Recap: "Michelle's High School Reunion" & "Race to the Altar

Sorry for the delay in posting the recap. Ellie and her Mr. Handsome got engaged today, so we were a little preoccupied. :)

19 Kids and Counting "Michelle's High School Reunion"

• Cindy, Michelle's dear friend since first grade, comes to visit, and the two head to the gym to work out. "It is such a joy to have a friend that you know loves you," says Michelle.
• Michelle and Cindy text every morning to encourage each other to exercise. "It is such a joy to have a friend that you know loves you," says Michelle.
• Michelle shares how she struggled with an eating disorder during high school, something her daughters discuss in their book, Growing Up Duggar. 
• Jessa and Ben and the little kids put address labels on 800 wedding invitations. Sierra, the couple's wedding coordinator and friend, comes over to make plans for the big day.
• Later, Michelle attends her 30-year high school reunion with Jim Bob and a few of their children.
• "I think my mom was pretty crazy in high school," says Joy. "But I think she's calmed down quite a bit." Did you know Michelle had a pet tarantula?
• The family takes Johannah horseback riding at a local farm for her 9th birthday.
• "Johannah is a very tough girl," says Jessa. "She kind of has a tomboy side to her. But she's also very girly."
• The Duggar ladies can do anything in skirts. "If the skirt is cut correctly, you can ride a horse in a skirt without any problem," says Grandma.

19 Kids and Counting "Race to the Altar" 

• Michelle admits that having Ben live on their property is a bit unorthodox, but given that the couple has 17 chaperones to keep them in line, the mom of 19 says it's okay.
• Ben and Jessa have been working out with Joy and Jason to get ready for the wedding. The girls wear knee-length exercise skirts, and the boys wear shorts.
• First, they each take a turn pushing Ben's pickup truck up a hill. Then they hit the weight room. Jessa can bench press about 65 pounds.
• Michelle says she is thrilled to see her children being active.
• Jana heads over to Jill's house to help her make an authentic Nepali dinner for Derick.
• "We are not the best at making Nepali food," says Jill. "I don't know how it's supposed to taste, so it could be completely off, and I would have no clue," says Jana.
• Derick really enjoys the meal, as do Jana and Jill.
• Jessa and Ben head to Walmart with Justin and Jordyn to create their gift registry. While Jessa and Jordyn look at kitchen supplies, Ben and Justin scan toys and candy. Ben says he wants to have a fun house so he and Jessa can have kids over.

Recap: "Duggar Daughter Dates" and "Duggar-Sized Wedding Planning"

Tonight on TLC...

19 Kids and Counting "Duggar Daughter Dates"

• Ben and Jessa head to a local shooting range (the same one Jessa went to for her 18th birthday) with Jason as their chaperone. Ben has a small pick-up truck, which makes chaperoned dates a bit tricky. "Joe and John-David don't come with us a lot," says Ben. Ben jokingly points out that once he and Jessa get married and no longer have to bring chaperones everywhere they go, there will be a lot more room in the truck.
• Both Ben and Jessa do very well at the shooting range, but Jason thinks his sister is a better shot than Ben.
• Derick takes Jill on a hiking date for her birthday, accompanied by chaperone James. "For me it's not awkward being a chaperone because I'm just here for the food," says James, who ends up getting carsick during the drive.
• After hiking to a beautiful lookout point, the three enjoy a picnic lunch of bread, cheese, humus, and figs, packed by Derick.
• Meanwhile, Michelle takes Jennifer, who has been straining her eyes while doing schoolwork, to the eye doctor to get fitted for a pair of purple glasses. Jim Bob, Michelle, and Jill also wear glasses.
• Michelle says that Jennifer, who turned seven in August, usually has a very serious look on her face but that she does smile from time-to-time. 

19 Kids and Counting "Duggar-Sized Wedding Planning"

• Jill and Derick, along with Jessa, visit the home of their official wedding baker, who also happens to be one of Jill's midwifery clients, to choose a flavor of cake for their big day. The couple decides on French vanilla cake with strawberry filling and off-white, butter cream frosting. In addition to a fancy wedding cake, Jill and Derick will also have sheet cake for their guests.
• Jessa says she plans to go the nontraditional route and serve ice cream instead of cake at her wedding. Stay tuned to see if Ben agrees!
• The next step for Jill and Derick is finding a wedding venue; they bring Michelle along to help. The first two locations don't end up working out. Magnolia Gardens has a maximum occupancy of 300 guests, and Springdale Country Club is sizeable but is too fancy for the Duggars' tastes. "We're more barefoot and backyard kind of people," says Michelle. 
• The third venue that Michelle, Jill, and Derick visit is Cross Church, which holds a very special place in the Duggars' hearts. Cross Church is the church where Jim Bob grew up and is also where Jim Bob and Michelle married in 1984 and renewed their vows in 2009. The church can easily accommodate all 3,000 guests that Jill and Derick have invited, so they decide to book it.
• The Duggars are planning Jill's wedding on a budget. According to Michelle, Jill mentioned the idea of setting a wedding budget even before Jim Bob and Michelle brought it up. 
• Back home, Jim Bob splits the kids into three teams, led by Joseph, Jeremiah, and Jedidiah, to build soap box derby cars from kits that the children found online. They quickly discover that the kits are missing wheels but end up assembling as much of the cars as they can. Jim Bob plans to organize a race once the wheels arrive. 
• In Washington D.C., Anna, who enjoys doing hands-on activities with her children, helps Mackynzie, Michael, and Marcus make and decorate concrete paver stones. The project ends up being very messy, but the stones turn out great.

"Duggars and Mothers" Recap

On tonight's season premiere episode of 19 Kids and Counting, "Duggars and Mothers"...

• The show kicks off with a recap of Jill and Derick's relationship. According to Michelle, Jill is ready to be a wife, but the family has a lot of planning to do before Jill and Derick can say "I do."
• Jill and Derick, along with Jill's mom and sisters, meet with their three wedding coordinators, who also happen to be friends of the family. Jill is the first Duggar daughter to tie the knot, and the Duggar women quickly realize that there is a lot more that goes into planning a wedding than they originally thought.
• "Okay, I don't know what I'm doing," Jill admits to viewers after the meeting.
• "I would imagine that this wedding is going to be a huge affair, and I have no idea how we're going to pull this off," says Michelle.
• In the midst of wedding planning, Jill and Derick receive devastating news: Derick's mom, Cathy Dillard Byrum, has been diagnosed with cancer and must undergo chemotherapy treatments. The engaged couple grabs Jessa as their chaperone and visits Cathy in the hospital. 
• "It's been good for our relationship to kind of see how we deal with difficult situations," admits Derick, who says he is thankful to have Jill by his side during this trial.
• The Duggars invite the Seewalds and the Dillards over to their house to celebrate Mother's Day. It will be the first time that Ben and Derick's families meet. Derick has one brother, Dan, who is two years younger than him, while Ben is the oldest of seven.
• Jessa, who admits that her cooking skills are limited, helps Jill prepare the meal. "I try to imitate Jill," says Jessa. "I'm not as good as she is. She makes food taste amazing, so I'm trying to copy her style. I haven't quite got it yet."
• "Cooking is fun and exciting," Jessa continues. "I usually always burn something." This time, she just barely burns the rolls but is able to save them with lots of melted butter.
• During lunch, Jim Bob and Michelle ask Ben if he would like to move into their guesthouse and do odd jobs around their property while finishing school. Ben is pleasantly surprised and resolves to pray about it.
• "I don't know that it's normal, but I think some guys move to areas wherever their girlfriend is..." says Jana.
• Meanwhile, Derick and Jill join Dan and his girlfriend, Chelsea, for a video chat with Cathy, who is still recovering. (Update: Cathy is now cancer-free!)
• Jim Bob and Michelle surprise Jill and Derick by "loaning" them the Stonybrook house, the residence that the family fixed up back in 2012. (See "Puppies, Properties & Patients" and "Kittens and Konstruction.")
• Jim Bob and several of the kids head over to the house to give it a deep clean. Although the Stonybrook house is a three-story mansion and has much more room than the newlyweds will need, they say they feel blessed to have this opportunity to live in the house until Jim Bob and Michelle decide to sell it.
• Some might see this situation as unfair to Josh and Anna, who lived in a tiny bungalow for almost five years, but the Duggars don't. As Joy-Anna points out, Jim Bob did not own the Stonybrook house when Josh and Anna were looking for a place to live. "I guess it's their own fault they didn't wait," jokes Joy.
• While cleaning the windows at the Stonybrook house, James gets a huge splinter stuck in one of his fingers, but Jim Bob and Jessa are able to pull it out without inflicting too much pain on the young Duggar.
• Before the show comes to a close, Jessa and her sisters clean up the guesthouse and make signs to welcome Ben, who has accepted Jim Bob and Michelle's offer, to his new home. He is impressed by Jessa's decorating job. "Wow," says Ben. "This is awesome. It's almost like a hunting lodge or something."
• "Jessa is delighted about this relationship," says Michelle. "It means that Ben is closer, almost next door."
• "In our courtship, the next step would involve a rock and a piece of metal," Ben tells Jessa.
• "Ooh, I like this" Jessa responds.

Duggars in Central America 2014 Part 2

Here is the second batch of photos from the Duggars' two-week mission trip to Central America in early July. (Click here to see the first group of pictures.)

When the trip was first planned, only Jessa, Jinger, and Ben were signed up to go, but closer to the departure date, Jim Bob, Jedidiah, Jeremiah, Jason, James, Justin, and Jackson decided to tag along.

 Jeremiah Duggar, James Duggar, and Jason Duggar

 Ben Seewald and Jessa Duggar

 Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald

 

 Jinger Duggar (right)

 Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald

 Ben Seewald, Jessa Duggar, and Jinger Duggar

 James Duggar

 Jim Bob Duggar and Jinger Duggar

James Duggar and Justin Duggar

Ben and Jessa

Jedidiah Duggar and Jim Bob Duggar

Jessa Duggar, Ben Seewald, and Jinger Duggar

Jackson Duggar and Jim Bob Duggar

Jessa and Ben

Jason Duggar (left)

Jason Duggar and Jeremiah Duggar

Jessa and Ben

Jinger Duggar

Ben and Jessa

Jinger Duggar and Jessa Duggar

Jedidiah and Jeremiah Duggar

Jinger Duggar (left)

Jim Bob Duggar

Jessa Duggar, Ben Seewald, and Jinger Duggar

Jinger Duggar, Jessa Duggar, and Ben Seewald

Since Josh and Jim Bob's first trip to Central America several years ago, the Duggars have made mission trips with SOS Ministries an annual, or sometimes biannual, tradition for their family. A few years ago, their trip was covered by a French film crew (video below).

Fireworks

Derick and Jill Dillard are back from their mystery honeymoon! Last night, the newlyweds watched a local fireworks show with Ben and Jessa.

 Derick and Jill Dillard

Ben Seewald and Jessa Duggar

Recap: "Something New" and "Couples' Weekend"

19 Kids and Counting "Something New"

• The Duggar children are accomplished musicians, but Jim Bob and Michelle admit they are not as musical. To kick off the show, Joy-Anna gives Michelle a violin lesson.
• The kids hold a secret meeting to plan a dinner theater for Mom and Dad. Jana heads the operation and delegates tasks to her siblings.
• "We still have some things to figure out...but with a few weeks left, hopefully we will be able to pull off something great," says Jana.
• Jessa and Jinger head down to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for a cooking lesson with Ben Seewald's sisters, Jessica and Danielle. The girls prepare one of Ben's favorite meals, Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and apple pie with ice cream.
• Should Ben expect Jessa to prepare a home cooked meal every night? According to Michelle, "expectations ruin relationships."
• "There may be some TV dinners," says Jim Bob.
• While cooking, Jessa learns that Ben is "very methodical and systematic" and that he snores. Jessica and Danielle ask Jessa if they should be expecting any "exciting news." Jessa's response? "Ask Ben!"
• When Ben comes home and tries the meal, he approves.
• Meanwhile, Jana and Joseph spend time with Josh and Anna in Washington D.C. The crew heads to the mountains to go downhill skiing.
• Josh and Joseph hit the slopes, while Anna takes Mackynzie and Michael for a ski lesson. Anna forgets to put on her snow gear, so she ends up skiing in a skirt for a couple hours before changing. Later, Josh and Anna head out on a ski date.

19 Kids and Counting "Couples' Weekend"

• Jana, Jill, and Jessa attend a birth. Jill acts as the primary midwife under supervision, Jana assists, and Jessa snaps pictures for the couple.
• Jim Bob and Michelle visit a specialist to evaluate Michelle health and her ability to have more children. Michelle says she is content not having any more children, but if it is God's will to bless her with another child, she wants to know how her body will react.
• Michelle takes a blood test to determine if her body is going through menopause. Find out the results in next week's episode.
• Ben and Jessa fly out to Washington D.C., and Jinger goes along as their chaperone.
• Josh takes Ben to the gym to work out and drills him with questions. "Yah, I'm not going to go easy on him," admits Josh.
• Later, the crew takes a trolley ride to show Ben the city. "The trip was so much fun," says Jessa. "We really had a great time together."

"Wedding Bells" Recap

On tonight's new episode of 19 Kids and Counting, "Wedding Bells"...

• All the Duggars agree that Jessa isn't as focused on household tasks as she used to be, now that she's in a courtship. Jinger has been promoted to head packer and runs around getting the clothes organized for the family's trip to Erin Bates' wedding.
• The Duggar girls put together a gag gift for Erin. To play off the joke that Erin can't cook, the girls compile a book of easy recipes and takeout menus and purchase a smoke alarm and a fire extinguisher.
• Ben Seewald and his mom join the Duggars for the drive to Tennessee, which will be Ben's first trip with Jessa's family. "I'm going to try to do whatever I can to make myself useful," says Ben.
• Jim Bob's has employed a new strategy to get everyone out the door on time: "Last one out owes me $5."
• When the Duggars arrive at the Bates' house, Jessa is eager to introduce everyone to Ben, and Erin is eager to show her dress to the Duggar girls. She found it on the clearance rack at a local bridal shop and had it altered to fit her modesty standards.
• Chad and Erin take Ben and Jessa to their new house, a cottage located five miles from where the rest of the Bates live. The room that stands out the most is the master bedroom, which Chad allowed his fiancé to decorate. "It's...pink," says Jessa. "I was kind of surprised."
• Wedding prep is a bittersweet event for Erin and her sisters. Since getting engaged, Erin has had many tear-filled nights, realizing she won't be able to have late-night talks with her sisters after she gets married. Gil assures her she can come sleepover anytime. "I don't think Chad will like it if I just come over without him," replies Erin.
• "Chad is definitely a very romantic guy that adds special touches here and there," says Jana. "They're perfect for each other."
• On the morning of the wedding, a member of the film crew asks Erin if she has thought about her first kiss. "That's why I'm brushing my teeth!" she says.
• Erin is very nervous to walk down the aisle and asks Jana and Jill to pray with her before the ceremony starts.
• "Somehow I got selected to be the head car-trasher," says John-David, "And so I took the job very seriously." He and the other boys even go so far as to put sardines and mothballs under the seats.
• And of course, Chad and Erin have saved their first kiss for the altar. After the wedding, Chad cuts the plastic wrap off the getaway car, removes the sardines and mothballs, and he and Erin take off for their honeymoon.

"Things are going great"

With Jill Duggar engaged to Derick Dillard and Jessa Duggar in a serious courtship with Ben Seewald, life is changing for the Duggar clan...and this is only the beginning of the season of relationships and weddings for the super-sized family. We have been giving you updates on Derick and Jill's engagement all week, and now it's time to hear from Ben and Jessa on their courtship.

Video no longer available

Recap: "A Duggar Says Yes"

Did you enjoy the season 8 premiere of 19 Kids and Counting? Here's the recap for those of you who weren't able to watch the episode live:

• How did Ben and Jessa meet? Ben and his family showed up at the Duggars' church last spring, and Ben and Jessa started getting to know each other via texting. In September, Ben sought Jim Bob and Michelle's blessing to being a courtship. Jessa said yes.
• Meet Ben: Ben Seewald is 18 years old and lives three-and-a-half hours south of the Duggars in the town of Hot Springs, Arkansas. The oldest of seven, he has four sisters and two brothers. He owns a windshield repair business and is a freshman at National Park Community College. Jessa describes Ben as "tall, dark, and handsome."
• More about Jessa: According to the rest of the Duggars, Jessa was an energetic, strong-willed child. At age 20, she "tells it like it is," is loyal to her family and friends, and keeps a good handle on her emotions. When asked to describe his sister in one word, John-David chooses "opinionated."
• After the couple breaks the courtship news to the Duggar family, Jim Bob reminds them that entering a courtship does not mean they should get married right away. Maybe four or five years down the road, he jokes. For now, he encourages Ben and Jessa to focus on building their relationship.
• Jim Bob and the Duggar boys test Ben's character and strength by taking him outside for some back-breaking yard work.
• While the guys work outside, the women prepare a meal. Jessa considers herself a bad cook and says she has warned Ben. Michelle, on the other hand, has full confidence in her daughter's abilities and encourages Jessa to start helping with dinner to build on her skills. 
• When the boys come in to eat, Jim Bob puts Ben on the spot and asks him to pray over the meal.
• Later on, Jessa's four oldest sisters help her pack to visit Ben. "We really need to treasure these moments together and make the most of them," says Jessa. According to Jill, the Duggar girls understand that marriage is not necessarily going to happen in age order, and they are okay with that.
• "Jessa and I have always been really, really close," says Jinger, who is only 14 months younger. "It is kind of bittersweet seeing that Jessa is now in a courtship." 
• John-David, a pilot in training, flies Michelle and Jessa down to Hot Springs. Ben meets them at the airport, and Michelle squeezes between the new couple in the front seat of Ben's truck.
• Michelle babysits Ben's younger siblings while Ben's parents take Ben and Jessa on a double-date. While eating, the Seewalds ask Jessa questions about herself and how she feels about the courtship.   
• "When it was all said and done, I'd say that dinner was very, very good," says Jessa.
• Michelle and Jessa are also introduced to Ben's extended family. "The weekend was amazing, lots of wonderful opportunities for us to communicate and talk," says Jessa.
• Back at the Duggars', Jim Bob tries to be Mr. Mom. He attempts to fix Josie's hair, but it doesn't quite turn out the way Mom and the older girls do it. Dad takes the clan out for pizza at a "kids eat free" restaurant and asks them what they think of Ben. The responses are positive.
• Jim Bob also asks six-year-old Jennifer if she plans to get married someday. "Jenny is dead set against getting married right now, and I think that's fine," says the dad of 19. But he is pretty sure she will change her mind eventually.
• Jim Bob predicts that Jessa's courtship (and now Jill's) will cause more guys to express interest in his other daughters. "It's open season," he jokes.   

Snapshots from the Book Tour

The Growing Up Duggar book tour is well underway, and the Duggars have spent the past week signing books, meeting fans, and traveling the country in their tour bus. Here are some snapshots from this weekend, as well as a few recent photos of Ben and Jessa.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Jill and Jessa Duggar

 Joy-Anna, Jinger, Jessa, Jill, and Jana Duggar

Ready to perform at Anderson Mill Baptist Church in Spartanburg, SC

 Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald

 Jessa and Ben

 Jessa and Ben

 The youngest Duggars visit the Creative Discovery Museum

Chattanooga, TN

 Jessa and Ben

 Michelle Duggar and the kids enjoy a meal from Chick-fil-a 

 Jill Duggar looks over for a quick cell phone photo while signing books

 Jessa, Jana, and the rest of the Duggar kids are ready to meet fans in Spartanburg, SC

Duggars Talk Relationships

The Duggars joined Nancy Redd on HuffPost Live this morning to discuss relationships, Growing Up Duggar, and season 8 of 19 Kids and Counting (video embedded below). Hear John-David's advice on treating women with respect, and find out how Ben and Jessa have set boundaries in their courtship.

"And John's available, by the way," says Jim Bob.

The Duggars also share their views on ObamaCare and how they afford health care for their large family.

Ben and Jessa

We know how much you enjoy seeing photos of Ben and Jessa. (Click here to see more photos of the two lovebirds.)