Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is in Franklin County this week building a home for a family in South Mountain, about 20 minutes from our house. Of course, I had to go check it out! Love the show, think Ty Pennington is hilarious, we loved him on Trading Spaces, way back when! So, Brandon, Andrew, Mason and I headed to Mont Alto to catch the shuttle bus to go see what was going on at the top of the mountain! I snapped this picture of the who I like to think is one of the designers on her way out to go shopping.
Well, we were told no designers were at the site when we were there. Apparently they build two houses about the same time with two different crews and Ty flys back and forth between the two. He was in Kansas for a reveal today, but will be back again tomorrow. The other designers were out shopping at Lowe's and Sears. Anyway, we watched these students from Penn State Mont Alto work on the landscaping. There is a beautiful water feature on the front walk and the students were even planting fall pansies! We saw a huge solar panel to the left of the house, the back yard is fenced in and my friend, Chris, befriended a production crew member who took a picture of the back of the house for her and it has multiple decks in the back. The house fits in great with the woods surrounding it, the stone is very pretty. Just gorgeous!
As soon as we jumped off the school bus, we saw this tent selling t-shirts and coffee mugs, $10 - $40! Many people were walking around in these blue t-shirts and badges on. Beyond these fences was a VIP tent area with locally catered food and trailers for the "stars". It was quite evident, this was not the show's first makeover...it is down to a science! I am so happy they allow sneak peeks for us nosey folks!
Here is a picture of the Drumm family posted on a pole at the site. The family is where else...Walt Disney World! This is Season 6 for the show and this season's theme is Community Hereos. The family has two autistic children and the parents started a little league for challenged children. The mom also works at the school where Andrew takes speech class. The show is going to be the first show of 2009.
The highlight of the trip for Andrew and Mason was riding on a school bus! I tried to explain to the boys about the family needing a home and this is going to be made into a tv show, but I am not sure if they understood since no film crews were there at the moment, but they had fun playing with their friend Grant who was there with his grandma and watching the big trucks come in with various supplies. I can't wait to see the show and see what the house looks like inside. They are anticipating 15,000 people to be there on Friday at 2 pm for the "Move that Bus" reveal! We, however, will just wait until January!
Hey, Hey the gang's all here...Brandon, Andrew, Mason, Adin, Tobias, Oliver, Samantha and Jaiden.
Getting a little help with the candles from Mason.
Finally brave enough to ride the clock.
Andrew and Adin always getting into trouble...now Adin, should you be on the front of the train like that?
Oliver and Andrew on a the Kiddie Coaster...Annette in the background pondering if she should get on it or not?
My mom and dad a.k.a. Mimi and Papa, love to visit the "boys". When Brandon was born, they used to drive 2 hours down here after work to see him and then drive back the same night. Mom's favorite thing to do is snuggle with them and take a nap. The boys love to do it too! 
Dad had just settled down to watch the Penn State game with a cup of coffee last Saturday afternoon before the party when Andrew came running into the living room and jumped on Papa and the coffee went everywhere, including dad's pants! So we had to dry his pants in the dryer and he covered up in this blanket. Mom and Mason slept through it all right beside all the action!
November 17 was Andrew's big number 5 and he was so excited. I think we counted down the days for what seemed like weeks! Andrew is such a sweetheart, he did not beg one time for his presents or anything. When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday meals all he asked for was bacon for breakfast and chicken wings for supper, such a guy!
Mimi and Papa came down the Saturday the 15th to help celebrate the occasion. Here they are getting ready to escape crazy Chuck e Cheese's!
Andrew waiting patiently to open up his big gift, a fish tank!
I am not the best photographer, just as I snapped a pic of the cool water feature (behind the stones), this volunteer walked by, oh well!
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is in Franklin County this week building a home for a family in South Mountain, about 20 minutes from our house. Of course, I had to go check it out! Love the show, think Ty Pennington is hilarious, we loved him on Trading Spaces, way back when! So, Brandon, Andrew, Mason and I headed to Mont Alto to catch the shuttle bus to go see what was going on at the top of the mountain! I snapped this picture of the who I like to think is one of the designers on her way out to go shopping.
Well, we were told no designers were at the site when we were there. Apparently they build two houses about the same time with two different crews and Ty flys back and forth between the two. He was in Kansas for a reveal today, but will be back again tomorrow. The other designers were out shopping at Lowe's and Sears. Anyway, we watched these students from Penn State Mont Alto work on the landscaping. There is a beautiful water feature on the front walk and the students were even planting fall pansies! We saw a huge solar panel to the left of the house, the back yard is fenced in and my friend, Chris, befriended a production crew member who took a picture of the back of the house for her and it has multiple decks in the back. The house fits in great with the woods surrounding it, the stone is very pretty. Just gorgeous!
As soon as we jumped off the school bus, we saw this tent selling t-shirts and coffee mugs, $10 - $40! Many people were walking around in these blue t-shirts and badges on. Beyond these fences was a VIP tent area with locally catered food and trailers for the "stars". It was quite evident, this was not the show's first makeover...it is down to a science! I am so happy they allow sneak peeks for us nosey folks!
Here is a picture of the Drumm family posted on a pole at the site. The family is where else...Walt Disney World! This is Season 6 for the show and this season's theme is Community Hereos. The family has two autistic children and the parents started a little league for challenged children. The mom also works at the school where Andrew takes speech class. The show is going to be the first show of 2009. 
The highlight of the trip for Andrew and Mason was riding on a school bus! I tried to explain to the boys about the family needing a home and this is going to be made into a tv show, but I am not sure if they understood since no film crews were there at the moment, but they had fun playing with their friend Grant who was there with his grandma and watching the big trucks come in with various supplies. I can't wait to see the show and see what the house looks like inside. They are anticipating 15,000 people to be there on Friday at 2 pm for the "Move that Bus" reveal! We, however, will just wait until January!
Of course the ramps are still on the deck to the yard from all of the demo removal and the boys are taking full advantage of all the fun it provides...Andrew is on the pedal less bike flying down...
Mason using the ramps as a slide, even though we have a slide...
Brandon on a tricycle...
And, Oliver giving it a try as well.
What fun! I am not sure why we even have toys!
This is the miniature Japanese Maple we planted in memory of Thinh's mom, Donna Haldeman. He really misses his mom and his dad, especially when he needs construction advice, his dad was a real pro at it! We are really enjoying the gorgeous color of the tree and think of them each time we look at it.
