Guest Post: Extreme Makeover Home Edition Experience!

This post is from Holli and Lisa who got to help out during EMHE's visit to our town. This is their experience with pictures taken by Dad. Enjoy!

From the mouth's of the babes that experienced it...

We arrived at the park for check-in at a little after 3:00. The website said for volunteers to arrive 30-45 min ahead of time. So, of course, we were a little earlier than that. They couldn’t actually check people in until 3:30. We stood in the heated tent with Enoch, the security guard. He was trying to get the masseuse to give him a massage. She was there to give the workers at the site massages if wanted. He just went up to her and autographed her shirt. She didn’t ask him to. He was cute though so she didn’t mind. This is where we met our soon-to-be new friend Gerry.

After we checked in we got on the bus about 3:40 and our driver took us right over. There were about 15 of us. There was a masseuse, a set of twins, an electrician, a guy who was just happy to be there, a Bradley graduate and a girl who thought the Bradley graduate sounded way too smart.

So, we arrive at the site. We start walking and we hear cheering from the crowd. Who might it be? Dad and Mom. We were walking with the twins and had to explain those were our parents cheering. Once we got by the house we didn’t see anyone to direct us so we asked someone what we should do. They said I don’t know, look for someone in a yellow shirt. Didn’t find anyone in a yellow shirt so we just started unloading hardwood from the truck and took it to the basement. After a couple trips we got pulled to the backyard to help unload deck material. Then reload the wrong deck material. Back to unloading the truck. Holli’s hard hat would not stay on her head. She would walk by someone carrying her box and say “Hi, can you catch my hat, I’ll be right back for it.”



After we finished unloading, we went in the house and stood for a little bit because there wasn’t anything to do at the moment. Then we got sent to the garage to sweep it out so we could move the extra trim out there. After a couple trips of moving trim we were setting a load down and hear “Hi Ladies!” We turned around and there is Michael (the designer) in a chicken/bird costume. We follow him in the house to get more trim and they are filming a scene. The crazy, aggressive lady we were with was ready to just barge on through the camera crew. We waited for a minute but then she took off so we followed. After that we kind of lost her and watched them finish taping Michael’s scene.

(Way to go Dad! This wasn't even zoomed in!)

More standing around. Talked with Gerry a bit and she mentioned that Rib (hottie designer) signed her shirt. Well, we had seen him standing in the garage so Holli said “Lisa, let’s go.” Holli went up to Rib and whispered “Can we get your autograph?” To which he said, “Sure” and pulled out his Sharpie. Back in the house to wait with Gerry.

Then we went with our other friend from Washington whom we forgot to ask her name. We cleaned up wood shavings in the laundry room from the holes they drilled in the cabinets for the knobs.

Next, is the exciting part. We were standing there…again and one of the “men in black” came up to us and asked if we could come help him with something. Of course we went with him. Much to our surprise he wanted us to film a scene with Didi (designer). As we were waiting, Didi came with two guys she had grabbed and said she thought it would be funnier with two guys and a girl. Holli said “Ok, well I’ll do it.” Lisa was left on the cutting room floor before she even made it on film. (Sorry Lisa!) After several takes, Holli emerged from the room. Watch when the episode airs to see if she made the cut. (Do not be alarmed when you see her in the hard hat. It was a sight.)

Meanwhile, the rejected Lisa was sent to Production Road by a producer to take a package to the third trailer on the right. She completed her mission with honor.

Holli found Lisa carrying a ladder in the house to Ty’s secret room. Holli followed. Lisa was assigned to help clean in that room and Holli was assigned to stand guard of the door to make sure it stayed shut. We met several nice people in that room. No sign of Ty though. He was off filming a “move that bus” scene in another city.

Our shift ended and it was time to go. We said goodbye to our new friends and went to the food tent to eat dinner. As we were walking it started snowing. Crazy!

It was a wonderful experience. So glad we got the opportunity to do it. Tune in to see if we made it on national TV as Aunt Betty hopes we do. It should air in December or January.

Until................................