Relay for Life

July 30th, 2011
With so many people effected by cancer every year, I thought this would be a great event to support.  At Relay for Life, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path.  The Parker Relay for Life began Saturday at 3pm with each team setting up their spaces around the track at Salsbury Park in Parker.  Teams decorate their booths and set up their tents for the long night to come.  The race ended the next morning at 7am with a huge pancake breakfast.  To kick off the event they have all cancer survivors walk the track to celebrate their fight.  During the race there were events scheduled every hour all evening long and into the morning for both racers and team members, everything from Bunco Games, Movies on Blow up screens, kid relay races, and ZUMBA!!  It was a touching night with so many incredible displays of strength and hope.  I can't wait to be part of this event again next year.

with the Mayor of Parker, David Casiano, wearing my Mrs. Colorado tank, thank you Roni Bibb.

with my team, The Chamber Maids, at our Mardi Gras inspired booth.

The inspirational group of Cancer survivors who also kicked off the event by walking the first lap.

My little sister's wedding

 July 22-24th, 2011
I had decided early on that for one of the months during the summer I would do fewer appearances and more family things.  It wasn't hard to determine what month that would be, with my sister, Samantha's wedding taking place in July.   The weekend after the 4th we decided to steal her away for a long weekend in Arizona to celebrate the ending of her bachelorette status.  With mom, sisters, and friends in tow we headed to Scottsdale.  With two weeks until the wedding we were able to make some lists, create a plan of attack for when we returned, and of course get a tan. 
The next few weeks were filled with fun and exciting wedding details.  I could hardly wait to watch her marry the man of her dreams.  Jarrod is a perfect addition to our large, crazy family.
The wedding fun began with a family golf tournament on Friday followed with beauty treatments for the girls.  Saturday we all ventured to Spruce Mountain Ranch in Larkspur for our rehearsal with a fabulous rehearsal luncheon at Maggianos.  After lunch many headed to Washington Park for some Volleyball before keeping with tradition and going separate ways.  The girls all stayed at my mom's where we celebrated my sister and stayed up way too late.  The boys went to the hotel where Jarrod's whole family stayed.

with the bride and other bridesmaids, what a great group of girls.

With everyone up and running around, my sister Courtney began beautifying us all.  Samantha looked like she was clipped from the pages of Bridal magazine......Stunning and perfect in every way.  Courtney nailed the look and continued to do so on all the bridesmaids.  The day was exceptional and we are blessed to have Jarrod and his family join ours.

Our first family photo

The 4th of July

July 4th, 2011
I love this time of year!  I love it for so many reasons, my little ones are off for summer break,  the days and nights seem longer,  BBQ's with family and friends, and a sense of pride for living in this great country.  As my children get older they too love the festivities associated with the  4th of July, some of which scare me to death.  My husband decided that our boys ages 7 and 9 were old enough to light some little firecrackers for the first time this year, talk about fueling the fire.  They became obsessed and for a month after they would ask when they could light more.

My two little Pyros

We decided to head up to Breckenridge for the long holiday weekend.  Our family has a place up there and it just seemed like a perfect time to get away.  I of course saw this  as a great opportunity to be a part of the celebration as Mrs. Colorado, two birds with one stone. 
It all began with the Breckenridge parade right through the middle of town.  Once again my daughter and I took our place in the convertible, this time my handsome husband took the wheel.  While in the loading area we had a fabulous time visiting with all the other participants.  This was a record breaking year with over 70 floats.  It was awesome to look out into the crowd at the sea of Red, White, and Blue.  After the parade we decided to change and hit the town with the rest of our family to enjoy the many happenings of the weekend.  There were great vendor booths set up, activities for the kids, live music, and food.  The fireworks display was just the perfect ending to a perfect weekend.



Miale and I in our Red, White, and Blue waiting for the festivities to begin



My handsome driver, Mr. Colorado

Another group of float participants sporting their own created titles.  They were so much fun and clever.

Road Trip

June 18th, 2011
My first "overnighter" appearance.  Emily and I hit the road Friday night and headed south to South Fork, Colorado.  We were invited by Heather Brooke Meyer, a Mrs. Colorado titleholder.  She had put together a 5k Race for Help Break the Cycle, an organization that Heather proudly supports.  This group empowers youth to help break the cycle of domestic violence.  I was thrilled to come down and help out.  Emily and I had a great time spending the night at a local B&B and enjoyed the festivities of the race.  It was a gorgeous day and a huge success for Heather.

with Emily right before starting the race

with Heather getting registered for the race

Parker Days

June 11th, 2011
Growing up in Parker we always looked forward to Parker days year in and year out.  Now being a mom, my children also look forward to the Parker Country Festival.  We usually start off the day by watching the parade and then venturing over to the carnival rides ending the day with delicious and unhealthy traditional fair foods.  This year was different, my daughter and I would participate in the parade.   She was so excited to ride in the beautiful convertible provided by Medved of Castle Rock and wave to all the people.  She took her job very seriously and would get mad at me during the parade if I didn't wave at every single person.  It was a special event and I was glad to share it with her.  After the parade I took my position at the Parker Chamber booth and helped hand out upcoming event flyers and  greet visitors .   Emily and her son Anderson even stopped by to say "HI".


My boys were so excited to watch their sister in the parade, they just wish she would have been throwing candy!



waiting for the parade to begin

The Busiest day ever!!

June10th, 2011
This was the first and last day I will ever book more than two appearances in one day.  I had an amazing day, but I was exhausted!!

11amI started out the day by stopping by Michael Loomer's lemonade stand.  He is a classmate of my children, but what makes this young man so special is he is a cancer survivor. He participates every year since his own remission, in Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, which fights childhood cancer one cup at a time.  His whole family gets involved by making sweet treats to hand out, and refreshing lemonade.  His two younger brother's flag down drivers in our neighborhood while he flashes his adorable smile.  Mom and dad should be very proud of their remarkable young man.




with Michael Loomer and his two little brothers, Ryan and JJ


12:30pmNext stop was the Optimus Youth Golf Tournament at the Ridge in Castle Pines.   I was asked to speak to the golfers before tee off and talk to them about this amazing organization, which was founded by some boys I went to high school with who turned out to be incredible men.  This organization finds unique ways to give back and provide for under privileged youth here in Denver all the while providing funds to build and provide for orphaned children in Kenya and other parts of the world.

with some of the Optimus Youth Leaders

6:30pmMy last and final stop for the day was ZOO BQ held at the Denver zoo by Lutheran Family Services.  This event was really great because I was able to bring my three children and use it as a teaching lesson, plus it was nice for them to see what being Mrs. Colorado is all about.  My dear friend Becca also attended the event with her two boys.  Lutheran Family Services of Colorado is a faith based, non-profit human services agency helping children and families during their most challenging times.  My job was to greet and visit with the families, we also took pictures and I signed autographs for the children.  What a great ending to a really wonderful day.

with our good friends Becca and Jackson



with Jane from Lutheran Family Services




sharing the evening appearance with my three little ones



Helping out a Queen Sister

June 3rd, 2011

Carrying the title of Mrs. Colorado has led to career opportunities for many former queens.  I had the privilege of helping out two of my queen sisters advertise for their businesses.
I started out the month by attending Royal Image Boutiques "Two Times a Year Sale".   I had so much fun visiting with customers and signing autographs.  What a beautiful store filled with gowns for all of your special occasions, gorgeous wedding and bridal dresses, jewelry, and sassy everyday apparel.

with Raeanne, Mrs. Colorado 2000, at her beautiful store.

June 6th, 2011

Amy Nugent, Mrs. Colorado 1996, owns Crown Chic Boutique which carries all things crowns.  Anything and everything you are looking for that pertains to royalty and crowns you will find there.  Before I left for Mrs America I was given the most beautiful robe which had a crown on the back, it was the perfect gift and it was purchased through Crown Chic Boutique.   I was more than happy to be photographed in the same one for advertising purposes.  I also had the opportunity to model a cute crown cap and headband.



Modeling one of the gorgeous robes found at Crown Chic Boutique



Judging the Cinderella Pageant

May 27th-May 29th, 2011

I did not grow up competing in pageants and have my own thoughts on young girls competing in beauty contests, after all I myself have a five year old daughter.  At least I did, until being asked to judge the Cinderella Pageant.  My previous stereotypes had been proven wrong and at the end of the weekend I even considered putting my daughter in next years Cinderella pageant competition.  I had the privilege of judging with a mother daughter team who are the current directors of the Cinderella pageant in New Mexico.  The competition took place over three days and we judged interview and interactive play for the little ones, talent and onstage questions for the little ones, active wear, and party dress.  I was blown away with many of the talents these young women and girls performed on stage from singing while playing the piano to dance and acrobatic routines.  Elizabeth Burrill, the director, places an importance on fellowship and encouragement.  During the three days of competition Elizabeth plans fun and interactive activities for the girls to do during down times, they had a pool party, a small BBQ and carnival, and an awards dinner.  The emphasis of this particular pageant is youth development, that is why like the Mrs. Colorado pageant many of the contestants return year after year.

with my judging partners, Frieda and Desiree.



with Elizabeth Burrill, the Cinderella Pageant director



Mutts and Models Fashion Show

May 21st, 2011

With my furry friend, Risky.  He did amazing on the runway!!

It is all who you know!!  I was asked to participate in the 10th annual Mutts and Models fashion show where furry friends and fashion collide for a wonderful cause.  The owners of Waxing the City are incredibly involved in animal organizations and have teamed up with Mutts and Models for many years.  Waxing the City was a sponsor of mine last year and after winning asked if I could join the festivities.   Local celebrities walk the runway with their dogs to raise money for the Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital, which provides veterinary care for pets of the economically disadvantaged.  This was a very exciting event to be apart of and it was even more enjoyable being accompanied by three girlfriends.  We had a great time bidding on the amazing auction items, sharing some laughs and rubbing elbows with some of Denver's well-known personalities.  The auctioneer for the night announced that this show was the most successful year to date.

with Becca, Nicole, Sam, and Emily right before the fashion show.

Walking the runway as a group, Risky decided he would rather be carried.

Returning as Mrs. Colorado

Up to this point and two months into my reign, I have done 31 appearances and although 15 were accounted for while at Mrs. America, it has still been a very busy few months.  Some of my favorites are going back to visit groups I was affiliated with or attended before winning.

May 12th

While preparing for Mrs. Colorado I joined Parker Toastmasters, which is a public speaking group.   We would meet every other week and practice speaking and relaying our thoughts in front of the group.  I not only enjoyed the wonderful people I met at Toastmasters but also gained more confidence and structure.  After winning Mrs. Colorado, the group leader invited me back to share my experiences.  It was a very proud moment for me to let them all know how much they helped me to achieve my goal of winning Mrs. Colorado.

May 18th

The year leading up to competition can be crazy and for me the people who were around me the most understood and therefore supported my efforts.  It seemed only natural to make an appearance at my daughters pre kindergarten graduation.  My daughter's teachers, Miss Lori and Miss Erika, always made me feel great about my potential to win Mrs. Colorado.  I saw them three times a week and almost every time they would ask how I was feeling and where I was in my preparations.  It felt amazing to go back and share with them my accomplishments, in truth for me it is a shared victory.

Northstar

May 10th, 2011

Our wonderful Mrs. Colorado director, Emily Stark, has two sweet twin daughters.  The girls, Sydney and Lexi, attend Northstar academy in Parker and were putting on a special Colorado History production at their school.  They so graciously invited me to attend as their guest.  What a special event to be a part of and I actually learned many things I didn't know about Colorado.  I was given a chance to talk to the children about who I was and what I had been doing.  Thank you so much for the warm welcome and special honor.



with Emily's girls, Sydney and Lexi, and a few of their girlfriends



A Special Mother's Day

May 8th, 2011

Mother's day has always been a special holiday for our family and this year was no exception, except for the fact that my Mrs. America adventure would be aired on national television.

I am blessed with a large family and one that has decided to live within the same area code, BOTH sides of the family!  We started the beautiful Sunday by attending church with my in laws and after gathered at my mother's for an early dinner and viewing party.  What a great way to spend the day and to celebrate the women in my family.  I am who I am because of the beautiful, strong, and compassionate women I call grandma and mom.

with sisters Julia, Samantha and Courtney and Mom and Grandma Very special women in my life!

I was extremely excited to relive my Mrs. America  experience and to see how our fifteen days would fit into a two hour special.  What a treasure I will have to share with others for years to come.  What an amazing ending to an incredible adventure, receiving 2nd runner up at Mrs. America.

enjoying every minute of being on stage at Mrs. America.

Hattitude

May 4th, 2011
Diane from Soignee, whom I met last month shooting the Her Life magazine spread, invited me to attend the annual fundraising event, Hattitude.  She had two spots at her table, one for me and the other for Emily.  I have never attended, only heard great things about this event which raises funds for women in theater.
Around 600 people gathered for the afternoon festivities sporting their beautiful outfits and matching hats.  We had a lovely lunch, exciting entertainment, and the gorgeous Denise Plante emceeing the event.



with some of the amazing women I spent the afternoon with at Hattitude



Just the Begining

Less than two months into my year as Mrs. Colorado and things seem to be going really well.  I am incredibly busy, yet working on finding balance between my first priority as wife/mom and my new role as Mrs. Colorado.   This has only been possible because of the amazing support system I have and have created.  There are times that are more difficult than others, when I can see my children needing a little more mommy time, but all in all it has been just as I had hoped. 


Manor House Bridal Event
May 1st, 2011

Raeanne, a queen sister and owner of  The Royal Image Boutique, has a bridal event scheduled at the Manor House.  I jump at the chance to parade around in bridal gowns and beautiful bridesmaid dresses.   What girl does not love the idea of a wedding, even after 11 years of marriage I envision the day I will renew my vows.......someday!
The Royal Image Boutique is located in Wheat Ridge and has a wide selection of prom, pageant, and bridal gowns.


Wearing one of the beautiful reception gowns provided by Royal Image Boutique






MAY 2011

A change of Seasons

As I sit and look over my calander and focus in on the month of May, a flood of emotions are stirred up.

I am happy, after all May is my personal birthday month and within this great month there are five other family members who also celebrate their birthdays.  We also have two special holidays within the month of May, Mother's Day and Memorial Day and this means we will be gathering with family and friends.

I am overwhelmed, my calander looks as though a pen has attacked it with the many appointments, parties, appearances, meetings, and dinners that seem to fill up my days.

I am excited, I have ten appearances as Mrs. Colorado scheduled.  What a great month to get out into the community and experience something new. 

I am confused, my children are ending a school year and for me that means they are getting older and one year closer to leaving the house.  Rationally, I know I still have time until that officially happens, and I also know that it is the way of life to love and encourage your children to become self- sufficient adults, but a season shift is quickly approaching and I am not always good with change. 
My baby, my sweet little girl will graduate Pre-K, which means she will enter Kindergarten this coming fall.  I will have three children at the elementary school for the first time.  I am happy and excited that they are successful and moving along brilliantly within the education system, but a part of me is sad that the work I have done for the past nine years being a "stay at home" mom will be coming to an end.  This is what I have known, this is what I am used to, this is what I am good at!

I am celebrating, school is ending which means it is summer.  I love having the kids home to find adventures, swim in the pool, stay up late, and sleep in.

I am inspired, I will take this change in season to again rediscover who I am.  What do I want to do, what do I like to do, and what will I do. 

I am blessed, life is good!!

My three precious babies who give me a reason to walk the walk.



I love being a sideline mom  and seeing our baby proudly wear the family name.



Back from Nationals

Care 4 Kids

April 27th, 2011

I was honored and excited to be asked by Valentina Anderson, also a Mrs. Colorado contestant, to attend her event.  Valentina is a special woman who has a huge heart and spends much of her time raising funds and awareness for the organization, Care 4 Kids worldwide, which focuses on the essential and lifesaving needs of children in poverty.
This particular event was held at Little Europe restaurant in Denver where we indulged in traditional Russian cuisine and had the opportunity to bid on some great auction items.  The proceeds from this event went towards new playground equipment for an orphanage in Ukraine.  It was a huge success!



with Julia Bourlakou and her family.  She organized the event.



with Valentina Anderson and Julia Bourlakou

Delish Demure

April 28th, 2011

I am part of the group Douglas County Divas, which is a networking group.  The Divas hosted an event at an upscale and cheeky boutique in the DTC area called Delish Demure.  This is a great place to shop for that one of a kind outfit for any special occasion.  I had a great time visiting with everyone.

with the lovely ladies from Delish Demure

Miss Teen Colorado World Pageant

April 30th, 2011

The first year I competed I had the privilege of standing next to the one and only Christina Sacha, who that same year went on to win the title of Mrs. Colorado 2008.  I look up to and respect Christina for so many reasons, so when I was asked to make an appearance at her debut as the director for the Miss Teen Colorado World Pageant I was thrilled.
Christina has grown up in pageants and has held many titles over the years, she has judged, and also coached, but this has been a dream of hers for some time, to have her own pageant.
I love these types of appearances, it is a chance for me to see many of my queen sisters, to get completely dolled up, and to be a part of another person's life changing experience.  It was a fabulous evening, Christina and her crew did an amazing job, the contestants were all beautiful, and a new Miss Teen Colorado World was crowned.

Congratulations to all the contestants and to the new Miss Teen Colorado World queen, Victoria Korthuis.

with the new Miss Teen Colorado World 2011, Victoria Korthuis

 

with Heidi Hume, Miss Teen Colorado World 2010

with Megan McCarter, Mrs. Colorado 2009

with Shalon Polson, Mrs. Colorado 2010

Mrs. America

Competition Photos
April 11th - April 14th

Here are a few competition photos from Mrs. America.

My group of five right after interview.

My state costume, a mountain biker. Yes, the bike was extremely heavy.



State Costume competition




Competing in swimsuit

Swimsuit competition on preliminary night

We kicked off  finals by marching through the audience carrying our state flags. It was a very proud moment for me.



Right after being called into the top ten. They went on to call an additional 5.




Ccompeting in top 15 during finals. After being announced into top 15, we had to quickly change into different colored swimsuits.



Top 6






Answering a top 6 question. We were asked to use one word to describe how we were feeling, I said:  Surreal.

Competing in top 6



Top 3, waiting to hear the results.



Mrs. Florida, April Lufriu, is crowned Mrs. America 2011 What an amazing women!!



Top 15




Top 6



Top 3





An Experience of a Lifetime

Mrs. America
March 31st - April 15th, 2011

As I browse through my pictures and reflect on my time spent at Mrs. America, I am taken back to an indescribable experience.  It was nothing like I thought it would be, it was so much more.  No words or pictures can even come close to describing my adventure.  The feelings or emotions  I felt during the fifteen days I spent at Mrs. America are similar to that of being on a roller coaster.  I was excited, thrilled, exhausted, nervous, homesick, pumped and READY!! 
The most challenging part of this whole thing had to be the packing.  Fifteen days with sometimes several activities a day and also accounting for weather, plus accessories, this was a huge job! : )

Ready to head out the door for Mrs. America



These two boxes  full of clothes and shoes were shipped in addition to what I brought on the airplane. This picture is what they looked like returning home, pretty beat up!



I arrived in West Virginia and was ready and open to what ever happened.  The outcome was already determined, I just needed to do what I had prepared to do, and let it unfold.  I think this attitude is what helped me the most during my days spent at Mrs. America.
I met my roommate, Mrs. California- Jennifer Glava that first day and was so excited to find we had many things in common.  I have found a lifelong friend in her, as well as, in many other ladies.  I enjoyed meeting many of the state representatives and hearing about their goals during their reign.  What amazing women.

My roommate, Jen, and I receiving our opening number dresses.



with Mrs. Minnesota, Mrs. South Dakota, and Mrs. Montana at one of our formal dinners



with Mrs. Connecticut, Mrs Rhode Island, Mrs. California and Mrs. South Dakota in the lobby after lunch




with Mrs. Michigan, Mrs. DC, Mrs. California, Mrs. Delaware, and Mrs. Hawaii at one of our cocktail parties. It was so much fun getting dressed up for the evening events.




with Mrs. Nevada, Mrs. Maine, Mrs. California and Mrs. Idaho at our Habitat for Humanity Building project. The little boy, who we were building the home for, came out that day and handed out safety goggles to us. Very fashionable!!





all of the girls at the Habitat for Humanity Build

 


We were taken in groups to experience the many activities offered at the Greenbrier. Our group getting ready to go horse back riding.




with Mrs. Minnesota, Mrs. New Hampshire, Mrs. Hawaii, and Mrs. Kentucky at our dignitary dinner. We presented our state gifts to the owner of the Greenbrier, Jim Justice.



with Mrs. Delaware, Mrs. Hawaii, and Mrs. California getting ready to hit the greens. We had fun practicing our golf swings.




with Mrs. Vermont, Mrs. Utah, Mrs West Virginia, Mrs. New York and Mrs. Florida exploring the beautiful shops at the Greenbrier




with DianeTucker, Mrs World 2007, at our orientation dinner.




with Mrs. Hawaii, Mrs. Florida, Mrs. California, and Mrs. Idaho getting ready to have dinner



Our time spent rehearsing for the show seemed monotonous and exhausting, but looking back those are some of my most fondest memories.  It was a chance for us to learn something new, like a dance routine, a chance for us to get to know each other, without the competition on our minds, and a chance to experience something that so few would ever get the opportunity to, and appreciate the honor.

with Mrs. Rhode Island during one of our MANY rehearsals



with Mrs. Kansas, Mrs. California, Mrs. Hawaii, Mrs. Connecticut, and Mrs. Florida taking a very quick break from rehearsals to grab some lunch.



with my roomie, Mrs. California, enjoying high tea, which was held every day at 4pm

What a wonderful tradition, the exchanging of state gifts. Everyone is to bring a gift from their state, it was like Christmas all over again!

Florence and her daughter, Barbara, rehearsing for the big show

with Mrs. Hawaii at rehearsals before preliminary competition

 Having so many loved ones by my side as I crossed the finish line really made this whole journey complete.  I would not be where I am today if in were not for the love and support of my family and friends.  It meant so much to me that they made the trip out to West Virginia.  Team Colorado definitely had the biggest and best supporters.



After the preliminary competition



Having a little fun after finals

with Becca and Sheli

more family

I am so proud of myself and the way everything worked out, of course I would have loved to bring home the title of Mrs. America, but at the end of the day I am just as excited to be Mrs. Colorado 2011.

Queen Sisters

Queen's send off party
March 28th, 2011

One of the many reasons I continued to work so diligently towards the title of Mrs. Colorado, was in part for the amazing sisterhood you enter into once being crowned.  It is a sorority of sorts, filled with intriguing, unique, and inspiring women.  I have had the chance over the last few years to meet and get to know many of them, I have competed with some, I have coached with some, and I have been inspired by many.  I am so incredibly honored to now walk along side them and create my own foot prints as a Mrs. Colorado.

Wrapping up the celebrations before leaving for Mrs. America I was given a traditional queen's send off party hosted by my new queen sister, Janet.  This party is always given by the queens to the current Mrs. Colorado before leaving for nationals.
It was a wonderful evening and I was so excited to hear about their stories and receive advice for my own journey to nationals.  I was also showered with beautiful gifts and words of encouragement.

with Shalon and Megan

opening some of my gifts

So many fun and thoughtful gifts from my queen sisters.

A Send Off Fit For A Queen

Send Off Party
March 26th, 2011

Three weeks to the day after being crowned Mrs. Colorado 2011, I was given the most wonderful display of support and encouragement, a fabulous send off party.  Not just any send off party, but an event to raise funds for my national competition, an opportunity to show off personal flare, and a chance to celebrate with my most favorite people.  All attendees were encouraged to adorn their most beautiful chapeau.  Everyone looked amazing and it was really wonderful to see reflections of personality in what they chose to wear.

with the family

with two beautiful ladies, Muriel and Karen.

with some of my "girls"  Becca, Paige and Mel

These lovely ladies greeted guests as they entered. Sharon, Becca and Carmela

with more family



some of the beautiful contestants who came out for the party



with grandma GG

with Sheli Ralph Schomp BMW served as a nice back drop to our festivities, Boston's, Chick Fil A, and Nothing Bundt Cake generously donated all the food, beverages, and desserts, and an amazing crew helped gather the many items up for bid. I felt so special to be surrounded by so many amazing people.  We had former queens, current title holders, friends, family, and many new faces come out to enjoy the festivities.  We even had Her Life magazine come out to cover the event for the "See and Be Seen" segment in the May issue.

Once again a huge "Thank you" goes out to all of the individuals who made this party such a success, I love and appreciate you all so very much.
It was a great night full of laughs, great food, and good times.