Trace and Lydia Give a House Hunt Update

Trace and Lydia Bates have been searching for a home of their own for a while. They are growing out of their two-bedroom rental, although they love the location. They have considered a lot of options, including building a place, but they haven't made any plans. They say they don't yet have peace from God about a location or whether to buy or build, so they are waiting. The parents of two share more details, including footage from a recent trip to Dollywood, in their latest YouTube video. 

Erin Paine on Visiting Family, Marriage, etc

Erin Paine took to YouTube this week to answer questions from followers. She shares how often she and Chad and their seven kids visit the Bate family in Tennessee and mentions that one of her brothers is getting married in May. She also chats about keeping the spark alive in marriage and offers some of her favorite ways to stay healthy.  

Warden’s Girlfriend

Warden Bates, who turns 23 in May and is Gil and Kelly Bates’ 13th child, is in a relationship with Kaybrie Patterson. Also from East Tennessee, Kaybrie graduated high school last year and is playing college basketball. 

Meeting Gage Smith

Trace and Lydia Bates' most recent vlog is packed with exciting events. Miles Balka celebrates his second birthday with a roller skating party. Roller skating is an activity that the Bates have done frequently over the years, so many of them are quite good at it. Later, Lydia and Addallee Bates take Ryker to a monster truck show. Then Lydia heads to the hospital to meet Tori and Bobby's newest addition, Gage Smith. 

Smith Party of 8

Gil and Kelly Bates now have 39 grandchildren, with a 40th due in May! On February 28th, Tori and Bobby Smith welcomed their sixth child, Gage Turner Smith, who weighed 6 lbs 4 oz. That makes four boys and two girls for their family, and all six of their kids are seven and under. Kade Smith turns eight in November, Kolter Smith will be six later this month, Charlotte Smith will be five in June, Cambree Smith turns four in August, and Weston Smith will be two in May. Congratulations, Smith family!

 

 

Chat with Jackson Bates

Most of Zach Bates' videos for Bates Kitchen involve cooking, but he also enjoys sitting down with his family members to chat about a variety of topics. Zach just interviewed Jackson Bates, whom everyone says is a lot like him. They talk about food, Jackson's life in Florida, his new role as a dad, his work, and whether he would consider moving back to Tennessee. 

Update from Katie Clark

It has been five weeks since Travis Clark publicly confessed that he had cheated on wife Katie Clark. Katie shared a brief but well written response on social media soon after and has since been focusing on spending time with her children, including visiting the Websters in Orlando and celebrating Hailey Clark's third birthday. Katie just shared an update on her heartbreaking trial, in which she states that she is preparing to start a four-day therapy intensive. The rest of her statement can be found on her social media page and in a People Magazine article. 

Bates I Love You Day 2026

The Bates family just celebrated their annual I Love You Day celebration. This is often their biggest gathering of the year and is an event that everyone looks forward to. Mama Jane was in the hospital, so Kelly Bates took a break from being with her and came back to Tennessee to throw the party. She kept it low-key and decided to skip the costumes this year, but everyone still had a lot of fun. Trace and Lydia Bates uploaded a video to YouTube. 

Keilens' New Year Update

A couple weeks ago, Michaela and Brandon Keilen uploaded a question and answer YouTube video that we missed due to an ice storm and power outage that hit us here in Nashville. The Keilens sit down to share an update on their foster situation. Their case workers continue to be amazed at the progress that their four-year-old foster son has made since he has been living with them. 

Michaela and Brandon say that the state's goal is currently reunification with the boys' birth mother.. When the boys first came under their care, they were told that they would likely have the boys for five or six months, but it has now been about eight months. Despite their concerns for the boys' future and all the unknowns, the Keilens say that they are very happy in this season of life. Near the end of the video, Brandon talks about the importance of not comparing their life to the lives of others and their decision to focus on being grateful for the many blessings that God has given them. 

"We still have questions for the future, and it will be interesting to see what happens and when," says Brandon. "Until we have definite answers, we will wait on the Lord and take it one step at a time."

"And enjoy every day!" Michaela chimes in. 

Katie Clark Comment

Two days ago, Travis Clark publicly confessed to cheating on his wife, Katie Clark. Today, Katie broke the silence and responded. You can read her statement in an article written by People Magazine.