Recap: "Beaches, Boats and Bates"

Bringing Up Bates "Beaches, Boats and Bates"...

• The Bates clan (everyone but Zach, Whitney, Bradley, Michaela, Brandon, Chad, and Tori) head down to Cape San Blas, located along the coast of the Florida Panhandle. “Let's just say, our family loves water,” shares Gil. “They like to get in the water, throw the water, play in the water.”
• When the family arrives at the rental condo, the kids are eager to head to the beach, but they must first wait for Kelly to assign bedrooms.
• At one point, the Bates vacationed in Cape San Blas four years in a row, but weddings and grandbabies have prevented them from taking their annual trip.
• When they finally hit the beach, Carlin helps the younger kids build a sandcastle. “Going [on a] vacation is not just getting away and relaxing,” says Nathan. “It’s building memories and investing in the little guys…”
• How do the Bates dress at the beach? The boys wear swim trunks, while the girls wear skirts made of swimsuit material that come down just above the knee. Both genders wear either a regular shirt or a swim shirt.
• Jeb throws a temper tantrum when his turn on the ocean kayak ends, so Gil takes him back to the condo to have a chat.
• Gil tells Jeb to look him in the eyes and asks him to apologize. Then he does what he and Kelly call Obedience Training. To make sure he is listening, father of 19 instructs his youngest son to clap once, then twice, and then three times.
• “There are always opportunities to help Jeb have a good attitude,” laughs Kelly. “He makes sure we get plenty of practice.”
• On another day, the Bates venture out on a boat to go snorkeling on a sandbar. The younger kids are wary of the creatures in the water and are shocked when their guide catches a horseshoe crab, which Kelly refers to as a “mega ocean roach.”
• The family is thrilled when Alyssa, John, and Allie arrive. While Kelly steps away to take Erin and Carson to the airport, Gil and the boys attempt to catch fish off the shore. 
• Meanwhile, the gals head to a grocery store to buy food for dinner. “For some reason, them girls ain’t got no faith in our ability,” says Lawson.
• The boys’ fishing excursion doesn't turn out to be as fruitful as they had hoped. They only end up catching one fish worth keeping. “Guys, we’re going to be some real skinny people if we live off our fishing,” Gil jokingly tells his sons.
• The week comes to an ends, and it's time to head home. “I hope the one thing the kids take away from the vacation is really the value of their relationships,” says Gil. “Make every moment count with every child every chance you get.”