*Episode 1: Big Family, Big Changes
At the Bates home, Gil says they have had a lot of great things this year: Michael got married, Zach and Whitney are expecting, Nathan is courting Ashley, Lawson has been focusing on his music career, and Erin finished her Christmas CD.
Gil calls the middle boys over to finish the fort. He gets Lawson and Nathan to come help. Gil will soon have surgery for his intestines, where pockets form and can get infected. His condition can be managed with antibiotics, but only surgery can completely fix the issue. This is why they want to finish the swingset fort before the surgery. Nathan says they will finish it once and for all. They get the tools all ready and gather their materials. Lawson says it doesn’t matter if the fort is perfectly lined up, but Gil says you always gotta do it right, and would he have that attitude about his music? Lawson says millions of people won’t see the fort, but Gil says his kids are more important than millions of people. The surgery has made him try to make a clear effort to let his kids know how much they mean to him. The middle boys focus on bringing more wood over to the older guys to put the floor together. Gil gets a splinter in his wrist and Kelly gets tweezers, but it’s Nathan who deals with the blood side of things. Gil ends up deciding to go to an urgent care because the splinter is in there good. He drives himself to the urgent care, which seems risky seeing since one arm is out of commission, but he arrives and sees a doctor. The doctor is a nice lady who sees it’s a large splinter-- she manages to get it all out and it is large! At first, I was like, going to urgent care for a splinter? But that was no ordinary splinter, medical attention was the right call. They wrap his wrist up good and send him on his way. Gil says he is allergic to two things: pain and paying, and that day he got to do both.
Lawson is talking about his music career and how doing something solo is scary. Nathan says it’s about time. Lawson is trying to step his game up by making connections and he is working with Matt Rovie (I don’t know how its spelled) and Jason Wyatt. Lawson sings some parts of songs he is working on. They critique his work and try to help get him to the point and make the song better. This is the origin of the tour Lawson will eventually go on. Lawson asks if they think a tour could be a good idea. He is in the process of putting the tour together and he thinks it will be a lot of fun. Kelly says it is inspiring to see her kids following their dreams.
Back at the house, Gil calls Lawson and Nathan up to their room. Kelly and Gil want to talk about running the house during Gil’s surgery. Kelly says she will keep them updated. Lawson says it’s strange seeing him go in for surgery because, in their minds, they think he is invincible. Gil will be in the hospital for three days after the surgery. Kelly says surgery is always a danger. Gil says the surgery has made him think about what is really important. The middle boys are (kind of cruelly in my opinion) asked if they have thought what life would be like without their dad. “Don’t even want to think about it.” They break, and tomorrow is surgery day.
Nathan is doing a tree job while Gil is in the hospital. Nathan says it’s a relatively simple job: one old tree that has to come down in a backyard. Nathan climbs it and starts taking branches off. Trace and Lawson stay on the ground and watch. Eventually they decide that’s enough to take it down. Nathan cuts a notch and the tree goes down easily. They cut it to pieces and put it in the chipper.
Back at the house, Carlin and Tori and are helping the kids do school. They decide to make cards for Gil. Zach and Whitney come to the house and say they saw Gil earlier and he is okay but exhausted. Whitney says this pregnancy is going well, and they picked a name: Kaci Lynn Bates. Zach wanted a “K” name like Kelly’s, and Lynn is Whitney's mother’s name. The kids are going to facetime their parents and then go back to school. Gil is out of it and he just tells them he misses them; Ellie says he sounded like a very sick frog, which is actually a great way to describe it.
Kelly and Gil are driving home from the hospital. Gil is so happy to be home and to see all the kids. He makes his way into the house and sits down. It will take 2 to 6 weeks for him to fully recover, he reads the cards they made him. Gil says he is grateful for the medical team and he is moving in the right direction.
There is a snowstorm which is unusual for their area. They bundle up to go sledding. Jeb gets outside before his snowsuit is fully on, and he gets covered in snow. He was not happy after that. They sled at the house/property of their older neighbor, who lets the kids come play on their hill. The kids take a bunch of sledding runs down the hill. They are having a blast. They decide to all go down together. Then they have a huge snowball fight where everyone basically gangs up on Lawson until Carlin turns on Trace and he covers her with snow. They are covered in snow and it’s time to go home and warm back up. They come home and enjoy some hot chocolate.
*Episode 2: Bates Boys Birthday Bash
It’s Jeb’s fourth birthday and Trace’s birthday as well. Trace said he prayed that Jeb would be born on his birthday (which is sweet). Trace had planned a small birthday celebration for him at Zach and Whitney’s, and Jeb heard about it and assumed it was for both of them. Pink and white cake will be served. Jeb wants to make it at Zach and Whitney’s, but Lawson isn’t sure that’s a great idea. Trace told Kelly that sharing his party with Jeb was going to be special. Trace is a sweetheart. Trace is going to take Jeb out for the day. First, he takes him to get some ice cream. Trace lets Jeb pick out his ice cream and tells the person working at the shop that Jeb can get whatever he wants because it’s his birthday. It’s YOUR birthday, too, Trace. Nathan says the bond between the two brothers is special because they were born on the same day, years apart.
In the talking heads, the siblings say when you ask Jeb who his best friends are, he puts out four fingers: mom, dad, himself, and Trace. Which is hilarious--I wish I had the self-confidence to list myself as one of my best friends. The siblings are fighting for the fifth spot.
In Greenwood, SC, Erin, Chad, and Carson arrive to a church. A girl reached out to Erin and invited her to their Valentine’s Day celebration. Micah is the girl, and she is an American Heritage Girl, which is a Christian scouting program, and she is trying to get her stars and stripes award. She wanted to do something to help teenage girls. Micah goes on the podium and tells the attendees that you don’t need a guy to be happy and that girls should come together on Valentine’s Day to celebrate God’s love for them. Erin and Chad both are nervous about public speaking, but Micah has worked so hard on this that they wanted to be a part of it. Erin talks about finding contentment in who you are, finding your purpose, and impacting the lives of people around them, including her time playing piano at a nursing home. Chad said her heart for others drew him to her. They tried to encourage the girls, but they ended up being the ones who were encouraged.
The boys arrive at a go-cart track for a race. Tori & Carlin says the girls should have gotten to race go carts, at least. Jeb doesn’t seem to love go-karting; he keeps telling Gil to go slow. He says he hated it and he’s never going again. The other guys go again and seem to have a blast at the track. They all wreck each other, and Lawson says Nathan should be removed from the track. Jeb agrees to go again with Trace. Jeb has fun this time on a second track that is more level and has less powerful carts. They do that track twice and Jeb enjoys it both times. They had a fun guys day and it’s time for the party to move to Zach’s.
At Zach’s, they have dinner for all the boys. They say they had only boys because that’s what Jeb wanted, but they think he will change when he gets older. Warden makes the cake because he loves cooking and he cooks with Erin all the time. Josie says Warden has talent unlike the other guys in the family. He frosts the cakes. They open presents and Jeb gets a police car and a police outfit. They sing to Jeb and he blows out the candles. Then the bring a cake for Trace and sing and he blows out the candles. Trace says he had a great birthday and hopes it’ll be like this every year.
*Episode 3: A LOVEly Day
Gil says that as the family grows, it’s harder and harder to get everyone together, but that everyone will come together and celebrate I Love You Day, better known as Valentine's Day. Nathan and Ashley arrive. Valentine’s Day is a big day for their family, Kelly explains. This is Nathan and Ashley's first visit since their courtship began. Gil & Kelly and Nathan & Ashley go out to eat. Ashley says that when she first met Nathan she really liked what she saw, and after their trip to the Philippines it was clear they were more than just friends. She says they are concerned about some major differences between them and they have a lot of conflict. They’re figuring things out and they don’t know what decision to make based on their concerns. Kelly says it is obvious that they have feelings about it each other and they are discovering that in relationships you do sometimes rub each other the wrong way. Gil says being able to talk about it is brave and he is glad they’ve brought it up. Kelly says communication is key and they need to take time to communicate. The goal of courtship, Gil says, is to keep the physical in check so you can get to the deeper stuff. They assure the couple it will be okay, and Nathan says they will think and pray about this before making a decision.
Kelly has the kids paint cards for I Love You Day, and Carlin finds Tori’s card for Bobby. Tori is so sweet and awkward in this early stage--I love it. Bobby goes to PCC in Florida and he is coming for Valentine’s Day to meet the family. Alyssa, John, and Allie Jane arrive, and Alyssa says it’s always different coming home to the loud house. Michael and Brandon arrive home and greet all the siblings. Michael is excited to meet Bobby. Kelly assembles the family in the living room to go over the schedule for the evening. The party will start at 2pm, the guys will cook the meal, and put on their Sunday dress. There will be games and fun for all.
It’s Valentine’s Day and Bobby arrives. He brings red roses and side-hugs Tori. Tori says she feels bad for Bobby because he only has two sisters. Lawson says it’s crazy that all the time people are bringing new people into the mix. Trace says that one of these days Lawson needs to bring one-- if he ever can convince one to come, that is. Gil says it’s hard coming into the family with their own culture. Kelly says it’s like a Bates mafia for new guys coming in. Gil says you reap what you sow, and Tori sowed a lot by giving new in-laws a hard time. Mama Jane and Papa Bill arrive to spend time with the family. The family goes into overdrive to set up for the party and Kelly is nervous about Gil cooking. It all comes together, and the family sits down to start the games. The first game is a married guys vs single guys song contest. The rules are to take a simple song and turn it into a love song. Mama Jane and Papa Bill will judge. While the guys prepare for the contest, everyone distributes gifts to the person they’ve drawn names with. Erin has a gift for Kelly. She opens it to find a little homemade quilt with the grandchildren on it plus one addition. A little girl named Brooklyn. “There’s a new name on here!” exclaims Kelly, “Is it yours?” Erin nods and everyone freaks out. Erin says it was a miracle they kept the secret that long.
The guys have 15 minutes to do a song while finishing up dinner. They have the guys serve the girls, and everyone sits down to eat. It is time for the songs. The married guys go first with their rendition of “Old McDonald”:
On this Valentine-y day,
We say I love you
With chocolates, flowers, kisses too
We say I love you
With a little rose here, and a candle there
Here a kiss, there a kiss,
Always full of thoughtfulness,
On this Valentine-y day,
We say I love you
We say I love you
The single guys (Lawson, Nathan, Trace, and Bobby) go next with their rendition of “Yankee Doodle”:
Trace-y Bates-y went to town
Looking for a lady
He got sent home all alone
Because he drove her crazy
Kenny thought he’d try his hand
Up in the big city
That’s where he met Ashley
He tried to turn her country
[Lawson solo]: Me, I’m still here all alone
I ain’t got nobody
But that’s alright, that’s ok
As long as there’s a party
[Bobby solo]: I used to play those chasing game
Then I started thinking
Tori Bates is all I want
And that’s not changing
[All together]: that’s alright, that’s ok
As long as there’s a party
Gil gives Bobby credit for his part of the song. Papa Bill says the single guys win. Everyone says Bobby did a great job. Tori says, “Give me two years and I’m going to marry him.” They take a picture all together on the stage and say that life moves fast but they wouldn’t change it.
*Episode 4: Sunshine State Bates
At Zach and Whitney’s, Whitney picks up toys as Kelly and Erin arrive to see the work she’s been doing on the house. Whitney is expecting baby #2 and she wants to talk about the nursery. Kaci will have the crib and they will rearrange the furniture and discuss what color to paint, etc. Kelly says when she had Michael, Zach was only 13 months older and he managed to get in the crib with her once. They were surprised because Zach hadn’t climbed in before. At the time, Michael was screaming, and Zach was trying to give her a pacifier. Kelly says it is sweet to spend time with Whitney and Erin now that they are pregnant. Kelly offers to have the family come over and help with the nursery, but Whitney says that’s okay and they all joke about how well that would likely turn out. Whitney is excited to have a little girl to do girly stuff with. Erin and Kelly head out.
In Florida, Alyssa says since Whitney announced her pregnancy, everyone has been asking her if she is pregnant as well. She says the weather is different in Florida, but she loves it. She gives Allie a bath. John and Alyssa get her ready for bed and Alyssa says she is an easy baby. Her parents totally dote on her. Alyssa says they have it really, really easy. In the talking heads, they ask the family to guess how many kids John and Alyssa will end up with. Chad says 6 to 8, the middle boys and little girls say up to 10. Alyssa says she is not pregnant and she is not in a rush to get pregnant again.
Gil says John and Alyssa have a busy life--John is busy doing heating and air conditioning and then they clean buildings on the side. They clean the two businesses next to each other: an ice cream shop and a dance studio. John recently got a business license for the cleaning service, which they call Johnny on the Spot. They bring Allie and try to get her to rest in a pack’n’play as they clean. Alyssa says they work hard for their money and that they don’t have a lot of money just because his dad is a congressman. The guys say she was good at cleaning the house when she lived with them. They say Alyssa’s nickname is “Biz” because she is always busy.
Back in TN, Lawson is heading to the children’s hospital for AJ’s end-of-treatment party. AJ is Lawson’s little buddy with cancer. Lawson tries to go to the hospital once a month to sing with the kids there and try to cheer them up. AJ has been through 41 chemo treatments, and he has finished his last one, but there is still a long road ahead of him. AJ arrives at the party in style—he’s riding on a red tricycle with balloons attached. They have cake and give him a medal. Lawson and AJ sing Amazing Grace together and AJ plays along on his guitar. AJ’s dad says they appreciate Lawson and how much he cares about AJ. Lawson says AJ has so much positivity for someone who has so many obstacles, and that AJ is an inspiration.
Back in Florida, it is time for John’s softball game. Alyssa likes hanging out with her sisters-in-law, watching the game and chatting. There are quite a few babies to pass around as well. John and his brothers play softball and the family cheers them on. Tori says the Websters are really athletic people. Lawsons says the Bates gather around music or food but the Webster's gather around sports. Zach says the difference between the Bates and Websters is that the Websters play organized sports. Jackson says the Websters play by the rules and the Bates do not. Kelly calls Bates’ sports “chaos sports.” The softball game comes to a close.
The Bates decide that they will continue working on the fort for the littles. [Producers: Why do you think things don't get finished? Callie: because we don’t like working]. Gabe Rowe, a family friend, has arrived to manage the project. He is a builder, so hopefully he will get the fort done. The girls come out to paint the roof while the bigger guys work on the wall. It is windy, so leaves and grass blow onto the newly painted roof. The guys get the roof framed out, Judson gets paint all over him (including on his face, courtesy of Carlin) and the guys add the last pieces of painted tin to the roof. The middle guys are particularly thrilled about the completed fort.
*Episode 5: Tough Decisions and Large Ambitions
At the Bates house, Whitney has made dinner for a double date with Erin and Chad and their boys. Erin and Chad arrive with a cake, and Carson and Bradley are happy to get to spend some time hanging out with the cousins. Kelly says it’s funny that Whitney and Erin both had boys first and are now pregnant with girls. Kelly said this is also how she and Gil started, with Zach and then Michael. Erin and Chad talk about how good everything looks. Erin asks if Whitney knew it was a girl and Whitney said they had a feeling. Erin says it is neat that they are both expecting girls at the same time. Erin is excited for Chad to have a little girl, and Whitney agrees. Whitney says she is nervous because having two kids will be different. Whitney says they were talking about a toddler bed, and Zach asks if Chad would make it. Chad agrees, and they talk about plans for it. Whitney gushes about the two girls coming and how Bradley and Carson are so sweet together. Erin is excited for bows and pink and sharing that all with Whitney.
At the main house, Kelly and Gil are talking with Jackson about having an air soft birthday party. Kelly is afraid the boys will get hurt, but Gil says if everyone has goggles it should be okay. Nathan comes in and wants to talk. Jackson heads off. Nathan says that him and Ashley both like each other a lot, but they came to the decision to end their courtship and just be friends. Nathan says it is not a break, but it is officially off and the two are on good terms. Kelly says not every courtship will end in marriage, but it was important to be serious and keep God at the center even if there is pain along the way. Kelly says it is hard to watch him hurt.
Lawson is in Nashville, figuring out the next steps of his music career, where he meets with an agent, Charles Dorris, to discuss the possibility of a tour. Lawson says he wants to tour maybe 8 to 10 cities. Gil says Lawson has always had big plans. Tori says he has big dreams and Josie says they always become reality. Lawson says he needs someone to put the show together because he won’t want to be the one to go to venues and say, “I’m really good, you’re going to love me.” The agent tells Lawson he is wise and strategic about how he is going about it. Kelly says she is proud but worries he will be disappointed. The agent says the fall tour is a good idea and he hopes Lawson will have success in his career.
Back at the main house, the boys are gathering firewood. They heat their house with wood because it is free. The guys all split it together. They put on protective glasses. Carlin says they like to make ordinary stuff special. Jeb gets to “help” with the wood and Nathan says that is a Bates tradition to start them young. They get competitive as they chop. They come to a consensus that Gil is the best wood splitter. Gil is bringing the truck for them to load and he accidentally runs over Judson’s new bike. Judson is bummed. Gil apologizes and then promptly finds another tire to fix it. Judson is elated that it is quickly fixed.
*Episode 6: The Big Chili
Kelly asks Nathan to call Erin to see what they need to bring for the chili supper. The Bates always volunteer at this annual event for the fire department, which involves a chili supper, an auction, and some entertainment. Kelly had beta strep while she was pregnant with Addee, and shortly after birth Addallee stopped breathing and her heart stopped. The fire department came quickly and helped save her life. Gil did CPR until they arrived, and she is now 10 and happy. Nathan said that had a big impact on them and said they are the only fire department in the area—all the firemen work other jobs and get up in the middle of the night to come help. Nathan goes to get what Erin told him to get from the store.
Michael and Alyssa have come back into town for the chili supper. Allie had on a flower headband that was the size of her forehead, poor thing. Trace talks about trying to throw football into the window of the fort and wants to see if John can do it. Both guys try for a while, and finally John gets it in on throw #37.
Lawson wants to do some of his songs at the chili supper, naturally, and asks the girls to help him pick an outfit. Alyssa, Carlin, and Josie critique Lawson’s choices. Alyssa says his jeans are too baggy and the first two shirts are a no. Lawson puts on a red shirt with wolves on it as a joke. The girls finally go through his shirts in order to figure it out. They pick a grey shirt with a red plaid shirt and they are finally satisfied.
Kelly says they are in a limited amount of time to get everything ready. Addee explains how she stopped breathing for 8 minutes and the fire department came and helped. Kelly says Gil antagonized over her name for a week while she was in intensive care. They went with Addallee because all the double letters remind her that she got a second chance at life. Gil says she tells that story to people, and that the whole family got a second chance to have her in their family.
Michael and Brandon arrive, and all the kids race out to see her. Callie runs right into Michael’s arms first. Erin says Michael, Zach, and Nathan were inspired to join the fire department because of what happened to Addee. Kelly immediately asks Michael to do some sewing. Michael shows her that kids clothes have those elastic with buttons in them, so she makes less work for herself. Whitney and Zach arrive and greet Michael and Brandon and it is time to practice singing. Tori and Carlin don’t want to sing “The Lord Has Blessed Me,” but Kelly says there isn’t time to learn a new one. They start practicing the song and everyone is talking over everyone. It is a mess, so Gil tells everyone to just smile and sing loud.
It is the big day and they’re getting ready to go up. Tori says Lawson has been working on his stage presence. First, Lawson sings with Zach and another guy on a banjo; the song is about getting saved. Gil says they are proud of him even if all he ever ends up doing is mowing lawns. The whole family goes up and Gil introduces Addallee and tells her story. Then they sing their song and talk about how grateful they are for the fire department and Addee.
*Episode 7: The Great Bates Clean-Up
The Bates house needs a good clean, and the seasons are changing, so it is time to do a deep clean. The family gathers in the living room and tells the kids to go through their closets, under their beds, and in their hiding spots to ask themselves “have I used this in a year?” If they have not, they have to get rid of it. Kelly says it is hard to get rid of your own stuff but easy to get rid of others’ stuff. They have neglected the back house in favor of the newer front house, and they’re making room for school stuff and an office for Gil. When the back house is finished, it will also have a play room or an exercise room.
The girls floor is nasty dusty as they go through it. In the boys’ room, they are talking about how Lawson has the most clothes of anyone. He also has a lot of boots and hats. The other guys in his room throw him under the bus. The little guys say Lawson is the worst at getting rid of stuff. Whitney says Zach is the same way and Zach says Erin as well. Lawson has 54 pairs of shoes. Kelly says no one is getting rid of stuff and she is losing hope. Trace and Nathan apparently share all their clothes, so they go through them together. Trace gets rid of a lot of stuff and Kelly regains her hope.
Gil and Kelly are going through their closet. Kelly wants Erin’s help to go through her stuff. Carlin comes as well and starts yelling that they have way more than anyone else. They start going through and Kelly is getting rid of lots of stuff and Gil wants to keep all his stuff. Erin worries her mom will have no clothes left. Carlin finds pants with dust on them. Erin jokes she is so glad Chad isn’t like that. They start breaking into Gil’s stuff and Carlin and Kelly are making a dent in it. A lot of stuff gets put on the porch and an old dog Johnny has been resting on the chair as it is ready to get taken away.
At Noble Metals, Chad talks about his job, and his boss says Chad is a great worker. The siblings gush over his work ethic. Katie says Chad always has to be working. Chad said he would be working with furniture if he was not working at Noble Metals.
Now they have decided to tackle the shed. Kelly says they’ve been procrastinating and it’s a mess in there. The door is a bit ramshackled. Gil says it is a project for another day. Carlin suggests burning it down. Lawson pulls up with plants and they add plants and ferns to the porch. Carlin says they often die and don’t last very long. The boys talk about how it is unfair to get rid of Johnny’s chair (I swear this is the only episode where Johnny comes up at all). They do landscaping to make it come to life. There is one bush they debate getting rid of. They get a lot done in the outside, and Gil is amazed how much better the outside went than the inside.
They get a new big pillow for Johnny to replace his chair. Kelly hopes he will leave the plants alone. Gil jokes they should just move. Kelly says they should take a picture and have all their friends over while it is clean.
*Episode 8: Bloopers, Outtakes and Mishaps, Oh My!
“It’s Getting Loud in Here”: Jud and Jeb yell. Gil says their family has never learned to let one person talk at a time. The younger kids yell at each other in interviews. Josie says it can get loud but it's fun. The Bates are in the van, and Kelly says they are used to it, but others find it very loud. Erin says everyone wants to be the voice being heard as they chant “boy” and “girl” and then scream at her gender reveal for Carson. Alyssa announces she is expecting Allie and everyone starts yelling. Carlin has the little ones sing. Alyssa says that house is loud and crazy all the time.
“Talking ‘Bout Family”: Erin says they tease each other. Kelly says Lawson is usually the target. Josie says everyone loves picking on Lawson because he talks so much. They talk about the best drivers: Tori is better than over-confident Carlin. Lawson and Gil wrestle, and Lawson is a mess until Gil takes him down. In the van, Brandon says he is excited and Carlin jokes that she isn't his #1 hit here. At a pool, the guys are doing different dives off the edge of the pool. Lawson tries to do a Heisman pose and it keeps coming out bad. Nathan says Lawson always makes him flip and he does many takes.
“Say What?”: When asked about oral hygiene, Jackson says “no one here wears high jeans, they all wear them low.” Tori says it was “hec-tic.” Carlin tells Tori that she doesn’t have to draw out the syllables. The little girls talk about spelling and writing, with Callie insisting Addee should be able to spell everything already. In his toddler voice, Jeb says “it’s really fun having everyone home for Christmas.” Then they show the little kids saying a lot of made up words.
“Quiet on Set”: The middle boys yell about the washers, the little girls yell, and Kelly tells Jeb to be quiet. The rooster crows at 2pm. “He’s a Bates,” Kelly says.
“Scaredy Bates”: Katie and Tori talk about being scared at various times. Gil scares Kelly by talking about sharks. The middle boys yell boo at the producers. Michael and Brandon, while on their honeymoon, talk about seeing a bear after ziplining; then someone in the woods roars and scares them. The kids all snorkel, and Jeb and Judson and Callie are not happy. They’re at the lake and there is a thunderstorm. They take shelter. Lightning strikes and they all scream. Tori throws her sandwich she is so afraid.
“Laugh out Loud”: There are shots of Bates laughing on the couch and Josie says, “it was hilarious.” Callie has several long giggle fits, and when she laughs she can’t stop. Erin asks Michael if she is more nervous about the wedding or after the wedding, and they laugh. They try to pour candles, but they cannot stop laughing. Lawson and Carlin do a skit and make everyone laugh during I Love You Day. Tori says cackling, and everyone is just laughing at Tori laughing.
“Bates Buzz Words”: Everyone says “awkward,” “epic,” and “oh my stars.”
“Dust in the Wind”: in the interview room, the younger kids are distracted by dust in the air.
“Munckin' Madness”: Jeb gets carried away making a pirate noise. The little girls all says sausage when asked about John & Alyssa’s life in Florida. Jeb makes money noises, and the little girls just keep saying sausage. The kids roll around and tease each other on the couch. At a candy store, Jeb is on Gil’s shoulders and lays back and steals candy from a barrel. At Michael and Brandon’s wedding, Judson starts hitting himself with a pillow. Judson makes faces and pushes petals around. Aunt Kaye comes by and lets the kids play with frosting and starts a small frosting fight.
“Tongue Tied”: Josie and Katie both try to speak but get tongue tied. Then Carlin and Tori try but suffer the same fate. Gil falls while rollerblading and Kelly gets stressed. Zach keeps asking to try again. Basically, this keeps happening to all the Bates. Katie is caught with gum in her mouth.
“Are we done yet?”: is a montage of the Bates “saying are we done” on the interview couch.
*Episode 9: Birthdays and Boyfriends
The Bates are in Florida for Allie’s first birthday. It will be a big family party. Kelly and Gil want to be involved with their grandkids’ families. Allie is overwhelmed when her aunts and uncles stream in. Alyssa says she cannot believe how fast the year has gone, and John says it will just go faster, so he is enjoying it. Alyssa is glad they’re here but says it is tight in her tiny house. Kelly offers to help clean. Alyssa says the girls can help but there are too many boys. The boys are sent to the store so that the house stays clean. The little girls are amazed that there is nothing on the floor at Alyssa’s house. Alyssa goes all out for the party – she wants it to be elegant. The middle and little boys don’t know what “elegant” means. The Bates girls keep eating the strawberries that Alyssa is trying to prepare for the party, and she is not very happy about that. The guys come back and Alyssa is fighting a losing battle to keep them away from the food. Gil takes the family to a park nearby so that Alyssa can have a break. They play on the playground and Gil joins in. The kids all jump off the swings, and that makes Kelly scream. Kelly says she has to turn her head and not look. Gil does a flip off the swingset and Kelly panics. He falls but is okay. Kelly says Gil is the biggest kid in the family.
Bobby lives about an hour from Alyssa, and they are bringing together the Smiths and Bates parents and siblings for the first time. They will go out to have lunch together at a BBQ restaurant. Tori is nervous about everyone meeting. Josie says this is a big milestone. They sit down to eat, and Tori and Bobby keep talking to each other and not the parents. The Bates and Smiths joke about how Tori and Bobby talk to each other all the time. Alyssa says they’re a good match. She says that Tori was such a strict chaperone but now she likes to be close to Bobby. Kelly says she is nervous about another child going off to Florida. Bradley and Bobby blow straw wrappers at each other. Tori is glad he is good with kids. Zach says you have to be careful if a guy is really good with little kids because that means the guy is usually a kid at heart. Tori talks about how she loves Bobby’s singing. Kelly says she thinks they would get married tomorrow if they both weren’t in school. The meal ends and they part ways. Carlin says she doesn’t want Tori to get married. Tori teases her by saying that she loves her so much she wants her around forever. That is very sweet.
Back at the house, and uninterrupted by family, Alyssa has put together quite the feast. The tables are on the back porch. Gil says it was the fanciest birthday party he’s ever seen. Josie says it was perfect. Alyssa says people can get food as long as they go outside with it. Alyssa says it turned out classy even if her family doesn’t appreciate it. The Bates struggle to eat jello and whipped cream with a tiny fork.
Carlin says it was special for her because Allie was born on her birthday and Allie will be just like her when she grows up. Gil says it was nice to have the Bates and Websters back together. Michael and Callie are enjoying being back together. Michael meets the Smiths. Kelly jokes that the Webster family babies are so chill, and the Bates family babies are wild. Alyssa says people keep asking if she is pregnant and she says, “no news.” Alyssa says she wants 6 to 8 kids but not 19 kids. Alyssa says if anyone has 19 kids it should be Michael or Tori. They sing Happy Birthday and put Allie in front of a smash cake. Everyone surrounds her with their phones, taking pictures. Allie starts to cover her hands and face in frosting. Alyssa says the party turned out really good and Allie got tons of gifts. They take a family picture in front of Alyssa’s house to conclude the trip.
*Episode 10: Who’s in Charge?
The Bates kids are on their own while Gil and Kelly are at Niagara Falls. It has been a dream of Kelly’s to go to Niagara Falls, and they are finally going. On I Love You Day, Gil gifted her the trip after years of talking about it. The older kids are in charge while they’re gone.
Lawson sweeps while Josie wipes the countertops and Nathan does the dishes. The boys say that girls are in charge. Josie serves sandwiches to the little kids for lunch. Tori has caught a stomach virus and is down for the count. Josie battles with Judson to get him to eat his sandwiches. Josie has them go back to school work.
Leaving the main house, Erin and Chad go to see Dr. Vick. Chad says they were surprised with how quickly Baby #2 was conceived. The pregnancy is high risk due to her blood clotting disorder, which she takes heparin shots for. Kelly says it has not been easy for Erin, but they are elated for her. Erin says Carson’s birth was traumatic because of her placental abruption, and she is getting scared for this delivery. Erin says the birth will be induced and she will have an epidural and it will be easy this time. This appointment is for a 20-week anatomy scan, and Erin is nervous. The ultrasound tech comes in and, on the ultrasound, they see Erin’s baby sucking her thumb. They are relieved to see that she is okay, and they cannot wait to meet her. They head out beaming.
Back at the main house, the kids facetime their parents. They talk about the virus going around and are glad the parents escaped it. Gil and Kelly Jo are glad to have alone time, but they miss their kids.
The middle boys are having a sleepover at Zach and Whitney’s. This is a big treat, the Bates say. They have snacks and play cards and Zach gets to be a kid with his brothers. They watch a western together, which is a treat because the main house does not have a TV. It is a nice night.
The Bates parents return to celebrate Ellie’s birthday--she and Addee are going horseback riding. Nathan takes the girls for a turn around the yard and they have fun. The Bates talk about how much Ellie means to them. Lawson is also there. Gil is on Little Joe, a sweet horse with an obedience problem. Nathan goes up next to Gil and hits Little Joe on the bum and he gallops off. Ellie and Addee are on one horse together. Ellie seems to have a really nice time, and Gil says he is glad he made them laugh.
*Episode 11: Bates Make the Grade
The Bates are preparing for Trace and Carlin’s graduation party at home. They are having a large party to celebrate graduating from high school. Kelly says they homeschool, but they are under an umbrella school; the kids are allowed to participate in the larger, umbrella school’s ceremony, but most of them decide not to. Carlin and Trace have opted for a party instead.
It is the day before the party, and Kelly has a stomach bug. Carlin has everything drawn out on paper for the set up and the amount of food needed. They guess that they’ll have around 250 to 300 guests. Carlin invited everyone on Instagram, and people will be coming from all over to meet the Bates.
At Erin and Chad’s, Lawson, Tori, and Carlin are going to practice a song for the graduation party. Lawson doesn’t know the words. Carlin has picked the song, but no one is very familiar with it, so they sound a little rough. They are stressed during the practice, and Lawson acts like a know-it-all because he has worked in Nashville. Carlin says they sound awful, but Erin says they are starting to come together.
It is party day and the Bates have arrived at the venue to begin setting up for the party. Things start coming together. According to Tori and Josie, Carlin is stressed. But she claims she is calm. It starts coming together with the help of some volunteers. Bobby is in town for the party. Ashley is also there even though her and Nathan’s relationship is over. Kelly is glad that Ashley feels comfortable to be around the family even though her romantic relationship with Nathan has ended.
Michael arrives at the main house and is surrounded by the little ones immediately. Kelly greets her and tells her she was sick yesterday but is better today. Brandon got Michael on an early flight and he is getting put on the next flight due to weather.
At the venue, the older kids--including Carlin, Trace, Bobby, Lawson, Nathan, and Ashley--are trying to think of what skit to perform for the party. They decide to make a skit of them staying up late trying to think of a skit. They hope it will be funny.
The party kicks off with a whole bunch of people in attendance. Carlin loses her papers with her notes right before things are about to kick off, and she starts getting stressed. But she eventually finds them in the van. She is relieved she finds them, and then it is time for the main event. Nathan calls everyone over and Carlin thanks everyone and they start their skit. Carlin, Trace, Bobby, Lawson, Nathan, and Ashley perform the skit (Up speeds through it). There is a Chuck Norris part, where Trace kicks everyone as they dramatically fall. In the next part of the skit, Carlin accidentally kicks Trace and she felt really bad about it.
Next, Nathan interviews Trace and Carlin on stage. Trace says Gabe inspired him most by teaching him to play sports and having a great attitude about them. Carlin says she would like to be like her dad because he is cool and faithful in the little things. Gil feels really blessed to have a daughter like Carlin.
Next, it is time for the song Carlin has selected. Lawson, Tori, and Erin (on piano) join her on stage. They sing together (here’s the song they sing). We see a photo slideshow of Trace, and they talk about Trace being stuck in the middle but coming into his own. They also talk about Carlin’s personality and how they called her a blessing when she was born. Gil says the years have flown and life is going too fast.
Trace says right now he is working at the lawn business, but one day he hopes to ride for Dixie Stampede. Carlin has been taking dual-enrollment classes and will be going to college full time online for the first two years. Trace was glad John and Alyssa came. Carlin said they felt treasured and they won’t ever forget it.
*Episode 12: The 20th Bates
The Bates are excited about the 20th Bates contest, where they get to meet the girl that was selected to be the 20th Bates. The Bates were so shocked by the number of entries. They show a bunch of the entry videos. Emma from Texas is announced to be the winner because they liked her personality. Emma is very excited that she won. As Emma and her mother pull up to the house, Emma is greeted with hugs and side hugs. Her mother also greets the Bates. Emma says everyone was really kind even though they hadn’t met her. Tori and Carlin even tease her a bit. Emma says they look the same on tv except they are shorter.
Emma joins the family bible study, which is what they often do in the morning. Then, Kelly says Emma gets to sample the most hated chores in the house to really feel like a Bates. Kelly has her load the dishwasher with Tori. Kelly says she does dishes about four times a day. Kelly says she doesn’t like to let guests work, but they want her to fit in with the family, so they have her do chores. Next up is laundry. Emma is shocked by the amount of laundry there is. Kelly says there is usually several hours of laundry every day. Addee is surprised to hear Emma only has two siblings.
Kelly says that Emma mentioned she watched Erin’s hair and makeup tutorials. So, after doing chores, they decide to give her a little makeover. Carlin is jealous of her thick hair as she does the curls. Erin does her makeup. Kelly asks about Emma’s volleyball and the girls chat while doing the makeup. Kelly reminds her she is beautiful without all the hair and makeup.
After her makeover, Nathan and Trace have got the horses ready to go for a ride. Emma walks downstairs and is surprised that Nathan and Trace have actually brought their horses inside the house to surprise them. They tack up the horses, and Emma starts off slow and enjoys it. Trace lets her go slow for a bit, and then Nathan gets her moving at a trot. Emma says it was a whole new experience, but she really enjoyed it.
Next, they load up the van so that Emma can experience of the kids all being loud in there. She is a little overwhelmed. Jeb talks the whole time and is trying to give directions. They arrive at Zach’s to play volleyball and have a cookout. Jackson launches a rocket and the family is impressed. It lands in a tree. The Bates play outside. Callie has taken to Emma; she is glad that Emma was the 20th Bates. Emma said she had a wonderful experience and is really grateful for the day she had with the Bates. The Bates invite them back any time, and Emma says she will miss the family a lot when she gets home. They all hug again, and Gil says they are glad to have met a new friend.
*Episode 13: Growing Paine
Josie and Katie have their learners permit, and it is time to take them out to practice driving with Lawson, Carlin, and Kelly. They drive to the state park where there is room for them to make mistakes because there are not many people around. Katie and Josie are not thrilled that the most dramatic people in the family have come along for their first driving lesson. Lawson tries to explain driving to them, but everyone is yelling and talking so Katie accidentally pushes the gas (while parked) instead of the break. Katie tries to do a loop of the parking lot but accidentally drifts into another lane because everyone is overwhelming her. They all scream. Learning to drive in a giant van with everyone yelling is terrible. Katie manages to bring the van to a stop and Kelly gently explains the loop to her. Katie is finally done and then Josie gets to go next. Josie is stressed as she gets the van moving. Josie goes for about 30 seconds and then starts crying; she goes slow the whole time because she is scared. After a while, Josie gets it together and does her loop. Lawson says they did good for the first time. Josie parks and Lawson takes the van back home.
At the Paine house, Erin is preparing for Carson’s birthday. Chad sets up tablecloths and Mrs. Paine starts sprinkling cupcakes. Michael made it and wants to help. She gets Carson out of his crib, and Michael and Kelly love on him. Erin talks about how, when she got married, she started thinking about starting a family. She said that Carson was a miracle and time has flown since his birth. Erin is feeling really lucky and happy. Erin says that for the party they will do three-legged races, pin the tail on the donkey, and water balloon races. The family starts to arrive, and Chad welcomes everyone. It is time for dinner. Gil says these first birthdays are going to get expensive. Kelly brought blow up bubble suits where you can bump into each other, and the middle boys take to it immediately. The other bates join in and are having a blast running into each other on the lawn and laughing. It is actually a nice moment. Gil decides to try one and cannot stop laughing. Kelly said that is not what she intended when she bought them, but they are a hit.
Next, they have a three-legged race where Katie and Josie smoke the competition. Then they join up three people to race: Josie, Katie, and Carlin race Lawson, Nathan and Trace and the middle boys. The bigger boys won, but Kelly says they cheated because they pushed the girls down right before they crossed the line. The boys accuse the girls of cheating at the bend.
Everyone sings to Carson as Erin gives him a cupcake. He isn’t too sure about the lemon. Erin says she is biased but it was the best birthday. They have a bonfire and smores and Kelly says these days are about the whole family making memories together. Erin says the year flew by and Brooklyn will be here before they know it.
*Episode 14: Bates Dish it Out
At Erin and Chad’s, Erin is reading a Clifford book to Carson when Chad comes in to show the plan he made for a little bed for Bradley. Chad is excited about the project. Zach is going to come help, and Erin and Chad agree that it will be sweet. Gil says Chad is talented and well-balanced--he’s the kind of person we all want to be like. Kelly says he loves working with tools and with his hands. Gil says he can always figure out how to make or fix something. Zach arrives, and they get to work on the bed. Zach says he hasn’t done fine carpentry before. Chad tells Zach that he made Carson a toy box and Erin encouraged him to make lots of them to sell, but he says he doesn’t have the shop set up that he’d need. Zach tells him to start small. Chad says he has been considering starting a web store, and he is thinking about ideas right now. Tori says Chad has never-ending talent. Chad asks about how Whitney is doing during her second pregnancy, and they both agree that this pregnancy is going by faster. Chad jokes that Erin said her pregnancy has not been going fast at all. Zach says it was nice to spend that time together building the bed and talking.
In Nashville, Lawson is at the studio and says he is putting together a tour and finishing his album. Andy Leftwich is his producer and Lawson says he has been great. Kelly says Lawson is seeing his career starting to grow. Emily Ann Roberts from The Voice is going to join him for a duet. Kelly says they met at a concert through friends and it was God setting them up. Lawson is impressed by the talent Andy has brought together for the band. Lawson sings and talks about how he enjoys seeing his vision come to life.
Emily arrives, and Lawson is excited to have her join him on his song. They exchange hellos and move into the recording studio to sing the duet. Kelly says the timing of this CD has been perfect for both of them. It’s a breakup song, and his writing team suggested including a female vocalist to tell “both sides.” Trace says he should’ve done a love song. Nathan says you write what you know, and all Lawson’s ever known is break ups. Andy likes how the song turned out. Emily says she was glad he asked her to be a part of this and that she had an awesome time. Andy and Lawson thank her. Lawson says everything has come together amazingly--the band, Andy, someone named Matt, and Emily. Emily says she would go to some tour dates if he did have a tour. Ellie says she thinks Lawson may have a big hit.
At the Main house, the Bates are going to an all-you-can-eat buffet. Several Bates have fasted all morning. Kelly says buffets are not the best deal for big families, but they decided to do this as a special treat. Carlin says, “who’s ready to gain 10lbs?” as they head to the restaurant. The van pulls in and they are ready for the buffet. Gil says the little ones sometimes punish themselves by eating too much. The kids are excited about the buffet as they load up their plates. Carlin gives Tori a hard time for only getting a salad. Ellie asks Kelly to tell the story of Lawson at a buffet that her father had taken them to before he passed away. When he was younger, Lawson over-ate and fell over in his chair. As Kelly tried to pick him up, he started throwing up, so Kelly ran to the bathroom, causing people to panic. When he finished throwing up, Lawson said, “I feel better now, I want to go have more food.” After eating the dinner part of their buffet, the Bates all have ice cream. Then, they talk about how they don’t feel good after eating so much. They head home, enjoying the memory.
No comments:
Post a Comment