Prelim Nights 2 and 3!

Good morning! I cannot believe that today is THE DAY that I’ve been preparing for, without always knowing it, for my entire life! I know God will continue to open doors for me to have amazing and unique experiences but this one is topping the charts for now! I woke up ridiculously excited to finish packing (we have to be completely packed before leaving the room this morning) and to get ready for the day! I want quickly catch you up on the happenings of the past 3 days.

Wednesday was our second day of preliminary competition. We started the day out with a “late” start at 7:30! It was so nice to have a little extra time to be peaceful and reflect before the day started! We headed out to one of the pent house suites in the Planet Hollywood hotel to continue filming for the Planet Hollywood commercial! The suite ended up being the same one used in the movie “21”, which I thought was AWESOME! We sang, danced, played pool, and had a blast together! The amazing thing about all the filming we’ve been doing is that we are truly having a fabulous time together, not just acting. When you see the commercials later today, rest assured that while sometimes we were being goofy, it’s all real! J

After shooting the commercial, we headed to lunch then to rehearsal. Since the mu group had swimwear and evening gown Wednesday night, we spent a few hours running through the patterns and practicing in our gowns. Swimwear practice went great but evening gown was a little difficult! First of all, my dress had become a little bit too big (most of the contestants end up losing a little bit of weight here because of the high stress levels, etc) but I had fit it to me PERFECTLY so even just a centimeter of loss made the dress feel like it was slipping down! NOT a good feeling! Then, as I was walking down the stairs, my heel caught in my dress hem and ripped it! Oh my goodness, I was a little distraught. But, as I felt that anxious feeling well up in my stomach, I realized what was happening and gave it to God. I knew at that moment that everything would be just perfect and I had no need to worry. The seamstress helped me out by putting elastic in my gown to make it fit tighter and repairing the ripped hem! WHEW! I’m so thankful for the amazing staff here! We completed a full dress rehearsal run through and got ready for the show! Amazingly, as I was finishing my make up and hair for the show, my tummy was at ease and butterflies were gone. I felt so ready to “strut my stuff” on the stage and I had a blast doing it!

Swimwear came first in the competition and before it was my turn, I did ab exercises backstage with Miss D.C., Ashley! When it was my turn, I flexed as hard as I possibly could while still breathing (haha) and headed down the run way! I had so much fun walking to the beat of the music, picturing myself on the beaches in Waikiki, having a blast and feeling beautiful! Although the swimsuit is fairly small, I have been working out hard and am thankful for the body God gave me! It was AWESOME! Then, we had to wait on stage while all the other women finished their walk. I had to pose for almost 5 minutes flexing as hard as I could! Haha! It was pretty funny!

Evening gown was beyond incredible. I felt beautiful in my dress but most of all, I felt so blessed to be on that stage, walking as a graceful, confident woman. I tried to soak in every second, making eye contact with the judges, looking into the audience and savoring the amazing feeling that bubbled within me the entire time I was onstage. Directly following evening gown, the rest of the women came out and preliminary awards were announced. It was so fun to congratulate the women who had won and we headed to visitation! Again, it was the BEST thing to see my family and celebrate this amazing experience together! We had a blast talking about the swimsuit walk and some of the incredible talents that were onstage that night.

Thursday morning rolled around and it was time for talent practice! As I mentioned at some point, I have some type of cold/sinus infection. I have been so thankful to continue having a strong voice but it was a little tricky to practice and warm up that morning. My roommate has been so wonderful putting up with my vocaleses in the mornings! Haha! Thursday morning, there was no filming so we headed straight to rehearsal! Each member of the mu group had the opportunity to practice her talent full-out twice. After the first time, each woman was allowed to talk to her coach for 2 minutes to receive feedback and pointers to improve the second performance. Unfortunately, in both of my performances, I had some difficulty. The way that the ‘lottery’ system worked to decide which woman would be in which position is fair but as it turned out, my spot directly followed Miss Kansas who performed a dance to my same exact song, Rolling in the Deep. Her song is 2 full steps above mine (I had mine lowered) and it threw me so off balance to hear the song in a different key right before I went out to sing mine! It was difficult to work through the emotions of not performing the way I hoped to perform on the Miss America stage but I had great comfort in knowing that I had one more shot that night. Miss Missouri was so wonderful after I performed as she saw that I was upset. She grabbed my hands and we prayed together for the peace, comfort, and strength that only God can offer in those types of situations!

After talent rehearsal, we had a chance to rehearse the rest of the show and I took that opportunity to take a little snoozer in the aisle of the theater! As I laid my head down, it felt like I was sinking into the grown and spinning off into oblivion, I was THAT tired! I woke up about 20 minutes later feeling so refreshed and encouraged-ready to handle anything! Thursday we started to rehearse for the live television show on Saturday. We worked with cameras and it brought the energy of the show to another level! It was so amazing to think of the cameras videoing US doing the different areas of competition! I was so excited to think of my wonderful friends and family at home supporting me and being able to watch me on television! I have been envisioning that and I am so thrilled to be this close! Please know that I as look into the camera on Saturday night, I am looking straight at you with thankfulness, joy, and excitement! Thank you all SO MUCH for all your support!

Before the show started, Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan came to visit us in the tent. She thanked us for all that we have done to help make her reign a success. She explained that our job is an extension of hers and that we are all ambassadors for her crown. The people that we meet and get to experience are influenced by the Miss America organization and she is so thankful for what we have done with that. She said that she wanted us to know how much we are a part of her success and she had 53 stones removed from her crown and set them in necklaces for each of us! Of course, this brought most of us to tears. What an amazing woman. She is an inspiration with her love, grace, and tender heart. I am so proud to wear my necklace!

As it always does, the show rolled around so quickly and right after opening number, the mu group members rushed back to the tent to change into our talent outfits. I got permission to bring my ipad with my talent music backstage with me and while Miss Kansas performed her beautiful dance to Rolling in the Deep, I listened to my on loud. I didn’t hear even one note of her song and as soon as it was my turn, sweet Miss Missouri grabbed my ipad and I walked out on stage. It was time for the show to begin. I had so much performing my song, really let my heart show, and hoping to evoke emotion from my audience! The adrenaline in the moment unfortunately made me a little sharp on a few of my high notes, but overall I was so thankful that I DID it! I performed on the Miss America stage! What an incredible experience! Right after that, I shed tears of joy and relief. I could hardly believe that part of the competition, MONTHS of hard work and dedication from my teachers and myself, were finished (until Saturday, that is!) J.

Before the show ended, I was able to go onstage with 15 other women to receive the Duke of Edinburough award. This was the program I completed for the last 6 months including 3 months of 1 hour per week of talent practice, physical fitness, and community service and 3 extra months of physical fitness. In addition, I competed an adventurous journey which was a blast to complete! You can find pictures of my journey on facebook! It was wonderful to be a part of such an amazing program and it was so fun to be on the stage in that light!

After the awards ceremonies, visitation was amazing. It was an emotional time for me because the stages of competition that decide the top 15 for Saturday were FINISHED. Although it has been out of my hands the entire time, it was really and truly complete. My precious friends from high school, Meredith, Sarah, and Lauren were all at visitation along with my Uncle Joe! It is so special to have these amazing people supporting me and believing in me! Wow!

I will try to catch everyone up on Friday soon, but I have to finish getting ready for the day! I am completely packed up (another step of believing towards the Miss America crown) because Miss America will be moved directly following the competition to another suite! Brittney and I are having a hard time believing that the past 10 days have flown by like this and are so thankful we had the opportunity to spend this time together. I couldn’t have had a better roommate or made a more wonderful friend.

As I head to rehearsal, I won’t be returning to this room til after we know who the next Miss America will be. Wow. I want to thank everyone for all that you have done to help me get to this point. My heart is so full and I am so excited to walk out on that stage tonight. Regardless of the outcome, I am so thankful for how God has worked in my life and how my heart and mind have been open to so many new and enlightening feelings, relationships, and opportunities! This has really been the best experience and I can’t wait to see where it leads. I love you all so much and can’t wait to share more of this with you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Prelim Night 1!

Hello, hello! I know it has been a while since I have written! Right now, I am sitting in my room, things almost packed, having just finished my last ‘spray tan’ of the competition. I hardly even have words to say what I’m feeling right now, it’s difficult for me to even process the magnitude of this week’s events! I can’t say for sure whether it’s because I’m exhausted or not, but I do know that the past 10 days have felt like an absolute dream. Totally incredible, beyond anything I could have asked or dreamed, and I have such a joy in my heart that it’s hard to contain!

Tuesday was the first night of preliminary competition. That day, the mu group shot video footage for about 6 hours for Harrah’s in Las Vegas! We went to different locations like Serendipity and Paris hotel. The footage taken during this time will be used in 2 different commercials for Planet Hollywood and its associated franchises on the night of the competition (so watch out for me!)! J So first we were filmed walking down a huge, gorgeous staircase (if you see a shot of a hand with a Miss America crown ring trailing down the banister, that’s the fancy work of Julia, Miss Maine!). We had a great time talking and laughing and eventually making our way into the lobby of the hotel. There we pretended to check in, having a great time dancing to the music!

After the hotel, we headed to a restaurant called Serendipity3. This place is FAMOUS for its desserts and I will tell you that it is better than I could have ever imagined! We filmed different shots of us sipping milkshakes out of shots in the “cutest” way possible with the sun shining in our eyes! It was quite the task but the director and producer were so kind and encouraging! I learned that the trick is to close your eyes, relax your facial muscles, and turn your face towards the sun. That way, your eyes begin to adjust and it’s not such a dramatic change when you have to look towards it! Who knew? Ok, so the best part about this shoot was the TREASURE CHEST full of treat they brought out for the commercial! It was truly a chocolate treasure chest filled with ice cream, cookies, cheesecake, oreos, whipped cream, fruit, and printed in edible gold was, “Miss America” written across the front of the chest! We had a such a good time digging into that decadent treat and having a few bites, even with swimwear pending the next day! Haha! When would we have that opportunity again?

We then went to a steak house at Paris and sat down while the crew set up the lighting for the shoot. Here, the staff brought out giant platters of seafood and steak. The seafood set up was awesome with a bowl of dry ice below the raised plate; the waiter poured hot water onto the dry ice and the whole dish looked like it was floating on a sea of mist! As some of you might know, I am not a huge fan of seafood but they certainly made that dish look beautiful!

After finishing the shoot, we headed back to Planet Hollywood for rehearsal. It was our turn to rehearse onstage question placement and then the entire group did a dress rehearsal! Even though we had been on the stage a few days already, I can’t even explain the feeling of imagining the crowd in the audience seats, the adrenaline pumping through your blood, and the excitement of finally getting to show the judges how God has worked in my life in helping to prepare me for this challenge! We finished rehearsal, had about 45 minutes in our rooms to get ready, then headed back to the tent for the show.

One thing I didn’t know about Miss America before competing is that contestants are allowed to bring make up artists and hair stylists to help them prepare during preliminary competition but during finals night, contestants are required to do their own styling and preparation. Because of the exorbitant fee associated with hiring a stylist (in many cases) and the fact that I wanted to be able to do my own hair and make up for when I make finals, I didn’t hire a stylist. It’s fun to see all the hair do’s and beautiful make up as the women return from their appointments, though!

As for the first preliminary night show, it was AMAZING! The energy from the audience was incredible! It was so fun doing the parade of states routine at the very beginning and I remembered every step of the dance! J Introducing myself and my state on the Miss America stage in front of the judges was a surreal experience and YES, it was everything I dreamed it would be!

My onstage question went well! The question was regarding traumatic brain injury and what people can do to help others once they have suffered a traumatic brain injury. Although certainly I thought of a few things I would like to have added after the fact, I was thankful for my ability to think quickly on my feet and answer accurately and fairly concisely! Praise God! It was so wild to look into the eyes of the judges, seeing that they knew my heart at that moment, and believing that I had done my very best! Amazing!

The award ceremony was so much fun, cheering on the preliminary winners! Even though I wasn’t up for a preliminary award (swimwear and talent), it was crazy how nervous my tummy got just because of how the anticipation simulated how I imagine it will feel Saturday night as we wait for the final contestants to be called!

Visitation afterwards was the very best. My Wyoming group was waiting for me at the entrance to the visitation ballroom and as soon as I put my bag down, Matthew picked me up and swung me right around in a circle! That just about encompasses how we all felt! I hadn’t seen my family for over a week and it just strengthened my heart and soul to see them and talk with them! So many dear, wonderful people are here to support me and it blesses me beyond belief to have their support! It was so uplifting to go to visitation and the time passed much too quickly!

Although this time seems to have come so quickly, so many days have gone by with full, busy schedules and every moment has brought us closer together as a class of sisters. I have cherished every moment with my new sisters and am so excited for Saturday! I am too tired to keep typing now, but will try to update you on the last two days tomorrow morning! I cannot believe the final competition is tomorrow. I have not stopped praising God for this opportunity and I hope that you all know how precious you are to me! I wouldn’t be at this point without the support of so many of you! I love you! Good night, friends!

Interview is COMPLETE!

I am so thrilled to report that the interview portion of the competition is FINISHED! This morning, I was picked up at my room at 8:42 to head to the interview holding quarters. As I prepared for interview, I spent quiet time talking with God, reading the word, catching up on current events and finally, completing a mock interview over the phone with my executive director, Matthew. It was a full morning but a very peaceful beginning to the day. Although I was a little bit nervous, I was ready and completely at peace when I went into the interview room. I realize with my whole heart that God already knows who the next Miss America will be and I am going to do my best and let Him work through me, especially in the area of interview. I can't wait to see what His plan is for me! The other focus I had directly before my interview was playing in my head the amazing interactions I’ve had with people all over the country, but especially in Wyoming. I thought of the parades, rodeos, and appearances I’ve made throughout my reign and remembered the precious faces that I’ve looked into. I knew that just as those people I’ve met wanted to hear my story and touched my heart, I was headed into the interview room to have another conversation just like that! So I walked into that room to face Kris Jenner and the others judges with pep in my step and hope in my heart!

It was wild to actually see the judges in person! After reading about them and seeing some of them on television and movies, it was such a huge change in perspective to see them as typical human beings, not just movie stars! I was asked a plethora of different questions on politics, pop culture, my platform, and my personal beliefs on different issues. The questions came quickly and I really felt like I kept my answers direct and concise, helping to lead the interview. As the interview progressed, the judges and I were laughing and truly enjoying each other’s presence. By the time I left that room, I had such joy, relief, and peace in my heart and I know that God worked through me and in me to help me be my BEST! I cannot stop praising Him in all that I do!

Following the interview, I ran up to my room, changed for rehearsal as a hostess waited for me and we headed to the theater for our first practice on the real stage. It was almost surreal to be at the theater I’ve dreamt of for so long. It was also incredibly special to think of my dear friend and the former Miss Wyoming, Alicia Grove, on that stage! We have shared so many special experiences and it is amazing to add this one to the list! J We rehearsed opening number, swimsuit, and evening gown, headed to lunch, and kept the rehearsals going afterwards!

We had a short break after dinner, which was WONDERFUL to catch up with the day’s events and have time to process all the amazing things that God worked in my life today. Then, we headed to PF Chang’s at Planet Hollywood for dinner! It was Miss Delaware’s (Maria’s) 21st birthday today and we celebrated with cake. I had a blast getting to know a more women and to finish out the night, we opened fortune cookies! It was pretty funny reading the papers and interpreting them ‘Miss America-style’! Miss Wisconsin had the best one saying that she would have success come her way this week! We’re all excited, that’s for sure!

My group (mu) is headed to do different video and photo shoots tomorrow morning at 7. I know it will be a big day but truly, each day has been more magical than the last. I feel so WILDLY blessed to be here and I am trying my best to soak up every second. My family and other Miss Wyoming Board members are arriving tomorrow and I cannot WAIT to see their shining faces! Finally, our family reunited in Vegas! Honestly, I think hearing about my family’s experience in Vegas will be more interesting than talking about my day here! Haha! Tomorrow I will compete in the area of Onstage Question. The question at this phase of competition will be something about my platform. I am so ready to shine! Thank you so much for all your prayers and excitement for me! I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow holds!

Work it! Work it!

Hello everyone! Just a quick update of a CRAZY, amazing day! This morning, 8 of the contestants and I went to the MG Studio to shoot a real life infomercial for Wen hair care product by Chaz Dean! Wen is a new sponsor for the Miss America Organization and we are thrilled to be using the Chaz’s cleansing conditioner product! We left our rooms at 7 a.m. with strict instructions to wash our hair with ONLY shampoo (no conditioner or product) and let our hair air dry completely. You should’ve seen our beautiful rat’s nests as we left the hotel! J

When we arrived at the studio, we took “before” video and pictures while Chaz Dean assessed our hair condition and determined what he would need to do to help us look our best! The shoot was wild. The set was arranged just like small hair salon with 2 sinks and 2 work stations with mirrors and chairs. All 9 of us took “before” video and 3 of us taped additional footage with Chaz cleansing our hair on set (the other 6 were cleansed backstage). So this is the funny part…as I was waiting for Miss Oregon and Miss Texas to finish getting their hair cleansed, which included asking Chaz questions and having Chaz explain the product in detail as to fully inform customers how to use it, I was placed at one of the work stations with a hair stylist named Danny. We were in the shot with my face and hair in the mirror but Danny wasn’t actually allowed to do anything to my hair (since I still needed it to be cleansed with the Wen product) and we couldn’t talk since Chaz and the contestant needed to talk through the filming. It was so much fun to ‘act’ and have that role in the infomercial! Because we couldn’t talk, Danny and I kept making eye contact and smiling and he started running out of things to “do” to my hair. He continually sprayed the Wen hydrating spray on my hair and by the time I had sat in the chair for an hour, we had almost used the entire bottle! Too funny!

The shoot was moving very quickly and by the time my turn to be cleansed came around, we were almost out of time. So we got the camera rolling and Chaz asked me about my hair and the  hair issues I was having. We figured out how many pumps of the product to put in my hair (12) for best results and he started the cleansing process! 4 pumps into the cleansing, the director shouted that we needed to move onto the next scene! Cue my flexibility skills... Thank goodness I’ve gotten so much practice throughout grad school and my job with being flexible "in the moment"! Haha! Instead of Chaz finishing my hair, another stylist wrapped my hair in a towel and took me outside to the ‘backstage’ hair washing stations! She put the remaining 8 pumps of product in my hair and made sure I was totally taken care of!

Once I was brought back onto the set, I was put in Chaz’s styling chair and had a similar experience in that he began the styling of my hair and explaining which finishing products to use but as SOON as he finished his explanation, we had to move onto the next scene! Fortunately, this gave Danny the opportunity (finally) to actually work with me hair! It was amazing having it beautifully blown out and curled but never with a curling iron! My make up was touched up by the artist on hand and I lined up with the rest of the contestants for our final interview, “after” shot, and beauty shots! The interview was so much fun and the “after” shot went smoothly but the beauty shot was a learning experience for me! Even though I’ve seen models on t.v. “working” the camera, it was totally different doing it myself! It was so much fun to loosen up, really let me hair flow and move, and to smile and engage the camera! Just like I had seen in movies, the producer really did yell super encouraging things like, “yes, I LOVE it, work it” and my favorite, “look at that camera, love it, LOVE IT!!” It was SO high energy, ridiculously warm in the room because of all the lights, and very fast paced! After each contestant completed her shots, we took a few group pictures and we were outta there! It was an almost surreal experience to be a part of a shoot like that and I absolutely LOVED it! Plus, during the time when I had to be acting like Danny was doing my hair, it gave me a wonderful amount of time to reflect, be peaceful, and pray for the coming times. J

We headed back to the hotel and had 2 hours before dinner. I was able to get so much finished including prep for my interview tomorrow, a 27 minute nap, and beautifying myself for the film shoot after dinner! We ate dinner quickly at 4:15 and left the hotel shortly after that for more filming for the Miss America show!

Like I’ve mentioned before, make sure you’re watching on January 14 for some amazing entertainment! All 53 of us filmed for about 2 hours and with the wait time included, were out at the shoot site for around 4.5 hours. We finally got to head back on the bus during which ride I got to spend some awesome time with Miss Alaska! She just finished her teaching practicum and got her degree in December! How awesome! We had a great time exchanging school stories and it is wildly apparent that we are both so thankful for the support we have from our schools! Although I highly doubt any school could beat Rozet! J

I am now in bed, ready for interview tomorrow morning at 9:44 a.m. I can hardly believe that I am actually at my first judged phase of competition. I, along with so many wonderful people, have worked so hard to get to this point and I thank God that I am able to be in this position here and now! I am so excited to meet and converse with the judges and I pray that God’s light shines through me during that time, allowing them to see my heart, my passion, my drive, and really who I am! Thank you all so much for encouraging me with every word, prayer, and thought you send my way! I cannot wait to let you know how everything goes! I can hardly wait to see those of you coming to Vegas-it’s coming up so soon! Love!

What a beautiful day!

Good evening, everyone! Hello from Las Vegas! I am just about to burst at the seams with excitement about all that happened today! I’m pretty exhausted though, so it’ll have to be short! J Thank you for all your kind messages throughout the night and day; your thoughts and prayers lift me up so much!

Ok, so this morning I got up at 5 in order to be ready for rehearsal. We weren’t coming back to our rooms until after dinner at Buca de Bepo tonight (around 10 p.m.) so lots of packing and planning were in order. Brittney and I hustled and headed down to rehearsal with the rest of the women after packing our bags. This morning, we spent a couple hours in rehearsal and worked our moves and opening lines for the Parade of States! Then, we headed to lunch. I found an ‘egg’ station and they cooked me eggs just like I have been making at home-it made me so very happy! I added some salsa and fresh jalepenos to that bad boy, threw in a salad and had a perfect lunch!

During lunch, I was able to spend some time with a few of the hostesses helping us out this week. They are such wonderful women and we are so very blessed to have them with us! It is the best feeling to know we have ‘moms’ all over the place to help us if we are in need and to encourage and support us in so many ways! Today, I had the opportunity to talk with one of the hostesses about her history with the Miss America pageant! She has been as hostess for 31 years, starting in Atlantic City, and travels to Vegas to take part in it all. It was so amazing to hear her perspective and see the love and passion she has for the program. No wonder the pageant weeks go by with such flying colors; these women love what they do and it shows!

After lunch, we headed back to rehearsal and learned the walking patterns for swimwear and evening gown. The song for swimwear is so fun and upbeat and we all had a blast “working” the music as we practiced our steps and poses! The women in my class are just hilarious-especially my roommate Brittney! Can she ever bust a move on the dance floor! Many of us spent time trying to figure out how to turn over our left shoulder (instead of the right) and we were all pretty dizzy by the time we got it figured out! J Just know that when you see us strut our sassy selves down the stage in swimwear, lots of laughs and energy were put into those walks!

After rehearsal, we all headed to our tent to prepare for the Express fashion show event. We changed into our dresses, provided by Express, for our onstage question outfit. The jewelry and outfit choices looked amazing, no woman in the same combination. We really were a glamorous group as we headed out in our buses to get to the mall!

When we arrived at the mall, we headed down to the basement where the fashion show would start. We all lined up in rows according to state name in a GIANT, glass-walled elevator. We practiced ‘stomping’ the runway and ‘smizing’ (smiling with our eyes) twice before the show started. Then, it was lights, camera, ACTION! The elevator rose up from the basement floor and as it reached the ground level, we were showcased from all angles to the public above! It was so cool! Of course, it reminded many of us of the Tower of Terror in Disneyworld in Orlando! J One at a time, we all walked out on the runway, each woman showing her personality with swinging hips, sassy turns, and beautiful smiles! My roommate accidentally lost a shoe along the way and recovered more gracefully than any woman I’ve seen! She was the star of the show and a tough act to follow!

As my turn came up to walk the runway, my heart started beating a little faster but I just kept telling myself, “long steps, short arm swings, and smile!” I was absolutely praying as I went out there and I had the time of my LIFE! The feeling of beauty and glamour I had as I walked down the stage was so incredible, unlike anything I’ve experienced before! I know so many of us were practically giddy after the walk because of how surreal the whole experience seemed! Although modeling isn’t currently a part of my life, I was beyond thankful to have the opportunity to experience that feeling! AWESOME!!

After the show, we all sat down in state order at tables with our autograph cards and people who watched the show came through to get our ‘John Hancock’s! I met a couple from Thermopolis  and a man who has been to Cheyenne Frontier Days for the past 4 years! It was wonderful to meet some fellow Wyomingites!

After the signing, we headed to Buca de Bepo for dinner. Dinner was simply scrumptious! I sat with an amazing group of women and we talked, laughed, and really got to know each other! As we worked through our courses, the anticipation built for the beautiful sundae presented to us at the end of the meal! Some of us had a small bite and enjoyed the splendor of the treat! Buca provided us with fruit cups in addition to the sundae, which was so thoughtful. Oh, and we got to finger paint! As part of the experience, all of the contestants signed their names on a giant canvas then  put one of their hands in spaghetti sauce and pressed it next to their signature! It was the tastiest signing I’ve ever done! After various photo opps and so much laughter and fellowship, it was time to head home. We changed in our tent then headed to bed!

It has been a long but a beautiful day. My heart is so overwhelmed with gratefulness for this opportunity! I can hardly believe I’m here with these amazing women in this incredible situation and you better believe I’m soaking in every minute of it! I can’t wait to tell you more tomorrow but for now, it’s off to bed! Love you all and thank you for your continued prayers! Also, please keep Miss Montana, Veronika, in your prayers as she is not feeling well.

Rehearsals have begun!

Can you believe it’s Friday already? Well, actually it’s almost SATURDAY! How time flies when you’re having fun and believe me, we’ve been having a blast! This morning was an early start with 5:00 a.m. wake up call for myself, getting ready for the IHOP breakfast appearance! Brittney and I got ready, donned our crowns and sashes and headed down to the event at Planet Hollywood with the rest of the gals. Everyone looked stunning in their dressy business wear and I could feel the excitement in the air as we headed down for breakfast and to meet a few of the miracle kids that have been directly helped through the Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

As we got coffee, TURKEY bacon and sausage (haha), and hot pancakes for breakfast, the conversation livened and everyone got ready for the ‘biggest pancake’ and ‘highest pancake toss’ contests! Everyone’s ingenuity really shone as we figured out how to flip a pancake the size of the entire griddle-it was an experience for sure! Also, for all my coworkers at Rozet, I helped one of the 5 year old miracle kids through the food line. As soon as we reached the fruit, he pointed to the strawberries and melons he wanted by touching them with his precious little fingers! My intense training at Kindergarten lunch duty helped to prepare me for this moment and I was able to grab those pieces of fruit for him and redirect his pointing skills! :) We had a fun time together joking about germs and touching other people's food!

After IHOP, we headed to rehearsal. Get ready for a PRODUCTION at the Miss America pageant! You will all be blown away by the awesome ideas coming from the Miss America production team so make sure to watch the show live on ABC on January 14! Almost as soon as we started rehearsal, I was pulled for my ‘Tall Pony’ (a production company) interview, from which they will take segments and play them as I am hopefully called into the top 15 and further! J Our makeup and hair were done by the Express beauty crew and they made it appropriate for an HD shot. It was wild to see ourselves after being ‘made over’ for HD because the motto of “less is more” translates to a beautiful, natural look. However, most of us didn’t even look like we had make up on! I can’t wait to see how it turns out on screen. I waited for around 2 hours for this interview then headed over to Artistry by Amway for their separate interview. This lasted about 20 minutes then I was off to lunch!

The buffet at Planet Hollywood is AMAZING (so get your tummies ready) and we filled up on veggies, meat, salad, and there may have been a brownie or chocolate covered strawberry consumed by a few of the contestants! J Then we headed back to rehearsal. Because of the way rehearsal is structured, I had some time to kill before I learned my part so I took the opportunity to take a little snoozer! Apparently, this short time of rest was documented, as you can see on my facebook page! I pray these little naps will serve me well in the coming days.

Today’s structure provided some amazing time to get to know more of my sisters and it’s so fun to see everyone loosen up and really let their personalities shine through. So many of the women that I have met are talented, driven, motivated, kind, and personable. It is a joy to be around them! After a quick dinner at the buffet, we had about 20 minutes to get ready to head to the Phantom of the Opera!

We loaded on busses, headed to the Venetian and sat down to have our worlds ROCKED! The show was incredible. I hardly have words to describe it! Miss New York mentioned that in New York, the Broadway productions try to stay as close to the originals as possible and that the show we saw was very “Vegas-ized” compared to the New York Broadway productions. That is a perfect way to put it! The costumes and set were glittery and fabulous, totally over the top, and truly I could not look away once from the production! The chandelier was a moving prop and was positioned above our heads! At one point during the show, the chandelier catapulted straight towards us! I wish we could’ve had a snap shot of our faces at that moment! After the show was over, we got to get on stage on the stair case used during the ‘Masquerade’ number! We were able to meet a few members of the cast and I feel so incredibly blessed to have been up on that stage. It really made our eminent stage appearance feel like a reality and I cannot wait til we get to step foot onto our Planet Hollywood stage!

We headed back on the busses and are ready for a brand new day of rehearsals and a fashion show showcasing Express tomorrow evening at the mall! During the day today, I was able to spend quiet time in contemplation and I am just constantly “hit” by the fact that I am at Miss America, getting to experience things that I just never thought I would! I am so thankful to God and to all the people that have supported me to get me to this point. I am encouraged, having a blast, and so excited for a new day tomorrow! I am going to head to bed now but please know that I love you all very much! Thank you for the continued messages and love being sent my way! Good night!

We have arrived!

Hello! The first day of actual Miss America events are COMPLETE! All the contestants arrived today by 2 p.m. and we “got the party started”! This morning, I had my first fitting with the Miss America wardrobe team in our big white tent (the one you see the contestants running in and out of on national television). It was such a rush to be inside the room where all the magic is made! The quarters are tight but each woman has her own space and I know that everything will flow smoothly. I tried on each of my competition outfits, as well as the new outfits sponsored by Express! The wardrobe team works so quickly and was incredible in their patience and flexibility!

After fittings, I got my room assignment! Here’s the big news we’ve all been waiting for! (Drum roll, please!)…The fabulous Miss Washington is my roommate! Brittney is an incredible woman with all the character and class in the world! Plus, she’s 24 like me so we’ll be going to bed as early as we can! J We’re so excited to lift each other up and support each other through this exciting adventure.

Matthew helped me to move into my new room and we got absolutely EVERYTHING unpacked! Garment bags, dresses, rehearsal outfits, “casual” outfits, shoes, jewelry, all assembled with care and precision! I pressed all the shirts and outfits so that if I am in a time crunch, I can just grab and go! Unfortunately, as I was pressing the last shirt, I burned my arm (woops) so please pray for quick healing! J

All of the contestants met downstairs at 3:30 for the official Miss America arrival ceremony. We wore our new Express outfits and looked absolutely FABULOUS! Watch out for the beautiful picture on their website and on the Miss America website, too! We took lots of pictures, then headed up to our rooms to change for dinner and meetings. I was able to get in a quick phone call home and was so excited to talk with my mom and sister, Stephanie! I am so incredibly thankful for my family and for ALL of you supporting me! Your texts, emails, messages, and phone calls mean the world to me and encourage me so much!

Dinner was pizza (hahah) and salad! There was much salad consumed. I had a delicious vanilla protein shake before dinner and a wonderful salad at dinner! The different organizers and heads of the Miss America organization spoke with us about safety, organization, scheduling, production, and encouragement to get through the week. One beautiful saying tonight by Sam Haskill was that if we know who we are, stay true to that, and maintain that knowledge, we will succeed! It’s so vital that I spend time in quiet reflection like this to stay grounded in who I am and what I believe in!

It was AMAZING to see my Miss America sisters again! It seems like Orlando (the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competition) was forever ago, but we all picked up right where we left off! It is going to be an amazing 10 days with these women and although we might be exhausted by the end of it, I am so deeply grateful and humbled to be a part of it all! Thank you for helping me to get this far. I praise God every quiet second I get for opening the doors that brought me to this point and for continuing my strength and energy! I am headed to bed for an early appearance at IHOP tomorrow morning! Love you all!