Trace and Carlin in NYC

As we shared yesterday in our "Exciting Bates Updates" post, Trace Bates and Carlin Bates are in New York City this week with the Crown College Choir. They have been traveling around to various iconic sites, sharing Christmas music with both sightseers and New Yorkers.

Below is a video of photos and clips from their first day. Do you see the Bates?

Photo courtesy of thebatesfamily.com; video courtesy of Crown College

Exciting Bates Updates

Although their show is currently on break, the Bates have lots of exciting things happening in their super-sized family. They are also busy filming for the new season.

Lawson has been spending quite a bit of time writing and recording music in Nashville. He leaves for Music City tonight to film a music video for his new Christmas song, "Back to Christmas." (The single will be released on iTunes in just a few days.) If you're in East Tennessee, be sure to grab tickets for Lawson's upcoming Christmas concert.

We can finally reveal the date of Tori Bates' and Bobby Smith's wedding: December 16th. The couple will have 10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen, and the theme is winter wonderland. Their decor is white, silver, and "dusty purple." We have seen the shade of purple that Tori has chosen, and it's absolutely gorgeous.

Tori's maid of honor is Carlin, and her matron of honor is Erin. Bobby's best man is Kelton Balka, Josie's boyfriend.

Trace and Carlin are currently in New York City with the Crown College Choir. They are traveling around blessing folks with beautiful Christmas music. Today, they visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Federal Hall, Trinity Church, and Wall Street.

Nathan is in Texas teaching student pilots how to fly.


Photo courtesy of thebatesfamily.com

Little Bates Fam Thanksgiving 2017

Zach and Whitney were able to see lots of loved ones over the Thanksgiving holiday. Per Bates family tradition, they traveled down to Honea Path, South Carolina, to visit Gil's extended family, and they also spent time with Whitney's parents.

Zach Bates, Bradley Bates, Kaci Lynn Bates, Whitney Bates

 Kaci Lynn with Whitney's parents

Zach and Whitney Bates with Papa Bill and Mama Jane (Gil's parents)

Photos courtesy of Zach and Whitney Bates

Dress Like a Bates

Many of my readers have asked where the Bates ladies find such cute dresses. I posed your question to Carlin and Whitney, and they shared their top three retailers. Here they are, along with links:

NeeSee's Dresses: Always Modest, Always Beautiful
Old Navy
Paisley Kate's Boutique
  
Photo courtesy of TarynYagerPhotography.com

Thanksgiving Memories

Erin (Bates) Paine, Kelly Bates, Alyssa (Bates) Webster

The Bringing Up Bates season seven premiere on January 4th will air just three days after the three-year anniversary of the series. Three years? Can you believe it has been that long since the Bates family first appeared on UP?

A few days ago, we posted snapshots from Bates Thanksgiving 2017. Although the holiday is over, we thought you would enjoy these Thanksgiving videos clips from a couple years ago.

Photo/videos courtesy of UP

Bates Thanksgiving in SC

As they have in the past, the Bates are spending Thanksgiving weekend in Honea Path, South Carolina, with Gil's side of the family. Michael and Brandon Keilen headed to Michigan to spend the holiday with Brandon's family, but most of the rest of the Bates clan traveled to South Carolina, including the Websters and Carlin's boyfriend, Evan Stewart.

The camera crew is present, and the Bates are banding together to build a barn. Here are a few snapshots:

Michaela and Brandon Keilen in Michigan

Bates barn building

Lawson Bates, Jeb Bates, Bradley Bates

Photos courtesy of brandonandmichaela.com, lawsonbates.com

Erin's Christmas Decorations

Today may be Thanksgiving, but Christmas is just around the corner. Erin and Chad Paine have already "decked the halls" in their little cottage.

Carson Paine and Brooklyn Paine help decorate

Photos courtesy of Erin and Chad Paine

Happy Thanksgiving!

We want to wish all our readers in the United States a blessed Thanksgiving! May we all remember that we have many things to be thankful for.

John and Allie

In honor of John Webster's 28th birthday, we have a sweet photo of him and Allie Jane to share. At two-and-a-half years old, Alyssa and John's oldest daughter is starting to look like a little lady, especially with such a stylish outfit. It's hard to believe that in just a few months, another baby girl will join the Webster clan.

John Webster and Allie Webster

Photo courtesy of Alyssa and John Webster

John Turns 28

Just 12 days after Alyssa's Webster's 23rd birthday, John Webster is celebrating his 28th. Happy birthday, John!

John Webster and Alyssa (Bates) Webster

Photo courtesy of UP

Bates Band Practice

 Emily Ann Roberts, Carlin Bates, and Lawson Bates with Lawson's band

Lawson and his crew are working hard to prepare for their upcoming Christmas concert on December 9th. (Click here for details and ticket information.) Will you be attending?

Photo courtesy of lawsonbates.com

Keilens in November

Happy Sunday! We know you love the Keilens, so we want to share a new photo with you.

Michael and Brandon Keilen

Photo courtesy of brandonandmichaela.com

Bates Look Forward to Christmas

 Whitney Bates and Kaci Bates, Christmas 2016

What are you most looking forward to about the holidays? Gil and Kelly Bates share one of their favorite parts of Christmas in the video clip below. With so many schedules to coordinate as their older kids are marrying off, the Bates don't always celebrate on December 25th, but rest assured there will be a big Bates Christmas bash at some point!

Photo courtesy of Zach and Whitney Bates; video courtesy of UP

Lawson and Nathan Fly to Florida

Today, Lawson Bates and Nathan Bates took a trip down to Florida, but rather than catch a commercial airliner or hop in a car, they flew themselves. Nathan, a licensed pilot, has been showing Lawson the ropes of flying a plane. The brothers landed near Orlando and paid a visit to Alyssa and John Webster, who are expecting daughter No. 3 in April.

Nathan Bates and Lawson Bates

Photo courtesy of lawsonbates.com

1 Cute Puppy--Hold the Fleas

"It was adorable, and I went to hold it, and I'm cuddling it and petting it. And I look down, and fleas are crawling all over me!"
-Kelly Bates

Who can forget this memorable Bates clip? Just before Brooklyn Paine's August 2016 arrival, Erin and Chad Paine added another member to the family: Max the puppy. He was a sweet little rescue dog, but the critters that came with him weren't so sweet (see video below).

And speaking of dogs, Zach and Whitney caved and bought their kids a furry friend last month.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Lawson Plays New Christmas Song

Lawson Bates appeared as a guest on WBIR, the Knoxville NBC News affiliate, yesterday afternoon. He spoke about his upcoming Christmas concert (click here for details and ticket sales) and performed a brand new Christmas song.

Special guests scheduled to be featured at the Christmas concert include Emily Ann Roberts, The Voice runner-up, and Andy Leftwich, fiddle player for Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. Take a look at the video clips below.

Photo courtesy of tarynyagerphotography.com; videos courtesy of WBIR

Bates Film for Season 7

Gil and Kelly Bates, Isaiah Bates, and Judson Bates with a veteran

The Bates family had a busy weekend. Above, Gil and Kelly and two of the boys are pictured with a decorated special forces green beret veteran they ran into while out and about. They took a photo with him in honor of Veterans Day.

Much of the rest of the weekend was spent in a school gymnasium filming promos for Bringing Up Bates season seven, which premieres January 4th. Everyone was there but the Websters. The family also created content to celebrate the 100th episode, which is just a few episodes away.

Photo courtesy of thebatesfamily.com

Bringing Home Baby

 Kelly Jo Bates and Allie Jane Webster

Time sure does fly! Feels like just yesterday, we were watching proud grandparents Gil and Kelly Bates meet little Allie Jane, and now Allie is two-and-a-half and about to welcome her second little sister. Hope you enjoy this throwback video.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Carlin and Evan at Topgolf

Although they live three hours apart, Carlin Bates (19) and boyfriend Evan Stewart (22) are still able to see each other often. Last weekend, Carlin traveled to the Nashville area to spend time with her man. They had a date day at Topgolf, a large entertainment venue where folks of all skill levels can enjoy the game of golf.  Topgolf has dozens of locations across the United States and even some in other countries.

 Evan Stewart and Carlin Bates

Carlin Bates and Evan Stewart

Photos courtesy of Carlin Bates

Bates Grand-Baby #8

When we visited with the Bates several weeks ago, we were thrilled to hear that two of the ladies were expecting. Erin Paine made her announcement October 17th, and now the other family member has revealed her big news. Who is it? Well, we will give you a hint: It's the Bates daughter celebrating her 23rd birthday today.

That's right, Alyssa Webster is pregnant! And guess what? It's another girl! Alyssa and her husband, John Webster, will welcome their third daughter, Zoey Joy Webster, in 2018. She's due in April, the same month as cousin Everly Hope Paine. Zoey's exact due date is April 2nd.

Click here to view a photo on the UP website. Us Weekly has a photo, as well.

"Three girls is going to be crazy and emotional, but we can’t wait to welcome little Zoey Joy into our lives," the Websters told Us.

Photo courtesy of John and Alyssa Webster

Bates #6 Turns 23

Wishing Alyssa Joy (Bates) Webster a very happy 23rd birthday!

The mother of two little girls, her nickname is Bizz because she has always been a busy bee. She is very organized, is great at cooking, and maintains an immaculately clean home. Before getting married and moving to Florida in 2014, Alyssa was the Bates family secretary and clothing shopper. Happy birthday, Alyssa!

John Webster and Alyssa Webster on a recent cruise

Photo courtesy of Alyssa and John Webster

Duggars and Bates

Following a recent post on our Duggar blog, we received questions from readers wondering why, if the Duggars and Bates are such good friends, they never appear on each other's reality TV shows.

While it is true that there are restrictions, as the shows are on different networks, these two families are very close, and they are always present to show support at important events like weddings and graduations. They are also quick to lend a hand with set-up at these events, and they see each other at times throughout the year.

Erin (Bates) Paine has played piano at many of the Duggar weddings. John-David Duggar was a groomsman in Zach Bates' wedding four years ago. In 2015, Jana Duggar was in Michael Bates' wedding. This year, Trace Bates was a part of Joseph Duggar's wedding, and Carlin Bates stood up with Joy-Anna Duggar at the Duggar/Forsyth wedding.

Carlin Bates and Joy-Anna Duggar (who refer to each other as best friends)

Spring 2017

Trace Bates and Joseph Duggar

Joseph's wedding, September 2017

Jana Duggar and Michaela Bates

Michaela's wedding, August 2015

Photos courtesy of UP, thebatesfamily.com, Carlin Bates, Trace Bates

Bates Daddy/Daughter Dinner

"I don't want to be 20 because then you have to go to college, and that's no fun. And you have to work, and there's no time to play."
-Ellie Bates

Last week, we shared a Great Bates Moment video of Gil Bates' and Josie Bates' father/daughter tennis date. Well, with 10 daughters, there's always plenty of daddy/daughter fun to be had! In this Great Bates clip, watch footage from Gil's dinner with the three youngest girls, Addallee Bates, Ellie Bates, and Callie Bates. These gals sure do adore their daddy!

Photo/video courtesy of UP

33 Bates and Counting

 Gil and Kelly Bates at Norris Dam

As they approach their 30th wedding anniversary this December, Gil and Kelly Bates' nest is emptying quickly. They have...

4 married kids (Zach, Michael, Erin, and Alyssa)
1 child who will be married in December (Tori)
3 single adult children (Nathan, Lawson, and Trace)
2 unmarried adult children who are in relationships (Carlin and Josie)
4 teenagers (Katie, Jackson, Warden, and Isaiah)
5 kids ages 5-11 (Addallee, Ellie, Callie, Judson and Jeb)
6 grandchildren ages 9 months-3 years (Bradley, Allie, Carson, Kaci, Brooklyn, and Lexi)
1 grandchild coming in April (Everly Hope Paine)
4 children-in-law (Whitney, Brandon, Chad, and John)
1 soon-to-be son-in-law (Bobby Smith)

When do you think the next big announcement will be made (ie pregnancy, relationship/courtship, or engagement)?

 Callie Bates

Jackson Bates

 Ellie Bates

Jeb Bates and Judson Bates

Photos courtesy of thebatesfamily.com

Lexi Mae at 9 Months

Here's a sweet photo for your Saturday morning. Lexi Mae Webster is now officially nine months old,

Lexi Webster

For comparison, here is a photo of Allie Jane Webster at around the same age. Do you think the Webster sisters look similar?

Allie Webster

Photos courtesy of Alyssa and John Webster

Bates/Paine Wedding

Today, Erin Bates and Chad Paine are celebrating four years of marriage. For those who want to watch their wedding, it was featured in 19 Kids and Counting "Wedding Bells," which is available for purchase on Amazon. You can also click here to read our recap of the episode.

Just for fun, we put together a few wedding facts.

• At the last minute, there was an issue with the bridesmaid dresses that Erin ordered online, so the Bates ladies bought new material, and Michaela Bates sewed five dresses by hand in the weeks leading up to the wedding.
• Erin found her wedding gown on the clearance rack for $250 and had it altered to fit her modesty standards. 
• When Erin and Chad tied the knot, they moved into their little cottage home, complete with a very pink master bedroom decorated by Erin.
• The Duggars arrived in East Tennessee a couple days before the wedding to help with setup, and the older Duggar girls presented Erin with a gag gift. It was a well-known fact that Erin couldn't cook, so the girls compiled a book of easy recipes and takeout menus and purchased a smoke alarm and a fire extinguisher. Since getting married, Erin has fallen in love with cooking and become one of the best chefs in the family.
• Erin and Chad's wedding was attended by nearly 1,000 guests.

Photo courtesy DCL/TLC

Paines Celebrate 4 Years

Has it really been four years since Erin Bates and Chad Paine tied the knot? Wishing this cute couple a very happy fourth wedding anniversary! To view a video of their engagement, click here to be redirected to a previous post.

 Erin and Chad Paine

Erin Paine, Chad Paine, Carson Paine, Brooklyn Paine

Christmas 2016

Photos courtesy of chadanderin.com

Life Lessons With Gil and Josie

"Our children don't care how much money we make, and they don't care what kind of cars we drive. They really care about how much time we're willing to really spend with them."
-Gil Bates

Do you agree with Gil's statement? In this Great Bates Moment, Gil Bates and Josie Bates go out on a father-daughter tennis date. And of course, Gil gets a little teary eyed when Josie talks about how much she enjoys spending time with her dad.

Photo/video courtesy of UP