JANUARY 27-30TH, 2007
MISS AMERICA PAGEANT, LAS VEGAS, NV

I headed out to the Miss America pageant held at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. I had the Mpls Women's Expo in the morning, then hopped on a flight Saturday afternoon which arrived just in time for Sarah Moses and I to grab a bite with former Miss MN State Director Kim Knuttila and her sister Kathryn (the current Miss Heart of the Lakes). We then headed to the Aladdin Theater to watch the last night of Preliminary Competition. It's always fun to see the girls compete in the talent competition, and as luck had it, we got to see Miss MN Nicole Swanson perform her talent (she plays the viola). WOW, that girl can play! We were pulling for her to win the talent award that night, but it went to Miss CA instead (an opera singer). I competed in the Miss Wisconsin MAO program back in college (I'm a '94 grad of the Univ. of WI-Madison...GO BUCKY!), and placed as 3rd RU in the 1994 Miss WI pageant, so I will always have a soft spot in my heart for this system. People (especially the ones who criticize pageants) are always surprised to learn that the Miss America Organization is the largest provider of scholarships for women in the WORLD! How cool is THAT!?!

After Prelims, we (myself, Sarah, Cheri Kennedy, and Sarah's fun sister Bridget Jaeger) headed to dinner at Tao located in the Venetian. We didn't eat until 11:30 Las Vegas time (which was 1:30 our time!), so of course we were starving! Great food in a fun atmosphere but WAAAAY too late! The next morning, Sarah & Cheri worked with some of their clients while Bridget and I went SHOPPING (my favorite pasttime, ha ha), and hit the Miss America Tradeshow. It was good to see friendly faces...I got to chat with Fred Abel of Pageantry Magazine and the always incredible Dale Smith Thomas of Winners By Choice. Later, I ran into the lovely Diane Tucker (Mrs. America 2007), who I competed with in Tucson, AZ (by the way, she looked prettier than ever!). She is doing a great job and I predict she will be the next Mrs. World! GO DIANE! That evening, we met up with good friends Robin Fleming (Mrs. FL Int'l 2007) and Melissa Hagan (Miss/Teen FL Int'l State Director and National Mrs. FL 2006) for dinner at N9NE Steakhouse at the Palms Hotel. That is the thing I love about pageantry--reuniting with friends from all over the country!

On Monday, we had a great lunch at Wolfgang Puck's restaurant in the Venetian, and then shopped for a bit (surprise, surprise) before heading back to our hotel to get ready (we had to be in our seats at 4:30 for the live television broadcast). Victoria Broz (Mrs. Nevada) came to our room to get ready, so it was great to see her as well! She was voted Mrs. Congeniality at Mrs. America and I am glad to say that I was one of the people who voted for her! The pageant was great and moved along quickly, but we were disappointed not to hear Miss MN's name called into the Top 10. I thought they picked a great Top 5 but have to admit that when it came down to Miss TX and Miss OK, I was pulling for Texas...I thought she had the beauty of a Miss Universe and thought her talent was in an entirely different league. But that is pageantry for you! You just never know what can happen...

After the pageant, we took a limo to a really fun and cool restaurant called Social House (located in Treasure Island) for dinner. Some of our "MN posse" had to head for the airport immediately following dinner as they were booked on the red-eye flight. As usual, lots of laughs were had and it was a fantastic trip! I can't wait for next year!















PHOTOS:
1) Sarah Moses (owner of The Pageant Shop) and I pose in front of the Miss America stage.
2) Gathering at Saturday night's Miss America prelim pageant are L to R: Cheri Kennedy, Kim Knuttila (former Miss MN MAO state director), Kathryn Knuttila (Miss Heart of the Lakes), Sarah Moses (The Pageant Shop), me, Jennifer Hudspeth (Miss Mankato)
3) Chatting with Fred Abel of Pageantry Magazine
4) Running into Mrs. America 2007 Diane Tucker while doing what else--SHOPPING!
5) Out for a fabulous dinner at N9NE Steakhouse are L to R: Melissa Hagan (Miss/Teen FL Int'l State Director & Nat'l Mrs. FL 2006), Cheri Kennedy, Robin Fleming (Mrs. FL Int'l 2007), Bridget Jaeger, Sarah Moses (Owner-The Pageant Shop), me!
6) With Tiffany Ogle, Miss MN (MAO) 2004 just before Miss America.
7) Enjoying a rooftop view at the Palms Hotel!
8) Sarah Moses and I run into Andrea Preuss, Mrs. America 2006. Andrea was the outgoing queen when I competed at Mrs. America--she also was Mrs. United States 2003 and is the only woman to have actually WON both titles! WOW!)
9) Victoria Broz (Mrs. NV 2006), Diane Tucker (Mrs. America 2007/Mrs. Arizona 2006), and I catch up after the pageant.
10) Comparing notes after the pageant are L to R: Melissa Hagan, Sarah Moses, Robin Fleming, myself, and Cheri Kennedy.
11) In the limo on the way to Social House restaurant L to R: Cheri Kennedy, me, Marcia Anderson
12) An after dinner snapshot L to R: Megan (a.k.a. "Haircut", our nickname for her) Herickhoff (Miss Teen Stearns County Int'l 2007), Marcia Anderson, Brie Anderson (Miss Ramsey County Int'l 2007), Cheri Kennedy, Sarah Moses, me

JANUARY 26 & 27, 2007
MINNEAPOLIS WOMEN'S EXPO

I attended the 15th annual Minneapolis Women's Expo held at the Convention Center. This is a 3-day event that features exhibits, seminars, celebrities, shopping (my personal favorite!), health info, food sampling, and lots of fun! I had a great time greeting attendees, meeting possible future contestants, and of course SHOPPING (I got the cutest black-and-white patent leather purse with a crown on it from Mainstream Fashion--SCORE!). My state directors Faith & Carl Schway had a booth and we were joined by Miss MN USA 2007 Alla Ilushka, Miss MN Teen USA 2007 Vanessa VonBehren (both Faith's clients), and my fellow pageant "sister" Mrs. WI America 2006 Shannon Martin. It was great to catch up with all of them, and if you haven't been to the Expo, I highly encourage you to go next year! See you there!









PHOTOS:
1) With auctioneer Karen Sorbo (former Mrs. MN America contestant and Mrs. MN Int'l 1991) and Alla Ilushka (Miss MN USA 2007)
2) Getting our first peek at Baby Pierce Byrne! L to R: Me, Kelly Jahner-Byrne (former Mrs. MN America contestant and Mrs. MN Int'l 2001), and Angela Haseman (Mrs. MN Int'l 2006)
3) The Mrs. MN America/Premiere Modeling School gang on Friday: Faith Schway (Director & Mrs. MN America 1985), Alla Ilushka (Miss MN USA 2007), me, Vanessa VonBehren (Miss MN Teen USA 2007), and Co-Director Carl Schway.
4) Catching up with pageant "sister" Shannon Martin (Mrs. WI America 2006)
5) With the 2006 International system queens, L to R: Angela Haseman (Mrs. MN Int'l), Megan Ehlert (Miss Teen MN Int'l), Becky Ringen (Miss MN Int'l), and me
6) With good friend and photographer Paula Preston
7) The Saturday gang at the Expo

JANUARY 20, 2007
JDRF (JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION) WALK TO CURE DIABETES

The 15th annual JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes was held today at the Mall of America where over 18,000 walkers braved
the early morning hour to show their support. I walked on team "Cody's Courage," in support of 5-year-old Cody Theis, who was diagnosed w/ Type 1 diabetes at the age of 18 months old. Cody is the son of Tami & Kevin Theis (Tami was a fellow competitor as Mrs. Shakopee this past summer at the Mrs. MN America pageant). When I first met Tami, the first thing we talked about was her son's diabetes, and I was so impressed with her (incidentally, Tami was the Interview winner at Mrs. MN, which was no surprise to me considering how well-spoken she is...and this was her very first pageant!). It was also great to catch up with another fellow contestant, Shonna Ochu, who is just a doll! In addition to Cody, the Theis's have two daughters, 7-yr-old Amber (Miss MN in the National American Miss pageant), and nearly 3-yr-old Grace (who has Down Syndrome and this past July was diagnosed with AML leukemia). Amber recently created a wonderful foundation called One Sister's Love to honor her siblings, and I highly encourage you to visit her website click on the "One Sister's Love" link to show your support by purchasing a rhinestone pin (the proceeds go directly to JDRF and the Children's Oncology Group).










PHOTOS:
1) Tami, myself, and Shonna Ochu (both fellow contestants from the 2006 Mrs. MN America pageant)
2) "Cody's Courage" team photo
3) With T.C. Bear, the MN Twins baseball team mascot
4) With Tami and Amber Theis

JANUARY 14, 2007
PREMIERE SCHOOL OF MODELING & SELF-IMPROVEMENT OPEN HOUSE

Today was an open house at Premiere School of Modeling & Self-Improvement in St. Louis Park, which is owned and operated b my State Director Faith Schway. We answered pageant questions and talked about the Teen and Miss MN Int'l pageants and a good time was had by all. Check it out on the web at http://www.premiere-modeling.com or call (952) 920-0681!

PHOTOS
1) Mrs. Minnesota America state director and good friend Faith Schway & I at Premiere.
2) L to R: Megan Ehlert (Miss Teen MN Int'l 2006), me, and Becky Ringen (Miss MN Int'l 2006).

JANUARY 11, 2007
MEET & GREET FOR MINNESOTA INTERNATIONAL PAGEANTS

Tonight I attended a "Meet & Greet" get-together for the MN International Pageants held at my good friend Paula Preston's photography studio in northeast Minneapolis ( http://www.paulapreston.com ). Due to Paula's talents, I was honored with the Mrs. Photogenic title this past summer at Mrs. MN...thanks, Paula! This event was also sponsored by The Pageant Shop by Michael's ( http://www.thepageantshop.net ) and pageant coach Cheri Kennedy ( http://www.cherikennedy.com). I actually attended this event not as Mrs. Minnesota America, but as a "former" Mrs. Minnesota International (a title I had the good fortune to win in 2003). It was great to see old friends and faces, and I was able to answer some questions from the current contestants as well. When I competed in the International system, there was only the MRS. division, however, now the system has grown to include MISS and TEEN divisions as well, which is really neat to see. In Minnesota, we are lucky to have AMAZING directors in BOTH the International and America systems, and what is especially great is how they support one another (in fact, my former Mrs. MN Int'l state director Allison Stavrakis even flew out to Tucson, AZ to cheer me on at Mrs. America--how cool is THAT!?!).

PHOTOS:
1) Catching up with pageant sponsors Sarah Moses (Owner of The Pageant Shop by Michael's) and photographer Paula Preston.
2) Two "formers" with the current Mrs. MN Int'l: L to R Nancy Paradeise (Mrs. MN Int'l 2004), Angela Haseman (Mrs. MN Int'l 2006), and me (Mrs. MN Int'l 2003)
3) The "Class of 2003" (we have remained close friends!)...L to R: Nancy Paradeise, Donnell Rank, Leisha Gust, me