#ImAtEllen #2

Ellen Round 2 left my mom, sister and I convinced we would be the winners for any Amazing Race season, but the story that brings me to Ellen Round Two really started two months prior to the actual date. We were staying in Arizona with our good friends, The Wagners. Their blender had broken and their daughter, B, wanted to bring in smoothies for her birthday to school. The topic led to how we both want Vitamix's and had both the husbands laughing at the price. We decided we'd see what Santa brought and my Christmas list grew to two items: Turkish Towels and a Vitamix. Two weeks later I got a picture from Gina, she had just been sent a Vitamix for work (she is a writer) and she would be getting to keep it. I congratulated her on her score and said that Ellen would be providing me mine. Two months later, Ellen provided me mine!

The day started much like the last time and we checked in around 11am. This time we didn't go out for lunch, we just sat there until 1:30 when they open the lines. Out of 400 people we got numbers 18, 19 and 20! They say this will not effect where you sit, and to some extent, that is true, but mostly it is a lie. You line up chronologically and as you enter they sit you in your seats. We were chosen to sit on the isle seats of the "dancing row" which meant we would get to brush sleeves with Ellen as she danced down our row...a highlight for any Ellen Fan! The show went on and we were found out that along with gifting me with the bulk of my Christmas wish, Ellen provided my sister, mom and I each with a new pots and pans set, a knife set, a soda stream, $300 to World Market, $300 to Bed, Bath and Beyond, and a 2 night/3 day stay at a spa hotel in LA. WHoOO HOOO!

After the show, you are dismissed by rows to go back to your car, pull out of the parking garage, and then they fill your car right then and there with the STUFF. We were three people in a smallish car and we had to fit 12 huge boxes along with our suit cases in the car (almost impossible), race to the FedEx, ship it, and race from Burbank to LA for my flight back at 8:45. The show ends at 5, so there was a bit of a crunch. 

Thanks to our mad planning skills, we had parked in a spot that was close to the exit, we were one of the first people out of the studio, we were the first people to the FedEx and we got to the airport to drop me off exactly at 7:45. It was a day that was designed for our party of 3 and will forever be one of our favorites!