When Coast Guard commander Frank Beardsley bumps into his old high school flame Helen North, sparks fly again, and the two quickly marry. Complications arrive when it comes time to merge their two families. Frank has 8 kids and Helen has 10 kids. With Frank looking to keep tight military control over the brood, and Helen preferring her loving, hippy-like ways of encouragement, the two struggle to maintain a family and home where the kids don't like each other and refuse to cooperate with any request for unity.