Listen to This: Duggars at Focus

Remember back when the Duggars visited Focus on the Family? While the kids had a ball touring the Adventures in Odyssey studio, Jim Bob and Michelle sat down and chatted with Focus On the Family Daily hosts.

How a Super-Sized Family Provides

Providing for 19 kids has its challenges, but the Lord has been faithful to the Duggar family. "As we have had our children and expanded our family, God has always increased our income just a little bit more to take care of it," Jim Bob shares during a recent Today Show interview. The Duggars are frequent thrift store shoppers and have been debt-free since studying Jim Sammons' Financial Freedom seminar years ago.  

Sticking to their famous motto, Jim Bob and Michelle purpose to "buy used and save the difference," but there is one store where they cannot possibly stick to that guideline: the grocery store. The Duggars spend $4,000 each month on food--that's nearly $50,000 annually. Still, God provides, and the family is certain that He always will. 

Does that statistic surprise you?

"Duggars Respond and Rescue" Recap

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

• When a deadly tornado tornado hits Joplin, the eldest Duggars pack up supplies and rush to lend a hand. For 26 hours straight, they worked as search and rescue workers. 
• Seeing the widespread destruction is very humbling for the kids. "They had houses that were thrown blocks down the road, miles even," observes John-David, offering to help victims in any way he can.
• To celebrate Jason's 11th birthday and Jackson's 7th birthday, the Duggars party it up at a local, family-style arcade. 
• Putting aside the usual "it's all about me" birthday stigma, Jackson gives up his hard-earned, 2500 tickets to "buy" a princess kit for Johannah. 
• For Grandma Duggar's 70th birthday, the family bakes and decorates 70 cupcakes and invite a bunch of family and friends over for a surprise party. 
• Everyone loves Grandma! "She's always made it fun when she babysits," says Jill. "Whenever the kids are doing something, Grandma will give it a try," chimes in Jackson. "She'll try almost anything!" adds Joseph. When the family went skydiving a couple years back, she wanted to join in, but Grandpa talked her out of it.
• After a trip to the local cyclery, Jason, Jackson, and even Grandma come home with new bikes. Jim Bob tries to talk Michelle into getting one, but the mom of 19 prefers to drive the van on family bike rides. 
• What happened to the Duggars' motto, "buy used and save the difference"? They still follow it, but bikes are an exception. "The bikes get old and rusty, and they end up costing more to fix them up than what you can just go buy a new one for," explains Jim Bob. 

Do you enjoy bike-riding? 

Duggars Respond and Rescue

Who could forget the destructive tornado that devastated Joplin on May 22nd? Definitely not the Duggars. Just hours after the storm blew over, Jim Bob and the older kids packed up van-loads of supplies, drove through the night, and spend hours helping rescue workers in Joplin (read more about their efforts here).

Watch them in action tonight on TLC--tune in for "19 Kids and Counting" Duggars Respond & Rescue at 9PM EST/8PM CST.

2011 has been a year of record storms for the Duggars. Click here to watch the family practice a disaster drill. 

Behind-the-Scenes with the Duggars

While in Atlanta, the Duggars met and had dinner with evangelist Ray Comfort of Living Waters.  Thanks to one of our faithful followers for posting the link to the video. It was released only a few hours ago!

Video no longer available
  
And here's some more exciting news...
In August, the Duggars will travel to Washington D.C., where they will learn to evangelize in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Their experience will be filmed, so you'll be able to watch the whole thing on DVD!

Michelle's Audiobook

Are you a busy mom? Then Michelle's audio version of A Love That Multiplies is for you! And f you're interested in purchasing a copy of the abridged version, click here.
A Love That Multiplies is also available in hardcover, ebook, and unabridged audio. To buy your very own autographed copy of the book, click here.

Passports for the Duggars

To prepare for their upcoming trip out of the country, the Duggars recently applied for passports--a monumental accomplishment for a family with nineteen kids. According to Michelle, the process was a "huge undertaking."

Does your family have passports?

Interview Featured on the TLC Website!

Do we have some exciting news to share! Our recent interview with Michelle and Anna on Nina Frye's Living the Dream Mom radio show made it to the TLC website! To take a peak, follow this link, and scroll down. The blurb about the interview is in the "More Resources" section on the right side of the screen.

Thanks to our faithful followers for reading the blog and listening to the interviews! Couldn't have done it without you all.

27 years, 24 Duggars!

Happy 27th wedding anniversary to Jim Bob and Michelle!

27 years, 24 Duggars (and many more to come!) What a legacy.

"Duggar Dental Drama" Recap

On tonight's night's episode of "19 Kids and Counting," Duggar Dental Drama...

• The day before Josh, Jessa, Jinger, and Joseph were scheduled to have their wisdom teeth extracted, Michelle guided the little ones in making homemade applesauce for the "patients." While peeling the apples on the apple peeler, the kids especially enjoyed eating the strands of leftover peel, known as "snakes" in the Duggar home.
• Want to give the Duggars' applesauce recipe a try? Add a bit of water to a pot of peeled apples, and then cook them up on the stove. Next, add some honey, and place the applesauce in the fridge to cool.  
• While Jessa--the guinea pig--was having her surgery, the receptionist overheard Josh and Joseph say that the had both drank sweet tea three hours before their appointments. 
• When the doctor got word of the predicament, he told the boys that they would have to reschedule their surgeries. He kindly reminded them that they could have no food or drink (other than water) less than six hours before the procedure.
• "I really wanted it to happen today," admitted Anna. "Josh has been procrastinating getting his wisdom teeth removed for three years"
• And here's what John David had to say about his brothers' "mistake": "Josh and Joseph are much more...'well, we're supposed to do this, but we can probably get pretty close to the edge." 
• Both Jessa and Jinger obeyed the doctors' initial instructions, and their surgeries went well. Jinger is a lightweight, so it took the anesthesiologist only half as much medicine to put her out as it did to put Jessa out. Neither of the girls minded being stuck with an IV. 
• "Let me get your picture!" Those were Jim Bob's first words to Jinger after her procedure. She posed with her usual thumbs-up and as much of a smile as she could muster. 

Are you squeamish when it comes to having needles?

Duggar Dental Drama

Remember back in 2009 when Jana and Jill had their wisdom teeth removed in "18 Kids and Counting," Duggars Under the Knife? It's now time for four more Duggars to have dental surgery. Watch as Jessa, Jinger, Joseph, and Josh head to the dentist together to have their wisdom teeth pulled! But right at the last minute, Josh and Joseph make a mistake that causes a some dental drama.

Tune in to TLC tonight at 9PM EST/8PM CST for "19 Kids and Counting," Duggar Dental Drama.

Have you had your wisdom teeth removed?

Duggar Daddy's Birthday

What are the Duggars up to today? Celebrating their daddy's birthday! 

Happy Birthday, Jim Bob!

Duggar tradition allows the birthday person to choose the agenda for the day. What do you think Jim Bob will do with his family today?

Duggar Summer Plans

What are the Duggars up to this summer? Let's find out!

• After spending Fourth of July with dear friend Debbie Query, Michelle and Anna took time out of their busy schedule to chat with us on Nina Frye's internet radio show (listen to the interview here). 
• Later that evening, the entire family, including three-week-old Michael James and Josie--who is now walking on her own--loaded into their tour bus and headed out for Atlanta, where they greeted fans and signed books at a local Barnes and Noble. On Sunday, the family sang and shared at First Baptist Atlanta, a megachurch located in northeastern Atlanta and pastored by Dr. Charles Stanley.
• And what's the point of taking a road trip all the way to Atlanta without a visit with the Bates in East Tennessee? That's where the Duggars are right now! And there's no doubt the two families are celebrating--Gil and Kelly Bates just found out that they are expecting baby #19!
• Later this summer, as Michelle shared during our interview, Jill and Jana are in the process of preparing for their upcoming, 6-week mission trip to Peru. 
• Michelle and Anna also announced the family is planning an international trip for later this year! Click here to read more.

That's all for now. The crew has been filming non-stop, so expect to see some of this action on the big screen in the near future. For more on the Duggars' summer plans, click here to read about an exclusive interview with Jim Bob and Michelle.

What are your plans for the remainder of the summer?

Exclusive Announcement!

Last week during our live interview, Michelle and Anna made an exclusive announcement:

"This year it looks like...we may be taking a trip out of the country!" the mom of 19 disclosed.
"So you'll have to tune in and see where or what we're going to be doing--we're still working out those details."

Where do you think the Duggars should go for their international trip?

"Duggars, Doctors, Discipline" Recap

On tonight's episode of "19 Kids and Counting," Duggars, Doctors, Discipline...

• Michelle--along with Jana, Jedidiah, and James--drive over three hours to Little Rock for Josie's preemie checkup. It is well worth the drive when Dr. Lyle, the Duggars' neonatologist, gives Josie a clean bill of health.   
• Josie is not thrilled about all the poking and prodding that come with her visit to the doctor, but she tolerates it. "She's so small...but she's really, really smart," says Jessa. Josie blows kisses, loves to jabber, and is even starting to walk on her own!
• Back home, Jessa reads to the little ones--age five and under--and then puts them down for their 2:00 nap. Johannah is usually the most defiant, but Jessa is patient and knows the importance of being firm and consistent. 
• Does Jessa actually enjoy training and correcting her younger siblings? The answer is yes. "She'll be a very organized mom," says Michelle. "But she definitely will run a tighter ship than I ever did." 

Do/did the older kids in your family enjoy helping out with the little ones? 

Duggars, Doctors, Discipline

Tonight on "19 Kids and Counting," Duggars, Doctors, Discipline...
It's back to Little Rock! Michelle and Josie head to the pediatrician to check the preemie's progress. What will the doctor order? Tune in tonight (or read our recap) to find out! Back at the house, Jessa is honing her childcare skills by teaching--and disciplining--the youngest Duggars. All this on TLC at 9PM EST/8PM CST. 

Listen to This!

Just stumbled upon a fabulous interview that Jim Bob and Michelle did with Moody, a Chicago-based radio station, in February.

Interview no longer available

Entire Family Signs Books in Atlanta

As we spoke to Michelle and Anna on Thursday, the entire family was finishing up last minute preparations for a trip to Atlanta (click here to listen to the interview). Yesterday, over four hundred fans gathered at an Atlanta Barnes and Noble to meet and greet the Duggars and have their books signed. Even Josie (who is now walking on her own!) and three-week old Michael James went along.

See pictures of the event here.

Did you make it to the book signing in Atlanta?

Michelle's Life Verse

If you've seen "19 Kids and Counting," you've probably noticed that Michelle never raises her voice. Ever. Several of our readers have asked how in the world she stays so calm. After all, raising nineteen well-behaved, godly children is no easy task! When the going gets rough and she needs a bit of encouragement, Michelle remembers her life verse, 2 Corinthians 12:9.  

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9, NKJV

This verse has helped Michelle through the trials and tribulations of motherhood. It saved her sanity back when she had five children under age five and still encourages her to this day. 

Do you have a life verse? We would love to hear it! 


What does Michelle do to recharge her battery? Click here to find out!

Interview with Michelle & Anna: Recording

Just finished our third interview with Michelle (and our first time chatting with Anna)! Thanks to all of our readers who tuned in and to those who participated in the live chat. If you couldn't tune in live, click here to listen to the recording. Enjoy, and let us know what you think!

Another Duggar Milestone

James Andrew, thirteenth child of Jim Bob and Michelle, turns ten today! Believe it or not, James was the youngest Duggar when the family was first discovered by the press (read more about that here). Now, ten years later, he is the responsible older brother to six younger siblings.

Happy Birthday, James!

Live Interview with Michelle & Anna

The excitement is building! This Thursday at 10AM EST/9AM CST, we go LIVE with Michelle and Anna Duggar! Nina Frye, dynamic host of the Living the Dream Mom Internet Radio show, has invited us back for the fourth time.


Our readers have submitted some fabulous questions for the Duggars--you won't want to miss this interview. To listen live, click here, and then follow the "Live on Air: Click Here to Listen" link in the upper right-hand corner.

And don't forget the Live Chat! When the interview starts, click here, create a nickname, select the "login" button, and you'll be able to converse with other listeners!

As we talk with Michelle and Anna, they and the entire family will be on their way to Atlanta for a book signing. (That's the beauty of internet radio!) Details on our "Appearances" page.

Will you be listening?

"Duggar Boys Day Out" Recap

On last night's episode of "19 Kids and Counting," Duggar Boys Day Out...

• Jim Bob and Michelle race to submit the final manuscript of their second book (in stores now). In a house with eighteen children, you can imagine that's not an easy task. Michelle shares her perceptive "[Our children] are what our job is. The distraction is sitting down and trying to write a book."
• When asked what he learned about his wife through the whole process, Jim Bob replies, "Michelle is the sweetest person in the world, but she can also be very firm...sometimes we have a difference in opinion." Michelle gives her response: "When it comes to putting something in black and white, I just want it to be the way I really believe it ought to be, and I'm not going to settle for anything less." 
• Jim Bob, Josh, and John-David spend several hours at an auto auction, bidding on vehicles to sell at Josh and Anna's car lot.
• All the Duggar men--and boys--head over to convert Josh's new car lot from a taco restaurant into a dealership. Even seven-year-old Jackson goes along to help. The youngest Duggar boy is embarrassed when Johannah tells the world that he still likes to play "Mom and Dad." But after a hard day at work, Jackson is eager to get home and tell his favorite playmate all about his experience working with the big boys.
• "They kind of communicate...like a typical married couple," Jim Bob describes the relationship between Jackson and Johannah.

Do any of your children have a relationship like Jackson and Johannah? Is there a sibling in your family that you are especially close to?

Tonight: Duggar Boys Day Out

How do Duggar men bond? With hardhats and power tools! Josh's new car lot needs work, and the guys are more than happy to help. Of course, the big boys don't pass up an opportunity to mentor their younger brothers--even seven-year-old Jackson is invited to the work site.
All this tonight on "19 Kids and Counting" Duggar Boys Day Out! Tune in to TLC at 9PM EST/8PM CST.

Do the guys in your family enjoy doing renovations and fix-it projects? 

Happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July to all our American readers!


~Lily and Ellie

Photos of the Newest Grand-Duggar!

Everyone loves pictures, especially baby pictures! To see photos of Micheal James--Josh and Anna's latest addition--click here. (Thanks to Stephanie for the heads up!)

Wondering where the name Michael James came from? Michael is Anna's father, and Jim Bob's given name is James.
Are you or your kids named after anyone? A relative? A famous speaker or well-known actor?