Marie Osmond Reflects on Her Dancing Days

She may have come up two spots shy of first place on Dancing With the Stars, but the score-defying Marie Osmond has no regrets of her time on the ABC reality show.

"That 10 weeks was probably the hardest of my life in so many ways," she tells Entertainment Tonight. "It's a real test and you see what you're made of. It's amazing what you can do if you put your heart and mind to it."

Surely the 48-year-old, who can be seen on 10 stops on the DWTS tour, had to dig deep on the program in light of her son Michael's rehab stay and her father George's death.

But if there's one thing her father taught her, it's that the show must go on — and go on with hard work. She recounts a classic incident after the family built a television studio and George refused to enlist a cleaning crew, so instead, he recruited his nine children to get the job done.

"The night before taping we were sweeping floors and mopping and cleaning out toilets and mirrors," Marie says. "He taught us a very hard work ethic and that no one is beneath anything."

The gigantic Osmond clan will come together again over the holidays. DWTS finale rehearsals put a crimp on Thanksgiving, but Christmas will be completely different as the doll-maker will get to follow her usual traditions.

"I'll cook Ebbleskivers, pancakes, French toast, comfort foods and the home is really peaceful and happy," Marie says. "The holidays will be lonelier in a way because my parents are gone. Who do I call? I have my children and my brothers. In the hard times you have each other and that's what we'll have this Christmas."

Her children and siblings have also supported her through another trying time in her life — her split with husband Brian Blosil earlier this year.

"Being single isn't the greatest choice in the world," she says, adding that divorce isn't always the correct fix. "But you have to ask yourself questions like, 'Am I the best person I can be in this?' My children are very aware and pleased with the decisions I have made."

That includes the choice to keep on dancing.

"I want to, it's great exercise. I have already been threatened by partner Jonathan Roberts to stay in shape and keep limber!"

For more on Marie, tune in to ET on Monday and Tuesday.