Incredible Weekend!

The 2016 Mrs. Colorado Pageant is done!  With many new friends made, memories created and awards for accomplishments.  Thank you to all of our sponsors and volunteers for making the weekend a huge success. 

Mrs. Colorado 2016 - Erica Shields

1st Runner Up - Megan Sharp (Please remember to vote for her in the national Fabulous Faces Vote this summer so she can also be at Mrs. America Pageant with Erica. 

2nd Runner Up - Valerie Daly

3rd Runner Up - Amanda Goodman

4th Runner Up - Bree Ebbinghaus

5th Runner Up - Corrie Francis

Keep checking back as we share more award winners from pageant weekend. 

Are you making a difference?

The Mrs. Colorado America Organization and current state finalists would like to invite you to walk/run with us in the PurpleStride Denver on June 26.  PurpleStride is the signature event of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Each year, in communities across the country, tens of thousands of people participate in more than fifty-six PurpleStride events, including PurpleStride Denver. These events are critical in raising awareness and funds that advance research and support patients and loved ones with a promise of a better tomorrow.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is blazing new trails in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Join us for PurpleStride Denver and together we will continue to rewrite the book on how to fight this deadly disease.We have set up a group called Mrs. Colorado America Pageant Queens!  Come out for a fun morning supporting a great cause.  We would love to have you join us.  If walking isn't possible this year, please feel free to donate funds to our team.  

http://purplestride.kintera.org/denver/stark

Colorado Aromatics

If you live in Colorado, you probably enjoy many outdoor activities. Did you know that even if you wear sunscreen, exposure to the sun results in skin damage and photoaging. We live in a state where the outdoor lifestyle is a given. I spend a good deal of my time in the summer both hiking and farming as well as going to outdoor festivals. Mrs. Longmont, Beth Samples, tells me she gets outside for long walks, gardening as well as enjoying the great summer festivals we have in downtown Longmont.

Being outdoors has many health benefits, including boosting vitamin D levels, and we should enjoy time outside daily. However, if you spend a lot of time outside you may have noticed how it affects your skin. Exposure to the sun and the environment induces free radical formation which accelerates photoaging. UV radiation causes degradation of collagen and elastic fibers of the matrix causing loss of elasticity and wrinkle formation.

Colorado Aromatics Cultivated Skin Care formulates products for the Colorado lifestyle using the power of both herbs and science. This natural skin care line incorporates a wide range of botanical antioxidants and anti-inflammatories to help decrease the negative effects of sun and weather on the skin.

Colorado Aromatics is happy to be a sponsor of the 40th Annual Mrs. Colorado America Pageant. We have donated our Meadow Mist Face Cleanser to each contestant. We know Mrs. Colorado America contestants must be at the top of their game. They have to be the best they can be physically, mentally, emotionally as well as have glowing skin. Colorado Aromatics skin are products can help her look her best with the knowledge that she is using a natural and sustainable product.

We live in a great state full of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Colorado Aromatics wants to make sure you stay at the top of your game and can enjoy this lifestyle without having to worry about skin damage. You can see our products at www.coloradoaromatics.com. For more information you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  You can also visit our website for more information on products for the Colorado Climate at http://www.coloradoaromatics.com.

We are wishing all contestants the best of luck and hope you have a wonderful experience.

Fabulous Faces

You can vote your favorite contestant into the Top 6 at this years pageant! How you might ask?  Vote for her in the Fabulous Faces Competition.  Each vote is $2 and profits go to Victoria's Voice Foundation.  Get your tickets to find out who is crowned on April 16, 2016. 

Mrs. Colorado America Contestants to Attend Colorado Rockies Baseball Game

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mrs. Colorado America Contestants to Attend Colorado Rockies Baseball Game

Denver, Colorado - January 28, 2016 - This year's baseball game between the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants at Coors Field in Denver is set to be hugely popular - with many more than just their regular, faithful supporters in attendance! The game, which takes place on April 13, 2016, will be attended by some of the most beautiful women in Colorado, as the current state finalists for Mrs. Colorado America and some of the former titleholders come along to relax and enjoy the game.

Tickets for the game are on sale now using the promo code: COLORADO from the Colorado Rockies official website. Fans would be well-advised to act fast if they want to snap up a ticket to what looks set to be a fun, lively, and entertaining event. Mette Castor, Mrs. Colorado America 2015, will open proceedings by singing the National Anthem, and throughout the evening, there will be live interviews with former and current Mrs. Colorado America titleholders. Fans will be able to share the same seating section as some of the women, and will have an opportunity to meet and chat with them in between innings.

The pageant contestants and former title holders have a busy spring ahead of them, with the Mrs. Colorado America Pageant taking place during the same week as the Colorado Rockies versus San Francisco Giants game. The Mrs. Colorado America competition is the official state preliminary to the Mrs. America and Mrs. World pageants, so you could go so far as to say that some of the most stunning married women in the world will be at the game to cheer the Rockies on.

If you are not lucky enough to be able to purchase a ticket to the Rockies game, perhaps you will be able to get a ticket to the pageant that will be taking place this year at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Performing Arts Complex in Denver. Details of the 40th anniversary Mrs. Colorado America Pageant, which takes place on Saturday, the 16th of April 2016 at 7.00 pm, can be found on their website and Facebook page. The annual event is the foremost respected pageant for married women in the U.S., its mission being to inspire women to seek personal excellence through preparation and competition. It will certainly be exciting to be able to join the ladies on their journey as they represent their communities in seeking to be crowned Mrs. Colorado America!

Contact: Emily Stark 303-593-1199

Mrs. America Part One

Mrs. America.  Mrs. AMERICA!!  Since April 18th when I was fortunate enough to become Mrs. Colorado America 2015, the mystery surrounding when and where the Mrs. America pageant would be held actually became part of my reality.  To be fair, up until just a few weeks before that night I was blissfully unaware that there was any uncertainty regarding the subject at all.  I figured Tucson at the end of August – just like the last few years.  I remember someone mentioning it to me in passing (apparently they thought I knew!) and the feeling of not being quite able to fully catch my breath.  RUSSIA?!?  They’re planning on having Mrs. AMERICA in RUSSIA?!?  Aside from the obvious question of WHY? And the concerns that come with figuring out (hypothetically) how in the world I would ever make the logistics of that work, my most pressing concern was what in the world Bill would say to that one!  I mean think about it, if you have young children that isn’t something that could necessarily be figured out easily.  Maybe if you have grandparents or other family that live close it wouldn’t be quite as challenging, but we don’t.  My parents are in Texas and Bill’s mom is in North Carolina.  Rumor had it that the state representatives would be there for two weeks or more.  Besides, I’m pretty sure it’s frowned upon to leave your 4, 6 and 8 year-olds with pizza money and a ride to and from school.  So my solution was to not get ahead of myself – it may not even be something I would need to concern myself with anyway.  I chose to focus on April 18th and if I won on that night, then I would worry about it.  And mention it to Bill.

Fast forward to April 18th and there I stood with a beautiful banner (my goodness, I do LOVE a pretty banner!) and a shiny tiara and I had a voice of panic in head because as Bill approached me with flowers I could hear the voice yelling, “Oh no!!  Russia!!   I’m going to have to tell Bill about Russia!!”  Unbeknownst to me, someone casually mentioned the whole Russia thing to him while he was standing backstage.  Oops.  I vaguely remember him saying something about it to me almost immediately after telling me how much he loved me.  I used the excitement and chaos of the moment to postpone the discussion.  NOW the possibility of traveling to Russia for the Mrs. America pageant was a reality – MY reality.  Cue the shallow breaths and minor panic.  Moderate panic.  Thank goodness for Emily and Shalon.  They advised me not to get ahead of myself since nothing had actually been confirmed yet and not to focus on it until we knew something for sure.  As it turned out, we waited until July to find out we would be staying stateside.  So in the meantime I (along with my fellow Mrs. America class) lived in a bit of a state of limbo.  While that presented some challenges, we just enjoyed the process of planning and preparing for Mrs. America….whenever and wherever that would eventually be. 

There is an unlisted, yet incredibly valuable prize you get when you become Mrs. Colorado America – it’s your Mrs. Ohio sister.  It may sound cliché, but it’s true.  Ashley Starling is Mrs. Ohio 2015 and she is the. Best. Ever.  From the very first phone conversation we had I knew that she was going to be a friend well beyond this one year.  You can’t imagine how comforting it was to know that someone else was worried about the same things I was.  And then some!  Ashley is not only fabulous, she’s Jake’s mom, Jason’s wife and an attorney.  All of a sudden I realized that my worries about scheduling and what I would do with my boys should I find myself in Russia, paled in comparison to worrying about how to schedule court hearings when you don’t know whether you be in town…..or the continent.  Ashley helped keep me sane and although I guess technically some people might think we were “competitors”, we simply became girlfriends.  And I still have a gown of hers, but that’s another story…..

Thanks to Jessica, Mrs. New York, my fellow sisters and I quickly found each other on Facebook and formed a closed group where we could all get to know each other.  We asked questions, got opinions, asked for and gave advice, celebrated successes and defeats, frustrations, fears, bad hair days, funny appearance stories, even funnier stories about our children, and sadly the resignation of one of us – only to be joined by her sweet and adorable successor.  And we shared our anxiety about the uncertainty of what was happening with the national pageant.  Believe it or not, we got to know each other pretty well.  I already knew I loved Ashley, but it turns out I fell in love with 50 other women.  It was announced in July that we would not be going to Russia, but it was well into August before the date and location of Mrs. America was finally announced:  we would be going to Las Vegas from September 19-25.  The only thing that alleviated the panic of worrying about whether everything would be ready in time, was sharing the experience with those women.  We weren’t competing against each other, we were competing with each other – as a team.  A team where only one of us would “win”, but all of us would walk away with the prize.  Jessica’s costume was delayed in Dubai (fancy, I KNOW!!!) and we all celebrated with her the day it showed up on US soil.  There was a huge problem with Beth’s wardrobe and without hesitation many of us offered up gowns, shoes, jewelry…whatever she needed – and this was before any of us had ever even met in person.  I know it was clear to all of us that we were a part of something extraordinary.  My sisters are simply amazing.

I realize at the moment that I have written quite a bit so far and I haven’t even really gotten to the details and fun of discussing wardrobe selection, the drama of picking the perfect picture, or the actual event.  In an effort not to turn this blog entry into a short novel, I’m saving that part for tomorrow.  But here are a few pictures of Ashley and me - funny how we're almost always standing on the same side of each other!

Say Yes to the Dress

Welcome to The Bridal Collection! Located just 15-20 minutes south of Denver, The Bridal Collection is the premier bridal, pageant and special occasion destination in Colorado. We offer top quality products, a vast selection and a passionate and knowledgeable styling team. We love providing each bride with her perfect look!

The Bridal Collection has been in business for 15 years and we have had our prom/pageant/special occasion division for five years. Our 18,000 square foot location features 11 bridal suites and 14 spe-cial occasion suites including Mother of the Bride, bridesmaid, prom/party, and pageant. We are honored to have received the Brides Magazine Best Bridal Salon Award 2015!

Philanthropy and community involvement are two pillars of our business practice at The Bridal Collection. Last year, our store was featured on the TV show “Say Yes to the Prom,” which is modeled after the TLC hit “Say Yes to the Dress.” Say Yes to the Prom is made possible by businesses across America that donate prom dresses and jewelry to underprivileged young ladies. The organization pro-motes confidence, positive self-image and motivation and encouragement for high school girls. Last year, we were so thrilled to help 40 Denver girls receive free prom dresses, professional hair/makeup styling and the experience of a lifetime. We are excited to participate again and we are always looking to expand our philanthropic endeavors.

This November, we had the opportunity to be a part of the Denver Athletic Club’s annual fashion show to support Impact 360, a non-profit organization focused on helping young students succeed aca-demically and athletically so they can earn a college education. Impact 360 participants join as sixth grad-ers and stay through 12th grade, committing to over 3100 hours of support activities, graduating from high school and attending college. Volunteers offer their time to mentor and lend guidance and support to these very deserving kids. Each of the eight members of the Class of 2015 graduated from high school and was accepted into college; seven will start this year. It was a thrill for us to dress three of these in-credible young ladies and support such a worthy cause.

We also believe deeply in expressing gratitude to the dedicated men and women of the United States Armed Forces. Every year, our store participates in the Brides Across America Nationwide Gown Giveaway, during which we provide military brides with a free gown of their choosing. Events are held twice a year in partnership with bridal salons across the country. Deployments, financial hardships,and other challenges unique to servicemen and women can make it difficult to plan a wedding.The organiza-tion garnered the attention of ABC's Nightly News in 2011 and 2012, and People Magazine article in 2013. However, the highest honor was received during a 2012 White House event by Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. The event recognized twenty organizations for their contributions to improving the lives of military families. Brides Across America continues to support wounded warriors, post traumatic stress and employment for veterans.

The Bridal Collection was built on the foundation of providing the best selection and unparalleled service to all of our brides and their families, but we are constantly evolving and improving who we are and what we do. For the past five years, we have had an impressive collection of special occasion, prom, homecoming and pageant apparel, but we have recently expanded in very exciting ways! Not only have we added more volume to our existing collections, but we are proud to say that we are now the only store in the state of Colorado to carry Sherri Hill Couture gowns! These gowns have graced the stages of many national pageants and are now carried exclusively at The Bridal Collection. Our clients now have access to not only the finest in bridal fashion, but the finest in pageant apparel as well! In addition to the couture brands we carry in our store, we also offer a fantastic selection of gowns, short dresses and accessories to suit any occasion and any budget. We are so proud to offer our clients hundreds of choices so that each girl can find her perfect dress. People from all over the region come to The Bridal Collection for all of their special occasion needs!

The Bridal Collection is thrilled and honored to be the official gown sponsor of the Mrs. Colorado America Pageant. We can’t wait to outfit you with an exquisite look for your competition!

Few Photos from Mrs. America Pageant - Top 15 Placement for Colorado

Send off party photos

Just a few photos from Mette's Send Off Party 

And Then There Was That Time I Looked Like A Raccoon........

Generally speaking I’m a bit of a creature of habit.  Maybe not habit so much as when I find something that works I like to stick with it.  I like the certainty of knowing what to expect.   I also like to minimize the risk of something going wrong.  I tend to plan things out and I like to throw in a few practice runs just to make sure things will (hopefully) work out the way I plan them out in my head.  Take for instance, preparing for Mrs. Colorado.  Not only did I practice walking in heels, I practiced in THE heels I would wear.  When my much anticipated gown showed up at my house I took it and practiced walking in THE gown with THE heels – and the jewelry too.  I’m driving to Mrs. America next week.  If I could take a practice drive today to know where to find a Starbucks and where to stop for the night, I would do it.

I approach my hair the same way.  I know how to do it, I like it, and for the most part it’s been the same for a long time.  If you look at pictures of me over the last fifteen years you’ll see what I mean.  I have long hair, it’s usually coming forward over my left shoulder and to the back of my right.  The amount of curl and hairspray varies, but it’s long hair that has evolved over the years while staying true to my long hair preference.  Every now and then I’ve tried something new: like in 2008 when I cut it off above the shoulders – that was great for about two weeks…..then I wanted my hair back.  Or the time my friend asked me as I stood in his house trying to decide on the minute details of a gown, how I felt about trying to put my hair over the other shoulder (gasp!).   It turned out I liked it and every now and then I live dangerously and my hair comes forward over my right shoulder.  Crazy, I know. 

1997

In a bicycle crash my hair would have protected me

2012

2014

2015

                                                                                   My hair really hasn't changed much......1997 - 2015

But sometimes change goes terribly wrong.  The summer before 8th grade I was inspired by those pretty blonde girls in the “Sun-In” ads to spray my hair (quite thoroughly I might add) with that devil spray.  There may have also been some hydrogen peroxide involved in this ill-advised experiment……..Anyway, what I was left with was something rivaling an orange crayon.   Even I could see it was a disaster.  One I was eager to undo.  Unfortunately my mom was determined to teach me a lesson, (I should probably mention here that she had forbidden me for months to do this exact thing) so she would not allow me to just dye my hair back to its original color.  The disappointing thing about my plan was not just that I had brassy orange-ish hair, but that as it grew out it looked RIDICULOUS.  This is immortalized in my 8th grade picture where I literally have hair that is two very distinct colors.  (No, I will NOT show you the picture!)  Needless to say I never made the Sun-In mistake again.

There have been plenty of times I’ve tried something new over the years.  Some turned out to be smashing successes, like the time I insisted I would not try on the “nightgown dress” my friend Gayle wanted me to try on (which became my Miss Louisiana and Miss America gown) only to fall in love with it and abandon the gown I had thought I would wear.  Yet as I mentioned above there have also been some awful and many times hilarious mishaps……..which brings me to my tribute to the raccoons of the world.

                                                                                     The nightgown dress that almost never was

Now don’t get me wrong, I like raccoons.  I find them adorable and at my previous house they would actually swim in our pool at night.  I loved it.  I loved them.  And apparently last night I looked like one.  In my defense, I didn’t actually resemble a raccoon in person – but in pictures it’s a whole different story!  The tribute began when I accepted a sample of a setting powder I’ve never used before.   Makeup is the one area where I’ll try lots of new things.  Makeup is fun.  It’s not permanent and at the end of the day you can wash it off.  It’s fabulous!  There’s really no long-term commitment.  As Mrs. America has gotten closer I have been trying new things to see if I like them and get used to using anything new that I decide I like.  Yesterday it was this darn powder.  Everything else I used was a product I regularly use.  I used this new “incredibly light diffusing and perfecting” powder (the cosmetic professional’s words, not mine!) under my eyes.  Voila!  Lovely……maybe I do look light diffused!  All day it was fine.  All night it was fine.  Until the cameras came out.  Then my Mrs. Colorado America sisters started posting the pictures from my Mrs. America sendoff party on Facebook.  I look like I have applied reflective tape under my eyes!!  In EVERY PICTURE!!  Seriously, go look.  It’s hilarious!!  People who run at night from everywhere are sending me messages asking where to get this stuff.  Not really, but that’s only because they haven’t seen the pictures yet.  No set of headlights could miss me – this stuff is better than the reflective letters on a stop sign!  Remember back in the 90’s when people would take pictures and even though they looked completely normal in person, if they took a picture their entire face looked eight shades lighter than the rest of their body?  That’s what this was – just only under my eyes.  It’s not a good look.  Take my word for it.

Calling All Raccoons!

Unfortunately I decided to try out the reflective safety powder to set the makeup under my eyes.  Take my advice: just don't do it.

Normal

This is what I usually look like in pictures. Fortunately I didn't get rid of my usual powder when I tried the new one.  The raccoon look is SO yesterday....

I guess my point is that we should always be ready to try new things.  Sometimes you discover something you love and you make it part of your routine.  And then sometimes you crack yourself up with how terribly wrong some of them go.  Sometimes laughing at yourself really is the best medicine!  I can say though that I am ever so grateful that I like to practice run everything.  I would much rather be a raccoon eyed weirdo in pictures now as opposed to next week at Mrs. America.  Today I went back to the powder I know…….and I think I’m just going to leave well enough alone.

Ready.........Set...........Go?

OK wait, that didn’t work.  Let me try again.  Ready..........Set………

I’m a planner.  I admit it.  I like to plan things.  I like to know exactly when and where things are going to take place.  I like to know exactly what I will need and exactly what to expect once I’m there.  I find it comforting.  If you know me, you’ve maybe seen hints of this before.  Maybe you’ve caught a glimpse of my traditional paper planning calendar that I have in addition to the online calendar I share with Bill.  I took a look at my previous calendar - last September 1st I had 227 days until preliminary swimsuit competition at the 2015 Mrs. Colorado America pageant.  On February 9th I had 67.  You get the idea.  In front of my treadmill I have a place to hang what I like to call my “Countdown Calendar”.  It’s a place on the wall next to the television (more on that later) where I have numbers printed in descending order on pages that get ripped off each day.  You know, kind of like those page-a day calendars with cute kitten pictures or a quote of the day.  Mine isn’t that fancy.  It’s literally numbers.  Printed on pink paper because I like pink.  I would show you my current one, but as of right now I don’t know what number to start my countdown with so I’m just waiting……the spot on my wall is just waiting.  

The paper version of my calendar.  As you can see we went up to Breckenridge, I had the Junior League of Denver Holiday Mart, my son Christopher had a birthday and my sweet cat Spike died on the 14th.  As of the end of the month I had 136 days left in my countdown!

The day after I won Mrs. Colorado America I got the calendar out again to put in my new countdown.  I wasn’t quite sure what to put though because I wasn’t sure when the preliminary competition for Mrs. America would be.  The finals were scheduled for September 26th, but I didn’t know anything other than that.  So I held off.  Did I mention I’m a planner?  I like a visual reminder of my goals.  I like deadlines.  Deadlines are good.

As so many other things in life, plans have changed and the original plan to hold the Mrs. America Pageant in conjunction with the Mrs. Russia pageant fell through.  They were held together twenty-five years ago and the idea was to celebrate that milestone by doing it again, which would have been a really neat experience for all of us.  Unfortunately those plans had to change, and ever since the Mrs. America staff have been hard at work planning all of the logistics that go into making a pageant of this magnitude happen - without the benefit and luxury of a lot of time to do it.  So while we contestants continue to wait anxiously, we’re preparing.  I’m preparing…..without the benefit of my trusty countdown calendar!!

Preparing for the Mrs. America Pageant is different from preparing for the state pageant.  Preparing for Mrs. Colorado America I relied on mostly my opinion.  I have a few close and trusted confidants who were instrumental in helping me make decisions and prepare, but in the end it all came down to me.  Since I had competed the year before I really felt like I had a clear idea of exactly what I needed.  

Mrs. America is different.  I’ve never been so I don’t know first-hand what I’ll need, what exactly to expect or if I’m heading in the right direction.  That’s where Emily, Shalon, Nicki and my fellow sister queens have been invaluable.  They’ve been there, seen it, done it and are willing to share what they know with me.  We bounce ideas off each other and eventually there’s the one that finally everyone says, “Yes!  THAT’S it.  That’s perfect!”

For those of you who have competed in the Mrs. Colorado America pageant before you know what the paperwork is like.  It’s thorough, but not intimidating.  For Mrs. America multiply that by about ten!  At first it was overwhelming.  I simply looked at it probably six times before I even attempted to start formulating my responses.  Once I got started though, things started to flow and I’m just about done.  It was actually kind of fun to really stop and think about what I felt about the issues raised by some of the questions and how to share those opinions.

Keeping myself in shape physically for the swimsuit competition has changed a bit as well.  My treadmill and I still have our ongoing love/hate relationship.  I don’t always love jumping on there, but I do it.  Actually, the treadmill and I have always be well acquainted, and that has nothing to do with putting on a swimsuit on a stage - it has to do with being healthy and wanting to live as long as I possibly can.  What has always helped me keep the two of us familiar with each other is the television on the wall just to the right of the calendar.  I admit it, I have some addictions: Project Runway, Judge Judy and The Real Housewives of Orange County.  Ok fine, Atlanta too.  Project Runway just leaves me in awe of what the designers are able to create in such a short amount of time - frankly there’s no shame in that one.  I love Judge Judy.  I mean seriously, if I could have her over to my house for dinner I would.  Not embarrassed by that one either.  Now the Real Housewives……I know.  You don’t even have to say it, but I watch anyway.  It’s mindless and entertaining and for some reason I watch.  Season after season.  Since I like these shows (albeit for varying reasons) I use them to get myself onto the treadmill.  Sometimes it doesn’t take much to get me there, but then there are those days that I’m pretty sure that my recorded shows are the only. Reason. I’m. There.  That’s the place I allow myself to watch them.  No treadmill, no reality show.  It may not be pretty, but it works!  And by the time I’m done I’m glad I was there.

I’ve also had the (sometimes painful) pleasure of working with one of our pageant sponsors, Heather Shay and her handsome husband Jesse at M2Core+ in Parker.  The best way I can explain the workout is Pilates on steroids.  It’s the Lagree Method and while it looks deceivingly low-key, it’s not.  It has made me find and use muscles I vaguely became aware of back in my Anatomy & Physiology class in college.  Until I started working with Heather they were theoretical,  I didn’t know I actually HAD them and that they could get so sore.  Sore in a good way though - you know, the kind of sore that makes you proud of the workout you had and makes you realize your body is stronger than you realized.  That, combined with the treadmill and optimum nutrition are what will have me ready to take on swimsuit competition at Mrs. America.  

It looks innocent enough......but it's surprisingly tough.  And awesome.

Each state contestant is also tasked with finding or creating a costume to represent something about her state for the pageant.  I’ve gone through countless ideas for my state costume.  Some were funny (think giant, sparkly, marijuana leaf cape), some obscure (who knew….?) and some less unusual.  I guess this was kind of like when people say they fell in love with the first wedding gown they tried on - they just KNEW it was the one.  It was kind of the same thing here.  I went back to the first idea - I just KNEW it was the one.  Although the concept of the costume has evolved, the idea has remained.  You’ll have to wait to see to though, I’m not giving any hints.  Ok one hint, I am NOT a giant, sparkly marijuana leaf.

The part of competition that has been the most exciting and maybe the most stressful has been deciding what gown I will wear.  I thought the number of ideas for a state costume seemed like a lot, but it pales in comparison to how many different gown ideas I’ve had.  I have spent countless hours looking at pictures on my computer.  I have a file on there devoted specifically to gowns I like.  Maybe the neckline of one, the silhouettes of others, color of these, beading of this one and just this entire gown.  And this entire gown.  And this one.  There’s a part of me that wishes we had two evening gown competitions so I could have at least two.  In the end, the color, design, fabric and detail were a hit with all of us (thank you Emily and Shalon for your patience as I have gone back and forth a million times throughout this process with them) and the gown itself is close to reality.  The dear friend of mine tasked with making this gown spent so much time making suggestions about small changes to details and searched high and low for the fabric we needed for it.  At one point I started to think he may not find exactly what we were looking for.  And then he did.  I can’t wait to see it, feel it and try it on.  As tempted as I am to spill the beans about it, I just can’t.  I love a good surprise so y’all will just have to wait.  

This is a tiny example of the gown pictures I have saved on my computer.  It's seriously out of control!

As we wait for the big announcement from Mrs. America about when and where this year’s pageant will be, I find myself increasingly excited.  My fellow state contestants and I have a group on Facebook that has allowed us to get to know each other quite a bit.  It has been fun to learn about each other and several of us have had the chance to meet a fellow contestant or two even before we get to Mrs. America.  I can’t wait.  Something tells me this is going to be one of the most incredible experiences of my adult life!

Pageant Contestants are a Little Like Thoroughbreds

This past weekend I went to my first official appearance as Mrs. Colorado America 2015 - I was at the Denver Derby Party which is a benefit for the Sean ‘Ranch’ Lough Scholarship Program which awards full four year scholarships to Colorado State University to deserving students who would otherwise probably not have the opportunity to attend college.  It’s truly a life changing opportunity for these kids and an amazing thing to witness.

So anyway, I got to judge the hat contest which was a lot of fun and of course one of the highlights of the day was watching the Kentucky Derby.  I watched and cheered with 5000 other people as these beautiful thoroughbreds ran their hearts out for 1 1/4 miles - and then in just barely more than 2 minutes it was over.  That’s it.  And then I got to thinking………pageant contestants have a few things in common with these horses.  I know that may sound a little odd, but just hear me out.

The thoroughbreds that run in the Kentucky Derby didn’t just show up one day and decide to race.  (OK, let’s be honest, the horses themselves don’t make these decisions - their humans do.  But just go with me on this!)  These horses have trained to be there.  They begin training when they’re two and run this race when they’re three.  Not that they have just been sitting around not doing anything prior to that year, but the intense training starts at that point.  So for the past year they have been training to be at their peak physically - to be the first one to cross the finish line at the end of 1 1/4 miles.  Generally they can only run at their peak speed for a quarter of a mile - there is a strategy to figuring out when during the race they should hit that maximum speed.  Apparently if they hit it too early or too late in the race it throws off their chances of winning.  There is clearly a lot of thought that goes into it.  But there’s also one really important thing that those horses focus on: being their best - being their fastest.  Those two things don’t have a whole lot to do with any of the other horses.  

I know there are statistics for everything: how often the horse coming out of which gate has won, what color the winning jockeys have worn in the past, who the trainer is, who the jockey is, what number the horse is wearing on his jersey, is it sunny, is it overcast …..the list is endless.  If American Pharaoh had listened to some of these things he might have just packed up his horse suitcase and gone home.  After all, in 140 previous runs no horse has ever won the Kentucky Derby from the 17th post (he was originally slated to come out of the 18th, but moved to 17 when Stanford scratched).  

Which brings me to pageant contestants.  For the two years before I became a contestant at Mrs. Colorado America I watched from the audience.  I counted how many gowns of each color there were.  What colors were in the Top 10, the Top 5.  What color did the new Mrs. Colorado America wear?  What contestant number was she?  When I competed in the 2014 pageant I was so busy analyzing these things and so many others that I forgot what was really important:  NONE OF THAT MATTERED!!  I should have taken a lesson from the horses a little sooner.

In the year between the 2014 and 2015 Mrs. Colorado America pageants I was focused on April 18, 2015.  I was focused on being my personal best.  I concentrated on how to be at my peak physically.  I practiced answering questions not only about myself, but general questions like the ones that might be asked of the Top 5 on stage.  For lack of a better word, I was in training.  So were a lot of the other 59 women who went on this journey with me.  But that wasn’t all.  I stopped worrying about what anyone else was doing.  There is no point in it.  There’s nothing you can do about it and someone else being at their best doesn’t have anything at all to do with you being your best.  I just stopped the madness.

What that allowed me to do was really enjoy the experience.  The “training” took on a whole new significance in the fact that I had a chance to appreciate the fact that no matter the outcome, I was at my best.  Just like in the Derby, there’s only one winner, but that doesn’t mean the others go home empty handed.  For the horses it doesn’t negate the fact that they are the top 20 points earners through a series of 35 designated races over the past year.  For the other contestants in a pageant it doesn’t take away the obstacles they’ve overcome.  It doesn't diminish the fears they’ve faced head-on, the hours of hard work, sweat, sacrifice and dedication as they worked toward their goal.  It doesn’t take away from the fact that they are at their personal best.  It doesn’t take away their previous achievements and successes, the love of their families, and it doesn’t dim their stars at all.  So that’s the least I knew I would walk away with in the end.  The satisfaction of knowing I had worked hard and run my hardest.  

I would venture to say that if the Kentucky Derby was run again on Sunday instead of Saturday there might be a different winner.  Maybe Dortmund would have rallied to win or International Star might not have scratched.  Who knows?  Every pageant contestant knows that if you held the same pageant with the same contestants and the same judges on a different day you just might have a different outcome.  The one thing I realize is that we have an advantage over the horses:  at the end of the Run for the Roses there’s a clock keeping time with a very definitive, indisputable answer as to who came in first, second, third or last.  For us, we have the knowledge that the race we run is subjective - that not only can we run the race again, we can win the race in our own way every time.

2015 Pageant Videos Are ready

Did you want a copy of the 2015 pageant?  Here is the link to get your DVDs of the 2015 Mrs. Colorado America Pageant.

http://www.sp-digi-vid.com/Welcome.html

Mrs. Colorado America 2015 First Thoughts

Astonishing.  That’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of this past Saturday night.  Over the last 36 hours I’ve had a chance to let the fact that I am Mrs. Colorado America 2015 sink in.  I’m not sure it’s completely there yet.  I’m excited, overwhelmed, humbled, honored, nervous and eager to get started.  I’ve pinched myself a few times just to make sure this isn’t just an awesome and very realistic dream!  I sat for a while yesterday and reflected on the past year, the last few weeks and last week in particular: what I’ve done and especially what I’ve discovered.  Then I thought about the year ahead and what that may bring.  And I’m SO excited!!

Since this is just the first blog entry for me as Mrs. Colorado America I promise to keep it relatively brief - I have a whole year ahead of me so I don’t have to try to get everything out of my head and typed out all at once.  What I do want to share right now is what I was thinking and feeling Saturday night. 

Nervous would be an understatement.  I stood there with my fellow contestants waiting for the names of the Top Twenty to be called. I felt the excitement for my friends as they were called as well as the hope that I would join them. Whew!  Made it.  That same nervousness and anticipation followed me and grew more intense as the night progressed.  As the field narrowed those feelings intensified.  But then something unexpected happened: by the time I heard my name called into the Top Five the nervousness was replaced by pure excitement and I was simply elated.  It’s difficult to explain, but I was suddenly calm and I was able to really enjoy the moments as they were happening.  The nerves I was expecting to have answering the on stage question weren’t there.  As I stood there waiting for the results of all of our hard work it occurred to me how special it was to be standing there with Jordan, Erica, Megan and Valerie.  I was sharing this moment with four women who I really admire and like.  I mean seriously, I was honored to be standing there with them because no matter the outcome I knew I would really like the woman who would become Mrs. Colorado America.

So let’s be honest, I would lay odds that every one of us was was standing there hoping her name wouldn’t be called out yet.  Hoping our name would be the last one said.  When it was just Jordan and me left holding hands my mind was all over the place.  I cursed my lack of signal in the theater because I hadn’t been able to pull up a picture of the friend that I swear Jordan looks like, I wondered what was going through Bill’s mind, I was trying to remember what we were supposed to do if called out 1st runner-up and even more what we were supposed to do if we were named Mrs. Colorado America 2015.  Then it happened.  Seeing Nicki’s sweet face smiling at me was amazing.  Feeling that sash slip over my head and to finally feel the crown on my head was a dream come true.  I remember Bill coming toward me with flowers and the immediate comfort that washed over me when I saw the look on his face.  I could see my friends jumping around like fools and I could see my little sister’s face and I just knew this was real. 

I’m still excited and a little nervous.  I’m looking forward to the opportunities waiting for me this next year and for the relationships that will grow deeper; for the sisterhood I’m now so proud to be a part of.  I’m still humbled that five people ultimately helped make this dream come true for me and honored to represent the married women of our state.  Yeah, it turns out I’m REALLY REALLY excited.

I felt a rush of satisfaction Saturday night - a sense of accomplishment and pride.  But not because I won a pageant.  It’s because through all of this I have remained true to myself.  True to what’s real and who and what I am.  I felt it because I was my best me.  Crown or not, I had no regrets, no second-guessing of anything because I didn’t compromise my beliefs or myself in the process.  Happy because I spent four days with an incredible group of women with unique stories, accomplishments, challenges and motivations.  I laughed and shared duck tape with old friends and made new ones.  I am so thankful for the abundant blessings I have been given.  I am grateful for Bill’s love and support and the enthusiasm of our three boys Nicholas, Christopher and Kyle.  I am truly blessed to have my friends and family by my side for what I hope is the best year ever and I can’t wait to get started!  

Nicki's Pageant Secrets: Shoes

Pageant week can be torture on your feet, especially if you don't typically wear heels. So here are some tips to help your feet survive four days of high heels.

1.     Chunky heels

Wearing the thickest possible heel that still compliments your outfit will help. During more casual rehearsals, if you must wear heels, try a wedge or stacked heel. This will also give you more confidence while strutting your stuff on stage.

2.     Platforms

If you can find shoes that have a platform under the ball of your foot, it makes a super high heel not seem so super high. It also gives you a nice base to step onto as you walk. Again, make sure it still compliments your outfit.

3.     Straps

Having a strap that comes across the top of your foot or across your ankle is always a good idea. It helps to keep your foot in place and prevents it from sliding down. To keep straps comfortable check out Foot Petals Strappy Strips.

4.     Switching Shoes

Last year I thought it would be a great idea to wear the same shoe throughout the entire pageant. I was dead wrong. The shoes I wore were uncomfortable and caused such pain, by the time I made that Top 5 walk I thought I was going to die. Throughout the week wear different shoes and if you can for competition switch them out from Eveningwear to Swimsuit. Your feet will thank you.

5.     Invest in Quality Shoes

I think this is pretty self-explanatory. Spend a little more for comfort. Also, it may be worth investing in some shoe solutions like those from Foot Petals to make your shoes as comfy as possible.

6.     Keep your Feet Healthy

Your feet and ankles have tons of muscles, tendons and bones. It’s important to remember to work them out just as you do the rest of your body. Stretching every day as well as these foot and ankle strengthening exercises can make a huge difference in how you walk. The stronger your feet and ankles are the more confident you’ll feel in those heels.

Did you know...

it's National Dessert Day! I think we all know by now there is a day for everything, including desserts! If you are preparing for a pageant or just trying to stay healthy, desserts probably seem few and far between. It can be tough if you have a sweet tooth, but here are some great options when you just need a little something.

I am an ice cream fanatic! I can't get enough, unfortunately dairy is one of the big culprits of belly fat, so when I'm training I skip the dairy and go for bananas.

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

This famous quote from the movie Shrek sums up our  next dessert, "You know what ELSE everybody likes? Parfaits! Have you ever met a person, you say, 'Let's get some parfait,' they say, 'Hell no, I don't like no parfait.'? Parfaits are delicious!" 

Parfaits can be a healthy dessert option if you go for non-fat and use greek yogurt to make it even more packed with protein.

Pineapple Raspberry Parfaits

Dates are loaded with fiber. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, just one pitted date contains 1.6 g of fiber, or 6 percent of the recommended daily intake. Fiber is known for its ability to help lower cholesterol and fight and prevent obesity, heart disease and colorectal cancer. The November 2008 issue of "Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition" reports that the fiber in dates is primarily insoluble fiber, which binds to fat and cholesterol and carries it out of the body. (livestrong.com) 

I love dates, they're sweet and chewy, and are delicious in these Pecan Date Bars.

Pecan Date Bars

Enjoy! In moderation of course. :)

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Six ways to keep your hands out of your kids Halloween candy

When October hits it brings with it the anticipation of the upcoming Holidays – Halloween, Thanksgiving and then to top them all, Christmas.  I love this time of year (although summer is still my fav).  The beauty of the outdoors with the changing color of the trees, the smell of autumn in the air, the crunch of the leaves under my feet.  It is time to pull the decorations out from storage and fill our home with ghosts, goblins, pumpkins and turkeys.  The smells from a fall scented burning candle are in the air and as the days get cooler, the thought of curling up in front of the fireplace with a warm cup of tea or cocoa are very appealing.

In just a couple weeks now the doorbells will be starting to ring and little creatures of all different shapes and sizes will be standing at our doorsteps with open pillowcases or plastic pumpkins saying those magic words, “Trick or Treat” and patiently anticipating a candy bar to be dropped into their waiting pumpkins!  Its fun and cute and I LOVE interacting with all the little goblins that show up at my door, but I am always left in a dilemma about giving out candy.

It hasn’t always been this way,, but since I am now a Health Coach and have learned more about I ill effects on sugar in our health I am in a quandary as was to do this Halloween season.  I have the option of not buying into the candy biz and turn off my lights and watch spooky movies downstairs with my family (I did opt for this last year), I could just go against my conscious and go ahead and give the kids what they want (it is a tough battle to fight), or I could get and do something different – but what?

In case you think I am over thinking the funness of the holidays let me share with you some fun facts:

A – Both the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association has lowered their maximum ideals on how much sugar we should be consuming daily.  They went down to only 25 grams per day which is about 6 tsps.  In order to determine who many teaspoons are in a gram, take the gram and divide by 4.  Start doing the math – you will be surprised.  The average person consumes 22 teaspoons a day with a teen consuming upwards to 34 teaspoons per day!

B – The other fun fact is that it is not fat making us fat – sorry low fat dieters – but it is our sugar consumption.  We are OUT OF CONTROL with the average American eating 180 pounds of sugar per year!!  We are all feeding on a food that is killing us.  It is what makes us fat, leads to heart disease, diabetes and even Alzheimers!

There is hope and it begins with YOU!!  Here are 6 things you can do now to begin lowering this crazy sugar consumption:

1 – Drink Water.  Many times our sweet cravings are our bodies way of saying it’s thirsty, so reach for some water when you are wanting to dig into the candy.

2 – Eat some sweet veggies, fruit and spices.  We have taste buds that are sweet and so in order to satisfy them – reach for those whole foods, the kinds that our bodies actually know what to do with.  Foods like squash, yams, carrots, beets, berries, figs and apples.  Cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, cloves and cardamon.

3 – Eat more protein.  It’s important to get a good balance of protein – to little or to much and lead to sweet cravings.  So play around with this one and find your sweet spot.

4 – Get rid of Fat Free.  What are manufacturers putting into foods when they take out the fat?  Yep – sugar!  Fat helps us feel full and satisfied and sustain our appetites longer.  I am talking healthy fats, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, nuts, seeds, Avocados.

5 – Exercise.  Moving your body releases stress and makes you look and feel great.  After a workout your desire to eat junk goes out the window.

6 – Find the Sweetness in your life.  Many times we settle for a cheap candy bar when we really desire a nap, a connection like a hug, time to relax and read a book or take a bath.  What fuels you what can you incorporate in your life that brings sweetness?  Begin making a list of those items.  Work up to 50 items on your sweetness list and next time you want to dig in your kids Halloween bucket, grab your list instead and do something sweet for you!

Now you mamma’s out there, let your kids enjoy their trick or treat time, it is fun, my kids will go, but have a plan for how much candy your child will consume daily.  I usually let my kids pick out 20 items they love and the rest get donated in a buy back program or I will give them money instead so they can buy a fun toy that will not be damaging their health.  Get rid of the candy out of the house!  If it’s there the temptation is to eat it – donate it or just throw it out in the trash, that’s where sugar belongs anyway!

If you loved this blog post you’ll definitely want to GRAB a FREE copy of my Action Guide at my website www.beautifullydesignedwellness.com, that shares my time-saving secrets for a health life as a busy mom of five children. 

For more suggestions on staying healthy through the fall and holidays – check out my 10 Steps to Have a Happy and Healthy Fall.  It’s my gift to you.  And I would love to hear your ideas on how you handle the sugar this time of year.

Radiating Health,

Sheri

Certified Health and Wellness Coach

and Busy Mom of Five kids!

A Member of the Mrs. Colorado America Family Remembered

Upon hearing the very sad news of the loss of our amazing Mrs. Colorado America videographer, I went looking for a quote that might touch, at the very least, on the professionalism and peaceful presence Phil Lucero carried with him.  As the videographer, Phil was charged with the task of capturing the moments that encompass what the Mrs. Colorado America pageant entails.  Phil was the consummate professional, he never failed at being exactly where we needed him to be at exactly the time we needed him. He made those he was capturing in his lens feel at home- or at least as close to feeling at home one can feel while competing for the Mrs. Colorado America title.  One of the biggest tasks he was asked to complete, was sitting in on during the personal interviews. Having him behind the camera, as inconspicuous as he could be, never hindered the contestants in their time with the judges.  The mementos Mr. Lucero created for our women will forever be treasured.  We will miss you Phil.  God bless you and prayers go out to his wife Vera and family.

Where Will You Find Your Greatness?

Are you toying with the idea of competing for the title of Mrs. Colorado America, but something is holding you back? It's impossible to finish a goal that we don't start. Without taking the first step, goals are just nice ideas that fail to ignite our true potential.

As Mrs. Colorado America I get asked a lot of questions, especially questions about what it takes to win. There must be a magic formula right? To that I say, NO WAY! Here are some Mrs. Colorado America pageant myths debunked.

Do I have to be a perfect 'Barbie Doll'?
Barbie doesn't exist. It's about who you are as a person. For more insight, read Some of My Best Friends Are Beauty Queens, by Tricia Dampier, Mrs. CO 1989.

What if I have already won another title?
We don't care what your pageant history has been. Christina Sacha, Mrs. CO 2008, held the title of Little Miss America. Shalon Polson, Mrs. CO 2010, was Miss Teen CO USA 1997 and placed in the top 10 at Miss Teen USA.

                                       
What if I'm not originally from Colorado?
We don't care where you grew up, just that you live in Colorado now and want to represent our wonderful state. Marney Duckworth, Mrs. America 2007 and Mrs. CO 2006, was raised in Nebraska and later moved to Colorado.

Do I have to be a college graduate or accomplished professionally?
Debi Moore, Mrs. CO 1994 was a stay-at-home mother and Toni Cole, Mrs. CO 1990 was a full-time student when they won. Your life experience is what matters.


What if I didn't win on my first try competing?
Experience is gained through competing. Raeanne Smith, Mrs. CO 2000, competed for four years before winning. Traci Holman, Mrs. CO 2001, competed twice and won.

What if I'm really busy?
Busy women know how to get things done. Courtney Graham, Mrs. CO 2012 ran her household and worked full-time while raising two boys active in many different sports.

Do you have to have children to win?
We have had several titleholders that did not have children including Jennifer Lamont in 2005 and Megan Yarberry in 2009, who also placed in the top 10 at Mrs. America.

What if I am pregnant or working on getting pregnant?
Deandre Warren, Mrs. CO 1997, was pregnant when she won. Tiffany Sawyer, Mrs. CO 2007, was pregnant during her reign. We are family at Mrs. Colorado America.

Is there a height minimum or maximum?
There are no height requirements to win. Sheri Engstrom, Mrs. CO 2004 is 5'4" and Gina Mulholland, Mrs. CO 1998 is 5'3".

Am I too old or too young?
The only age requirement is that you must be at least 18-years-old. We have had winners from 21 to 39 years old. Janet Horvath was 39 when she won in 1991, Mina Muirhead was 37 when she won in 2013. Elisabeth Cartmill was only 21 when she won in 2003.


What if I can't afford it?
We have many sponsorship ideas especially since the Mrs. America Pageant has teamed up with Vault Denim.  Plus, we have a new Share the Journey program to help you cover your expenses because life is more fun when it's shared.

What if I don't fit the mold?
There is no defined mold. Blair Morgan, Mrs. CO 1991, was in the military. Janell Ames, Mrs. CO 2011, is a self-confessed tomboy and placed second runner-up at Mrs. America. I won with a short pixie haircut.

What if I have no pageant experience?
Over half of our contestants are "new" to pageantry. Both Amy Nugent, Mrs. CO 1996, and Sharon Nuanes, Mrs. CO 1981, won in their first year competing.

When I am gathered with my sister queens from years past or even at the Mrs. America competition just a few weeks ago, one thing I notice is that we are all so different. That's what I love about this program. As married women we all bring something unique to the pageant world.

Together, we have conquered fears, overcome challenges, discovered passions. We believe the starting line is a springboard to accomplishment and that the finish line is simply a metaphor for achievement. 

We are strong. Fierce. Able. And kind. We are destined for greatness. 

- Athleta Lifetime Espirit de She

If you have more questions about competing visit our website, www.mrscolorado.com or leave a comment below.