My Greatest Adventure – Part One

So, the most amazing thing that could ever happen to me… happened.

And I couldn't tell you about it.

Until now.

I’m going to try to tell you the story of my greatest adventure ever. But I’m going to have to do it in segments because I can’t tell you everything just yet. But I will. Soon. By the end of spring you’ll know the whole story as I am able to share it with you. I promise this will make more sense as we go.

On November 5, 2013 I received an email from a casting producer working with Food Network who wanted to talk to me about being part of the cast for a new series! I didn't see the email until a few days later and almost choked on my bologna sandwich when I read it. Holy Mother of God is this real? It’s been days since she sent this, what if they've moved on and I missed my chance because my stupid phone doesn't like my aol app and didn't tell me I had any email. Is this real? Is someone pranking me?

I immediately sent a response. And then read over what I had hastily written to see it was chocked full of grammatical errors and sounded as desperate as a back ally meth head. Awesome.

And then I waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

While I waited I totally reverted into a teenage girl and bent the internet over backwards trying to validate this thing.

Googled the phone number on the producer’s email signature. It’s an LA number. OHMUHGAH.

Googled the producer’s name. She’s real. She has her very own listing on IMDb which lists her other projects like Survivor, The Great Food Truck Race and The Amazing Race. OHMUHGAH.

Googled prank tv shows to see if there was one that would fit this scenario. Found none. OHMUHGAH.

And then I got a response.

My phone rang at 6:45PM on a Friday afternoon as me and my entire family were finishing up supper at Bojangles. Because I’d become a stalker and memorized her phone number, I knew who was calling. I practically knocked the table over in Bojangles, ditched Husband with the kids and flew out to the parking lot to sit in the car to take the call. Half way through the call, my brood finished eating and came out to the car. I immediately locked all the doors, leaving them all stranded in the parking lot, closed my eyes so I wouldn't get distracted by them trying to talk through the windows and finished the call. It was raining. Not my best moment.

The concept of the show was explained to me and thus began the three-week whirlwind of demo tapes, phone calls, emails and Skype interviews. And also my new favorite thing to say to my friends, I missed that because I was skyping with LA... Oh, I can’t, I've got to skype with LA... Did I mention I was skyping with LA? Ha! I didn't even know how to set it up when I had to do it the first time.

And then I was told the infamous last words… “we’ll be in touch”

And I waited.

And I waited some more.

And then I waited some more.

Then on December 2, 2013 I got a quick phone call that went something like this, “Hi, this is so-and-so, working with Food Network. I just wanted to confirm that you would be able to be in New York from December 11-22 and ask which airport you would like to fly out of.”

Wha??

And then my mama brain kicked in and I started thinking about how completely insane this would be. Um. That’s like next week. I have kids. And a job. And no vacation time left in the year. The girls have their first competition next weekend. They've trained all year for this. I've never missed one. I have to get ready for Christmas. I can’t take that much time off without pay. Brutus has his holiday program at school. Who’s going to buy all the Christmas presents? How will the kids get to school? Who fill fix Angel Baby’s hair every morning?

And then I said the thing I never thought I’d say. I told Food Network I’d have to think about it.

I presented my case to Husband and told him all the reasons this wouldn't work and that I thought I’d have to decline. And he looked at me and said the most amazing thing he’s ever said to me. He said, “You’re doing this. You deserve this. You are amazing and the world needs to see it. You do everything for everyone else and now you get to go do something for yourself. We’ll figure it out. This is your dream. You. Are. Doing. This.”

So, on Wednesday, December 11th I left my job (had to take a temporary leave of absence - yikes!) and my family, kissed my husband goodbye and flew to New York to go chase my dream.

Stay tuned for the next part of the story! The show is called America's Best Cook and it's unlike anything you've ever seen on Food Network before and it's going to be amazing!

They should start running promos for it soon so I decided to tell you what I can in case I end up in one of the commercials and you say, "Hey, isn't that the chick with that recipe blog?"

Show premiers April 13 at 9:00 EST