THE PRICE IS RIGHT

Ok you guys....if you didn’t go with us to the price is right, you SO missed out!!

Here’s how it all went down:

First of all, we all woke up WAY to early to travel down to Los Angeles. We already had our tickets and our cute little shirts, but it was still a little too early for most of us. The drive down was very smooth. No traffic, fun drive.

When we arrived at the CBS Studio where they tape the show, there were so many people there with their shirts that say how much they love Bob and all that junk. There were a lot of groups as well. After I saw everyone, I was sure that there was no way that I would be picked out of them, but I decided that I would just relax and have a fun time while I was there.

Most of the day was spent sitting around and waiting for them to check you in. The workers came around and checked your id’s and gave you a number and everything and then there was some more sitting around. A lot of people were being really loud and crazy, but our group was pretty calm and collected. Okay, we were just really tired.

So, finally, they called us down for the interview process. The interview was very short and very simple. They had groups of ten line up, they asked you where you were from, what you did for a living and what you did for fun. Then that was about it. There were a couple jokes here and there, but overall it was very simple. Then you are led to yet another area to do a little more waiting. Then you’re taken inside the studio. Now, the studio is not at all what you think it is. It is SO SMALL. They make it look huge on T.V., but it’s not. It’s very small and quaint.

Anyhow...the announcer guy came out and did his whole schpeel and everyone was so excited. There were 16 people in our group. We had a whole section of people. It was pretty cool. Anyhow....when the show starts, they initially have to call four people up for the contestants row. There’s a guy holding a sign with the names cause you can’t really hear cause everybody’s cheering. They called the first guy. Then the second. Everyone was clapping. And then I heard 14 little words I will never forget, “Natalie Rochin, come on down! You’re the next contestant on the price is right!!” I was so excited, I started jumping up and down in my place, then I tried to get out of the isle and almost tripped. Lol...I was so flippin’ excited!! I got out of the row and started coming down the isle. Everyone was high-fiving me and tell me “Yay!! Good luck!!” It was so great. I got down to the contestant’s row and seriously jumped up and down in place. I kept looking back like, “Oh my God, Oh my God.” Bob Barker was in front of us and I was just awe struck. I couldn’t believe that I was there.

It happens so quickly, you’re almost in a daze. They announced the price that we would be bidding on. It was a Vectra Home Gym set (Shown Below)








The first thing that popped into my head was $1,800.00. I don’t even remember if I stuck with that or if I ended up saying $1,300.00...it all happened so fast. Anyhow, he announced the “actual retail price” and I didn’t think I got it. Then all of the sudden, my thing started blinking and I was like, “Oh my God! Oh my God!!” I was the first one up there! It was CRAZY. Anyhow, so I get up there and I’m just jumping up and down and going, “Oh my God, Oh my God.” I gave Bob a kiss on his cheek and then they showed me the Ashley Chateau Frontenac Bed that I would be attempting to win. It was a beautiful bed. I just looked at it and was like, “Oh, it’s so pretty.....” Here is a picture of the bed:







Anyways, I played the blank check game. I remember Bob asking me if I knew how to play the game and just said, “I write a check.” Lol.... Haha....The object is to write a check and if the amount of the check and the price of the bed totalled is between $5,000.00 and $6,000.00 you win the amount of the check and the prize. Everyone was shouting at me, but I just zoned in and wrote the check. I didn’t even look back at everyone. I thought at first that I was guessing the price of the bed, but I stuck with the same number that originally popped into my head. I wrote the check out for $2,700.00. Bob announced the “actual retail price” and the total was between five and six thousand. I totally won the $2,700.00 and the BED!!! I was so happy, I jumped up and down and clapped my hands, said a “thank you Jesus” and walked off the stage. It was so surreal. Look, this is me and Monica with the huge check:








When I sat down my chest felt like it was on fire. I’d never felt so much excitement. The producer game came over, asked me if I’d every been on a gameshow before and gave me a release to fill out. I just kept smiling so big and saying, “Thank you, thank you so much!” Anyway, when I sat down, it didn’t even dawn on me that I had also won the home gym. The girls behind me were all “Oh my God, congratulations, you won the gym and the bed, oh my God.” And I was like, “Oh yeah, I did!” And then someone else said, “And you get to spin the wheel.” And I was like, “Ph my GOD, you’re right, I DO get to spin the wheel!!” I was just so dang excited I could barely contain myself.

So, commercial breaks, and other contestants going up and all that happened. I just sat there in a daze. I kept looking at my group who was on the other side of the building and they would just look at me and smile and give me a thumbs up. Anyhow, so it was time to spin the wheel. I sat there before we went up and prayed, “Oh Jesus, thank you so much for the bed and everything. This is so wonderful....I don’t want to be greedy.....but.....if you want to help me win this, it would be great!” So I got up there. The two other people spun before me. The first guy got 75 cents. Then the second girl spun once and got 35 cents, then used her second spin and got 40 cents. They were tied for 75. I was like, “Come on Jesus, help me out....” I grabbed the heavy wheel with both hands, let out a “UUUUGGGGHHHH!!!” and spun the wheel. It went around and around and finally landed on 85 cents! I was in the Showcase Showdown!!!!! The crowd went wild. My group was on their feet shouting and hooting and hollering. I just stood there, jumping up and down and up and down. (My fat butt probably looked horrible, but I didn’t care, I was so dang happy and excited.)

Ok, so they went through the second set of contestants and all that jazz. A young guy who had won a trip to Portugal spun the wheel and was the other contestant in the Showcase Showdown. Because I was the top winner, I got to choose if I wanted to pass the first showcase or bid on it. The whole time I kept praying, “Jesus, I don’t want to be greedy......but.....” The first showcase was a dishwasher, a gas stove (neither of which I could use cause of Luke’s house) and a huge boat. I thought, “Wow, a boat. What the hell am I going to do with a boat?” I looked over at my group and they were all telling me to pass it. My mom told me too....so I passed it. The guy bid $13,000.00 something on it. I knew he underbid, but wasn’t sure by how much. Anyhow, they showed me my showcase, which consisted of a beautiful dining set, a china hutch and a beautiful set of china, a Safenet Home Security Alarm system and a freakin’ SNOWMOBILE. I thought again, “What the hell am I going to do with a snowmobile?” But I zoned in, tried to estimate a price and gave him my bid. “$9,100.00 Bob.” The audience kind of sounded disappointed like, “Ohhhhh.....” and I was sure I didn’t win it. Commercial break. The other guy and I wished each other luck, talked about how this was so unreal and crazy and then waited to see the outcome. Bob grabbed the little envelope, announced the “actual retail price” and I was under by over $7,000.00. I was sure the other guy had it. Bob picked up his card, announced the real price and it was like $32,000.00 something. My thing started blinking and I realized that I had one the showcase showdown. I started jumping up and down and everybody from my group came running on to the stage and hugging me and I was just so dang happy...it was totally nuts!! My whole group tackled me and we were all jumping up and down together! It was so great!!! I was so excited. The model lady was all, “Wave, hon, wave” and I was just in a daze. It was definitely an unforgettable experience.

Here is what the rest of my prizes look like. (Except I couldn’t find a picture of the home security system online, but it’s a $1,900.00 system, so right on!)



















YAY FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!