Saturday, September 28, 2013

Meet the Duggars in Texas

The Duggars are headed to Fort Worth, Texas! Here are the details...

Thursday, October 24, 2013, 10:00am
Duggar family to attend MacGorman Chapel*
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
4616 Stanley Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76115
*This event is open to the public and does not require registration.


October 25-26, 2013 (Friday-Saturday)
Michelle Duggar to speak at the Art of Homemaking Conference
Friday (6:30-8pm) and Saturday (4-5:15pm)
Student registration $25; regular registration $50
Click here for registration information
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Riley Center
1701 W. Boyce Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76115

Duggars on Netflix!

Are you a U.S. Netflix user? Now you can watch unlimited episodes of 17 Kids and Counting, 18 Kids and Counting, and 19 Kids and Counting. That's right, the Duggars are now listed on Netflix! (Thanks to one of our loyal readers for the heads-up.)

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Recap: "An Emotional Goodbye" and "Farm Fresh Duggars"

19 Kids and Counting, "An Emotional Goodbye" 
  • The rest of the Duggar moving crew and several Bates kids arrive to help Josh and Anna get settled into their new house. "We've spent the last three nights in the RV, so I'm really excited that the moving trucks are showing up this morning," says Anna.
  • Jim Bob compares his super-sized family to an octopus: "Sometimes those tentacles have a tendency to overlap or conflict with each other." The Duggars admit that they are not professional movers, but with 25 people, they can accomplish a lot in a short period of time.
  • When all the trucks are empty, the Duggar girls bring Anna to tears by surprising her with a bunch of cute decorations and framed photos.  They stay up all night transforming the house into a home that looks professionally decorated.
  • To celebrate Anna's 25th birthday, the Duggars hop into the bus and make the 10-mile drive into Washington D.C. for a carousel ride, which brings on nausea for most of the family. Afterwards, they head to a restaurant for their last meal together as a family.
  • The next morning, everyone gets up early to head back to Arkansas, but first, it's time to say goodbye. "All good things must come to an end," says Jim Bob. Everyone exchanges hugs and sheds tears.
  • After the bus drives away, Josh heads out for his first day of work. "Watching Josh drive away and realizing that I'm here in a new city with three small children...it's not going to be an easy adjustment, but we'll make it through," says Anna. 
 19 Kids and Counting, "Farm Fresh Duggars" 
  • Although there are currently no babies in the Duggar home, Michelle says she is not taking down her diaper changing station. She would welcome more kids and is open to the idea of adoption. Jim Bob is onboard with that idea but also has something else in mind for the family's immediate future. Duggar Family Farm, anyone?
  • The Duggar dad dreams of growing food and raising livestock on a section of his 20 acres of land. He loads his wife and kids into the bus and drives three hours to the Youngblood GrassFed Farm in southwest Arkansas to experience a real family farm.
  • The Duggars rise at 5:30am to get to work. Michelle and the older girls start off by feeding the pigs. "They stink really bad," says Jessa, who hopes there won't be any pigs on the Duggar Family Farm.
  • The little boys learn how to milk cows, while the little girls feed the chickens and collect eggs. Meanwhile, Jim Bob inspects a pregnant heifer. "I was elbow deep into their farming thing," jokes the father of 19.
  • Later, the Duggars head over to the Youngblood's meat shop (Meatworks Butchery & Market), where the girls help prepare an organic, farm-fresh meal and the guys work in the butcher shop. "I haven't seen this much butchering since my dad tried to speak Spanish," laughs Jessa.
  •  At the store, Michelle is able to connect with a mom who lost a child at 1 pound, 8 ounces (2 ounces more than Josie weighed at birth).
  • So are the Duggars going to start a family farm? The day was filled with a lot more surprises than Jim Bob had imagined, but he and Michelle are going to pray about it.

Duggar Lineup in 8 Seconds

Michelle Duggar can list all 19 of her kids' names in 8 seconds. How quickly can you list them?

Tonight on TLC


Tune in to TLC tonight for two new episodes of 19 Kids and Counting! Last week, the Duggars helped pack up Josh and Anna's belongings and haul them to Washington D.C. Now it's time to watch the family part ways. You might want to have a box of tissues on hand for this. 
  
9pm EST/8pm CST: An Emotional Goodbye
Jim Bob and Michelle knew that eventually one of their 19 children would move away, and that bittersweet milestone has arrived: it's time for the Duggar family to say goodbye to Josh and Anna.

9:30pm EST/8:30pm CST: Farm Fresh Duggars
Are the Duggars ready to take on raising more than just 19 kids? Jim Bob thinks they're ready to raise cows, chickens and pigs, too! The family spends the day on a working farm to see what it would be like if they had one in their own backyard.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Duggars in Iowa [Photos]

Here are several photos, courtesy of Grace Mally from Tomorrow's Forefathers, of a recent day that the Duggars and Mallys spent witnessing at the University of Iowa. Also included at the end is another picture from the Turning Hearts event that the Duggars attended on Labor Day.

 Jim Bob and Michelle meet Avalon, a girl whose time with
the Duggars was an answer to prayers (literally!)
 Eating lunch at the office of Bright Lights
(a ministry of Tomorrow's Forefathers)

The Duggar boys pass out trillion dollar bills at the University of Iowa

 Michelle Duggar shares her testimony at the University of Iowa

 Jana Duggar has a one-on-one conversation with a passerby

Jinger Duggar during her long conversation with a group of teens 

 The Duggars share music with students at the University of Iowa


The Duggars with the Mallys and other friends

While in Iowa, the Duggars also attended a picnic with 1,300 others

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Old Trusty II

Do you remember watching the Duggars travel the west coast of the United States in On the Road with 16 Children? They made that trip, and many others, in a motor home nicknamed "Old Trusty." Now with a family of his own, Josh Duggar traded for a motor home similar to the one he traveled in as a kid. Check out this video:

Video no longer available

Between a Rocker and a Hard Place

When the Duggars visit Tennessee on their way to Washington D.C., Gil and Kelly Bates surprise Josh and Anna with a rocking chair. "A new mommy needs a rocking chair, and an experienced mommy needs one, too," says Kelly. But when Josh can't fit the Bates' generous gift in the RV, he has to rely on good old-fashioned ingenuity.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Duggars' Big Move [Photos]

On their way to Washington D.C., the Duggars stopped in Tennessee to see some friends who also have 19 children. Here are a few photos from the big move and the Duggars' visit with the Bates family:

Michael Duggar (2 years old)



 Michelle Duggar with grandchildren Mackynzie (3) and Marcus (newborn)

 Jinger, Jill, and Jessa Duggar visit with the Bates

 Josh and Anna Duggar share a meal at the Bates' kitchen table

 Fellowshipping with the Bates clan


 Jessa and nephew Marcus Duggar

 Josie Duggar

 Jana and Jill Duggar with Marcus

 Justin Duggar

 Josh and Anna Duggar with Marcus

25 Duggars + 21 Bates = 1 Full House

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

"Big Changes" Recap

On tonight's new episode of 19 Kids and Counting, "Big Changes"...

  • The show kicks off with an updated intro.  
  • One week before they move to Washington D.C., Josh and Anna take Marcus in for a well-baby checkup to make sure he is ready to travel across the country.
  • Before making their big move, Josh and Anna head to the nation's capital to find a house to rent. They decide to start their search in the suburbs, where they hope to have more breathing room. After looking at three options, the couple is ready to make their decision. 
  • They pass up the two with more limited living quarters that are closest to the metro for a 3,000 square-foot home with five bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. Josh will have to drive to work every day but is happy to make the sacrifice for his kids, who are thrilled with the new house.
  • The day before Josh and Anna leave, they invite the whole Duggar crew over for a packing party. Jim Bob's only question about the whole process is, "What's for lunch?" 
  • But guess who walks in while he and Josh are taking a pizza break? Their personal trainer! He quickly takes charge and makes them do the heaviest lifting, while himself enjoying an ice cream sandwich.
  • While packing, the kids have some fun with the label maker, which includes tagging their oldest brother with a sticker that reads "Slavedriver Josh."
  • After one long day of work, five years of memories are packed up, and the Duggar caravan is ready to leave Arkansas.
  • "As a mom, it's hard," says Michelle. "You want your children nearby, but yet you want them to follow their dreams."
  • "Even though we have 19 children, it's still going to be really difficult when one moves away," says Jim Bob.
  • The moving parade consists of two moving trucks (driven by Jana and John-David), an SUV (driven by Jessa and Jinger), a truck and trailer (driven by Joseph), the Duggar bus (driven by Josiah) pulling a minivan, and a motor home (driven by Josh). On the way to D.C., all 25 Duggars stop for a quick visit with the Bates family, who surprise their friends with a baby shower for Marcus and gifts for Josh and Anna.
  • After spending the night at the Bates' house, Josh and Anna head out early, while the rest of the Duggars sleep in and hits the road...the next day? Once they reach D.C., the family of five spends a quiet night in their motor home, parked outside their empty house.

Leaving Home

Here are a few more sneak peek videos to get you pumped for the upcoming season. New episodes of 19 Kids and Counting premiere tonight at 9pm EST/8pm CST on TLC.

If you are a member of Embassy Institute, tune in to Embassy Live tonight at 7pm CST to hear from Journey to the Heart leaders Jana and Jinger Duggar about their recent trip.

Videos no longer available

Monday, September 16, 2013

Jessa Duggar Courtship!

Jessa Duggar is in a courtship! The Duggars asked us to keep the news under wraps for a few days, but we now have their blessing to make the announcement. Who's the lucky guy? His name is Ben Seewald. He's 18 years old, and he lives in Hot Springs, Arkansas, a town about three-and-a-half hours south of the Duggars.

The couple met at church and began getting to know each other via texting conversations that were monitored by Jim Bob and Michelle.

"Jessa has a very steady personality," Michelle told People Magazine. "It has been interesting to watch their interactions because for her personality type, they share very similar beliefs. It has been fun to watch them and both of our phones are going off back and forth, ping, ping, ping."
During their courtship, the couple has decided to limit their physical contact to side hugs for greetings and goodbyes only. Like her older brother Josh, Jessa plans to save her first kiss until marriage.

Jim Bob said that he admires Ben's character and his ministry focus. "When a guy is pursing your daughter, you want to check him out and see if there are any red flags and with Ben, there hasn't been," the father of 19 told People. "He is very sharp. It appears like a match made in heaven."



Details of the Upcoming Season

New episodes of 19 Kids and Counting return to TLC tomorrow! Here's a summary of the new season, as well as episode summaries for this week and next:

Season 7b:
The Duggars have dreams as big as their family, and this season they are making them happen! Jim Bob and Michelle are starting a new business, and the whole family is getting involved to plan the first-ever Duggar Family Flea Market. But when their best friends, the Bates, invite the Duggar girls for a mother/daughter camping trip, they can't resist mixing a little work and play! While roughing it in the wilds of Tennessee, the girl-talk turns to courtship. Will any of the girls have a big announcement to make? And Jim Bob and Michelle say an emotional goodbye to their oldest child as Josh and Anna chase their own dreams all the way to Washington DC. With a new baby, a new house, and a new city to explore, will this young and growing Duggar family be able to cope with the missing support of the main Duggar clan?


Sept 17, 9:00 PM

Big Changes
It's a time of exciting and emotional changes for the Duggars as Josh and Anna move to Washington, DC. But before the goodbyes, the couple still has one important thing to do... find a place to live!

Sept 24, 9:00 PM

An Emotional Goodbye
The Duggars knew that eventually one of their 19 children would move away, and that bittersweet milestone has arrived: it's time for the Duggar family to say goodbye to Josh & Anna.

Sept 24, 9:30 PM

Farm Fresh Duggars
Are the Duggars ready to take on raising more than just 19 kids? Jim Bob thinks they're ready to raise cows, chickens, and pigs too! The Duggar family spends the day on a working farm to see what it would be like if they had one in their own backyard.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

New Season Sneak Peek

Change is in the air for the Duggar family! Watch this promo video to get a sneak peek of the upcoming season of 19 Kids and Counting (premieres Tuesday at 9pm EST/8pm CST on TLC).