CATCH UP #2! Emporia to Oklahoma City

OK. So actually, I'm going to be honest...this leg is going to be pretty uneventful. We woke up - we drove from Emporia to Oklahoma City - we checked into the hotel - we went to the mall - I bought green shoes - I had BAD, BAD mall chinese food - and then everyone went down to the hotel bar to sing karaoke. I didn't stay long...I'm still trying to get this cold out of my system...and I needed to catch you all up on our antics and travels.
Um - so, what else to tell? Tomorrow...we are doing 2 shows - and then going on a tour of the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. THEN - and I think this is the real thing this time, people - we are going to a reception to meet the Governor...and other people, too. We got to our hotel - and there were GOODY bags for each of us - with WELCOME TO OKLAHOMA bags, and inside there was this fancy-shmancy invitation. It was all printed and...WAIT! I'll take a picture of it!

Here it is...the invitation I was JUST speaking of. Enjoy.

So there that is. There were some Wonka Candies and a pencil from the State of Oklahoma and a sticker of the Oklahoma state flag - a bookmark - a little lapel pin of the state - um...if I'm missing something, I apologize. OH! And get this - EVIDENTLY they are so excited that our show is here, there is a BILLBOARD somewhere in Interstate 77 of our SHOW! Like a FULL SIZED billboard. Haven't seen it yet - but you can BET your bottom dollar we are finding it and blogging the CRAP out of that thing.

That should about do it for tonight. Early call tomorrow - 2 crazy shows and then I will be back to blog our adventures with all of you. Thanks for reading. You stay class, Planet Earth!

WAIT! I wanted to share a non-tour related antic with you all. My nephew, Branden, who is in 2nd Grade in Boise, Idaho, is a funny little kid. For a writing assignment, they were asked to write 'If You Could Be Something Else, What Would It Be And Why?' Branden's answer went as follows: "I would like to be a dog. They can run fast and go to the bathroom anywhere they want." It's true...life was simplier as a child....TAKE CARE!

First off, RIGHT UP FRONT, I owe this picture to my friend, Darren. Here you go, Big D! The VAN! Where all our cast magic begins. Your jealousy isn't becoming of you. It's ours and you can't have it!

So Tara got the PARTY together...for Andrew's birthday once we arrive in Emporia. We weren't really good partiers....LOOK BELOW!

Eric is trying to stay awake while we celebrate while Jackie, fighting to keep her eyes open, asks...'Are we still in Kansas?'

BUT - there was CHEESECAKE. It was some swirly-store-bought-thing...but it was right for the moment. MASE rating: solid 7

What is this you ask? Well, remember that FUN game of 'Get The State Signs' we started awhile ago? Well, much like Pennsylvania, we missed the Missouri sign. But this time, we were driving at night. SO - just to the right the sign is there - off in the darkness - as we WHIZZZZED by.

But look how cool KANSAS turned out? Enlarge this sucker - take a GOOD look. It looks like it's just HOVERING there...i HEART this picture. Elisa Rupert took it and I will say it again here..SHE IS BRILLIANT!

THIS picture represents the fact that we COULD'VE gotten a 'Welcome To Oklahoma...We're OK!' picture - IF Andrew hadn't been on an OC-addiction-fit. He was shaking - sweating - clawing at his eyes. So we had to get him the DVD's and my little player to pacify him - RIGHT at the same time we were passing the OK sign. This does sour me a bit to the OC. Or atleast I think it might, if I ever start watching it.

Um - this is the lady at the toll booth in Kansas. See her there in the back? I was bored. She was there. Nothing more.

Chris tests out Tara's latest knitting project...I'm not sure what else to say about it. I'm a little uncomfortable, actually. NEXT!

PHEW! Karaoke pics. Saved. So - here Andrew is singing, 'My Favorite Things' to the crowd. He had hand actions and everything.

Not to be outdone, Eric steps up to the plate with his own techno-version of Miss Abdul's 'Cold Hearted Snake'. You can't see them - but he had back-up dancers.

Jen smells the competition in the air...and brings out her crowd favorite, 'Home On The Range', in honor of our Oklahoma hosts.

Chris pulled out his favorite: Chumba-Wumba's 'Tub-Thumping' - and surprised EVERYONE by SIGNING the entire song! Magic.

And finally, to wrap the night up, Andrew, Tara and Torg serenaded us all with that old classic, 'We Are The World'. (Could this picture be a little more blurry? Thanks. That'd be great!)