New Episodes?

Just got word from TLC about the premiere date for the upcoming season of 19 Kids and Counting. The network has been shooting and editing like crazy and is aiming to air new episodes in March.

Giggles From a Grand-Duggar

Six-month-old Marcus Duggar had a ball at Silver Dollar City--a family-friendly theme park located in Branson, Missouri--this afternoon. Here's a quick video:

4 Years and Counting

Can you believe the Duggar Family Blog has been around for four years? We couldn't do it without all of you...our loyal readers! We're interested to hear how long you have been visiting the blog and how you first heard about it. Chime in with a comment. :)

Video: Alaska - The Last Frontier

This video is a collection of wonderful images from the Alaskan wilderness. It also serves as a great reminder of just how beautiful and demanding an environment the state actually is. Really impressive stuff.

ALASKA from Issimo on Vimeo.

From Atlantic to...Arkansas

Josh and Anna and their kids drove home for the holidays, so the Duggar family is together for Christmas. Here are a few snapshots from today:

 A big gift for a big family

 The Duggars' dining room table is big enough for Christmas lunch and board games

 Enjoying a game of volleyball in the Duggars' backyard

Can you imagine wrapping Christmas presents for 19 kids?

And here's a short video:

Video: Insight Into Adventure

I'm sure more than a few of you will be spending some time on the slopes over the holiday period. If you're looking for a little inspiration before heading out, check out this beautiful ski video. It features skier Aidan Shehan, who uses meditation to prepare himself for the challenges of flying down a slope covered in untouched powder.

Aidan Sheahan - "Insight" from Vital Films on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas!

How do the Duggars celebrate Christmas? Baking and decorating start the day after Thanksgiving, as does the anticipation of the upcoming holiday. In her latest Parentables posts, Michelle Duggar explains that she and Jim Bob focus their family's festivities around the birth of Jesus, which encourages a spirit of thankfulness and service towards others. They distribute homemade treats to local firefighters, police officers, and paramedics and play music at nursing homes.

We have fun decorating and baking and doing all that, too, but I hope and pray that my children know that when they come out of our home and start their own homes that the central focus truly was the birth of Christ and how he set the example giving his life, how we in turn should be truly grateful for what Christ gave.

The older Duggar kids often take mission trips during the Christmas season to bring gifts and joy to children in Central America. The kids also put on an annual pageant, a tradition started by Josh years ago.

They come up with the most creative ideas. One year, they took their light-colored sheets and safety-pinned them around their necks. Jessa came up with an idea to make a beard one year. She had long thick curls and she took her hair around her chin with a rubber band and made a beard. Whoever could pull their hair around their chin and fasten it became the wise men. It was so hilarious.

Merry Christmas from the Duggars and the Duggar Family Blog.