I had to put it down because I started feeling overwhelmed.

I am extremely happy to be pregnant, and so excited to be a mom. But after reading about what will happen to my body immediately after birth and how hard the first months will be, I just felt overwhelmed. Being sleep deprived worries me. I am a person that needs sleep, and needs a lot of it. I read that book and had visions of crying from exhaustion and screaming at my husband and other things. Which may (probably) will happen.

I suppose this is a completely normal feeling, but I am starting to doubt my abilities to be a mom. However, I am confident that the Lord knows what He is doing, and will give me the strength and grace to be a mom. On the other hand, I also know that this is going to be tough. Really tough. And part of me wonders if I am up to the task.

But you know what helps me? Jon and Kate Plus 8. If you're not familiar with the TLC show, it's about a couple -- Jon and Kate -- who have a set of twin girls and also a set of sextuplets. That's 8 kids. The twins are 7 now, and the sextuplets -- three boys and three girls -- are 3 1/2.

Every time I watch the show I am encouraged. I am inspired by Kate. She is so organized. I have a hard time keeping a small apartment with 2 adults and 2 cats clean, and to keep up on our laundry. And watching the little kids makes me really excited to have kids. And watching how Jon handles being a dad makes me excited to see how my husband will rise to the occasion.

I can't help feeling like if they can do what they do, that somehow I can do this mom thing. After all, I am only having one at the moment.

I would love to meet Kate, and give her a hug, and tell her that she is my hero. She, and other moms everywhere. Moms might be the most under-appreciated people on the planet. I never realized how much moms DO until I got pregnant, and I think I will realize it on a whole new level once this little one is born. Our church has lots of moms (the majority of our church is young families), and I don't know how they feel about this, but I watch them. I watch how they interact with their kids, how they teach their kids about the world. And I am always so impressed.

For those of you who don't know, Jon and Kate Gosselin have a show called "Jon & Kate Plus 8" on TLC that follows their family during every day life. As the title says, they have a family of 8 children. They have been filmed I think since Kate had the youngest children, but that was filmed on Discovery Health. They have 2 sets of multiples: one set of twins age 7, Cara and Mady, and a set of sextuplets age 3, Alexis, Hannah, Leah, Aaden, Collin, and Joel. It is not reality TV, like Big Brother or Real World or anything like that, but it is Jon and Kate's reality. They are filmed year round and episodes aren't scripted - after all, how can you expect 8 kids, aged 7 and 3, to be able to follow instructions. They don't even follow all their parents' rules as it is!

Over the past few days I have read a lot of terrible things written about Jon & Kate Gosselin and their children. I love watching J&K+8 and I can't see how someone could hate people they don't even know so much to write about them everyday. In fact, I find it a little ridiculous that people are going so crazy. On one person's blog I, two mothers were having a virtual cat fight via the comment wall... that went on for more than 40 pages. Well, if people can hate that much through a blog, then I am going to hate right back! For the record, this is the ONLY entry I will write regarding my favorite show and TV family, the Gosselins. I will read comments, but will not respond.

First, Kate is not pimping out her children for freebies and money. Jon and Kate aren't rich and, as Kate always says, they try to make life for their kids as normal as possible - as if there was only one [or even two] 3 year olds. People criticize them for exploiting their children to get things like a Disney Trip, a Utah Ski Trip, etc. So what? Even if they are, wouldn't you do the same thing?? If you had 8 kids, and you just happened to be picked up by a TV station, and consequently become somewhat of a national celebrity, and at the same time had no money AND no jobs, wouldn't you take the freebies so that your kids could enjoy life as much as possible? I agree that maybe Jon and Kate have talked it over and realized that a very ideal option for them is to keep filming "Jon & Kate Plus 8," but I do not think their main reason is to get freebies and stay in the spotlight. I think it's great that they try to engage their kids in as much as they possibly can. Quite frankly, I bet they would rather not have every minute of their life filmed with the nation watching every little mistake or melt down they have.

In addition, Jon and Kate are not in an abusive marriage. What you see on camera is just a tiny fraction of the real relationship they have. They don't censor their material or cut out what makes them look bad, they just don't care, which is why people are drawn to the show, because it is a real time look into Jon and Kate's life. Many couples are saying that Jon is abused because Kate is always yelling and slapping him. Sure, Kate gets very stressed and upset a lot - you would, too, if you had to take 8 kids to Crayola Factory, the zoo, Disney, etc. But her "slaps" can't even be considered a full on slap, they are what many women refer to as a "love tap." In addition, Jon gets just as out of control with his temper as Kate - remember the time at the zoo?? or how about when he told her to pull the stick out?? (Which I am still laughing about) Also, if you are a married mother/father watching and criticizing J&k+8, don't even act like you don't yell, curse, stomp around when your kids or your spouse is not doing what you want. You may even be a hitter - and I'm not talking love tap. You all throw tantrums in your own little inappropriate annoying way. You are NOT perfect, either!!

Finally, Jon and Kate did not want six kids originally. Some higher power - God, the in-vitro doctor, L. Rob Hubbard, whatever you want to believe - gave them a chance to bring 6 people into this world. They took the high road and decided against reduction because they thought it was the right thing. Don't hate them for choosing what they thought was morally right. It wasn't an easy choice, Kate and Jon even say they cried for weeks when they found out before they decided to run with all 6. If anything it was a brave decision, and look what they got out of it: six beautiful, fun-loving, crazy kids who, admit it, you can't help but love, even a little bit. Cara and Mady, too, are great kids, despite Mady's recurring outbursts. I admire the Gosselins and whoever chooses to help them.

I don't know anything more about Kate and Jon than what I see on their show, just like I know nothing more about the people hatefully blogging about them than what I read. But I do know that life with 8 kids all under the age of 8 is bound to set the stage for some really terrible days, and at some point hard decisions must be made. Try thinking about sending 8 kids through college; Having to figure out how 8 kids are going to share a car; wondering what to get them all for Christmas each year; having 8 teenagers at once (might as well roll over and die with this one). I mean, for goodness sake, I had to babysit 9 kids at once, aged 3 to 10, and that was a living nightmare. I don't really think anyone has the right to criticize Jon and Kate for their parenting efforts or their life choices. Simply put: if you hate the Gosselins, or you hate the show, then don't watch. Stop stewing in your already miserable lives about other people's lives. If you think you are so much better than them, then prove it. Go accidentally get pregnant with sextuplets and let us watch you 24/7. The rest of us enjoy J&K+8 for what it is - pure entertainment. If you are not entertained, the off switch is in the upper left hand corner of your remote.

NOTE: Alexis is my favorite!! :-)

Jon's three embarassing moments were when Kate yelled at him across the toy store "hello". When she yelled across the corn field and when she yelled at him in the Crayola factory> I would agree, there has to be a better way to communicate because it does seem you are talking down to your spouse or like a dog. I am sure we have all done that whether it is our spouse or children but I hope this is something they can work on. I wish Jon would stand up more when she talks to him like that but we all have our issues and I still love this show.

It was cute to see the little kids and the twins so little. It is hard to believe 4 years has gone by. I hope it will be on for a while longer.

To our faithful fans who deserve an answer,

In the recent days, we have been informed there are a lot of lies circulating about us. Just so you know we have worked hard to show you our real life and we have succeeded. Although it is not always easy we will continue to show you the good, the bad and the ugly on our show. Unfortunately, as with anyone who is on TV there are jealous bystanders, family included, who for whatever reason insist upon telling hurtful untruths. We will continue to love these family members. We will not retaliate. We will leave it alone out of respect for them. But as a reminder, nothing that you read on the internet or in print is true unless it is approved by us. Thank you for watching as our family grows and develops. Our children have always been our priority, will continue to be our top priority and quite honestly nothing else matters to us.

(This message has been personally written by Jon and Kate Gosselin)

It never fails, anytime we have bought something that has to be put together or anything that comes with directions as to how it should be done, my DH will inevitably say, "This thing is crazy, who writes this stuff, I wonder if they have ever put anything together in their life". Well, the other day we were watching, Jon and Kate Plus 8 (I love that show), and Jon was putting together some new bunk beds and the same thing happened. He exclaimed, "These directions don't make any sense. I can do it better without any." There it was, the male psyche at work. They hate following directions, they are so sure that they know how to do something and reading and following the directions would be some sort of blemish in their armour. God love 'em!

Well, getting to the point of my husband killing me. He recently got a gps. We have affectionately named her, Doris(I can't really remember why, but we did have reason). Whenever we are going anywhere and we aren't really sure how to get there, we will plug her in and let her lead the way. Well, more times than not, she will send us down roads that don't really even exist. Sometimes they are gravel, sometimes they are just plain dirt. My DH heads down these roads, against my urgent protesting, and doesn't think a thing about it. Why is he so quick to follow this "thing" down an unknown road into who knows what, but he refuses to read directions? I don't get it! They are definitely unique creatures! :-P

- visit : sixgosselins.com

Michael: It’s a good show you watch it.

Me: Like you, I can’t stand children.

Michael: Well I don’t like serial killers but I watch movies about them and the critically-acclaimed television show Dexter.

Me: Huh.

Michael: I wouldn’t want to parent or kill…

Me: I have feeling you’re bound to do one of those things in your life.

Michael: …However, I appreciate the drama, pathos, and character development in art involving parenting and killing. When I watch Jon & Kate Plus 8, its like watching a horror movie especially from the standpoint of the husband…It’s something I would never want to experience.

Me: Use of “however” is one of the signs of an inferior writer.

Michael: We’re having a conversation.

Me: Who said we weren’t? I mean if we weren’t I would have to go back and take out all these contractions.

Michael: You’ve lost me. But anyway, I don’t like sports and I find sitting through a sporting event incredibly boring but I watch the critically-acclaimed NBC show Friday Night Lights. And I read Charles Dickens which is full of insufferable children…It’s about drama and pathos.

Me: There are a lot of contractions in this!

"If the better is the less vulgar and the less vulgar is always that which appeals to the better audience, then obviously the art which makes its appeal to everybody is eminently vulgar."
-Aristotle, Poetics

I am the most confused I've ever been with my current dating situation. I have not the slightest clue where I stand with him. Tina would not have this problem. She reminds me of comedian Pablo Francisco's Latina girlfriend that he mentions in this convenient clip. She would tell him where he stood with her, and he would accept that responsibility enthusiastically. If not, she would kick his ass. This is my dilemma, seeing that I am non-confrontational and nothing resembling an ass-kicker.

I started dating J about 5 weeks ago. Two weeks ago he decided that we needed to slow down "a lot". He claimed it's not necessarily a break-up(although I'm still not sure if this is even considered a relationship). I'm pretty sure he's the one that needs to slow down anyway, this has nothing to do with me. Reasons are as follows:

• He still calls me, texts me, and pursues all methods of communication on a daily basis that I fail at miserably.

• At most, I only see him on the weekends since he lives in the city(so spending too much time together is clearly not the issue). I'm a very emotionally independent person and I would have to be holding a pillow over someone's head, physically causing them not to breathe, before anyone would claim I'm suffocating them.
• He asked if I wanted to go on a cruise 2 weeks after we started dating.
• I'm seeing him tomorrow, and at some point this weekend he's taking me out for my birthday that he couldn't come home for last week.

• Most importantly, he volunteered to watch the Jon and Kate Plus 8 marathon with me on Sunday.

I'm sorry, I do believe I missed that speed bump that you requested sir.

Only time will tell where this mess goes. Meanwhile, I'm trying to picture the fool that Tina would be dating right now.

Since I talk about Jon and Kate Plus 8 so much, here's a clip of the show to celebrate Father's Day. In this episode, Jon and Kate play hide-and-seek with the kids and when they can't find their daddy, they get worried. How cute!

I'm on my learning channel tip (if that's in any way correct) with aside of animal planet and discovery channel. Jon and Kate plus 8 is a show that I simply adore. The sextuplets are sooo damn cute. Collin and Leah are my favorites, soo damn adorable. Besides those cuties Man v.s Wild, Science of Gigantism, Groomers something, and the effin Dog Whisperer: Cesar Milan, are pretty much my tv show lineup. I know big ass Nerd-alert. Whatever, it's fun to learn! haha. 

Summer has been chill, past two nights have been quite monster and vodka filled with good company. Friday went to Jan's little sister's 8th grade grad. Nostalgic almost. Almost because I could hardly remember who I was and what I was into at 13 years old.

Today is GAME 2..Go effin Lakers, Go! 

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It's been a wonderful weekend with my family. Since getting out of the hospital, I have felt even better, after a fun, refreshing time with my sweet hubby and my darling little children. We have had the opportunity to spend some much needed time together, just being a family. Donny and I cooked a lot together this weekend. He only cooks when I'm there to supervise. Haha! No fires in the kitchen, this weekend. We had several meals together, with everyone sitting down, eating at the same time. That rarely happens in our house. We even had a trip to the mall. A big adventure for our family.

We only got asked "Have you heard of Jon and Kate Plus 8?" a few dozen times. :) That even beat out the comments of, "Are they ALL yours?" "Are they twins?" "That's a bus!" "You had them?" "Are they the same age?" Apparently, Jon and Kate Plus 8 gets some really good ratings. I'm personally a fan of show, makes me feel at home. Hubby on the other hand, wants nothing to do with it. Watching his life on TV, is not really a fun hobby of his.

Bear Grylls from Man Vs. Wild. The women were all over him.

Jon and Kate from Jon and Kate Plus 8. I told Kate that I always end up watching her show marathons every Sunday night. She said if she did that she'd go out of her mind from all the noise of the babies. Oh, and the kids were in a hotel room with a nanny.

Mel B from the Spice Girls!

Finally, Bear and Mike singing. Love it! They sang the song from the new tv spot.

(Ad Parody)

     As I surfed from CNN to E! to VH1, a brilliant idea came to mind.  A new reality show where everyone is a winner.

     “Who Wants to Marry a Polygamist.”

     It is a combination of “The Bachelor,” “Rock of Love,” and “Oprah’s Big Give.” 

     The program is filled with the lack of romance of “The Bachelor”, the sincerity of “Rock of Love,” and the warmth of “Oprah’s Big Give,” minus the warmth

     One male, Jon, has his choice of 24 average, homely-looking, women with denim dresses and their hair in buns.  After 16 weeks of exciting dishwashing, laundry and baking, Jon marries all of them.  No drama or jealousy among this crowd. 

       Nine months after the runaway ratings success of “Who Wants to Marry a Polygamist,” a second series is taped.

     The spin-off of “Who Wants to Marry a Polygamist” will air on Discovery Health Channel.  It will be called “Jon and Kate and Aasta and Ciri and Kalyn and Liola and Summer and Flower and Rainbow and Ubah and Xan and Mulva and Kara and Dorfa and Claetra and Berna and Zya and Nirena and Lawn and Elona and Ronilla and Starbuck and Verneta and Blonda and Myrthina and Peggy Sue plus 80.”

     The family will live on a “ranch,” which most people will mistakenly call a compound.  Comedy is sure to ensue because of this misconception.

     The real drama begins when all the children are removed to a fate worse than a polygamist cult, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

     America votes on which children remain in state custody.

     Eventually the country realizes foster care will screw the kids up more than the cult would, and the children go home.

     The end.

While I was hanging out with my PR crew (yes, we are a crew), I was telling some of the ladies about my situation. When Megan and Erin asked what shows I normally watch, I was shocked with what was coming out of my mouth. All of the shows I was listing off were reality shows.

Just a few years ago, I wouldn't have been caught dead watching a reality show. I didn't even watch Survivor in its popular days. No Big Brother, no Bachelor, no Bachelorette, no The Mole, no nothing.

Somewhere between second year of university and now, I have accumulated a plethora of reality TV shows to take up my time. And just to humour you, here is a list of all the shows I watch (although not on a very frequent basis):

• America's Next Top Model
• Beauty and the Geek
• Jon and Kate Plus 8
• Celebrity Apprentice
• Project Runway (American and Canadian)
• Gene Simmons' Family Jewels
• Miami Ink
• LA Ink
• Kenny vs Spenny
• The Fashionista Diaries
• American and Canadian Idol
• Mythbusters
• Wife Swap
• Trading Spouses
• The Girls Next Door
• The Pussycat Dolls
• Jamie at Home
• Iron Chef: America
• Hell's Kitchen
• The Surreal Life
• Deadliest Catch
• Dancing with the Stars
• American Gladiators
• Dragon's Den
• Flavor of Love
• What Not to Wear

Good God! Making this list is rather embarrassing because I didn't realize just how many I watched until I looked up Reality TV on Wikipedia. I don't even know what the draw to these shows is. They aren't even that good. I think it may be because there aren't very many good television shows on right now. I can only think of a few that I watch, outside of this heinous list.

Perhaps reality television is easier to make/produce, but that doesn't excuse why I a) Watch them b) Like them. I remember my university professors talking about how reality television was kind of like a fad, and we all know about fads, they eventually go away. But with the advent of Survivor and the hoop-la of that show, there has been no sign of stopping the machine that is reality TV.  I don't know if this is for the good or for the bad. But all I know is that I don't think I will escape it anytime soon - unless of course, I get rid of my television.

Anyway---to keep me occupied with some mindless entertainment, I have discovered two new TV shows that have been filling up my DVR, along with American Idol.

I discovered this Jon and Kate plus 8 show on Discovery Health about 2 weeks ago. I've seen about 4 or 5 episodes so far and I just love this little show. Once we babysat 2 other kids, one of which was 3 or 4. The husband and I were worn out after 2 hours. I think we forgot how much it takes to entertain and keep an eye on these fast moving little ones. The sextuplets are 3 1/2 and for me, the 3's were much harder than the 2's. At 3, they are climbing, and all over the place if you are not careful. I have a photo of my son standing on the back of the couch using a plastic kid sized rake as an air guitar.

If you haven't seen it, you are in for a treat.

Next on my DVR is Eli Stone. I'm enjoying this quirky show. Although, people have been telling me it's a lot like Ali McBeal....which I never watched.

Johnny Lee Miller is really good in it, and Ive never seen him in anything else....so I'm not sure where he came from.

In a quick movie review, last weekend I went to see Vantage Point with Dennis Quaid. I have to say it was "OK". I give it 3.5 stars. It had some exciting parts, but after the "4th or 5th" vantage point, that part was getting kind of old. The end was also (not to give anything away) wrapped up a little to nicely for my liking.

Has anyone seen Atonement? I'm reading the book and feel like I should be reading it with a dictionary.

1 - I don't especially like television
2 - It's a reality (or, I guess it's called a "true to life") show
3 - I'm not the only one who is addicted to it

There is a show called Jon and Kate Plus 8.  A real family--the Gosselins--they weren't able to conceive children on their own, so they turned to IUI and they had twins.  Then, they wanted just one more child, did the IUI again and ended up with sextuplets.  Part of this show is absolutely frightening.  The parts about laundry, grocery shopping, and getting from here to there (I've never been more terrified than the most recent episode when they were stuck on the tarmack in an airplane!)

However, the other part of this show is completely wonderful.  First of all, these are the 8 most adorable, well-adjusted (for 7 and 3-1/2 year olds) children that I've ever seen.  I think I may actually be able to tell all the sextuplets apart now!  And Jon and Kate are not the Cleavers or the Bradys, which makes them so much more fun.  One thing that worries me about these shows is the possibility that the children are being exploited.  However, I do think that the Gosselins have managed to walk that tight rope pretty darn well.

Of course, there are those people (my Studmuffin being one of them) who thinks that Kate is an insane controller.  I don't see this--when you have 8 kids under the age of 8, you have to be a controller.  There's really no choice about it.  As for her sanity, well some might question that anyway with 8 kids, but I think being a mom to that many allows her the luxury of being insane every now and then.  Let me just say this (and then be forever attacked for it, I'm sure): Kate Gosselin is my hero.  And for those of you who think she's horrible to her husband, get over it.  Jon Gosselin seems like a good dad and husband but, frankly, my Studmuffin is much nicer to me than Jon is to Kate at some moments.

Anyhow, I saw a post about this on another blog and was reminded of it.  If you want to watch it, I *think* its on TLC on Monday nights and repeated on Discovery Health (which I think is becoming Oprah's network?).  I have it recorded on our DVR so, like everything else, I watch it at a time other than when it actually airs.

But let me warn you, you will be addicted!

My other favorite TLC show is "Little People, Big World."  I am so inspired by the Roloffs uninhibited, take life by the horns attitude.  What a fantastic example they are, and a huge inspiration to their kids.  They never feel sorry for themselves because of their physical limitations and are also fantastic parents. 

My advice:  Skip Dr. Phil and watch Jon and Kate and LPBW.   Two shows worth your time!