My Little Obsession

Picture this: I head to the grocery store, grocery list firmly in hand, determined not to stray from its contents. Both hands firmly grip the grocery cart when my head does a double take as I round the corner. There in all its glory was a very good reason for me to stray - my obsession with Jon & Kate Plus 8! They are the cover story on the May issue of Ladies' Home Journal, a magazine I very seldom read. (sorry LHJ!)

Yes, I know I could have scooped it up and parked myself between the canned vegetable and fruit aisle but then I would have had to hurry. I wanted to take my time and digest every word and make sure I read the article thoroughly, after all there were rampant rumors of discord in J&K's marriage and I couldn't bear it. By the way, they're doing ok. Shweeeeew!

If you are not familiar with the reality series on the TLC Network, the show Jon & Kate Plus 8 revolves around the family life of a married couple with one set of eight year old twins and one set of sextuplets now five. I am compelled to follow their adventures in every day life and their fun trips across country and the renewal of J&K's wedding vows in Hawaii. This show doesn't hold back and reveals the good, the bad, and the ugly of family life. I come from a family of seven kids so believe me I know. However, my mother did not have to deal with 6 five-year olds!

I would be remiss if I did not also mention my obsession with Little People Big World! It's on the same network and features life with Matt and Amy Roloff (little people) and their kids the eldest being fraternal twins one of whom is a little person, their daughter and younger son. It's life on Roloff Farm and like J&K it's everything in between.

I have often thought about what draws me to these two shows and I don't think I have to delve too deeply - I don't have family nearby so this is the closest I can get to it. It brings back a lot of memories of my mom and dad and life with seven kids and assorted animals in a three bedroom house. In the summertime the house would swell to overflowing with visiting relatives. Basically it was like this, what's one more kid or two or three...? My mom and dad were everyone's favorite aunt and uncle which sometimes got under my skin. Hey, they're my mom and dad after all! Our family would have made a great reality show! We had DRAMA and AWWWW melting moments that's for sure!

If you like you can visit the Gosselin and Roloff families on their TLC websites...

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/jon-and-kate/jon-and-kate.html

http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/lpbw/about.html

Jon & Kate have a special airing this Sunday the 19th about going green. Steve Thomas formerly of This Old House will be showing the family ways they can "green up."