2 widows and 11 children unite for TLC’s The Blended Bunch VIDEO

TLC loves big families, emotional stories and Mormons. The network has a whole lot of all three with their new reality series The Blended Bunch! The show features two families united by tragedy as a mother and father who lost their spouses try to find hope again with each other — and their eleven children.

“What started with tragedy, manifested into a once in a lifetime love story,” TLC says in a press release promoting the new show, premiering March 16 at 9/8c. “Before meeting, Erica Shemwell, a mother of 7, lost her husband to cancer and Spencer Shemwell, a father of 4, lost his wife in a fatal car crash. Their worlds were completely shattered until they serendipitously met in an online widower support group.”

Prior to the relationship turning romantic, Spencer was inspired to relocate his contractor business and his family of five across the country to Utah where Erica and her children lived.

“Finding love almost immediately, Erica and Spencer exchanged vows and were married after just 13 months,” TLC continues.

As you might imagine, the family has had their fair share of difficulties adjusting to their new life under the same roof.

From shifting dynamics within their extended families to step-sibling squabbles and struggles over adoption, these newlyweds are everyday parents who are trying their best to manage it all. Watch as the Shemwells shop with 11 children under the age of 13, potty train toddlers, make dinner for the lively brood, tackle bedtime and more. The Blended Bunch will take viewers on an emotional journey and show a new, large family from a whole other lens.

Here’s the extended preview trailer, which includes both Erica and Spencer getting quite emotional as they share some details on the passing of their former spouses. The clip also teases some of the drama in store for the Shemwells, like Erica’s brother Quinn opposing Spencer’s desire to officially adopt Erica’s children:

For those of you curious about the break down of boys and girls and their ages, here’s a complete list of the Shemwell children:

Erica Shemwell has seven children, four girls and three boys:

Landon (12 years old)
Emma (10 years old)
Lily (9 years old)
Sophie (8 years old)
Tanner (6 years old)
Amelia (5 years old)
Caleb (3 years old)

Spencer Shemwell has four children, three boys and one girl:

Brayden (12 years old)
Harper (8 years old)
Avery (6 years old)
Bexley (4 years old)

The Blended Bunch premieres Tuesday, March 16 at 9/8c on TLC.

Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com