Miss California 2009

Updates!

2011-01-02T22:08:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone! Wow... it sure has been a long time since I have written! I just got home from attending Arianna's wonderful going away party and I felt this was an appropriate time to write. It was SO great to see everyone at the sendoff- I have missed you all! It astonishes me that it has been an entire year since I was packing and getting ready to head to Miss America! I am so excited to for Arianna to experience this and I am ready to scream, yell, cheer and celebrate as she shines on that stage!

I was asked my several people to do an update blog and also to share about the "secret" trip Nikki and I took last year and I have failed to do so several times but I figure better late than never!

Last October Nikki and I went to South Carolina for a total of 40 hours for fittings of my Miss America gown and onstage question gown, made by the incredible Gregory Ellenburg. I wrote a journal of our crazy, whirlwind trip and here are a few quotes to give you a glimpse of what the adventure was like.

Last night at 10:45pm Nikki and I boarded the plane to South Carolina... before we got on we were stopped and told our seats were changed to the VERY back row and we no longer had isle seats! Once we got to the end of the gangplank, they took our bags away from us! Also, Nikki got rubbed down and searched extra and I did too on the second flight. I wonder why the airline staff always thinks I look suspicious? Perhaps they wonder why I am carrying a crown on plane? After one layover, we arrived in Charlotte and drove in the pouring rain to Greenville. Then we had quite the adventure driving around and around in circles trying to find Gregory. Nikki and I both were laughing so hard we could barely contain ourselves and I found myself wiping tears from my eyes. After meeting Gregory and his staff and finally getting to see my gown in person, I was relieved and excited. "This is my MISS AMERICA gown," I thought to myself, "This is crazy!" I am so very thankful to Gregory for his generous sponsorship and the shoes that he gave me are fabulous! The next day we stopped and met my brother (who lives in North Carolina) and his wife for a quick lunch before heading to the airport. Before we knew it, we were back in California! And now I suppose it is just time to "hurry up and wait" for the gown to be finished! Miss America in 69 days!

Before we boarded the plane!

Freeeezzzing! Nikki and I at this cute river in the downtown area of Greenville

... Needless to say, it was an eventful trip and I am so very grateful that I had Nikki there with me :)

Several of you have asked me to keep up with my blog and I apologize that I have not done so more often. Let me start off by saying that last year still feels like a dream... I honestly forget that I was ever Miss California until someone reminds me... There is one little girl who attends the school in the building where I work who loves to shout "Hi Miss America!!" when I walk by. She is a reminder to me about the incredible year that I was fortunate to experience... I think someday soon I will have to break the news to her that I am no longer Miss California! ;)

Life has been busy and somewhat "normal" for me this fall. I started graduate school at Chapman University in Orange County and I am loving it! I have always loved school and learning- right down to the pencils and notebooks and yes, even the homework! I am currently working on my masters in teaching degree along with my multiple subjects credential and I couldn't be happier. I was convinced during college that medical school was my future but was continually challenged during my year as Miss California when I understood the importance ofpersonal connection. It was the children who I wanted to get to know and build relationships and I didn't feel I could do so while operating. I can't wait to motivate and teach young people in the future and I am thrilled at the opportunity to work with the "little people" as Bob always used to call them :)

I finished my first semester with a 4.0 and after two weeks of break, I am ready to go back to school! I also continue to work at the Crystal Cathedral as the Director of Children's Ministry. I have had a few opportunities to dance, performing in a local Nutcracker production with Tustin Dance Center and look forward to performing in the Pulse show in Orange County at the end of January. I am so thankful that I continue to have opportunities to perform and I have every intention of dancing as long as I am able!

Perhaps one of the most exciting events that has happened since passing on the crown was welcoming my first nephew into the world at the end of August. I may be a bit biased, but he is the most adorable little guy I have ever seen! My brother and I are worried about when we have children in the future because he has set the "cuteness" standard very high! My oldest brother Robby and his wife Heather came to visit us in November with their son Ethan. And, I have to tell you, being an Aunt is likely the best job in the world!

Anyways, enough rambling from me... I hope that gives you all a little update on what I have been up to! I would love to hear from you about all of your adventures, families and updates in life! Feel free to email me anytime :)

In closing, as Miss America approaches I urge you to send positive thoughts/support/prayers out for Arianna as I know how stressful this time can be! I always said that preparing for Miss America week was like preparing for 30 different proms.... with all the shoes, earrings, dresses, outfits, etc. Not to mention the pressures of interview, talent, swimsuit, etc! Arianna is a talented, beautiful, energetic and charismatic young woman and I am SOO excited to watch her rock the Miss America stage! Make sure you all tune in on January 15th!

The Passing of the Crown

2010-07-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Arianna Afsar, Miss California 2010!

Well, as promised, here is the summation blog of my last week as Miss California! Sorry it has taken me a week to write, I got home and granted a wish with the Make A Wish Foundation on Monday and had several events at work this week!

Preliminaries started off with a bang on Tuesday night as we pulled together a fantastic show from just a few short days of rehearsals! I have to say that the contestants were unbelievably flexible and they all had such a great attitudes! I was so impressed. The hostesses, and Patti and Bernie were full of laughs, 4th of July decor and hugs, which we all so appreciated! It was certainly different to be on the "other side" of things, and not to have the stresses of competing on my mind... I was able to spend time with my favorite backstage ladies and catch up with them! My roommates Vera and Chelle certainly kept me in good spirits throughout the week with our nightly comedy hour! We were so tired that we thought everything was hilarious and we had a lot of really great laughs! I already miss my roomies!

Each Preliminary night was filled with lots of dancing for me! I was so excited that I was included in the swimsuit and evening gown production number and even the princess dance, which I truly think stole the show. I had an absolute blast! Thank you Janet and Rob for working so hard to pull off a great show.

Swimsuit production number, "Too Darn Hot"

It was an honor and a privilege to announce each night's preliminary awards in evening gown and talent. Below are pictures from each night. (Oh, and I forgot to mention a little bit stressful too!) Stephanie Baldwin and Ashley Newton (Miss CA 2001 and Miss CA OT 2001) did an excellent job co-hosting together and I really enjoyed sharing a dressing room with the two of them and Jacquelynne Fontaine!

Miss Tustin, Sarah Salazar and Miss Ventura County, Ebony Taylor

Preliminary Talent and Preliminary Evening Gown Awards

Miss Yorba Linda, Sharanya and Miss City of Orange, Rachel

Preliminary Evening Gown and Talent Awards

Miss Culver City, Laura and Miss Briarwood, Jasmine

Preliminary Talent and Preliminary Evening Gown Awards

**I am missing one picture from one preliminary night, I am so sorry!

But congrats to Miss City of LA, Ruth and Miss Oakland, Holly

Preliminary Evening Gown and Talent Awards

Throughout the week, Monica and I had the special pleasure of attending several princess events!! It was so fun to see them so much throughout the week and to be able to get to know them while decorating cookies, rehearsing the dance, or during the official princess crowning! My favorite event though, would have to be the princess pajama party! Thank you Mary for the adorable crown pajamas! I think there are definitely some future Miss CA's in this bunch!

They are pro's at the "funny face" picture!

My favorite part of the princess dance!

Congratulations to Monica Stainer who made me and all of California very proud as she was a wonderful representative for our state and was truly and OUTSTANDING teen! Also, to Shelby Sinkler, California's Outstanding Teen 2010, Congrats!! We will all be rooting for you next month!!

Each day I became more and more ready to pass the crown on to the next Miss California. It was almost as if each day I got to know the contestants on a deeper level and realized that the crown was certainly in good hands, no matter who was to wear it. Each night as I was announced and walked down the stairs, I thought back to the first time when I stood on the Miss California stage two years ago... looking at the current Miss California and wondering if I could ever do that... wondering how it was that she was so charismatic, poised, elegant and well spoken... thinking to myself that she was what I wanted to be.

I seemed to be handling my emotions and sadness quite well... until the parent orientation meeting on Friday, that is. Then, when Bob spoke to the parents and explained what would happen if their daughter became Miss California, it was as if last year flashed before my eyes in a split second. I re-lived the meetings, the moving, the preparation process... and realized how much I loved it all. I got up to speak and began to cry (actually... it was more like "hyperventilate" as I never really have been able to breathe when I cry) and I tried my best to share my experiences with the parents. I may or may not have said this, but regardless I would like to say it here anyways. The one thing that is so unique and astonishing to me is that no matter who is crowned on finals night, the entire state of California comes together to cheer her on. We, as the Miss California Organization and supporters, are all now Arianna's cheering section... for Miss America, and throughout her entire reign. I am so grateful that everyone came alongside me to encourage and support and I am excited to do that now for our new Miss California!

Congratulations to all of the young ladies who competed last weekend! It truly is an accomplishment to have made it to the state pageant! I hope you all enjoy the rest of your year in your local communities! To EVERYONE who helped make the show possible, thank you!! It takes many hostesses, "bistro" ladies, seamstresses, executive directors, state staffers, choreographers, drivers, producers, audio technicians, etc. to put on the show, we appreciate all that you did!

Also, I have to say that one of the highlights of my week, was after the pageant on Saturday night when all of the former Miss CA's in attendance (at this point, I was a former too!) gathered on stage to take pictures... there is a deep bond that I think we all have since we all had the same job and similar life-changing experiences. I was honored to be with such amazing women! Thank you all for your warm welcome into being a former!

Stephanie Baldwin, Veena Goel (and baby!), me, Rebekah Keller-Negrete, Jackie Geist, and Jacquelynne Fontaine

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME.

One last thing... by request, and as promised, I WILL write about my trip to South Carolina in my next blog :)

Also, I just saw that Arianna posted her first blog! Woohoo!

misscal2010.blogspot.com

Enjoy more pictures below...

Thank you Bob for an incredible year!!

The lovely ladies of my family!

Thank you PPA for my crown box!!
Woohoo!! Gala!

Interviews, BBQs and Rooftop Fireworks: Updates from Fresno

2010-07-04T22:32:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July!! And Happy Birthday Grandma Lou!

The past two days have been full of interviews, rehearsals, parades and fireworks!! The contestants have started their rehearsals, learned their walking patterns and reviewed their opening number and production numbers! Yesterday we started off the morning with the first set of interviews and I led off the group with a "warm-up" interview. We have a great judging panel this year!!

In the early evening we were graciously invited to the Lester home for dinner sponsored by the Fresno Kiwanis Club. The home was phenomenal and we all enjoyed being outdoors and getting out of the hotel for a few hours :) I had a lovely dinner with several contestants who are such sweethearts. It is so fun to get to know each of these girls and meals are a wonderful time to connect with them and to learn a little more about each other! After ice cream, we headed back to the hotel and Monica and I learned our dance numbers for this week.

All 56 contestants plus the Kiwanis Club!

Aren't they stunning??

This morning was a veryyy early start as Monica and I left the hotel at 6am to drive to Redwood City for the 4th of July Parade! This was my very first appearance last year and my last one this year, so it was a strange feeling to have come full circle! Thank you George Doolin and Paul Sanfilipo for being wonderful drivers today! Monica and I had a great time waving, blowing kisses and greeting parade go-ers in our classic Mustang convertibles! After the parade we stopped for lunch on our way back to Fresno... (I had changed into sweats for the car ride home but Monica was still in her gown and didn't have any other clothes with her) Well, when we went to get out for lunch at "Casa De Fruta" (basically in the middle of nowhere) Monica leaned over and said to me, "Well... this is going to be quite an entrance!!" and we couldn't stop laughing about how funny it was that she was in a fancy evening gown and a fruit stand and a restaurant... So of course, we had to document the occasion. She was a trooper and we just pretended that it was her birthday!

Krista, Miss Redwood City/San Mateo County ED and I before we started the parade!

Monica sporting her evening gown at Casa De Fruta!

We got back and headed straight back to rehearsal... We jumped, turned, flipped and skipped our way through several hours of rehearsal and took this picture afterwards when we were nice and sweaty :) These dancers are so talented!

Tonight all the contestants went to the rooftop of the parking garage to watch the fireworks! It actually was really fun because I had a chance to talk with several girls who I hadn't connected with yet and we all got to just sit and be silly and relax! At one point, the girls bursted out into patriotic songs! It was awesome! And they even got Bob to lay down in a circle to take this silly picture! Too fun! I am continually impressed at the poise and confidence of these girls and how intelligent they all are... but also at how fun they can be!! I love well rounded women and it is so refreshing to see the new friendships that are being formed and how these contestants are growing and changing!

The best picture of the night!

Well, I am getting sleepy so that's enough for now. Tomorrow is another day of rehearsal and a princess pajama party! I am looking forward to seeing my family, all the EDs and supporters on Tuesday for our first night of preliminary competition!! I will continue to update throughout the week! I hope you all had a safe and fun 4th of July! Goodnight!

Days until I crown Miss CA 2010: 6 days (AAhhhh!!!)

Quote of the day:

“Life without liberty is like a body without spirit."

- Kahill Gibran

LIVE from Fresno!

2010-07-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

Just thought I would write a quick update about what has happened so far for those of you who are at home wondering!

On Wednesday I attended the Anime Expo in downtown Los Angeles at the Staples Center and Los Angeles Convention Center. It was an amazing event!! There were 4,000 people in attendance as I walked the red carpet and then spoke at the opening ceremonies!! I even got to meet members of very famous Japanese Rock Bands and took pictures with AKB48 (a Japanese band made up of young girls from Japan). Over the weekend, there will be 40,000 attendees at the Expo! It was an honor to be invited!

Today all the contestants went to the Fresno Civic Center to present gift to the Mayor of Fresno. The girls all looked wonderful, decked out in their red, white and blue attire! Each girl briefly introduced herself and presented a token of appreciation that somehow represented her. It was a hot day but the girls were troopers posing for pictures in the heat of the day!

Tomorrow interviews begin! More updates to come throughout the week!

Quote of the day:

“You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear. Do it! Develop an appreciation for the present moment. Seize every second of your life and savor it. Value your present moments. Using them up in any self-defeating ways means you've lost them forever.”

- Wayne Dyer

Days until I crown Miss CA 2010: 8 days!

The final months.

2010-06-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I left off after my appearance at the Los Angeles Veterans Hospital which was a fun whirlwind of day! The next morning, Chelle and I went to Long Beach to visit the Long Beach Veteran's Hospital along with Miss America and her touring manager, Karen. The hospital in Long Beach was beautiful!! And Rich, who works in the public relations department gave us all a wonderful tour of the facilities. I learned a lot about the Veterans Hospital system and we got to visit with several patients including one of the few Medal Of Honor recipients from WWII who is still living! We also had a great time at lunch where the Chief of Staff, CFO, Director and other important hospital personnel were on hand to answer questions and share a little bit about what they do and why they do it. It was very interesting!

He was SO sweet! And he even chased Chelle down the hallway to give her a kiss on the cheek before we left! Too cute!

After the hospital tour, we headed back to the hotel and attended an event for the AUSA. I had a wonderful time chatting with military personnel and getting a chance to thank them for their service! They even had a pasta bar at the reception! (I had never seen that before and just loved the idea of having every possible ingredient at your disposal to make your own custom pasta dish!)

The next morning, Miss America and I attended a lovely tea at Biola University that was an appreciation ceremony for volunteers of the Family Readiness Group. It was a way for them to say thank you to their volunteers for their dedication throughout the year to help veterans and their families. It was a warm, tenderhearted event and several important generals were in attendance.

Friday evening I attended the Long Beach Army Birthday Ball. I had heard about this event the very first weekend that I was crowned Miss California and had been looking forward to it since June 2009! I must say that it not only lived up to my expectation, but far exceeded it. There were hundreds of people there, including very decorated military personnel and generals, active duty soldiers, veterans, and even America Ferrera and Wilmer Valderamma! (They were there to promote their new movie "The Dry Land")

America Ferrera and me

Wilmer Valderamma, Miss America, me and the director of the movie

The evening was filled with entertainment from Miss America, a Bob Hope impersonator (whom I taught a soft shoe dance to!) and a sneak peek of "The Dry Land". After several recognitions and toasts, we danced the night away to a live band! The evening was wonderful; everything from the decor, to the impressive and accomplished individuals who were in the room made the night one that I will never forget. Thank you SO much Felicia for inviting me and for putting on such a fantastic event!

"Bob Hope" and I did a little soft shoe together... he was quite the dancer!

With Alan and Drew, two wonderful men who made the evening so much fun! Thank you for your service! (Please keep Drew in your prayers, he is in Afghanistan now)

I was home for a week and returned to my job working in Children's Ministry and getting ready for our upcoming Vacation Bible School program and then had a performance this weekend with a new contemporary ballet company that I joined called "A:live Dance Company" http://www.alivedanceco.com/

With a few of the women in the company!

Then, the next week I had the pleasure of attending the Orange Senior Center's Golf Tournament in Placentia! It was a wonderful afternoon and Kathi Baldwin was my traveling companion... it was so fun to catch up with her! The weather was absolutely beautiful and I greeted golfers on the green and got to mingle with various people who worked for the city. I even saw the mayor of Orange who immediately spoke to me about my performance at Miss America! She was so very sweet! They had golfers bid to sit at a table with me and raised $1250 just from that! (I was very flattered) The event was held to raise money for the Meals on Wheels program that is put on through the community center, what an incredible and important organization!

With the Mayor of the City of Orange

This past week has been a whirlwind tour of Washington DC, New York and Finally Canada. If I ever make it home (I am currently at the airport delayed) I will have been in 7 states and 2 different countries in just one short week! Crazy!! I had the unique privilege to go on a private tour of the White House and it was wonderful! The only people we saw while in the White House were Sacha, Bo (the dog), Michelle in the motorcade and the security guards... it was AMAZING!

I went to Canada for the grand opening of the Garden of Hope and Faith walk in Brockville, Ontario Canada at Centennial Road Church. I spoke and delivered the message for the dedication ceremony on Saturday and was interviewed this morning in the church service along with my parents. Last night we even got to go on the 1000 islands cruise! It was absolute beautiful! Thank you so much to everyone in Brockville for such a warm welcome and such a great trip! I will definitely visit Canada again, hopefully sometime in the near future!

With some of the young girls at the church

My family and the Phillips family... thank you for being such wonderful hosts!!

The Bolt Castle (we saw this on the cruise)

With the amazing and energetic Bethany Exhalt Choir

The new statue that was unveiled "Guardian Angel"

It was raining!!

With Megan, such a sweetheart!

Being interviewed by Bruce Wylie

Now as I head home, it is with mixed emotions as I switch my brain to get ready to leave for Miss California 2010. One year ago today, at about this time, I was sitting and talking with one of my friends backstage and I remember telling her, "Isn't it crazy to think that tonight one of us will be Miss California?!?! I just can't imagine that!" Then, much to my surprise about 7 hours later, I was the girl with the crown on my head. And my life would never be the same.

Believe it or not, I am home for two days and then have two more appearances before I crown the next Miss Cal. so I will continue to blog while in Fresno and hopefully will be able to post some candid pictures for all of you at home!!

Days until I leave for Miss CA 2010: 2 days

Quote of the week:

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Chinese Proverb

Great weekend in San Diego!!

2010-06-02T19:42:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone!

This morning I had the realization that I leave in less than one month for Fresno to give up my title... It really is so difficult to believe one year has passed.

Well, enough of that for now, on to the fun stuff!

On Friday I sprinted and thankfully caught my train to San Diego where I was greeted by Vangie Burt Regan and Chelle! Vangie's house served as the "host family" house for 19 former Miss Californias!! It was SUCH a neat experience to be able to stay with her and her wonderful husband Jim for the weekend and to get a taste of what it used to be like when all of the women whom I admire and look up to lived there. I slept in the "Miss California room" and walked down the famous hallway lined with headshots of former Miss Californias. It was so fun! On Friday I met four local title holders at Rady's Children's Hospital for the last of my CMN hospital visits. I was joined by Miss Northern CA Regional, Marina Inserra, Miss San Diego Cities, Saundra Combs, Miss East San Diego County, Katie Martin and Miss Blythe, Justine St John. They were absolutely wonderful and it was fun to be able to experience their first CMN hospital visit with them! We also accidentally all matched :) I had the privilege of touring the hospital with Justine St John, Miss Blythe and was so touched when she was able to burst out into a Hannah Montana song (with adorable dance moves) in a young girl's room upon request. What a touching moment to see a little girl smile because Justine brought music into her hospital room!

From L-R Miss East San Diego, Miss Blythe, me, Miss Northern CA Reg., Miss San Diego Cities

Friday night, Vangie, Jim, Chelle and I all went to the Padres game and had wonderful seats! Unfortunately, they lost the game... but we still had a great time! Saturday morning, we went to Sea World for a few hours and I fed the dolphins (something I have always wanted to do) and we watched the Shamu show then headed back to get ready for the evening.

Vangie and I in the "Miss California Room"

WOW!

Feeding "gracie" the dolphin! She was smiling too!

Saturday evening I was invited to attend the American Freedom Foundation's fundraiser aboard the U.S.S. Midway! It was a perfect night and the weather was just beautiful as we boarded the giant ship. I presented certificates to the donors and took pictures with the VIPs and other patrons and veterans. The American Freedom Foundation raises money to aid in veteran programs locally across the United States. The money they give away stays within the community they are in, which is wonderful. In fact, they have given away over $600,000 since their beginnings! I was unbelievably honored to be escorted by Captain Glenn Jensen for the evening. He was quite the gentleman and enhanced my experience tremendously as he shared his experiences with me about being a marine. The evening ended with a concert by the legendary Ronnie Milsap (I am a HUGE country fan, so I loved this!), a two-step lesson and then a VIP reception where the Nashville songwriters sang the songs that they had composed. It was such a perfect evening! (Oh, and I forgot to mention there was red velvet COOKIES! Delicious!)

With Captain Glenn Jensen from the USMC

Vangie and Jim Regan, aboard the U.S.S. Midway

With some wounded soldiers that were at the event

On the flightdeck of the U.S.S. Midway

This week is filled with more events with Veterans. Today I visited the Veterans Hospital in Los Angeles for a special BBQ. I spoke to the Veterans, danced for them and signed autographs and took pictures. They all are so unique and filled with so many interesting stories! It is truly remarkable to be able to look them in their eyes and personally say "thank you" for the service they have given to our country. I am quite proud to be an American :)

With Bob, who was SO sweet and had an infectious smile!

More appearances the rest of this week with Miss America so stay tuned for updates and pictures!

Countdown till I leave for Miss CA 2010: 28 days

Quote of the week: "Freedom isn't free."

From Glenn County to San Diego

2010-05-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Hi again!

These last few weeks are quite busy, so I will try my best to stay on top of blogging! :)

And now.. what you have all been waiting for! (Just kidding) But I am really excited to share a few pictures with you from my photo shoot a few weeks ago! These were taken by the extremely talented Cheryl Walsh. Check out her website at alt-senior.com

Last week when I wrote, I had just arrived in Sacramento. I took this picture at the airpot because I thought it was quite possible the most adorable support beam I have ever seen!

"Dancing" Connie (one of the Miss CA hostesses) picked me up in Sacramento and we gabbed all the way to Orland, just a couple of hours away. That evening, I attended the sponsor dinner for the Glenn County Fair and had the chance to eat dinner with the Miss Glenn County contestants and watch their rehearsal. They did "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" for their opening number... it was so cute! I talked to the ladies about the fair and they explained to me how they were "showing" their sheep and pigs at the fair the following day! Growing up in Orange County, I certainly had never heard of this before and I knew I had to see this! Not only were they showing sheep and pigs that they had raised, they were going to do so simultaneously while the pageant was happening!

The next morning, I visited CK Price Middle School and had the chance to speak with 4 classes of 7th and 8th grade girls. There were several hundred of them and they were wonderful! Jr. high girls sure do come up with some creative questions... from "What kind of deodorant do you wear?" to telling me all about their future dreams and aspirations, we sure covered a wide variety of topics!

From the middle school, Connie and I went to Merri's (another Miss CA hostess) house for lunch. She prepared a wonderful meal complete with biscuit brulee! Yum! Then we were off to get ready for the fair! On Thursday evening I had the privilege of attending the Glenn County Fair where I signed autographs and spoke about my experiences as Miss California. While this is not a Miss CA preliminary competition, the contestants competed in several categories including private interview, evening gown, speech and onstage question and I would like to say a big congratulations to Staci Bettencourt, Miss Glenn County 2010! Oh, and I also got to watch the girls show their sheep... it was too fun! Thank you so much to Connie and Russ and the Glenn County Fair board for inviting me!

On Saturday morning, I headed to Sacramento to visit UC Davis Children's Hospital and was joined by the lovely Miss Sacramento County Taylor-Paige Butler. We both had a wonderful time visiting patients and doing short interviews with local media. Lezlie from the hospital gave us a wonderful tour and we had a chance to play in the playroom and also visit the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) where we saw a beautiful little baby girl who weighed only a little bit over 1 pound. It is truly miraculous to see what we can do with medicine nowadays and to see how small their little fingers and toes are!

After our hospital visit, we drove to Costco in Folsom. The Costco in Folsom is one of the largest sponsors of the CMN program at UC Davis Children's Hospitals and their team is doing an incredible job to raise money for CMN. Taylor and I walked around Costco greeting customers, took pictures with staff members and signed autographs. We saw the cutest children inside of Costco!

With Connie.. one last Starbucks before I headed home!

From there, it was a quick change of outfits in the car and off to the airport! As soon as I arrived in Orange County, I went straight to an event at church! Busy weekend! Yesterday I celebrated my 22nd birthday speaking at an event called "50+" at my church. It was so much fun! My grandma even came! I did an interview with Pastor Jim Kok and showed a powerpoint slideshow presentation of my year thus far as well as my talent from Miss America. I even got to have a question and answer session. I had a wonderful time and I would like to thank Wendy and Jim for inviting me, it was a fantastic event!!

With Coye, age 96 and her daughter age 69! They were so sweet!

Pastor Jim Kok (AKA Mr. Oprah for the day) interviewing me

Last night I celebrated my birthday with some family and friends and then packed up for San Diego! This morning I sprinted to make it on the train and now I am currently blogging from the train and getting ready for a weekend full of appearances in San Diego!

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend!

P.S. In my next blog, I will talk about my trip to South Carolina back in November that we kept a secret until now!!

Countdown to Miss California 2010: 33 days and 21 hours!!

Quote of the week:

"Quit hanging on to the handrails . . . Let go. Surrender. Go for the ride of your life. Do it every day." -Melody Beattie

May Madness!

2010-05-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

It has been a while since I have updated so I have a TON of appearances to fill you in on! I last left off after my adventure up the coast of California and after my wonderful weekend in Fresno at Miss California 2010 orientation.

The following week I had another wish interview for the Make-A-Wish Foundation where I was able to interview a little boy and find out what he loved to do. Another great kid! On Friday April 30th, I visited West Hills College in Lemoore, CA and had the pleasure of speaking with the Human Physiology Class and several invited guests. I talked about my experiences as Miss California and ended with talking about dreams and goals. It was a great day and they were so very welcoming and receptive! I then had the chance to eat lunch with several administrators and professors and enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by the culinary department at the school! Thank you again for inviting me to West Hills College!

Signing autographs afterwards

With Joel (the Human Physiology Professor) and his wife

The next night, I sat in the audience of the production of "Annie Warbucks" at my former high school and watched the students whom I choreographed for.b They are phenomenal. I am constantly blown away by their talent and abilities and I was thoroughly impressed at what a professional show it was! Great job to the entire cast and crew! I absolutely loved being able to choreograph again!

With the cast and crew of "Annie Warbucks" after a late night at dress rehearsal

During the first week of May, I traveled to Bakersfield for a Got Milk? appearance. After a great drive up the 99, I went to bed early with the hopes of getting enough sleep to be able to wake up at 3am! Yes, I really did say 3am, that was not a typo :) I woke up at 3 and was on the morning news for several hours in Bakersfield with KBAK and FOX. I am the new spokesperson for Got Milk? and their new "Mootopia" campaign which demonstrates how milk promotes healthy shiny hair, a glowing complexion and strong nails. We made a smoothie, face masks and hair masks all using milk products and did several interviews each hour. The time flew by and I had so much fun! I was joined by several girls from Noriega house who started an organization called "Give Love Get Joy" where they collect used prom and bridesmaid dresses and give them to girls who don't have anything to wear to prom. It is a wonderful organization and they have collected several hundred dresses to give out to those who cannot afford to purchase a dress for prom.

With the reporter and camera man from KBAK

With the girls from the Noriega House

The following evening, I was privileged to attend an event at my Alma Mater, USC to introduce Ambassador Edward Perkins for a special event. It was such an honor to meet him and be able to speak with him about his experiences as both the Ambassador to South Africa and also as the Ambassador to the United Nations. He has served the United States on every single continent! An incredible man! The event was put on in conjunction with Sports Scholarships of America, another great scholarship organization that is very rooted in community service.

The following week I had a photo shoot with Cheryl Walsh from Alt-Senior.com who does AMAZING photography!! She specializes in alternative senior photography for graduating high school seniors but also does many other types of photography. We had so much fun shooting at several different locations in my gowns and dresses and she was a blast to work with. Thank you SO much for these wonderful photos! Pictures are coming soon to a blog near you! :)

Please check out her website:

http://www.alt-senior.com/

At the end of the week I was so thankful that I was able to participate in several "senior" events with my sorority, Delta Gamma before the official graduation ceremony. I did complete my education in December but because USC has no formal graduation in the fall, I was able to participate in the main graduation ceremony with all of my friends and fellow classmates. I walked in the cap and gown and complete graduation garb and was able to spend some time with my friends from college which was wonderful. I also got to spend time with family, friends, teachers and some of my most favorite people in the world that evening as we celebrated graduation.

The Delta Gamma Seniors

My mom, me, my dad and brother at graduation!

Two of my friends and sorority sisters, Austen and Kate before graduation

I spent this past weekend in Palm Springs basking in the sun and working on my tan.... just kidding! I was invited to attend the Rite Aid Golf Tournament to benefit Children's Miracle Network. It was truly an incredible event complete with casino night, live bands, a large golf tournament and raffle prizes that ranged from SeaDoos to giant flat screen TVs and even a brand new car! The event was extremely successful and raised over $515,000 for Children's Miracle Network!!!! All of that money will go to Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Children's Hospital Orange County and Rady's Children's Hospital in San Diego. Kudos to everyone who helped put on the event, it was great!

Speaking to the golfers before the headed out to the course

I was home for just about 24 hours then turned around and hopped on an airplane to Sacramento! I am now in Orland, California to speak at a middle school and attend the Glenn County Fair! More about this on my next post!

Two months left and time continually speeds up! I cannot believe how fast a year goes by when you are wearing a crown on your head!

Quote of the week which came from a little girl who spoke at the golf tournament this weekend who was absolutely incredible:

"One hundred years from now
It won't matter
What kind of car I drove
What kind of house I lived in
How much money I had in the bank
Nor what my cloths looked like
BUT
The world may be a little better
Because, I was important
In the life of a child."

- excerpt from "Within My Power" by Forest Witcraft

Days until Miss California 2010: 41 days

Denial.

2010-04-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to look back on the past year of my life and reflect on how much I have changed, grown, matured and learned. The past ten months of being Miss California have stretched me beyond belief and I cannot say thank you enough to everyone who has made it such a great year for me!

I apologize for the brief hiatus in blogging.. I have been so busy with work and my aunt got married last weekend so I was busy being a bridesmaid! I'm so happy to have an Uncle! Congrats Auntie Ahna and Uncle Brian!

With my beautiful aunt before the ceremony... I was SO honored to be a part of her big day!

The past few days have been quite busy! I woke up on Thursday morning at 4:00am, had a pot of coffee on at 4:02am and left Orange County by 5:30 to go to Hollywood for an appearance. I arrived at the famous Hollywood and Highland intersection next to the Kodak Theatre for CBS and KNX 1070's Breakfast Series where I represented Dale Carnegie. I promoted the two Dale Carnegie courses that I participated in (High Impact Presentations and Effective Communicators) and spoke about the many ways I benefited from the programs, both personally and professionally.

From there, Chelle and I hit the road and headed for Santa Barbara. After a beautiful drive up the coast, we stopped at Cottage Children's Hospital in Santa Barbara and I visited with some of the children there. I also recorded a PSA for their telethon that will take place in June. Once again, my heart was touched by the stories that I heard from the families in the hospitals and I was blown away at the strength that these children have. One story in particular that stands out was when I met Jonathan during his chemotherapy treatment. His parents and younger sister were so sweet and I really enjoyed hearing their story.

With Jonathan who was incredible and his darling little sister!

Taping the PSA for the telethon to air June 5th and 6th

Don't worry we were stopped at a red light :)

We left the hospital and made a pit stop at Yogurtland (you all know how I love my frozen yogurt... and this was Chelle's first time! Needless to say, I think I have her hooked). Then it was back on the road again. With several GPS systems, a computer, two cell phones and Sirius radio on hand, we sang country music for four more hours and ended up in Salinas for the night! On Friday morning I visited Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital where I once again spent time with the children (actually, mostly teenagers here) and recorded a few segments for an upcoming TV special. The tour was wonderful! One thing I especially loved was that outside of the hospital they had an adorable playhouse which they auction off to raise money for Children's Miracle Network! What a great idea for a fundraiser! I absolutely LOVE playhouses :)

This is the darling playhouse!

Once again, after the hospital visit, it was time to get back in the car and head to Miss California Orientation in Fresno. I had a really great time on Friday night seeing the state staff, production crew, and many local executive directors that I hadn't seen in a while. And let me tell you, orientation is a lot less stressful on the other side! It was a jam packed weekend full of meetings, rehearsals, talent reviews, lottery drawings, mock interviews and of course, constant picture taking. I was so excited to meet the 56 girls who will vie for my crown in July! They are not only beautiful but intelligent, gracious, and extremely talented. I had the wonderful privilege of sitting in on the mock interviews and really getting to know the girls which was an absolute blast. I think I almost have everyone's names, faces and titles memorized!

Welcome to orientation at the Piccidilly!

Some of the contestants before the start of the day

Yayy for the lottery!!

Russ deserves a HUGE pat on the back for running such an efficient and FUN lottery!

After a busy day of running around, we all had a chance to get dressed up and attend a lovely dinner complete with raffles, scavenger hunts and chocolate cake! I also did a short presentation for the contestants showcasing all of the wonderful sponsors from this past year. The slideshow highlighted pictures from this year and gave the ladies a glimpse of the many things they will receive when one of them is the next Miss California.

All dressed up for dinner!

With Monica Stainer, Miss CA OT

A few of the wonderful hostesses!!

Almost all of the contestants, I think we missed a few unfortunately!

The girls were attempting to grab my crown... they didn't know it is semipermanently glued on my head for the next two and half months :)

My favorite business manager!

With Mary, Ernie and Tom, great additions to the Miss CA Org!

With my local ED, Linda Dash!

This morning it was my pleasure to speak with the contestants, explain my job description, and give them my "tips" for pageant week. It was very surreal to stand up there in front of 56 expectant faces who so badly want to wear the crown next year. I remember sitting and listening to Melissa (Miss Cal 07) and Jackie (Miss Cal 08) speak and wondering to myself... "Can I do this job? Do I have what it takes?" and imagining myself in their shoes... and while I was up there I was once again humbled and grateful. Where else in the world can you find so many incredible girls and so many volunteers who so freely give everything they have to make this such a life changing experience? I guarantee you that you cannot find another organization like this one. This year truly has flown by and I am completely in denial that it will be over in just 10 short weeks. My plans for the next ten weeks are the same as my plans at the beginning of this year: take advantage of every opportunity. I plan to do just that.

Quote of the week:

I maybe here for a short while, gone tomorrow into oblivion or until the days come to take me away. But, in whatever part you play, be remembered as part of a legacy...of sharing dreams and changing humanity for the better. It's that legacy that never dies”

- author unknown

Song of the week:

"Legacy" by Nicole Nordeman

Days until I leave for Miss CA 2010: 66 days

Blogging from San Francisco Airport

2010-03-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Well it has been a few weeks since I have updated all of you so settle in and here goes!

The first weekend of March I drove to Tulare County with Kathi Baldwin for the Miss Tulare County pageant. We had a great time! Everyone was so very sweet and hospitable and I stayed with the Smiths which was too fun! The pageant was wonderful and I had so much fun with the contestants at rehearsals and during interviews! And I had an incredible dinner before the pageant with the judges... complete with creme brulee! Yum! Congratulations to Anne Baker, Miss Tulare County 2010!

The next morning Kathi and I left bright and early and headed down to Malibu for Isabella's birthday party. It was a great day and the girls had their own sashes, had a chance to show their talents and had fun learning about the different phases of competition. Happy Birthday Isabella and thank you for inviting me to your party!

The birthday girl!

After two days at home, it was off to Roanoke, Virginia for Miss America's homecoming!! I arrived very late on Thursday night and my tutu made it safely too :) The next morning Caressa Cameron (Miss America 2010), Chinah Helmandollar (Miss Virginia 2009) and I made a quick appearance and visited some children for a CMN fundraiser then we went to the CMN hospital in Roanoke. We toured the hospital and met a few patients which was great! Then we had a wonderful lunch with the Board of Directors of the Miss VA Org. and with a CMN family. I am excited to add that hospital to my list of CMN hospitals that I have been to this year!

After the hospital we changed clothes and headed to the Dye's house which is situated up on a hill in Roanoke and has a beautiful view of the city! It was pouring rain and we drove up a one way street to the top of the hill... Miss Kentucky and I were in the back seat holding on for dear life! On the way down the mountain we had a little trek down the road in our heels with umbrellas.. it was a nice little adventure! From there we went to the Taubman Museum of Art for a public appearance where Caressa and several other former Miss Virginia's sang and entertained.

On Saturday, the top 5 (except Miss Tennessee who was at orientation) went to a brunch. It was wonderful and we had the opportunity to meet so many girls who were and still are involved with the Miss VA Org. It is so fun for me to meet young women who are just starting out their journey through the pageants and it will be fun now to keep up with their state competition to see who becomes Miss VA 2010!

After brunch, we had an autograph signing and then rehearsed for the gala that evening. That evening we got all dressed up and had a wonderful dinner and a great night of festivities. Two former Miss America's Nicole Johnson and Kylene Barker who were also Miss Virginia were the hosts and it was fun to get to meet them! Quite a few former Miss Virginia's performed as well as myself, Miss Kentucky and Miss Louisiana. It was a fantastic evening and I was honored to be invited and included in the festivities. Thank you again to everyone at the Miss Virginia Org for such a lovely trip!

Me, Miss VA 2007, and Miss Kentucky at the Dye's house

Miss Louisiana, Miss VA 2009, Elaine, me, Miss Kentucky and Wendi after the brunch

At the autograph signing..

The gala on Saturday night

On my way home I had two flight delays, one lost bag and one long sprint to the terminal where I barely made my flight! Quite the adventure but at least I got in a small workout :) I was home for one day and then headed off to Arizona to visit my brother at Spring Training in Tempe, AZ with the Angels. My mom and I drove and we had such a great time! It was so relaxing! We got to tour the stadium, meet the players, see the clubhouse, etc. and I even did an interview with the Japanese media! (They were there covering Matsui)

On Saturday evening I was asked to MC the Arvella Schuller Scholarship Concert. This is a scholarship concert that is put on by my former elementary, middle and high school that awards scholarships to the students at the school in various disciplines of performing arts and allows the students to use the funds to train outside of school. When I attended the school I received several scholarships in drama and dance and was able to pay for many many dance classes through the scholarship program! Needless to say, I was thrilled to MC and Nick Coleman (also a graduate of the school and Dr. Schuller's grandson) also hosted with me. We dressed up as Dr. and Mrs. Schuller, news anchors, jr. high school students, etc. and had so much fun! They also asked me to dance "The Swan" which was fun and I thought of Jackie the entire time! Much to my surprise, they presented me with a special award for promoting Christian values in the media and gave me a beautiful engraved crystal award. Congratulations to all of the scholarship recipients!

Bright and early the next morning, Chelle arrived at my house and we were off to San Francisco! We arrived and were picked up by Zim who was just wonderful! We had a great time finding Starbucks and then we went straight to the pageant! The pageant was great and Miss Hawaii 2009, Raeceen Woolford was there too! It was so fun to be reunited again with her! We were good friends in Las Vegas and she is one of the sweetest most gracious and funniest girls I have ever met! We had too much fun together this weekend! A very big congratulations to Miss San Francisco 2010, Nicole Honaker!! After the pageant we went to a Thai restaurant for dinner... there was sooo much food! It was so fun to hang out with Bob, Chelle, Vera, Connie, Stacy, Steve, Zim, Raeceen, Larry, Winny, Heidi and the rest of the crew at dinner and just laugh and relax after the pageant festivities!

On Monday we had the opportunity to take a tour through Napa which was just beautiful! Raeceen and I had some fun taking silly pictures! All in all, it was a wonderful trip! The southwest lady on the phone last night led us astray so Chelle and I are trying to kill four hours in the airport terminal...! Anyways, it is almost time for Miss California orientation... just about a month away! Good luck to the rest of the girls who are still competing and to all of the current titleholders, I can't wait to see you all in a few weeks!

Congrats Nicole!!

Raeceen and me in Napa

The whole gang!

Quote of the week: “You cannot afford to wait for perfect conditions. Goal setting is often a matter of balancingtiming against available resources. Opportunities are easily lost while waiting for perfect conditions.”

- Gary Ryan Blair

Record setting, three crowns and a wish!

2010-03-02T10:36:00.000-08:00

Hello friends!

Last week on Tuesday February 23rd, IHOP hosted National Pancake Day where they gave away a free short stack on pancakes in exchange for donations to the Children's Miracle Network. Jamie Gerhardt (Miss Placentia 2010) and I visited two different IHOP's to help raise money for the Children's Miracle Network. At our first stop in Cypress, we broke the corporate record for pancake stacking... we stacked 28 pancakes!! It was quite the task, but with strategy and teamwork, we were able to successfully stack the pancakes! The managers and staff were very excited! At our second stop we were joined by two Children's Miracle Network families from CHOC hospital and we got really messy decorating pancakes with whipped cream, strawberries and all sorts of different syrups! We had so much fun with the families, loved hearing their stories, and the children did an incredible job advocating for CMN and CHOC. What a great day! Thank you to all who participated!

We got creative with pancakes and spelled out "CMN" next to our impressive stack of 28 pancakes!

The team at the Cypress location celebrating the new record!

All ready to cook in our aprons!

The wonderful CMN families... they were awesome!

This past weekend I traveled up to Redwood City for the Miss Redwood City/San Mateo County pageants. The contestants were great and we had a lot of fun bonding before and after interviews! Thank you to Chris and Krista Cheshire for inviting me to the pageant and to Trynie and Paul for hosting me and driving me around! Also, a very big congratulations to Jackie Harris (Miss Redwood City 2010), Pryanka Venkatesh (Miss San Mateo County 2010) and Renee Ferrari (Miss Redwood City/San Mateo's Outstanding Teen 2010).

I returned home on Sunday and yesterday I granted a wish with the Make-A-Wish Foundation! What an incredible night... my "wish kid" was so very grateful and so excited for her wish to come true and it was truly an honor to be a part of the experience!

Quote of the week:

"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple"

- Dr. Seuss

February!

2010-02-18T18:55:00.000-08:00

Hi friends!

I have been quite a busy lady since returning home from Miss America!

Just a few days after I got back from Vegas I had a photo shoot and interview with Coast Magazine at Total Woman Gym where I took Pilates. It was very fun! Look out for the March edition which focuses on philanthropy because there will be a special article in there!

Also, several people have brought these websites to my attention so I thought I would share them here... check them out!

http://college.usc.edu/news/stories/690/from-ball-gown-to-lab-coat/

http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/miss-america-pageant-2010-miss-california-does-ballet.html

Then it was my privilege to attend the Miss Fullerton pageant where I attended the contestants rehearsal dinner and got to chat with all of them and also had the pleasure of congratulating Gabby Marco and Sabrina Alonso as Miss Fullerton 2010 and Miss Fullerton's Outstanding Teen 2010! All of the girls were wonderful and Monica and I both had the opportunity to perform! Bob and I also had a chance to "debrief" about Miss America which was so nice! I still can't believe that it is over!!

With past and present Miss Fullerton titleholders!

Bob and I got matching crowns :) He was such a good sport!

The next morning I was the interview guest on the Hour Of Power at the Crystal Cathedral. The interview will air this Sunday (Feb 21st) and will also be online at crystalcathedral.org within the coming days. It was fun to update the church on what happened at Miss America and also have an opportunity to say "thank you" for all of their support! I am so thankful to have such a large platform to share my story! And a special thank you to Kirribilla for my dress! I just love their clothes! Visit their website at http://www.kirribilla.com/

After my Hour of Power interview with vocalist Tom Tipton... he is great!!

I went back to work for a few days and then on Tuesday I was off to San Jose for a Veteran's Hospital Tour of Palo Alto. I visited four Veteran's hospitals over three days. What an amazing experience. I have a entirely different appreciation for everyone who has or is currently serving in the military. Thank you for serving our country! I visited several hundred Veterans, signed autographs and took pictures with every one of them. Another thing that made this experience so neat for me is that Miss California has been doing these visits for many many years and so it was incredible to become a part of that tradition. Many of the men had their pictures with Jackie or Melissa and even one with Rebekah Keller up on their bulletin boards in their rooms! We get to go into these hospitals and provide a big smile and a warm visit and I hope this tradition continues with many Miss Californias to come!

With Bill at the Palo Alto Veteran's Hospital

Linda Ontiveros and me

With the clowns

A special thank you to Mary, Stephanie, Patti, Dirk, the Wunderlich family, Paul and Linda O. for driving me around and accompanying me as my traveling companions! I loved seeing all of you!

Such a fun dinner! They all surprised me and wore "I love Miss California" shirts... too cute!

Just wanted to also let all of you know about IHOP National Pancake Day! On Tuesday, February 23, 2010. From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., IHOP will give you one free short stack of their famous buttermilk pancakes! All they ask is that you consider making a donation to the Children's Miracle Network! Click on this link for more information: http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/

Enjoy a free pancake breakfast and support the Children's Miracle Network... it's a win-win situation!

Quote of the week: “Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” ~ Ashley Smith (thank you Nara!)

Miss America!!

2010-02-03T00:03:00.000-08:00

WOW. What an absolute whirlwind the last two weeks have been!

I am not even quite sure where to start! This will likely be a lengthy post, so grab a cup of coffee and a blanket and settle in... here goes!

The Sunday before I left for Miss America, Bob and the Baldwins threw me a "sendoff party". It was wonderful!! I had such a great time and it was the perfect way to see everyone before I left. Bob even surprised me by having MISS AMERICA there! I was shocked! It was a wonderful evening, thank you so so much to everyone who was involved in the planning process!!

The next two days were filled with last minute shopping trips, lots and lots and lots of packing, and last minute gym trips and even a quick appearance at Total Woman Gym and Day Spa in Laguna Hills. On Wednesday morning, Kathi drove me to Chelle's house with her car packed to the brim and Chelle then drove me to Las Vegas. It took us 6 1/2 hours through rain, snow, fog and sunshine to arrive at the Planet Hollywood.

Then, the festivities began! We had opening ceremonies, meetings, fittings, TLC interviews, rehearsals, dinners, photo shoots, etc. Every moment was wonderful! It felt like I was there for two days instead of two weeks! There was one day where I changed outfits 6 times! It was crazy! Amidst the gondola rides at the Venetian, dinner at Buca di Bepo and PF Changs, the Phantom of the Opera, and the IHOP Pancake Breakfast... I made lifelong friends. I don't think that there was a single day where I did not laugh so hard that I cried. The girls were absolutely phenomenal and I felt so very blessed and humbled to be a part of such talented, driven and accomplished group of young women. Thank you so much girls for making me a part of your life!

I will share some of my favorite pictures from throughout the week here with you. Check out the misscalifornia.org website for more pictures!

Flipping pancakes for the IHOP pancake breakfast!

Me with Miss New Mexico, Miss Colorado and Miss Arkansas after our photo shoot with military boots!

A quick picture with Miss Pennsylvania just before opening ceremonies (Dress from Kirribilla)

Katherine and me being silly during a photoshoot

Backstage with Clinton Kelly during an extra taping!

At Buca di Bepo... our table devoured the dessert!

With Miss Alabama, Miss Colorado and Miss Hawaii before the fashion show

With Miss Michigan and Miss Oregon at the Venetian for the gondola rides.

The Carolinas had to duke it out for Miss California... love you girls!

Also, click on the links below for some articles from the past few weeks:

http://www.ocregister.com/news/-232284--.html

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/miss-231790-cavinder-america.html

http://healthyliving.freedomblogging.com/2010/01/21/miss-california-gets-in-a-final-workout/15459/

http://tv.rightcelebrity.com/?p=3904

On Tuesday morning I had my interview which went very well and then on Tuesday evening I competed in swimsuit and evening wear. By the end of the night I had finished 60% of the competition and I was SO excited to see my committee and my family and friends! They were all so very supportive and so cute sporting their "I love Miss California" T-shirts and buttons. Visitation was over in a matter of minutes and I was back to my room to get ready for Wednesday... talent!

Wednesday was a great day... and I was awarded the preliminary talent award for the sigma group. I was shocked. My group was amazingly talented and I had no idea how the judges could possibly choose one winner that night. Some of the singers blew me away! I was honored to be chosen!

With Bob after the final competition

Miss Cal and Miss New York, Wednesday night prelim winners

With Lee Merriweather Miss America 1955 and a former Miss California! She is wonderful!

With my family after Wednesday night prelims

Team California after the first prelim night... we grew as the week went on!

Thursday was a fun night... just onstage question!

On Friday we rehearsed quite a bit and all of the contestants were very worn out so most of us sported our robes to rehearsal :) Friday night we attended the "Evening of Dreams" gala fundraiser and we had a wonderful steak dinner and had the chance to meet and speak with several former Miss Americas. On Friday and during preliminaries I met Vonda Van Dyk, Lee Merriweather, Jean Bartel, Kirsten Haglund, Dorothy Benham and several others. I was mesmerized that they still had a glow about them... I guess once a Miss America, always a Miss America. It was also so fun to see Jackie and pick her brain one last time before the final night! Thanks for everything Jackie, you are such an encouragement! I also got a shout out from Marie Osmond about my work with Children's Miracle Network! That was so neat!

Jackie, Tom and me at Evening of Dreams

Old roomie picture! Miss Mass, Miss New Jersey and Miss Kentucky

Roommate picture!

After the pageant with Gregory Ellenburg, the designer of my gown and onstage question dress

Saturday morning flew by as we prepared for the live TV show of finals night and before we knew it... we were dancing and introducing ourselves to a crowd of 7,100 screaming fans and 4.5 million TV viewers at home. The energy was electric and my spirit was calm but my ankles were shaking. I made sure that each and every night I took a moment to pause onstage and close my eyes... to remember the way I felt, what it looked like and sounded like and tried to engrave that image my memory for forever... these are the stories I will tell my grandkids about. Incredible.

The night started off great as I made it into the top 15, then competed in swimsuit, then evening wear, then was the first to make it into the top 10 for talent, then into the top 7 for onstage question. When we went out for the final results and the crowning, I knew I had done everything I possibly could have. I did not have a single regret. I felt like I was prepared in every way, shape, and form and that throughout the two week of events leading up to the crowning that my committee, my family and my faith had provided everything I needed to accomplish this goal. Now it was finally time to see if it was in God's plan for me to be Miss America. I quickly learned that God had other things in store for me and I happily accepted the first runner up position, along with $27,000 in scholarships and couldn't be happier to come home to California and finish my year as Miss California.

Wednesday night prelim talent winner

I truly do believe that everything happens for a reason and I will continue to live by this phrase. Thank you so very much to all of you who prayed for me, supported me and encouraged me. I felt your prayers, appreciated your support and needed your encouragement. You all have made a difference in my life and I am so thankful for each of you!

I have SO many people to thank but I just wanted to take one quick minute to thank these people publicly...

Bob, thank you for the interview coaching, phone calls, emails and everything you do for your Miss California... I was honored to be "your girl" at Miss America.

Chelle, thank you for driving me, taking me to Trader Joe's and for your constant and undying encouragement. You are my favorite business manager :)

Nikki, you made me look and feel fabulous. I cannot thank you enough for the shopping trips, emails, picture messages and the countless hours of helping me put together my wardrobe!

Russ, thank you SO much for helping me pick out my talent piece... it was perfect!

Linda and Donna thank you for your support and for all the ways that you helped me get to where I am!

Kathi and Glenn, my second mom and dad... thank you for your advice, your listening ear and your generous hearts. I am forever grateful.

Ernie and the PPA, the money that you supplied to Miss CA this year for extra things required at Miss America was a tremendous help... thank you for making it possible for me to feel fabulous all along the way!

Gregory Ellenburg: Thank you so much for my beautiful gown and onstage question dress and shoes! You were such a joy to work with and I was honored to wear your gowns! Thank you!

My family and friends: I am so lucky to have you in my life. Thank you for sharing this journey with me and thank you so very much for your continued love and support!!

After a few days of catching up on much needed sleep, I am off again and staying very busy for the rest of my year as Miss California... stay tuned for more on my upcoming appearances!

Blogging on the road

2010-01-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

This weekend has been great! On Friday I traveled up to San Jose where I was met by Paul Sanfilipo. We had a great time joking and laughing in the car and we picked up Joyce Patereau on the way to Merced. I attended the dress rehearsal for the Miss Merced County, Miss Sierra Nevada and Miss Yosemite Valley pageant and got to visit with the contestants and catch up with my committee. It was so fun to see Linda, Donna, Michelle, Wendy, Dancing Connie and Merri this weekend!

On Saturday I went to the interviews with the contestants and "warmed up" the panel which was fun! Thank you judges for a great interview!

Saturday night was wonderful... my local committee did several wonderful things to acknowledge and honor me, it was so sweet! They played a slideshow at the pageant that Jenna Harvey (1st runner up to Miss California) made for my homecoming and it was so neat to relive my year thus far through pictures and videos!

The most exciting part of the weekend was welcoming in three new titleholders!! Nicole Honaker (Miss Sierra Nevada 2009) Loryn Weddle (Miss Merced County 2009) and I were very proud to crown Elizabeth Kress the new Miss Sierra Nevada 2010, Briana Verderberg the new Miss Merced County 2010 and Jasmine Nachtigall Miss Yosemite Valley 2010. The MC's did a wonderful job, thank you Jenna, Nicole and Sheriff Mark Pazin!

With the contestants before the "high fashion" opening number

With Jenna Harvey, the MC and 1st runner up to Miss California

My girls :) Nicole and Loryn (Miss Sierra Nevada 2009 and Miss Merced County 2009)

This morning Paul and I had quite the adventure getting to the airport and I better finish up my blog because we are almost there! Im off to my sendoff party!

Well, my sendoff party was WONDERFUL! I had an absolute blast! It felt like it lasted for 5 minutes... To my surprise, Katie Stam (Miss America) was there! I was shocked! It was a great afternoon full of picture taking, laughter, wonderful food and great company. Thank you so much for all who came!

I am now in the car on the way to Vegas! It has certainly been a weather-filled trip and Chelle and I have experienced rain, snow, fog, sunshine and now we are back to the rain :) The car is fully loaded and we had just enough room to squeeze the two of us in here with all of our luggage! I can't believe that tomorrow I will put my crown on with 52 other incredible women and the week of festivities will begin! In just a week and a half we will have a brand new Miss America!

I am going to attempt to update my blog as much as possible from Las Vegas so stay tuned for updates! Thank you all for your support, messages of encouragement and prayers! And don't forget to tune in next Friday at 10pm on TLC for the media special and then again on Saturday the 30th for finals night LIVE on TLC!

I will leave you with one of my all time favorite quotes from Audrey Hepburn:

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."

Audrey Hepburn

LAS VEGAS... HERE I COME!

Until next time.. ♥

Blogging live from the San Jose Airport!

2010-01-10T09:10:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

Sorry it has been awhile since I have updated you... I have been running around getting ready for Miss America which is just a mere 7 days away!

Several of you have asked about a link to watch the Christmas Eve service at the Crystal Cathedral... so here it is! This was one of the 7 services that evening

http://www.crystalcathedral.org/hour_of_power/videos/christmas.php

This weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Miss Santa Clara pageant! It was a great weekend complete with a Princess crowning, mock interviews and even Mary's Rocky Road fudge! Jackie Geist, Miss California 2008 and Crystal Lee Miss California's Outstanding Teen 2008 were the MCs for the pageant and it was so fun to see them and catch up! Monica Stainer also came up this weekend and even performed at the pageant, she was awesome! The four of us were honored to congratulate Felicia Alvarez, the new Miss Santa Clara 2010 and Jessa Carmack, Miss Santa Clara's Outstanding Teen 2010. Both Brittany Adams and Britney Raudez were so gracious and it was fun to see the outgoing titleholders perform and to hear about their year in Santa Clara.

With Monica Stainer, Miss CA's Outstanding Teen

Congratulations Jessa and Felicia!

Miss CA OT 2008 and 2009 and Miss CA 2009 and 2008

It was so fun to hang out with you girls!!

Monica and me with Miss Santa Clara 2009 and Miss Santa Clara OT 2009 along with the contestants in the back row.

The pageant was so well run... Stephanie and Mary you two are awesome! Once again, a very sincere thank you to the Miss Santa Clara pageant and Santa Clara Auxiliary for all of your support this year! And thank you to the judges who grilled me during my interviews :)

I roomed with Chelle which was so much fun! She gave me the best pep talk and I was ready to leave for Miss America at 1 o'clock in the morning... I had trouble falling asleep because I got excited!

So most of you are probably wondering.... what have I been up to? I have been busy getting ready for Miss America which means that I have been working out with Mike, meeting Bob about interview issues, getting all of my alterations finished for my wardrobe, practicing my talent, meeting with Nikki to put all of my outfits together, etc. And believe it or not... I am still having a blast! I also have been taking private pilates lessons from Gina at Total Woman which has been SO wonderful! I love working with the reformer, chair, and all of the other Pilates contraptions! I highly recommend it! Pictures coming soon! Thank you to Total Woman and Gina for this great sponsorship!

I am also currently working on granting two wishes with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and hope to have the wishes completed in the next few months! More details coming soon! :)

I also want to fill you all in a little bit about when you can watch Miss America on television. On Friday January 29th, there will be a one hour media special that will air on TLC (check local listings for times) and at the end of the special you will have the opportunity to vote four girls into the top 15 at Miss America. Then, the following night on Saturday January 30th the Miss America pageant will air LIVE on TLC! That is when the top 15 will compete in swimsuit, evening gown, talent and onstage question and will then be narrowed down to the final girl... Miss America 2010! Make sure you tune in or set your tivo!

Miss America countdown: 7 days 13 hours. Can you believe I am now including HOURS?!

Favorite quote of the week: From the song "Dream Big" by Ryan Shupe

"When you laugh be sure to laugh out loud

'Cause it will carry all your cares away
And when you see, see the beauty all around and in yourself
And it'll help you feel okay
And when you pray, pray for strength
To help you carry on
When the troubles come your way

And when you dream, dream big
As big as the ocean blue
'Cause when you dream it might come true
When you dream, dream big"

HOORAY!

2009-12-17T23:03:00.000-08:00

I am writing this as an official graduate of USC!! I just finished taking my last final and I am done with college... I can't believe it! I am the first female in the family to have a college degree! I am currently looking at my big stack of books and wondering how three and a half years could have possibly flown by that fast... It seems like two weeks ago I was moving in to my freshman dorm room!

Anyways, I am very happy to be done with school and now I can turn all of my focus towards Miss America!

Here is a little update on what I have been up to the past few weeks...

I left off at the Oakland Holiday Parade which was such a blast! The next day, I attended the Miss Oakland Fundraiser with the current Miss Oakland and Miss Oakland's Outstanding Teen as well as several of the competitors for Miss Oakland 2010. It was a great event... Layne and Steven did a fabulous job and the girls modeled fashions from Cache... and I can't forget that there was a chocolate fountain! yum! Thank you so much for inviting me to this- it was such a fun afternoon!

The beautiful Sophia , Miss Oakland 2009

With Vera- my traveling companion for the day! We had so much together!

With Layne Sanders, the Executive Director of the Miss Oakland Pageant

Keeping the tradition... here is the funny picture!

After the fashion show, it was straight on to the airport and Vera who was my wonderful traveling companion for the day got me to San Francisco in no time! I spent a few hours in the terminal doing homework and taking an online test and then I was off to Denver, Colorado! My mom had a big birthday (Don't worry mom... I won't spoil which one ;) ) and my dad surprised her and sent her, my aunt, my grandma and me to Denver! My grandma grew up there and my mom was born there and lived there when she was young, so we went back and re-traced their childhood. We ironically chose to go at a time when Denver was hit with a very unusual cold spell and lots of snow!! The high while we were there was 11 degrees and when we left, it was a freezing -32 degrees with the wind chill. Brr! We laughed so much and had a wonderful time just being together! But we were all certainly glad to return home to sunny California. I must say that I give Miss Colorado a lot of credit for living in that cold weather! :)

My mom, grandma and me in front of house where my grandma grew up

Dancing in the snow!! Why not?!

My aunt and me

When I got home, I went straight from the airport to a Nutcracker rehearsal, then had two Glory of Christmas shows that night... I was a bit crazy by the end of the day! The following day I had a TV interview for Glory of Christmas and the rest of the week was filled with dress rehearsals for Nutcracker.

On Saturday, I performed in the Nutcracker production with the Tustin Dance Center. I grew up at this studio so it was so much fun to go back and perform with them. Tustin Dance is the place where I truly discovered that I loved to dance. Chelle even came to watch which was so great!

With Leah, one of the adorable dancers in the production! She is such a lovely young lady!

My wonderful partner AJ!

This week has been filled with more shows, working out with Mike, meeting with Bob and finishing up all of those little details for Miss America! On Tuesday, I got to interview another wish kid for the Make-A-Wish Foundation! Too fun! And today, we had our final "GEL" mentoring meeting of the year and I baked almost 200 cookies that girls got to decorate today! We had a great time!

I have to take the time to thank all of you for such a wonderful year thus far. You have been so very supportive, generous, encouraging and helpful throughout this process and I am so blessed by all of you. While I am the one who gets to wear the crown for the year, it is all of you who keep this organization going who are truly the ones to be praised. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Also, just a little heads up that I will be dancing on Christmas Eve at the Crystal Cathedral and it will air live internationally! Depending on the city where you live it might air on FOX, ABC, NBC, MYTV, Lifetime, etc. so be sure to check your local listings (sometimes there is a tape delay). I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Countdown to Miss America: 33 days

Favorite Christmas song of the week: "White Christmas"

Blogging from Oakland!

2009-12-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Whew! Is it really already Saturday??!!

On my last post, I left off on Monday night after my Glory of Christmas show... Tuesday morning I woke up bright and early and danced on "Good Day LA" for a segment on the Glory of Christmas. After that, I danced in two "Children's Day" shows where we put on the Glory of Christmas for thousands of school children absolutely free... it is always one of my favorite shows to perform in. I felt like I had come full circle and it was a surreal moment for me during the first show because my elementary school came to watch... I so vividly remember sitting in those chairs and longing to dance the role that I currently have. I was very grateful and humbled by the experience!

After the shows, I ran home, showered and got ready for the next event! By 6pm, I was in Los Angeles at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony for Loyola Marymount University. ASLMU (the student government of LMU) put on a wonderful evening complete with a horse-drawn carriage and an ice rink! All the money they raised went towards the Make-A-Wish Foundation and I spoke on behalf of the Foundation and also shared my favorite "wish story".

Wednesday was another bright an early morning as I went to Palm Desert to get my hair done... thank you Lorraine... wonderful as always! As soon as I got home, I changed and went to a birthday dinner for my mom (Happy Birthday mom!) and then I was off to Glory of Christmas shows...

On Thursday, we had our bi-monthly G.E.L. (Growing Exceptional Ladies) meeting and I thought I would share a picture with you of some of our girls that are involved this year! They are wonderful!

Friday morning I was on my way to Oakland for several events in the city. Linda Ontiveros picked me up from the airport and we went to Mary's closet. I cannot express how grateful I am for Mary and the Santa Clara Auxiliary! They are so very generous and I really appreciate all that they do for the organization and for me! After we visited Mary's, we headed to Linda's house for a makeup lesson. She was wonderful and it was a great hands-on experience. Thank you SO much for all of my wonderful makeup! To check out her products, visit Lindaontiveros.com

Friday night I attended the tree lighting ceremony in Jack London Square in Oakland. It was a great and we even got a sneak peek at two of the great floats that will be in the parade today! I was joined by Miss Rosa who is the host of a PBS Kids show as well as Tina from PBS kids. I had the honors of pulling the lever to light the trees. This was a much different tree lighting than earlier this week because I lit several palm trees rather than a traditional Christmas tree! I guess that is Christmas in California :) After the ceremony, we had a wonderful dinner at the Waterfront Hotel in the Presidential Suite. The parade staff and several honored guests were in attendances and it was a very fun night!

This morning I stayed in my pajamas until 10am taking a midterm! I am two weeks away from finishing school, so it is really crunch time!

Before the parade, I attended a VIP reception where there were hundreds of kids and many different characters including characters from Looney Tunes, Star Wars, etc. We took lots of pictures and I even got to visit with Santa! After the reception we headed to the mustang convertible for the parade! What a wonderful parade! There were numerous giant balloons, several floats and a bunch of convertibles with characters riding in them. The streets were lined with bundled up children and happy families waving and cheering. The parade will air in 145 different countries and you can visit the Oakland Holiday Parade website for more details!

With Jonathan and Wayne at the reception

The elf that walked in front of our car!

Before the parade

With Miss Oakland's Outstanding Teen and Miss Oakland

Anyways, I have to go take another test for school... thanks for reading!

Countdown to Miss America: 45 days

Instead of a quote, I have decided to change it up for Christmas... so...

Favorite song of the week: Christmas Shoes By Newsong

It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS!

2009-11-30T22:10:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I sure did. My grandparents flew in from Virginia and for the first time, we moved Thanksgiving to my house! My mom and I fared well with the turkey and our new healthy stuffing and it was so much fun to spend time with family and laugh together! And yes... even though I am Miss Cal. I still have my normal dish duty :)

A few exciting things to catch you up on!

My interview on the Hour of Power is online and can be seen here:

http://www.crystalcathedral.org/hour_of_power/index.php

The OC Register did an article about me dancing in the Glory of Christmas that can be accessed here:

http://www.ocregister.com/news/cavinder-220993-glory-miss.html

This weekend I finally got to go to a USC game and proudly watch as the Trojans beat the Bruins! It was so much fun! :)

Tonight was my first show for the Glory of Christmas!! Bob, the Baldwins, my entire family, my boyfriend's family and another friends' family all came which was so much fun! Thank you all for coming, it meant the world to me :) This morning I was also on "Good Day LA" which was a ton of fun!

One of my Glory of Christmas partners, Evan, and me before our show on Monday!

The adorable Ruth who has become my third grandma! :)

Bob and me after the show

With the Baldwins after the show

Look out for another blog towards the end of the week because I am realllly busy this week!

Countdown to Miss America: 49 days!! (gulp!)

Quotes of the week:

"Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts."

~Author Unknown

"Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a floor, upon which one walks as a matter of course and prescriptive right."
Aldous Huxley

Thanks for reading!

Caffeine.

2009-11-16T16:18:00.000-08:00

First off, I must thank Chelle for the Starbucks card that she gave me at my homecoming. I have managed to have several appearances with very little sleep because of it :) The only problem is that I have really grown to love that cappuccino in the morning!!

On Sunday, I had the privilege of being an interview guest on the Hour of Power. It was a bit surreal to stand in the pulpit and have my name in the bulletin as a guest since I have spent most of my life sitting in the audience as a part of the church congregation. It was an absolute blast and Laura Story, a fabulous christian recording artist as well as Ken Duncan, an internationally acclaimed photographer were both there on Sunday as well. Sheila Schuller Coleman interviewed me and at the end Dr. Schuller came up too! There is a two week tape delay, so the show will air on Saturday November 28th on TBN and on Sunday November 29th on the lifetime channel. The Hour of Power is aired internationally, check your local listings for times.

During the interview with Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman and Dr. Schuller

She is giving me her form of a "good luck charm"

With my grandma (third one in from the left) and friends

I was even on the corner sign!

With my parents :)

After the Hour of Power, I rushed home, changed clothes, touched up my makeup and was on my way to Temecula! Mary Bette picked me up and we headed to the Miss Southwest Riverside pageant. The venue was beautiful! I took some pictures with the Murrietta varsity dance team who performed that evening. The Miss pageant had five contestants and the Outstanding Teen division had three contestants. I had the opportunity to ask the onstage questions, speak for a few minutes as well as crown the new Miss Southwest Riverside and the Oustanding Teen! I have never crowned anyone before, so I was very excited to get to do this! Congratulations to Christyn Richardson!

Such talented little girls!!

Congratulations Christyn!

Me and the Murrietta High School Dance Team

Monday morning I worked out with Mike... and Tuesday morning I was sore :)

On Tuesday, after Nutcracker rehearsal, I visited UCI medical center. What a fantastic visit! I toured the hospital with Leanne Funada (Business Development Director), Susana Perez (RN Transport Coordinator), and Thy Ry (Communications). We were also joined by Vicky Lombardo, the Associate State Director of Program Services for the March of Dimes. The tour started with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I have now toured several NICUs and UCI's blew me away! Their state of the art equipment and large facility make them an excellent choice for neonatal care. I saw one baby who only weighed one pound... it amazes me what these doctors can do and I am always in awe at how tiny their little fingers are and how perfectly God put them together... even at 25 weeks!

After the NICU, we toured the Obstetrical Unit and we were met by Dr. Hameed. She was so sweet! I got the chance to meet the entire Labor & Delivery team and several residents as well as many of the nurses from the unit. At one point on Tuesday, there were 11 women in labor at the same time! It must be contagious! I toured the unit and even got to visit the nursery where two healthy babies were sleeping away. I also got to visit several patients who were on bed rest as well as one happy mom who had delivered earlier that day. I learned about the reasons why moms should carry their babies to full term. With each day and week, the baby is developing at a tremendous rate and if at all possible, the mom should strive to carry the baby to 40 weeks. Visit the March of Dimes website to find out more http://www.marchofdimes.com/home.asp

After visiting several soon-to-be mommies, we went to the pediatric unit. UCI is the only pediatric trauma hospital in the area and if children suffer from serious trauma or car accidents, they are sent to UCI and then transferred to CHOC when they are more stable. I had the chance to visit with William and Tony while I was there which was great!

At the end of the visit I was met by Terry Belmont, the CEO of UCI Medical Center. He was such a nice man and was so welcoming! I really enjoyed meeting him. Thank you Leanne for arranging this visit, it was wonderful!

With the Labor and Delivery Team and Dr. Hameed

Leanne Funada, me, Susana Perez

Me and Terry Belmont, CEO of UCI Medical Center

After that, I headed home and did a phone interview with the Orange County Register (regarding Miss California and the Glory of Christmas) and then I was off to Glory of Christmas rehearsal! It was a really fun night because we are now rehearsing with the entire cast (this includes the donkeys, camels, flying angels and singers!)

On Thursday I went to the GEL meeting that occurs twice a month. GEL (stands for Growing Exceptional Ladies) is a mentoring program that I started about three years ago with my mom at my former middle and high school and the program has really taken off! I write the curriculum and then the high school girls mentor the junior high girls during their 45 minute lunch periods every other week. It is a wonderful way to facilitate lasting relationships and it not only gives the junior high girls a safe place to talk about their lives, but also gives them role models who are close enough in age that they can relate to each other. I am thankful that I still get to be a part of this and give leadership to this program! (For those of you who are wondering, I started GEL before I was involved in pageants and then it was my personal platform this year at Miss California as well).

My classes are nearing an end and i have just three short weeks of school left... I have been locked up in a cave (aka my room) trying to stay motivated to finish all of my work! While writing my blog is always a great distraction, but I better get back to the homework :)

That's it for now! Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am really looking forward to spending time with my family. Oh, and as of Friday I will officially be allowed to listen to Christmas music... I can't wait!

Countdown to Miss America: 58 days (Can you believe it?)

Quote of the week: (thank you Auntie Ahna!)

Life Lessons:

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple

33. Believe in miracles.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift

A walk and a wish

2009-11-14T23:20:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay in posts... I have been waiting on some pictures and some approval to be able to publish this post!

Okay.. here goes...

Last week I met my first "wish kid" Eden. We had so much fun, and what a great family! As an official wish grantor with the Make-A-Wish foundation, my wish partner and I went to Eden's house to get to know her and find out her wish! Eden is such a talented young lady and is very interested in fashion and she showed me several of her sketches... I was so impressed! I told her that she needed to design something for me for Miss America... I am sure that I will be seeing her designs on the runway in no time!

Last Saturday I attended the Torch Relay walk at Knott's Berry Farm that benefits both the Children's Miracle Network and CHOC Hospital. The Torch Relay started back in 1990, and today has raised over $5 million for CMN! The relay began in Orlando and the torch is passed from city to city as the walk travels from coast to coast. Last year, this specific walk raised over $42,000! It was such a fun event! Mary Bette and I arrived early in the morning in the crisp November fog and we were greeted by Brenda and Breanna from CHOC hospital as well as several other Torch Relay and CMN staff members. What a great team! I had the chance to meet with the "miracle family" and take a few pictures with Sophia and her brother. This 5 year old and her family have been through so much and I so admire their strength!

After a few words from the mayor of Buena Park, we were off! We walked all throughout Knott's Berry Farm, following a truck playing fun tunes and I even got to hold the torch (see picture). My aunt works for the Marriott and they were corporate sponsors for the walk, so I even got to walk with her team... too fun! At the end of the walk, I had an opportunity to speak and thank the sponsors and volunteers and everyone who gave so generously. I talked about my experiences at CHOC and gave a little history on the Torch Relay as well. After that, breakfast was served and then I got to dance and have fun with all of the kids that were there! We did a little bit of disco, line dancing, and even some hip hop... and I must say... that little Sophia was very impressive on the dance floor! For more info on the torch relay,

visit http://www.torch-relay.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=300905

My aunt and I with Snoopy!

The mayor of Buena Park and I discussed switching "hats" because of the rain... I offered to trade him my crown for his baseball cap, but we didn't reach an agreement :)

With Sophia and her brother

With Sophia and her mom

Rehearsals are nearing the end for the Glory of Christmas as our shows start in just two short weeks! We are now rehearsing with the entire cast and getting ready to open the show shortly after Thanksgiving! Nutcracker rehearsals are also coming along and the sugarplum variation is just as challenging as ever :)

Tonight, I attended the Stewardship Dinner at the Crystal Cathedral. It was a lovely evening complete with entertainment from Top Tipton and the Crystal Cathedral Academy Chorus. Dr. Shelia Schuller Coleman interviewed me and we spoke about my journey as Miss California and about me growing up in the church. It was a great evening and it was so fun to be able to be at my church and thank so many people in the audience who have played such integral roles in shaping who I am today. A special thank you to Connie Benson for coming along as my traveling companion!

With Dr. and Mrs. Robert H. Schuller

Me and Dr. Schuller

Dr. Sheila Schuller Coleman and me during the interview

I came straight home, took a business midterm, wrote a current events paper, and now I'm getting ready for bed! I have two appearances tomorrow so it is time to hit the hay!

Until next time!

Miss America countdown: 66 days

Quote of the week: "

“It's a kind of radiance. People who possess a true inner beauty, their eyes are a little brighter, their skin a little more dewy. They vibrate at a different frequency.”

- Cameron Diaz

Happy November!

2009-11-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Well, another week has gone by and I have several exciting things to update you on!

Last Tuesday I visited Children's Hospital Orange County (CHOC) and had the opportunity to spend time with several children in the playrooms. Breanna was a great tour guide, thank you so much for setting up this visit! I painted with Karen, colored with Wendy and had a ton of fun with Serena. Serena and I painted plates to decorate for Halloween and she had to help me cut out the center of my plate... that sure is harder to do than it looks! We also played air hockey (sadly she beat me...) and of course she had to try on the crown! We even found a little mirror in the playroom for her to see what it looked like on her! This hospital is especially close to my heart because they not only saved my brother's life when he was a baby, but CHOC has also been an integral part of the lives of many close friends and I really appreciate everything that they do. They have a special program at CHOC called "Radio Lollipop" which is a radio station that is actually located on the ground level of the building. The children love going to this and they all gather in front of the recording studio when it is in session. This is such a neat thing to offer for the children and definitely provides a great distraction for them! Breanna even told us that the request for pain medication goes down during this time- that is awesome!

Serena trying on my crown... look at that great smile to go along with it!

With Serena painting our Halloween plates

Me with Wendy coloring our pumpkins

I did a little bit of shopping with Nikki in the middle of the week (always so much fun!) and had several rehearsals for the Nutcracker and the Glory of Christmas. On Friday, I had an interview with Rachel Berry, the current Miss City of Orange, at Chapman University. We filmed a webisode for the "Rachel Berry Project". These webisodes can be seen at http://www.therachelberryproject.com/ It is an wonderful project and she is just as sweet as can be! It is so incredible to see what these local titleholders do and how ambitious they are! Thanks again for having me Rachel, I had so much fun chatting with you! Continue to check out her website as my webisode should be posted in the next few weeks :)

On the set of the "Rachel Berry Project" with the current Miss City of Orange

Today (Tuesday) I had a marathon Miss California day! :) It included 7 hours in the car, a visit to Children's Hospital Los Angeles, a phone interview, personal training with Mike, and dinner with Bob! Whew! And now I am ready for bed!

My day started with a wonderful tour of Children's Hospital Los Angeles. CHLA is truly incredible and I was amazed at all the ways they really go above and beyond basic patient care. The hospital has really focused its attention on providing both the patient and the family with everything they could possibly need to have a successful recovery. Simple touches like providing a kitchen to make meals in as a family to providing books and a special reading area and facilitating animal therapy make this hospital truly unique. It is an extraordinarily large hospital and they see over 350,000 children each year! Janelle took us on a wonderful tour of the hospital and we visited the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the teenage playroom, the rehabilitation center and several other areas of the hospital. Another special feature that I loved was that there was artwork all over the hospital that was all done by patients.

In front of their wall of donors in the lobby at CHLA

Jesse had the most contagious smile! What a sweetheart!

With Joanne in the teen playroom

About 150 miles later... I found myself in my workout clothes and ponytail training with Mike! He kicked my buns and I have a sinking suspicion that getting out of bed in the morning might require some effort :) After the gym I went to dinner with Bob and then headed back home!

Later this week I get to start the interview process to grant my first wish! I am so excited for this and as an official "Wish Grantor" for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, I actually get to see the wish happen from start to finish! We interview the child and then help plan out the wish and the party as well... I can't wait!

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read my blog! Look out for details soon about how you can vote me in to the top 15 at Miss America!!

Quote of the week: (Compliments of Chelle!)

"Never be afraid to do something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the titanic"

- Anonymous

Countdown to Miss America: 77 days!

Blogging from Merced!

2009-10-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

Hello from Merced!!

This has been a VERY busy week... so this might be an extra long post! Be prepared :)

I woke up at 5:45am on Wednesday morning and my mom and I left the house at 7am! I spoke at chapel at Valley Christian High School in Cerritos. I attended VCHS my freshman and sophomore year of high school and it was such a great experience to return to the campus! I never thought that I would be a speaker at chapel! I even got to see a few of my old teachers, which was really fun. Thank you Mr. Rinks for setting this up!

Right after I finished speaking at Valley, my mom and I hopped back in the car and headed to Bakersfield. We arrived at the Bakersfield Memorial Hospital around noon and we were met by Janelle, the Foundation coordinator. She was absolutely wonderful!! I also met Gary and Michelle in the lobby (see picture). Janelle took me on a tour of the NICU where we saw a few babies who were not even two pounds! I met several of the nurses that work in the NICU and got to see several of the little babies in there. This hospital has amazing equipment and some of the funding from Children's Miracle Network goes towards purchasing these very high-tech and very expensive beds. In fact, the Bakersfield Memorial Hospital just had a media telethon and they raised $45,000! The hospital is also undergoing several changes and remodels and the new facilities are beautiful! After visiting the NICU we went to the pediatric unit! This is the place to be! The hallways were decorated with gears on the walls and each room was themed differently.

I walked into one room that had hot air balloon border on the walls... as soon as I walked in, I was greeted with a bright shining smile from a nine year old girl. Katie was absolutely adorable and had an infectious smile to go along with her freckles. She had just had her appendix out and was recovering very nicely. I met Mr. Beary (he is in the picture with us of course) and got to visit with her for just a bit. What a great experience. Her smile reminded me that smiles truly are contagious. I plan on spreading them around more and more in the coming year!

After our visit, we went to CPK for a quick lunch and then got on the road again! Three hours later, we arrived in Merced! Wednesday night was filled with homework, steaming clothes and preparing speeches for Thursday, then off to bed!

Thursday morning was another early morning... this is at 7am as I walked out the door!

Linda picked me up and it was so great to see her! I haven't seen her since Miss California so it was so fun to catch up in person! We arrived at Mitchell Middle School in Atwater and went straight to the assembly. I spoke to 800 students (during two different assemblies) and we had a great time. I encouraged them to dream big, to realize that they have the potential to do anything they set their minds to, and also to say no to drugs and alcohol (in honor of Red Ribbon Week). The students were so well behaved and so very enthusiastic. I also gave out about 500 hugs and 300 handshakes. I have never hugged so many people in one day ever in my life!

After speaking twice at the middle school, Linda and I were off to the Castle-Atwater Kiwanis Club! I met all the Kiwanians and spoke for about 20 minutes. I talked about how I became Miss California, what I am currently doing as Miss California and about my platform of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and we ended with a question and answer session.

After the Kiwanis it was back to the Ballesteros house where we are staying and I laid down on the couch and was out like a light for a good hour! It felt like 5 minutes, but it was a much needed nap :) Thursday night included dinner at De Angelo's Italian Restaurant in Merced (yummy!) and finishing my LAST Criminal Justice Assignment! (wooohooo!!)

On Friday I got to sleep in (it was AMAZING!) and then Wendy picked me up and we went on our way to Madera to visit the Children's hospital. We arrived at the Children's Hospital Central California around 1:30 and met with Katie, who works with the Foundation. She was wonderful!! We started off in the playroom where I got a chance to paint with Skylar, hang out with Aldo and talk with Cameron. Skylar and I painted crowns and watched the lizards in the case.

Outside of the Children's Hospital Central California

Talking with adorable little Maxi and her mom

Skylar and me painting in the playroom

After that, I went to several different units to visit with the kids. We started in the oncology wing where I met Corbin. He was too fun! He is 14 years old and has been diagnosed with leukemia. He loves to play football and we had a great time talking and laughing. We took a funny picture together too! (Those are my favorites)

I went down the hall and met several other kids. Guillermo and I talked for a bit and he was the first taker to try on my crown! I thought it looked pretty good on him!

Guillermo and me

The visit ended with a pumpkin spice latte.... my first one of the year! Visiting these children's hospitals is really the best part of my job. These kids are so brave and they go through so much... their stories are incredible and I am humbled and constantly reminded of how grateful I am when I see everything that these kids go through. A big thank you to Janelle and Katie for welcoming me into your hospitals!

So... on Thursday at the Kiwanis club meeting, I was talking with Linda and a few others and something came up about helicopters and I mentioned "I have never been in a helicopter before, but I would love to do that someday!"... and within 5 seconds Linda was on the phone arranging it! If you want something done, ask Linda and she will take care of it! Well, unfortunately, the helicopter pilot was off this weekend, so instead she arranged for me to take a flight on a Sesna (small 4 passenger airplane) with the Sheriff's department. I arrived at the Castle airport on Saturday morning and was greeted by Aaron McKnight, a pilot with the Merced County Sheriff's department. After he handed my mom and I our barf bags, we boarded the plane. We had a great flight and Aaron took us all over Merced county, explained what they did on a daily basis and he even let ME fly the plane!! It was so much fun! (By the way, we didn't end up needing the barf bags) I found out later in the evening that I caused quite a ruckus by flying the plane over Merced... the Sheriff's mom called her son asking "What is going on?? Why is the plane hovering over my house??" So I guess I caused quite the stir! Little did they know it was just Miss California, who has no training or experience, flying the county plane over their houses!

Excited for the flight!

Below, with Aaron McKnight the pilot (he wanted me to sign his map!)

Saturday night was absolutely wonderful. I cannot say thank you enough to Linda and her committee for the beautiful homecoming. The tables were decorated in black and pink with pointe shoes as the centerpieces surrounded by rose petals and candles. It was so fun to see everyone and to catch up! The program was excellent and included two dances by the beautiful and gracious Crystal Lee, a fun performance by the talented Brittney Henry and several presentations from representatives of the county. Jenna Harvey also put together a beautiful slideshow of my journey to Miss California and my year so far... it was so fun to watch and is something that I will always cherish. I have never been to a homecoming before so I didn't realize that I would receive so many gifts! It was like having a birthday in October! Ernie Koneck, the President of the PPA presented me with a check for $500 that I can use towards all of those odds-and-ends that come up before Miss America! (In my head I have already spent part of this money on my new pointe shoes and tights!) He also surprised me with a new initiative they started this year called "Team California". Several local pageants contributed to this fund and presented me with an additional $1100 for my wardrobe budget for Miss America!! What a wonderful and unexpected surprise! Thank you so much to all who contributed! And thank you so much to everyone who came and for all of my wonderful gifts!

The beautiful table settings!

With my parents at the homecoming

We had no problem coming up with some silly faces for this one!
All of the local titleholders who were in attendance. Love you girls!
Dancing Connie and me with the beautiful blanket that she made me!!
My new luggage from my committee!! Adorable!

Me and Nicole Honaker, Miss Sierra Nevada 2009

With the Miss Yosemite Valley committee, Michelle, Linda and Wendy!
I have a feeling that 15 years from now, Londyn will be wearing her very own Miss CA crown!

With former Miss Yosemite Valleys! Courtney and Jacqueline!

Don't forget to check out the Miss California website for more pictures!

Quotes of the week:

"Our truest life is when we are in our dreams awake"

Henry David Thoreau

"Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow."

Doug Firebaugh

Miss America countdown: 86 days

Straighteners, Fudge, Miss America, Earrings, and Dresses... and to top it all off... beautiful downtown Fresno!

2009-10-18T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I just got home this afternoon from a weekend in Fresno for the Miss California State Meeting.

On Thursday, I spoke at Mater Dei High School for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The MAW Foundation has a program called "Kids for Wish Kids" at various schools and they raise money to sponsor wishes. This club at Mater Dei is in its 2nd year and I spoke to a group of about 4o students explaining what Make-A-Wish is, how it got started and what we do. I also gave them some tips on great ways to fundraise! Good luck Mater Dei!

Friday morning I rushed back from Glory of Christmas and zipped up my already packed bags and hurried to get on the road to Fresno. In my hastiness, I placed my very hot (and by very hot I mean 400 degrees Fahrenheit hot) straightener into my very cute Miss America tote bag. Once I got to the bottom of the stairs, I somehow managed to place my upper arm between the two plates of the very hot straightener and before I realized what was happening, I had badly burnt my arm! Only I could be so creative. So... for those of you who were wondering how I got my war wounds on my arm, it is from a crazy straightening accident! And... it's safe to say that I have learned my lesson that straighteners should only be used on hair! :)

We finally got on the road late in the afternoon and began the exciting trek to Fresno. I had the pleasure of riding up with Kathi Baldwin and Mary Betty from the Miss Placentia pageant who kept me quite entertained with stories and the occasional "Are we there yet??". We stopped for a quick dinner at Outback Steakhouse and caught a few innings of the disappointing Angel game and then safely arrived in Fresno around 10pm. I rushed up to my room and finished a homework assignment that needed to be turned in at 11:30!

On Saturday morning, the State Meeting began. I went downstairs and was delighted to see the smiling faces of many local directors as well as the state staff and hostesses! It was really great to see everyone and very strange to be the only "contestant" there! I kept having to remind myself that I didn't need to check in with Connie, Merri, Vera or dancing Connie! (By the way, happy birthday Vera!!) About ten minutes before I was to speak, Bob came and sat next to me and said "I have a surprise guest this morning!".... and I am thinking to myself, "A surprise guest??? Who could that possibly be?" And then, he told me that Katie Stam was in town! I couldn't believe it, and after I picked up my jaw from the floor, I was really excited! How ironic that Miss America would be in Fresno at the same time as all of us!! So, I spoke for a bit about what I am doing as Miss California, my appearances so far and my preparation for Miss America and fifteen minutes later, in walks Miss America!! (in a purple dress and black pumps... almost exactly what I was wearing that morning)

Needless to say, we were all quite excited. Katie was wonderful and is an exceptional communicator and public speaker. She spent about an hour encouraging the volunteers and answering various questions. I got a quick picture with her and then she was off to her next appearance. What a fun surprise! The day went on with various meetings and discussions regarding the exciting changes for the year to come and I had a chance to visit with local ED's and get to meet a few new ones as well! I also got to enjoy Mary McCaman's amazing rocky road fudge!! yum!

In the afternoon, I played "dress up" with Mary, Donna and Chelle and we had a mini fashion show in their room! It was so fun! Mary also gave me an early homecoming present from her, Stephanie Schutt and the Santa Clara Auxillary and I am SO excited about it! They are the cutest personalized and embroidered garment bags (with rhinestones and a crown of course!) and also a great big duffle bag that is on wheels! I can't wait to use them at Miss America!

I could barely carry everything!

Saturday night, we had a very nice dinner and the PPA had several raffle drawings. And after the chocolate cake came BINGO! And naturally, I didn't win a single game of Bingo. Last night I also got the opportunity to check out the Charles Freeman Stamper earring collection! He has an incredible collection of beautiful vintage jewelry and he is quite the earring guru! I had no idea how much analyzation could go into earrings! It was too fun and we found several pairs that I loved! He was so sweet and so generous to offer them to me!

With Freeman trying on all the different earrings!

After a long day, I went back up to my sleep number bed, finished some more homework assignments and called it a night! This morning, (Sunday) I got to sleep in until 7am and after a large Starbucks, Chelle and I headed down to the meeting. I quickly said goodbye and we were on the road towards home. Kathi, Mary Betty and I stopped at Apple Annie's in Tulare on the way home! Yum! I am already excited to go back there next week on my way to Merced so that I can try an apple dumpling!

I had a great weekend and I am so so excited for this next week! I am home for just two short days and then on my way back up to Merced for my homecoming and several appearances!

Quote of the week:

"Let your light shine. Be a source of strength and courage. Share your wisdom. Radiate love."

- Wilfred Peterson

Miss America countdown: 93 days

Graduation and Abe Lincoln and the Lottery... oh my!

2009-10-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

I decided to start writing my blog for the week in attempts to distract myself from the lottery that is going on right now... we are almost half way through and unfortunately... still no Miss California...

Clearly I got quite distracted and busy throughout the week, as I wrote that first paragraph on Monday and it is now Thursday night! Time flies...

Let me catch you up on the last twelve days...

Last Tuesday I officially "graduated" from my Dale Carnegie Effective Communications 12-week course! It is amazing how close I became with my class... a large group of people who were merely strangers three months ago! The progress that everyone made was really evident in the final session and I am very grateful for the opportunity that I had to participate in the courses.

Wednesday was Bob's birthday! I refrained from singing (which was a wise choice as I was not blessed with good voice) and settled with a good ole' fashioned phone call and birthday card. :)

The middle of the week was filled with more of the usual... lots of ballet, gym visits, homework, etc.

On Saturday I attended the Make-A-Wish Speaker's Bureau training. On Sunday morning, I was invited to speak on the importance of reading at a family literacy day at the Nixon Library. Dale Carnegie was a sponsor of the event, and my instructor from Dale Carnegie, Seth Sherwood, invited me to be a guest speaker. The event was a fundraiser for Family Reading Inc., a non profit whose goal is to help families become literacy leaders. I had never been to the Nixon Library before, and it was just beautiful! I would really like to go back and tour the museum sometime! I also met Abe Lincoln as well as Thomas Jefferson at the event! (Okay... you caught me... yes, they were "look-a-likes")

Monday was the state lottery for Miss America!! This is where each state's name is randomly generated by the computer in no specific order and you get five short minutes to make your choice as to which slot you would like in the Miss America lineup. I waited for what seemed like forever for "California" to pop up on my screen. After about 40 other states... finally... California! I chose #5 in the Sigma group... this means that I will do interview, swimsuit, and evening gown on Tuesday night, then talent on Wednesday and finally, onstage question on Thursday night. I am really happy with this placement! Miss America here I come!

Wednesday I took graduation photos at USC... I sat in the chair with my funny looking cap and gown on and couldn't believe that I will be done with my undergraduate education in just two short months!

Anyways, speaking of school, I have to finish a few more assignments before I get to go to bed, so I better get to it!

Miss America Countdown: 103 days!! (By my next post I will be in the double digits!!)

Quote of the week:

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

~Theodore Roosevelt

What a great week!

2009-09-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

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!!!