Duggar Daughters on Life and Love

On March 11th, we shared a preview of a recent interview that the five oldest Duggar daughters did with Crown of Beauty Magazine. The full issue, "The Brave Issue," has just been released, and it devotes 10 pages to Jana, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, and Joy-Anna. The gals get candid about their love lives, following God, and their hopes and dreams for the future.

Jinger Duggar Vuolo chats about her new life as Jeremy Vuolo's wife. "Since we began our relationship, Jeremy and I have learned that when we are walking closely with Jesus, we are closest to each other," says Jinger.

Jill Duggar Dillard cautions young women not to "date anyone who doesn't share the same goals as you." She also shares how she is looking forward to watching Israel interact with his younger brother, due in July.

Jana Duggar encourages ladies to strive to learn contentment in every stage. "I believe we all go through times of learning to be content wherever we are in life, whether you are a young kid waiting to be finished with school, a young person waiting to get married, then once married, waiting to have a child, then waiting for your children to go up," she explains.

The oldest Duggar daughter also reveals some of her hobbies: piano, crafts, building projects, gardening, and spending time with family.

As a young mom of two sons, Jessa Duggar Seewald says that even just five years ago, she "never could've dreamed of what God had in store." She cites her mom, Michelle Duggar, as one of her greatest role models, saying that "her patience and use of soft words, even when things are chaotic, has been a great example for me."

Younger sister Joy-Anna Duggar (soon to be Joy-Anna Forsyth) steps in to talk about her relationship with Austin and her goals for the future. When asked where she sees herself in five years, she responds: "Lord willing, I will be married and a mother."

Click here to read the full interview on the Crown of Beauty Magazine website.

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Photos courtesy TLC

Duggar Road Trip Snapshots

The Duggars are enjoying a family spring break trip, which included a visit to the Creation Museum, ARK Encounter, and the National Museum of the United States Air Force. They are also squeezing in some time with the Bates family in East Tennessee. 

 Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo with nephews Spurgeon and Henry Seewald

 Joy-Anna Duggar leads the younger kids in a game of Apples to Apples

Spurgeon Seewald

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Photos courtesy duggarfamily.com

Life as Reality TV Stars

"I think one thing that [the cameras] haven't captured is in the morning all the alarms going off in the boys' room. We're pretty hard sleepers."
-Joseph Duggar

In this TLCme video clip with interviewer Danni Starr, Joseph Duggar and Josiah Duggar share what it's like to have hundreds of hours of professional home movies to look back on and how filming for their reality show has changed their family.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Duggars in Kentucky

Check out this group photo from the Duggars' weekend trip to the ARK Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky, and the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. The family has been to the Creation Museum three times now, once in 2008--a visit that was documented on 18 Kids and Counting--and once in 2014. The ARK Encounter just opened last summer.

Who can you pick out in the photo below? If you look closely, you'll see Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and the majority of their 19 children; Josh and Anna Duggar and their four (soon to be five) kids; Joseph Duggar and his girlfriend, Kendra Caldwell; Michelle's sister and her grandson, Tyler, who is living with the Duggars; as well as several friends.

Jessa, Ben, Spurgeon, and Henry Seewald, also went along, as did Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo. Ken Ham, founder of the Creation Museum and visionary behind the ARK Encounter, confirmed that the Duggars were not filming for TLC during this visit.

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Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

Bear Cub Picture

In last month's popular post about Derick Dillard's haircut, some of the snapshots had a picture in the background that many of you were curious about.

 Jill and Derick Dillard

Jill, Derick, and Israel Dillard

The haircut took place in the master bathroom at the Duggars' guesthouse, where the Dillards were staying before going back to Central America in mid February. Some of you said that the picture on the wall looked like Jim Bob holding a bear cub. It's actually him and Michelle. Mystery solved!

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, 1984 (the year they got married)

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Photos courtesy TLC, duggarfamily.com

Mackynzie, Michael, and Cousin Paul

Josh and Anna Duggar are living a quiet life, so pictures of their family are few and far between. They recently spent time with Anna's sister and brother-in-law, David and Priscilla Waller, and their three children (Paul, Davia, and Phillip).

Mackynzie Duggar (7), Michael Duggar (almost 6), and cousin Paul Waller (just turned 4)
Canoeing with Priscilla

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Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

Latest Duggar Videos: Honeymoon & Girls Day

Happy Monday! Most of our international readers are unable to watch the videos that we post directly from the TLC website, so we make a point to share them again when the network uploads them to YouTube.

Here are a couple clips from Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo's honeymoon, as well as a video from a special girls day that Jinger Duggar shared with her mom, grandma, and sisters just a few days before her wedding. Some of you who live in the United States may not have seen them either, so be sure to watch.

If you enjoy this blog, check out our other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and BatesFamilyBlog.com).

Photo/videos courtesy TLC

Jana and Anna Throw a Bridal Shower

Summer will be here before you know it, and with it will come new episodes of Counting On. Until then, we know you will enjoy this new webisode. Anna Duggar and Jana Duggar, with help from the little girls, are setting up for Jinger Duggar's bridal shower. They are expecting about 80 guests, and although that sounds like a lot, it is fairly common for Duggar gatherings.

If you enjoy this blog, check out our other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and BatesFamilyBlog.com).

Photo/video courtesy TLC

New Photos of Joy and Austin

Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth announced their engagement on March 3rd, less than four months after announcing their courtship. Although their official relationship was short, their families have been friends since they were young (about 15 years).

Joy will be the fifth Duggar sibling to tie the knot and the fourth Duggar daughter to walk down the aisle. She and Austin have not yet announced their wedding date, but when they do, we will share it with you.

New episodes of Counting On are set to return to TLC this summer, and we know you are all looking forward to seeing the moment when Joy said yes, as well as the romantic outdoor dinner that Austin surprised her with after the proposal.

Here are a few snapshots of the soon-to-be newlyweds. How cute are they? Joy-Anna turned 19 in October, and Austin turned 23 in December, so they are four years apart.

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Photos courtesy DCL/TLC

Flowers for Jana

Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar teach their children to constantly look for opportunities to build others up and express gratefulness. One of the ways they model this is by striving to praise their children ten times more than they correct them.

If you have been a long-time viewer of the show, you have probably seen many examples of the Duggars blessing others. Sixteen-year-old Jason Duggar recently surprised his oldest sister, 27-year-old Jana Duggar, with a bouquet of flowers and a heartfelt note. Do you have any suggestions of small ways to show kindness to those around you?

Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

Duggar Wedding 5.0

As the Duggars prepare to celebrate yet another wedding for another Duggar daughter, we figured it would be an great time to share the remainder of the photos (click here to view the previously posted snapshots) that we received from Renee Miller, the talented woman who designed Jinger Duggar's wedding dress. Who's looking forward to seeing the style that Joy-Anna Duggar chooses for her bridal gown?

These pictures were taken on the day Jinger and her sisters, mom, and mother-in-law met Renee Miller in Fredericksburg, Virginia. They met at Ava Laurenne Bride, a wedding dress shop owned by Wendy, the mutual friend who introduced Renee and Jinger. If you missed our series on "Designing Jinger Duggar's Wedding Dress," you can catch up here.

For those who haven't heard, a brand new season of Counting On premieres this summer. We know you all are looking forward to seeing Joy Duggar and Austin Forsyth's wedding and watching Joseph Duggar court Kendra Caldwell.

 The Duggars stand outside Ava Laurenne Bride as they wait to meet Renee

 Mr. Jim, the Duggars' beloved soundman

 Wendy chats with the film crew

 Renee Miller and Diana Vuolo (Jeremy Vuolo's mom)

 Renee and Mr. Jim

 Renee and her design team

 Michelle Duggar with Renee's son, who came to support his mom

Jill Duggar Dillard and Wendy (Wendy sold Jill her wedding dress)

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Photos courtesy Renee Miller

Henry and Cousin Marcus

Another day, another adorable picture of Henry Seewald. Temperatures reached the mid-80s yesterday afternoon in Northwest Arkansas, so Jessa and Spurgeon Seewald took six-week-old Henry into the backyard to soak up some Vitamin D.

Henry Wilberforce Seewald, 6 weeks old

We think Henry looks very similar to newborn Marcus Duggar, who is now almost four years old. What do you think?

 Michael Duggar and Marcus Duggar, 2013

Mackynzie Duggar and Marcus Duggar, 2013

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Photos courtesy theseewaldfamily.com, duggarfamily.com

New Photos of Henry and Spurgeon

Spurgeon Seewald and Henry Wilberforce Seewald

Henry Wilberforce Seewald is six weeks old! Born weighing 8 lbs 11 oz, the little guy had reached 12 lbs by the time he was just four weeks old. It's very clear from these photos that 16-month-old Spurgeon Seewald is enjoying his new role as an older brother.

 Henry Seewald, Spurgeon Seewald, Ben Seewald

Jessa Seewald and Henry Seewald

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Top photo: Courtesy theseewaldfamily.com
Bottom 2 photos: Photos are property of theseewaldfamily.com and may not be used without written permission.

Duggar Pregnancy Announcement

Josh and Anna Duggar just released a statement via Jim Bob and Michelle's Duggar website:

"For nearly the last two years, we have quietly worked to save our marriage, focus on our children, and rebuild our lives together as a family. Doing so is never easy after a breach of trust. We’ve learned that a life of faith and rebuilding a life together is simply done one day at a time. As we continue our journey as a family and rebuild our lives, we are delighted to share with you that we are expecting a new baby boy later this year. Beauty comes from ashes and we cannot wait to see and kiss the face of this sweet new boy!"

If you enjoy this blog, check out our other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and BatesFamilyBlog.com).  

Photo courtesy duggarfamily.com

Mackynzie's 1st Birthday (Duggar #TBT)

 Johannah Duggar and Jackson Duggar

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!

Mackynzie Duggar turned seven years old in October, but many of you remember watching her as an infant and toddler on TLC's 18 Kids and Counting and 19 Kids and Counting. In this Throwback Thursday video, the Duggars gather to celebrate the eldest grandchild's first birthday.

If you enjoy this blog, check out our other blogs (NashvilleWife.com and BatesFamilyBlog.com). 

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Joy-Anna Duggar's Engagement Meal (Photos)

Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth announced their engagement on March 3rd. The special moment took place while the couple was on a horseback riding date, with younger sisters Johannah Duggar and Jennifer Duggar along as chaperones.

After Austin popped the question and Joy said yes, the two had a romantic dinner outdoors. Props to Austin for all the planning! They feasted on grilled venison from a deer they hunted together, grilled potatoes, and cast-iron skillet green beans. Scroll through the snapshots below. You'll find the recipes on TLCme.

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Photos courtesy TLC/DCL