Prelim #3

The final preliminary day was my favorite yet! With a later rehearsal, we set evening gown and on-stage question, then got to have lunch with our Oklahoma Stars! The Oklahoma Stars program is for girls ages 5-11 who are matched with a Miss Oklahoma contestant and accompany then during part of the evening gown competition. It is a great mentoring opportunity and my little Miss Maddy could not be more fun!

We had such a great time and she was very excited about her glow in the dark gifts. We enjoyed our GiGi’s cupcakes and took silly pictures together too! Maddy has also experienced extreme relational aggression at such a tender age, which is why I believe she was placed in my life. It is inspiring to see how maturely she handles any situation and how much love she has to give.

After lunch we were able to relax, and head off to a delicious dinner at Charleston’s, where we anxiously awaited teen prelim results. I was thrilled for my teen, Mi’Shell Garrett, who tied for overall talent in her group!!! Soon, we left for the Mabee Center and our final preliminary competition night.

I love interview, therefore I love on-stage question! My evening gown is my favorite part of my wardrobe, amazing as it almost wasn’t. I like to see the way it came together out of nowhere last year as a “God thing,” and have to thank Kayne again for creating something which makes me feel like Katniss Everdeen… The girl on fire! (Please refer to the Hunger Games trilogy.)

Congratulations goes out to Alicia, Damaris and Autumn for their preliminary wins! I cannot imagine being a judge, as I know talented, fit and confident our contestants are.

Prelim #2

I feel like I’m losing track of my days while at Miss Oklahoma and am only following the schedule provided! The morning arrived with veery frightening news. Our feisty red coat, Donna Knight, suffered mini stroke while in the dorms last night. We are so fortunate that she was surrounded by red coats and contestants, including Brienne who is a nurse and was able to check all her vital signs to see how severe it was. I’m not sure how I missed the ambulance and fire trucks last night, but I could not be more thankful for the quick response. Please keep Donna in your thoughts and prayers as she recovers. Norma ensured me she was doing very well and would be back very soon.

Today began with talent rehearsals, which for me, were atrocious. It was my first time to sing on the Miss Oklahoma stage and while it was 90% empty, it was still daunting. Over the course of the day I took a lot of good advice and prayed with everyone I could get my hands on. Never have I felt more lifted up than I did today with the love and support of my pageant family – competitors, volunteers, family and friends.

After a rocky start, we ran through the show and were off to lunch provided by Mazzios. We then left for a very short stop by BounceU, where a fundraiser for CMN was being held. I love this event and wish we could have stayed longer. One of my students was able to come and her dream is to grow up to be a princess! I was over the moon to see her sweet face!

A little down time, a downtown dinner at McNellie’s, and a few rollers later we were ready for showtime! Each night I am blown away by our former titleholders, and the tapping trio was amazing! As my talent neared, I felt the peace within I had prayed for. As I worked through the song, I knew each moment was the best it could possibly have been and as I ended I was so overcome with pure joy! Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, and to Miss Shari who has shown me unconditional love and encouragement, and believed in me when I wasn’t sure of anything.

The official Miss Oklahoma twitter page tweeted pictures of our talents, and here is mine! Congratulations to Alex, Veronica and Brooklyn on your preliminary awards! We really are part of the BEST state pageant in the nation!

Prelim #1

Whew! Night one is done and we have an early morning coming. Tonight was amazing, particularly for someone like me who adores history and loves seeing pictures and videos of past Miss Oklahomas. It is incredibly special to see the talent, poise and genuine hearts of our Miss Oklahomas over the years and I am certain our new Miss O will carry each trait.

Congratulations to Veronica on her swimsuit win, Aly on her talent win, and Victoria on her rookie talent award! I met Victoria and her family while competing in National Teenager and have maintained contact with them so many years, so it was very exciting to cheer her on! Tomorrow will be a fun day with an appearance at Bounce U that I am ready to cut loose at! My poor feet are just regaining feeling, but it was a great evening with doughnuts after swimsuit. What could be better?!? I wish we had a bit more time at visitation, but I was so happy to chat with friends and family, furthering their encouragement during what has been a week of excitement and tragedy. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I am blessed to be surrounded by women I love this week – even if we stay up too late making sure our tans are even. I have never had so much FUN at Miss Oklahoma and I almost don’t want the week to end.

Please pray for peace during my talent performance – I can only hope to do the very best I possibly can. My goal is not to win any category, but to be who I truly am and walk off the stage knowing it could not have been better. Talent – here I come!

It’s Only Just Begun

I am all moved in at the ORU dorms and ready for the week ahead! We began the morning with orientation and many, many hours of rehearsals. Wendy’s is so kind to donate a delicious lunch for the contestants and I always love seeing the owner’s daughter dressed up like Wendy! She’s a doll – really!

Though Kent has bronchitis, that certainly didn’t slow him down! We learned more dances than I can currently remember, but just be prepared for an amazing show. The atmosphere with the contestants has been very relaxed here and I see the Lord working through so many young women. It’s almost surreal to think that a week from tonight a new Miss Oklahoma will be crowned!

When we arrived to the dorms, I immediately checked out which red coat and contestants I would be driving with, and nearly squealed in excitement to be in ELIZABETH KINNEY’S mom’s car! Elizabeth is the first Miss Oklahoma I ever saw crowned and I fell in love with her on that stage. She is dynamite and I admire her more than words can express. Her mom, Melinda, is such a joy to be around – you’ve got to meet this woman!! I also found out she is from Shawnee and went to high school with my dad! what a small world. Lindsey Allen and I are in for a real treat with her!

After seeing our rooms (I cannot wait to post more pictures of my Come Rain or Come Shine themed room!), we ate and headed off to the Red Carpet premiere. I love this event because it is an opportunity to destress with family and friends before competition gets underway.

After walking the red carpet, we were corralled to a room and I was later told that when Rich came in, I needed to follow him. Thinking I needed to gather others and make room for the end of the alphabetical procession, I started herding… Someone told me to stop and I followed Rich, thinking we were just moving the miss contestants alphabetically.

As I was walking with Alex Eppler, Megan Johnson, Alicia Clifton, Brittany Bisel and Georgia Frazier I realized we were not in the right order. As I was about to pipe up, I realized the most exciting news possible – WE WERE COMMUNITY SERVICE FINALISTS!!!!!

I must have lit up like a Christmas tree and haven’t stopped glowing since! It is the highest honor to be considered for an award of this caliber and I feel blessed to be part of this group. Our interviews are in the morning and I cannot wait to share my passion with the Kiwanians.

Thank you to the Girl Scouts, school groups, and community leaders who have taken relational aggression seriously and have shared this journey with me! You are the reason I live to serve and I already feel so accomplished after the progress we have made together.

Have a wonderful evening and on to day two!!

Twas the Night Before Check-In

IT’S HERE! IT’S HERE! IT’S HERE!!!

The big week has finally arrived and I could not be more excited! Clothes are stacked everywhere as I wait for the suitcases to be carted from Shawnee, healthy food fills my table, and garment bags flock the couches. I am absolutely elated for Miss Oklahoma week and will be updating nightly with the exciting events of the day. With the 40th anniversary of Miss Oklahoma – brought to you by the Kiwanis Club of Tulsa, it will be a year to remember!

Last night I had a wonderful send-off party with my Green Country family, friends and even a few sweet Girl Scouts I met over the past ten months! It was great to show them what Mi’Shell and I have accomplished this year and have a preview of the upcoming week. Tomorrow is a very big day with check-in, rehearsals and the Red Carpet Premiere.

Thank you to everyone who has made this year possible for me and who have helped me along the way! I could not have done it without your support and am bursting at the seams to get on that stage. This year I have a much different mindset, what I believe to be a more mature one. In years past I have set my sights on quantitative goals – making the semi-finals, winning a community service award, etc…. things I had no control over. I have realized that there is but one goal to have and that is to leave every aspect of competition knowing that it was the very best I have ever done.

This year, I just want to be the best “Britan” that I have ever been. Whatever that may bring, I’m ready for it! Looking forward to updating you throughout the week!

*Please keep Kent Parham in your prayers as it was posted on Facebook earlier that he was in a hospital gown. Not surprisingly, he made it look great and seemed to be in excellent spirits. I am unsure as to why he was there, but it looks as though he won’t have any trouble making it to practice tomorrow. Get better soon, Kent!

Forty-Five

Here are the contestants for Miss Oklahoma 2012!

Winter Meeting

Winter Meeting was held last Saturday and it was SO nice to have everyone in one room! There are 45 Miss contestants this year (more than I can ever remember competing!), with 23 rookies and 21 veterans. We’re quite outnumbered!

Team Green Country

In the morning we went over wardrobe requirements, ad pages (who wants to buy an ad from Miss Green Country?!), and the Duke of Edinburgh award. This award recently partnered with the Miss America Organization and the Boy Scouts of America, among many others world-wide. Teresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011, is an award winner as well! If I were to sum it all up, it could take a bit – so I copied this from the website to allow the creators to explain it as they intended it to be understood.

“We provide a balanced programme of activities that develops the whole person – mind, body and soul – in an environment of social interaction and team working.  Young people progress through three levels of DofE programmes to achieve a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award.

Taking part builds confidence and develops self-esteem.  It requires persistence, commitment and has a lasting impact on the attitudes and outlook of all young people who do their DofE.

Our participants are aged between 14 and 24.”

These are the reward requirements:

THREE LEVELS

The Award is based around three Levels, each successive one requiring a greater degree of commitment.

• BRONZE is for those 14 and older.  The minimum period of participation to gain this Award is 6 months
• SILVER is for those 15 and older.  The minimum period of participation to gain this Award is 6 months
• GOLD is for those 16 and older.  The minimum period of participation to gain this Award is 12 months

The Award may not be achieved in a shorter time span by working more intensively.  Participants must persist for at least the above minimum periods.

It is possible to start at any Level – many participants work their way through all three, while others start at Silver or Gold by fulfilling additional time requirements.

FOUR SECTIONS

To gain an Award, participants must complete activities in four Sections – one hour weekly for each activity.  Minimum periods of participation vary with each Award Level (see above).  Participants choose their activity for each Section – an Activity Coach needs to verify that the participant has been making persistent and regular effort for the minimum time period required at each Award Level.

Activity Coach – an adult supervisor (not a parent) who has a workable knowledge of the chosen activity.  The Activity Coach must verify that the participant has fulfilled the requirements for that Section.  i.e. – soccer coach, piano instructor, service coordinator.

1. Community Service – participants engage with their community and discover the impact they can have through service.
2. Special Skills – participants develop personal interests and learn practical skills.  There are almost limitless possibilities to choose from.  Participants set their own goals and measure their progress.
3. Physical Recreation – participants show perseverance and improve their fitness by undertaking some form of organized and regular physical activity.  Most sports team and individual sports satisfy this requirement.
4. Adventurous Journey – participants develop an understanding of the environment, and the importance of working together in a team with a common purpose.  It can be on foot, by bicycle, boat or on horseback by learning preparation, self-sufficiency and self-reliance.

•  Bronze – 2 days+1 night.  6 hours of purposeful activity each day.
• Silver – 3 days+2 nights.  7 hours of purposeful activity each day.
• Gold – 4 days+3 nights.  8 hours of purposeful activity each day

While this is an exciting opportunity for Miss Oklahoma and Miss America, it is not a requirement, but a challenge provided to each contestant if willing.

In the afternoon we had two fantastic speakers – Rick Brinkley, Miss America Judges Chair, and Lu Sienna, Elite Model. Both were inspiring, humorous, and honest about what  Miss America is looking for and how we can achieve our dreams of holding the Miss Oklahoma and Miss America titles.

I loved seeing many pageant friends who I rarely see now that I live in Tulsa, and meeting the new faces who I will become better acquainted with in June. Our next stop? Contestant’s Day on April 14th!

Goofing off at Winter Meeting – Kevin stunted me so I could be in the tall people club like them. Would have worn heels if my legs hadn’t been covered in bruises from a recent scrap with a four-year-old!

A Girl and a Gown

If you’ll remember, my original gown is not the gown I wore at Miss Oklahoma. There was a factory mix up and I called Kaynein a massive panic just a few short weeks before the pageant was to begin. While I’m sure he is cringing right now at the thought of someone coming to him in such a short amount of time and in need of a gown again, he somehow waved a magic wand and created something totally unexpected and perfect for me.

What’s really interesting, is that even in just a few weeks, my gown changed multiple times – though just slightly! Throughout the process, I sent pictures to Selby as updates on the progress being made. The gown originally began as a new dress in Kayne’s collection. Emoly West wore it during one of the prelim nights at Miss O, with the collar and halter. This is what we decided on (it’s actually a blue/purple and incredibly lightweight) when I first called Kayne.

(excuse the ridiculous MySpace pictures during this post – I was trying to get the full view for Selbs!)

The dress had a big collar and halter, but Kayne was going to change the straps to make it fully open (I don’t really like wearing halters). Kayne was trying to order the dress from his factory in a smaller size, but was also prepared to re-make it if it wouldn’t ship in time.

A few days later (and in the meantime, a lot of sweating), Kayne called to say that he would be making the gown from scratch. No problem! While there, we decided to put a lace overlay on top to downplay the shine of the fabric. Of course, I wanted as many rhinestones as we could add between then and the pageant! We kept the same style and navy shade, but changed the fabric. Kayne and his team began working around the clock.

Then, we realized the straps exposing the back would not fit correctly or hold the same, so Kayne created a cross back strap. I must have called to ask the ETA every day…surely he was sick of me by the beginning of Miss O. At one point, I even took it home to rhinestone overnight. If I could have sewn, I would have volunteered to do that as well!

And the gown continued to take shape! The rhinestones were attached to the dark blue lace, which was added after this picture. It fit like a glove! As it was being crafted, I liked the idea of adding more of a mermaid flare at the bottom. Kayne and I met in the middle with just a touch of crinoline. I picked up my gown THE day I left for Miss Oklahoma and could not have been happier with it! This is the finished product:

It’s amazing to think of what kind of obstacles are placed in front of us for a reason, which we are unaware of at the time. I am so very thankful to Kayne, Ky, Vicki and everyone else who put in the hours to create my gown. There has been talk of Kayne joining the Project Runway: All-Stars edition, and we decided that my gown was the ideal practice for the competition. I have no doubt he would dominate every challenge!

Day 4

I can’t even believe it’s already day 4! Where did Miss Oklahoma week go?! This morning was an early morning for the Omega group – we were at the Mabee Center by 7:30 am for talent rehearsals! If you know me at all, you know I often dread talent. I love dancing. I love performing. I love my costume, choreography, and dance teacher. However, it is absolutely frightening to not know how slick the stage will be with an ankle which has gone through a surgery, a broken bone, and torn ligaments. Needless to say: it’s a bit nerve-racking! The rehearsal was fine though and after the other groups rehearsed for their categories, we had a great lunch with a guest – I chose mom! It’s awesome to have a lunch with someone outside of the pageant because we do not have our phones or any form of communication unless we are in our dorms, and it’s great to hear a little encouragement mid-week.

After lunch, we had more rehearsals. I realize that there are only so many times I can say we rehearsed, but I’m sure you’re not that interested in the fact that we ran around in heels for several hours anyways! We got cleaned up and headed off to Macaroni Grill for an awesome (and Miss O diet friendly) meal! After that – it was show time! The opening number was fantastic and then there was talent. My dance was ok! I realize I’m not the best dancer in the entire world, and have accepted that. I may not be the most talented, but no one can say I am not a hard worker and I am proud of my improved performance! Congratulations to tonight’s winners: Swimsuit – Alex Eppler, Talent – Alicia Clifton, Rookie Talent – Tawnie Goodwin!

Here are a few shots from the week that I wanted to share!Kiwanis luncheon with Heather, my teen from last year! She has been such a great MOOT and I am so proud to call her my friend.

Dinner at Macaroni Grill

Visitation tonight

Tomorrow we get to sleep in until 7:30!!! So excited to showcase my beautiful gown, thanks to Kayne, his staff, and our dear friend, E-6000. Tomorrow night is also our swimsuit production number…get ready….it will knock your socks off!

 

P.S. In the words of my sister, ” there’s no mention of your amazing sister that carried all of your stuff up stairs.” Now there is. 🙂

Day 1

WHEW! My feet are aching – thanks Kent! 🙂 This morning we checked in for the week and had an orientation, then directly off to our full Kent-filled day. If you haven’t met Kent, you really should. He choreographs the opening numbers, creates our walking patterns, and even designs the set – and those are just the things I can remember right now! I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t love him. Not only does he continually create exciting, cutting edge choreography and sets, but his personality is ideal for 43 stressed out girls to be around. I wish every state pageant could have the experience he provides for the Oklahoma contestants!

This morning we learned our first opening number dance, and later our second routine. Both are fast paced and full of energy…typical of the best state pageant in the nation! The dances are so fun, even when you accidentally do a move (or two) backwards. The dances were going so well (though running together in our minds!), and Veronica pulled me aside to let  me  know I was doing a step backwards. When I showed my choreography group what I had been doing they all burst out in laughter- we’ll just say it was definitely, maybe a bit too sexy! Ask me sometime and I’ll demonstrate…it’s pretty comical!!!

Wendy’s provided our lunch (something I could eat AND it was tasty! Thanks Wendy’s!!), and the owner’s daughter arrived in a Wendy’s outfit! She was adorable, and I later was able to speak with her at the Red Carpet event. After lunch, we had more rehearsals (probably about 6 hours overall) and also learned the swimsuit walking patterns. Today we had our swimsuits approved (this ensures that everyone is covered and the colors are correct), and I think we all passed! YAY!

We came back to the dorms and got to chat with our directors/families for a bit after checking out the decorations they put up. My room is wonderful and feels homey, British, and most importantly – calm! I’ll be sure to post pictures of my “Keep Calm and Carry On” room tomorrow. Tonight we threw on our cocktail dresses and headed to the Premiere, sponsored by BodyTrends. It took quite a while to introduce every Miss, Teen and Star,  but we made it and were able to enjoy a nice evening at the Hilton hotel.

Tonight they also announced the Kiwanis Community Service Finalists. Though I was disappointed not to be a part of it, I know I can take this opportunity to learn and grow, coming back prepared for the Community Service award next year! Congrats to Talia Berning, Alex Eppler, Alicia Clifton, Heather Harris, Bailey Robinson and Veronica Wisniewski for making the finals! Community service is one of my favorite aspects of the Miss America Organization and I love seeing the difference my pageant friends and competitors are making off-stage!

It’s time for Miss Sooner State to catch up on some sleep, but I have loved my first day of Miss Oklahoma 2011 and look forward to what else this week holds. Tomorrow we are off to church, brunch and another very Kent-filled day. Can’t wait to experience it all!!!