would like to live near all the other cousins.