Kelly's blog: One busy year

From wedding bells, to babies, this has been quite a year.  Memories that we’ve made will last a lifetime and I’m so grateful for all of them. The kids did such an amazing job putting together the surprise party for Gil.  It made us both feel very special when we learned the sacrifices and hard work that went into the preparation and planning. It also made me proud that they pulled it off all by themselves, without me overseeing the project. It really was a gift from their heart to their Dad that he will never forget! There wasn’t a dry eye in the place, and it was so special to share that day with old friends that have meant so much to us throughout the years. I couldn’t think of a better way to end the season. We thank each of you for inviting our family into your homes each week through UP TV.

Kelly's blog: Bringing Up MORE Bates?!

It was a surprise to find that so many are be curious if we would like to have more children! I’m sure you can tell by now, but we would love to add to our family, if that is what God has planned for us. Each child has been a blessing and I believe the children share our excitement and love for children! It looks like that love is going to be spread to grandbabies, at present, and we are grateful God is growing our family in this way!

We so enjoyed answering questions as a family.  Although we don’t always agree on the answers, I think it’s safe to say that we had fun debating them.

And how about that baby game? I think the baby pictures brought so many memories and joy for us all, but I think we were all a little baffled trying to match names and faces!

Kelly's blog: Tis The Season For Togetherness

I could watch tonight’s episode over and over again. How blessed we all are to spend Thanksgiving together as a family; and a growing family, I might add!
Papa Bill and Mama Jane sure had their work cut out for them. Thanksgiving dinner can be a daunting task for a normal sized family, so I bet you can guess just how much preparation went in to a Bates’ sized affair!
Mama Jane was sure thankful to have help from Alyssa. What would we do without Alyssa’s organizational skills?!
All in all, it was a wonderful day filled with laughter, teamwork, delicious food and a lot of love. We definitely have a lot to be thankful for.

Kelly's blog: House Rules

We encourage our children to bring friends to our house, because we like to be involved in their lives. We think fellowship that happens in family settings gives young people a safe haven to get to know each other and to enjoy each other’s company. We especially enjoy spending time with someone that is involved in a courtship with one of our children, because it offers some bonding time with the rest of the family that will establish long lasting relationships once married.

We do set up some rules, as we shared in the show. One is that boys and girls are not allowed in a room together alone. This just establishes some wise boundaries, plus allows some space for a visitor who might not be used to 20 sets of eyeballs staring at them 24/7!

With Brandon, we wanted him to see all areas of our life from work to play to long talks and walks. We wanted him to have bonding time with each age group, because we want him to feel like family and to be treated like family. I think it was fun for all, in spite of some of the sibling’s self-appointed duty to act as security guards and inspection agents!! Wouldn’t have it any other way and can’t wait to welcome Brandon in as an official member of our family.

Kelly's blog: Family Milestones

There is no greater feeling as a parent than seeing your children grow into passionate young adults.  This episode was meaningful, because Lawson reached a goal that seemed impossible, yet he never gave up. It was also special, because we realize Carlin is quickly growing up and we shared a special moment with her to set important goals for her future.



Watching Lawson sing the National Anthem at the University of Tennessee’s Men’s Basketball game was an experience Gil and I will never forget. I think Gil’s tears said it all! It was the first time that the whole family had been together for a big sports game, and I was at a loss for words at how much it meant for us all to be there together to cheer Lawson on. I know that Lawson is pursuing his dreams, and as a mother, I could not be more proud of him. He is proving to us all the importance of setting goals and working hard to reach those goals. It’s a valuable life lesson that all of his younger siblings are taking note of.



Our dinner with Carlin was a sentimental time, as we have learned just how quickly the children grow into adults and begin their own families. I can hardly believe that she is already 17 years old! Giving a purity ring to each one of our girls has been a major emphasis for us, because it gives them purpose and direction and shows how much they are valued. It also solidifies the close bond that we have with them.  Gil and I feel incredibly blessed to be able to share these moments with our daughters.



One of the many things I’ve learned since some of the children have left the nest is the importance of family time. We all are being pulled in so many different directions now, and it is easy to get lost in the shuffle of our individual schedules. It is so important to make quality time to be with one another! I loved that Zach and Whitney had the whole family over for dinner. There’s nothing I adore more than being together with my children. We missed you, Alyssa and John!



Love, Kelly

Kelly's blog: Becoming a Grandma

My cheeks hurt from smiling during this episode! What an incredible time in our lives to be able to share with all of you! From Erin’s pregnancy announcement to Alyssa’s FaceTime updates to Bradley’s birth, you can say that I am one VERY happy Grandma. Having 3 of our children pregnant at the same was quite the thrill for Gil and me… and we couldn’t have been happier.

Whitney has become a true daughter to me, and it was so special for me to be able to coach her and give her advice during the stages of her pregnancy. Giving Zach’s baby book to Whitney was one of the most touching moments that we had shared in our relationship. It was so fun going page by page with her and sharing the joy of having a child. Don’t get me wrong though, it was very hard for me to give up that book! Passing along Zach’s baby book definitely signified closing a chapter in my life, since it is unlikely at this stage that Gil and I will have another child. However, we are more than blessed to be starting our role of grandparents!

How funny was it watching Zach when we all thought Whitney was going into labor? He was far more nervous than Whitney was! You would think that after helping out with all of his younger brothers and sisters, Zach would be an experienced pro with no nerves. That wasn’t the case, though! It’s far different to be the dad versus an older brother, and it gives Gil and me so much pleasure to watch him embrace the father role. My advice remains the same: you can’t neglect your partner once you have children… your partner is all you will have left when the kids leave the house!

Zach is such an awesome dad, and little Bradley is lucky to have him! Zach and Whitney make the cutest parents, and I can’t wait for you all to see more of Bradley! I am beyond in love with him.

Love, Kelly

INTERNET RESOURCES & TIPS

The availability of technology can be a useful tool in homeschooling. It can also be a destructive vice if misused. For this reason, we recommend using some safety tips for internet usage in the home:

• Place the computer in a central location where it is in view of others
• Establish time restrictions that the computer cannot be used (In parental controls)
• Use filters in parental controls to choose the desired maturity level that can be accessed
• Install a program like Covenant Eyes or Ever Accountable to receive accountability reports
• Regularly discuss dangers and establish safety goals
• Limit usage to educational purpose, rather than entertainment and social
• Encourage communication about internet usage, temptations, experiences, questions, etc.
• Listen as a family to The Dark Side of the Internet  sermon by Rand Hummel (http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Dr._Rand_Hummel)

Once you’ve established some safety and accountability goals, find resources and links you can use to help improve your students’ skills. Do not use these resources as a replacement for curriculum, but they can be very helpful for quizzing, improving skills, promoting learning and comprehension of a specific subject. This can be a great help to the mom that has many students raising their hands for help at the same time. Instead of sitting and waiting, if you have a list of sites already on their checklist, they can make use of their waiting time. This is not just filling their time with unnecessary and repetitive “busy work,” because their individualized checklist includes subjects they actually need extra drill work on. It gives a fun change in between their regular workbook, DVD, or computer routine that can be just the right “pick me up” to re-arouse their interest. (Caution: Avoid  letting the focus be on games that have more pizzazz and appeal than actual educational benefit.)

  Most of these sites were introduced to us by friends and other homeschool families, but there are many more resources that can be found. So if you have some suggestions of conservative educational sites that encouraging learning, feel free to share them.

1. Sheppard Software http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/

We learned about this site from Joy Duggar. It quizzes on many subjects, but the little girls (Addee, Ellie, and Callie) learned to locate the states and name the capitals from this site.

2. Kahn Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/

This is a great site for help with science and math (especially upper levels subjects like chemistry and physics). Short tutorials are shown with plenty of explanation and practice!

3. Homeschool Math http://www.homeschoolmath.net/

This is one of many sites that provides practice math drills for every grade, sorted by concepts. So if your student needs extra drill work on addition, multiplication, fractions, or any other concepts, this will help solidify their mastery. 

4. Language Arts Skills http://www.ixl.com/ela/

This is one of many sites that gives drill work for language skills at each grade level.

5. The Pioneer Woman

http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/2012/12/free-online-educational-resources/

The Pioneer Woman lists an abundance of links and descriptions for sites to help with homeschooling

The best advice is word of mouth recommendations by those who have tested the resources and have found them helpful enough that they want to share them with others!

27 years of marriage!

December 19, 2014, was our 27th anniversary, and probably one of the most memorable ones we’ve ever had! (Yes, I’m way behind on posts, and you’ll have to be patient as I share anniversary photos over the next several posts!!)

  A few years ago, we decided to take turns taking one or two of our children along with us on special trips in order to spend quality time together. This year, we decided to take Nathan & Tori with us to Arizona. We took a train ride to the Grand Canyon, where we stayed the night. We visited the home of some sweet friends, Kory & Kerry Nakatsu (www.abidingradio.org),  and toured Goldfield Ghost Town and Tortilla Flat together for some beautiful sightseeing and fun! Needless to say, it was one incredible and packed adventure!!!

Kelly's blog: Organized Chaos

Changing out clothes for the season can seem enormously overwhelming when you are talking about wardrobes for 19 different children! From the expressions on tonight’s show, you can guess that it’s also not always loads of fun. Regardless, it is necessary, and it does give us opportunity to talk about attitude, cooperation, patience, initiative, and all of the important qualities that can help completion of a task run smoothly and joyfully. Not to worry, though, there are projects that we do look forward to! Some of them include speaking & singing engagements, church events, holidays with all the decorating and planning, etc. Preparation for these moments can also seem overwhelming, but there’s usually a lot of laughter and fun memories in the process. Tonight’s episode shared one of our favorite events, performing at Tennessee’s Museum of Appalachia’s annual bluegrass music festival.

We try to work together and prepare for public events like this, but we try to make it fun in the process. They say practice makes perfect, but that doesn’t always happen in our case! We try anyway! We usually have a pep talk about our goals and ministry opportunities. Usually anything worthwhile takes much work and sacrifice, but if the results can encourage another, then our efforts have not been in vain. I’m always grateful when the children try to work together, especially when the request means putting others before self. Sometimes it’s tiring and difficult, and we usually feel inadequate in ability and in preparedness, so I’m pleased with their effort.

Thank you so much for your support so far with our new show! We are all so incredibly grateful for the positive comments you have passed along to us.

Love, Kelly

Kelly's blog: How Does Your Garden Grow?

Every project is a BIG project in our house! Cooking meals, doing laundry, planning the schedule, and yes, even planting a garden can seem enormously overwhelming when you’ve got so many opinions weighing in! Who knew that planting a garden with the kids would create such strong feelings? I think somewhere along the way, they forgot the garden is going to produce vegetables and not skittles or chocolate covered candies! Gil reminded us all when he said, “This is a lot of work for food I’m not even sure I like!” We encourage healthy competition, but there’s no room for sore losers in the Bates household! In this particular instance, the kids needed to be reminded that a few moments ago, no one really cared about planting the garden, let alone where it should go! Well, just as any mom would, I stepped in and turned this moment of temporary tension into a learning experience for our family. No one likes to lose; we all love winning, but sometimes we have to ask ourselves at what cost? Have we turned a molehill into a mountain just for the sake of “winning” or getting our own way? We have to remember, that as a family, we’re on the same team and sometimes that means we give up our individual desires for the betterment of the team. When one of us is down, we’re all down! The point is, we should always (and only) be planting seeds of peace, love, joy, and kindness. Gil and I get asked a lot to give tips on parenting, and that’s hard to do, but the best advice we can give about making decisions in any size family is to make sure everyone feels seen, heard, valued and of course, loved. So it was, that I had to concede on where we planted our little garden! As I told my son Warden, “We’ll be the givers this time and maybe next time, we’ll be the takers.” All for the sake of the team…go Team Bates!

Love, Kelly Jo

Kelly's blog: FAMILY CONFERENCE

What: Dr. SM Davis will visit Bible Baptist Church to host a family conference. Join us to hear topics on expectations, priorities, parenting, anger the destroyer, and more!
When:  January 25-27, Sunday at 10 am, 11 am, 6 pm and on Monday & Tuesday evenings at 7pm.
Where: We will move our regular church service to a different location to accommodate guests. Services will be held at the Junior Achievement Hollingsworth Building, 2135 N. Charles G. Seviers Blvd.,Clinton, TN.
Bio: Dr. S. M. Davis has been married to Rae Jean since 1969. They are the parents of 4 daughters who with their husbands and 12 grandchildren, are all actively serving the Lord.He is the founder and director of Solve Family Problems, a DVD ministry that gives Biblical solutions to critical family problems, as well as help to foresee and avoid problems. After serving for 36 years as the Pastor of Park Meadows Baptist Church in Lincoln, Illinois, Dr. Davis became a full time conference speaker in 2012.

Kelly's blog: Patience Please

In tonight’s episode we took a road trip to North Carolina to visit my mom (known to us as Meema) and my wonderful sisters. One of the first stops we made was at one of our favorite consignment stores where I found the deal of the day! I found a Sit n’ Spin (among other things) in great condition and I got an additional 75% off!  I know it goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway… It’s amazing how much you can save by buying used items. Shopping at thrift stores has saved our family so much money over the years and it has provided a lot of fun for our family, too! After our shopping spree, we headed to my sister Kim’s floral shop. Kim can turn absolutely anything into something fun and entertaining for the kids. It’s a true talent, one that I greatly admire. Thankfully, she’s also patient. Whether you have one child or 19 kids, parenting requires a lot of patience, doesn’t it? I love the saying, “Patience isn’t just waiting, it’s waiting with a good attitude” because it’s so true. Whether we’re training our kids how to behave in public or waiting on God to answer our heart’s prayer, it’s important to wait with a hopeful attitude. For those of you who watched tonight’s episode, you now know that Erin and Chad are having a baby. This is certainly an example of answered prayer and our hearts are overflowing with joy at the news of having a third grandbaby! There’s so much in store and we can’t wait to share! Love, Kelly

Kelly's blog: Bates Go Camping

Before I get to this week’s blog, I want to let all of you know how grateful our family is for the love and support you’ve given the show over the last few weeks. We hope and pray that the show continues to make a positive impact and encourages others. Thank you all!
Happy New Year Everyone! It’s a chilly 36 degrees in Rocky Top today, so watching this week’s episode sure makes me miss warmer weather! I have to admit Lawson speaks the truth when he says, “it’s always hard to get going when we’re doing something as a family,” but as the Mom I’ll add, it’s always worth it! Camping is an activity that is a lot of work for mom and dad and it may not be restful (especially with snoring), but we make those sacrifices anyway because we know it will be a great family memory for the kids. It was also a breath of fresh air to get away from the busyness, the hectic schedules and responsibilities (I’m sure a lot of moms can relate). One of Gil’s favorite tidbits of advice for families is, “You need to come apart, so you don’t come apart.” It’s a play on words, but what it means is that families need to have some get away time together to help spare them from the feelings of being overwhelmed, which often can infiltrate a mom’s overworked mind. Another favorite bit of advice Gil gives is, “Families that play together, stay together.” We suggest having lots of “making memories” time together. Years later, no one will remember how hard it was to plan or to pack or to sleep there…but they’ll all remember the laughter when Tori backed into the trailer. They’ll remember laughing when the canoe tipped or when dad kept the entire lot of campers awake with his snoring. They’ll remember all of the great times together and all will be treasured memories. That’s what family is all about! I hope this encourages you to make more time for making memories.
Love, Kelly

Kelly's blog: Bates Family Rules for Harmony

When Gil and I first got married, believe it or not… I wasn’t sure I wanted to have children. I’m sure that surprises most of you, because 19 kids later, it still surprises me! As every parent out there knows; raising kids is not easy. We get asked all the time what the hardest part of having 19 kids is…. My response: the laundry! I’ve learned so much over the years about being a mom, and yet I still have days where I don’t feel like I’ve mastered the art of being one. We’ve been so encouraged by other families, I thought I’d share a few of the “rules” our family lives by in hopes that they may encourage you on a day where maybe you feel overwhelmed or weary in well-doing.
We love God. Our faith is and will forever be the foundation of our family. Having regular family Bible study times gives the family a chance to come together for a common goal.
We recognize we’re not perfect: we might mess-up but we always make-up. This means learning to say, “I’m sorry” often!
We laugh. As you might have guessed, we have more than a few comedians in this bunch! Not only is the saying, “The family that prays together, stays together” true, but you can also add, “The family that plays together, stays together.”
We encourage each other and we never give up on one another. It’s easy to be critical and focus on one another’s shortcomings, but we must learn to forgive! Praise must be a daily dose of preventative medicine that we serve daily.
We talk, talk, talk….and talk some more! Yes, our house is loud with 21 talking all at once, but communication really is key in a good relationship. Relationships are like gardens; there’s a lot of preparation and tending to for progress to be seen. A good relationship requires time and effort!
Now, it’s time for me to get back to bringing up my Bates.

2015: New Year, New Goals

 It’s that time of year for making New Year’s resolutions.. There’s wisdom in reviewing our habits, priorities, and attitudes to see what changes we should make for a more productive and fulfilling year.
 If we were tending a garden, we would take time to weed it, water it, tie up the drooping plants, add fertilizer, seek counsel from experts, or do any other actions necessary to make the garden bear more fruit. And so it is with our lives, if we’ll take the time to work on changes that will be beneficial, and if we’ll seek guidance from the Lord, then we’ll see more fruit in our lives.
  That kind of work will be tiring, difficult, dirty, unpleasant, and time consuming…but the farmer enjoying his harvest would say it’s worth it! Yes, getting our priorities right and weeding out the stuff in our lives that isn’t so good for us will be difficult; it will require self-control, diligence, determination, and humility…but the joy in our hearts and the harmony in our homes would make us agree, those efforts are worthwhile!
So get out a pen and paper, and start a list! Pray about it; ask God what changes He would like you to make this year. Meet with the family and encourage one another with some goals and accountability. Think about some changes you might need to make in the following areas:
Spiritual
* Have personal time with the Lord- reading your bible and praying
* Have family bible study
* Be consistent in church attendance
* Get involved in ministry opportunities- nursing homes, VBS, some other outreach
* Have a clear conscience- Guard your eyes and your heart from things that would harm you and those you love
RELATIONSHIPS

    Ask forgiveness from those you have hurt
    Be willing to forgive those who have hurt you, not because they asked or even deserve it, but because it’s what Christ did for us
    Invest time in the lives of those you love
    Begin a regular date night with your spouse
    Begin a regular game night with the kids
    Read a book together as a family

ATTITUDE
    Be easy to approach, and hard to make angry
    Choose to be a content person, not a complainer
    PRAISE others, give them room to grow and be patient
    Be dependable and diligent
    Be trustworthy and humble

  The list could go on and on…. But what’s on paper does little good, unless it reaches our heart… and then our feet and hands. So let’s set some goals and put some action with it! By God’s grace, this year, let’s be different. Let’s seek to please the Lord with our lives, and with His help, let’s make a difference in someone else’s.
A good movie to watch  to start the New Year off is Not a Fan. You can watch it free on the following vimeo link:

UP TV's Kelly blog: Bringing up Bates

Wow, what a first episode! It’s hard to believe that the first episode of Bringing Up Bates has aired. I have to admit, I had a lot of butterflies as we headed into this new adventure. Gil and I weren’t sure this was the right thing to do for our family but after a lot of talking and a lot more prayer, we decided this was an opportunity to show the love we have for our family and more importantly, the love we have for God with the rest of the world. We hope it has a positive impact on all who watch!

Nothing in the world makes me happier than when the entire family is together, which is why I loved this first episode. Whitney’s baby shower was such a fun way to celebrate the coming arrival of our grandson and then for our daughter,   Alyssa to announce that she too was pregnant was just over-the-top exciting for us. Where did she get that “Bun in the Oven” shirt?! There’s something really special about seeing your kids happy and having kids. If you can’t already tell, Gil and I are so excited to be grandparents. Of course, when you have 19 kids, there’s never a dull moment and when I got the call that Trace had been in a car wreck, the first thing that came to my head was that everyone was trying to make light of the situation for my sake. I wasn’t sure just how bad a wreck it really was and I know my husband and my kids always try to protect me in that way. Despite what could have been, Trace walked away from the terrible accident almost untouched. Thank you God!

In this episode, we also relive moments of Erin and Chad grieving from their miscarriage. No matter how old your kids get, watching your kids experience pain is extremely hard and knowing there’s nothing you can do for them except to pray and to wait isn’t easy either. Gil and I have been so blessed by our daughter’s faithfulness and so encouraged by Chad’s strength in God in the midst of their pain and loss. I know wholeheartedly that God has a wonderful plan for their life and I cannot wait to see it unfold.

NEW NEWS FOR THE NEW YEAR

 We are so thankful for all the hard work Johnson Marketing and Media has put into updating and redesigning our website. We look forward to being able to keep you updated on our family’s news through this website. One change to the site includes a new homeschool blog, in addition to the family blog.

   We are also grateful to UP TV for wanting to put more family shows on that are uplifting and wholesome. We are also grateful to Figure 8 Films, along with Matt Hightower and his wonderful crew, for the many hours they’ve spent with our family- through the noise, the chaos, and all the fun memories! We hope the show will be an encouragement to other families who are just striving to make ends meet and to have a happy home! Tune into UP TV on New Year’s Day at 9 pm eastern time for the premiere of Bringing Up Bates and to Good Morning America New Year’s morning for a glimpse of  home life Bates style! God Bless and Happy New Year!

Kelly's blog: Merry Christmas!

Please take time to watch this short 5 minute video to encourage your family during this special holiday season! Join David & Priscilla Waller as they share the Christmas story, while Brandon Keilen’s drawings make the story come to life… This will be a great way for your family to pause and meditate on the REASON for the SEASON and to make sure that our focus is on Christ in Christmas (To watch, click on the link below or copy and paste in your browser)

http://iblp.org/news/story-timeless-book

MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Bates Family!

Stocking Stuffers

Merry Christmas from the Bates Family! Countdown…… 2 1/2 weeks til CHRISTMAS!! So stock up on gifts for friends and family!

Christmas Special ONLY thru Dec 31st!

Listen to samples before you buy at:

http://store.thebatesfamily.com/erinmusic.aspx

Merciful & Mighty CD

Original arrangements of majestic hymns of the faith played on the piano by Erin Bates

Songs like Holy Holy Holy, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, and How Great Thou Art

Buy 1 CD $10 (FREE SHIPPING) or Downloads $9.99

BUY 5 or more CDs  $5 each

Down Home Gospel CD

Southern Gospel arrangements featuring piano and fiddle with Erin Bates and Andy Leftwich

Songs like What A Friend We Have In Jesus, Just a Closer Walk With Thee, and When the Saints Go Marching In

Buy 1 CD $10 (FREE SHIPPING) or Downloads $9.99

BUY 5 or more CDs  $5 each

COMBO CD PACK

Receive Merciful & Mighty and Down Home Gospel

Buy Both CDS $19.99 (FREE SHIPPING)

or $14.99 Downloads

Bringing up Bates

 Sorry for the huge delay in posts; a whirlwind of exciting events have happened in the past few weeks…The most important being the birth of our first grandbaby BRADLEY GILVIN BATES! The next post will be dedicated to him, with lots of adorable photos!  The day after Bradley’s birth, we headed to Arkansas for Jessa Duggar’s wedding, and enjoyed a short, but wonderful visit with special friends!

  The other exciting activity around the Bates home has included filming for a brand new show “BRINGING UP BATES,”  airing on UP TV beginning January 1st! (http://www.uptv.com/bringingupbates)

 

   We love UP TV’s goal to bring uplifting, family friendly shows to homes. We pray BRINGING UP BATES will be a positive experience that will offer hope to others, as we all encounter similar struggles faced in our parenting, relationships, faith, and family adventures!   

(Photos from UP’s website)