The Secret is Out!

So our secret is out! After the longest month on record, my kids can now tell everyone that our video won the $10,000 weekly prize on the show America's Funniest Home Videos! Whew! I can't tell you what a relief it is to just be able to say it out loud. I'd never said the words "nondisclosure agreement" in my life until November 3rd of this year. For the last month I've said it at least three times a day. And to the people who begged me over and over to tell them the outcome of the show, all I can say is, "Look, these people flew us to LA, paid for our trip, and gave us ten grand to boot. I'm not tyring to piss them off for ANY reason whatsoever!"
The taping was a blast. Getting three small kids ready on time and to the taping was interesting, to say the least. Because the show has a rule limiting the studio audience to 7 years of age and older (and kudos to whoever came up with that...you'd never get an entire show filmed with my kids in the audience) my sweet husband sat with the kids in the green room while I watched the taping from the very back row.
The funniest moment of the day for us came when the producer suggested that if we won, we should "act surprised." My husband blurted out, "Really? You're giving someone ten grand on TV and you're telling them to act surprised?" Have you MET my kids?" I was pretty sure there would be glass shattering in the studio if we won.
The studio was a brisk 55 degrees, so I tried to dress everyone warmly, even though it was 75 degrees outside when we left the hotel. We were given guidelines about what to wear, which were fairly tricky, to be honest. Things like no polka dots, no harsh plaids, no solid, one color outfits, no harshly contrasting colors, etc. Totally blew my plan to combat the 10 30 extra pounds the camera adds by wearing a long black dress for camouflage. And may I just say, my hair is NOT actually the lovely neon red color that it appeared to be on TV. I'm not sure what was up with that, but I really don't go around looking like Bozo the clown, for those of you who were worried.
While sitting in the audience (and before the show) I tried to size up the competition. I listened very carefully for whether the audience laughed, and how much, at the other finalists' clips during the taping. When they played ours, I held my breath until I nearly passed out, but was relieved that the audience laughed. I surveyed the room several times. Lots of Asian college students. I wasn't sure that was a good thing for us. Then when the voting took place, the one person's keypad I could see did not vote for our video. Not what I was hoping for!
Hope was restored, however, when my kids came into the studio and I heard a collective, "Aww!" Audience members and producers were high fiving the kids. That had to be a good sign, right?
Sheridan spotted the TV camera and gave it her best "CHEESE!" which got another laugh. Maybe we were going to be okay.
I'm fairly certain I didn't breathe again until the results were announced. Our mouths fell open, we looked totally shocked (because we were) and the kids went bananas. One of them danced out of her shoe. I completely forgot that the host of the show was about to interview us. On national TV. I snapped out of my fog when I realized the host of the show was talking to Savannah. You want to talk about an instant heart attack? Let someone hand your six year old a microphone on TV and ask her what the grossest joke her dad has ever played was. Holy cow. I'm surprised I didn't pass out on the spot.
What a crazy and amazing ride it has been! We get to go back in February for a chance at $100,000! If we win that one, look for me on the floor. I'll be the unconscious one.