Reigning in 2011

The Final Weekend

2011-06-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the Miss California Teen Achieve 2011 Pageant. I arrived at Embassy suites on Friday afternoon, after getting my hair and makeup done, and helped my parents unpack for the weekend. There was the coronation “Crowns and Gowns” dinner at 7 pm that night, and I had to look my best for all of the contestants that I was going to meet. When 7 pm finally came around, I went downstairs to the ballroom where the dinner was going to be held and I introduced myself to the few contestants that were able to make it. There were also a few visiting queens so I made sure to introduce myself to them as well. During dinner, Marlene my director let Mrs. California, one of the visiting queens, introduce herself and explain to the girls about how much a job it truly is to win a pageant and that its not always about the glamour and beauty, its about the dedication to the community and the 365 days of community service after. It’s about service, not you. Her speech was truly inspirational and I was so thankful I got to hear it. After the speech Kelinda (Miss California Junior Teen Achieve) and I crowned the contestants that were present at the dinner with their delegate crowns. It was so sweet to see the looks of joy and amazement as the girls felt the idea of being royal for the first time. The next day, Saturday, was the lunch with the queen. A few more contestants arrived and we all ate lunch in a beautiful section of the hotel restaurant. My mom laid out all my photo albums, all 5 of them, and the girls were able to look through them and see all of the events that I had done throughout my year. The girls that were there were Lynnette, Looloo, Lila, Samantha, Julie, Elaine, and Lynnette’s friend Alexis. Because there were so many contestants there, along with their mothers, I went ahead and gave my “How to Get Events” presentation to the girls and showed them how even with their delegate crowns and sashes they can still do events and be queens in their local community. It was important for me to show them that they could still do events even if they didn’t win the Miss California Teen Achieve title, because they still have a title and a desire to make a change-and that’s truly all you need. Later on, Marlene told the girls that three of the judges were at the hotel and that they were allowing for early interviews. All of the contestants except for Samantha decided to go ahead and get the interviews out of the way, which I thought was a good idea. After the interviews, I told them all I was having a “Movie Night” at my room if they wanted to come and hang out with me and the few that were staying at the hotel, Lynnette, Alexis, Lila and Taylor were able to come and hang with me. We watched Confessions of a Shopaholic, and stuffed our faces with junk food. I love girl’s nights! The next morning, was the real pageant day. We started out with a queen’s breakfast and all the contestants (Miss, Junior Teen, and Teen) came to eat with us. Marlene made announcements throughout the breakfast about the events of the day and had me and Miss American Teen Achieve Anna Suzette help pass out the sashes and crowns for the girls that hadn’t made it on Friday or Saturday and also the pins that would be able to go on their sashes. The pins were for things like community service, GPA, making honor roll, and other achievements. It was such an honor to be able to award these ladies with what they deserved for all the hard work they have done in their life. After the breakfast, I quickly ran upstairs to change and get ready for the opening number rehearsal. There wasn’t an opening number during my pageant so I was really excited to be able to have a cute little top number for the judges and audience. It was to the song “Forget You” by Cee Lo Green and between laughing like crazy, and trying not to run into each other-the dance was really fun! But then Marlene came in and announced that interviews were starting and all of the girls put on their professional faces and got ready to be interviewed. I remember how it felt to get ready for interviews when I was in the pageant. It was nerve-racking but since I am completely comfortable in talking to people I didn’t mind it that much. I spent the majority of my day with the girls, getting ready for the different parts of the pageant and talking to people that asked questions. This would be the last time I could wear my crown and I truly wanted to work it. I have to admit, however, that I did shed quite a few tears when they played my slideshow and video from the El Cajon Chamber of Commerce. It was such a heart string tugger facing the reality that my reign was over and I would no longer be queen. Especially when I said my farewell speech, it made me realize just how truly lucky and honoring it was for me to have been crowned the Miss California Teen Achieve title and how many great lessons it has taught me for my life. I will never forget my year as queen and I know that it will always be the most life changing event for me. I wish the new queens, LooLoo, Lila and Julie amazing luck in their reign and I hope it changes their lives for the better as it did me.

Thank you to all the people that actually read my blog, I really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read it and it means a lot to me. I will miss it greatly but I am excited for the next chapter in my life. So farewell California!

My Farewell Video from the East County Chamber of Commerce!

2011-05-26T08:37:00.001-07:00

My Video :)

http://vimeo.com/24153223

My Final Event: The Grand Opening of Children’s Place

2011-05-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday was my final event as Miss California Teen Achieve. It’s so hard for me to believe that this was my last event after such an eventful and amazing year. I have worked side by side with the East County Chamber of Commerce for so long that it seems so weird and unnatural to see it all just end. When I arrived at the Children’s Place, I met the owner and teachers that worked there. They took us on a small tour of the Children’s Place and I was introduced to about 4 toddlers that were in the day care center. I absolutely adore little kids so I sat down and talked to the little kids, playing with them and laughing at the silly things they did. Miss El Cajon and Miss Teen El Cajon Princess arrived at the ribbon cutting not long after and she and I went and took pictures with the children, and the staff. All of the East County Chamber of Commerce members had arrived, including Sherral, and a representative from the U.S. House of Representatives, California Legislature, and California Senate. Miss El Cajon, Miss Teen El Cajon Princess, myself, and the East County Chamber of Commerce all stood with the preschool faculty for the ribbon cutting photos and the presentation of the letters from each of the prestigious state and national departments. It’s such an honor to be present for the ribbon cuttings, because you are initially taking part in a once in a lifetime experience. After the ribbon cutting, I was expecting to continue on as usual, meet as many people as I could, take as many pictures as I could and say my final goodbyes. However, when I turned around, I noticed that Sherral walked to the front of the room and said “We also now have a second announcement. Today we are saying goodbye to our very loved and amazing queen, Mercedes Harvey, Miss California Teen Achieve 2010” She then had another member of the Chamber speak to the crowd about what a blessing I had been to them this year, and how I am destined for great things with my caring and loving personality. Then, to my absolute surprise I was presented with “Thank you letters for Outstanding Community Service and Leadership” from all three of the state and national departments: the California Senate, Legislature and U.S. House of Representatives. I began to cry because I was absolutely honored. I had never in my wildest dreams expected to be honored like that in front of all the ones I had worked with so long, and a few people I had met a few times. I really felt like I was leaving my family and getting a priceless farewell gift like that from them just made it that much more sad to me to say goodbye. But I know that it will not be the last time I see them, I will be staying in touch and helping them in any way shape or form that I can-even after my pageant is over. It has been a phenomenal service for me to work side by side with such an Amazing group of people, and I can truly say that they are one of the main reasons for why I had an amazing a year like I did.

East Coast Family Optometry Grand Re-opening

2011-05-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the grand opening for the East Coast Family Optometry. It was my second to last ribbon cutting and I was so excited to have even more memories with the East County Chamber of Commerce, El Cajon queens, and the wonderful people of El Cajon. When my mother and I arrived, we were instantly felt welcomed.. They were vendors setting up tables, to sell specially marked brands such as Gucci, Juicy Couture, and Versace, as a gift for those who came to support the new management of East Coast Family Optometry. The old owner of the business was retiring after working there for nearly 40 years and was turning over ownership to a young doctor and his wife. They were the nicest people and were excited to show us around their store. The past owner himself was quite a hoot however. He took one look at me and Miss El Cajon (who had arrived) and said “I’m not quite sure if I want to retire now!” I was really happy I got to meet someone like him; he definitely knew how to bring a smile to anyone’s face and make them feel comfortable in any environment. His wife, on the other hand, was a very classy lady. She told me that she didn’t understand why her husband would be retiring, because she completely thought he could most likely last for a couple more years. It was really funny to see how much the two loved each other and could be so sarcastic with one another at such a mature age. Sherral and the rest of the East County Chamber of Commerce were also so happy to see me, because they too will be sad when my reign is over. They were at the event and thanked me for driving all the way down to El Cajon once again. It is such an honor to know all of these great people and I think that working with them will be the one thing that I miss the most about being queen.

Mr. Cardinal Pageant

2011-05-17T11:55:00.001-07:00

After the Oceanside Park Day, my mom and I drove an hour and a half to San Bernardino for the 8^th annual Mr. Cardinal pageant. Jamie, the director of the Mr. Cardinal, had been a judge for the Miss Southern California Teen Achieve Pageant, and his past king Mr. Cardinal had also been at the Mr. Vista pageant, so my mom and I were happy to support Jamie at his pageant. When we arrived, I was surprised to see all the different types of queens that were there including Miss Earth, Miss Riverside, Miss Little Riverside, Miss California International, Miss Teen Citrus Valley, and many more. When the pageant was about to start, the little queen-Miss Little Riverside, came over and wanted to sit on my lap. She was only 4 years old and was so adorable: especially when it came to talking about her love for pageants, her dogs and cats, and her favorite Disney princess. The pageant itself was fantastic! All 15 male contestants did an outstanding opening number that was extremely well choreographed, and all of the young men’s personalities were superb. During sportswear they were all so happy and silly as they strutted the stage in their sports outfits and how classy and handsome they looked in their suits. I really found myself really liking one young man in particular and really thought he was going to win-but it turned out he got first runner up. Which isn’t a bad thing, it just was surprising to me because he was so good, in my opinion. He was obviously also very disappointed so after the pageant I went up to him and told him that I really had been rooting for him the entire time and that he should definitely not give up. I know exactly what he felt like, because I did not win my first pageant either. But that meant I was destined for greater things-and the same applies for him. A quote that has always been helpful to me in times like this is “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”

Oceanside Heritage Day

2011-05-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I was invited by Eileen Turk, the director for the Friends of Oceanside Parks Organization to come take part in the first annual Oceanside Heritage Day which was basically set up to help raise money and awareness for Oceanside Parks and to bring people together once again. Eileen’s main goal is to help restore recreation to parks in Oceanside so that they will be just as well used as they once were. I thought this was such a good passion to have-because its true, parks are becoming more and more forgotten and becoming more and more run down and less used as families spend less time playing outside. So, when Eileen asked me to come and help support her at her event, I was thrilled. When I arrived, I introduced myself to several people and was even interviewed by the Oceanside TV station! I got to talk about why I was there: which was to sell raffle tickets, meet and greet, spread the word about the park, and just make people feel welcome. Eileen and all of her volunteers were so proud, thankful and excited to have me there. It made me feel so welcome! My mom and I went around and introduced ourselves to all of the people there-those running the car show, those playing in the band, the vendors, the dancers, and even the passersby. It was such a fun experience, and I will never forget how kind and friendly everyone was to me. I really will do everything to support and publicize the importance of Oceanside Parks ever since that event because I think that it is for a good cause, and it definitely is for the benefit of the community as a whole.

Arbor Hill Nursing Center Grand Opening

2011-05-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening, my mother and I went to the Arbor Hill Nursing Center for the grand opening. The nursing center, located in La Mesa, was probably one of the most fancy and well designed centers I have ever seen. It seriously looked like a hotel, which each bathroom and room looking like a suite at the Hilton. One of the management staff gave my mom and I a tour of the facility, and took us through one of the rooms, their bathrooms, their rehab center, and the courtyard. There were at least 50-70 people there supporting the grand opening, and everyone had something positive to say about the facility and their staff and residents. Sherral, and a few other members from the East County Chamber of Commerce arrived and I was excited to see them because this was one of my last ribbon cuttings, and I want to see them as much as possible. I’ve developed such fabulous friendships and relationships with them over the past year, and I truly feel as though we are a family. Spending nearly 12 months with all of the chamber members and getting to go to all sorts of functions, from selling raffle tickets, to countless ribbon cuttings, to being on the radio, to supporting local retirement homes and raising money for the Salvation Army, the East County Chamber of Commerce has really been a blessing to my entire reign and they have played such a key role to why this has been the best year of my life. With amazing support, they have given me the chance to do so many amazing things, that otherwise I would have not been able to do and I will miss them all greatly when my reign ends. However, I know that the relationships I have built with them will surpass time, and I will be there in an instant if they ever need anything.

Miss Oceanside 2011 Pageant

2011-05-05T19:28:00.000-07:00

Last night was the Oceanside Pageant. For those of you who have been following my blog posts from Day 1, you might recall that the Miss Oceanside 2010 pageant was my very first event. I was there to see the crowning of Lauryn Moses and Demi Mundo, who over this past year, have both become two of my closest friends and pageant sisters. This year, I went to watch them both give up their titles and root for two of my own friends that were in the pageant this year-Vanessa Okafor and Elise Cruz. Vanessa Okafor is a Miss Teen Vista princess and was actually borrowing one of my evening gowns-while Elise Cruz, for those of you who know, was giving up her title of being on the Miss Oceanside court. When I arrived at the pageant, I saw Rebekah Burger, my Miss Regional California Teen Achieve, and her mom. Rebekah was looking beautiful, and I was excited to see her, and be able to experience a second pageant with her. During the pageant, Lauryn and Demi gave both of their farewell speeches and I found myself tearing up. Not only had both of them put a small thing about me in their speeches, I realized just how much little time would go by before I would be the one up there giving my farewell speech, trying not to cry as I talk about experiences in my past year or the friendships I’ve made. It was a very emotional moment, for all of the queens there. When it was finally time for the conclusion of the pageant, I clenched Rebekah’s hands and burst into screams and jumping up and down when I heard Vanessa Okafor’s name as the new Miss Oceanside 2011! And Elise Cruz was announced as third princess for Miss Oceanside. It was so exciting to me to see that both of the girls I was there rooting for, had been crowned royalty and now have a fabulous year waiting for them ahead. It was truly a moment that brought back so many memories, and reminded me that there will be many more to come.

American Red Cross Bloodmobile at Pine Park in Carlsbad

2011-04-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, my mother and I went to Pine Park at last minute to help run a blood drive check-in table. When we arrived we were surprised by how busy it was and also by what was going on in the park. There was apparently a small cookout and raffle prize going on in the park to raise money and support for a man from our local community who has been diagnosed with leukemia. People, obviously from his family, church, and friends, were all there helping raise money for him and even come over to the table that had been set up next to us that was helping people sign up to give bone marrow for him ( or anyone else). I have never had a separate organization come help us on the same day but it was really phenomenal watching so many sign up for one or even both of the different donor-ship opportunities. During the time I was there, I signed up probably 23 people to give blood and even there was about a 40 minute wait per person, they still diligently waited for their turn and their opportunity to help save a life. I was honored to help serve these people because they were so determined to do what they could to help make a difference. It also reminded me that I need to give blood again soon! Its been a few months, and I know that I need to go ahead and go back and give again-so I can be just as determined to help save a life. Because it’s not just enough to do it once-you have to do it again, so that you are consistently making a difference and it’s not just a one time thing.

The Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair and Parade

2011-04-22T19:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, on April 16^th, Rebekah Burger, Miss Regional California Teen Achieve and I went to the Linda Vista Multi Cultural Fair and Parade. It was a very warm sunny day and I was glad that I could celebrate my last parade (yes my last parade) in weather that wasn’t freezing or raining-in fact it was quite the opposite. When we arrived, I went up to the registration table and told the lady who we were and she checked us in and gave us our numbers. As Rebekah and I waited with my dad for Aunt Lotte, Robert and my mom to catch up with us (for we had taken two separate cars), I introduced myself to some of the other parade participants. This included the USD soccer team, Miss Vietnam and her 4 queens. I was excited to meet all of these people because not only were they so friendly but they wanted to take pictures just as bad as I did! When my mother finally arrived she quickly got out of the car, camera in hand, eager to take as many pictures as she could. Rebekah and I posed for several pictures with Miss Vietnam and her court, Buddha’s Light International Association, San Diego Submarine Veterans, the Panamanian Marching Band of California, and many others. We even took photos with people dressed inside those giant dragons you see at Chinese festivals. It was so memorable to both me and Rebekah ( seeing as this was her first parade), and I was happy to be able to teach her how to be in a parade so that when she carries on the title of “Teen Achieve” she will be poised and prepared. After the parade was over, my entire group went over to the fair were we were asked for pictures left and right by adorable children and their families. It was such a great ending to a fabulous year, to see the faces on little girls who saw “real-life Barbies” or “Oh my gosh mommy a real Cinderella!” and their entire face lit up when they got to take a picture with us, or get to wear our crowns. And that, in my opinion, was the entire point of being a queen. To bring joy to others, to serve the community and best of all-to inspire those around us, that they can do the same.

Cardiovascular Disease Foundation Walk for Life 2011

2011-04-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

On April 10, 2011 the Cardiovascular Disease Foundation had their 8^th annual Walk for Life at the Oceanside amphitheater. Because I was the MC/ Raffle Ticket Coordinator, as well as being in charge of the other pageant queens that I had invited to come and help volunteer for the day, I had to be there at the crack of dawn (literally at 5 am). Rebekah Burger, Miss Regional Southern California Teen Achieve, was with me and so her, my mom and I arrived at the Oceanside pier while it was still dark and not to mention absolutely freezing!! I had my official CVDF jacket to wear and zip up to my chin, Rebekah was wearing a sweatshirt and my mom was wearing a tiny little jacket that didn’t keep her warm at all. My poor mom! Luckily however, there was a second jacket in the back of the trunk that she could put on so she didn’t turn blue from the cold. When the three of us got down to the amphitheater, Malinda and Nancy (two of the women in charge) went ahead and gave us tasks to do to not only to attempt to keep us warm but also get us a head start on the day so we wouldn’t be scrambling to keep up on schedule for the rest of the day. Rebekah and I went ahead and taped table cloths to all of the registration tables which is a lot harder said than done because the wind made it extremely hard and kept trying to blow the tablecloths away before we could hold them down. My mom spent the first few hours helping sign in all of the volunteers that came to help for the day. We had UEI College, Mira Costa College, Miss Oceanside and her Princess and two Princesses from the

Vista Court

, and a huge number of friends and community members that came to support the Cardiovascular Disease Foundation. I was really thankful to have all the help I could get because as MC and raffle ticket coordinator I had to take care of both teaching all the pageant girls that were going to be there as well on how to sell the raffle tickets as well as make sure all the sponsors got consistently thanked, the hourly raffle prizes were made, the entertainment was announced, and that the schedule was followed precisely. I did not stop running around from 5 am all the way until 4 pm when the walk and fair finally ended and I was able to help clean up and then sit down for the first time. The day had been so fun. I had been able to hand out awards to the #1 Fundraiser, Biggest Team, Best Banner and Sponsors of 3 years or more. Also, I was able to work with some past Charger football players that were V.I.P.’s for the day and helped me MC for about the first two hours. By the time the actual walk and health fair was over, I was absolutely exhausted. I had worked nonstop for 11 hours but I had had such a great time, working with so many people and getting to just have the time of my life as MC. I have never been MC before but I learned (while introducing numerous people and organizations like Zumba fitness, Ohana Hula Dancing, and The Wasabi Blue Band) that not only am I natural on the microphone but I am completely comfortable in front of an audience and large crowd of people. I can definitely thank my experience as queen for that. And actually when it comes down to it, all of the things that I have learned as queen are able to be used not just this year but for unforeseeable measures into the future.

Bosworth Garden Residential Open House

2011-04-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

Two days after the Walk for Life, my mom and I drove down to El Cajon for an event with the East County Chamber of Commerce. I was a bit unsure about this event because I have never had an event that was actually located in a residential home. Usually I have events at stores, restaurants or offices-so having it in a home was unusual. But then once I walked in-I realized that it was an open house for an assisted living home. The nurses and owner of the open house were so kind and excited to have me there and take me on a tour of the home. The elderly people that were sitting on the couch, watching TV and taking walks through the backyard with their walkers were also very happy to have us there. Some were quiet and didn’t say much and were observant. Others were spunkier and wanted to crack jokes which were just funny to listen to. Later on, more of the chamber members and new Miss El Cajon, Miss El Cajon Teen, Miss Rancho San Diego, and Miss Rancho San Diego Teen arrived. All of the 4 pageant queens, seeing as this was one of their first events, were a little nervous at first but once they saw me working the room and talking to the residents and staff, they began to emerge slowly from their shy bubble. They were the nicest and most beautiful girls and I really hope to be able to see them at the last few events that I do with the chamber. It was nice to see the next and new generation of queens that will be taking over after I am gone. I hope that my new queen, Miss California Teen Achieve 2011, will have a year like I did-and bond with queens from all over the county. Because once you make relationships as queen, they can last for a lifetime.

Sears Outlet Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting

2011-04-14T06:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, my mom and I went to Oceanside for the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Sears Outlet. It was one of the earliest I have done, it was around 8:30 am, wet and a bit, so I wasn’t extremely motivated to get out of the car because the ribbon cutting wasn’t till 8:45. However, then I saw Lauryn Moses, Miss Oceanside, walking up to the door and I knew that it was time to spring up and get to work. I quickly put on my crown and sash and walked into Sears Outlet where I found myself approaching a circle of employees, and Lauryn, where the manager was talking about how thankful he was too have such a fabulous staff, store location, and supportive city. Even the mayor of Oceanside, Jim Wood, was there to help support the new store and bring a huge welcome and thank you from the city. But because the store opened at 9 am, the manager and team quickly hurried out to the front to take the few pictures with the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, Lauryn and I. We all just had a lot of fun laughing under the balloon arch, taking pictures and then afterwards going into the store to see all of the merchandise on sale. There were clothes and appliances, as well as exercise equipment, TV’s, and Kitchen equipment. My mom, Lauryn, myself and Lauryn’s sister and mother ended up talking for a little bit in the store-about pageantry, dresses, our plans for the future, and events we’ve done in the past. Once again, my mind flooded back to the remembrance of the sad fact this would be one of my last ribbon cuttings. Looking back, I cherish every moment of every ribbon cutting and event because it something I would have never had the opportunity to do this anytime else.

What we wear to the gym...:) hahah

With the beautiful Lauryn Moses, Miss Oceanside 2010!

With Jim Wood, the Mayor of Oceanside

The Miss Carlsbad 2011 Pageant

2011-04-06T21:52:00.000-07:00

As the beginning of April rolls in, so do the majority of the pageants. My close friends on the Oceanside court have only about a month left of their reign (their pageant being the first event I ever did), and the Miss Carlsbad pageant came on this last passed Saturday evening. For those of you that have been following my blog from the beginning, you might remember that the Miss Carlsbad pageant was the first and only other pageant I competed in and now here I was going to it not as a contestant but as a visiting queen. It was strange for me, at first, to watch all my friends/past competitors up on that stage and remembering how it had felt to me to be up on that stage, afraid but excited and hoping with all my heart that I would be queen. Here I am, almost a year later, Miss California Teen Achieve, and not even close to being the same person that I was a year ago. From the day I set foot on that Carlsbad stage, it has been a huge journey for me and in becoming the person I am today. For all of you girls out there who are choosing to be in a pageant I give you all my utmost support. It has been one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me and trust me when I say-you have no idea of how amazing the experience will be. Just competing and going through the entire experience of being in a pageant, gives you a ray of confidence that you never could have gotten from anywhere else. You see yourself in a different light and begin to challenge yourself in ways you never once thought possible. I am so thankful for every moment of my pageant experience and it has undoubtedly been the most life changing event in my life. It is what you make it-so make it great.

American Red Cross Appreciation Lunch

2011-03-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, the 26^th of March, my mother and I were invited by Jacquie Dutchover the volunteer recruiter and manager for the Southern California American Red Cross to come to the key volunteer appreciation lunch at the Charthouse in La Jolla. They were having a contest for the biggest and craziest hat and so my mom put together a giant Shamrock hat, made from the leftovers and scraps from our car decorations in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. It was quite outlandish and a bit difficult to balance on her head once she was finished. When we arrived, my mom in her giant shamrock hat and me in my crown and sash, there were probably only around 10 volunteers that arrived before us and were taking their seats on a long dinner table that was right in front of a giant window with a crystal clear view of the ocean. We signed in at the front and were given our nametags and a raffle ticket for the prize drawings that would be going on later. Because the theme of the dinner was “races”, all of the seats were given a colored card that correlated with the name of a “horse” on a list. For example, if I was given a red card I would be on the team of the horse “ChargeNurse” for a particular race. For each race there were “jockeys”, and these were chosen by certain guests finding blue cards under their seats telling them what race they would be in and which horse they would be representing. Turns out, both my mom and I were jockeys for two different races and discovered that our “race” consisted of us lining with the other red cross “jockeys” with a horse on a stick that represented our “racehorse”. With all of us laughing, and moving forward based on the number called off a dice, we competed to see who would win the race. Ironically enough, my mom and I both won! When lunch was finally served, all of us volunteers sat back down at the tables and ate as the numbers were read off the raffle tickets to see who would win the prizes. Jacquie had kindly made it to where every volunteer would win a prize! I won tickets to the San Diego Symphony and my mother won tickets to a Harbor Cruise! There was not a dull moment the entire afternoon and by the time it was over, we had had the best time. It was so kind of the American Red Cross to thank all of the volunteers in such a lavish way and make it so fun at the same time! All of those early morning blood drives, or drives out in the hot sun for hours on end were definitely worth it. There is always a reward for hard work.

LionHeart Fencing Academy Ribbon Cutting

2011-03-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening, my mother and I went to La Mesa for the grand opening and ribbon cutting for LionHeart Fencing Academy. Originally, when first hearing about the ribbon cutting for a “fencing” company-we thought it was literally just that-a fencing company that sold fences for the city and people’s backyards.. But when we pulled up in front of the establishment we realized that it was not that at all. Once I walked in, one of the fencing dads introduced himself and his son and had his son teach me how to do three basic fencing techniques: the salute, the stance and the lunge. In heels, I felt very delicate jumping around with the sword in my hand, and although I wasn’t really able to fight like the normal fencing student-I still was proud of myself for what I had learned. Who knows-maybe Ill become the next Olympic fencer? Dare to dream. After my fencing lesson, I was excited to see that the Mother Goose court had arrived! They are all the sweetest girls and I was so happy to have some fellow queens to share my time with. Taylor Woolrich, the Mother Goose Queen, is a good friend of mine and she ended up telling me that she is considering doing another pageant soon. This is pageant season, and I am excited to help support all my friends at the pageants they are going to compete in. Also, it turns out that the first runner up to the Mother Goose Queen, Amy Newell, is actually interested in doing the Miss California Teen Achieve pageant which is going to be in about 2 months. So soon, it seems. One neat thing about the end of my reign coming along though is I get to recruit girls for the pageant and have an idea of what next years queen will be like. I am so thrilled for her-because she will have the best year of her life, and it has only just begun.

The Miss Pride of Vista and Miss Teen Pride of Vista Pageant

2011-03-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

Last night, after I had work training, I went to the Miss Pride of Vista and Miss Teen Pride of Vista Pageant with my mother and Aunt. I went there to support Candice Robinette, the outgoing and last Miss Teen Tri City to give up her title, as well as support my friend Rory Devalon who was competing in the pageant herself. The turnout was very great and I was really proud of all the supportive queens and past queens that were there to cheer the girls on stage on. I was sitting next to my friends from Oceanside, a few of the queens from their Miss court as well as my friend Vanessa from the Vista court. Just being with them made the whole night so much more fun for we could be loud and cheer together for all of the girls and just have a blast together. That’s one of the best part about going to pageants-is to be able to support the girls up there on stage and give them idea about what their reign would be like. When Candace went on stage to give her final speech, I actually began to tear up because it just reminded me of how my reign is coming to a close and how in a few months-I will be right up on stage saying the same thing, talking about how much this year has meant to me and what things I’ve learned from that year. Being queen has changed my whole life-it has given me confidence I didn’t even know I had. It had made me see myself and the world in a different light: a bigger, better light. And, to the next queen, I wish her the best of luck and too be prepared for the memory of a lifetime-because you will never have this same opportunity twice.

American Red Cross Bloodmobile at the Church

2011-03-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, I once again worked with a blood drive at a church in Oceanside. The weather was supposed to be warm and sunny but of course it was cold and foggy. There was a craft fair going on at the church and I was surprised to see so much involvement by all of the people that were there, working together to raise money for their youth group and church. And because of all the people that were there, the number of people who came to give blood went up tremendously. I was so surprised to see just how many people were in line, and I then began to realize that we were short staffed so they would all have to wait almost twice as long as they normally would. I tried to hurry up and get them through as quickly as possible but they still had to wait for a extended amount of time. A little while later through the day, my mom came and joined me and together, we were able to help talk to the blood donors and keep the time moving as fast as possible for them-so the wait didn’t seem as long. I thought it was pretty ironic how usually the bus is overstaffed and not that many people come, but the one day that we are understaffed we get around 20 people in 3 hours. I don’t even know what the goal was for that day, but I’m sure that we far exceeded it. For the future, I hope that the bloodmobile nurses and operators are able to have many more people helping so that we can get as many donors as possible in and out. We are so thankful for their donations and our whole goal is to make the experience as pleasing and comfortable as possible, and having a long wait can sometimes make them so nervous, impatient or frustrated so that they might change their mind and not donate, or be unable to give blood once they are inside. So its important to make sure that we can go through the entire procedure as quickly as possible, so they not only give one time-but will continue to return time and time again.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

2011-03-16T09:34:00.000-07:00

The day after the Facial Rejuvenation Center Grand Opening, my family went down to Balboa Park for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. When I first arrived, I had no idea of what a big deal this parade would be, but within a half an hour more and more people began to arrive and my eyes started taking in everything around me. About 6 city blocks were squared off for the parade and the entire section of the park was donated to an ongoing fair, concert and beer garden for the entire day. There were at least a few thousand people there, which is more than there had ever been at any other parade. When I walked around to visit people while my aunt and dad set up the car, I met a lot wonderful and sweet people who were so excited to have me there, take pictures with me and even give me small souvenirs. A clown gave me a tiny dog made from a beaded necklace, and some volunteers for the Al Bahr Shrine gave me some pins that said “Kiss me I’m Irish” or “Irish In Training”. It was really sweet to see so many people in a community getting together to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The parade route was also the longest parade route with the most people on it that I have ever experienced. It was down and back on at least 6 or more blocks and there was a never-ending wall of people on both sides. Even people up on hotel balconies and house’s roofs were screaming and waving down hello to me in the parade. It was the most fun I have ever had in a parade, and I am so thankful that I was able to experience it. This being my second to last parade, I was just so excited that it was such a rewarding experience and that it was something that I will never forget and be able to tell my future succeeding queens about, and how they should definitely not miss it.

San Diego Facial Rejuvenation Medical Center Ribbon Cutting

2011-03-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

On Friday, My dad and I went down to El Cajon during the evening to take part in a grand opening and ribbon cutting for the new business of San Diego Facial Rejuvenation. I walked in and saw that there was the entire chamber of commerce of East County there as well as many supportive friends and family for the Dr. Paul and his wife. The entire office was quite small and thin so it was a bit difficult to maneuver through and see all the different rooms, their equipment and what they did but I learned that they also do things in the office such as permanent makeup, and Botox and facial injections. I had one of the interns there to give me a short tour around and basically tell me what each room did, how much the different things cost and what they did for you and how often you had to get it redone. One interesting thing that I discovered was that a lot of the people who came to support the doctor were past patients of his or colleagues from the past. It was really neat to see so many friends and family coming to support him and that he was able to share his accomplishments with a lot of different people. That’s something that I hope I am to experience when I finally become a doctor-that a lot of my past colleagues, fellow medical students, and friends will be able to come and share that time with me when all my hard work has finally paid off. Because its not the fact that you are now opening the business, its too remember how far you’ve come and the lessons you’ve taken to get there. That’s what really counts when you have worked hard to get to, and achieve your goals. So I was really proud to be able to share this experience with the doctor and his family because it was a one in a lifetime thing, and therefore priceless.

Star of the Sea Bloodmobile Drive

2011-03-08T19:28:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, my mother and I went to the American Red Cross bloodmobile in downtown Oceanside in front of the Star of The Sea. I had not prepared exactly for the weather and was surprised to see just how much fog there was. As Miss California Teen Achieve, I usually wear dresses or a nice suit to my pageant events but for some strange reason, I thought it would be warmer at 8 am so I dressed in a nice dress with high heels but quickly realized my mistake as the wind roared by and I wrapped myself in a blanket. My mother decided to go get my clothes but while she was gone, I was faced with a long list of people who had appointments to give blood. I think there were about 10 people in the one half an hour that I was there. I could not believe how many people were both walk-ins and had appointments. They were so dedicated to helping save lives that it didn’t even matter that the wait was 30 minutes out in the cold-that right there, is dedication. Not only were these wonderful people so dedicated to their ministry, they also were the most friendly blood donators I had ever encountered. They made the time pass so fast, and there was not even a moment that we were not all laughing. Its moments like this were I am so thankful for what I do and am so glad that I was able to meet and be part of something like that-because it is so inspiring to me as a person and also to my reign. I hope that in the future, even after I give up my title, I will be able to remember times like this and always keep a smile on my face, even when times are tough.

In the Union Tribune for the Heritage Day Parade

2011-03-02T11:03:00.001-08:00

My photo in the Union Tribune for the Heritage Day Parade!

RSD Orthodontics Ribbon Cutting

2011-03-02T10:57:00.000-08:00

On Monday afternoon, my father and I drove to El Cajon for the grand opening and ribbon cutting for RSD Dental Group. When we arrived I was excited to see that there were already two queens there: Miss Rancho San Diego Teen and Miss Teen El Cajon along with the entire El Cajon Chamber of Commerce. When I went in, I was introduce to Cheryl Tran who is the Main Owner of the Dental group. She took Miss Rancho San Diego Teen and I on a short tour throughout the new business and I couldn’t believe how updated and clean it was! Every room had computers and TV’s and even a machine that used water and drills to create a new crown for your tooth in a little as 8 minutes! I can’t believe how much technology has improved from a few years ago, when I had braces. Later on, after the ribbon cutting there was a raffle and I was shocked because my dad and I actually both won! I won a t-shirt that said SMILE and a water bottle, while my dad won a free whitening service that was worth around $500. I was so happy because normally I have terrible luck when it comes to raffles. But the luck didn’t stop there-the dentistry team decided to give all three of us queens free whitening services so it didn’t matter that we didn’t win originally. I have never been toa ribbon cutting where the people were so giving and thankful for the support I gave by coming. This is why I absolutely love doing events in El Cajon-because the community is so warm, welcoming and thankful. They make you so happy that you took time out of your day to come to their community. I am very excited for my next event, so that I can once again have a similar experience; and make my reign as queen even more memorable.

Heritage Days Parade

2011-03-02T10:53:00.000-08:00

On the cold and windy day of February 26, 2011, I got up and ready for the Heritage Days Parade down in San Diego. The weather was already quite cold and rainy by the time I was ready to leave and I had this feeling deep down that it would not be clearing up. And I was right. When we arrived down in Imperial (my parents and Aunt) the check-in booth announced that it would most likely be sprinkling the entire afternoon, so we would have to improvise. My mother decided to put the signs on the inside of the windows with some of my past delegate sashes on the front glass so that I had a title on the front as well. When the misty weather calmed down a bit, I got of the car to go talk to a few of the other parade participants including the fire and police departments, hip hop group, nurses, and some men for the scholarship program. They took pictures with me and I handed out my cards to many of them to stay in touch and also send them the pictures we took. When it was finally time for the parade start, I went back in the car and went through the parade just like I had in the Mother Goose Parade, with my head and hand out the window, waving at all the passersby’s. Even though there weren’t that many people along the parade route, just seeing the looks on the people’s faces that were out there in the cold, made the entire trip worth it. I really am glad I went, because now I have just continued growing my social network as well as being able to experience another day of being a queen.

Doctor’s Express Ribbon Cutting

2011-02-25T09:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday evening, I went to the ribbon cutting of Doctor’s Express in Oceanside with my sister queen Miss Regional California Teen Achieve Rebekah Burger. This was Rebekah’s first event as queen and I was so happy to be able to open her eyes to the pageant world and be there to help her experience what being a queen is all about. We arrived at around 3:45 roughly, which was 15 minutes before the event actually started and this way we could meet the employees and Rita Harper who was the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce ambassador that had invited me to the event. But I had no idea just how much fun this ribbon cutting would be! One of the nurses, Lisa, took Rebekah, my mother and I on a tour of the new office. There were 5 exam rooms, a X-ray room, a lab, two offices and a break room. I was so intrigued by everything that she showed us because I, being a human biology major, need to be internship at a clinic, or urgency care center like Doctor’s Express and so everything in the lab and exam rooms were things that I will be working with soon. Lisa let Rebekah and I try on the X-ray lab coat and see the equipment and tools in the laboratory. Then I made a fascinating discovery! When I was explaining to Lisa why I found this so interesting (because of my major) and how I want to be a cardiac surgeon, she turned and said that she was going to be a cardiac surgeon herself until she was in a terrible accident. She told me how she has worked side-by-side with cardiologists and surgeons and had seen so many things that had made her want to forever work in that field. I was in shock-this amazing woman had started the path in life that I want to follow! I wanted to talk to her more, but then we were all ushered outside for the ribbon cutting with the chamber of commerce. Miss Oceanside Princess Elise Cruz had also arrived and was able to take the pictures for the ribbon cutting with all of us. It was so much fun to meet all of the guests and to introduce myself to them and learn about how them. Later on, Jonelle Guy, Miss Teen Oceanside Princess arrived and was able to take pictures for the ribbon cutting put on by solely Kari, the woman who owned the actual clinic. I was able to talk to her about a possible internship a Doctor’s Express and she said that Yes they actually have one and I just needed to contact her and we could talk about it. I was thrilled! Before we left, later that evening, Lisa gave me her contact information and told me that she would be able to help me to meet that I needed to meet. It seems to me that finally the doors are being opened and that this might be the greatest opportunity I have ever been given.

With the Oceanside Chamber Ambassadors and Elise Cruz-Oceanside Princess

With Rebekah before the ribbon cutting

Modeling for the camera ;)

With Jonelle Guy, Miss Teen Oceanside Princess

With Lisa, the most amazing nurse

In the X-Ray Room ;)

The New Patient :)

Messing around in the Lab!

Ribbon Cutting!

Being silly!

Gotta Love Edible Arrangements :)

New Song Community Church American Red Cross

2011-02-25T09:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I met up again with an old place I had once had an event at. It was the American Red Cross blood drive at the New Song Community Church. My mom and I arrived at around 11 o clock and were surprised to find out that there had already been around 20 people at the blood drive. It was neat to know that there were already people working hard for the blood drive and that people were so willing to help save others’ lives by giving up only 30 minutes of their own time for it. Because it was so incredibly windy, my mother and I covered ourselves in blankets and made sure to push the desks out in the sunlight so that the guests coming in would be able to stay warm while they waited. I also made sure to consistently offer food and beverages to them so that they would not be faint or dehydrated when they went in for testing. We had several mothers and fathers bring their small children to the table, who wanted a picture with me and it was so cute to talk with them, find out their names and hear the cute little sayings they wanted to tell me. I absolutely love little kids and how eager they are to discover people and/or things that are new to them. For example, when it came to one of their parents giving blood, a little girl came up to me and asked me how long her mommy would be giving blood and if it would hurt and how old she would have to be until she was able to do the same thing. I think that’s how a lot of goals are made. When you are younger you see someone that you want to be like or someone that does something you want to do and you set your mind to do it and that’s how often you get a goal in your life. That’s why it is important to be an example for younger generations today because you just might be their inspiration for something they want to pursue when they are older.

Pacific Marine Credit Union Ribbon Cutting

2011-02-05T10:46:00.000-08:00

Last night, I was invited by the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce to come participate in the ribbon cutting for the brand new Pacific Marine Credit Union headquarters in Oceanside. When I drove up, I was instantly surprised at how beautiful and huge the building was! It looked like a mini hotel, with its shiny windows, modern look, and a caterer truck out front. I had never been to a ribbon cutting with caterers before. I met the Chamber of Commerce that had already arrived and quickly introduced myself to the manager, and several employees of the credit union. They showed me around, and I was surprised to see just how big and spacious the inside of the Credit Union was. The caterers had set up all the food around the main room and people who had arrived were grabbing bits and pieces and just casually talking. Miss Vista Princess and Miss Oceanside Princess Elise Cruz arrived and the three of us were instructed to sell raffle tickets for the prizes being raffled off by the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce. I put my “business cap” on and went around to “working the room”. People were very generous to buy my tickets and even those that said they would come back, DID in fact come back. You have to be persistent, professional and poised when at a company event like this, selling something. People are very friendly and they want to know that you are comfortable to be around before they feel as though its okay to give you their money. When it was finally time to call the ticket numbers, around half of the people that won their prizes were people that had bought tickets from me! I was very excited to see them win, for they were all such nice people. At the end of the night, I was honored to be invited by the YMCA activities board to be part of their “Princess Camp” in May! How fun would that be?! The best part of ribbon cuttings is you never know just what you might encounter, who you might meet and what you might be invited too. Every event is a new adventure, and that is why I cannot wait until my next one!

Salvation Army Appreciation Breakfast

2011-01-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

This morning, the Salvation Army invited me to their Volunteer Appreciation breakfast. Because of the amount of people that had volunteered for the East County Toy and Food Drive, as well as those that helped make it happen such as driving trucks to pick up toys and such, as well as ringing bells in front of stores such as Wal-Mart and grocery stores throughout the East County. It was so great to see all of those volunteers there and to know that they had helped make the east county toy drive successful. There were some awards given for people that had worked 60 hours and above! The director had his kids walk over to every person that received an award and hand them a cookie tin and a certificate. The most touching moment in the entire breakfast was when the director gave a older gentleman a trophy of a salvation army bell engraved in honor of the man’s wife who had passed away. She had raised over $11,000 for the Salvation Army by being a bell ringer in front of Wal-Mart for many years and this past Christmas had taken ill from working out in the cold and ended up passing a few days after the holiday season. It was so sad to hear the story about this woman, and see how distraught and sad her husband was. But what was most amazing was that this woman cared so much for other people and the children that she was helping raise money for food and toys for, that she put herself and her own well being as a lower level of importance. It really made me think-do I serve people this way? As queen, do I get more caught up in myself and the things that relate to me than I do about the people I should actually be serving and helping? It was a really humbling thought and really taught me that sometimes helping other people is more important that anything. Because a simple act of kindness from you could save someone’s life and give you a fulfilling purpose in your own.

San Diego County Credit Union Ribbon Cutting

2011-01-24T09:06:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I went to the San Diego Credit Union Ribbon Cutting in Oceanside. I was the first queen to arrive at the bank, with my dad, at around 10 am. There were already a lot of people that were at the bank and I couldn’t wait to go and meet them. When I first arrived, I introduced myself to the manager of the bank who had a list of people that were “V.I.P”, and although I wasn’t on the list, he apologized and quickly put me on. Then I saw that on the list, Miss Oceanside 2010, and Miss Oceanside Princess 2010! I was so excited, I haven’t seen Lauren or Elise (the queens) in such a long time, it would be such a treat to do an event with them. I went around, inside the bank and introduced myself to all the bank managers. The mayor of Oceanside, the designer of the bank itself, and a few other very important people were at the event and were so pleased to talk to me. I even saw Ron Cook, San Diego photographer, who is a good friend of mine and I was so happy to see him there. When the other queens arrived, we hugged and talked for a bit until we were all called out to the front of the beautifully decorated bank and told where to stand. Both of the Oceanside royalty stood on one end of the ribbon, while I stood on the other. Ron, instructed us on how to pose and smile for the pictures so that he would be able to get a lot of us just smiling and then some of us cutting the ribbon. I really love how comfortable he makes everyone feel, and how his personality always makes people smile-which is perfect for pictures. After all of us had been photographed for several minutes, I turned around and began to just talk with a few councilmember’s and people I hadn’t met yet. It was so amazing to see just how happy and thankful they were for having me there. Being queen has taught me a very valuable lesson about support. When you are going to support a community, what matters most is the fact that you are actually there. It’s not always about giving money or gifts: because sometimes the most important gift is just you being there.

With Ron Cook, the fabulous East County News Photographer!

With Elise Cruz, Miss Oceanside Princess :)

The mayor of Oceanside

Cutting the ribbon!

A fan :)

Being silly :D

Liberty Income Tax Grand Opening

2011-01-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, My mother and I went down to Oceanside for the ribbon cutting for Liberty Tax Service. It was being held by a member of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, Lori Lawson and they were going to have a small party for their grand opening. Surprisingly enough, when my mother and I arrived at the establishment, we were the only other people (other than the workers themselves) who were there to support the grand reopening .Sure, there were a few passer buyers who helped themselves to a delicious hot dog, homemade cookie, chips and soda, but none of them really stopped in to take a look. Lori and her husband were extremely generous when it came to being warm and welcoming to us. They let us spin a wheel to win some prizes, and my mom and I won a T-shirt and a tattoo. Not a real tattoo of course, just one of those kinds where you add hot water and it sticks on your arm. We took a lot of pictures, especially because all of the workers were dressed in “Statue of Liberty” costumes. I have never met or heard of a tax company where they dress up and have fun. Usually the thought of taxes is really long and boring but Liberty Tax really makes it user-friendly and has fantastic customer service. Lori was really open to explaining to us what makes her business different from other tax companies, and I was really impressed. She even took us on a tour of her business and explained what all the different machines and boxes in the back room meant and what they did. Overall, it was a very low key and relaxing ribbon cutting. I cannot wait until I get to meet Lori again, for she was such a wonderful woman to meet and be around. It is encouraging to see strong, business like woman working in the economy and making it stronger every day.

My First Time Giving Blood!

2011-01-19T21:34:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, January 18, 2011, I went with my mother to go help with a blood drive at a fitness warehouse by Palomar College. It was a surprisingly warm winter morning and we had about 20 people on the list for the day. However there was a huge gap between the first person and the second person (about an hour and fifteen minute gap). I decided that because I am now 17, I wanted to give blood-for the first time! My mom could take care of anyone that came in and I was completely free to go on in. There are three steps to giving blood. The first is the room where they test you and ask you questions. My finger was pricked to check for iron, and I was happy to find out that I am not anemic like my mother. They also checked my blood pressure and body temperature to make sure that I am not sick. After they saw that I was healthy, they put all my information into the system and then left me alone in the tiny room to answer the questionnaire. Basically it was a bunch of questions where I could answer just Yes or No to. They asked me about specific diseases, if I had been to certain countries and things like “Have you gotten a piercing or tattoo in the past 12 months”. It only took me about 3 minutes to finish the questionnaire, and when I was finished I went to the Tables to get my blood drawn. I have never been afraid of needles so I wasn’t really worried when she pulled out the needle. The nurse first cleaned my arm for 30 seconds with iodine and then put the needle in quickly! It hurt for only a split second then it was over. I didn’t even realize that there was a needle in my arm till I look down and saw a tube attached to my arm. The nurse showed me how to squeeze onto a stress ball to help pump the blood out. It only took me about 5 minutes to fill the blood bag. After I had filled the bag, the nurse instructed me to stop pumping and she took everything out. Then it was time for step three: recovery. For 15 minutes, I had to sit down and have fluids and snacks to make sure I wasn’t lightheaded or going to pass out. I ended up doing neither and the nurse let me go after 15 minutes. When I stepped out of the bus, I was so proud! I had just helped save a life by simply giving some of my blood. It was such a good feeling-a little bit of me could help save someone’s life: one little drop at a time.

Theres my name!

Martin Luther King Jr. Parade

2011-01-17T08:31:00.000-08:00

The following day, on January 15, I had to get up and ready to go for the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade that was going on downtown in San Diego. My family came along with me, including my aunt and her boyfriend who let me use their car once again. When we arrived down by Petco Park which is where the parade was taking place, I drove in and immediately put on my crown and banner to get ready to visit the other parade participants. I me the lovely ladies from a group sorority, men from the Marine Corps, firemen, border patrol, people from the car clubs, Miss Orange County, the people for Diversity group and even a trolley car. I could not believe how nice everyone was-especially considering how hot it was. Although it was a beautiful day, it was quite hot and the parade was rolling along a little slow. In fact, the Geico gecko mascot (a man dressed in a gecko suit) had to sit in the shade under a tiny tree just so he wouldn’t overheat. The best thing about the parade was by far the children. There were little kids everywhere that wanted to talk to me, take pictures and even get my autograph! It was so touching and rewarding to see the looks on the children’s faces when I talked to them and asked about their lives. While I was waiting for the parade to start, this one little girl kept coming up to my car just to look at me and ask me questions. Her friend came by and gave me a balloon that she had, just to give me shade in the sun. It was absolutely adorable. When the parade finally started and I drove through the crowd smiling and waving at everyone, I realized just how lucky I am to have the title that I do. It is a once in a lifetime experience and every time I am out there, meeting people, it’s a moment in my life that I will never forget. I will never take my reign for granted because its one of the best things that has ever happened to me in my life. It has truly given me the most amazing experience I could ask for.

Those were ALOT of balloons!!

Signing my first Autograph!

Volunteering at the Homeless Shelter

2011-01-17T08:10:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I volunteered at the Homeless shelter in downtown Escondido with the men and families of the bible study that my dad attends. There were about 30 volunteer ideas and we were expecting around 60 homeless people. I came with both of my parents and my friend Lisa at around 5 pm. There were a few people scattered throughout the small building and we went to put the dishes (cups, plates) that we had brought into the room where we would be serving dinner. The woman from the Salvation Army (who worked at the shelter) told all of us volunteers what our jobs would be and how we were supposed to interact with the homeless people that came in. Lisa and I, along with a few others of the young adults, decided to be the “dinner ladies” and serve out the food. Then, all of the volunteers gathered together to pray and talk about their families. It was really neat to hear everyone’s story. I found out a few of the people had even been close to becoming homeless themselves so this touched a real close nerve for them. When the people began to come in I was surprised to see how young a few of them were. Some were even so nicely dressed and clean cut that I would have never thought of them as homeless if I had seen them on the street. It made me realize just how thankful I need to be for the life I have, because there aren’t that many things that separate me from those people. They were all so kind and thankful for us being there and I felt bad that we didn’t have more to give them. In fact, we nearly ran out of food because we got a lot more people than we were expecting. I definitely want to volunteer more with the homeless shelter because these people need our help and it’s the least I can do-to help feed them. And how neat would it be to help save someone’s life, by simply handing them a piece of bread.

One of the men we fed, gave us these cross necklaces :)

Receiving the Governor and First Lady's Award

2011-01-11T22:27:00.000-08:00

On January 9, 2011, I was awarded, along with 200 other people, the Governor’s and First Lady’s Award given by Governor Swarchenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver for outstanding community service. I was chosen to be awarded this great honor along with Marlene Martin (my director), Rebekah Burger (Regional California Teen Achieve), and Korinna Kaplanis (Miss Southern California Teen Achieve). Not only was the 9^th going to be the day that I was awarded this, but it was also my 17^th birthday! Two great things in one day! When I first arrived at the Double Tree Hotel ballroom in Anaheim, I was asked to help set up. I placed the day’s schedule on every person’s chair as well, as making sure every guest was given the proper treat. When more people began to arrive, I put on my crown and banner (as we were instructed to do) and met a lot of other queens: Miss and Miss Teen Bonsall, Miss California International, Ms. California, Miss Dream Girl, Miss Teen Dream Girl, and many more. It was such a honor to meet all these amazing girls and be able to learn more about their pageant, and the service they did to even receive this award. When the program started, we first did the National Anthem, prayed for our food and then were served a delicious three course meal: salad, chicken, and a vanilla/ cherry cake. They presented the awards while everyone else ate. Susan Jeske, the woman who put the entire operation on (who also works for the President of the

United States

) had Jeff Simmons as well as Anna Bryson smiled and posed with each recipient. When it was my turn, I turned smiled at the camera, and received my award. I saw my parents smiling proudly and clapping for me, and it was probably one of the greatest moments in my life. After the awards were all handed out, I made an effort with my sister queens to go around and take lots of pictures with as many people as possible because this was a once in a lifetime event and I didn’t want to miss a thing! Even after everyone had left, I was asked by a woman to come and sit down and say a message to our troops. She was in charge of her own new station and the message I would say would be broadcasted on Channel 12 as well as be given to our troops overseas! What an honor?! You can never know exactly what will happen to you, each and every day, for each day is a new day and a new adventure. If I had left early, I would have missed my chance to be interviewed or meet the amazing people that I did. Because of giving my time, I was not only honored with a once in a lifetime award but also with the chance to meet such amazing people that will forever change my life.

Last Home Town Buffet Ribbon Cutting

2011-01-11T22:17:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, my dad and I went to the last Home Town Buffet ribbon cutting in Chula Vista. It was a windy, cloudy day and I was surprised that there weren’t actually a lot of people that were there. I decided to work first and eat afterwards. I handed out balloons to the small children that were entering, leaving and standing outside of the restaurant. They were so cute and happy to see the balloons and also have someone with a pretty crown and banners give them to them. There was a Latin pop music station there, and the home town buffet bee that was the mascot, was dancing off to the music and making everybody laugh and be silly. It was really funny, to get everyone out of their comfort zone and dance to the pop hits and the mariachi band that came to hype everyone with their music. It just is so great for me to see the entire community getting together, and to enjoy and support something like a grand reopening. Even the mayor came to endorse and thank Home Town Buffet for reopening to the community and everyone was very excited and pleased. It is so great to be a part of this community event and see how people work together to bring themselves together. If all it takes is a little music, silly dancing, and food, then we should be doing something like that in every neighborhood. Fellowship with others is priceless, and a community of love is stronger than anything.

Blood Mobile at Daphnes

2011-01-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I started off the new year of 2011, by helping at a bloodmobile in the Daphne’s parking lot. It was my mom and I, who were the only volunteers scheduled for that day-and we were surprised when we found out that there were only 4 people signed up for the entire day. The charge nurse told me that their goal for the day was to have about 18 people come, which meant that I would have to help get as many people that were in the shopping center to come donate blood. We were giving the gift away of two free Clippers (basketball team) tickets as well as a $5 Daphne’s gift card. The manager of the Bloodmobile went around to the local stores and put up posters and fliers about the blood drive. And surprisingly enough, a lot of people came in to donate blood! By the time that my shift was up we had about 10 people come-which is over half our goal. This just shows me that sometimes you don’t always need a planned list, or a schedule to get things done. Sometimes the best things happen in your life when you least expect them too-and that is the blessing of life. Because every day is a surprise, and adventure and something will happen that makes that day stand out from all the others.