Catch-up time

Holy crap, I am finally back into normal life enough from the pageant to even think about blogging. It was a little nutty there for a while. The pageant went better than I could have ever hoped. The whole day went really well, we rehearsed all day, and things just went really smoothly. The little break we had to get ready was totally stressless and fun; I took a second and went outside and listened to some Angels and Airwaves to kinda "get in the zone", and I just felt this amazing feeling of love from my Heavenly Father, like he was proud of me and that this experience would hold a gift for me. Anyway, the day before I had kind of decided that I would be a tad disappointed if I didn't make top ten. But when I didn't, I actually felt NO disappointment what so ever! I was excited for everyone who did, and felt so blessed to be a part of this great group of women. I sat and listened to the top ten do their on stage questions and actually felt really relieved to not be out there. Then when they called us back out for the final awards, I was so freaking shocked to be called up for the Mrs. Congeniality award! I have always thought that one of my weaknesses is meeting new people and coming off as a little snotty until I get to know people better. I'm not generally good at remembering names and making small talk and friends. I remember going to the orientation and giving myself a little pep talk out in the car before I went in that I could do it, I would go out of my way to make people feel comfortable and show an interest and not be self-conscious when I meet all these gorgeous ladies. Anyway, it seems to have worked, I am finally that person who can do that kind of stuff well. I find myself being more pleasant with people that I come in contact with everywhere, I'm not so stuck up. (most of the time at least) Anyway, I hardly realized that change in me until I looked back at the girl that started this pageant, and I feel so changed in so many ways it's hard to put my finger on exactly what has changed. I think that the Mrs. Congeniality award is one of the greatest honors I've ever been given. Then as soon as I got back up to my place on the risers after getting that award, they called my name again for Mrs. Photogenic!!! I hated my head shot so bad that I had pretty much taken myself out of the running for that one. The pageant staff & photographers voted for that one, and Kirsten and her dad were two of the photographers, and the other one couldn't have liked me that much because I didn't use any of the his pictures except for the head shot. Kirsten and Sherwood came up to me after the show and said that they didn't feel right about voting for me, ethically, so I don't know who did vote for me! weird. My sisters Kristy, Mandy & Jozet and her whole family came down from Idaho. Carrie, my parents, aunt Shirleen, Susie, Jen & her mom, Caroline & her friend, Stacey and Kim also all came to support me. It was awesome, I felt so loved. Most of us went to Winger's afterward, and it was so much fun! Apparently as Mrs. Congeniality, I get to plan the going away party for the new Mrs. Utah before she goes to nationals, so that should be fun to get us all together again. I got the judges score cards back, and some of the comments were that I was too young (lacked experience), that they could see my tape-on bra in my swimsuit, and that I lacked confidence in my interview. But those were the only negative things, and my overall standing was twelth. I loved this experience. Not going to do it again, but I loved it! This is a picture of me and the lovely 1st runner up, Laura Dugovic, one of the raddest people I've ever met.

Such A Sad Night

Well, it's the end of an era. I have been watching Gilmore Girls for 7 years, and tonight is the series finale. I have been putting watching it off for three hours now, I think I might drag it out for like a week, only watching a few minutes of it at a time. I think I'm going to cry. It's like breaking up with a really, really good friend that makes you laugh every tuesday night, and if you miss her during the rest of the week, she's always there waiting for you on ABC family. I always told Sawyer that we would watch it together so we could learn to be as witty and cute and funny as they are. Were. past tense. That sucks. Boo. The pageant is in like 2.5 days. Holy crap. I just got my hair re-blackened and cut, and I really love it. My face however has decided to go back to junior high and break out. good timing, eh? I'm feeling really good about everything for the pageant though, practicing my guts out on my walk and that dancing part, and tomorrow is my practice interview stats day as well as picking up my dresses from the alterations lady. I feel really ready and excited. I am sure I am going to freak out and get really nervous when I see the crowd, but right now things are good. :)

Great Googley Moogley!

I cannot believe how busy and crazy things have been lately! It's my own fault of course, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. A few weeks ago some friends from Matt's mission visited us from Austrailia, it was so much fun to have them, they are the best house guests, they seriously have it down to a science, and they are pretty cool as well! We had a lot of fun with them, their kids are so cute as well. Charlie really liked them too! We talked for a few days about going to see them over there in the spring, but a 13 hour flight with a 2 year old sounds pretty retched, and we'd like to be able to spend at least a few weeks if we're going to go that far. Then, Kirsten and I threw Alicia a baby shower last Friday with all the pageant ladies. Of course I felt obligated to make it a big fancy chocolate fountain and cheese fondue affair, so the food was kinda expensive and high maintainence, but other than that we kept it really simple. Then on Saturday we learned the choreography and walking patterns for the pageant, and while I don't think I was the least coordinated person there, I certainly need to practice the dancing portion ALOT! Anyway, I guess after most people left, Alicia (bless her heart) started hemoragging and her water broke somewhere in that whole process (at 29 weeks!) and now she's at the hospital on bed rest until they decide to C-section her after she's at least 32 weeks. I wish I knew what to do for her, it just sucks soooo bad. My pregnancy was so easy that I don't even know how to deal with complicated ones, she has placentia previa too. That would be so scary. I can't help but feel somewhat guilty about being a part of the pageant, because I think we've worked her too hard or something! Anyway, this Friday is Matt's birthday as well, and I'm trying to throw him a surprise BBQ party, but he is not making it easy for me, he keeps changing his mind about what he wants to do and I need him to not come home until like 6:30 or 7:00, and who knows what he'll actually do, and people are not RSVPing or offering to bring things. Which I didn't ask them to do, but it's looking like it'll get pretty expensive really quick. Then next Friday is the pageant. Holy cow. Then the weekend after that is Memorial Day and we are either going to St. George or the cabin. And then it's June and where the heck did spring go? In June Matt will finally get his birthday present, a trip to Denver over Father's day weekend complete with golf, spa, an MLB game and John Mayer concert. I'm sooo excited for that! Then in August, for my birthday Matt has organized a trip to the final 311 show of that tour in Seattle on my Bday, we'll fly in to Portland and rent a car, drive to Seattle and hang out there for 4 or 5 days. Susie and Sawyer are coming with us on that one, and I am soo excited to do that! We went to Washington last summer, but totally the wrong part and it was too much driving and we are making up for it on this trip. Anyway, lots of fun, busy stuff, I haven't really had anytime to thing deep, bloggable thoughts, so I guess I'll do that at a later date.