Message from Jinger Duggar

"This season of life is incredible. God has answered prayers all along the way."

-Jinger Duggar (soon to be Jinger Vuolo)

Three days after announcing her New York City engagement, Jinger Duggar reaches out to fans to share just how thrilled she is to be engaged and planning her future as Jeremy Vuolo's wife (video below).

 
Photo/video courtesy duggarfamily.com

Jinger's Curly Hair Regimen

While visiting the Duggars a few years ago, I (Ellie) asked the girls to show me how they create those large, beautiful curls. Jessa Duggar curled my hair, and then I filmed a tutorial while she curled Jill Duggar's hair. (Click here to watch.)

Jinger Duggar (soon to be Jinger Vuolo), has naturally curly hair. She recently filmed a hair straightening tutorial with TLC (embedded below). For those who have hair like Jinger's, do you have any tips to add?

 
Photo/video courtesy TLC

Jeremy Vuolo is 'excited for the days ahead'

After spending a few days in New York City following his engagement to Jinger Duggar, Jeremy Vuolo headed to New Jersey to visit his grandparents. He filmed this message as a thank you to the many fans who have shown their support:

Video courtesy duggarfamily.com

Message From Jeremy Vuolo's Parents

Since the big engagement, Jinger Duggar's family members have shared their congratulations via statements and video messages.

Now it's time to hear from Jeremy Vuolo's parents, Charles and Diana Vuolo, who live near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jeremy's father is a pastor, and his mother is a professional musician. Take a look at the YouTube video below:

*For those who have asked about the blog header, we want to assure you that our diligent web designer is working on an update. :)

Photo/video courtesy TLC, duggarfamily.com

'Counting On' Season 2 Promo

Brand new courtships, brand new adventures, a brand new day...

Season two of Counting On premieres in less than four weeks! Tune in to TLC at 8pm ET/7pm CT on Tuesday, August 23rd, for all the latest on...

-Jinger Duggar's relationship with Jeremy Vuolo
-Jill and Derick Dillard's mission work and temporary return to Arkansas after one year in Central America
-The growing Seewald and Dillard families
-The children's football camp that Ben Seewald plans, with help from ex-NFL players
-The next round of Duggar high school graduates (Joy-Anna Duggar, Jedidiah Duggar, and Jeremiah Duggar)
-Potential new relationships for John-David Duggar, Joseph Duggar, and Josiah Duggar

You won't want to miss a single episode! Check out the season two promo video below. For those wondering, the song playing in the background is "Brand New" by Ben Rector.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

2 Engaged Couples!

It has been 24 hours since Jinger Duggar announced her New York City engagement to Jeremy Vuolo, and we couldn't be happier for the soon-to-be married couple. They have not yet revealed their wedding date, but when and if they do, we will share it with you all right away.

Jessa and Ben Seewald, who were at the proposal, created a short video in honor of the exciting milestone. Jessa and Jinger have been best friends since childhood, so it is fitting that Jessa and Ben were the ones who introduced Jinger and Jeremy.



Jill, Derick, and Israel Dillard also offered their congratulations, all the way from Central America. They will be returning to the United States very soon for a visit that will extend into the fall (more on that here).



The Dillards also sent a video message to Derick's brother, Dan Dillard, and his fiance, Deena. As we announced last week, Dan and Deena are also newly engaged.
 
 
Photo/videos courtesy DCL, dillardfamily.com, theseewaldfamily.com

A Rooftop Engagement

 Michelle Duggar poses with Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo

on the night of the engagement

Two weeks ago, Jinger Duggar and Jessa Seewald shared their favorite outfits and fashion tips in a TLC webisode video. (Click here to watch.)

Who would have known that the outfit that Jinger showed off--a green dress that she scored for six bucks at a resale shop, coupled with a brown cardigan--was the outfit she would be wearing when her boyfriend, Jeremy Vuolo, proposed!

News of Jinger Duggar's engagement was released exclusively via PEOPLE Magazine this morning. (Click here to watch the announcement video.) The PEOPLE article was followed by a statement from the couple, as well as one from Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Both can be found on the Duggars' website.

"We are overjoyed to be engaged!" wrote Jinger and Jeremy. "It was a beautiful moment, and we look forward to a lifetime together. We are so grateful for how the Lord has brought us together."

The setting of the proposal was perfect for Jinger, who has said before that she enjoys visiting cities. Can you tell what city the two lovebirds are in?

Jeremy Vuolo proposes to Jinger Duggar

As Jinger and Jeremy shared when news of their courtship broke last month, they were introduced by Jessa and Ben Seewald.

**Be sure to tune in to TLC at 8pm ET/7pm CT on Tuesday, August 23rd, for the season two premiere of Counting On.

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com, DCL

Jinger Duggar Engagement Video

Have you heard the big news? Jinger Duggar is engaged to Jeremy Vuolo! (Click here to read our initial announcement post.)

TLC also just revealed the season two premiere date of Counting On...Tuesday, August 23rd, at 8pm ET/7pm CT. You can rest assured that Jinger and Jeremy's relationship will be featured in the new season.

"I cannot believe that I am engaged to the man of my dreams, the man that I've asked God for," says Jinger Duggar in the TLC clip below. "God is so kind, and I just cannot believe it!"



PEOPLE Magazine currently has the exclusive on the engagement photo and the season two promo video. (You can view both on PEOPLE.com.) 

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Another Duggar is Engaged!

Just one month after announcing their courtship, Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo have even bigger news to share. They're engaged! And season two of Counting On returns to TLC Tuesday, August 23rd, at 8pm ET/7pm CT.

Stay tuned for more details on both announcements!

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com, Julia Myers-TLC

Happy Belated Birthday, Meredith!

Happy belated birthday to Meredith Duggar, who turned one year old on July 16th! As the second youngest of the six Duggar grandchildren, this little cutie receives plenty of attention from her many aunts, uncles, and siblings.

Photos courtesy Josh and Anna Duggar, duggarfamily.com

Jinger & Jeremy...And More Duggar Snapshots

As Jinger Duggar shared last month, she is in a courtship with former professional soccer player Jeremy Vuolo. (Click here for more details and to watch their announcement video and here to listen to Jeremy Vuolo's testimony.)

Here are a three new Duggar snapshots, including one of Jinger and Jeremy.

Four years ago (my how times flies!) we published a post with the meanings of the Duggar's first and middle names. For those who are wondering, "Jeremy" means "God will uplift," which is nearly identical to the meaning of "Jeremiah," which is "exalted by God."

 Jinger Duggar and boyfriend Jeremy Vuolo

 Joy-Anna Duggar and Jana Duggar

Jinger Duggar and James Duggar

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com

Jana and Jason Duggar Share Produce Tips

If you have been following the Duggars for a while, you may have noticed that both Jana Duggar and Jason Duggar have an interest in gardening. (Do you remember Jason's recipe for "quick pickles" that we posted four years ago?")

In the following video, Jana and Jason share their knowledge on acquiring the best quality produce, whether you are purchasing fruits and veggies from the grocery store or growing them in the garden.

At 26 years old, Jana is the second oldest Duggar kid, while Jason--age 16--is number 12 in the family lineup. Isn't it wonderful to see siblings who are 10 years apart working together to complete a project?

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Anniversary Wishes

As we shared early this morning, today is Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's 32nd wedding anniversary. Several of their children and children-in-law filmed videos, which we have embedded below, in honor of the special occasion. Visit duggarfamily.com to read Michelle's lovely letter to Jim Bob.

Jessa, Ben, and Spurgeon Seewald

Jill and Derick Dillard

Josie Duggar and Jennifer Duggar

Justin Duggar, Jordyn Duggar, and Johannah Duggar
Photo/videos courtesy duggarfamily.com

Duggars Celebrate 32 Years of Marriage

Thirty-two years ago, Jim Bob Duggar, 19, and Michelle Ruark, 17, became husband and wife in front of a small crowd of family members and friends at First Baptist Church of Springdale. (Click here to find out why that church means so much to the Duggar family.) Michelle arranged her own bridal bouquet, baked her own wedding cake, and wore a hand-me-down dress from Grandma Duggar.

Seven years ago, Jim Bob and Michelle renewed their wedding vows in celebration of their 25th anniversary (18 Kids and Counting, "20 Years, 20 Duggars"). Every year on July 21st, the Duggar kids gather around to listen to the audio recording of Mom and Dad's wedding ceremony.

Happy 32nd wedding anniversary, Jim Bob and Michelle! May your love for each other continue to grow as the years go by. (Scroll down to see pictures.)

 Jim Bob and Michelle, dating and wedding photos

 Michelle Ruark Duggar with her parents and siblings at her wedding

The "wedding party" at Jim Bob and Michelle's 2009 vow renewal

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar at their vow renewal

Photos courtesy TLC, DCL, duggarfamily.com

Josie Duggar's New Hobby

 

Little miss toothless Josie is ready to follow in the musical footsteps of her 18 brothers and sisters!

The Duggars have been friends with Debbie Query and her four children--Mandie, Heidi, Amara, and Peter--for many years. You may remember Debbie from the annual single women's Valentine's Day tea and luncheon that she organizes, with help from the Duggars.

Mandie has been teaching private music lessons since 1999 and has taught many of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's children how to play violin and piano. Here's a short video that shows Josie Duggar's first piano lesson with Mandie.

We especially love the part when Joy Duggar asks her little sister what she's learning, and Josie responds: "Umm...stuff."

 
Photo/video courtesy duggarfamily.com

Dillard News x2

 Israel Dillard and a friend

The Dillard family has two reasons to celebrate!  

As we announced last week, Jill and Derick Dillard will return home to Arkansas in just a few weeks. Their stay will be temporary but will extend into the fall. While they are in the United States, the Dillards plan to take Bible classes and involve themselves in local ministry, and they will continue to work remotely for S.O.S. Ministries.

"Our time here so far has allowed us to see many hearts touched, many souls accept the redeeming love of Christ, and many sweet people helped through humanitarian efforts," Jill and Derick share via their website, dillardfamily.com. "We believe our labors until now will serve as a strong foundation for many years of wonderful ministry..."

The second reason for celebration involves an engagement. Over the weekend, Derick's brother, Dan Dillard, proposed to his girlfriend, Deena, and she said yes! Unlike Jill, Derick has a very small family. Dan is his only sibling, and his dad passed away in 2008. Derick's mom, Cathy, has since remarried.

Dan Dillard, Cathy Dillard Byrum, Derick Dillard, Jill Duggar Dillard

Christmas 2014

Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com

Happy Birthday to the Duggar Dad

Wishing Jim Bob Duggar a blessed birthday! As the father of 19 and grandfather of six, this godly man has a deep love for his family and a strong servant's heart. He and Michelle truly are a "dynamic duo" and have impacted millions of lives in their (almost) 32 years of marriage.

Photos courtesy TLC, duggarfamily.com, duggarfamilyblog.com

TLC Calls Reports Regarding Josh Duggar 'Absolutely Untrue'

Earlier this week, multiple tabloids released articles with headlines indicating that Josh Duggar would join his siblings on season two of Counting On.

TLC quickly spoke up, as a source from the network told PEOPLE Magazine that the rumors are "absolutely untrue." As we reported last year, TLC announced that Josh would not be part of any future programming.

Season two of Counting On premieres later this summer. We will let you know as soon as the network nails down a date.

Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

Fashion Tips from Jessa and Jinger

One of the advantages of having eight sisters is that you can always find something cute to wear. And the more gals you have in your family, the more outfits and accessories there are to choose from!

"It's pretty much free game," explains Jinger Duggar. "...Whatever works for you in the closet, you can wear it." In the TLC webisode below, she and Jessa (Duggar) Seewald show off their favorite outfits and share a few tidbits of fashion advice.



That explains the yellow cardigan that all the Duggar sisters have worn at one time or another...

Photos/video courtesy TLC, duggarfamily.com

Dillards to Return Home

Jill and Derick Dillard just shared a ministry update on their website, along with several pictures. We have posted a few highlights below, but we encourage you to visit dillardfamily.com to read the full ministry update letter.

-During a recent rainstorm, a tree in the Dillards' yard was struck by lightening. Jill and Derick are grateful to God that no one was injured.

-In an effort to unite the ladies at her church, Jill Dillard hosts a weekly women's Bible study. "Israel loves having company and usually makes the rounds asking everyone for a bite of their food!" Jill writes.

-To celebrate their two-year wedding anniversary on June 21st, Jill and Derick were blessed with a one-night stay at a hotel, where they enjoyed "the pool, wifi, and warm showers."

-At 15 months old, Israel Dillard is 33 inches tall and weighs 28 pounds, which is roughly the average height and weight of a two-year-old boy.

-In addition to their other ministry activities, the Dillards continue to partner with a local craftswoman to teach ladies who attend their Bible study how to make jewelry.

-S.O.S. Ministries is sending multiple short-term mission teams, some of which will serve alongside Jill and Derick, to Central America during the month of July. After these teams leave, the Dillards will return to Arkansas for a period of time. They have not been home since last fall and are looking forward to being with family. Jill and Derick plant "to take some Bible classes and be involved in local ministry" while they are in Arkansas.

A short-term ministry team from the U.S. assists the Dillards with a building project

The Bible study ladies sell their handmade jewelry

Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com

Cow Appreciation Day 2016

Chick-fil-A is hosting its annual Cow Appreciation Day! Restaurant guests who wear cow attire will receive a free entrée today until 7:00pm.

Have you ever participated in Cow Appreciation Day? This bovine holiday is a Duggar family tradition. Here are a couple snapshots from years past...

 Jill (Duggar) Dillard and Derick Dillard 

Cow Appreciation Day 2014

Jessa (Duggar) Seewald and Jordyn Duggar

Cow Appreciation Day 2015

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com, theseewaldfamily.com

Duggar Trivia 2016 Answers

 Here are the answers to Saturday's Duggar Trivia question. How many points did you earn?

1. What is Michelle Duggar's maiden name? (1 point)

Ruark

2. How many TV specials did the Duggars star in before the start of 17 Kids and Counting? (2 points)
Five

3. Which Duggars traveled to Chicago in 19 Kids and Counting "Deep Dish Duggars? (2 points)
Jessa and Jinger

4. How many siblings does Jim Bob have? (1 point)
**1 Bonus point if you can name his sibling(s)
One: Deanna Duggar

5. What state did Jim Bob grow up in? (1 point)

Arkansas

6. How many bridesmaids did Jill and Jessa each have? (2 points)
**1 Bonus points if you know how many flower girls they each had
Jill had six bridesmaids and four flower girls; Jessa had eleven bridesmaids and two flower girls.

Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

Duggar Trivia 2016

Hope you are having a lovely weekend! It's been quite a while since we have done a round of Duggar Trivia, so we figured it's time to come up with some questions. Here they are...

Post your responses as a comment, and we will reveal the correct answers on Monday. (Hint: All the information can be found on our blog. Feel free to take advantage of our "Search This Blog" widget on the right sidebar.)

1. What is Michelle Duggar's maiden name? (1 point)

2. How many TV specials did the Duggars star in before the start of 17 Kids and Counting? (2 points)

3. Which Duggars traveled to Chicago in 19 Kids and Counting "Deep Dish Duggars? (2 points)

4. How many siblings does Jim Bob have? (1 point)
       **1 Bonus point if you can name his sibling(s)

5. What state did Jim Bob grow up in? (1 point)

6. How many bridesmaids did Jill and Jessa each have? (2 points)
       **1 Bonus points if you know how many flower girls they each had

Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

Celebrating with James

In 2010, the Duggars did a family photo shoot that included pictures of their buddy teams. Each of the older girls headed up a team of four, with Jill's consisting of herself, Joy-Anna, Justin, and Jennifer.

Although she is married, Jill still maintains a close relationship with her buddy team, which now includes James instead of Justin. While at a roller skating rink celebrating James' 15th birthday yesterday, the Duggars snapped a picture of James' team, minus Jill, who is still in Central America.

 James Duggar, Jennifer Duggar, and Joy-Anna Duggar

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar also treated James to the usual Duggar family birthday treat: a chocolate mess from MarketPlace Grill.

James Duggar

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com, TLC/Scott Enlow

James Turns 15

Today, the Duggars are gearing up to celebrate the first of three July birthdays. If you have been watching the family since they first appeared on TV in 2004, you may remember "meeting" two-year-old James Duggar, then the second youngest of the Duggar clan. Well, today is James' 15th birthday. Have a blessed day, James!

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com, Jinger Duggar, TLC

Playing Catch-Up

During the two-week blogging break that we took in mid-June to allow Ellie's wrists to heal, we missed two important "holidays."

The first was Michael Duggar's fifth birthday on June 15th.

We posted a picture collage for Marcus Duggar's third birthday on June 2nd, but we never did share this video. Hope you enjoy it, even though it's a tad late. After you watch the video, scroll back up to take another look at Michael's picture, and you'll notice how similar the two brothers look. Happy belated birthday, boys!

Our break also fell during Father's Day. Did all the dads out there have a wonderful day celebrating? Check out this video that Jessa Seewald filmed of new dad Ben Seewald and almost-eight-month-old Spurgeon Seewald...

Photo/videos courtesy duggarfamily.com

Dillards Celebrate 4th of July

We hope all of our American and Canadian readers had a blessed holiday weekend celebrating 4th of July and Canada Day.

Although Jill and Derick Dillard are more than 2,000 miles from home and are not living on American soil, they still made a point to celebrate American Independence Day.

They chowed down on buffalo wings from Pollo Campero, the world's largest Latin chicken chain. Founded in Guatemala, Pollo Campero now has more than 300 restaurants worldwide, including more than 55 locations in the United States.

Here are a few snapshots from the Dillards' weekend.

 Jill (Duggar) Dillard, Derick Dillard, and Israel Dillard

Jill and Derick Dillard

Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com

'Growing Up Duggar' Revised Edition

Earlier this year, Simon & Schuster released an updated version of Growing Up Duggar, the book that Jana, Jill, Jessa, and Jinger wrote two years ago.

The new edition--which includes never-before-shared stories of courtship and marriage from Jill (Duggar) Dillard, Jessa (Duggar) Seewald, Derick Dillard, and Ben Seewald--is available for sale on Amazon.com and  SimonandSchuster.com. It's definitely worth the read. Here are a few excerpts to give you a taste of the added material:

Derick: "I had had a couple of girlfriends before meeting Jill, and chaperoning was new to me. But just because I had handled relationships one way in the past didn't mean I couldn't do it differently going forward."

Ben: "My dad was the one who put a fire under me. He encouraged me to take initiative and to get a job. And he did this long before I met Jessa."

Jill: "As Derick said, he and my dad had a prayer-partner relationship for about a year and a half. My dad was impressed with Derick, and his confidence made me feel more secure about getting to know Derick better. My dad said we might have a lot in common, and suggested that we start texting."

Jessa: "The day Ben and I started courting, we began our tradition of calling each other on the phone every night! These were such special times. We would talk about everything from how our day went, to what we had been learning from our Bible reading, and then just anything else that we wanted to talk about. These calls were not "chaperoned." They were private--just between the two of us."