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LeAnn Rimes Relishes Role as Stepmom

Jon Kopaloff, Getty Images

"I've learned from my mistakes and have a great life," LeAnn Rimes tells The Boot of her new family with husband Eddie Cibrian and his two sons, 8-year-old Mason and 4-year-old Jake. The couple share custody of the little boys with Eddie's ex-wife, model and 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star, Brandi Glanville. And the relationship between Mom and Stepmom has been anything but harmonious. Ever since Eddie and LeAnn were first spotted together on a romantic date back in 2009 -- while Eddie was still married to Brandi (and LeAnn to Dean Sheremet) -- there has been war of words between the two blond beauties, mostly over Twitter but also in the press. But LeAnn insists she has been taking the high road lately, trying to set a positive example.

"I don't want to talk negatively about anyone at all," LeAnn tells Nashville's Tennessean. "It's not in my nature. And I don't want the boys to see me ever speaking badly about anyone in their family. It's hard not to go, 'Here's the truth,' but then it's someone's word against my word and people will be split, it will be a big drama, and I don't want that."

The multi-platinum-selling singer and budding actress says that being a "bonus mom" to Mason and Jake is the best role of all. "It's not like we just have them on the weekends," she explains. "I do homework and I make lunches and I do normal things you would do as a mom and I enjoy it, that normal life that I've never had as a wife or as a mom. I never really knew if I wanted kids or not, because I was so business-focused and now I have two that aren't my blood, but really at the end of the day, I love watching them grow and learn, and I love to be a part of teaching them that."

But LeAnn's public adoration of her stepsons sometimes doesn't sit well with their mother. "@leannrimes I told Eddie to please tell you that I think it is highly inappropriate for you to sing in my son's class on Friday. Boundries!!" Brandi once tweeted (though, in fairness, that was before LeAnn became Mrs. Cibrian).

Watch LeAnn Rimes Videos


LeAnn has, for the most part, refused to acknowledge such tweets, but does admit it's difficult not to fight back. "It's really hard. I'm not going to lie," concedes the singer. "But I feel the need to actually talk about it sometimes, my happiness with his children, because I do love his kids and because I don't feel like I could love Eddie and [not love his children]. I don't believe that a marriage and family will work without a step-mother walking into that role and fully giving themselves of time and love. And it's really a fine line when I have to talk about ... when I say 'my kids,' but that's honestly [how I feel]. I say that very politely and tread lightly on that because I don't want to hurt anyone. When I say that and anything I share on Twitter, it's all out of happiness ... This is my life and our life now."

Brandi even took the high road herself this fall, admitting to HuffPost Celebrity that "the kids love [LeAnn]. I'm happy that they love her."

LeAnn hasn't been shy in her regret for how her relationship with Eddie began as an extramarital affair, but maintains the outcome was worth the public pain she endured. "It's changed me," she concedes. "You have no idea how much it's changed me, but in a good way."

Still, the newlyweds are already bracing themselves for the inevitable questions the young boys will eventually ask. "I know Eddie's kids will have many questions we will be more than happy to answer, and hopefully they will learn from our mistakes and not make them," says LeAnn. "But, it's really not anyone's business."

LeAnn released an album of cover tunes, 'Lady & Gentlemen,' co-produced by Vince Gill, earlier this year. She is working on a few movie roles, as well as a new album, which she says will be released next summer. The songbird will also play several shows throughout the next few months, including a holiday concert in Nashville, Tenn. tonight (December 8). Keep track of her concert schedule here.

Watch LeAnn on the CMA Red Carpet



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Zsa

Leann talks about Eddie like he is a god. He is so wonderful in fact, that she lowers her morals by being a ***** THEN torments his wife by trying to steal her children. The man obviously embellished Brandi's awfulness so Leann would have sex with him. Anyone who believes an a-hole to this degree, in regards to their spouse, is a moron. What is Eddie a cult leader or something? Leann is really really stupid.

December 11 2011 at 3:11 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Rhonda

All these people who are saying Leann did nothing wrong are CLUELESS. Eddie went to work and lied to his wife. He broke up a home when his baby was just born, leaving his wife with 2 small children and a world of heart break to work out on her own while he was off traveling the world on LeeAnn's dime. Eddie is a pc of work (and trash). If LeeAnn thinks he will be true to her she's an idiot! It will get old with LeeAnn one day and on to the next woman he will be off to. LeeAnn has a face that plastic surgery can't help so when she's hitting 40 and no one really wants to hear her sing anymore she will have NO ONE because Eddie won't around. Guys like that never change.

December 11 2011 at 2:24 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
malloryca

Personally, I would NOT want a homewrecker calling my sons "her kids" or play step mom to my children. Leann and Cibrian are both guilty of what they have done. But they are not alone, half the board here has betrayed someone at some time. According to statistics about 80 percent of people cheat in their marriage at least one time.

December 11 2011 at 10:26 AM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to malloryca's comment
Zsa

If that is true than I am a rare statistic but then my dad dumped us so I guess I don't want to inflict that pain on others.

December 11 2011 at 3:40 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
cearramyst

I find it interesting how all of the armchair judges are spewing their hate onto Rimes. She did not force Cibrian to leave Glanville. He made that decision all by himself. Obviously he was not happy, and, yes, he and Rimes should have waited, but they did not wait. There is nothing wrong with her attitude about the children either. It is far better than having a stepmother who resents them as happens so many times. My oldest daughter's stepdaughter considers her a second mom and her children call my daughter grandmother. They know they have a blood grandmother who has no problem with this at all. It works out. I am not taking sides, but every interview I read with Glanville shows her to be a bitter hateful woman who finds it very hard to control her temper and her opinion. She has absolutely no class, unlike Sandra Bullock and Reese Witherspoon, for instance. Debbie Reynolds certainly showed class, even becoming friends with Elizabeth Taylor again. I bet many of you would have voted for John McCain, a man who left his severely disfigured wife because she was no longer beautiful after a horrific car accident to take up with his current wife. Now some of you hypocrites probably would vote for Newt Gingrich who asked his wife for a divorce while she was very sick laying in a hospital bed. I don't agree with having an affair while being married and I have never participated in doing so, but there is always more to the story than we are told. Cibrian was miserable and cheated many times, but he never left his wife for any of those women, so when he met Rimes, he found his soulmate. Doesn't make it right, but I am not going to slam them for it. They have a right to be happy and one of these days Glanville will stop harping about it every time she turns around, show some class, and marry someone else.

December 10 2011 at 6:42 PM Report abuse -3 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to cearramyst's comment
storm_eudy

Please show us the proof...in your pudding because first of all if he did or did not have problems before she still should have waited til he was divorce there is children involved you know and when was the last time you were in the household seeing and hearing the truths...you go by what we see hear read and then actions just speaks for themselves...so before you preach to any of us I think you need to look long and hard into the facts little better then you have done which is just reading a little here little there.When children are involved Eddie and LeAnn should have respected them if no one else...can they see or hear everything maybe not but a good moral judgement with respect would have been nice for this or any family.You maybe approve of this kind of style but I sure do not and im sure thousands of other women some men do not either...Children first in a marriage always~

January 04 2012 at 6:54 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
BLAH BLAH

Cheating on your spouse is not a mistake, it is a choice. Leann may "take the high road" like she claims but she supports and follows the people that harass Brandi. She lets her employed people do her dirty work. Mateo, her road manager and Darrell Brown, plus the countless followers that she Twitters with and LOLs when they call Brandi a drunk slut. Leann is a farce and we will all laugh when her facade and her marriage fall.

December 09 2011 at 8:36 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
Newquest

I loved LeAnn as a young singer, her voice is awsome. Of course the affair was a mess and Brandi was so hurt and I don't even know her. Now it's all settling down and she seems to be happy. Here's what's on my mind, though: What surgery has she had that makes her look so very different than she did years before. No, I'm not taking about Time, she really looks different. She's all sharp edges and squinty eyes with too high eyebrows now. She looks "hard" and "tuff" and unfeminine in the face. Why is that? She was so beautiful, what was she trying to change? She looks too old for her age. Nice body but strange scary face!

December 09 2011 at 3:39 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
Celina Telles

I used to love LeAnn Rimes, and I loved her video and song "Some People." I thought "wow,she and her husband are really lucky." Sad to say, but I have lost all respect for her. How dare she speak about taking the "high road" as though she was the one who was wronged. She broke up a family and has never had any real remorse about it. Shame on her and I will never buy an album by her again. I will not support her pompous attitude and disgusting behavior.

December 09 2011 at 3:24 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
quirk111

I can not think of a more self-righteous celebrity than LeAnn. Arrogant beyond words and justifies her every wrong. Complains about people commenting on her private life and yet, she won't shut up about it because it's the only way she can get attention. When those children are old enough to know how LeAnn and her parasite husband taunted and tried to humiliate their mother, they will hate her with a passion comparable to that with which LeAnn so selfishly wrecked their home.

December 09 2011 at 12:21 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
Sheila

ONE WORD......HOMEWRECKER. Actually something additional....what goes around comes around !!!

December 09 2011 at 11:54 AM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Sheila's comment
storm_eudy

Your so right it is already coming around Eddies Playboy series was cancelled and more to come to those of anyone that harms a child..Did they do this of course they did Eddie first then LeAnn skinny bones got into the act to finish it off.She will never be a good stepmother or a real mother she is not cut out to be.I really hope they don't have children after what Eddie has done to his and he will cheat on LeAnn and she will earn every bit of it...~

January 04 2012 at 6:57 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
falcon38a

Being a child from a broken home with a situation similar to what LeAnn and Eddie did, I can say that LeAnn can brag about her stepkids all she wants. The older they get and understand what their white trash father and LeAnn did, the more they will disrespect them. A marriage is sacred. A real man, husband and father would have walked away from LeAnn when he started feeling sexual lust. LeAnn who was also married at the time, should have done the same. May God forgive them for their sin.

December 09 2011 at 11:30 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply

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