Tune in Tonight!

Jim Bob and the kids are having a blast in Central America! Highlights of the trip include visiting with the locals, trying authentic cooking, and sightseeing. Tune into TLC tonight at 10PM EST/9PM CST for "19 Kids and Counting" Duggars Make a Difference.

Are you adventurous when it comes to trying new foods?

In the Kitchen with Anna Duggar

Ever wonder what the Duggars feed their babies? Here's Anna Duggar's recipe for Brown Rice Baby Cereal, announced on a recent episode of "19 Kids and Counting." It's healthy, affordable, and takes only a few minutes to prepare!

Anna Duggar's Brown Rice Baby Cereal

Step 1: While boiling a pot of water, crush rice kernels in blender on high for 2 minutes

Step 2: Mix rice with hot water  

Step 3: Cook on low for 10 minutes 

Step 4: Cool and serve to baby

Anna's comments to moms: "When you make your own, you can make it from wholegrain rice, organic, with all the nutrients and all the vitamins still inside."

For more delicious Duggar recipes, click here.  

Have you ever made anything like this for your baby? Would you consider trying this recipe? 

"Duggars Explore Central America" Recap

On last night's episode of "19 Kids and Counting..."

• Just a couple days before leaving for Central America, Jill got her braces off! 
• With more than 750 pounds of luggage, including over a dozen army bags overflowing with gifts, Jim Bob and the 11 oldest departed for their fifth mission trip to Central America. "It's fun helping people and...showing them love," said Jedidiah.
• Michelle had her hands full at home with the seven youngest and was thankful to the angels who came to lend a hand. Cousin Amy showed up one day with cleaning supplies and announced that she would be her Aunt Michelle's "maid servant." Anna's sister Priscilla came all the way from Florida to help entertain the little kids. 
• After spending a short time in El Salvador, the Duggars took a several hour bus ride to Honduras. They passed the time by singing, watching the scenery, and having friendly Rubik's Cube competitions.
• The Duggars spent the night in a church without working bathrooms or hot water but did not complain. The following day, the entire group set out on a three-mile hike up a rocky hillside to bring Christmas to a remote Guatemalan village. The journey wasn't easy, but you can bet that the people of Carisolito will never forget the day when a group of Americans hiked two hours to bring them gifts and share the love of Christ.

What did you think of the episode? Personally, we thought it was one of the best yet!

$35 Gift Card Giveaway

Back-to-back giveaways! Our Tea with Michelle Duggar giveaway just ended, and it's time for another. The prize? A $35 gift card, compliments of CSN Stores, the ultimate source of online shopping.

Everyone loves one-stop shopping. Even better when you can shop from the comfort of your own home! From swing sets to shoes, fitness equipment to dinnerware, CSN has it all. Keep reading to find how you can win a gift card valid at any of their 200 online stores!
 

TO ENTER

Answer this trivia question: What is the name of the Duggars' first book? Post your answer as a comment to the blog.

OPTIONAL EXTRA ENTRIES

1. Become a follower of the blog, and leave a comment letting us know. If you are already a follower, please leave a comment as well.  
2. "Like" the Duggar Family Blog Facebook page, and leave a comment on this blog letting us know. If you are already a fan, please leave a comment as well. 
3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog, and leave a comment on our blog letting us know. Must include the URL of your post that advertises our giveaway. 
4. Become a follower of DuggarBlog on Twitter, and leave a comment on our blog letting us know. If you are already a follower, please leave a comment as well. 

RULES    

To qualify for the giveaway, include your first name and last initial in each comment.

The gift card is virtual, so include your email address in each of your comments, or send your email address to DuggarFamilyBlog@gmail.com (along with your first name and last initial).

To qualify, all comments must be posted to this blog.

This giveaway is only open to readers living in the US or Canada.

International shipping taxes may apply to Canadian customers. The gift code cannot cover these charges. 

Giveaway ends Thursday, March 10th, 2011 at 7:00 PM EST/6:00 PM CST.

"Duggars Explore Central America"

Jim Bob and the older kids are off to Central America on missions, and Michelle is staying home with the little ones. How does she make it work without going off the deep end? Tune into TLC tonight at 10PM EST/9PM CST to find out!

Have you ever been to Central America? 

Bates Soon to Have 19 and Counting

Jim Bob and Michelle might be America's only parents with 19 kids and counting, but not for long! Gil and Kelly Bates, the Duggars' dear friends from Tennessee, are expecting their 19th! Read all about it on the Bates' blog.

What should the Bates name baby #19??

These names have already been taken: Zach, Michaella, Erin, Lawson, Nathan, Alyssa, Tori, Trace, Carlin, Josie, Katie, Jackson, Warden, Isaiah, Addallee, Ellie Bridget, Callie-Anna, Judson Wyatt.

Duggars Meet Dolly

The Duggars are encouraged by Dolly Parton's generous heart. Other than the Duggar family, who are you most encouraged by?

And the Winner Is....

The moment you've all been waiting for! It's time to announce the winner of the Tea with Michelle Duggar DVD. Drum roll please.....

The winner is.....Ambie O! Congratulations, Ambie! Check your inbox for an email from the Duggar Family Blog.

Thanks to ALL our readers who entered the contest. Look for more great giveaways in the very near future!

Josie Update!

How is Josie progressing? Is she walking yet? Michelle gave us those answers and many more during our interview...

"She weighs seventeen pounds," announced Michelle. "And she's walking around, pulling up on furniture and walking around things now...She is jabbering all the time, and she tries to follow her little sisters around, her big sisters anyway, and keep up with them... It won't be any time before she's going to be taking off running and chasing big sisters!"

Ellie asked about Josie's adorable pigtails, and Michelle told us that "Those are called her Bebe Doos. We put them on, and people will always go, 'Are those... is that her real hair?' And we pull them off, and they're like 'Oh my, that is too funny!'"

Have you ever heard of Bebe Doos? Click here to see where the Duggars bought them. Would you consider buying them for your baby, or for another baby in your life?

"Duggars All Aboard" Recap

On last night's episode of "19 Kids and Counting" Duggars All Aboard...

• The Duggars celebrated Joy-Anna's 13th birthday! Joy is a bit of a tomboy and enjoys leading the six boys under her but also loves hanging out with and learning from the older girls.
• Jim Bob stayed home with Jordyn and Josie and let Michelle enjoy an autumn train ride through the majestic Ozarks with the older kids. 
• There was a brief snippet of the October radio show interview we did with Michelle where you could hear host Nina Frye's voice and the two of us greeting Michelle. (Click here to listen to the full interview.) "This interview was one that I was looking forward to," said Michelle. Wow! That sure made us feel special!
• On the train, the Duggars witnessed a mock robbery. Masked men rode up on horseback, shooting fake guns, and pretended to hold up the train. The kids loved it! After the train ride, they all went out to ice cream.
• Back home, Jordyn was running around the house, entertaining her dad and Josie. "Jordyn loves to be helpful," Jim Bob told the cameras. "She went and got all the trashcans from the house and started bringing them to me. Sometimes she brings you things you don't need, but we're always very grateful to her." 
• When asked to make a statement about Joy, Jill took the opportunity to poke some fun at her little sister, while Joy hid her face. "I do remember changing her diaper," said Jill. "So I'm glad that she's not wearing diapers anymore. She's outgrown that stage, so now she can help change diapers. Now I can embarrass her."

A Visit to Tontitown

Tina, one of our faithful followers, and her husband, Jon, had the opportunity to meet Josh and Anna at a marriage conference in Northwest Arkansas this weekend.
Here's a little bit about her trip:
    


 
Hey Lilly and Ellie! I'm back from the trip and I will be blogging about it eventually! Well we just got back from Northwest Arkansas last night and it is covered!
Day 1... We got stuck in Josh and Anna's Champion Motor Cars because the snow and traffic were HEAVY!
Day 2... We drove by the Duggar Family's house and I stopped and took a picture. There were a few little Duggars out front playing in the snow. I think it was Jackson? That was using the "Vote for John-David" sign to sled around. There were sled marks everywhere! I didn't get the kids in the picture playing but I got the big beautiful house. (It's much bigger than what you see on TV).
The same day we went to the Gary Smalley Christian Marriage Conference in Tontitown I believe, and guess who was there! Josh and Anna Duggar! We bumped into them at the conference in a small group they offered there for married couples, after the small group session I headed over to her, got a picture and even got to chat a little bit! She is SO sweet! Josh talked to Jon and I also. We told them how much we look up to them and admire them. And to keep up the great work! We said our goodbyes and that was that! 1400 married couples attended this love and laughter conference, and we just so happened to meet them! It was a real blessing!
Day 3... My Husband and I went to the Fayetteville Mall (the mall where Jinger went to buy Jedidiah's chess set)...it was awesome...we went to the Razorbacks' store, the candy store...it was fun! After that, we got our seats right behind the bench and watched a lady backs basketball game! GO HOGS! Woo Pig sooie! Arkansas lost to Auburn (50 to 54) it was a great game though!
To read more about Tina's trip to Northwest Arkansas, click here to visit her blog.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us, Tina! If any of our other readers have news or information to share, email us at duggarfamilyblog@gmail.com, and it could become our next blog post!

Image courtesy of Tina 

Lily and Ellie's Almost-TV Debut

Tonight, an extra special episode of "19 Kids and Counting!" It's Joy-Anna's 13th birthday, and the Duggars are going on a train ride. Duggars All Aboard is the episode that was being filmed while we were interviewing Michelle last October. Although our voices will not be heard on the show, TLC assured us that the episode will feature a brief snippet of the interview. (To hear our entire October interview with Michelle, click here.)
Tune into TLC at 10PM EST/9PM CST!
Happy Valentines' Day! Let someone know how much you care.

Record Snowfall Hits Northwest Arkansas

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! On Wednesday morning, the Duggars woke up to 2 feet of snow, the most they've had in one day since 1918! "We normally only get about, at the most, like two or three inches," Jim Bob told us during our live interview. He and his older boys spent all day and night pulling cars out of the deep snow with John-David's tow truck. 

What's the most snow your area has ever gotten? Has this winter been a big snow year for you? It sure has been for us! A few weeks ago, we spent an entire morning shoveling a four-foot drift that covered half our driveway.

Recording is Up and Ready!

Missed our LIVE interview with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar? Click here to listen!

Please share your comments about the interview. We would love to know what you think!

An Insightful Interview with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar

Just got off the air with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. What a pleasure! The Duggars shared a lot of insights and wisdom. Hope you had a chance to listen. We will post the link to the recording as soon as it is available.

Have a great day! We're off to the kitchen to make Valentine Treats for our Sweets! 

Do you have any Valentines' Day traditions to share?

LIVE Interview with the Duggars: How to Listen

Thursday, February 10th at 10:00AM EST (9:00AM CST):
We -- Lily and Ellie -- will be interviewing Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar on Nina Frye's Living the Dream Mom Internet Radio Show.

To tune in, click here and follow the "Listen on Air" link at the top right of the screen.

We have received a few dozen questions from our readers and are open to more. Feel free to post them to the blog. If you come up with a burning question during the interview, submit it via the Live Chat.

Can't wait until Thursday! Will you be listening?

"Duggars Act Out" and "Duggars Rock & Record" Recaps

On last night's episodes of "19 Kids and Counting..."

• A family from the Friendly Chapel, the church that "adopted" the Duggars while they were in Little Rock with Josie, came for a visit. A couple days later, Jim Bob and the older kids traveled to Little Rock to serve at Friendly Chapel's fish fry, an annual fundraiser for the homeless that attracts over 3,000 guests!
• Michelle headed off to record an audio version of 20 and Counting, the Duggars' first book. To the producer's surprise, she read the entire 228-page book out-loud in just two sittings! Did she get tongue-tied? At times, but the mom of 19 thoroughly enjoyed herself. "I think it was fun getting to read through the whole book," said Michelle. "It reminded me of all those neat memories." She brought Jim Bob along for moral support. While she recorded their first book, he edited their second, A Love that Multiplies. (Click here to pre-order.)
• Back at the house, the Duggar boys got new dos. The family saves $750 each year with home haircuts.
• Jill volunteered to stay home with Josie while the rest of the family took off to Eureka Springs to tour the set of "The Great Passion Play," the largest outdoor drama in the United States. Jim Bob and the older kids were thrilled to be given the opportunity to act as extras in the production.
• While she entertained Josie, Jill, who is interested in pursuing a career in the medical field, studied for a midwifery test. "It's a good bonding experience for me," said Jill. "I love babies, and Josie and I get to hang out together today."

Are you familiar with "The Great Passion Play" of Eureka Springs?

Josh and Anna (and Kids): 2008-2011

 

 Proud father Josh and newborn Michael James

June 2011

 Michael James

June 2011

Jim Bob and Grand-Duggars Mackynzie and Michael

June 2011

Big Sis Mackynzie

June 2011

 

Josh, Anna, and Mackynzie 

Spring 2011

Anna and Mackynzie 

Spring 2011

Josh and Anna with Mackynzie
Summer 2010


Josh
Summer 2010


Anna
Summer 2010


Mackynzie
Summer 2010

Josh, Anna, Mackynzie, and Johannah
Summer 2010

Mackynzie Renee Duggar 

Born October 8th, 2009

Proud parents Josh and Anna and new baby Mackynzie

October 2009
 

Mackynzie

October 2009

Anna and new arrival, Mackynzie

October 2009

Mackynzie, 1 day old

October 2009 

Josh and Anna eagerly await Mackynzie's arrival

2009

Josh and Anna expecting their first child!

Early 2009

Josh and Anna 

2009

Josh and Anna on their honeymoon in Myrtle Beach

September 2008

Honeymoon in Myrtle Beach

September 2008

Josh and Anna on their Honeymoon to Myrtle Beach
September 2008

Back-to-Back Episodes

Tune into TLC tonight at two new episodes of "19 Kids and Counting!" At 10:00PM EST/9:00PM CST, Michelle record an book on tape, just before the family heads off to Little Rock to volunteer at a fish fry in Duggars Rock and Record. Then at 10:30PM EST/9:30PM CST, watch the family act in "The Passion," and see Jill give little Josie an intro to the piano in Duggars Act Out. 
All this tonight on TLC. Will you be watching?

Discussion Questions

Have you ever met the Duggars? If so, where and when?

Have You Entered Our Giveaway?

Everyone loves a giveaway! Keep reading to find out how you can win the DVD Tea with Michelle Duggar. This wonderful video shows Michelle's caring heart and even provides a bonus interview with Jim Bob.

TO ENTER

Do one or more of the following five options. Each option counts as an additional entry, and you may do each option only once for the duration of the giveaway:

1. Leave a comment telling us why you are a Duggar fan.
2. Become a follower of the blog, and leave a comment letting us know. If you were already a follower, please leave a comment as well.  
3. "Like" the Duggar Family Blog Facebook page, and leave a comment on this blog letting us know. If you were already a fan, please leave a comment as well. 
4. Blog about this giveaway on your blog, and leave a comment on our blog letting us know. Must include the URL of your post that advertises our giveaway. 
5. Become a follower of DuggarBlog on Twitter, and leave a comment on our blog letting us know. If you are already a follower, please leave a comment as well. 

RULES    

To qualify for the giveaway, you must include your first name and last initial in each comment.

We need a way to contact the winner, so include your email address in each of your comments, or send your email address to DuggarFamilyBlog@gmail.com (along with your first name and last initial). If you are a winner, we will shoot you an email asking for your shipping address.

 
To qualify, all comments must be posted to this blog. They will not be accepted if they are posted to Facebook or Twitter. 

Giveaway ends Wednesday, February 16th, 2011 at 9:00 PM EST/8:00 PM CST.

LIVE Interview with Jim Bob and Michelle!

Can't wait until next Thursday, when we go LIVE with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar on Nina Frye's Living the Dream Mom internet radio show! Do you have a burning question for the Duggars? Post it here! Ladies, have you asked your husbands if they have any questions for Jim Bob?
And remember, if you think of a question while you're listening to the interview on February 10th at 10PM EST/9PM CST, don't hesitate to submit it to the live chat.

"Duggars Rock the Vote" and "Donating Duggars" Recap

On last nights' episodes of "19 Kids and Counting:"

• The Duggars enjoy assisting political candidates, and this Election Day, they had the unique opportunity to support their very own John-David in his race for Alderman. Jim Bob and the older kids spent the day in town, holding up "Vote Today" and "Duggar for Alderman" signs. It was cold and cloudy, but they were glad to help.
• When the polls closed, John-David was behind by only 59 votes, a great showing for such a young man. But John wasn't a sore loser. He went out of his way to congratulate his opponent and give him words of encouragement. Jim Bob predicts that this will be the first of many Duggar campaigns.
• In a visit to Josh and Anna's home, we saw little Mackynzie, the energizer bunny. Mackynzie inherited the night owl trait from Josh's family. Her "battery," as Josh puts it, is at 100% all day, and before they can put her to bed, Josh and Anna have to discharged it. Although she has a minimal vocabulary, this baby has no trouble communicating. As Anna puts it, "Her actions speak louder than words."  
• Business at both of Josh and Anna's car lots is going very well. 
• Joseph followed in the footsteps of Jana, Jill, and Jessa and became the fourth Duggar to get braces. 
• The Duggars were thrilled to have Dr. Charles Stanley, a preacher that Michelle has been listening to since age 15, over for a delectable dinner of tater-tot casserole. (Click here for the recipe.)
• Jim Bob and Michelle donated an old building on their lot to the volunteer fire department for training purposes. During the demonstration, Jana, John-David, and Jill learned all about fire safety. 
• Several of the older Duggars traveled to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, to serve at The Voice of the Martyrs, a ministry devoted to assisting persecuted Christians across the globe. The kids filled bags with Christian materials and attached them to parachutes, which will be dropped in Columbia.

Have you tried the Duggars' tater-tot casserole recipe? What did you think?