Duggars and Forsyths Go West

Earlier this summer, two of the Duggar siblings and their families embarked on an RV trip out west. Joy and Austin Forsyth took their three children (Gideon, Evelyn, and Gunner), and Jedidiah and Katey Duggar went with Truett and Nora. They covered more than 3,000 miles over 10 days.

Two of the travelers were newborns, which made for a memorable journey. The highlights of the adventure included time in Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, as well as a stop on the way home at Colorado's Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. The couples uploaded YouTube video documenting the trip (links below).

Joy and Austin: Our Road Trip

Forsyths: The Most Amazing Views

Jed and Katey: Family Trip to Yellowstone

Tonight: Love and Loss

Johannah Duggar and Jessa Seewald

 

An all-new, hour-long episode of Counting On airs this evening at 9pm ET/8pm CT. Check out yesterday's post to watch a preview clip featuring Josiah and Lauren.

On "Love and Loss," you'll be entertained as some of the Duggar siblings and in-laws compete in a baking contest, judged by John and Abbie. At the end of the episode, however, be sure you have a box of tissues by your side as you watch Josiah and Lauren share the news of their miscarriage. You can watch live or online. The link is below. Be sure to come back to the blog after the show for our recap.

Counting On "Love and Loss"

Photo courtesy TLC

Duggar Master Bedroom Facelift

Big families love big projects! If you follow our blog about the Bates family, stars of the reality TV show Bringing Up Bates, you've seen the Bates kids do multiple redecorating projects as surprises for their parents. They redecorated the entire first floor of their East Tennessee house, as well as Gil and Kelly's master bedroom.

Now, it's the Duggar siblings' turn to surprise their parents with a redecorating project. This one was very involved and took a week and a half. If you notice, they had to do quite a bit of actual renovating around the window to create a window seat. The Duggar brothers made the cabinets from scratch.

Before...

After...

 Duggar master bedroom

Duggar master bedroom

 Duggar master bathroom

Duggar master bathroom

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com/Jana Duggar

New Season in 12 Days!

The Duggars return with new episodes of Counting On in just 12 days. The new season will kick off with Felicity Vuolo's birth and John-David Duggar's engagement. In case you're wondering why only a few of the adult Duggar siblings are in the promo photo above, we assure you that they won't be the only ones appearing on the show this season.

9pm: Love is in the Air NEW!
With the due date near, Jinger and Jeremy get ready to meet Baby Vuolo. Meanwhile, John whisks Abbie away on a surprise trip to ask for her hand in marriage. Later, Jinger's labor takes an unexpected turn.
60 min

If you enjoy this blog, be sure to visit Ellie's other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and BatesFamilyBlog.com).

Photo courtesy TLC

Duggar Ladies in Atlanta

Jana Duggar, Jinger Vuolo, and Felicity Vuolo

with Laura and another friend of the Duggars

Last week, some of the Duggar siblings, as well as Jeremy's parents, traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, for a conference. After the conference ended, they stayed a few extra days to take in the sights and sounds of the city. They walked through the College Football Hall of Fame, visited Ponce City Market (located inside the historic Sears, Roebuck & Co. building), and enjoyed drinks from Dancing Goats Coffee Bar.

Do we have any Atlanta natives here? Coincidentally, Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the location of Super Bowl 53, which takes place on February 3rd. 

Photo courtesy jingerandjeremy.com

dUGgarLY Sweater Party Group Photo

On Saturday, we posted a few snapshots from the Duggars' first annual ugly sweater Christmas party (the dUGgarLY Sweater Party). A good number of family members, and even some of the Duggar siblings' in-laws, attended. Jim Bob and Michelle are currently on a mission trip in Central America with Jana and some of the younger children.

Duggar Ugly Sweater Party

Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

The Spunky Little Duggars

Mackynzie Duggar, Johannah Duggar, 

Jennifer Duggar, Josie Duggar, Jordyn Duggar

 

Jessa Seewald: "I'm sure it's going to be a keepsake to pass down to the generations."
Jennifer Duggar: "It'll sound awful."

Counting On is currently on break, but here's a YouTube video featuring the four youngest Duggar siblings, plus niece Mackynzie Duggar. In it, the girls are rehearsing songs for their Happy Heart CD.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Joe and Kendra's House

This week on Counting On (check out our recap), we watched Joe and Kendra Duggar put the finishing touches on their house and move in, with help from the Duggar siblings.

In the video clip below, the Duggars and Caldwells arrive for a tour. You'll see the transformation that the house underwent, and you'll hear Jim Bob Duggar share a little bit about what the house was like when he lived in it as a teenager.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Garden Like a Duggar

The warm weather is here to stay, which means it's time to start planting! Last year, we showed you photos of the beautiful garden and outdoor space that Jana created, with help from her siblings. Earlier this spring, we also shared a video of last year's garden.

This week, Jana Duggar and the Duggar siblings are hard at work getting the garden ready to go.

 James Duggar

Whether it's growing produce, doing landscaping at one of Jim Bob's rental properties, or tumbling down the hill on a giant slip 'n side, the Duggars love being outdoors. While writing this post, we came across a couple gardening photos from previous years.

Planting the Duggar garden, May 2014

Mackynzie Duggar, Jackson Duggar, Jordyn Duggar

Working in the garden, October 2016

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com

Duggar Decisions

Whether they're picking fresh produce from their garden or redesigning a kitchen, the Duggar siblings can get the job done, but there are always plenty of opinions flying around.

For those who aren't able to watch videos that come straight from TLC, we always try to embed the YouTube versions when they become available. Below are a couple clips from the most recent season for your enjoyment.

Jana Duggar Shows Off Her Garden

Duggar Siblings Disagree on Cabinet Colors (Girls vs. Guys)

Photo/videos courtesy TLC

New Duggar Videos

Happy Monday! We know that some of our readers are unable to view the videos that we post directly from TLC.com, so we make a point of sharing them again once they are uploaded to the network's YouTube channel. Here are some of the latest:

Duggar Siblings Discuss Joy and Austin's Engagement

Jessa Seewald on Life with 2 Kids

Is Jinger Vuolo Pregnant? The Duggar Sisters Want to Know

Austin Forsyth asks for Joy Duggar's Hand in Marriage

Photo/videos courtesy TLC

Duggar PDA

What did you think of last night's episode? Did you enjoy learning more about the older Duggar siblings and watching them interact? In this clip, the siblings poke fun at each other, as they discuss Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo's honeymoon and Duggar PDA.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Joseph and Josiah Share Their Hobbies

Thank Goodness It's Friday! Our readers are constantly asking what the older Duggar siblings are up to these days. In the TLCme video clip below, Joseph Duggar and Josiah Duggar share their hobbies and career training with interviewer Danni Star.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Furniture Shopping with Jinger & Jeremy

Tonight on Counting On, some of Jinger Duggar's siblings accompany her to Laredo, Texas, to help Jeremy Vuolo convert his bachelor pad into an apartment fit for a married couple. Check out the sneak peek video below.

Monday, January 30
9pm ET/8pm CT: Bachelor Pad Makeover (NEW)
Jinger and some of her siblings travel to Laredo to give Jeremy's bachelor pad a makeover. When opinions clash, will they be able to come to a decorating decision? Derick, Jill, and Israel get some surprising news at their family wellness check-up.
11pm ET/10pm CT: Bachelor Pad Makeover

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Jim Bob's 50-page Questionnaire

Tonight's new episode of Counting On is sure to be interesting! The Duggar siblings sit down with cinematographer and producer Scott Enlow, who has been working with the family since the early days of their reality TV show, to recap season two and chat about what it means to be part of the supersized Duggar clan. (Schedule and new sneak peek video below.)

Now that Jeremy Vuolo has been shown in a preview for tonight's episode, do y'all still think he is the surprise guest, or do you think TLC has someone else in store?

Tuesday, October 25
7:30pm ET: Jessa's Announcement (Recap)
8pm ET: The After Show (NEW)
The family comes together to relive some of the most memorable moments from season 2. Plus, before the reunion is over, there is a surprise guest in store for the cast. 

11pm ET: The After Show

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Jana Duggar's Redecorating Project

In addition to Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo's engagement, this week's episode also features Anna Duggar and the other Duggar siblings (two videos below).

Jana Duggar heads up a redecorating project at the family's guesthouse, a home next door that Jim Bob purchased a year ago. Jill, Derick, and Israel Dillard will live there during what they expect to be a four-month visit (October-December).

What do you think of the girls' last-minute decision to use old wood slabs to create a decoration for the wall above the couch?

Photo/videos courtesy TLC

Joy-Anna the Fisherwoman

 "When they asked for people to cut up the snake, I was like, 'Why not?' I mean, you might as well go all in on this thing."
-Joy-Anna Duggar

While learning how to fish using survival traps, the Duggar siblings share the experience they have had with the sport. "I've done some fishing," shares John-David Duggar. "I'm not like a big fisherman." And Joy surprises everyone as she fearlessly cuts open a snake to use as bait (see video below). Could you see yourself doing that?

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Recap: "Duggars in the Wild"

Counting On "Duggars in the Wild"

• The Duggar siblings continue their time at Signet 3 Survival School in Southern Missouri. When Jason sees a bear in the middle of the night, his first thought is to make sure that Joy, who is sleeping in a hammock, is okay. 
• The following day, the guides take the Duggars on a hike through the woods. "The clothes the girls were wearing were probably not a great idea, especially with all the bugs and poison ivy that we've got floating around here," says one of the guides. 
• The girls explain to viewers that it's not as hard as people think to wear skirts out in the woods. "This is how we've lived all our lives," says Jana. "We just do things...a little different."
• The siblings learn how to turn a plastic bottle (found on the ground) into a charcoal water filter. After the filter is finished, the guides pass it around so the Duggars can take a drink. Some of them give it a try, but others politely refuse. "I am not a germaphobe," states Josiah, "I just like to enjoy my food by myself."
• During the hike, Jinger takes a bunch of pictures to send to Jeremy. Wifi is nonexistent in the woods, so she can't text or video chat with her boyfriend. "It's good to have her back," says Joy, chuckling. 
• The next survival lesson is on finding "wild edibles." "Broadening our horizons is a good thing, but it's not always fun, especially when it's plants," admits Jinger. 
• After learning how to build survival structures, the siblings are told that they have to spend the night in those shelters. Jason, Josiah, Jedidiah, Jana, Jinger, and Joy end up in the RV partway through the night.
• Down in Central America, the Dillards head to a resort to celebrate their two-year anniversary. Israel looks confusingly at the bathtub, as he is accustomed to bathing in the kitchen sink. 
• Later, Jill and Derick take Israel to the pool. Derick grew up swimming and was a lifeguard, so he enjoys teaching his son to love the water.
• Going on a dinner date with a one-year-old proves to be a bit difficult. "...He could see the pool and was just going to head there whether we took him there or not," laughs Derick.
• Jill says that Israel is ready to be a big brother." She and Derick are "looking forward to having another baby soon."
• "I have a lot more respect for Jill as a person just after living with her and seeing her heart," shares Derick. The two lovebirds exchange letters for their anniversary gifts.
• Back in Arkansas, eight-month-old Spurgeon cuts his third tooth. He is already 20 pounds!
• The Seewalds deliver baby clothes to their friends, the Youngs, who have seven-week-old Brecken. 
• Cuddling Brecken makes Jessa want another newborn. (Update: The Seewalds just announced that they are expecting their second child in February 2017.)

Duggars in the Wild (TONIGHT)

For those who enjoyed a long weekend, it may feel like a Monday, but don't be fooled. It's Tuesday, and it's Duggar night. (Woohoo!)

This evening's new episode of Counting On picks back up with the Duggar siblings' experience at survival camp. Meanwhile, Jill and Derick Dillard spend a night at a Central American resort in honor of their two-year wedding anniversary.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016
7:30pm: Rerun
8pm: Duggars in the Wild (NEW)
Wilderness training continues for the Duggar siblings following a frightening encounter with a nocturnal visitor. Meanwhile, Jill and Derick celebrate their second anniversary; and Jessa and Ben are amazed by how fast Spurgeon is growing.
11pm: Duggars in the Wild

Photo courtesy TLC

New Episode Airs Tonight

Jim Bob, Michelle, and Jessa react to Jinger's courtship announcement

Are you looking forward to tonight's new segment of Counting On?

Coming up on season two, episode two...

Jeremy Vuolo eats a meal with the Duggar family for the first time, and Jinger seeks courtship advice from Jill and Derick Dillard. Later, Ben shares his plans for a youth outreach program, and the older Duggar siblings head out into the wilderness for survival training.

It has been more than 16 months since the last Duggar announced a courtship, so the family provides a refresher on their standards for "dating...with marriage in mind," as Joy-Anna Duggar defines it.

Down in Central America, the Dillards tell viewers that their new lives as missionaries have forced them to discuss difficult questions, such as what Jill should do if Derick doesn't come home one day.


Photo/video courtesy TLC