Faith Hill

This year, Faith Hill fans will get an early Thanksgiving treat when Faith Hill: Fireflies airs Wednesday on NBC. The special goes behind the scenes with the singer as she performs songs from her album Fireflies in Nashville and Los Angeles. Hill, 38, recently talked to PEOPLE about filming the show, life with husband Tim McGraw and their daughters, Gracie, 8, Maggie, 7, and Audrey, 3, and how she embarrasses her kids.

Tell me about making the special.

We filmed one night in Nashville, where I performed all the new songs from Fireflies with the songwriters themselves. We also filmed at the Pantages in Los Angeles – it was basically a live concert. And we had rolls and rolls of backstage footage, rehearsal footage and moments that are so fun to see and to go back and relive.

How do you and Tim make your dual-performer household work?

When he’s in the middle of a major project – recording or a tour or a movie – I’m not, and vice versa. It takes so much intense focus and direction. It’s nice to have one or the other spouse at home with their feet on the ground. We’ve tried to create that atmosphere as long as we’ve been together, and it’s worked.

Since it’s Thanksgiving time, I just have to ask – who’s the better cook, you or Tim?

He’s a fantastic cook. As a matter of fact, we were talking the other night about the show The Iron Chef and I told Tim he should be on it because he can create the most amazing dishes from nothing. All the southern stuff I can cook with my eyes closed, but anything else, I have to have recipes. He can create everything, he’s just very, very messy. Spaghetti sauce is in the drawers, in the cabinets – I don’t know how he gets it everywhere, but he does. But it’s so good, I don’t mind cleaning it.

What’s the secret to your relationship’s success?

We love each other very much and we laugh and have fun. I feel blessed that I’m happy and have a great friend, husband and father for my children. I can’t ask for much more than that – having a healthy family. We balance each other out. And I watch football with him on Monday nights, so that’s probably a really big deal in his book!

Do your daughters have musical talent?

Gracie and Audrey do. They have a real love for music. They both sing and they play a little guitar and piano. Gracie is the rock n’ roll chick in the family. Last year for Christmas she asked for an iPod filled with Robert Plant, Stevie Nicks and Steven Tyler. And Audrey, she’s very much into The Phantom of the Opera. We hear that a lot around the house. And Maggie brings lizards into the house – she’s a nature girl.

They must think they have pretty cool parents.

Right now, they’re not really interested in what we do that much. The funniest story is that I came back from doing Oprah and I flew in in time to pick them up from school. Normally when I pick them up from school I have no makeup on and my hair is in a ponytail, but I was still dressed because I came right from the airport. I got out of the car to give them a hug and Gracie and Maggie both are, “Mama! Get back in the car!” They were embarrassed that I had makeup on (laughs).

That’s not the mom they want their friends to see?

No, it was hilarious.