JUNE 23-25, 2006
MRS. GEORGIA AMERICA PAGEANT 2006 (ATLANTA, GA)

My state directors Faith & Carl Schway generously flew their three titleholders (Mrs. IA Katie Scott, Mrs. WI Shannon Martin, and myself) down to Atlanta for the weekend to attend the Mrs. GA America pageant. We arrived on Friday afternoon and attended a fabulous cocktail reception at Roy's Restaurant in Buckhead (one of my favorites--make sure to try the miso-marinated butterfish!), where the contestants met one another for the first time. Old friendships were renewed, as I got to catch up with my good friend Kim Vaughn (Mrs. GA 1995). The contestants had their interviews on Saturday, followed by the Preliminary Pageant that evening. After the pageant, we grabbed a late dinner at the Olive Garden, followed by a 1 a.m. raid on the local Synder's drugstore for "pageant necessities" (i.e. false eyelashes, shampoo, hairspray, candy bars, you get the idea!). Sunday meant SHOPPING with Shannon (Mrs. WI) and good friend and pageant volunteer Joanie Clausen, and shop we did! The pageant opened that evening with a high energy number performed by many of the former Mrs. Georgias, and Amanda Vogel (Mrs. GA 2005) looked radiant as she passed on her title to a lovely redhead, Robin Mason of Savannah. Robin and I will be roommates at Mrs. America, so I was glad to get to finally "meet" her! After the pageant, a Coronation Dinner was held at the trendy Aqua Blue restaurant, where we all celebrated a successful pageant and Robin's big win. What a fun weekend! Thanks Faith & Carl for truly treating us like royalty (yes, the pun WAS intended, ha ha!)

PHOTOS:
1) With my awesome State Directors Faith & Carl Schway at Roy's Restaurant.
2) Good friend Kim Vaughn (Mrs. GA America 1995) and I catch up at the cocktail reception.
3) L to R: Katie Scott (Mrs. IA), Shannon Martin (Mrs. WI), and I at the Preliminary Pageant.
4) L to R: Amanda Vogel (Mrs. GA America 2005), Lisa Wilson (Miss GA USA 2006), and I hanging out backstage.
5) L to R: Katie Scott (Mrs. IA 2006), Shannon Martin (Mrs. WI 2006), Tawnja Zahradka (Mrs. MN 1994), Lynn DeJarnette (Mrs. AR 1994 & Mrs. AR State Director), Denise Yates (2nd RU at Mrs. KY 2006), and myself just prior to the Pageant Finals.
6) Robin Mason is the new Mrs. Georgia-America 2006! Congrats Robin, we are going to have a blast at Mrs. A!
7) The "foursome" of queens is complete! L to R: WI, IA, GA, & MN