A Syrupy Sweet Saturday

This morning I took advantage of a wonderful opportunity to work with the Miss America Organization’s national philanthropy, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The MAO has not always had a national philanthropy, just like how Miss America has not always included platform (each contestant’s individual philanthropy/cause), talent, or on-stage question. (We began as a bathing beauties contest for women ages 16-35 during Labor Day weekend! My how things have changed!) Looking back, I think it’s safe to say that Miss America is constantly growing and changing to meet the needs of modern women. The organizations paired up just a few years ago, but the partnership has been incredibly beneficial to the children, families and new MAO volunteers.

If you haven’t heard of it, CMN is an amazing organization which raises funds for medical research, children’s hospitals, and most importantly – children and their families with life-threatening diseases. Prior to competing in the Miss Oklahoma system, I had heard very little about CMN. I’m fortunate to have learned so much in the past few years! The organization works with 170 hospitals across the country, including two in Oklahoma. By working with CMN, I have been blessed to meet children and families directly benefitting from the fundraising created by events like IHOP‘s National Day of Pancakes and Dancing With the Stars (a local take on the national hit). There is absolutely nothing like the feeling you get when meeting a child who was thought to have mere months to live, but has surpassed that timeline by years, partly because of the Children’s Miracle Network.

Miss Oklahoma local titleholders were invited to spend a Saturday morning raising funds and awareness for CMN at local IHOP’s. This Saturday special leads up to National Pancake Day – March 1st. On National Pancake Day, titleholders are able to fundraise for CMN at IHOP’s in order to help better the lives of hospitalized Oklahoma children. During the event, pancakes are given out for free, though it is suggested that a donation to Children’s Miracle Network be made in exchange for the free pancakes. On National Pancake Day, I will be at the IHOP in Oklahoma City on Meridian from 6-8 pm!

When I arrived at IHOP it was packed! No one in my family is necessarily a “morning person,” so I don’t think I had ever been to an IHOP during actual breakfast time. The manager and staff were extremely friendly and so helpful. When making an appearance, you never know what to expect. Surprisingly, sometimes people make assumptions about “pageant girls” and I’m always prepared to go the extra mile to change a negative, preconceived stereotype into a positive reputation about titleholders. This was definitely not an issue at the I-240 Service Road IHOP.

The last time I volunteered with National Pancake Day, no one really told me what to do so I hung out with kids and talked about CMN to restaurant patrons. Today was even better because the manager showed me what the staff had been doing and I ran with it! The staff had been selling paper balloons which are taped to the wall for a donation of $1 or more. They were also selling glow in the dark bracelets for $2 which read “GLOW FOR KIDS.” The manager told me it would be perfectly fine to walk around, talk with patrons, and try to sell both items. Being a public relations (somewhat of a marketing degree) major, I saw a challenge and set out to sell everything!

During the three hours I was at IHOP, I met some wonderful people and never had a bad reaction from diners. Most were even SUPER friendly! I met a man who had served in the Army for 35 years, a family from Tecumseh (the town next to my hometown!) with a man who was heading to a conference where Michael J. Fox was speaking (so cool), and another family from Bray, Oklahoma (near Duncan – there are more livestock than people…also home to the largest town in America – landwise!). There was a girl eating breakfast with her best friend from Kansas for her birthday, and later they were heading to Chuck E. Cheese. Three older women were also very supportive of CMN, and had big plans to see Beauty and the Beast at the Civic Center later. I was amazed at the number of kids up before noon as well! Several families seemed to bring the entire family – one which included 8 kids – to IHOP to enjoy breakfast together.

I didn’t have a goal in mind when I first arrived, but selling the balloons and bracelets worked out perfectly. The manager had to refill the bucket of bracelets several times! It’s really amazing how generous people can be when you just ask! At the end of the day, I had raised a total of $152! Granted, in the grand scheme of things that isn’t much, but in the long run it really can add up. I was thrilled to be able to take an active role in fundraising for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. If you’ll be in the Oklahoma City area (Meridian IHOP) on March 1st, please consider stopping by (actually, at ANY IHOP for that matter!) and making a donation. You definitely won’t regret it!!

Sidenote: Please forgive the truly terrible Oklahoma-wind induced hair day which I was having. I always try to look presentable, since appearance often makes the first impression and I wanted to represent CMN and MAO positively. The weather really took hold and I could feel my bangs drooping into my face all day. Fortunately, I was reminded that kids really don’t care about what your hair looks like, and think every girl with a crown on is Miss Oklahoma – even if your sash reads otherwise! The patrons were more concerned about my explanation of CMN and how the funds helped others than if my hair was big and full of volume. It’s nice to realize that we can strive for perfection, but in the end, your appearance is nothing next to the difference you are making for the children.  Enjoy these photos of the kids I was able to spend time with!

Getting RESULTS

Early Saturday morning (we’re not talkin’ 11:30 am, I mean NINE AM!), I took a bold step towards achieving a huge goal – I met with a personal trainer. Swimsuit is an area which I’ve always been about average in. Typically, I can’t accept average – but when it is the difference between eating a cinnamon roll or a celery, I have gladly selected the cinnamon roll.

Until the later years of college recently, I hadn’t even stepped foot on a treadmill, elliptical, or that scary high stepper machine. After dancing for years, my body had always been in shape and I was very fit and healthy (aside from the fact that I ate absolutely no greens). As my body has matured (and I stopped dancing daily), it has taken a more womanly shape. Sure, I’ve always had a small waist and hips that are larger (yet proportionate) in comparison, but when you’re 5’2″ gravity (or the cinnamon rolls) has to set in at some point!

One of the goals I set for myself this year is to win swimsuit. At Miss Oklahoma, that’s quite a feat! This year one of the swimsuit winners went on to become Miss Oklahoma and win swimsuit at the national level. Needless to say, the competition is pretty thick (not literally, they’re all quite thin, muscular, and ripped!). In order to achieve that goal, I decided to work with someone who not only pushed his clients, but set feasible and realistic standards.

Brian Attebery and I met on Saturday morning, which was an hour drive from my hometown, Shawnee. If I’m waking up before 7:30 am to be somewhere, you know it’s a big deal! Brian was exactly what I expected and more. He is intelligent and seriously knows what he is talking about. Somewhere he lost me in the explanation of how blood sugar, glucose and other scientific words work, but in the end it all made sense and I was ready to take off the body fat and put on muscle!

While Brian is super smart (he’s a Sooner alum – need I say more?), he is also very concerned about teaching his “girls” how to maintain a healthy, manageable lifestyle. He doesn’t believe in crash diets or three hours of cardio a day – lucky for me! Brian’s plan is very realistic and he understands that college students have a lot on their plate and a packed schedule. He worked with me to create a meal plan revolving around foods I will actually eat, and provided options as well so I won’t get burnt out.

After typing up a healthy, balanced diet, he created a workout regimen with various forms of weightlifting and cardio. I have scoliosis, causing a lot of back pain, but Brian was very knowledgable about working with a spine curvature. He took that, and my bum ankle, into consideration when designing my plan, giving me a safe work out to follow. Another pro about Brian is that he actually cares about the people he works with. I felt like I actually got to know Brian. He learned about my family, school and we even found a few commonalities!

Now that the initial meeting is complete, I just have to do what he says. I’m determined to lead a healthier lifestyle and develop positive work out habits. Though easier said than done – in the long run my body will thank me!

The Beginning

…is always the hardest part! Setting up the new blog has been a struggle – themes, finding free headers that actually fit the size needed, and widgets…oh my! Now that the initial words have been typed and I think there is some sort of organization, we can truly begin.

On Saturday, January 22nd I was awarded the opportunity to serve as Miss Sooner State 2011. That chilly Oklahoma Saturday was not my first rodeo, and after consistently going home from local pageants as the 1st or 2nd runner-up, I had made my peace with whatever path God had created for me. Fortunately, His plan and mine were in line that evening and I know I was provided the title of Miss Sooner State for so many reasons!

As Miss Sooner State, I look forward to the endless possibilities which are ahead. Though June 11th is a mere four months and four days away, I am not one to be slowed or deterred by a short time frame. Last year I was so overwhelmed by the daily demands of being a sorority President during the once-in-a-lifetime Centennial year, trying to find time and space to exercise, eat well and practice a tap dance in a 60-year-old sorority house, and maintain the grades I expected of myself. The time slipped away so quickly and when looking back I was not able to completely enjoy and live life to its fullest potential.

This year, so much has changed. I am in my last semester of college and have had a job lined up since November – working as an inner-city Early Childhood teacher in Tulsa through the Teach For America program. After living in the dorms and moving straight into a 91-girl-filled sorority house for 2 1/2 years, I am in a small house with three other girls, off campus….and with my very own kitchen! During college, I have always maintained the kind of lifestyle where my friends saw me dashing off to meetings and often leaving one early to make it to another. This semester, I am taking a mere thirteen hours and have decided to allow the younger generations to take the lead where I left off on campus.

I am blessed to be Miss Sooner State, not just because my platform hits home for me, but because of the wonderful and positive people who will be by my side the whole way. Miss Sooner State is not like other Miss America Organization pageants, as it does not have a board of directors to fundraise, schedule events and appearances for their title holder, or offer years of experience. Though this sounds daunting, I am the luckiest girl heading to Miss Oklahoma because I have Selby by my side. Selby is my director or “mentor,” as the Miss Oklahoma Organization is calling her, and no amount of money or time could ever be greater than what she has already offered in our short time together – support. As a young twenty-something, Selby lives in Houston, but we BBM (Blackberry Messenger) at least twelve hours out of the day. She offers great advice, positive feedback, and I already know that we will be very close friends.

Selby also proposed the idea for a fundraiser to help with the costs of competing for Miss Oklahoma.  Scentsy is a line of wickless home fragrances that melt in special “Scentsy Pots.” It is a great alternative to candles, and more powerful than any candle I have found! Not only do they smell great, but they also make perfect gifts! Selby’s favorite is Skinny Dippin’, which I’ll be ordering now. I love Gingersnap, Toasted Caramel Sugar and Vanilla Walnut. If you order through the link below, 40% of the profits from your purchase will benefit Miss Sooner State!

Scentsy For Miss Sooner State

This is just the beginning, but keep checking back as I will be discussing more about why I became involved in the Miss America Organization, what I am doing as Miss Sooner State, and how you can become more involved!

P.S. If you know what a widget is, or how to use such a thing, let me know!