Celine Dion's family call her "the accident"

Speaking as she celebrated the 1,000th show of her Las Vegas residency - which began in 2003 - she told her audience at Caesar's Palace: "I am the last of 14 children, and I am known as the accident.

"My father wanted no children. Zero to 14? We can see who was wearing the pants in this family. It was not my father."

The 'Think Twice' hitmaker admitted she was astonished to have reached her show milestone.

She quipped: "One thousand shows? I don't feel that old!"

Celine - whose husband Rene Angelil and brother Daniel died of cancer within weeks of one another earlier this year - and her sons, Rene-Charles, 15, and five-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy have enjoyed a relaxing break from her residency and spent some quality time with their extended family in her native Canada.

She said: "We have been touring this summer. We went on a little vacation, well they told us we were going on a vacation but I think the transition from English to French was not quite right because we went on tour.

"It is a good thing that we love what we do. We had such a great time, and we got to see our families, friends, and our kids had such a great time to play with cousins, my mum and brothers and sisters, and we ate corn on the cob and sat at fires outside.

"It was so wonderful because when I went home with my kids they were playing bare feet in the grass with frogs and worms...because here Vegas you cannot go out in bare feet ..no no.

"It is way too hot. It was wonderful and what we all needed.. fun. I am amazed my mum is going to be 90 years old and I am so proud of her for what they gave us."

However, the 'My Heart Will Go On' singer was glad to be back on stage in Las Vegas.

She added: "Now it is really great feeling to come back here (Las Vegas), We are still feeling like we are home - and it is wonderful. This is pretty amazing."