The Bates Love Christmas Music

When do you start playing Christmas music? After Thanksgiving? On December 1st? In the video below, Gil and Kelly Bates admit that their family cranks up the festive tunes in October.

Now that four of the19 children are married and have to balance time with their in-laws, the Bates family doesn't always celebrate Christmas on December 25th, but Gil and Kelly say they don't mind at all. "It's a special time, no matter when we celebrate it," said Kelly in a recent interview with UP.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Bates Thanksgiving Photos

How did the Bates celebrate Thanksgiving? Everyone met in South Carolina for the annual family lunch with Gil's parents--Papa Bill and Mama Jane--and siblings. The four married Bates were also able to spend time with their spouse's relatives. Here are a few snapshots:

 Cousins Bradley Bates, Allie Jane Webster, and Carson Paine

 Michaela and Brandon Keilen 

Michael and Brandon share a meal with Brandon's family

 Erin and Chad spend time with Chad's family

 Alyssa Webster, John Webster, and Allie Jane Webster

 Allie Jane Webster

Zach Bates, Whitney Bates, Bradley Bates, and Kaci Bates

Photos courtesy of Zach and Whitney Bates, Alyssa and John Webster, chadanderin.com, brandonlovesmichaela.com

Paines Head to OK for Christmas

Erin and Chad Paine are looking forward to Christmas, but they aren't too ecstatic about driving all the way to Oklahoma with two babies, as you can tell from Erin's facial expression above. Hear from the young parents in the video below.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Bates Lend a Hand at UP

Did you enjoy the promo videos that we posted yesterday? Here are a few more.

In the first video, Erin provides distracting entertainment to her colleagues at UP headquarters, while Tori and Josie take a break from office work to curl their hair and snap a selfie. Jackson Bates gives some tough love to a coworker who just wants a bagel, while Warden and Isaiah come up with a simple way to increase ratings. Which is your favorite?

Season five of Bringing Up Bates premieres at 9pm ET/8pm CT on Thursday, January 5th.

Erin (Bates) Paine, Tori Bates, Josie Bates

Jackson Bates

Warden Bates and Isaiah Bates

Photo/videos courtesy of UP

Bates Return in 38 Days!

UP has just announced the Bringing Up Bates season five premiere date, and it's less than six weeks away! Mark your calendars for 9pm ET/8pm CT on January 5th, 2017.

The network also just released some clever new promo videos. These two feature Michaella, Brooklyn, Kaci, and Nathan. Stay tuned for more.

Michaella (Bates) Keilen

Nathan Bates

Photo/videos courtesy of UP

Websters' Christmas Traditions

Alyssa and John Webster are looking forward to opening gifts on Christmas Eve with their family of three (soon to be four). Allie Webster is 19 months old and talking up a storm, so the young parents look forward to watching her experience the holiday in a new way.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Tori's Christmas Wish

Could there be another Bates wedding in the not-so-distant future? In the video below, Tori Bates shares why she is looking forward to Christmas, and it has to do with her boyfriend. Bobby. She also lets viewers in on a little secret: The seventh oldest child of Gil and Kelly Bates is hoping that her long-distant relationship will be over by the end of next semester.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Bates Thanksgiving 2016

Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers! May we all take this day to thank God for the many blessings we have been given.

What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish? The Bates have a tradition of spending the holiday with Gil's parents, Papa Bill and Mama Jane, in South Carolina.

Mama Jane usually makes one large turkey, one turkey breast, and a ham. She also prepares mac 'n cheese (the Bates' favorite side), sweet potato casserole with double the toppings, and dressing.

Let's take a poll to see what y'all call that delicious turkey companion dish. Is it dressing or stuffing? The Bates, as well as many other Southerners, call it dressing. What do you think?

Photo of Lawson at Jinger's Wedding

For those who have been asking, some members of the Bates family did attend Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo's wedding on November 5th. Here's a photo that we think y'all will enjoy. Can you identify the little cutie pie that Lawson Bates is holding?

Photo courtesy lawsonbates.com

Bates to Return in 2017

We know you all are eager to see more from the Bates family. New episodes of Bringing Up Bates are on hold for the holidays, but as we shared with y'all in October, season five is set to premiere in early 2017.

We will still be blogging faithfully during the break, and UP will air reruns periodically. Visit our Showtimes page for the current lineup.

What are you hoping to see in season five?

Photo courtesy of UP

Winners of Lawson's New CD

Our giveaway is over, and we have chosen the winners! These five readers will receive a copy of Lawson Bates' newest CD, "What Country Means to Me.'

Sara L.
Blessing Counter
Britt B.
Tiffany H.
Beth L.

Thanks to everyone who entered the raffle. If you didn't win, we encourage you to pick up a copy of the CD. (It would also make a wonderful Christmas gift.) Visit Lawson's website to order a physical copy for $15, or visit iTunes to order the digital version for $9.99.

John Webster Celebrates 27

Wishing John Webster a happy 27th birthday! Here's a fun fact that you may not know about the guy who stole Alyssa's heart: He won 5th place in a national Bible quizzing competition. Pretty impressive, isn't it?

John Webster, Alyssa Webster, and Allie Jane Webster

Photo courtesy of UP

Training Rocky

We came across a Bates video that most of you have probably never seen. It was filmed last year and features a member of the Bates family who doesn't usually appear on the show...Rocky the black lab! In this extended clip, a dog trainer comes out to the house to teach the family how to train their puppy.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Tonight: Thanksgiving with the Bates

Our blogging break is almost over, but we wanted to make sure to announce tonight's episode of Bringing Up Bates. Tune in to UP at 9pm ET/8pm CT for a "from the couch" segment. The Bates share their colorful commentary as they revisit footage from Thanksgiving at Papa Bill and Mama Jane's farm.

In this promo video, the girls cheer on the guys, who are competing in the annual football championship.

Photo/video courtesy of TLC

Tori and Carlin Hit the Streets

While we take a short break from blogging, we have been sharing our favorite scenes from the past four seasons of Bringing Up Bates.

In this deleted scene from season one, Kelly Bates takes Tori Bates and Carlin Bates to the local DMV to get their driver's licenses. At age 16, Carlin is eager to jump behind the wheel. Eighteen-year-old Tori is in no hurry, but Mama Bates, who has recently lost three drivers to marriage, needs help running errands. So off to the DMV they both go!

Our giveaway is almost over! Click here to enter for your chance to win one of five copies of Lawson Bates' new CD, "What Country Means to Me."

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Gil and Kelly on Music Lessons

"Gil and I...were not very musical, but looking back, we wished that it was an avenue that we had pursued, so we started each child with piano. And then if they wanted to further that...then they could."

-Kelly Bates

Some of the Bates children have chosen to learn other instruments and even pursue music as a career, while others have decided to focus their time and energy on non-musical pursuits. Does your family place a high importance on music education?

If you haven't already, be sure to enter our giveaway of Lawson Bates' upcoming CD. (Click here for details.)

Photo courtesy of UP

Steven Malachi Bates

We're on a blogging break (although we've been swooping in to take care of some things), but there's still plenty of great Bates content coming your way!

Did you know that when Gil and Kelly Bates were expecting Carlin Bates, they were so convinced she was a boy that they chose a name (Steven Malachi) and made birth announcements? Well, when Bates Baby #9 turned out to be a girl, the new parents scrambled to come up with a name that was both beautiful and meaningful. In the video below, they share the meaning behind "Carlin Brianne."

Have you entered our latest giveaway? We're raffling off five copies of Lawson Bates' new CD, "What Country Means to Me." Click here for details.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Bradley's 1st Pizza Party

 
We're on a short blogging break, but we still have plenty of entertaining content to share with all our loyal readers. This video was filmed two years ago, when Zach and Whitney Bates had the entire Bates family over to their house to eat pizza and visit newborn Bradley Bates.

How would you like to win a copy of Lawson Bates' new CD? Visit our November 7th post for details.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Brandon's Hidden Talent

Over the next several days, our opportunities to blog will be limited, but we still have plenty of entertaining Bates content to share with y'all while we're away from the computer.

We went through dozens of video clips from the past four seasons of Bringing Up Bates and chose our favorites (some that aired on the show and some that are bloopers/deleted scenes). For many of you, this will probably be your first time seeing them.

The first clip is in honor of upcoming American Thanksgiving. During Thanksgiving 2014, Brandon Keilen, Michael Bates' then-boyfriend, shares his hidden talent with the Bates family.

(Have you entered our CD giveaway? Click here for info.)

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Supersized Episode Airs Tonight

UP has another supersized episode of Bringing Up Bates in store for viewers tonight. What's a "supersized episode," you say? It's basically a rerun that has been revamped.

Since most of the footage has been shown before, we won't be posting a recap, but you can look back at the recap we wrote for "The Big Chili" in July. Scroll down to watch a promo video.

Thursday, November 10
8pm: Meet Kaci Lynn Bates
9pm: Supersized: Extra Chili (NEW)
In this all-new SUPERSIZED episode, get more from the Bates as they attend an event at the fire station that saved Addallee's life when she was a baby. 

9:30pm: The Great Bates Clean-Up10pm: Supersized: Extra Chili
10:30pm: Supersized: Extra Birthday Bash

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Bates #6 Turns 22

Wishing Alyssa (Bates) Webster a blessed 22nd birthday! This photo was taken during an UP photo shoot earlier this year. To see a picture of Alyssa's 28-week baby bump, check out our post from last Saturday. She and John married in May 2014 and are expecting their second child, a girl, on January 27th, 2017.

Before becoming Mrs. Webster and moving down to Florida, Alyssa was the Bates family's secretary and clothing shopper and one of the main chefs.

Photo courtesy of UP

#ElectionDay

It's Election Day in America, and the Bates are proud to exercise their right to vote. For all of you who live in the United States, have you voted?

 Whitney Bates

 Gil and Kelly Bates

Lawson Bates

Photos courtesy of Zach and Whitney Bates, thebatesfamily.com, lawsonbates.com

Giveaway: Lawson Bates' New CD

With less than one week until the release of Lawson Bates' new album, "What Country Means to Me," we have a giveaway for y'all! Lawson dropped by our house last week to give us a handful of CDs to raffle off to our readers.

(Check out our October 27th post to find out how to buy "I'll Love Again," Lawson's single featuring Emily Ann Roberts from The Voice.)

Follow the directions on the widget below to enter to win this giveaway.

Alyssa's [Tiny] Baby Bump

Alyssa (Bates) Webster is 28 weeks pregnant with Webster Baby #2, due January 27th, 2017. She and John have revealed the gender (It's a girl!) but have not yet shared the name they have chosen for their little darling.

Here's a new photo of Alyssa's baby bump. She has officially entered her third trimester.

Photo courtesy of Alyssa and John Webster

Trace and Jeb, BFFs

Tomorrow's episode of Bringing Up Bates will be a "supersized" version of "Bates Boys Birthday Bash." That means the network is throwing in some exclusive bonus footage.

Due to the nature of the episode, we won't be posting a recap, but we look forward to hearing your feedback if you are able to tune in. You'll love this brotherly bonding moment with Trace and Jeb!

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Paines Celebrate 3 Years

Wishing Erin and Chad Paine a wonderful day celebrating their three-year wedding anniversary!

Photo courtesy of tarynyagerphotography.com

Family Board Games

If you follow the Bates, you know that Gil and Kelly and their 19 kids are always looking for ways to foster quality family time. While they love playing sports (football is a favorite for the guys), they also enjoy gathering indoors for board game competitions. Here are a few of their top picks:

BANG! (Ellie's favorite)
Rook
Boom Boom Balloon (Judson's favorite)
Sorry!
Ticket to Ride (Erin's favorite)

What are your favorite board games?

Click here to see how the Duggars' favorite board games compare to the Bates'.

Photo courtesy of UP