Oprah: What do you do when you're back home?

Kathryn: I spend 30 to 45 minutes alone every day—that was my New Year's resolution. It's outstanding.

Oprah: Has that made a difference in the rest of your day?

Kathryn: Huge. My kids have even noticed. They say, "You seem calmer, in a better mood." I've always been into getting my workout, but I still felt unbalanced because the spiritual part wasn't all there.

Oprah: How long are your workouts?

Kathryn: Thirty minutes of cardio, another half hour for weights. After quiet time and a workout, I take two of the children to preschool.

Oprah: What do you do with the rest of your day?

Kathryn: Depends on the day—but I can tell you that I never sit down. I check to see that all the beds are made, I clean the bathrooms, I straighten the house. Some days I go up to the children's schools and help with hot lunches there. Other days I make lists of groceries and keep track of what the children need. When you've got eight kids in school, somebody always needs a pen, a backpack, shoelaces, or a folder. I tell the children to write down what they need and put it on my desk. A few weeks ago, my sixth-grade son left me this note: "Mom, could you please xerox the World Book of Greece?" I thought, "This can't be right." When I called the teacher, she clarified the assignment: My son needed a copy of just the section on Greece in the World Book.

Keeping up with all their appointments is a challenge. We've got four in braces, and the orthodontist wants to see each every four weeks—and they're all on different schedules. They also have appointments with the eye doctor and the dermatologist, and then there are regular checkups. And of course, the baby always needs to go to the pediatrician for shots.

Oprah: Do you have any cleaning help?

Kathryn: I have a housecleaner come in every other week.

Oprah: Other than your quiet time and workout, is there any other part of your day just for you?

Kathryn: I find time between 7:30 and 3:00, when most of the kids are at school. When I pick them up, I want to be ready for them. Three o'clock is hell hour around here—that's when the homework and all the "Can so-and-so come over?" start. Some of the kids have four or five hours of homework, which they start before dinner. And after school, I coach my son's basketball team.