Paige's Extreme Makeover Blog

This week was all about heroes - in every sense of the word. From the firefighters and rescue workers who worked tirelessly after Katrina hit, to those moms, dads and grandmothers who returned home to help rebuild a destroyed land. Our show was a tribute and thank you to these heroes, and heroes everywhere who change our lives, never rest even when times are tough, who aim so high despite danger, and who ultimately allow freedom to survive simply by "doing."

For the final show of the season, and to finish off our 50 state tour, we ended up in the great state of Louisiana. New Orleans is the home of jazz and many great musicians of our time, and also home of one of the most devastating natural disasters in our country. As so many people fled the area when Katrina hit, there were so many heroes that stayed back and stepped up when others needed them. One such family was the Usea family, who lost so much during the storm. Instead of focusing on their loss, however, they continued to help their community. Brad and Chad are volunteer firefighters who were among the rescuers at the time of the storm, and still continue to help those around them today. That was why it was so important for us to help them. With so many people in this area that needed our help, it was important for us to help someone who would continue to go out and help others. We definitely found that with the Usea family.

When a disaster like this hits and area and people lose everything, they turn to the establishments that they trust - those that will help them get through the hard times. Noah's Ark Church was one of these places. Pastor Walkerrel and his family worked tirelessly at the time of the storm, not only physically saving people, but also served as emotional and spiritual leaders to so many people that needed them then and continue to look to them for support today. We knew that it was important for us to help them, so they could continue to help thousands of others in the future.

So this week was a busy one for us building a house AND a church in an area where resources were difficult to come by, and help was even harder to find. For us, personally, we looked to our own heroes to help us with this overwhelming task. We reached out to the people who have helped us in the past - our builders! Over twenty builders from twelve different states came together to make this happen. They formed a "builders coalition," a band of brothers who worked side by side until the job was done - most of them not sleeping for hours and even days. It was so great to look out on the jobsite and see such amazing people that came to help us out in their own state, working on this project. Some of these builders were back for the second time, some for the third, and one, Sal from Allure in New York, was back for his seventh time! Knowing how hard these builders worked on their initial builds, we knew that we were in good hands and we were reassured of that every time we looked around on the jobsite. And for us, it wasn't just about having the best builders in the country surrounding us, it was about having truly extraordinary people with huge hearts that have now become our friends.

All of these builders are truly our heroes! Ready for the list of amazing builders? Here goes: Deltec Homes, Allure Home Improvements, Atreus Homes and Communities, Barker Homes, Capitol Homes, Dana Dugas Affordable Homes, David W. Stewart, Denova Homes, G & S Construction, Gallagher Family Homes, Jeff Junkert Construction, Jones Construction, Round House Consulting, Rutledge Builders, Shoemaker Homes, Shultz Construction, Simmons Homes, Sterling Homes, Sunrise Home, The Ecobuilders, R.J. Moreau Communities and Heritage Homes of both Mobile, Alabama and of Fargo, North Dakota!

There are also many unsung heroes in the area that have worked so hard to rebuild this community - people who live a prayer daily, daring to do the things that others simply find it too hard to do. These are every day people doing truly extraordinary things. We wanted to take time to recognize these people and thank them for the incredible job they have done. We brought them all together for a banquet, honoring them for their courage, their tenacity, and their undying devotion to this community. The Ten Tenors performed to the delight of everyone.

This week was an honor - an honor to build a home for such a deserving family, and honor to rebuild a church for a pastor that cares so much, an honor to be surrounded by outstanding builders, and an honor to meet new friends. For me, the final heroes of the week were those people who surround me week after week. All of our cast and crew who leave their families and friends for eleven months out of the year to make the impossible happen - build over 120 homes for families across the country for the past five years. To work side by side with these people with such amazing hearts, has been the biggest honor of all. We have become a family, and I love them so much.

This show, our final show of Season Five, was the last show for one of the members of our family, our Executive Producer, Denise Cramsey. She has been with our show for four years, and the thought of her leaving brings tears to my eyes even now. She has worked so hard to make this show what it is today, and even though we wish her the very best in what the future holds for her, we will miss her very much. She is OUR hero. The day she left, she quoted for us a song from the musical, Wicked. There is a song in that musical called "Changed For Good." "Who can say if I've been changed for the better, but because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

Because of her, and because of all the heroes we have met over the years, we all have been "Changed For Good." So "Here's to the Heroes."

ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition airs Sundays at 7 pm/ET.

Life is precious. Life can change in an instant and it did for this family
two years ago. The story of the Giunta family this week hit me so hard
while we were there just outside of Boston, Massachusetts, and now it hits
me again as I reflect on this family. It is a story of hope, of faith, of
loyalty and a story of life - changing in an instant.

Last week, in my hometown of Los Angeles, CA, I was involved in a serious
car accident. A drunk driver hit my friend's car in which I was a
passenger. I was trapped in the car and had to be removed with some pretty
heavy machinery. My friend was ok, and I, thankfully, was not harmed too
badly. I had to spend some time in the hospital. I have two fractured ribs,
a broken wrist, and bruises everywhere. I was extremely lucky. Not
everyone who gets in a car accident this bad is able to walk away and Paul
Giunta is a perfect example of this. Two years ago, on the day that Paul's
wife, Renee, gave birth to their first daughter, Paul was driving their two
boys home and was involved in a terrible car accident. Although the boys
were fine, Paul sustained such horrible injuries that doctors told Renee he
wouldn't make it through the night. Well, Paul did make it through the
night, and was told that he would never walk or talk again. Paul is defying
all odds, and is talking. Walking will come soon, as his determination is
strong, and the support of his wife is even stronger. This family has never
given up hope. They have faith that Paul will walk and talk again, and the
loyalty of husband and wife is so incredible that it affects everyone around
them.

After this episode, I realized that life can change in one second. For this
family, the happiest day of their lives was also the scariest. Paul was a
tri-athlete. He was full of life and always on the go. And in one moment,
everything changed. Everything. But in spite of everything that happened,
they continue to go on and defy all odds. This family is so inspiring.
Whenever you think that you can't go on, or something in life is just too
much to take, think of this family and everything that they have to overcome
on a daily basis just to go on.

There is a moment during this experience that I was crying so hard that I
was literally sobbing. I won't tell you what happened for that you will have
to watch, but it shows the loyalty of a wife, and the determination of a
husband and father, and the strength it takes to overcome obstacles.

This week, our Builders had enormous hearts. Jeanson Homes and Fenton
Contracting, who have been in business together for 30 years, teamed up to
make the impossible happen... A father of six himself, Mike Jeanson felt it
was an honor to help this family. That's what I love about our Builders,
that kind of dedication, we couldn't do it with out them.

On a lighter note, I did get to do a couple of really fun, amazing things
while in Boston. First of all, I got to sneak away one night to see a
concert. Gavin DeGraw was playing in downtown Boston, who I now think is
one of the most under-rated performers of our time. He and his band were
AMAZING, and it was a great break to a difficult week. And during the show,
I got to head down to the Boston Aquarium for a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity. I was doing Cameron's room a young boy who loves penguins.
I got a chance to hop in the water surrounded by penguins and swim with
these amazing little creatures. There is even a BIG penguin that joins us!
I will keep it a secret to who the special penguin guest is, but just know
that he was "penguinus fabulous." It was so much fun, and even more fun to
put together a room you might find in winter wonderland. I had the help of
a local artist, Hans Decastellane, who put together such an incredible mural
that actually made you believe you were looking out over a real icy
territory! The room is cute, but beautifully artistic at the same time.
And speaking of "icy territory," it snowed the entire time in Massachusetts
¬just another obstacle for us to get over.

But no matter how hard the week was, or how hard it was to build a house
during a snowstorm, it all melted away in our minds when the family came
home. This was a true homecoming in every sense of the word for this
family. Since the accident, Paul Guinta was not able to come home. Now,
for the first time in two years, he will be able to walk through his front
door and actually stay together as a family with his wife and kids.

So, what I learned the week I was here, and this last week in Los Angeles, is
that everything can change in an instant. Everything. Enjoy every moment
and live life to the fullest. You never know when it will change.

Brrrr! Hard to think of below-freezing temperatures now that spring has sprung, but back in winter when we visited the Martinez family in Albuquerque, New Mexico, it was cold! I set down my coffee one day on my way into the framed house to do a "walk through" for the camera. I was gone probably 45 minutes, and when I came back to my coffee, it was frozen!
It was a solid block of coffee! So that may give you an idea of how hard it was to build a house in seven days in such chilly temps.

Ty, Michael, Paul, Ed and I packed on the heavy jackets and headed out to meet the Martinez family. Being around this family is like being in the presence of love and devotion. This family loves their community, and is devoted to one another and the people that surround them. This might not seem like a unique quality, until you realize that the community that they love is one of hardship and strife. This family was living in the mountains of Colorado and just a few years ago, decided to give up everything and move to a run down, drug-infested area. Gerald took the position as a minister at the local church. The family has been attacked; their things have been stolen, and they were not well received. Gerald, the dad, was once beaten so badly by gang members that he had to be hospitalized! But the family never gave up — they believed that they could make a difference in this community from in the inside out, and that's exactly what they have done. They have turned this neighborhood around. Drug activity is down, gang activity is at an all-time low, and crime had decreased significantly. Everyone in the area calls Gerald "Papa" and the entire family has worked together to make a difference in their community.

One of the sacrifices that this family made was opening their house to people who needed a place to stay. Our goal this week was to give this family a place of their own ­to just be a family. We built them a home, re-built their old home as a community center, and built another building to house the folks that need a place to stay to get back on their feet. Since this family is so giving, we're not sure what they'll be happier about — their own home, or what we built for their community.

Our builder this week was Atreus Homes (formerly Homelife Communities), making their third appearance on our show ­but not the last! (They also helped us on the finale­ but you'll have to wait until that blog to hear about that). They did a great job, as usual!

Here's a behind-the-scenes bit of info that you won't see on the show — Atreus brought a very special guest to the site — NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace!
Rusty showed up and sped around our site with his racecar, cheering up the men and women who came out to help us. It was so great, not only to meet this racing legend, but also to see him build up the spirits of the people in the neighborhood!

Overall, it was a great week, despite the freezing temperatures, and we all learned one great lesson: We can all make a difference in our own community, just one person (or one family) at a time.

Have you heard the term "swimming with sharks"? Well, I'm not speaking metaphorically here as I actually got the opportunity to SWIM WITH SHARKS! It was exhilarating and amazing ­ to be so close to some of the world's biggest and most dangerous creatures. To tell you how this happened, I should probably tell you about the family story.

Ty, Eduardo, Tracy, Paul and I headed up to very chilly Wilmington, Delaware to meet the Latif family. Ju-Juana and her four children were living in a duplex next to the vibrant neighborhood grandmother, Miss Rose. Ju-Juana is a young, single mother who has had a tough life ­ but never, never, never gave up. She was a pregnant, un-wed mother in high school who ended up staying in a homeless shelter to get back on her feet.

Instead of giving up, she looked into her baby's eyes and realized that not for her, but for her son, she had to become the very best that she could be. And that's exactly what she did. She went to parenting classes, finished her education, and now is working for the city, raising her four children in her own duplex. Her story really is about never giving up and fighting against all odds to succeed. Ju-Juana also is raising a son, James, with cerebral palsy, confined to a wheel chair. She is an inspiration to everyone around her, and this week, she was an inspiration to all of us.

When we surprised the family, they ran out of the house, literally jumping over the railing! The oldest son, Antonio, had written a rap song for us called "Move the Bus," and he immediately starting singing. We all joined in and sang with him, although he did a much better job than the rest of us!

Antonio dazzled us all with his prose and his gift of rap, but his only concern is that his family is taken care of;­ he doesn't really worry about himself. The "Move the Bus" song is not the only song in his library. There are hundreds of song lyrics in his room, written on everything from notebook paper to napkins. You'll have to tune in to the show to see what special thing we did for him!

My special projects this week were to take care of both Antonio and Aaron.
Aaron was sharing a bedroom with his brother, James, and didn't really have much space of his own. Oh, and I probably should mention that he LOVES sharks and that's why I had to do as much research as possible and get up close and personal with these creatures Aaron loves so much. It was an experience of a lifetime and after being in the tank with these large beasts, I could see why Aaron loves sharks so much. I love them too!

Entering into James' room now, you feel like you are under the sea. I even built a headboard and end tables out of real driftwood from the Jersey shore! This was one of my favorite projects that I have ever worked on!

Our builder, Steve Anderson and Tony Ruggio of Anderson Homes, were amazing — not only did he build a great duplex for this family, and help us make-over the entire neighborhood, but he has a special place in his heart for the challenges Ju-Juana is facing with raising a special-needs child.

His daughter also has cerebral palsy, like James. It was so great to have a builder on board that anticipated what the family would need to accommodate James. We knew that we were in good hands. And yes, I mentioned giving the entire neighborhood a makeover! It was incredible. With help from the community, we were able to fix, repair and re-face twelve homes! The entire block got a face-lift and looks incredible.

Oh, and I'll give you a little "behind the scenes" information: First of all, we had a visit from Kristina, who is a Make-A-Wish girl who's wish was to visit our set! She visited us twice and we were all truly touched by the strength and determination of this little girl!

And, our very own Paul DiMeo turned 50 years old during this build! We all had shirts made and threw him a big surprise part one night. His whole family lives nearby, so we all got together to share this event! So much fun!

Vroooooom! This week was FAST! And not just "fast" in the sense that
the week went smoothly, but "fast" in the literal sense of the word. I got
to drive FAST!

Ty, Eduardo, Johnny, Rib and I headed out to Kansas City, Kansas for the
first time in our show's history. We've been to Kansas City before, but
it has always been in Missouri. Although it was our first time on the
Kansas side, it was our third time with our famous builder, Kevin Green. Now, Kevin and his team really know how to do it right, from lavish parties
to tractor-trailers with Kevin's picture 20 feet high! Knowing we were in
his hands made us truly enjoy our week.

We surprised the Gilyeat family — Daniel Gilyeat and his four young
children. Daniel is a hero in every sense of the word. He is a great
dad, and made a huge sacrifice for our country when he fought in the war. Unfortunately that fight left him with only one leg — his HUMVEE was hit
by an IED during combat. You think that an injury like this might stop him, but Daniel is unstoppable, and his never-ending fighting spirit keeps him
going every single day. One thing that he has learned through this entire
process is that we can take nothing for granted — not any person, not any moment, not any day and certainly not any experience. He does his best to spread that message to everyone he meets. Not only is he an inspiration to his children, and inspiration to his friends and family, but he is also an inspiration to the men and women who fight so hard to protect our country. He sees his injury as an opportunity to help them and others. He is now an inspiration to all of us.

Because Daniel is so encouraging and so loved by the community, we had no problem finding hundreds and thousands of people to help us this week. I even got to bring in my Dad!

You are probably wondering why I would fly my dad out to this show all the way from California. Well, I needed reinforcements. Since Daniel loves working on cars, I knew that I needed to give him the best garage possible. I called the one guy that knows more about cars than anyone I know — my dad. Years ago, my dad was a race car driver (top fuel dragster named Soapy Sales), and since then, he has made working on cars more than just a hobby — it's a way of life. He was the guy who had the coolest garage in town, which would end up being where everyone hung out. He came out to Kansas City and helped me put together the best garage we've ever done, complete with a car lift, a neon sign, and every tool you could imagine. So if you look closely in the background, you can see my dad helping me every step of the way.

And, of course, I needed to do a little research in order to give Daniel the
very best. Part of the "research" I got to do for this garage was to head
down to the Kansas Speedway and get behind the wheel of a real race car. It was better than any amusement ride at any theme park! It was soooooo exciting!!! I guess the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree as there is a little racing in my blood!

Overall, it was a great experience, and a great week. Having my dad there
the entire time was a treat, and building a house for someone who is so
deserving was truly an honor. Daniel Gilyeat — we salute you!

When you think of Maryland, what comes to mind? The seashore? The naval base? The port? That is what came to mind when I pictured Maryland — what I didn't expect to find was rolling hills and horse farms… thousands and thousands of acres of farms! It was so unexpected and so gorgeous! Ty, Eduardo, Ed, Rib and I looked out the windows of the bus over never-ending rolling hills, bridges, scenic waterways and beautiful farms. We knew it was going to be a great week.

We surprised the Luther family, and quickly got them on their way to vacation. The Luther family runs a therapeutic horse-riding facility called Rolling Hills. They have touched so many people's lives, and we got the opportunity to meet some of these courageous people. From young children to adults, ranging in disabilities from debilitating diseases to spinal cord injuries, we got the chance to see how the simple act of riding a horse can help in unimaginable ways. We learned so much — how riding a horse can actually be therapy. The movement of the horse moves the human body in ways that simulate walking or running, something that these people are unable to do. And even though it is therapy, the smile on their faces suggests that perhaps it is more like an adventure than work.

Knowing how much this riding facility helps the community, we knew we needed to build more than just a house for this family. We decided to build 3 structures — our largest build yet: A 4,700 square-foot house for the family, a 6,500 square-foot indoor riding arena, and a 6,000 square-foot indoor stable. That's almost 18,000 square feet in one week! In order to pull this off, we would have to have some sort of superhero, and that's exactly what we got… Super Clark!

Clark Turner, of Clark Turner Signature Homes, was our knight in shining armor this week. He teamed up with Paul Risk Associates, Inc. to build the barn and stable. He and his team not only built a large, quality home for the Luther family, but they built one of the most beautiful homes we have ever done on the show. I know from doing these builds every single week, that building a house in a week is difficult, but these guys went above and beyond! Every detail of the house was amazing — beautiful, oversized baseboards and molding, crown molding, intricate wainscoting, elegant fixtures, and best of all — all of the ceilings in the house had these amazing details. It would be way too much to describe to you — you will just have to watch! The workmanship was awe-inspiring, and so was the morale of the entire crew. Everyone on the set kept saying that it was a perfect week. Nothing went wrong… pretty amazing when you consider the scale of the job in such a short timeframe! That is why, at the end of the week, we all started calling Clark "Super Clark." His crew even made little stickers of this superhero that I still have on my bag today.

My job this week was taking care of Ellie, the oldest daughter. She is 17, and loves Christian rock, calling it "pretty metal." Well, that gave me an idea — real metal! I had my own version of "pretty metal!" I worked alongside of Matt Harris, or Harris Metalworks, and together we created a work of pretty metal art. There were sparks, sparks and more sparks! I love working with metal! And Matt opened my eyes to the extreme art that can be created from metal. He was able to take old-looking metal and twist and turn it into a beautiful rose — he even gave me one to put in Ellie's room.

Overall, it was one of the best weeks that I have had on the show. Ahhh… if they could all go this smoothly!

It always comes down to the wire — will we or will we not finish in seven days? Most of the time we do — most of the time, that is. Without going into too much detail (you will just have to watch!), I will tell you that Washington definitely lived up to its reputation of being a very rainy state. It rained, and rained, and rained some more. This build definitely had its share of challenges! The Building Industry Association of Washington led by their President, Daimon Doyle, our builder, was great and constantly fought mother nature to get this house done for the Chapin family. And when I say "constantly," I truly mean it.

Everyone rallied together to get this house done ­— designers (Ty, Michael, Paul, Johnny and myself), everyone on the crew, the town of Kirkland, the local government, and of course, the entire state. And it was worth it! The Chapin family is so deserving. Connie, a single mom, is raising four children to be incredibly giving, and hard working adults. When she thought that she could not go on financially, she decided to take matters into her own hands and turn the pool in her backyard into a business, ­teaching children and special needs adults how to swim. In the Pacific Northwest, drowning is one of the major leading causes of accidental death among children. By teaching kids how to swim, she is essentially saving their lives! But her house was falling down ­ so it was our turn to repay her and save them.

We worked tirelessly on this home, which of course needed a brand new pool! But in between all of the hustling and hard work, we all managed to have a little fun. I especially had a fantastic time hanging out with some new friends! My project this week was working on Anna's room, and I enlisted three of her friends to help me out. Anna is 14 years old and loves to keep in contact with her friends. Since she didn't have a cell phone (and drove mom crazy by borrowing hers), I decided to not only get her a cell phone, but also turn her room into a high-tech communications hub! Her cell phone, and text messages, were actually hooked up to her plasma TV. She could sit on the bed and text her friends and see it on the big screen! And I learned a lot this week —­ the whole texting lingo that teens know as a second language. Do you know what they all mean? See if you can figure these out: LOL, BFFL, TTYL, TY, U R A QT, ILY, BFF, ROTFLOL, TMT, IDK, TTFN — and many many more. I learned what all of these meant, and hopefully, if you watch the show, I'll be able to fill you all in!

Overall, I had such a good time hanging with Anna's friends all week long, and Anna and I still text each other today! As for the finishing in seven days? Tune in to find out.

The families we meet from week to week are not only unique and deserving, but some go beyond "unique" to depths of amazing, wonderful, giving, incredible — I could go on and on!

Ty, Michael, Tanya, Rib and I headed northwest to the beautiful state of Vermont to meet the Vitale family. On the bus on the way to the Vitale home, we learned that this family had its share of trials and tribulations. What we did not expect, however, is how amazing and wonderful this family would be, in spite of everything they have experienced. They came out of the door and we were met with such beautiful spirits. They are the kind of people that you feel like you have known for years ¬— like you are immediately a part of their family. They are amazing!

For me, the best part of the week was my visit to "David's House," ¬a home for families with sick children in the nearby hospital. But why did we go there? First of all, the reason we went to David's House, was because the family asked to go here instead of enjoy a lavish vacation. Can you believe that? Go volunteer instead of relax on a beach? Well, here is why: Sara, the mom, stayed here for 18 weeks when her son was born. Her son, Louie, was born with severe birth defects, and she practically lived with him at the hospital. This was the place that she stayed. But it wasn't just a place to stay — it was a place that she felt she could share her feelings with others, and a place that she could bring her son, Kane, as well. She felt at home, and she said that it meant so much to her that she wanted to give back and do whatever they could to help out. This is their vacation! But that's how much it meant to them.

Ty and I left the build site one day and surprised the family. Lou and Sara were volunteering by painting a room. Kane was playing with toys in the next room, while Grandma looked after little Louie. Being around this family is like being around love. When Sara smiles at you, you feel like she's wrapping her arms around you and welcoming you in. Lou is the same way —¬ so loving, so accepting, and such a good man. I know that the effect that Sara will have on other mothers going through the unknown of having a sick child will help them more than we will ever know. She will be able to provide a comfort that no one else can. It is one thing for people to say, "I know what you are going through," and for someone to say it and truly mean it because they've been there.

Louie was smiling, laughing, dancing, and even crawling (well, his form of it anyway). It made you realize that he is such a bright child, and he is creative in the way he communicates. And Sara, what an amazing mom! I believe that it's because of her that Louie has done as well as he has. She is so incredible with him, and encourages him to express himself with both verbal and hand-signal cues. We got to see this little boy laugh and ask for more when his mom stopped tickling him. We got to see him ask to be picked up. I'm so glad that we got the chance to see this side of Louie.

Overall, it was an amazing experience and once again makes me realize how fortunate we are to be happy and healthy, have those people that mean something special in our own lives, and to be a part of a show that allows us to experience great days like today. And as far as the Vitales giving up the beach for David's House? I get it! I completely understand.

This Sunday's episode is huge in so many ways! Two great hours, nine endearing families, and one amazing story as we head into our 100th episode. Can you believe it? ONE HUNDRED EPISODES! One hundred families, 100 stories, 100 homes, 100 hundred builders, 100 communities, and 100 truly amazing experiences and countless memories that we will all cherish for the rest of our lives.

I remember starting on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition five years ago on Season One. I debuted on the fourth show ever made, long before we were ever on the airwaves of ABC. We all had no idea what we were in store for, we were just another reality television show at a time when "reality shows" meant fighting, back-stabbing, eating bugs and competing against one another for prizes.

Here we were, trying to make a difference with very little help. We had to beg people to volunteer to help us, and pray that we could stay up several nights in a row to complete a home in seven days. On my first show, we remodeled a home in beautiful Costa Mesa, California for a young couple with two toddlers who recently found out they had triplets on the way.
During this build, we added 500 square feet to the home. We were all quite proud of ourselves ­adding a concrete foundation and three extra bedrooms in just a week. Well, we've come a long way since then. We tear down entire structures and construct others as big as 7,000 square feet. We build houses, pools, barns, playhouses, playgrounds, tree houses, and football fields. And as we change families' lives, our lives have changed as well. Designers have come and gone — there have been five babies born between two designers (no, not me yet) — and best of all we've all grown to know that what we do makes a difference out there in this world ­— at least for 100 families!

This episode was not only a milestone for us, but a chance to look back. As we entered into the great state of Minnesota, Ty, Michael, Tracy, Paul and myself all reminisced about all of the great times we have had over the last five seasons ­ and all the families that have truly made a difference in our lives. I think that every family touches each one of us differently, and we all have our favorites. So wouldn't it be great if while we worked on the 100th family's home, a few of our favorites could come visit? Well, I won't give away too much of the surprise, but just know that while you watch this episode, you will be taking the bus down memory lane with us.

Not only have we met amazing families, we have also heard their incredible stories ­ many of which bring up topics that are difficult to imagine and even harder to discuss. Our 100th family's story is one of these topics ­— the very difficult subject of domestic violence, and its worse possible results. To think back over the past 99 episodes, we knew we needed to find a family just as special as the milestone we encountered ­ and this family, the Swenson-Lee family was everything you would come to expect from an extreme family: hard-working, deserving, people who never give up and people who stand up for what they believe in. And their story, what they have been through, will not only break your heart but remind you of why life is so precious — why you should let no moment pass you by. I think that is what we continually learn from the families we meet ­— never take anything you have for granted because it can all change in an instant.

Here is something to look out for this Sunday: pink houses! No, I didn't paint our 100th house my favorite color, but somewhere in the midst of this episode there is a very special music video, highlighting our last five years and put to the music of a man who has appeared on our show in the past — Mr. John Mellencamp. I don't know when it will appear, so you will have to tune into all two hours (that means the show starts one hour earlier so don't miss it!). I got a chance to see this music video, and in the few minutes that it takes to bring you through five seasons, it reduced me to tears. It shows the laughter, the pain, the surprises, the joy, the sadness, the hardships and the best part ­— all of the tears of joy each time we move the bus. It just makes you realize the power we all have to make a difference. You don't need the camera equipment, a 100-member crew, and 2,000 volunteers to change someone's life. ­ All you need is the belief in yourself, the determination to not give up, and the willingness to take a chance. That's what ABC gave us five years ago, just a chance, and now 100 families' lives are changed forever. Make that 101 —­ mine too.

Our week in Wyoming was great. Ty, Eduardo, John, myself and our new guy, Rib, had a great time out in the rolling fields of Cheyenne, helping the Miller family. This family was stuck in a home that was physically hurting the family — levels of radon gas that were way above the dangerous limit. They didn't have the money to rebuild or to move. They were stuck. So to us, demolishing this house meant great things for this family.

Kaboom! Get ready for the biggest, baddest, loudest, craziest demolition that you have ever seen on the show — so big that we all had to stand no closer than 300 yards away. Even from 300 yards away, you could feel the earth move, you felt the heat of the fireball, and parts of the demolished house came floating down out of the sky.

That's right, for the first time in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition history, we actually blew up a house. Although the exact number of sticks of dynamite changes depending on the person you ask, I think we had over 300 sticks in that house. It was really cool. If you do a search on the Internet, you might actually be able to get a sneak peak of it.

And the explosion wasn't the only big event on this show — we had a couple of surprise guests that were pretty amazing. First, the family got to go to a soccer game and meet David Beckham. Before all of you ladies get jealous of us, please note — the family got to meet him. Not us. But, while they were doing that, we were back at the ranch experiencing our own brush with stardom — Wynonna Judd! The scene was spectacular: As the sun was setting, we all gathered to take a little break and listen to one of the prettiest voices I have ever heard. And she's not just a pretty voice or face. Wynonna is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She was so gracious and kind! I had the opportunity to work with her last year on the Country Music Association's Fan Fest where I introduced her to some fans. She was genuine and so sweet to these girls that she had never met.

Well, a year later, she is no different. In fact, she even stayed an extra day to meet the family! She was only supposed to come into town to do a concert for us, but she was so moved by the entire experience, that she stayed an extra day, knowing that it would be behind the scenes! So you definitely got the insider's track, but who knows, you might see a little of her during our reveal if you look closely.

Wyoming was so amazing! Our builder was amazing! The Carter Brothers, of Carter Brothers Construction, really built a beautiful home. They rolled out a red carpet for us in Cheyenne, as did Wyoming. The sunsets were beautiful, and the weather was great — all until one night when a freak hailstorm came out of nowhere. Lightening hit our carpentry tent, and the hail destroyed anything that didn't get destroyed by electricity. The next day? Another beautiful, sunny day. It was crazy weather, but we made it through.

Rib also made it through his first episode, but not without a little "new guy hazing" though. In one scene, Rib and I went to a nearby farm to check on the family's animals. This family rescues many animals, mainly dogs, but no animal is turned away from their generous care. The dogs were at a "doggie day spa" and were getting the full treatment. We jumped in and helped, we painted little doggie nails, gave doggie massages, trimmed some fur, and even got to wash a horse. And this is where the hazing came in. I was in charge of the hose, and let's just say that the horse isn't the only one that got soaked. I walked away dry as a bone! (No pun intended.)

My room was a High School Musical room. In doing my research, I felt like I was a teenage girl all over again. I watched the DVD over and over again, and by the end of the week I was singing along! I even tried to get Ty to sing along with me, but that didn't really work out. I thought it would be the perfect song, "We're all in this together!" It worked for the kids in the movie, and it's true for all of us as well. So through explosions, soccer stars, country music stars, hailstorms, and radon gas, we were all in it together and it was a great week.

Bridgeport, Connecticut: At 5:55 pm the bus moved and one, two, three family members hit the pavement, while the fourth did a back flip. It could be the hardest I have cried in the five seasons of the show — well, happy tears that is. It was the kind of cry where I couldn't breathe, where I didn't even realize that tears were streaming down my face until I noticed my shirt was wet. And just when I started to feel self-conscious about my sobs, I looked to my left and looked to my right and noticed the entire crowd crying with me. Michael stood to my right, tears streaming down his face as well. To be there, on that small street in a small town in Connecticut, the energy was palpable. We all felt the happiness of this one amazing family as they first viewed the rest of their lives and the continuation of their dreams.

The Brown family has been through a lot — probably more than most of us will ever experience in our lifetime. When most people would be complaining about what they've been through, this family turned their pain around. They continue to help the community, be active in their church and encourage everyone around them. They even have a weekly radio show to help the youth in their community. We knew we had to help.

Ty, Michael, Eduardo, Johnny and I all headed out to the East Coast to meet the Brown family: Gloria, Bobbi, Freddy and Janae. We meet amazing families but this family was truly amazing in every sense of the word. Each family member is special and thinks so much bigger than him- or herself. Gloria is an incredible mom, and she has done an awesome job raising these three kids.

My project was Janae's room. This room was among my top-five favorite rooms I have ever done. Janae is a total diva in the best sense of the word: fashionable, knows what she wants, has attitude, and is very strong and resolute. She also wants to be a lawyer when she grows up. She is so smart and determined to attain what she has set out to accomplish. I have no doubt that whatever she puts her mind to, she will indeed achieve. Since she was a little bit of both lawyer and diva, that's the room that she got — a cross between the two. Actually, it was more of a convertible room — parts of the entire room converted right before your very eyes. But how? You'll have to watch for that. I love this girl and hope to stay in contact with her throughout the years as she one day becomes the lawyer she wants to be.

This was a very difficult build, and at times we wondered if we would make it in seven days. But Steve and Michael Gulick of Gulick Associates, our builders, were awesome! It was so great to see a family business help another family. These brothers have been in business together for years and years, and seeing them bring the rest of their family together to build this home for the Brown family was both inspiring and heartwarming. Plus, they took on quite a challenge — a Victorian-style home — complete with all the tiny details and trimmings that make that style so beautiful.

My favorite part of the week, which you don't get to see on television, was when Michael and I got a chance to take over Bobbi's radio show. We met "TQ," Bobbi's partner, and for one hour we got to help the youth of Bridgeport as they called in and asked questions. We also used that opportunity to put the word out to get help for our build. But aside from that, it was just amazing to witness what Bobbi does every single week. She definitely thinks beyond herself to a greater purpose — always thinking about how she can help others. It really makes me think: "What am I doing beyond myself?" Am I making a difference?

When we started this tour of the entire United States, I think we were all thinking the same thing: Since we were going to all 50 states, that meant that we would one day go to Hawaii! And that is exactly what we did. Ty, Michael, Ed, Paul, Eduardo and I headed over the Pacific. What a great way to start our fifth season of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition… in America's paradise.

What most people don't realize is that actually living in Hawaii is extremely difficult, very expensive and incredibly challenging. There are so many people there who need help. And that's exactly how the Akana family is — in need of help, yet they have done so much to help other Hawaiian families… over 9,000 to be exact!

Several years ago, the Akana family started Keiki O Ka 'Aina (or KOKA), a nonprofit organization that helps build strong families by focusing on education and community. They started this organization out of their own living room, and even when they fell on hard times, they never stopped helping others. All the while, their own home was literally falling into the river behind them. We knew we needed to help!

So where do you send a family for vacation when they already live in paradise? Somewhere with (and something) that they've never seen before: snow! And while they were enjoying the glaciers, we got to work on the biggest endeavor we've ever attempted: a home for the Akana family and a community center for KOKA. We had our hands full!

While everyone thought we were lying in the sun and relaxing in paradise, we were facing some of the most difficult challenges we've ever had. When you build a house on the mainland, getting materials is easy. When you are thousands of miles across the Pacific from the mainland, getting materials creates a challenge. Even getting the help to build the structures was difficult. We used the local news and radio to let Hawaii know we needed help.

Jeff Prostor and the rest of the crew at Brookfield Homes were amazing. These guys worked so hard to get the structures done. Their workers would finish a trade on one structure and head on over to the next to get that done — most of the time after working for 24 hours or more. We didn't think we were going to make it on time.

Not only was it hard to get materials and help to build the house, the conditions were difficult as well. With the rain coming down every 10 minutes, we were never really able to dry up. We were in mud up to our ankles the entire time! Sometimes I would just stand and look out over the lush landscape and the beauty would take my breath away. Then I would look down and realize that I was covered in bug bites and mud. Back to work.

My project this week was taking care of 12-year-old Kuulei. She loves animals, like myself, and loves pink — I can definitely relate. Plus, Kuulei changed my life. How, you ask? Well, she told me that several years ago (when she was only 8 years old), she told her parents that she was going to be a vegetarian since she loved animals so much. Now I'm a meat-eater who loves a good, juicy steak, but I told her that while she was gone, I would also be a vegetarian. At first it was difficult, but after a couple of days it became easier and easier. When she came back, I gave her a full report of my vegetarianness. She was proud of me and asked me if I was going to go back to my old ways. I thought about it for a while, and told her no. I loved the way I felt and decided to be a vegetarian full time. That was three months ago, and I'm still going strong! All because I was so impressed with the virtues of a 12-year-old girl.

The Akana family has done so much to change the lives of over 9,000 families over the years, and I know that they will use this new community center to change thousands more for generations to come. As for me? I can definitely say that the Akana family has changed my life as well.

At the beginning of the season, we set out to travel to all of the 50 states — well, at least 25 this year and 25 next year — to help a different family in each state. We started in Alaska back in June and just recently finished in New York. What a great way to finish off a very long, but very incredible season.

We arrived in a little town called Colonie, which is located in upstate New York. Snow covered the ground and temperatures were near freezing, but by the end of the week, the snow had melted and the sun was shining. We had a bigger crew than normal — Ty, Michael, Tanya, Tracy, Paul, Eduardo and myself — because we had a bigger job than normal. Not only did we set out to make a difference in the lives of an amazing family, the Oatman-Gaitans, but we also set out to make a difference in many families' futures by building a recreation building for Camp Heartland — a camp for kids with AIDS and their families.

We were met by George Sr. and George Jr. of Amedore Homes, who brought their entire family to help out on this build. It was great to meet all of these amazing men — and behind every great man is a great woman. We got to meet them all! Everywhere you turned, you would meet an Amedore… and you felt like you were just part of the family.

We built a new facility at Clearpool Education Center. Clearpool is a N.Y. camp for inner-city school children and it welcomed Camp Heartland, which uses the Clearpool property, with open arms. Going to Camp Heartland was one of the most amazing experiences I have had on the show. While Tracy, Paul, Eduardo and I worked on the house, Michael and Tanya worked at the camp. The night before the family came home, as we were finishing up the house, Michael and Tanya invited us to the camp to show us their progress and join in a ritual — the campfire. There, we got to see the effect this place has on the lives of so many children and their families who have been affected by HIV and AIDS. We saw the artwork of so many kids that had come to the camp, many of whom are not with us anymore. It breaks your heart to see the pain that these kids have endured — not just physically, but emotionally as well. They have been shunned, ridiculed and cast aside because of a disease they could not prevent… just like the boys in the Oatman-Gaitan family. But Camp Heartland is a place that they can come and just be kids — where they don't have to worry about what others will say or do — and have fun.

After viewing the rec center, we all gathered around the campfire. There, we sang songs and many people stood up and told their stories. Many of the people that got up to speak weren't supposed to live past the age of 5, yet here they are, telling their stories at the age of 21 and older. I looked around and there wasn't a dry eye among us. I was sitting with the Arena family — a family we had met in Season 3. They took time off of work to come down to the camp and help out. And as I sat with the Arena kids on my lap, we had a very special surprise — a surprise singer. Who is this surprise? You will have to tune in to find out.

The Arena family wasn't the only visitor from past seasons — Sal, Doug and all the gang from Alure Home Improvements came to build at the camp. This was their sixth build! Six times — can you believe it? And we knew we were in good hands with Alure. They really are a part of our family, and it was so good to see them again.

The entire week I spent building my favorite room that I've ever done on the show. I did a Nightmare Before Christmas room for the oldest boy, DJ. It was so much fun! Everything you see in the room was built by hand to replicate the sets of the movie. If you look closely, you will see that every detail matches. It was a lot of hard work — from bending the metal for DJ's bed and fireplace screen, to unending welding, to placing the fireplace stones crooked, to building a small treehouse out of plaster — it was a lot of work but so very worth it. DJ loved the room and instantly put in the soundtrack to the movie. When you are in this room, you feel like you are transported into the film.

This family was amazing, and Debbie is the kind of mother that everyone should strive to be. She has definitely made a difference in the lives of these kids, and after this week, has made a difference in the lives of all of us as well.

Here's something you won't see on television... while Shoemaker Homes, led by our youngest homebuilder-to-date, Scott Shoemaker, was building an amazing home for the Jones family, I was running around the job site with a behind-the-scenes camera in my hands. But this wasn't for anything that TV Guide will have in its lineup — this was for a little home project of mine. This year marks the 40th anniversary of my grade school, St. John Eudes, in a little town called Chatsworth, California, just north of Los Angeles. I was supposed to be their keynote speaker for a dedication ceremony they were holding, but duty called me away to this little town in Mississippi to help Sabrena, Marjon, Mardaireus and Marjiya Jones. But I didn't want to let my alma mater down, so instead of being there in person, I sent them a video of what life was like on the set of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It was actually really fun to borrow the "Ty Cam" and be my own cameraman for the week.

So here's what I caught on camera: Eduardo doing a "diversity and inspirational persons" room for Marjon, Johnny doing an African culture/music room for Mardaireus, Ty doing his secret room (a bedroom for Mom), and Michael decorating the rest of the house, plus an extra little bonus for Mom. My project for this week was taking care of the youngest member of the family, Marjiya. She loves the Cheetah Girls, and thanks to our friends at Disney, the girls were nice enough to send us a bunch of stuff to fill Marjiya's room full of goodies. The room is fun, colorful and cheetah-ish. Marjiya screamed in delight when she walked in. I would like to give special recognition to one of our vendors on EM:HE, Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network. You see it for just seconds on TV, but these guys take all of the family clothing and clean them for us, allowing for all their belongings to be pressed, and hanging in their closets when they come home. Very cool, I need that service! We used them extensively on this episode because of Sabrena's nonprofit clothing donation center; they cleaned hundreds of pounds of donated garments that she had collected for the less fortunate.

So, what brought us here to Mississippi in the first place? Why was this family so special? It's simple: we're rewarding a woman who has given so much to her community. Sabrena Jones was living in a very small, very dilapidated home, but you would never know it by her good deeds or her demeanor. This smiling angel took care of everyone else, collecting clothes to give to those in need and starting a medical-clothing supply business to provide discounted clothing to those in the medical profession. She even helped raise over a half million dollars to help Katrina victims, all while not even letting her close friends know that she was in dire straights. Sabrena is an example of a true giver; it was a true blessing to reward her.

How's your golf game? Well, I hope they don't show mine this Sunday on TV! Since South Carolina is home to hundreds of golf courses, and is known for the fantastic golf courses of Myrtle Beach. So we thought we would incorporate that theme into this week's demolition.

This family, the Wilsons, lived in a small trailer that was over 40 years old, making it weak and susceptible to the elements. So when the design team (Ty, Tanya, Preston, Paul and myself) got out their golf clubs and started off demolition by hitting the small trailer with golf balls, it actually did work... a little bit. We finished it off by bringing in the big guns, and the trailer was down in an instant. But this is where I learned that my golf game leaves a lot to be desired. If I could just put down the hammer long enough to have time to practice my swing!

We were just outside of Myrtle Beach in a town called Longs. It was beautiful but very, very cold. Whereas Myrtle Beach is very populated and quite a tourist spot, outside the city are fields, farms and neighbors that may need to consider driving if they want to borrow an egg. We had tons of space — acres to set up our camp, with a backdrop of cows and fields.

A lot of people think the construction industry is made up of just men, but I'm here to prove otherwise. In fact, this week one of our builders was my fellow truly tough chick, Susan White of Classic Home Building and Design, who along with her son and co-owner Berkley White, joined forces with Harry Dill and Clinch Heyward of Hall Custom Homes. Susan was the mom on set — making sure that everyone was taken care of. Harry was the dad — a smiling yet stern man with a full beard reminiscent of Santa Claus, and Clinch was running around, making sure everyone stayed in line. It was a great week, and the house is so beautiful! Perfect for this family.

My project this week was to take care of Erica. She's 5 years old, and when I asked her what she really liked, she said basketball and dolls. Interesting for such a young girl! So you might guess that I made her a basketball room with a huge extreme basketball hoop and tons of balls to practice her game. Her bed is a stadium filled with dolls, like they are watching her play the game.

The other rooms by my fellow designers were so incredible.... Some of the best I've seen, but I better not give too much away. You will have to watch. Just know that Renee, Hakeem, R.J. and little Timothy got their wishes!