A Blog to the Extreme

You know sometimes something comes up that you just know that it could be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I know there are many times I have just sat by and watched life just pass my by. Well today, I was not going to let that happen.


Above (door knock - day 1) and below (demolition day - day 3) photos taken from the website.


Have you ever seen (or even heard of) the show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition?" I'm sure most of you have. Well a family here in El Paso was chosen to receive one of their awesome homes. By the time I had heard it on the news (and I don't watch it very often at all), mulled it over for a bit and finally decided, yes, I will find a way to work it out so I can be on the team, production had already started. Ok so that didn't work but I wasn't going to hold me back from at least visiting the location.


Above demolition day (taken from the web site - day 3). Below, construction day 1 (taken from the web site -day 4).


Construction day 2 (taken from the web site - day 5).


Sunday afternoon Jesse, the kids, along with a friend of mine and her kids, drove out to see what we could of the production. Of course we didn't really know where to park and most of the area was blocked off so I only have a couple shots of the back of the house nearly done.


I took the above picture on day 7.

Today, was when I really decided, I am not going to let this once in a lifetime opportunity pass me by. I went back, all by myself. Found where we parked and got out. As soon as I got up to the shuttle stop, I learned they had run the last one. We were allowed to walk but not guaranteed to get in to see (about a mile or so walk). I went for it. As soon as I got to the barricades, I was told they weren't letting anyone else in, they had already 'moved the bus'.

I started to get in the line to get on a shuttle to go back, and there was quite a line. Once I got to the back, I noticed one of the designers out taking pictures, shaking hands and all that. So I snapped a few shots (thank you honey for the wonderful camera with a telephoto lens:)). The line was so long so I just waited, figured why be in a hurry and good thing to, they decided to let more people in, so away I went down to the home.


Eduardo Xol


I stayed as long as I could getting shots of the new home. I also bought a shirt to commemorate the event. The police let us stay so long then decided to start moving everyone out. On the way out, I ran into another designer, of course got pics of him, but this time, I got well his initials on my new shirt as well as a picture with him.


Rib Hillis


I left feeling pretty good. They told us that Ty and the family would be inside filming for hours yet. Again, thinking how once in a lifetime this opportunity is, I proceeded to get my oil change and head back, just to see. This time I parked on a street a bit closer and got out to walk. They weren't letting anyone down to the house anymore and just when I thought all was lost, I heard his name shouted out. Yes, there he was, Ty Pennington himself. You could tell he didn't have a lot of time and I'm not a pushy person (as so many there were), I didn't end up with his autograph, however, I did get some pretty good pictures though.


Ty Pennington


Boy am I glad I grabbed this chance by the horns:-)

El Paso, TX to Springfield, MO

I'm a bit behind on posting all this but like I said, I'm going to get it done:) Here is a pic of Mitzi trying to come along in my suitcase (no not really, she just likes laying on our clothes).

The first day we decided to drive as much as possible. We knew we would be heading into bad weather the farther north we got and were losing 2 hr of time as we went along as well (from mountain time to eastern).

Jesse and I took turns driving. He still did the majority of it but at least I started out and drove (with stops) for approximately 8 hrs of the day. It is supposed to be a 26hr trip and we did the first 15+ in one day.

Nothing really to say, nothing really to see. We made pretty good time and the kids did pretty well. Note how they all fell asleep.

We arrived at the Best Western in Springfield, MO quite late and got tucked right in. No spare time tonight, we just had to sleep and get back on the road. Here is a picture of the kids all tucked in for the night.

Matty was the last up in the morning.

Jesse having a breakfast sandwich, compliments of the hotel, heated up by me using our room microwave:)

Me, looking cranky....I must be checking out the weather reports here and dreading, I mean getting all set to hit the road again.

Just an outside pic of the room we stayed in.

And of course, a picture of the lobby/check in building.

Stay tuned, as I will have more postings of the rest of our trip to follow.

Good Morning

This is just a tiny little post.  I just wanted to update everyone.  Right now we are waking up in our hotel in Joplin, MO and are about to hit the road again.  I still have all my trip blogs to post as well as one in draft form that will go up and be below this one.  So when you have some time in the next couple days, come on back and be sure to check on December and January posts.  Lots of great pictures will be posted.

For now I bid goodbye as I pack up the laptop, tuck the kids back in the truck and hit the road to El Pasto, TX.  See you again soon!