"Life is lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back through the valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale.” Jill Savage

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Family Feud and the Cheesecake Factory

Summer is winding down for us here. My year goes on the school year and has for some 30 years. My kids went to school, I worked as a paraprofessional for 15 years, my daughter is a teacher, and my grandson is going into 5th grade. So no January to December for us!

Next week the daughter goes back to work and the grandson to school on the 15th. Now my life is never one of just relaxing and doing what I want - sometimes I admit I wish for that and at other times I am happy to be running around.

Things will shift from running around and doing things with the daughter and GS - my daughter has a hard time staying home and enjoying being home - but she is young - so she likes to enlist me. It's stressful at times. However now that school is starting up - it will be stressful too - but in a whole different way.

I am Chatty Cathy, Crazy Cathy, and mixed up Cathy too sometimes - I need to find a happy medium - lol - and it's hard.

So to splurge the last weekend of summer - Linda my dear A La Carte friend - told me she and her daughter went to a taping of the Family Feud with Steve Harvey.

If you live in Georgia or near Georgia here is the web site to get tickets:
http://on-camera-audiences.com/shows/Family_Feud
and I have no idea why I can't get it to come up as an email address - you will have to copy and paste - sorry.

I guess it was being taped somewhere else - but Steve Harvey lives in GA and wanted it taped here - so they are taping it at the Atlanta Civic Center.

Of course - we can't go to the taping without eating at my daughter's favorite restaurant - the Cheesecake Factory.


Okay you know the quote - the road to h--- is paved with good intentions?
Well we did order salads...

Kind of a pretty restaurant - really big.


Tall enormous ceilings.

This is my creme stealer.

This is how my creme stealer eats his cheesecake - notice the middle missing. He doesn't like the oreo's - can you imagine that?
He ate the middle out of it.

Put it on a spoon and ate it like a sucker - meal time with him is always an adventure.



Now look at that two pages of cheesecakes - and my daughter and I didn't get a piece!


If you believe that I have a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn! Okay I cannot tell a lie - a piece of Chocolate Raspberry Truffle AND a piece of Red Velvet - well we did leave some . . . they looked OD on sugar don't they?




On to the Civic Center and to the two o'clock taping of Family Feud. We were supposed to get there at 2 pm.


Okay okay - this is where Chatty is good and bad. I knew it was for 16 and older. With that in mind Linda said she saw some other younger folks there. So this was my deal - if they let us in great and if they didn't - not great - but okay. We were standing waiting in the 100 degree heat and as they started to line us up a gal came to me and asked how old he was. I said ten. She said well you have to be 16 - I said I know, but another gal (thanks Linda) told me she had seen other young ones in there. So then the gal said, "Well just know he swears a lot." I leaned over and covered my mouth with paper so the others around me couldn't hear - and I said, "So does his grandpa!" She laughed her head off and let us in.



Okay we get in and you know he swears less than grandpa. And they very definitely sit you by demographics. They picked young couples for the front rows and everyone else in the back. Now we were heading towards the front row - but with the GS was pulled to sit in the back - which with us was okay - the pressure was off. We were right by the car.

It is going to be shown in mid- September - our 15 minutes of fame. It was with the Rose family - who were roller derby gals! They came in on skates.

We had fun and they offered to let us do it again later that day - but sitting for one was good for us.


Now this is funny - you have to know my daughter - she is shy. I am getting her into more pictures and blogs she ever dreamed possible. Now a good blogger is always ready to take a picture. And on our way home we saw a policemen on his Thing A Ma Jig - remember Mall Cop - what was it that he rode in the mall? So I threw the camera to her and said, "Take a picture." She panicked because he was looking straight at her - so she turned and took this. I'll get her trained yet!



x_05012ff

So for good and bad . . . and I have been learning some personal lessons lately - believe me.

"What matters most is that we learn from living."

~ Doris Lessing

So what is your favorite flavor of cheesecake?

39 comments:

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Family Feud! I thought it your post was going to be about a disagreement over dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, LOL. but you really meant the tv show!

Sweet Tea said...

What a day you had - good thing you were all "sugared-up" before you went to that program...

Gurl, I'm so glad you ate Cheesecake and you "owned it"!! If you'd said you went and DIDN'T eat any cheesecake I'm not sure if we could have remained friends!!LOL
My favorite cheesecake is "Turtle", the one with chocolate sauce, chocolate chips, and nuts, with just a bit of carmel thrown into the mix. If I had a piece now I would eat it for breakfast!! Great post!

Cheri said...

How fun! If you really didn't have cheesecake I would have had to scold you...so glad you clarified that mistake. LOL
We were thinking of going since Jess and Mabry are here but then I saw the age limit...hmmm...no.

MadSnapper said...

a wonderful day to celebrate the end of summer and school starting. my of course i would have eaten the whole thing, since Oreo's are my favorite cookie. have not had them in cheese cake but I know i would like it.
i wonder if they caught you on camera? the last photo is too funny... no policeman on a thing a ma jig. and the funny thing is i knew instantly what you meant.

Sally said...

Oh, I'm so glad y'all got in! That must have been fun. :)

My daughter would have done the same thing! Too funny!

School starts on 8/22 for Hunter Emilee. Kindergarten, and I couldn't believe the "list" of supplies!

Those salads look so good, and of course the cheesecake, YUM!! I'm like your GS though, as I'm not crazy about oreo's. LOL

((hugs and have a wonderful day, Sandie.))

TexWisGirl said...

Segway... :)

i love the 'hopped up on sugar' photo! so cute! glad you had a memorable last week before school and such begins again.

Wanda's Wings said...

Sounds like a lot of fun, My favorite cheese cake is "turtle". Love the picture. Summer goes too fast.

Pat MacKenzie said...

What a fun day. I love Cheescake Cafe too.

The Brown Recluse (TBR) said...

I think that thing they cops ride is called a Segway.

I think I would like to go to a TV taping, sounds like lots of fun! I suprised there's a lot of swearing...I guess they do a lot of cutting, yes?

Your grandson is adorable, I just don't get the "no oreo" thing! What are you teaching them over in GA?? lol My grandson claims he doesn't like chocolate, but I see him eating it every now and then. I've never been to a Cheesecake Factory, but I for sure need to after seeing that menu!!!

Remington said...

Awesome post! That last pic is funny....she should have just taken a pic of him....you'll get her trained.... BTW -- my favorite cheesecake is Sour Cream....a old family recipe....

Angela said...

I'm glad you guys had some fun at the taping of the show! That would be a neat thing to see at least once. Not sure if I would have sat through a second taping or not. That cheesecake looked good! And so did the salads. I've never been there before because we don't have one in WV.

Hugs,
Angela

Starry Dawn said...

Hi Sandie,
I am glad you are back, sweet Sandie!! I miss you, dear!!
How was your FAMILY REUNION??
I am sure you had a great time gathering with all your family.
I love the pictures of this post. You are saying very interesting things. I love cheesecakes, but I am overweight. So, I don't eat much of that. I love veggies!! Thank you for posting lovely messages to the world, Sandie!!
God bless you, and those you love!!
In God's Garden,
Poet Starry Dawn.
Thanksforthegiftoflife.blogspot.com

Knitty said...

I don't think I could name just one flavor of cheesecake. BTW, you had me worried there for a second when it sounded like you didn't order any. I thought the heat must have addled your brain!

Bev said...

Family Feud! I haven't seen that for years!
We don't get to Cheesecake often...it closed down in our town...the one in the closest city to use burnt down...they have re built it..but don't visit it often and to tell the truth...I really don't like their cheesecake....but use to enjoy their soup in a bread bowl!

Susan said...

Hi Sandie! Great post! I LOVE the Cheesecake Factory. Whenever we go to Albany, New York, we go there (if we don't hit P.F. Changs. ha ha ha). I usually have bites of somebody else's cheesecake. Yours sounded great.

Sounds like the Family Feud deal was another great experience for the GS. He is having a wonderful childhood, thanks to Gram and Mom.

Take care and hope you have a great day. Susan

Rebecca Nelson said...

Great post! :) In 2003 we were in Cali and went to a taping of the Price Is Right. Bob Barker talked about wanting booze during every commercial! :( We were right in the front behind the contestants. It was fun and I wanted my daughter to get picked. None of us were but we are on camera the whole time. We look sooo stupid! HAHAHAH

xoRebecca PS: LOVE CCFactory!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Sandie, Cute post. I love cheesecake --but haven't had any of the different varieties and flavors... I'm sure if they have a Peanut Butter one, that would be my pick!!!!! ha

Glad you enjoyed seeing the taping of the Family Feud.... Your daughter is so pretty. Is she a teacher? Great pictures of your grandson also.
Hugs,
Betsy

Ginny Hartzler said...

My very favorite posts of yours are when you tell and show us about what is going on in your life, so I thoroughly enjoyed this!!!! I have been to the Cheesecake Factory maybe four times, and it looks exactly like this!!!! My pictures are all the same! They must all look the same. Tell your GS this for me, I don't like the oreos either! And I don't like it that oreos are in everything now, the oreo chip ice-cream has replaced chocolate chip. But how come he didn't get a different cheesecake with so many to choose from? What fun to go to that taping!!! PLEASE tell us when it is almost time for the show, but if you were in the back, we may not be able to see you. You actually fooled me at first when you said you did not have any cheesecake, I was actually aghast!!! Glad to see you enjoyed some!

The Boston Lady said...

If it has chocolate or peanut butter in it, that's my favorite anything! I will bet that taping was lots of fun for all of you. I like the way you told the truth about GS's age and were thus rewarded with getting in with your clever remark! Can't believe summer (for schoolers) is almost over. Ann

Sharon said...

This was so fun!

Family Feud - it's still a fun show, isn't it?

My favorite cheesecake? Hands down, strawberry. We have Cheesecake Factory out here in California, and I am also a huge fan of their green iced tea. I usually get a salad, too - though have you ever read the calorie count on restaurant salads??? Sometimes we're better off with a cheeseburger and fries! Go figure...

Love the photo - she'll get better, just give 'er time!

Retired Knitter said...

Good Cheese Cake doesn't need a flavor or a toping. I like mine plain.

Betty said...

That sounded like a fun day. I would have enjoyed all of it except standing in the 100 degree heat. You lost me there.

I love the Cheesecake Factory, but haven't been there for years. I probably would have enjoyed the slice your grandson had...Oreos and all!

jp@A Green Ridge said...

That sounds like a place I'd OD on too!...Lovin' cheesecake! Glad you got in to the show...:)JP

Debbie said...

Laughed right out loud at your daughter's panic picture. Yep. Just exactly what would happen here.

I'm so glad you had fun at the Feud. Please remind us if you think about it before it airs so we can be on the lookout for your 15 minutes of fame.

Coralie Cederna Johnson said...

A totally delicious fun-filled adventure! Thanks for sharing!
Hugs,
Coralie

Ann said...

What a fun day. Good job on getting in. That's too funny about the swearing thing.
Definitely going to have to work with your daughter on the importance of blog pictures...lol

Country Wings in Phoenix said...

Oh Sweetie...
What a wonderful share this evening. I love the Cheesecake Factory. When Marydon was here, that is where we had lunch with a couple of the blogger gals. SO much fun. Food is yummy too.

I hope they caught you on camera. How fun would that be? LOVE it. I am so darned tickled that they let you all in with the GS. I am sure he had fun as well.

Thanks for taking me along this evening. I so enjoyed myself. When you get a chance email me, I have a question for you sweetie.

Have a great weekend. Many hugs and much love from Phoenix, Sherry

Linda O'Connell said...

Goodness Cathy, you sound like a kindred spirit! At first I thought you were writing about a family feud over cheeseckae. The FF is still on?! Wow.

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

What fun!

I love any kind of chocolate cheesecake, but it doesn't love me.

Doris Sturm said...

The Cheesecake Factory has good food. I've been to the one in Newport Beach, CA, but that was a long time ago and funny thing is we didn't even have cheesecake there, just dinner!
(But, I do love cheesecake - we were just stuffed!)

I thought you spelled your name Sandie - now I'm confused - have I been writing your name incorrectly all this time?


Glad you had fun at the Feud and got to go in. I don't have TV, but I'm sure you'll be taping it at home, now that you're celebrities LOL

Doris Sturm said...

CORRECTION: That was the Spaghetti Factory I went to in Newport Beach, no wonder we din't have cheesecake LOL (see? I'm losing it!)

Belle said...

Sounds like such a fun day! I'm so glad they let your grandson in to see the show.

Love Of Quilts said...

You got lucky that they didn't turn you away after buying tickets....good pictures. Trish

Hootin Anni said...

roflmao on the daughter/police photo op! That's a hoot.

As for your GS not liking oreos...good for him. I don't like either.

Family Fued!! I never dreamed it was still on tv. I've watched the GSN, but they're the old episodes with Richard Dawson for crying out loud. I learned something here.

Oh, and the salads...YUM!!!!!


Happy Friday to you.

RAIN SCENTS

Anonymous said...

One of my most favorite places to eat,the closest one is in JaxFl.and it is such a treat for me too.
I love this little "family".
~Jo

Granny Annie said...

Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake! You are mean to tempt us with so many delicious pictures.

Catherine said...

Love the Cheesecake Factory! We have those in Canada. :)

Favorite flavour? Anything chocolate of course. Ha!

Sounds like you all had a fun day ~ good for you!
xo Catherine

Linda @ A La Carte said...

I'm glad you had a good time at the taping! I love cheesecake and one day you and I are going to have to go there and splurge! My favorite...oh my, turtle cheesecake maybe?

Mevely317 said...

Happy Friday, Sandie!
2 of my FAVORITE things in the world -- Cheesecake Factory and Family Feud. Lucky duck :)))
Just wondering ... do they warn the studio audience not to "shout out" answers?
Were I there, I'd probably get evicted ... or I'd have to wear a sock in my mouth!
PS - Have you given thought to trying to get your family to compete on FF?