step-daughter to michael said her mom was always happiest at the holidays. >> she loved christmas. she loved being in the mood playing christmas music from december through new year's. >> it was the kids who brought kathleen and michael together. his first marriage had started to fall apart. she was separated. michael was raising his two boys and two young girls, margaret and martha. the girls became neighborhood playmates with kathleen's daughter, kaitlyn. >> they would play barbies and my little ponies and all the time. all the time. and then kathleen came over to borrow a book one night and that's when it began. >> as the kids spent more and more time together so did michael and kathleen. it wasn't long before they approached the kids about becoming a family together. >> they sat me down and said you know kaitlyn how would you like it if martha and margaret came to live with you and i immediately thought a permanent sleepover.