Hi Friends!

I'm sorry for losing touch for the past few months and not getting a newsletter out sooner. Since the last email I've been keeping pretty busy with work, charities and trying to find a home to buy in Los Angeles. I promised my little man, Dolce (my 4 lbs Maltese), a backyard to romp and pee in, so I'm trying to fulfill that promise.

Now… To catch everyone up on how I've been spending my last few months….

January kept me busy with the usual nights hosting Playmania on GSN, the Network for Games. I also shot quite a bit of the UBT, the Ultimate Blackjack Tour, which is now airing on Saturday afternoons before college football on CBS.

I started February with a cancer charity back in the Midwest. I always love traveling back home to see my friends and family, but it never seems like enough time. Once I got back to LA, we started shooting Lingo again for GSN. It's always wonderful to see Chuck Woolery! He's such an amazing guy!! We shot most days of the week and my weekends were spent hosting Playmania. I was really busy, but in the middle of the month, a dream came true for me! I was getting make-up on for Lingo when my agent called. I only had a second to talk to him so he pretty much blurted it out. "You got it! You're on Dancing with the Stars!!" I immediately started screaming at the top of my lungs. People came running to see what was the matter. My agent then followed with, "You can't tell anyone yet though. They haven't released the celebrities to the press yet." So… Not only did I have this HUGE, GREAT news, but I couldn't share it with anyone! Talk about tough!! I ended up pulling Chuck aside and letting him in on the news. After all, I had to tell him. He knew how badly I wanted to be on the show. It was so wonderful seeing how excited he was for me!! He's just the best!

The end of February and into March I was like a chicken running around with its head cut off. Weekdays I shot 5 episodes of Lingo a day, then trained for dancing until my legs gave out around 10 pm. I'd come home to feed my dog and crash, only to wake up early the next day and start again. Weekends, I started my days with dancing, and then headed over to Playmania to host the show for the night. My feet developed blisters on top of blisters and I had to wear so much concealer to cover the bags under my eyes! I was completely exhausted by mid-March, but I was living my dream! I couldn't ask for more! The first show of Dancing with the Stars was on the 19th of March. I remember fearing that I would stumble down the stairs on live TV, in front of millions of people across America. Guess it's true that what you focus on, happens! As I was introduced and came bouncing down the stairs, I lost my footing and slipped down the final 2 steps. Fortunately, the camera was already on the next celebrity! Whew!! That evening my dancing partner and I danced the Foxtrot. I felt I did a great job, regardless of what those mean ol' judges said!! After all, before this, I could do the robot, the running man and jazz fingers. Here I was exposed to the world doing something I had never trained in!

After the show we had to hit the dance studio again, this time learning the Mambo. We had only a few short days to learn a new dance and our training was interrupted with my travels to San Diego to shoot another episode of the UBT. The following week we danced the Mambo and received more criticism. Guess some of the moves we tried were a bit too difficult for a girl who thinks moon walking is still in! The next day, Paulina Porizkova, the supermodel and new friend of mine, was eliminated from the show. I was in the bottom two with her that week, so pretty much destined to be going home the following week. I worked my butt off in the dance studio trying to perfect the Jive. This dance was much more in the frame of my personality, as it is a fun, upbeat, bubbly dance. I thought we nailed it the following week, but there we stood in the dreaded red light, this time with Leeza Gibbons. In the end I was eliminated. Although sad to see it come to an end so soon, it was awesome to have been part of such a huge show! Also, I suppose now my blisters could heal!

Being off the show was a bit of a blessing in disguise. The following weekend in April, I was able to travel back to St. Louis to take part in the Variety Club Telethon, which helps to raise money for children who need prosthetics. I stayed in town for a few days to let my muscles have a break and to relax with my family. Then it was back to LA and back to nights hosting Playmania. The month was broken up a bit with a week in Vegas to shoot more of the UBT at the Palms.

The month of May brought some exciting fun! I went to the Kentucky Derby!! I found the perfect hat and dress for the day of the race. Drinking Mint Jubilees and betting on horses, I had no idea I would enjoy myself as much as I did! In May I also started hosting a few 100 Winners on GSN. Although I had a good time, I didn't enjoy hosting the show as much as I do on Playmania. Unfortunately, I couldn't interact with the callers or camera men. Toward the end of May, Dancing with the Stars had its final show and brought back all the celebrities to dance a little of their final dance. It was great dancing the Jive again, this time without the fear of being criticized afterward by the judges. It was also great seeing all of my friends again. I really loved everyone on the show and behind the scene. They were so much fun to be around!! The following week, the final week in May, I made another trip to St. Louis to take pictures and do an interview with Alive magazine, a popular St. Louis magazine.

June was a relaxing, great month! I spent a few days before my birthday at Bacara, an amazing spa resort in Santa Barbara. I needed it after the craziness of the previous few months!! I then spent my birthday, June 9th, and the following few days in St. Louis with my family and friends. To celebrate my birthday we rented out the Lemp Mansion, one of the top 3 most haunted places in the U.S. We toured the mansion, then spent the night. They literally lock the doors and pass you the keys. We were all a bit spooked in the beginning, but once it hit 5 am, we didn't have a problem falling asleep. The rest of the month was spent in LA hosting Quiznation, formerly know as Playmania, on GSN.

I spent the month of July hosting Quiznation and also shooting for the UBT in Vegas at the Venetian. Whew… Is it hot in Vegas in July!!! I remember one day walking outside and feeling my shoes slip on the pavement. Turns out, the soles were melting!!! Insane! I also had a day in July where I shot for the Reelz channel, talking about movies I've seen and what I learned from them.

August was a bit crazy. I worked a ton hosting Quiznation and again shot a bit for the UBT. I also went on Wanna Bet, which is a new show coming out this fall. I was a celebrity panelist with Tom Green, Monique and Norm from Cheers. Later that month, my mom and dad drove out to Los Angeles and stayed with me for a few days. Then I jumped in the car with them and together we drove up to San Francisco to celebrate my Grandma's 90th birthday! I have to say, I'm fortunate to have her genes because at 90 years of age, she's still a head turner!! After a week or so together, mom and dad drove back to Missouri with grandma in the backseat. I really don't know how dad does it, but he's driven that Nissan all over the country! I love nothing more than spending time with my family so it was sad to see them go, but I know it will only be a short time till I see them again.

September was filled to the brim with nights hosting Quiznation. We have cut our nights back to only Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, thus only having 18 nights on Quiznation in September. I hosted 12 of those!!! I also hosted a show for TV Guide called Dancing Favorites: Where Are They Now. It basically updated the viewers on past competitors of Dancing with the Stars. It also mentioned the new season and the stars competing this round.

On October 3rd, I was on Red Eye on Fox News Live, which was very intense! Later in the month I participated as a celebrity guest at the Tiger Woods charity golf tournament. My brother, Shane, flew into town and was my partner in the golf event. We had a great time and I loved showing him LA. In mid-October I made a guest appearance on TV Guide to talk about contestants now appearing on Dancing with the Stars.

Guess that's it for now. I promise not to leave you guys for so long next time….

Oh, and by the way, if you're interested, I have a few new items in the "store" section on my website. Be sure to check them out! There are a few new photos and two magazines I was recently featured in; Alive, which is a popular St. Louis magazine, and All In, which is a national poker magazine. These will only be available for a short time, as there is a limited number on hand.

I wish each of you a blessed fall season and I will be in touch in a few months! In the meantime… Enjoy your holidays!!

God bless!!

XO, Shandi