'Doggy Dilemmas' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "Doggy Dilemmas"

• Warden, Judson, and Jeb head over to the Paines’ house to help Erin and Chad train Max the puppy. Max is great at sitting on command, but he doesn’t quite understand fetching.
• Lawson visits the local children’s hospital with music friend Emily Ann Roberts to sing for patients.
• “Seeing situations where children are challenged to go on…it makes you realize, ‘I should be really grateful for all the things I get to experience in life,’” says Gil.
• “When we were done and we had met all the kids, I was already ready to plan the next time to go back,” says Emily Ann. “It’s amazing to meet all of them and just see how positive they are...”
• Kelly’s plan to tear down Gil’s shed and use the concrete slab for a basketball court was vetoed by Gil, but he and his sons work together to make a court in the side yard. Lawson comes outside just before the concrete truck is scheduled to arrive, but he is wearing nice clothes. “When I saw him come out there, I said ‘Nah, he didn’t come out here to pour concrete; he came out here to watch,’” says Nathan.
• “No, I came out there to pour concrete,” responds Lawson. “It’s like this, I figure if you do it right, you won’t get dirty.” His dad and brothers finally convince him to change. The concrete truck doesn’t show up, so Gil has to call another company and make an appointment for the next morning.
• The following day, everything is going great, until the Bates run out of concrete just before the end of the project. “Dad, being frugal as he is, got the bare minimum of concrete we needed,” says Jackson. 
• Thankfully, they are able to make it work, and the finished product looks great. The kids add their hand prints and names to the edges of the court. 
• Up in Chicago, Michaela and Brandon are loving married life. “Marriage has been the most incredible adventure,” says Michaela. 
• As a surprise for Kelly's 50th birthday, Brandon is working on a video that will feature his sketches and some poems. “In making a video, I don’t have a conventional process or setup,” he explains. “Basically, it’s whatever I can rig so that the camera is the right distance from the paper that it’s recording.”
• Michaela spends her days working as a nanny, sewing girls’ dresses for the business she is starting, and scrap-booking. “Everyone in the family has always predicted and said Michael is going to be the one that has a really, super large family," says Kelly. "She loves children. She rejoices when another person is pregnant as much as we do, but at the same time…there’s got to be that feeling of, ‘I wish I could be pregnant and join them.’”
• When Michaela and Brandon had been married about six months, they started realizing that most of their friends and siblings were expecting by that time. In this episode, they have just celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary and are considering visiting a specialist.
• “There’s definitely the excitement of wanting to start a family," shares Michaela. "It was always my dream as a little girl. It’s been amazing, just having each other, but then realizing at the same time, there’s just maybe some complications and some difficulties."
• Brandon shares some very wise words on the subject: “That area is an area we want the Lord to have control in, and for a lot of people, that means kids can come along just as soon as possible, but for us that hasn’t been the case. I still see that in the Lord’s hands. He’s just saying no for now. We hope it’s not no for always, but it’s no for now, and it hasn’t been wasted time. The most important thing in life is not all the things you can accumulate, but really see the value in what you have been given. In Michael, I have just been given a treasure that I couldn’t have asked for."

Recap: 'Plans, Bands and Mashed Potatoes'

Bringing Up Bates "Plans, Bands and Mashed Potatoes"

• Erin gathers her siblings to discuss a surprise weekend getaway for Kelly's 50th birthday. "This is going to be a complete surprise, so the main thing is that nobody talks about it," Erin tells the little kids. Judson and Jeb claim they can keep a secret, but that remains to be seen.
• A few weeks ahead of Lawson's concert tour, he has the band over to rehearse. Some of the members don't know the songs, so the practice is a bit rough. "I'm sure that the pressure is setting in and that Lawson is starting to feel nervous," says Kelly.
• Later, Gil and the boys discuss building a "basketball goal" in the yard. They have been playing on gravel for more than 10 years and have been saving money to pour a slab of concrete. 
• "When you learn how to play basketball on gravel, you have home court advantage over anyone that comes to your house because most people don't have that talent," says Nathan.
• Everyone has their own idea about where the court should go. "Lawson always has the perfect plan, no matter what anyone else says," says Erin. They decide to shoot for it. Whoever makes a basket makes the final call.
• "I know one thing for sure," says Kelly. "You boys definitely need a court. You need some practice. How about y'all take up a different sport."
• Kelly suggests the guys tear down the junk shed and use that concrete slab for their court. Gil says that will cost too much money. "That doesn't cost a dime, darlin,'" says Kelly. "One match."
• So Kelly decides to shoot a basket. "I've never even seen my mom throw a basketball, in her life," says Zach. And she makes it! 
• "When I saw my wife make that shot...I'm kind of shaking in my boots," says Gil. It still might be a while before the actual project goes down though. The Bates do operate on Bates time, after all.
• Warden heads over to Erin's house, which is about 30 minutes away, for a cooking lesson. He makes chicken, mashed potatoes, rolls, salad, and cookies.
• "In a lot of households, the guys kind of do these things and the girls do these things, but in our house, it's not really that way," says Lawson. "It's all hands on deck." Zach jokes that he is the best at everything because he is the oldest.

Recap: '15 Kids and an Empty Nest'

Bringing Up Bates "15 Kids and an Empty Nest"...

• Brandon arrives in Tennessee, and the wedding week begins! When asked if he is ready to get married, the groom-to-be responds: "I don't know if people would say I'm ready, but I'm wanting to get married."
• "It hasn't been too stressful, with all of the people that have been helping out," says Michael.
• Gil accompanies the couple to purchase their marriage license at the courthouse. "Do you have other children?" the clerk asks Gil. "Oh yes ma'am," Gil replies. "We're going to be down to a manageable size I think. We're only going to have 15 kids at home." The clerk drops her scissors in shock.
• Before transferring their attention to wedding preparations, Gil and Kelly take the little kids on a special rollerskating outing at a local park. "Everybody's a good skater but Mom," says Kelly. "I'm the only one." She hangs on to Gil for dear life as he takes her around the park. "This is fun," says Gil. "No, this is not fun," replies Kelly."
• While racing with the boys, Gil takes a few tumbles but doesn't sustain any injuries.
• Meanwhile, the older boys take Brandon on an outing of his choice. He picks the Knoxville Ice Chalet. "We have done very little ice skating," admits Lawson. "We love rollerblading and [we are] decent at that, but when it comes to ice, it's a total different ballgame."
• Just when the boys start feeling comfortable on the ice, they are faced with some competition. "I was getting good at it, and then these two girls came out," says Lawson. "They started doing this stuff that, hey, I ain't seen nothing like that except in the Olympics."
• The girls attempt to teach the boys a few tricks. Brandon elects to play it safe and not participate, but he ends up skating over a puddle of water and wiping out. Although he bleeds quite a bit, the gash to the head that he sustains could have been much worse. The staff members bring out first aid supplies and help Brandon off the ice.
• "It wasn't as bad as it looked, but I will say this: Nobody wants to have a big bandage on their head on their wedding day," says Nathan.
• "I really think Michael is going to kill us, Nathan," says Trace. Lawson buys Brandon a cowboy hat to hide the injury. 
• "We are all cowboys," says Lawson. "It's just who we are. Brandon is not a cowboy. He's a Yankee, all the way. And I thought, 'Man, what better gift to get him than a cowboy hat?'"
• Michael hears about the ordeal before Brandon returns to the house and says she is "beyond panicked." She is relieved to find out that her husband-to-be has only sustained a minor injury.
• The sisters and bridesmaids, including Jana Duggar, gather at Erin's house for girl talk and candle making. The gals are surprised to hear that Michael is not nervous about the wedding or the wedding night.
• Later, Gil and Kelly, Erin and Chad, and Michael and Brandon enjoy dinner at Calhoun's on the River. "There is no way to put into words the emotions that I have been through this week," says Michael, as she balances the sorrows of leaving her family with the thrills of starting a new adventure with Brandon.  

Recap: Sweet Tea and Sit Ups

Bringing Up Bates "Sweet Tea and Sit Ups"...

• Gil, Kelly, Michael, Erin, and Carson stop by Vol Market #3, one of the family's favorite Knoxville restaurants. The Bates’ friendship with the owners started when Michael was a child and eventually led to her becoming a full-time nanny for the owners’ children.
• Like Erin, Michael has asked Vol Market #3 to cater her wedding food. “Her menu is going to be y’all’s chicken salad sandwiches, some sub sandwiches and chips and cake,” Kelly tells the owners.
• Everyone has a different estimate of the number of guests that will show up to the wedding. Michael predicts 500-600, Kelly thinks 600-800, and Gil guesses around 1,000.
• Up next is a meeting with the musicians, Emily and Natalie Raynes, who will play as the bridal party enters and leaves the sanctuary. During the ceremony, Brandon is arranging to have a few songs performed that he wrote for Michael.
• Back at home, Kelly tells her family that she needs to lose weight before the wedding. “I need some incentive, so if it’s like a challenge or competition, I’ll be more motivated.”
• The mom of 19 announces her plan: She and Gil will compete, with Tori as her trainer and Lawson and Gil’s trainer. But Kelly doesn’t want to judge the competition by the amount of weight lost, as she is embarrassed to step on the scale. So she suggests that the winner be the person who looks the best in the end. Gil says that Kelly will win.
• “I said, ‘Dad, you want a real coach who knows what it takes to get in shape and look good? I’ll be your man,’” shares Lawson.
• While Tori works out alongside her mom, Lawson’s approach is more hands-off.
• Tori and Kelly spend their time walking and doing toning exercises for abs and upper body. Meanwhile, Lawson drives to a deserted road, pushes Gil out the door, and tells him to run alongside the truck. Lawson sits at the wheel enjoying air conditioning and a cold bottle of sweet tea.
• The little kids pick two bowls of blackberries and beg Michael to make her famous blackberry cobbler. It’s a bittersweet moment, as everyone realizes that they won’t have Michael (or her cobbler) for much longer.
• “Michael, she never wants to be in the limelight,” says Gil. “She wants to be behind the scenes helping somebody.” “She’s always thinking of others more than herself,” adds Kelly.
• A seamstress friend brings over Michael’s finished wedding gown, and the Bates gals break down in tears as she models it. “I’m like the happiest girl ever,” she says. Her sisters and sister-in-law are thrilled for her, but they are all very sad to see her move to Chicago.

Gil: 'They All Push Each Other to the End'

Who do you think is the most competitive member of the Bates family? According to Kelly Bates, all the kids have a competitive spirit. "They get it from their dad," says the mom of 19 (video below).

Recap: "Addee & Ellie's Pool Party"

Bringing Up Bates, "Addee & Ellie's Pool Party"

• Gil fulfills his promise of giving Josie a private tennis lesson.
• “Sometimes we…treat the family like a herd or a flock, instead of like individual people that are valuable, special, important,” shares Gil, as he emphasizes the importance of spending one-on-one time with each child.
• Gil grew up playing tennis and says that his “claim to fame” was when he finally beat his dad on his dad’s 50^th birthday. He is proud of Josie for wanting to learn a new skill.
• Meanwhile, Kelly takes Trace clothing shopping at a local thrift store.
• “All of our boys are probably just as picky about clothes as our girls are,” shares Kelly. “They know brands, they know what they like, they know what they think looks good or doesn’t look good. So I feel like I’m the old lady out of style when I’m shopping with the kids.”
• Trace will graduate high school in December. Kelly asks if he plans to continue working with Gil, but Trace says that he “really ain’t big into that tree business.” 
• The mom of 19 encourages her son to experiment with a few classes at The Crown College of the Bible and reminds him that she and Gil will pay for his first semester, but she assures him that she will be happy with whatever choice he makes.
• Trace thanks his mom for taking him shopping and says he “had an amazing time” with her.
• Addallee and Ellie’s birthdays are in February and April, but the girls have been holding off for an outdoor pool party. Now that summer has rolled around, Gil and Kelly decide it’s time to fulfill the girls’ wish. Whitney’s mom, who has a pool, invites the family over to her house.
• “My parents have always really tried to make every birthday really special, especially for the younger children,” says Lawson. Gil and Kelly make a habit of taking the birthday kid out to a restaurant and then allowing him or her to have a party.
• After the Bates arrive at the pool, everyone jumps in the water while Kelly prepares lunch. “Where’s the birthday cake?” asks Zach. Turns out, Gil was in charge of picking up the food on Kelly’s list, and he bought two boxes of cake mix and brought them to the party.
• “Who’s going to cook a cake mix while we’re in the pool?” Lawson asks his dad. 
• “What about all the things I got right?” says Gil. “You did good, you did good,” Kelly assures her husband.
• Michaela saves the day when she arrives with a store-bought cake. Before chowing down, the Bates take turns sharing praises about Addee and Ellie, which is something they do at every birthday celebration.
• “If you’ve ever heard of constructive criticism, it doesn’t feel too constructive if you’re the one getting it,” says Gil. “But praise, or encouragement…is a powerful, powerful thing.”
• “Affirmation from other people, when it’s real, means so much,” shares Nathan.

Recap: "The Quest for the Dress"

Bringing Up Bates, "The Quest for the Dress"...

• Kelly and Michaela meet with Kim, Kelly’s older sister, to discuss flowers for the wedding. Kim has a flower shop in Mebane, North Carolina, called Gallery Florist. She has done flowers for each of the Bates kids’ weddings, as well as for Kelly’s wedding.
• Michaela wants cherry blossoms, but since they aren't in season in August, she settles for silk flowers.
• After Kelly married Gil, her mom adopted two daughters. One of those girls, Beth, is getting married the month before Michaela, so Kelly and Michaela meet up with the rest of the family for Beth’s wedding shower. Michaela and Beth are only a year apart in age and are close friends.
• For one of the shower games, guests divide up into teams and create toilet paper wedding dresses. Afterwards, Gil the penny pincher gathers the leftover toilet paper to take home. “Man, look at all this savings!” exclaims Gil. “This is the soft kind.”
• Later, Erin and Chad have a photographer take newborn pictures of Carson. “I have never known why people want to go take pictures of itty bitty babies,” says Nathan. “And then the next thing is, why they always want to take their clothes off and put them in a little bucket or something."
• Michaela, accompanied by her mom, sisters, and sister-in-law, heads to White Lace & Promises in Knoxville, Tennessee, in search of the perfect wedding dress. The bride-to-be wants a simple gown that makes her look skinny and has a train and sleeves.
• As expected, Michaela is hit with an onslaught of opinions each time she tries on a dress. “I’m going to tell you something about the Bates,” says Josie. “They are not scared to say what they think. They just blurt it out. Whitney doesn’t do that, but we do that.” 
• “It is good to be honest,” agrees Whitney. “But you have to do it in a loving kind of way.”
• Tori and Carlin turn out to be the biggest critics.
• After trying on a bunch of wedding dresses, Michaela admits to feeling discouraged. “I was thinking, ‘Maybe we should just elope or have a tiny wedding that nobody is going to see,'” she shares. 
• But before long, Michaela finds exactly what she has been looking for. The gown will need extensive alterations to remove some of the poof and add capped sleeves, but everyone agrees that it is very “Michaela.”
• The only catch is that it will cost nearly $2,000, which is significantly more than Michaela had allotted for in her wedding budget. She resolves to pray about it and make the final decision in a few days. 

Recap: "The Bates Go to Florida"

Here is the recap of last night's show. We usually post our recaps immediately after each episode airs, but we were delayed this week due to technical difficulties. Thank you for your patience. :)

Bringing Up Bates "The Bates Go to Florida"

• The Bates clan arrives in Florida. 
• The entire family heads to Clearwater to go to the beach for the first time in seven years.
• "We like beaches, and we like people," says Gil. "We just like people to have all their clothes on at the beaches."
• Several of the kids wear swimsuits, which means WholesomeWear for the girls and swim trunks and shirts for the boys. The others wear regular clothes, but that doesn't stop their dad and siblings from throwing them in the ocean.
• Next, the family goes to the Clearwater Aquarium, where they have the privilege of feeding Winter, a dolphin with a prosthetic tale who stars in the movies Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2.
• "It was pretty cool getting to pet a movie star dolphin...says " Katie.
• At Showcase of Citrus, the Bates pick fresh oranges. Then, they take a ride on one of the world's largest monster trucks. "I don't' think you could have picked a better way to end the trip," says Lawson.

Recap: "A Big Bates Thanksgiving"

Bringing Up Bates "A Big Bates Thanksgiving"

• Erin visits her doctor to determine the gender of her baby. The results are written on a piece of paper and sealed in an envelope, which Erin will give to her cousin Katherine so she can bake a cake with either pink or blue inside. "I am a super curious person, especially when it comes to what my baby is," says Erin.
• The family packs up and heads to Gil's parents' farm in Honea Path, South Carolina. Mama Jane and Papa Bill prepare to feed a few dozen family members for Thanksgiving Dinner.
• Gil's parents have owned their farm since they moved to the area when Gil was in third grade. Now, his brother and sister each own a house and several acres of land on the property. Gil and Kelly also own several acres.
• The entire family gathers together, including Michaella's boyfriend, Brandon.
• On Thanksgiving Day, Callie accidentally slams Jeb's finger in a door. Later, during the annual family football game (married guys versus single guys) Zach injures his knee. But no one ends up in the emergency room, so the Bates consider it a good day.
• Growing up, Gil spent a lot of time playing sports. His parents say he had a hard time balancing athletics with other priorities. Now that he has kids, he encourages them to put Christ first, which means they don't play organized sports.
• The Bates put on their matching outfits (purples, blues, and grays) and take family photos. Chad the photographer organizes the pictures.
• Bill and Jane rent a tent for Thanksgiving Dinner because their house isn't big enough to accommodate their growing family. After the meal, the Bates move inside and reflect on what they are thankful for. "There was probably not a dry eye in the place," says Gil.
• Kelly's response is the most touching: "I'm really thankful that y'all are so forgiving because I know as parents, we have let you down so many times. There have been times that we were upset with y'all that we shouldn't have been, or that we should have cut you slack and we didn't, or that we were impatient. And y'all have put up and endured and even encouraged us along and are so forgiving. And many times we look back and we feel like failures as parents, and we feel like we've let y'all down in so many ways. And y'all are the greatest kids in the world. Y'all encourage us so much. I just love every one of you.
• Gil says he is thankful that his wife had the idea of leaving the size of their family up to God. He thought it was crazy at first, but looking back, he says it was one of the best decisions he has ever made.
• Everyone gathers around as Erin cuts into the cake baked by her cousin. The inside is blue, which means she and Chad are having a boy!
• To end the night, Lawson plays piano while Papa Bill and Mama Jane dance. Mama Jane tries to teach Nathan. "Nathan cannot dance," says Michaella.
• The following day, the Bates (everyone but Michaella, who is returning home to Tennessee to work, and Brandon, who is flying back to Michigan) gather up their belongings to head down to Florida.
• The family talks about how different Thanksgiving will be in 2015. "Bradley might have a girl in his life...a sister," says Zach. "Zach, be serious!" responds Whitney.
• "There might be a couple more wives, or girlfriends," says Nathan. "I am not getting married before next Thanksgiving," confirms Lawson.

Recap: "The Purity Ring"

Tonight on Bringing Up Bates, "The Purity Ring"...

• Lawson Bates prepares to sing the National Anthem for 15,000 people at a University of Tennessee men's basketball game. When he first mentioned the idea to his parents, they thought it wouldn't be possible, but Lawson made it happen. "He doesn't give up," says Kelly. "He kept pursuing, and that's encouraging as a parent."
• The rest of the Bates clan attends the game to support Lawson. This is the first major sporting event they have attended as a family.
• Before the performance, Lawson admits he is extremely nervous, but he ends up doing very well. Lawson's parents and siblings are proud of his accomplishment. Gil tears up as he listens to his son sing.
• "It was absolutely awesome," says Carlin. "The crowd loved it," says Nathan.
• Later, Carlin is shocked when she receives a special delivery: a bouquet of flowers, a fancy dress, and an invite to a dinner date with Mom and Dad.
• Carlin is all smiles as she and her parents enjoy a meal at an expensive restaurant, just the three of them.
• Gil starts to cry as presents her with a purity ring. "This is a little gift that we got you," says the father of 19. "It's valuable, but what you are is way more valuable than any gift we could give you, and what God's given you is a wholesome, pure life. And I want you to keep it until the day that I hand you off to some fine young man that loves God, and then he will begin to take care of you."
• Kelly says that she expects Carlin to start forming friendships with guys and to enter into a courtship when she finds a guy she really likes.
• "For us, a purity ring is something we have given our girls, just as a symbol for them and a reminder for them to keep their heart pure and to put God first in their life and to save themselves for marriage," says the mom of 19.
• At Zach and Whitney's house, the couple shares how they are adjusting to life with a new baby. "Whitney is an amazing mom," says Zach. "I'm just blown away. The way her and Bradley bond, you'd think she'd had 20 or 30 kids of her own already." Whitney says her husband is an excellent father.
• The Bates brings a pile of frozen pizzas over to Zach and Whitney's for some family bonding time. Kelly comes up with the idea of getting together every other Friday night, and everyone agrees.