The Magical Land of The Oprah Show

For what led up to this you have to go to older posts at the bottom.

Let me start by saying, IT'S REAL!!!!!! I can hardly believe it myself but it's not hype. It's real. I can hardly wrap my brain around it but the whole deal is 100% like it looks plus 1000% more. I wish they showed the true, full thing on TV. It's better than I would have in my wildest dreams imagined. I for the first time in my life was totally, utterly speechless. I really wanted to write this yesterday but literally couldn't. For those of you that know me best and know how I am wired, it was the most at home I have ever felt.

Starting Tuesday night. Kara was an hour and a half late to get me so by the time we got to Phx we were wiped out. Driving away was really hard because Charlotte was screaming and reaching for me as we went around the corner. Ryder ran to the car and told Kara to hurry and get me right home because he loved me. Now, I enjoy getting away but feel TERRIBLE when it's under those condiitons! Jeesh. Kara had way too much stuff and needed to condense it to a small suitcase. As soon as we got to Phx she did a quick interview with 3TV in the lobby of our hotel.

They are going to air it the day the show airs. We ate dinner at like 11:00pm and didn't get to bed until 1:00.

We were only able to take one small suitcase and a carry-on each so we spent a ton of time trying to cram it all right.

We stayed at a Radisson in Phoenix. Shout out to Hilliary for hooking us up!

It was a terrible night of sleep because we were both afraid we wouldn't get up. They had sleep number beds. My number going to be was 30 but was ZERO when I woke up. There was NO air and I was laying on the bottom. It's simiar to a waterbed without the water. Interesting to say the least. Kara had nightmares that aliens kept coming out of the wall to surpise her! Ha! I love it but it freaked her out. Up at 6:00 and to the airport by 7:00 is so not in either of our nature. But we did it.

Wednesday morning. We were supposed to fly out of Phx at 8:30am. We got up on time and got to the airport on time. For the two of us super punctual morning birds that was no easy task.

At the airport we did self check-in and casually headed to the gate. Near the gate we had a quick breakfast with the hottest coffee ever. It was worthy of a Seinfeld episode. Serious. We forgot you couldn't take liquids through security and had to stand at the gate and try to finish our blazing hot coffee. Something about that sort of escalated the anxiousness we had burried. We had been fine up to that point. Kara told me to take my laptop out and ran down the rules but then didn't do it herself. She held up the whole line and they ended up searching all of her stuff. I was howling. Once they cleared her she was so frazzled she put her foot upon the metal rolling things to put her shoes on! It was so funny I took pictures.

Eveyone is trying to clear their things and she has her leg up on the thing! Ha! It still makes me laugh out loud. We got to our gate with time and were in line to board when they announced it was grounded. There was some kind of mechanical problem so they cancelled the whole flight and handed us all a phone number. I called it and tried to get a new flight. I was told they were all full. I figured for once I had the chance to throw out a name to see if it would help. It did. Best customer service I have had on the phone ever! The lady got us on a new flight and said to walk up to the front of the line and tell them we needed new tickets printed. I tried. The lady was super rude and asked why I cut everyone. The change had been made, we just needed proof. The other people were already in line freaking out and she was not happy I felt the need to cut. I told her the lady from the airline told me to. She quickly scolded me and sent me back. The Oprah Show called and I explained what happened. The lady quickly said, "get me her name". I would imagine Oprah is a pretty good deal for them and they expect better help when problems arise. I was telling Kara how you never know how far your comments can go when a supervisor overheard me. She asked what happened so I told her. She whispered to me that our original plane was going to be fixed and we could get on it even though it hadn't been announced. After that she walked me right up to counter to verify which one had told me to get out of her line. I was going to take her picture but chose to spare her insult to injury. It was a good enough lesson that you just never know how far poor treatment to one could ripple. That supervisor was sharing that lesson with her when I walked away :) hee During the time we were trying to get it all worked out I was on both phones, one on each ear. The whole idea of the unknown and the makeover had gotten the best of Kara so she just followed. We finally got on the original plane and ended up only 2 hours behind.

On the plane Kara studied the emergency brochure. While looking at the pictures she asked, "why would you jump out onto the slide with your arms like that? I need to know why their arms are like that. Right out in front. Why?"

The flight attendant came by so I asked. I was laughing thinking it was hysterical. Actually, there is a reason. If you did need the slide you would actually JUMP out of the plane and land half way down. You jump out in a pike position so that you land right. So, there was a reason. Good lesson. They she started worrying about the life vests and how you would actually get them out. I was howling! She listened to them so carefully during their "demo" and studied every picture. I gave in and looked at the picture for the vests. She was right. It's complicated and would take some effort. They are tucked in little metal boxes under the seat. You would have to take off the cushion, find the box, pull a string, remove it, put it on, blow it up with a straw and push a button to turn on a blinky light. Really? When would you do that? By the time she was finished with her "education" I was a mess. I was thinking about how I was not flexible enough to jump onto the slide that way and how there is no way I could blow the vest up with a straw! I am glad in the end I needed either option.

This is a shout to Larry and Sherry. We were over Albuquerque, NM. I looked to see it and saw what I swore was a quarter on the wing. I know, I know. But it wasn't on the other wing and sure looks like it!

When we landed a driver in a cool black SUV picked us up. They had water, gum, tissue and magazines for us. Someone was waiting with a printed sign with our names.

He took us straight to HARPO.

There they hugged us and welcomed us right away. They knew who we were immediately! Weird and so cool.

The necklace Kara is wearing is made by Sonja Londan-Hall. She has a line of wire wrapped necklaces called Curly Girl inspired by Kara's hair.
They took her before picture of her in jeans, a shirt and her hair UN-moussed. It is giant and wild without a ton of stuff so it's going to be a doozie. Afterwards I watched her try on clothes while I ate the best pizza of my life. We hadn't eaten all day so they ordered us food. I said I wanted an authentic Chicago pizza. I am so glad I said that!!!!! It was AWESOME! I was attempting to be normal and polite so I only ate two pieces. I so wish I could have eaten it ALL. They asked Kara to take off her clothes. A bit of nice chit chat and then, "take off everything". I was dying! I was SOOOOOO glad to be a fly on the wall sucking down the pizza. They brought her outfit after outfit and put them on and off her. They tugged, tucked, pulled and poked. It was way out of what we would consider our zone (off runway day to day zone). I kept encouraging her to be open but it was certainly not Flagstaff clothes moment. Afterwards we were dropped at our hotel. Our driver was super nice and from Romania. His accent was awesome. He seemed to enjoy us asking if we could take a picture with him.

It is A...M...A...Z...I..N..G. Usually "the guests of The Oprah Show stay at the Omni Hotel" but not this time. JW Marriot was a sponsor so we got to stay there. It was unreal.

I loved this mirror. The light was IN the mirror and it made us look great!!!
*Click the picture and it will get bigger. Because...the necklace I had on was made by Heather Meyer Designs. I have known her for more than 1/2 my life and her hubby is my Broker at RE/MAX. She stamps in uplifting and encouraging messages. This one says, "One Beautiful Life". Yup! Couldn't be more fitting.

After we got settled we took a taxi to the John Hancock Building where they have a lounge on the 96th floor. I think I wrote 69th floor on Facebook but it was much higher. The view was unreal!

Instead of taking a taxi back, we walked. We walked for like 5 miles but got see a ton!!!!

Kara wasn't putting this magazine back "right" so the guy yelled at her! Ha!

Since it was the middle of the week nothing was opened. We got to the hotel starving. The show gave us $75 per day per person to spend at the hotel so we got room service. We had a cheeseburger, sandwich dessert and a drink....for $120.

This was soooo good. Not wise to eat it at 2:00am but nummy none the less.

It took an hour to arrive so we ended up laying down after 2:00. At 5:30 I had a mental breakdown that this was all going to turn out horrible and ruin our lives. I bawled my eyes out and apologized Kara for getting her into this. I was just sure that for some reason we would have to move, change or names. I said, "rememeber Sally Jesse Rapahel had that guy on that shot the other one....". I was freaking out. I think I was just to tired and something at the show earlier had really thrown me in the wrong direction. It as all amazing there was just this feeling that somehow it was all going to come out backwards. I slept from 6:45-7:15. We had to meet the car at 7:45 so that was the end of our chance to rest.

Once arriving at the studio we ate breakfast from the "craft service" and watched people. All kinds of famous and important people arrived yet I didn't really know who they were. Neither did Kara. I can't go into too much detail until it airs but the makeover occured and it's incredible. They sooooooo knew what they were doing and it's different than anything she has ever had before. They spent the entire day teaching her as they went, explaining products and helping her to understand why they were doing what they were doing. With her particular hair most hairdressers apply normal rules and they fail. Tney more that proved they knew what they were doing. The clothing designer came and it was a totally surreal experience. Aside from these folks being great at what they do, they are real. They are real and kind
, generous, smart, funny, down to earth and special. It was so intersting, so comfortable and so cool. After an all day transformation we were driven to separate hotels.

I read on their website that they had the best martini's in all of Chicago. I had a martini on our cruise 6 years ago and it tasted like gasoline. I figured I should try again especially with the claim to fame. The fella who brought my room service shook it and poured it upon arrival. I told the lady on the phone to send me the best one...she sent the TWO best ones.
This was a pomegranate something or other.

This was a pomegranate something or other.

This was a carrot cake martini.

I asked why since I saw her all day and already know what she is wearing and what the new "do" is. She said it's like a wedding day and makes it more special to wake up alone, finish getting fixed up and then be revealed. I was super excited because I was moved to the Omni hotel I have always heard about. It's really cool but the JW Marriot was in a different league for sure. I at a $68 dollar dinner in my room with Oprah vouchers, took a bubble bath, caught up with Matt and wrote this. Now I am going to bed! I am wiped out. I love all your texts, posts and messages. I wanted to take the time to jot down what has happened so far. There are so many details but I am having such a hard time wrapping my head around this I don't even know where to put them. Oprah is real. It's not a "show". She really did do this and it shows. The best of the best work there and work their hearts out. It is certainly magical. I love seeing the inner workings and feel humbled and blessed. I have had a trillion questions and everyone I ask has taken the time to answer and ask if I had more. Tomorrow we will be picked up at 7:45, the show will tape and we will be delivered to the airport. I am not even sure how much more I can handle. Not in my wildest imagination would I have thought it to be like this. It's the same kind of magic you feel the first time at Disneyland....only better. I hope over time I can actually describe it and grasp it all the way it deserves. A lot of things have happened that I think are truly life altering....but I will have to tell later. I am sooooooooo tired. Good night. Wish me luck sleeping. Not knowing what tomorrow holds freaks this control freak out. Yet, they have proven that it will be better than great.