Dancing With The Stars Taping!

Matthew and I always sign up for free tickets to live taping of shows we watch. I went on the waiting list for Dancing with the Stars way before it started and sure enough I received an email last Wednesday to come to a live taping of the show. I was able to choose between Monday night and Tuesday night. I would have preferred to go to Monday night's taping because I love watching the dances, but since Matthew's day's off is Tuesday and Wednesday we were only able to go to Tuesday's taping. Don't get me wrong, it was still a lot of fun!

The morning of.......
We woke up and immediately started to get ready so we could drop off Alexa with my mother and get on the road. We knew we had to check in no later than 3:30, but since it was first come first serve we wanted to be SURE we got in to see the taping. We got to my mother's around 10 AM and kissed our baby good-bye. We do not like leaving her at all, but we knew she was in great hands and would have fun at her grandparent's house. We got to LA around 11:15 and since we wanted to have our tummies full, because we didn't know when we would get a chance to eat, we went to Olvera Street. It's a street that has many little Mexican shops and little hole in the wall places to eat. I have been going there to eat, every so often, ever since I was little. Matthew and I love this place called El Rancho Grande. It has the best Mexican food! 5 taquitos, beans, salad, and Root Beer's later that each of us had, we were on our way to the taping! We had to park in the designated parking structure about half a mile away. In heels, it felt like 3 miles away, and it was only the beginning of our day. We reached the area were we line up and there were only about 2 small groups ahead of us. We couldn't have a camera or our phones or else they would take them away and give them back after the show, so we left them in the car. That's why there are no pictures.We got to the line at around 12:45 and we waited and waited and waited in the freezing cold weather until around 3:30.   A group that was behind us brought chairs, so we asked what they did with them when we go in. They said that they stash them in the bushes and see if they are still there when they come back. They also said bums like to take them and try to sell them. haha. By the time they started to take us in, a priority ticket line had formed and there were about 35 maybe 40 people in that line. It was for the people who didn't get in last week, so they got a priority ticket to see the show for sure. We were getting nervous, but we heard that they bring in about 170 people for each show, so at that time we knew we would get in. I was freezing! I had a jacket on, my short strapless dress, and my heels were off since I didn't want to stand in them the whole time, so my feet were frozen from standing on the cold cement. Matthew was just tired of standing. He was covered from neck to toe. Guys always have it easy. All they need to wear is a button collard shirt, tie, slacks, and nice shoes. Done! Girls however, have it way harder! For every event there is a different dress for it. Back to the story, so we get in from off the sidewalk that we waited forever on and they took us to some long benches to sit on. It was nice to finally sit down, but we were still outside. We sat there for about 35 to 40 minutes and then bench by bench they had us go in. Unfortunately we got seated on the balcony over looking the front of the judges, so we weren't on TV, but they were still good seats. We weren't complaining. The whole point was to see everything LIVE! Everything looks so much smaller! I couldn't believe how different it was from seeing it on TV. Before the show started the whole audience was able to go dance to the music they had playing on the dance floor. Matthew doesn't like to dance so I knew we were not going to go and I was kinda sad. He knew that I wanted to go so he gave in and we DANCED ON THE DWTS DANCE FLOOR!!! It was a lot of fun. Some of the dancers and stars came onto the stage and danced too. Brandy came out and she is a lot prettier in person. Throughout the whole night there was this guy host that entertained us and he was funny. He pulled everyone out to dance and gave away rings that have lights. I got one! He came up to our balcony and Matthew pointed to my hand as I was holding it out and he gave me one! I was happy! :) It's just a stupid ring but I was happy to get something from the show. :) It was funny cause when we went to commercials, you see the judges getting their make-up touched up and the stage crew is changing the stage. It was really neat to see everything! It was funny to learn that DWTS tapes things for the next weeks show. We did not see the guy playing the piano at all. He was taped last week for this weeks show haha. Cheryl and Derek danced for next weeks show. It was super cute! Before anyone danced you saw them practicing and stretching. It was so neat. I'm going to go on the waiting list again and again and again. It was a great date! :) The night was fun and we were on our way home by 7 PM. It was worth the wait!