Jon & Kate Plus 8

- Season 5

(2009)

In the last six months, Jon and Kate have received a lot of media attention, particularly from the paparazzi. In the midst of planning and holding the sextuplets' fifth birthday party, Jon and Kate look at how their family and, in particular, their marriage has been affected and what the future holds for them, together or apart.

It's Mady's turn to spend a holiday alone with one parent, so she and Kate head to San Diego for the spa and the beach. Back at home, Jon is looking after the other 7 kids and encounters a few accidents along the way.

When Kate's birthday rolls around once again, she expects that she will have to bake her own birthday cake again. But then, the kids surprise her with a trip to Charm City Cakes, where each of them gets to decorate their own cake. During this day, Jon hits the slopes in Utah once again where he helps disabled kids learn how to ski down the mountains.

The Gosselins get a visit from chef Emeril Lagasse. Emeril gives the whole family a cooking lesson on how to make healthy meals for a large family.

The guys from TLC's American Chopper surprise Jon and Kate with a visit. The guys take Jon back to Orange County to help him build his own motorcycle and return with a surprise for Kate.

The kids get new playhouses called Crooked Houses, one each for Mady and Cara, the sextuplet boys, and the sextuplet girls. Then, after much discussion, Jon and Kate make an announcement about what they have decided to do about their marriage.

It's been ten years since Jon and Kate first met, and since then their lives have changed dramatically. In a look back at their time together, from Jon and Kate as a couple then, to their large family of ten now, we revisit the family's highs and lows, their milestone moments, and a sneak peak at their plans for the future.

It's time for the kitchen renovations that Jon and Kate planned many months ago to begin. So Kate and the kids head to the beach to relax and to forget about the stresses of life back home.

It's Kate's first time alone with the kids since she and Jon decided to separate. With her new "can do" attitude, she and all eight kids have their second backyard camp out, complete with tent, fire pit, and s'mores.

With Kate and the kids still at the beach, Jon oversees the remainder of the kitchen renovations at home. Then Kate and the sextuplets return to the see the brand new kitchen.

While away in North Carolina, Kate takes the boys to explore the USS North Carolina before going to get their hair cut. Back at home, Jon, Cara, and Mady go rock climbing, go-carting, and play in a game arcade.

While Kate takes the boys to a dude ranch to becomes full-fledged cowboys, Jon goes on a scavenger hunt with the girls at home, followed by a check-up at the dentist, and a game of dress-up.

While Kate is at home with the kids, she organizes some fun in the pool followed by a grilled dinner and a movie on the lawn. Then, with Jon, the kids try fishing for the very first time and make their own pizzas.

Kate returns with the kids to an organic farmers market she used to visit regularly and buys fresh produce for that night's dinner. After the meal, she and kids play games together but an injury forces a late night visit to the hospital.

While at the beach on vacation, Kate takes the little girls for a horse-drawn carriage ride and a tea party. At home, Jon stays with Mady Cara for their last few days of school.

Even though the Gosselins moved into their new home a while ago, there are still many boxes that have not been unpacked. So Kate brings in two organizational experts to decide what should goes where.

The day that Kate has been thinking about for years is here already; the sextuplets first day of school. With book bags, lunch boxes, and new shoes to buy, Kate has a lot to do before she says goodbye to her eight at the bus stop.

Kate faces her fear of bugs when she takes the sextuplet girls on a trip to Florida to visit Butterfly World and ride in a hot air balloon. Back at home, Jon, the boys and the twins play with water rockets and water balloons.

For the first time since she and Jon announced their separation, Kate sits down for a full length Q & A about her life with the kids. She answers many questions, all from fans and viewers of the show.

Kate takes a walk down memory lane as she revisits the viewer's top ten moments from seasons 1 through 5. Which moment was the most shocking to viewers? And which family vacation was the best?

Kate and Jon have a limited amount of time alone with the kids these days, so they try to do as many things together as possible. Kate enrolls all the kids in gymnastics and then Jon takes them all to a baseball game.

In the flurry of changes that occurred over the summer, lots of footage from episodes that were never made was never aired. In this episode, Kate takes a look at some moments that were left behind.

As this chapter of the Gosselin's life wraps up, Jon and Kate each discuss their plans for the future as one family.