Love & Marriage Recap

On tonight's episode of 19 Kids and Counting, "Love & Marriage"...

• To connect as a couple after 28.5 years of marriage, Jim Bob and Michelle head to Puerto Rico for a marriage retreat. "It's always good to make a good thing better," says Michelle. She and Jim Bob are away from their children only a few nights a year.
• As the Duggars run out the door to catch their plane, Michelle reminds Grandma and the girls to set a timer every 20 minutes for potty training.
• When asked what he and Michelle hope to get out of the marriage retreat, Jim Bob jokingly responds, "number 20!"
• What does Michelle say is the most annoying thing Jim Bob does? He "plays basketball" with his sweaty, wadded up socks every night.
• What habit of Michelle's does Jim Bob find frustrating? When he calls her over to show her something, she often stops to clean up a mess or put something away. By the time, she makes it over to where Jim Bob is, the thing he wants to show her is gone.
• Is Michelle a nagging wife? "Michelle really doesn't nag," says Jim Bob. "She just lovingly encourages me."
• In Puerto Rico, Jim Bob and Michelle meet with relationship coaches Chris and Anne Hogan. Michelle shares what's on her heart: she says she and Jim Bob need to work on their communication.
• Back at home, Grandma and the older girls enjoy spending time with the younger kids while Jim Bob and Michelle are away. One morning, Anna brings over a delicious breakfast of Nutella, toast, and fruit.
• The four oldest girls (Jana, Jill, Jessa, and Jinger) speak at a birthday party while Grandma watches the little ones. She even plays a few games of foursquare with the kids.
• At the birthday party, the girls talk about relationships with boys and courtship (aka "dating with a purpose").
• Are there any Duggar courtships in the works? Jill says no. According to Jessa, the girls are in the "observing stage" but are not yet emotionally attached to any guys.
• On day two of their marriage retreat, Jim Bob and Michelle go snorkeling for their first time ever. Michelle is dressed in a WholesomeWear swimsuit, and Jim Bob wears Jeans cut off at the knee.
• On another day, the Duggars go zip lining. At 4745 feet long, La Bestia ("The Beast") is one of the longest ziplines in the world, and it is 853 feet off the ground. "I don't ever want to do that again," says Jim Bob afterwards. "Yeah me either," agrees Michelle.
• The day Mom and Dad are due to return home, Grandma and the kids are in heavy-duty cleaning mode. When it comes to cleaning, some of the kids are more thorough than others, says Jana.
• The Duggars also discuss adoption. According to Michelle, they are praying about it and waiting to see what God has in store for their family. 

Tonight on TLC

Tune in to TLC tonight at 9PM EST/8PM CST for an all-new, hour-long episode of 19 Kids and Counting: "Love & Marriage." 

For the first time, Jim Bob and Michelle talk candidly about marriage, babies, and everything in between as they head off to a marriage retreat in Puerto Rico to build on their strong relationship. Meanwhile, can Grandma hold down the fort back home while they are away?

Speaking of relationships, let's see what the Duggar girls have to say:

Duggar Father-Son Photo Op

Here's a new photo of Josh and Michael Duggar. See the resemblance?

Duggar Daughters Deliver

Jana and Jill Duggar pay a visit to one of their clients' homes to prepare for her upcoming labor and delivery:

Michelle Duggar Gets...Braces?

In this TLC webisode, Michelle pays a visit to Dr. Lowder, the same orthodontist she went to as a teenager, to get fitted for Invisalign braces.
"I can't get the floss in between my teeth without practically breaking it," said the mom of 19 before her appointment.

Tour the Duggar Girls' Room

We've toured the Duggars' laundry room, pantry, music corner, and the boys' room. Now let's take a look around the girls' room!

Recap: Duggars Take Flight

On tonight's new episode of 19 Kids and Counting...

• Joseph is heading to ALERT (Air Land Emergency Resource Team) Academy in Big Sandy, Texas, where he will do basic training in search and rescue, survival skills, and disaster relief for nine weeks.
• Jim Bob and Michelle throw their third oldest son an 18th birthday/going-away party. This is the first time the Duggars, who usually send their kids out in pairs, have sent one of their children away for this long. "We are so grateful for Joseph's maturity," says Jim Bob.
• Before Joseph leaves for boot camp, Michelle gives him a buzz cut. "Joseph with a buzz cut is still just as handsome," says Jill.
• Jim Bob and Josh's trainer, former NFL Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Steve Conley, drops by the house for a surprise pantry check. Aside from a box of fat-free popcorn and some caramel coffee mix, Jim Bob appears to be doing well. "I think I ate all the evidence," he jokes.
• But when the Duggar dad steps on the scale, Steve is no longer smiling. Jim Bob has jumped from 203 to 207. Josh, on the other hand, has lost one pound and now weighs in at 209. It's time for intense fat burning.
• "I think Steve is punishing me during this workout because I put on some weight," says Jim Bob.
• "I'm happy about the weight-loss challenge," says Michelle. "I think this is an encouragement to be healthier."
• "Josh has been doing pretty good on his diet and exercise," says Anna. "He's really motivated."
• When it is time for Joseph to leave for ALERT, the whole family comes out to the runway to send him off. The 18-year-old is traveling in style: John-David, who has his student's pilot license, is flying his younger brother to Texas, accompanied by his instructor and Jim Bob.
• "I have been wanting to get my pilot's license for as long as I can remember," says John-David.
• "I really believe that this nine weeks is going to take Joseph from being a little boy to being a man," says Jim Bob. When they land in Texas, he gives Joseph a firm handshake, tells his son he loves him, and says goodbye.

Tonight on "19 Kids and Counting"...

Tune in to TLC tonight at 9PM EST/8PM CST for a new episode of 19 Kids and Counting, "Duggars Take Flight." (Video preview below)

For his 18th birthday, Joseph leaves home for the first time to train with an emergency rescue team. Meanwhile, John-David is one step closer to his pilot license when he flies Joseph to his boot camp. And Steve checks in on Josh and Jim Bob's weight-loss.

Duggars in D.C.

While in Washington D.C. this weekend, Josh and Anna and the kids visited the National Zoo, Georgetown Cupcake, and the National Mall (photos below). Now, the entire Duggar family is headed to Big Sandy, Texas, for the ATI Regional Conference (click here for details).

Mackynzie, Anna, Michael, and Josh Duggar

National Zoo in Washington D.C.

At Georgetown Cupcake

Mackynzie Duggar looks forward to eating her cupcake

Did you know that D.C. is only one of Georgetown Cupcake's seven locations?

There are two in New York City and one in Boston, Bethesda (Maryland), Los Angeles, and Atlanta

Filming for 19 Kids and Counting at the National Mall

Film crew, hard at work

Microphone check

Preparing the cameras

Family picture with a mounted police at the National Mall

*Photos courtesy of Josh and Anna Duggar

Duggar #12 is a Teenager!

Happy 13th Birthday, Jason!

 

 

Video: Cooking with Anna

A few days ago we saw how Michelle Duggar teaches her kids to cook. Now let's see how Anna Duggar involves her little ones in the kitchen.

Duggars in Florida

This just in: the Duggars are in Florida!
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar will be among the more than 60 religious and political speakers at The Awakening 2013. The event takes place tonight and tomorrow at First Baptist Church Oviedo (45 West Broadway Street, Oviedo, FL 32765). Jim Bob and Michelle will speak during tomorrow's plenary session (9:00-10:55 am) on "The Family and the Fortress of Life and Liberty." They will also be part of the "Winning the Battle for Human Life" breakout session tomorrow from 1:45-3:00 pm.

Tickets are still available for the following prices:
General Admission: $20
General Admission Group (5+): $10
College Admission: $10

College Admission Group (5+): $5  

Pastoral Admission: free (registration still required)

Youth Admission (18 & Under): free (registration still required)

FBC Oviedo Staff/Church Member Admission: free (registration still required) 

Click here to buy tickets. Visit the website or call 1-877-810-1776 for more information.

Duggar Boys in the Kitchen

It takes a lot of patience to teach kids how to cook, especially little boys. In the following video, Michelle Duggar shares how she keeps her sons in line in the kitchen.

Tour the Duggar Boys' Room

Jedidiah Duggar gives viewers a tour of the room that he shares with eight of his nine brothers (all but Josh):

Recap: Pushups, Planting, Coffee, and Caricatures

19 Kids and Counting "Pushups and Planting"...

• To lose weight, Jim Bob and Josh start working out with former NFL Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Steve Conley, who also happens to be a friend of a friend.
• "He scares me somewhat," says Josh. "I didn't have any kind of form, no physical fitness whatsoever. It's very embarrassing. My body has no idea what I'm trying to do."
• Steve's first order of business is to outlaw tater tot casserole, fried chicken, and sweet tea. Then he tells Jim Bob and Josh to "take that silly stuff off and go put some workout clothes on."
• Back at the house, Michelle--a big believer in hands-on learning--and the kids plant a garden as part of a homeschool lesson.
• To entertain themselves on a windy day, the little ones design kites out of black garbage bags, something that Josh and John-David did when they were kids.
• "Whatever the big ones enjoy doing, the little ones will pick it up and learn how to do it," says Michelle.
• When one of their client's water breaks, Jill and Jana head out to deliver her baby. Parents Alden and Heather couldn't be happier with their birthing team, and their new baby girl!

19 Kids and Counting "Coffee and Caricatures"...

• Jessa and Jinger prepare to volunteer at Mama Carmen's Espresso Cafe. The money they raise will be used to purchase school uniforms for an orphanage in Guatemala. The girls invite all their friends and family members to come and support the cause and enlist their younger siblings to create a donations jar.
• They arrive at the coffee shop at 5:30 a.m. to learn how to use the cash register and make a variety of different drinks (coffee, espresso, lattes, smoothies, tea, cappuccino, etc).
• Being somewhere at 5:30 a.m. is no small feat for members of this super-sized family. If you are a fan of the Duggars, you know they are not morning people. "I believe if God wanted us to see the sunrise, He would have scheduled it later on in the day," says Jessa.
• Jinger, the family's biggest coffee fan, consumes two large cups of coffee and an unknown amount of espresso while working at Mama Carmen's.
• "For a while there she was drinking like 3 cups a day," says Jessa. Jinger says she needs coffee to maintain her bubbly personality but is currently trying to bring it down to two cups a day.
• Jessa is pickier when it comes to coffee. "We're working on her, though," says Jinger.
• Cousin Amy is the first customer of the day. She orders a chocolate chip tea and then returns a few hours later with Grandma Duggar. "I need my second coffee fix," says Amy.
• While behind the counter, Jessa and Jinger fill the coffee shop's largest order yet. Can you guess who it is for? That's right, Jim Bob and Michelle bring the entire family in to order drinks, a process that takes 10 minutes.
• "Of course we just don't want them interacting with too many guys," jokes Jim Bob, who is confident in his daughters' abilities.
• "Nobody ever complained, so we don't know if we messed up or not," says Jessa. "I think we got all the orders right. I'm sure we made mistakes, but they were gracious."
• How much money do the girls end up raising? $1,010.41
• "When you're giving to other people, you can't help but be blessed yourself," says Jessa.
• Meanwhile, Jackson and Johannah are raising money of their own. Inspired by the artists they saw in Japan, the two Duggars are drawing caricatures to earn money for a baby gift for Josh and Anna. Each picture costs $1, and they raise a total of $10.

Two New Episodes Tonight on TLC

Tune in to TLC tonight for two new episodes of 19 Kids and Counting. Scroll down for a sneak-peek video and episode times and summaries.

 

9:00 PM EST/8:00PM CST

19 Kids and Counting: Pushups & Planting

Jim Bob and Josh are in for a rude awakening when they meet their new trainer, who gives them the toughest workout of their lives. Meanwhile, Jill and Jana's midwifery skills are put to the test when one of their clients goes into labor.

9:30 PM EST/8:30 PM CST

19 Kids and Counting: Coffee & Caricatures

Jessa and Jinger volunteer at a local coffee shop and have no idea what's in store. With Jinger being a big coffee fan, will she drink more than she sells? And Jackson and Johannah are drawing caricatures to collect funds for Josh and Anna's baby gift.

Growing Up Keller

In the following video, Anna Duggar and her older sister, Priscilla Waller, share what it was like to grow up in the Keller family. David and Priscilla welcomed their first child, Paul William Waller, on March 16th.

Video courtesy davidlovespriscilla.com

Tour the Duggars' Pantry

Last week, Joy-Anna gave us a tour of the Duggars' laundry room and music corner. This week, watch as Jessa shows us around the family's pantry, which is located in a converted garage bay.

Duggars' Cincinnati Chili Recipe

At the request of several of our readers, here is the Duggars' recipe for Cincinnati chili.

Duggar-Style Cincinnati Chili

Ingredients: 1 #10-size can (or 10 15-ounce cans) of Mexican-style chili beans 1 packet of Cincinnati Chili Seasoning 2 pounds browned ground beef or ground turkey, if desired 2 pounds cooked spaghetti Assorted toppings of your choice, such as shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions, crumbled crackers, sour cream, and chopped black olives Directions: In a large pot, mix the beans and seasoning together, along with the browned meat, if you choose to add it, then heat. Serve over the cooked noodles. We serve this entrée with a variety of toppings on a buffet line. Our favorites are cheddar cheese, chopped onions, crackers, and sour cream.

Duggar-Style Biggest Loser: Treadmill Test

Before starting their 90-day weight loss challenge, Jim Bob and Josh take a treadmill test, also known as a stress test. Watch how they do in the video below:

Exclusive: A Message from the Duggars

The Duggars asked us to remind our readers that none of the kids, other than Josh and Anna, are on social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc). There are a lot of fake accounts on the web, but none are legitimate.

Recap!

19 Kids and Counting "Duggar Weight Loss Challenge"...

• Michelle prepares Cincinnati chili (chili made with cinnamon and served over noodles) for the kids before she and Jim Bob head out for a double date with Josh and Anna. Jim Bob and Josh go for the fried foods, and Jim Bob's meal alone contains 1500 calories and 60 grams of fat.
• According to Anna, both she and Josh have gone up a pant size with each year of marriage; they will celebrate their fifth anniversary this September.   
• Encouraged by their wives, Jim Bob and Josh decide they need to make a major lifestyle change and embark on a 90-day challenge to see who can lose the most weight.
• "My dad is gonna get smaller!" says Josie.
• Josh's primary motivation for improving his physical fitness is to be a good role model for his kids. Anna says she will do everything in her power to ensure that he wins the competition.
• The middle boys build a greenhouse in the Duggars' backyard, while Jim Bob and Josh set up a home gym in one of Jim Bob's storage sheds. The rest of the family comes by to help clean up and make motivational posters.
• "We believe it's important to be there for each other," says Michelle. "By supporting and rallying around an individual, it strengthens the whole family as a unit."
• "It's really neat having our whole family involved in this," says Jim Bob.
• Jim Bob and Josh ask Joseph, who works out every day, for help. "I think these guys need a trainer," says Joseph, who puts his dad and oldest brother through the wringer with a 60-minute workout.
• "The next morning, I had muscles hurting I didn't even know I had," says Jim Bob. "I think every muscle in my body hurts.
• Jim Bob and Josh head to the doctor for a full examination, which includes a stress tests. "After a few minutes, that thing became like a torture chamber," says Josh, who makes it 10 minutes and 45 seconds on the treadmill. "I really pushed it to show him up," says Jim Bob, who beats Josh's time. 

19 Kids and Counting "Things Are Changing"...

• Four days after the examination, the doctor asks Jim Bob (214 pounds) and Josh (224 pounds) to come by the office with their wives to discuss the results. Josh learns that he has gained more than 50 pounds since he met Anna.
• After having his waist measured, Jim Bob turns to his wife and remarks: "Michelle, that's a lot of cheap pizza!"
• Josh, who is at risk for diabetes, is clinically obese, and Jim Bob is just below the obesity threshold. 
• Anna realizes that she needs to make some major changes to her cooking.
• "This is about life and about being a good example and being here for grandchildren," says Michelle. "It's a good change."
• Josh and Anna start by donating Josh's stash of "comfort foods" to the local food bank. Meanwhile, Michelle stocks a shelf in her pantry with healthy choices for Jim Bob.
• Anna's sister, Priscilla, and her husband, David, come to Arkansas for a visit. Josh and Anna's house is 960 square feet and has only two bedrooms and one bathroom, so David and Priscilla stay in a camper trailer in the backyard. During dinner, Anna has to crawl under the table to get from the kitchen to her chair.
• The next morning, the two couples go out with a realtor to house shop. Anna wants a house that is practical, while Josh is more concerned about the price.
• "No matter what you dislike...all it takes is money and you can fix it," Josh jokes. He and Anna will work with what they have for now but plan to make changes in the near future.

Tonight on TLC's "19 Kids and Counting"...

9:00 PM EST/8:00 PM CST

19 Kids and Counting (Season 7): Duggar Weight Loss Challenge

Jim Bob and Josh decide to take their health more seriously and challenge each other to see who can lose the most weight in 90 days. Meanwhile, Jason and the boys construct a greenhouse in the backyard for some homegrown fun.

9:30 PM EST/8:30 PM CST

19 Kids and Counting (Season 7): Things Are Changing

Jim Bob and Josh get the results from their physicals, and they're in for some shocking news! Can Michelle and Anna keep them motivated to improve their health? And a visit from Anna's sister, Priscilla, spurs Josh and Anna to look for a roomier home.

 

*Photo Credit: TLC

Season 7 Highlights

Coming up in season 7 of 19 Kids and Counting...

Jim Reveals the Gender of Grand-Duggar #3
Find out how Jim the sound guy unveiled the gender of Josh and Anna's third child, a boy due on June 7th.

"We didn't know the results," Josh told People Magazine. "But we gave them [from the doctor] to the sound guy, Jim, and he planned out this very unique reveal. It caught us off guard in a time and place we least expected."

The Biggest Loser, Duggar Style
Jim Bob (47) and Josh (25) recently embarked on a competition to see who could lose the most weight. The competition ended on April 1st. Who do you think will be the crowned the winner?

"I got back from Asia and looked at myself on camera and realized something had to change," Josh, who then weighed 238 lbs., told People.

Jim Bob knew he needed to slim down when he could no longer keep up with Michelle-who joined Weight Watchers a few years back, lost 40 lbs, and now exercises on the elliptical almost every morning. At 220 lbs., Jim Bob admitted that he "wasn't feeling that great."

What's their secret? Healthier choices and exercise. "I have learned not to grab that bag of potato chips or all that stuff full of sugar," Josh told People.

The initial workout plan, created by Joseph (18), was followed by personal training sessions with former NFL Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Steve Conley.

In addition to staying healthy, Josh hopes to be a positive example to his kids. "My daughter [Mackynzie] didn't tell me I was fat," he told People. "But now she thinks I have strong muscles. I know I need to set an example of being healthy for my children."

Duggars' Music Corner

In the following video, Joy-Anna Duggar shows off the instruments in the family's music corner:

Tour the Duggars' Laundry Room

Joy-Anna Duggar gives viewers a tour of the family's laundry room and clothes closet and explains how she and Grandma Duggar wash and put away clothes for 21 people.

Recap: Baby On the Way

On tonight's season premiere episode of 19 Kids and Counting...

• The Duggars are moving into a new season of life. "It can be a bittersweet thing to watch your children grow up," says Michelle. "They will always be my babies."
• Jill, studying to become a midwife, is currently taking anatomy and physiology. She is also learning midwifery terms in Spanish and hopes to deliver babies in Latin American someday. Jana is focusing on the coaching aspect of childbirth and plans to become a doula.
• According to Jim Bob, daughters are harder to let go of than sons. "Our babies our delivering babies," he tells Michelle. We're getting old!"
• "They're very supportive," says Jana of her parents.
• Jana and Jill head over to A Mommy's Butterfly Midwifery, where they see 7-12 clients each week for prenatal and postpartum visits. Venessa Giron, the owner of A Mommy's Butterfly, is overseeing Jana and Jill's education and apprenticeship.
• On Mackynzie's third birthday, Josh and Anna find out they are expecting their third child. Keeping a secret from the rest of the Duggars is always difficult, says Anna. "Especially about pregnancy," says the mom of two. "They're always asking."
• For the big reveal, Anna invites Jim Bob and Michelle and the rest of the clan over for a themed dinner. The younger Duggars don't know what that is, but everyone agrees that it probably has something to do with fall.
• On the menu are tater tots, bite-sized vegetables, pigs in a blanket, sliders, and a baby carrier-shaped pumpkin filled with fruit.
• "Taking our family on for dinner is a pretty big thing," says Jill.
• Josh and Anna's kitchen is 1/6th the size of Jim Bob and Michelle's, which makes cooking for a crowd a challenge. "Kynzie loves to help," says Anna. "But it does take longer when you're trying to teach someone how to help." When she realizes that dinnertime is drawing closer and there is still a lot to do, Anna puts Mackynzie and Michael down for a nap and calls in backup...cousin Amy Duggar.   
• Anna says that if anyone can carve a pumpkin into a baby carriage, it's Amy. For the baby's head, they use a cantaloupe with a face made of fruit. 
• At 5:50, dinner is nowhere near done, and the Duggars arrive early. Anna, who was banking on "Duggar time," locks the door, and she and Josh and Amy desperately try to finish preparing dinner. "I loved keeping everyone out of the house," says Amy. "I felt like I knew something that they didn't know."
• When it comes time to guess the theme, some guess finger food, and others predict that Amy is engaged. Jim Bob jokes that Josh and Anna must be opening a restaurant and planning to hire all of Josh's siblings. At the end of the night, everyone gets a special door prize...a candy bar wrapped in a diaper.

Gender Guessing Game

In the video below, hear the Duggars' guesses for the gender of Josh and Anna's third child. (Josie's guess is right! It's boy.)

Video no longer available

Jana and Jill on Midwifery

In the following video, Jana and Jill Duggar share their midwifery experiences and goals for the future:

"19 Kids and Counting" Season 7 Premiere

Tonight on the season 7 premiere of 19 Kids and Counting:

 

Apr 2, 9:00 PM

19 Kids and Counting (Season 7): Baby On the Way

Back from their big trip to Asia, Anna invites the entire Duggar family over for a themed dinner that will reveal her big surprise! But for a meal this big, she recruits Cousin Amy for help. And Jill and Jana jump right into work as midwives.

What else can you expect from season 7?
It's a new season with our favorite super-sized family, the Duggars, and this year promises to be filled with big changes! For one, Josh and Anna are pregnant with the third Duggar grand-baby! As the family grows in size, Jim Bob and Josh realize it's time to focus on their health and shrink their waistlines. With the support of the entire family, the challenge is on to see who can lose the most weight in 90 days. Meanwhile, the Duggar kids are embarking on challenges of their own: Jana and Jill are training to become midwives and doulas. John David is earning his wings to pilot an airplane, and Joseph leaves home for the first time to attend boot camp. The middle boys begin construction on their very own greenhouse. The kids are growing up and looking ahead. And for Josh, Anna, and their new bundle on the way, they will be faced with a huge decision that will impact the entire family.
 

 

It's a Boy!

In a quick, exclusive announcement this morning, the Today Show announced the gender of grand-Duggar #3. It's a boy! Josh and Anna are due on June 7th. What are your name suggestions?

Pray for the Duggars

On March 14th, Kathie Arnold, one of Michelle's five sisters, passed away at the age of 60. Our hearts go out to the Duggars and to the Ruarks. Please keep them in your prayers.

Michelle Duggar and 5 of her 6 siblings 

  Evelyn, Freda, Garrett, Kathie, and Pam

Missing: Carol