The Price Is Right

Last week I told Jessica and Amy that I was going to pay tribute to our visit to the Price is Right on my blog, but then I got caught up with Youth Conference, and didn't do it. I am such a perfectionist that I wasn't going to post it because I didn't get it done on the very day of our two year anniversary. Yesterday Jessica mentioned that she was looking forward to the tribute so here it is.

In June of 2006, Stephanie was moving from California, so we decided that we needed to have a quick "Sister's Retreat" before she left. Amy, Jessica and I drove to California. Jessica had the idea that we should go to a taping of the Price is Right, so Stephanie set it up for us. A majority of our conversation on the way from Stephanie's to downtown LA was about how much our lives could change because one of us could win big on the Price is Right. We practiced what we would say if we were called up to Contestants Row. Amy decided she was going to say "Bob" a lot. I practiced my spinning of the wheel, just in case I made it to the stage.

The night of June 12th, was spent in preparation for the trip to CBS Studios. Amy had made lettering for our T-shirts. The front said Showcase Showdown (and Amy and Jessica added "Or Bust" to theirs), the back said "Sister's Sanity Retreat, 2006". We ironed the lettering on, but it wasn't sticking as well as we had hoped, by the end of the next day, we had all lost most of our "Sanity".

We woke up early the morning on June 13th. We had to be to the studio to stand in line by 6:00am. We got there at 5:45, got our numbers and then had a couple of hours before we needed to be back. We went to a restaurant close to the studio and the waitress said that it was a lucky restaurant. We had a good chance that one of us was going to be called up to Contestants Row because we had eaten there.

We went back to the studio and waited in another long line and got a new number and had another 2 hour break. We walked to the store and got some drinks.

After the 2 hour break we went back to the Studio and waited in the most important line of all - the line for our name tag. I don't know why, but this is the part that made me the most excited. I wanted to make sure that I got the person with the "authentic" Price is Right handwriting to write my name. While waiting in line, we met a fun group of young men from Colorado. It was fun to get to know them a little. We made a deal that if one of them were called up to the stage and won the Showcase Showdown that we would run up at the end and celebrate, and if one of us won, they could come up.

We had to go through an interview process with the producers. There was more waiting, and then more waiting. Finally, at about 2:00, they ushered us into the studio. I was so excited to actually be on the set of the Price is Right. I was amazed with how small it is.

The show started and we could barely hear what was going on. Every time a name was called we held our breath. When they got to the second to last contestant, they called Jessica's name. I thought I was going to faint with excitement.

Here's a peek at Jessica being called to Contestant's Row. I hope I'm not infringing on any copyright issues by posting it.



Since Jessica moved so fast, here is a still picture of the four of us, blurry as it may be. Stephanie is on the right, Amy is in the middle, Jessica is the one with her hands to her mouth in utter surprise that it was her name called, and I am the one trying to give her a high 5.


I don't think we will ever have a "Sanity Retreat" as exciting as this one.