We finally got to the block where the Carlo's Bakery is located.
Maddie was getting so excited she actually scratched her own eyelid!
John was mesmerized by the groups of people cheering and shouting. Then he started joining in the merriment as well.
We spent another hour working our way to the front of the bakery. About the time we were three groups from the front of the line, the nice policeman came out to make an announcement.
He said that Grace, Buddy's sister, was going to come out with a film crew to greet the line. He told us to 'act like we were in line.' We all thought that was funny -- we were well rehearsed in 'acting like we were in line' by this point.
This was Maddie's face when she heard we were going to meet Grace. Wow! I don't think I've ever seen her like this! She's so calm usually. The sqeaks and squeals that go with this photo were so much fun!
In a few minutes, Grace came out. But, it wasn't to shoot stock footage panning the crowd. She came out first without the cameras to take pictures with each of the families that would be filmed. Holy cow! Maddie was in heaven! Grace was really sweet and kind. I was very impressed! 
After she met all the families, she went back in and then came out a second time with the camera guy. She spoke right to us --the camera was all of four feet from my face.
After she met all the families, she went back in and then came out a second time with the camera guy. She spoke right to us --the camera was all of four feet from my face. Seriously! I never get filmed when I'm put together. As one woman in line said, "I only have my ugly on!" That's how it felt. In the rain all day, backpack, chair and camera loaded so that I looked like an extreme tourist, and no make-up on, but I guess that's just how it is. I'll take my fame where I can get it :)
Our moment on camera was probably only 5 to 10 seconds, but it was thrilling. Grace walks up to us and hands us a ticket, explaining that we need to hold onto it, because it's our only way into the store.
The girls were jumping up and down when it was all over. I can't deny it -- I was pretty excited too!
They stopped allowing people in the store while the filming was taking place, so we had to wait a few minutes longer until Grace was finished working her way down the line a bit. She made her way back into the store and the cameras followed her as well.
During that final wait, the producer came up and gave us permission slips for the kids to be shown on TV. She was really nice and tracked us down in the store to get the signed forms. Then she took pictures of each child and loaded their name to match them up with the permission slips and their place in the footage. It was a fun little glimpse at the work going on behind the camera. We don't know which episode the footage will be used -- they said it could be any episode since it wasn't story specific.
Next installment... we actually get into the store!
I took pictures of the line when we were about halfway down the block -- about the time we'd been in line for two and a half to three hours. This is the line heading toward the bakery....
And this was where we had been....
It just went on forever!
You can also see our blue van on the far left of this picture -- that's how good my parking place was. That's why I was so terrified I was going to get towed!
