New Year of Duggars

Happy New Year to all our loyal readers! As 2016 comes to a close, it's time to look ahead to 2017. Season three of Counting On premieres in just two weeks. (Tune in to TLC at 9pm ET/8pm CT on Monday, January 16th.) How many courtships and engagements do you think will be announced in the upcoming year?

Photo courtesy TLC

Jed and Jer Throwback

In honor of Jedidiah and Jeremiah Duggar's 18th birthday, check out this video clip from an episode of 19 Kids and Counting that aired two-and-a-half years ago ("A Toast to Love"). While their parents are out of the house, the Duggar kids gather around to plan a dinner theater to surprise Jim Bob and Michelle.

It's hard to believe that Jed and Jer are adults now! When they first appeared on 14 Children and Pregnant Again, the twins were only five years old.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Youngest Duggar Twins Turn 18

Twins Jedidiah and Jeremiah Duggar, the 10th and 11th oldest children of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, are officially adults. Happy 18th birthday!

Today is also Zach Bates' 28th birthday. The Duggars and Bates have been friends for more than 20 years.

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com, TLC, Scott Enlow, DCL

Spurgeon Loves Dancing, Talking, and 'Fixer Upper'

With Baby Seewald #2 due in exactly five weeks, Jessa and Ben Seewald are savoring their last days as the parents of just one child. All of you readers who have more than one kiddo understand how much busier their lives are about to become. Might need to stock up on the coffee, Seewalds!

Thirteen-month-old Spurgeon Seewald is quite the cutie. He has adorable curly hair and loves to toddle around with a smile on his face. Here are a few videos of the soon-to-be big brother. In the first, he shows off his dance moves while listening to the song "Skating" from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

In the second, he entertains himself with an episode of HGTV's Fixer Upper starring Chip and Joanna Gaines, which happens to be one of Jessa's favorite shows. In the third, Spurgeon sings along to "If You're Happy and You Know It." See more of Spurgeon on season three of TLC's Counting On, set to premiere January 15th.

If you have trouble viewing the videos, we recommend trying a different device and/or web browser.

Photo/videos courtesy theseewaldfamily.com

Duggars Take on the Mannequin Challenge

Have you heard of the Mannequin Challenge? It's a fun activity that has overtaken social media. All you have to do is grab a group of people, have everyone choose an action or pose, and then instruct them all to stand perfectly still while you take a quick video.

Twenty-year-old Josiah Duggar wrangled 11 of his younger siblings, nieces, and nephews and helped them complete the challenge. What do you think?

Photo/video courtesy duggarfamily.com

Duggar Family Fan Blog: 7 Years and Counting

The day after Christmas (also known as Boxing Day) was a very special day for us. Not only did we spend time with family, but we also celebrated the anniversary of our blog. We can hardly believe it has been seven years since we started blogging about the Duggar family. 

The most important part of a blog is its readers, and we are beyond grateful to the more than 600,000 loyal readers that we have from across the globe. 

With 3,000 posts and counting, we have thoroughly enjoyed bringing you the latest Duggar updates, and we look forward to continuing to share Duggar news with you in the months and years ahead. 

Below, we have included links to the most popular posts from our first months of blogging. We would love to hear where you are from and how long you have been reading our blog. Make your voice heard in the comments section below.

Duggars Lease a Home with History
Michelle Duggar Goes Skydiving
Doctors Call Josie Duggar's Story a Fairytale
Jill Duggar's College Plans
Homeschooling Advice from Michelle Duggar
Duggars' Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Anna Duggar's Chicken Etti Recipe 
How do the Duggars Keep their Socks Straight?     


Header courtesy Rachel B, photos courtesy duggarfamily.com

Duggar Christmas 2016 Snapshots

To all who celebrate Christmas, we hope you had a wonderful holiday. As you may have guessed, the Duggars love Christmas because it is the celebration of the day Jesus Christ was born on Earth to save humankind from their sins. Here are a few snapshots from the weekend:

 Jana Duggar enjoys baking cookies in preparation for the holiday

 Israel Dillard poses with Derick Dillard's mom, Cathy Dillard Byrum (aka Grandma C)

Ben Seewald and Derick Dillard, along with Spurgeon Seewald share conversation

Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com, duggarfamily.com

Merry Christmas!

We want to wish all of you who celebrate a very merry Christmas! We are so grateful to have each and every one of you as readers of our blogs. May you truly be blessed this Christmas season.

If you enjoy holiday tunes, visit Ellie's blog (nashvillewife.com) to take part in a festive game. The winner will receive a belated Christmas gift.

With Love,
Lily and Ellie
(authors of duggarfamilyblog.com and batesfamilyblog.com)

Dillard Party of 4

Are you excited to see this family of three turn into a family of four? When Baby Dillard #2 arrives in July, big brother Israel Dillard will be two years and three months old.

Jill and Derick's second child will be greeted by six cousins. Spurgeon Seewald will be four months away from his second birthday, Baby Seewald #2 (due February 2nd) will be five months old, Mackynzie Duggar will be three months away from her 8th birthday, Michael Duggar will be six, Marcus Duggar will be four, and Meredith Duggar will be two.

 Jill Dillard, Derick Dillard, and Israel Dillard

Jill Dillard, Derick Dillard, and Israel Dillard

Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com

Birthday Wishes for Jinger

Whenever a birthday rolls around or a big announcement is made, the Duggar family enjoys filming short video clips of their well wishes. Yesterday when Jill and Derick Dillard announced their second pregnancy, Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo, as well as Justin, Jordyn, and Josie Duggar, made videos for the Dillards and posted them on YouTube.

Today, several family members created video messages for Jinger Vuolo in celebration of her 23rd birthday. Here they are:

Jeremy Vuolo

Jessa, Ben, and Spurgeon Seewald

Jill, Derick, and Israel Dillard

Photo courtesy jingerandjeremy.com, videos courtesy duggarfamily.com

Jinger Turns 23

Happy 23rd birthday to Mrs. Jinger Vuolo (previously known as Jinger Duggar)!

Photos courtesy jingerandjeremy.com used with permission, duggarfamily.com, TLC, Scott Enlow, DCL

Congrats from Justin, Jordyn, and Josie

Even though they are quite frequent in a family with 19 children, pregnancy announcements are always cause for celebration in the Duggar household. Jordyn Duggar, Justin Duggar, and Josie Duggar are all looking forward to welcoming another baby in July 2017 (videos below). We especially like 14-year-old Justin's statement: "Congratulations, Jill and Derick. I'm so excited for you guys, and for me too because I get another niece or nephew."

Check out this morning's post for more information and this afternoon's post for a video message from newlyweds Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo. And in case you missed it, we also revealed the official start date of Counting On season three.

Photo/videos courtesy duggarfamily.com

Congrats from Jinger and Jeremy

 

Following Jill and Derick Dillard's big announcement this morning (click here to see our post from earlier today) Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar shared a congratulations video made by Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo. Here it is:

Photo/video courtesy duggarfamily.com

Duggars Return to TV in 4 Weeks

Less than 20 minutes ago, we shared an exciting announcement. Jill and Derick Dillard are expecting baby #2 in July 2017! Click here to watch their video message to fans.

"Children really are a wonderful blessing from God," the Dillards told PEOPLE. "Having Israel has been such a delight to us that we know a second sweet baby will only continue to add joy to our family."

Well, we have more big news to reveal. Season three of Counting On premieres Monday, January 16th, at 9pm ET/8pm CT. That's right, the program is no longer on Tuesdays. Between baily life, wedding preparations, babies, new relationships, and much more, season three has a lot of exciting footage in store for viewers (promo video below).

Photo/video courtesy of TLC

Someone's Expecting!

 

This just in! One of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's married children just announced a pregnancy. Congratulations, Jill and Derick Dillard! When Baby Dillard arrives in July 2017, there will a total of eight grandchildren in the Duggar family. (Jessa Seewald is due with her second child on February 2nd.)

Watch the Dillards' announcement video below.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Video: Dillard Family Ministries 2015-2016

Many of you have asked for more information about the work that Jill and Derick Dillard have been doing in Central America. The couple just released a video with dozens of pictures from their first year of missions (summer 2015-summer 2016) and captions explaining how they ministered to the people of Central America during that time. Check it out below:

Photos/video courtesy dillardfamily.com

Birthday Wishes for Jordyn

Jordyn-Grace Duggar, the 18th child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, celebrated her 8th birthday yesterday with a trip to Acambaro, her favorite Mexican restaurant. With the family gathered around, Michelle shared the attributes that she loves most about her daughter. Check out the video below.

If you've seen 19 Kids and Counting "Daddy Duggar's Birthday," you may recall the Duggars visiting Acambaro for Jim Bob Duggar's 46th birthday back in 2011. It is one of the family's favorite places to eat.

Photo/video courtesy duggarfamily.com

Christmas with the Dillards

Hello, readers! We apologize for being away from the blog this weekend. We were at a family wedding and just returned.

Hope you enjoy this photo of the early Christmas celebration that Jill, Derick, and Israel Dillard had with Derick's family. Derick only has one brother, Dan, so compared to the Duggars' holiday gatherings, get-togethers with the Dillards are quite a bit less crowded. Dan married Deena on November 12th, so this is their first Christmas as a married couple.

Derick Dillard, Jill Dillard, Israel Dillard, Dan Dillard, and Deena Dillard

Photo courtesy dillardfamily.com

Throwback: Jordyn's Birth Announcement

In honor of Jordyn Duggar's 8th birthday, let's take a look back at the TODAY Show newscast announcing her birth (embedded below). A lot has changed in the Duggar home since Jordyn's arrival. The family has added three sons-in-law and six (soon to be seven) grandchildren and has celebrated many milestones.

Did you watch this when it first aired eight years ago?

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Photo/video courtesy TODAY/NBC

Duggar #18 Turns 8

Happy 8th birthday to Jordyn-Grace Makiya Duggar!

The 18th child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar was born on December 18th, 2008, via C-section at Mercy Medical Center in Rogers, Arkansas.

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com, TLC,

'Counting On' Season 3 Premieres Soon

Season three of Counting On premieres in just a few weeks! TLC has not yet announced the date, but rest assured the Duggars will be back on reality TV by mid January.

At those point, we can share the details of two of the episodes. There will be one at the beginning of the season that will show footage from Jinger's wedding dress shopping experience, as well as other aspects of the wedding planning saga.

Later in season three, TLC plans to air a two-hour "wedding premiere."

To learn more about Renee Miller, the woman who custom designed Jinger's wedding gown and bridesmaids dresses, and to submit questions for her about her experience working with the Duggars, check out yesterday's post. To watch the season three promo video, click here to be redirected to our post from November 25th.

Photo courtesy TLC

New Photos of Jinger's Dress

 Jinger Duggar (about to be come Jinger Vuolo) and designer Renee Miller

Yesterday we shared the first page of an upcoming magazine article written by Renee Miller, the gal who custom designed Jinger Duggar's wedding gown and bridesmaids dresses. She and Jinger are pictured above in a snapshot taken just before Jinger walked down the aisle to marry Jeremy Vuolo. The photo below was taken outside the church, also before the ceremony.

We have been in touch with Renee of Renee's Bridal and Special Occasions of Pensacola, Florida, and she has graciously agreed to answer your questions about the dresses she designed for the Duggar/Vuolo wedding, her experience working with the Duggars, and her business. Post your questions in the comments section, and we will share them with Renee and report back to you.

For more about Renee's work, visit her website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram (@renees_bridal).

 Jinger and Renee

Renee helps Jinger down the steps of the church

Photos courtesy Renee Miller, TLC

Jinger Duggar's Wedding Dress

Ahead of their November 5th nuptials, Jeremy Vuolo told his bride-to-be, Jinger Duggar, that he likes wedding dresses with long trains.

The pro soccer player certainly got his wish...and much more. Jinger walked down the aisle in a custom wedding gown with a 13-foot train, 5,000 pearls, and antique lace. The dress was designed by Renee Miller of Renee's Bridal and Special Occasions of Pensacola, Florida.
 
Girlz 4 Christ Magazine will be running an article about Renee's experience working with the Duggars in its winter issue, slated for release on December 21st, which also happens to be Jinger Vuolo's birthday and the first day of winter. The editor of the publication gave us permission to share the first page of the article. Visit the Girlz 4 Christ Magazine website to sign up for a free digital subscription.

Double click the article to show a larger version. For a list of Jinger's bridesmaids, check out our December 3rd post. For more wedding photos, take a look at our November 23rd post.

Come back to the blog tomorrow for more more photos and an exclusive opportunity that we know you'll love!

Article courtesy girlz4christmagazine.org; photos courtesy jingerandjeremy.com, TLC

Birthday Date with Joy and Austin

 Joy-Anna Duggar and boyfriend Austin 

We know we've been bombarding you with pictures today, but these are just too cute not to share. In celebration of Austin's 23rd birthday, Jim Bob Duggar, Michelle Duggar and Joy-Anna Duggar treated him to the Duggars' favorite birthday dessert: the Chocolate Mess at MarketPlace Grill. If you haven't been introduced to Austin, he is Joy's boyfriend. For those who are wondering, Joy turned 19 in October, so she and Austin are just under four years apart.

The Duggars are frequent patrons of MarketPlace Grill. Over the years, they have celebrated many birthdays, double dates, Valentine's Days, and other occasions with a trip to the restaurant, and they almost always order the Chocolate Mess.

We have to ask...have you been to MarketPlace Grill?

Austin, Joy Duggar, Michelle Duggar, Jim Bob Duggar

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com

Celebrating Josie's 7th Birthday

As we shared with y'all two days ago, Josie Duggar turned seven years old on Saturday. The Duggars celebrated with a trip to the local bowling alley and a stop at a nearby ice cream shop. Check out these snapshots:

 Josie Duggar

 Josie Duggar, Jackson Duggar, and Jordyn Duggar

 John-David Duggar and Jason Duggar

 Josie Duggar and Mackynzie Duggar

Jana Duggar, Johannah Duggar, Josie Duggar, 

Jennifer Duggar, and a relative who is currently living with the Duggars

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com

'I Will Carry You'

Earlier today, we posted the letter that Michelle Duggar wrote to daughter Jubilee Shalom Duggar, stillborn five years ago. For those who are going through or have gone through a miscarriage, we also wanted to share the YouTube video of a song that encouraged Michelle, as well as a video explaining the story that inspired the song. The song is called "I Will Carry You" by the band Selah.

Videos courtesy Todd and Angie Smith/Selah/B&H Publishing Group

In Memory of Jubilee

Five years ago on November 8th, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar announced to Ann Curry on NBC's Today Show that they were expecting their 20th child, due the following April. (Click here to watch the video clip.)

Less than one month later, on December 2, 2011, their joy turned to sorrow when Jubilee Shalom Duggar entered into the presence of Jesus. She was stillborn at 11:46 p.m. on December 11, 2011, weighing 4 oz and measuring 6 cm in length. Her memorial service was held three days later.

In memory of Jubilee, we have embedded the audio version of the letter that Michelle wrote to her baby girl during the grieving process. If you have been reading our blog for several years, you may have heard it, but we know there are many of you who haven't. It truly is a beautiful letter.

Audio/photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

Josie Duggar Turns 7

Seven years ago, Michelle Duggar gave birth to Josie Brooklyn Duggar via emergency C-section after a life-threatening diagnosis of Preeclampsia. Josie was born at 25 weeks gestation, weighing only 1 pound 6 ounces. Soon after her arrival, the Duggars relocated to a rental home near the NICU in Little Rock.

The world was inspired by Josie Duggar's story, which doctors said was nothing short of a miracle.
Happy 7th birthday, Josie!

Do you remember hearing about Josie's premature birth seven years ago? Were you a reader of our blog back then?

Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com, TLC, Scott Enlow, duggarfamilyblog.com

Meet Joy's Boyfriend

Since Joy-Anna Duggar's courtship announcement last month, many of you have been asking about her beau, Austin Forsyth. Also an Arkansas native, Austin grew up in the country with his parents and sister, Meagan, running Fort Rock Family Camp, which the Duggars have visited multiple times.

In 2009, the Forsyths participated in an episode of the TV show World's Strictest Parents. (At that time, Meagan was 17, and Austin was 15.) With cameras rolling, the family took in two troubled teenagers, 18-year-old Tyler and 15-year-old Arielle, to show them what it's like to live in a home filled with love and mutual respect.

The results are incredible. In just a few days, Tyler and Arielle make incredible transformations, and they begin to thoroughly enjoy their time with the Forsyth family. When their parents arrive to pick them up, they are thrilled by the changes they see in their children.

You can watch video clips from the World's Strictest Parents episode featuring the Forsyths on the CMT (Country Music Television) website. Here are the links to the three that we recommend. We don't recommend the other three clips, which show the first half of the visit and include a few curse words from Tyler and Arielle.

Day 3: Teamwork
Day 4: Heart-to-Heart Talks
Final Day: Going Home

Photo courtesy TLC

Jim Bob the 'Big Hunk'

Here's a lighthearted photo of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar that we hope will bring a smile to your face. They are posing with a Big Hunk® candy bar.

Have you ever tried a Big Hunk®? If you haven't, that's okay. We haven't either. First created in the 1950s, the Big Hunk® is a chewy, white nougat bar filled with peanuts. Sounds delicious, doesn't it?

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, December 2016

Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

Amy Duggar King Returning to Reality TV

This just in. Amy Duggar King, niece of Jim Bob Duggar and cousin of the 19 Duggar children, is returning to reality TV, but not in the way you may have expected.

Amy married her sweetheart, Dillon King, during a September 2015 wedding ceremony attended by the majority of the Duggar family. She has made cameo appearances on several episodes of 17 Kids and Counting, 18 Kids and Counting, and 19 Kids and Counting, as well as on the 2014 TLC specials "A Big Announcement," "A Duggar Leaves Home," and "Amy's Nashville Dreams."

Earlier this week, WE tv announced the cast for season seven of its reality show Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars, set to premiere Friday, January 6th, at 9pm ET/8pm CT.

What does this have to do with the Duggar cousin? Amy and Dillon King will be featured in the new season, alongside a cast of "troubled reality star couples" from the shows The Bachelorette, Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta, Bad Girls Club, and Mob Wives.

In its press release, the network states that when Amy and Dillon arrive on set after only seven months of marriage, "their lack of respect for each other is apparent." After being counseled by therapists Dr. Ish Major and Dr. Venus Nicolino, each of the reality TV couples will decide whether to "stay together or go their separate ways."

Disclaimer: We are not encouraging you to watch this show, as it does not represent the values of the majority of our readers, and the promo videos posted online contain quite a few obscenities. We simply wanted to make the announcement, should you hear about it from another source and wonder if it's true.

'It's not about what we have' (Michelle)

As a mother of 19, Michelle Duggar has gained quite a bit of wisdom over the years. She and Jim Bob Duggar say they are still learning themselves, and while that may be true, there is still much that the two of them can teach, as well. What do you think of this quote by Mama Duggar?

List of Jinger Duggar's Bridesmaids

Happy Saturday to our lovely readers! Many of you have asked for a list of Jinger Duggar's bridesmaids. The sixth oldest Duggar child walked down the aisle with ten gals. Her sisters encouraged her to delegate tasks so she could remain relaxed on her wedding day, and their advice worked; the bride stayed calm throughout the entire process.

Here are the names of the bridal attendants (from left to right) and their relationships to Jinger:

Johannah Duggar (sister of the bride) 
Jennifer Hartono (friend of the bride)
   *Jennifer was a foreign exchange student from Indonesia who met the Duggars several years ago when her brother connected with John-David and Jana on a mission trip.
Jana Duggar (sister of the bride)
Joy-Anna Duggar (sister of the bride)
Matron of honor Jessa Duggar Seewald (sister of the bride)
Jill Duggar Dillard (sister of the bride)
Anna Duggar (sister-in-law of the bride/wife of brother Josh Duggar)
Kenzie Peters (friend of the bride)
Valerie Vuolo (sister of the groom)
    *Jeremy Vuolo has two siblings, best man Charles Vuolo and bridesmaid Valerie Vuolo.
Rebekah Kelly (friend of the bride)


Photo courtesy TLC

#FlashbackFriday Michelle Disciplines

We hope y'all are having a wonderful day. In honor of #FlashbackFriday, we have an old Duggar video to share. It was filmed in 2008, when Michelle Duggar was pregnant with her 18th child, Jordyn-Grace Duggar. 

The mom of many attempts to do an interview with Discovery, while keeping toddlers Jackson Duggar and Johannah Duggar quiet. Filmed more than eight years ago, this video clip will give you a behind-the-scenes look at Duggar discipline.

Photo/video courtesy Discovery Life

Dillards and Seewalds Are Ready for Christmas

The Dillards and Seewalds are getting ready for Christmas! Jill, Derick, and Israel Dillard have been home from Central America for almost four months. They are living in the home that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar refer to as their "guesthouse," located next door.

Both Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald are proud of their Christmas decorations. For both of them, this is their third Christmas as married women and their second Christmas as mamas. Have you decorated for Christmas yet?

 Jill (Duggar) Dillard and Israel Dillard with their newly decorated Christmas tree

 Jessa (Duggar) Seewald's Christmas decorations...notice the four stockings :)

And here's a cute picture of Grandma Michelle Duggar and grandson Israel Dillard...

Michelle Duggar and Israel Dillard

Photos courtesy dillardfamily.com, theseewaldfamily.com