What a great week!

Hi everyone!

Last week was very busy and I have a lot to catch you up on!  Here goes...

Monday and Tuesday I attended the "High Impact Presentations" class at Dale Carnegie.  This class was amazing!  It was extremely interactive and entertaining and focused specifically on public speaking skills for those who already had some experience.  I learned a lot and I am excited for my upcoming speaking engagements so that I can put all of my work to use!  Tuesday I had a "Dale Carnegie marathon" because I was there from 8:30am-9:30pm  :)  It was great!  While I did not win any awards this week, I was voted in the top 3 for each of the awards :)

We took a class pictures after class and also a funny one (as always).  

On Wednesday I had the opportunity to attend the Britney Spears concert and for a brief moment, I wanted to be a pop star.  (Don't worry mom and dad, no serious career decisions were made!)  The concert was very entertaining and the performance of "Circus" sent butterflies through my stomach as I recalled all of the Miss California choreography from our opening number this year!

Thursday was the largest ice cream social in the world at numerous Coldstone Creamery locations throughout the US.  Make-A-Wish partnered with Coldstone for this special event.  Jack's creation (Sweet Cream ice cream with brownies and rainbow sprinkles with carmel drizzle) was served at Coldstone from 5-8pm on Thursday, and we gave out this special flavor of ice cream in exchange for donations to Make-A-Wish.  It was a great event and I got to the opportunity to be at the Tustin location with the Chapman University Girls' Soccer Team!  We had fun and they painted faces as we encouraged families to come in and get free ice cream and donate to Make-A-Wish.

Yum!!

On Saturday, Monica and I got to travel to Fort Irwin, near Barstow, to do an event with the Army.  They were having their annual "Oktoberfest" and Monica and I were honored guests.  The event was so much fun and will certainly be a highlight of my year.  Before we got to the base, we saw a large sign and two huge tanks that seemed to scream "photo op".  Chelle pulled the car over and we took a few slightly illegal pictures!  :)   Don't worry, we didnt actually climb on the tanks.... we didn't want to get our white dresses dirty!

When we arrived at Fort Irwin, we were greeted by Lt. Mozelle and Lt. Alexander.  They were wonderful and I wish I could take them along to all of my appearances!  They certainly made the experience much more meaningful because they taught us so much about the Army and about Fort Irwin.  At the event, we had a special area to sign autographs and take pictures with the soldiers and their families.  

Quotes of the week:  

"Live in the present. launch yourself on every wave, find eternity in each moment.... "
-Thoreau 

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. so throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

-Unknown

Miss America countdown:  113 days!!!