She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. - Proverbs 31:25

December has been a very busy month! Sitting here in front of the Christmas tree watching the snow fall outside I can't resist my craving for some warm hot chocolate and sugar cookies. Don't worry... I'll skip the cookies.. for now!

The Christmas in the Park Festival was a fun-filled day of community, friends, and fun for everyone who participated. It began with a morning parade, and all bundled up in preparation for the chilly weather, we gathered in the heart of town along with hundreds of other participants. We were so fortunate to be greeted not only by thousands of bystanders waiting anxiously to compete with each other for the most candy, but also by a beautiful wintery baby blue sky! After the parade we made our way to the city park and participated in several activities to celebrate the holiday season.

The Yelm School District prepared free food and drinks for everyone at the festival and I had a wonderful time working with volunteers from throughout the education system while serving hundreds of families. I had a wonderful day and am very thankful for the opportunity to participate in community-oriented events such as this that help our organization and the charities we represent gain positive visibility and promotion!

Timberland Library and Friends sponsored an incredible event this December. They donated hundreds of library books to be wrapped up by volunteers and given as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community. What a simple way to allow the community to lend a helping hand and brighten the holidays for others!

Giorda Elie has been kind enough to sponsor all of the alterations for my Miss America wardrobe and does an impeccable job, adding the finishing touches that truly make each outfit complete. Every once in a while she puts on a designer show, and I was greatly excited to be invited to model some stunning outfits at her boutique during her holiday showcase. It was a wonderful opportunity to wear some of the most beautiful clothes I have ever seen, meet some incredibly fashionable and fabulous people and share a great evening with new friends and some of our most valued supporters. Please visit Giorda's boutique at http://www.giordae.com/ to find one-of-a-kind designer clothing of unprecedented quality and valuable fashion advice.

Nothing makes an outfit complete more than adding some precious metals and stones. Peggy and I had a fabulous time taking a trip to Gresham, Oregon, to visit our cherished jewelry sponsor, Cynthia Loeffler. Cynthia has graciously offered to create one-of-a-kind hand crafted jewelry to wear with my Miss America competition wardrobe. She has the most incredible eye for detail and I am SO looking forward to seeng the spectacular pieces she's creating. Along with exploring her beautiful floral, jewelry, and gift store, we had the pleasure of sharing a delightful lunch (along with the largest and most delicious chocolate cake I have ever encountered) at a lovely Italian restaurant and visited some neighboring boutiques where I found the umbrella of my dreams. Yes, you guessed it – it's hot pink leopard print! Cynthia, thank you for so much for sharing your time and talents with the Miss Washington Organization… and thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me work on my Miss America ab's by laughing endlessly with us.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound has become actively involved with the Miss Washington Scholarship Organization, and I had the privilege of attending one of the most successful sponsor cultivation events EVER at a beautiful location in downtown Seattle. With more and more families in the Puget Sound region feeling the economic downturn, more children than ever are in need of a Big Brother or Big Sister to be a caring friend and mentor. As you consider where to spend your charitable dollars at the end of this turbulent year, remember that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound needs your support to help us keep kids in school. Please visit http://www.bbbs.org/ to see what you can do to help. Thank you so much to Peter Retzlaff and all of my friends at BBBS of Puget Sound for everything that you are doing for our worthwhile organization!

Some of my favorite times are those I get to spend with children in schools as a speaker or volunteer in one capacity or another. I recently had the opportunity to spend a morning at Northwest Christian High School in Lacey, Washington and what an extraordinary experience it was! I spent an hour addressing the entire student body during a morning assembly, and I must say that this audience was one of the warmest, most welcoming group of students I have ever encountered. I felt so fortunate to be able to share my experiences with them and to participate in a very festive question and answer session! They even invited me to play piano for them after I shared that piano was my talent. After the assembly, all of the young men in the audience left to continue with classes and all of the ladies got to stay and have a very relaxed, private 'small group' session tailored just for girls. I was so thankful for this very special opportunity to connect with young women on a personal level and I feel that our time was very well spent! All in all, it was a very unique school event and I was really able to connect with all of them and want to extend a huge thank you to the entire student body, staff, and the Koepp family for such a memorable experience.

As most of you know, it's now less than a month before we leave for the final preparation before Miss America. In the meantime, we were asked to film some requested footage for TLC. You would think that after a month in Los Angeles filming the reality show and a number of media opportunities, I would be more comfortable being in front of a camera. But the truth is that I have yet to accept that I am going to be on television. Am I the only one who refuses to leave voicemails because of the fear of somehow having it played back and having to listen to my own voice? Can you imagine not only hearing your voice but seeing it come out of your own mouth on television? Ick. Maybe it's just me, but it's certainly going to take some getting used to. Anyway, if you haven't already seen it, TLC is beginning to air commercials promoting Miss America's Countdown to the Crown, which will air its first episode on January 2nd.

I would like to end with a special thanks to Brad Brotherton of Brotherton Cadillac. As you know, Brotherton Cadillac was kind enough to provide me with a car for my year of service, and as if that wasn't enough, they have gone above and beyond to offer their support for our organization. Brad especially has become a dear friend of the Miss Washington Scholarship Organization and myself. He is not only a great asset to the pageant family, but a constant giver to the community in multiple capacities. He is working actively with us to benefit Children's Miracle Network, in addition to playing a huge role in many other charitable causes, both for the Miss Washington Organization and a plethora of other non-profit organizations. His spirit is selfless and he truly embodies all of the attributes of an incredible positive role model, and someone who is constantly willing to give of himself to better the lives of others. We are so fortunate to have Brotherton Cadillac as a part of our organization and I feel particularly blessed to be a part of the Brotherton family.

In addition to these and many other exciting events (including a visit to the Seahawks Training Facilities, one of our most recent supporters thanks to Brad Brotherton), I am working hard every day to prepare for Miss America. It's unbelievable that there is only a month before we leave. The Fashion Show/Send off is scheduled for January 4th in Puyallup Washington. I will have the opportunity to showcase my Miss America competition wardrobe and perform my Miss America talent for the very first time, and the Miss Washington Class of 2008 will be there to showcase their personal styles as well! The event is from 12-2:30, and brunch will be served. Tickets are $35 per person – please RSVP to Fianna Dickson at misswa2003@hotmail.com before December 28th. Unfortunately, tickets will not be available at the door so be sure to contact Fianna and reserve your seat!

I hope you are all staying warm and safe while enjoying this beautiful winter weather!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I would like to start off by giving my congratulations to Devonni Patridge, our new Miss Seattle! I had the honor of being a guest at Miss Seattle on November 8th and I must say that the talent of our local competitors gets better and better every year. We are blessed with so many remarkable, high-achieving young women in our state!

After the Miss Seattle festivities we set out to find the perfect midnight dining location. With pancakes in mind I was anxiously anticipating IHOP. Unfortunately for IHOP they turned out to be closed (either that or they knew what they were in for). We ended up making our way to the local Shari's my craving was put at ease with the discovery of APPLE CINNAMON SMOTHERED PANCAKES! After a very late night of laughing to tears and filling our bellies with heavenly goodness we said our goodbyes and tried to get a good night's sleep (more like a quick morning nap) before the next busy day.
After a little bit of rest, we headed over to Poulsbo to share an incredible day with the Miss Poulsbo/Miss Kitsap family. It was the annual Miss Poulsbo/Kitsap Tea, where this year's contestants are introduced to their 'little sisters' for the first time. I was in awe of the incredible mentoring program that the Miss Poulsbo/Miss Kitsap organization has established within their scholarship organization. Throughout the contestant's journey of preparation for their local program, they are paired with a little sister in the community to befriend and mentor along the way. It is a perfect example of how the Miss America Organization is in many ways a mentoring organization in itself, both through the efforts of our contestants to mentor children in the community, and also through the relationships our volunteers build with the contestants. I was pleased to spend the afternoon with my friends Amy and Samantha, Miss Poulsbo and Miss Kitsap of the class of 2008! The champagne cake was plentiful, the cookies were abundant (at least until I got to them) and the sherbet fruit punch was amazing. It was quite the party. The food, entertainment, and company in Poulsbo was wonderful as always. Also a special thank you to Michele Wasson of the Poulsbo/Kitsap program for having me at your event.

Shortly thereafter I took a three day excursion to Bellingham where I had the special privilege of staying with Dawn Marr, a dear friend and valued sponsor of the Miss Washington Organization. The Marr's sponsor a beautiful mink coat each year for Miss Washington. Dawn even joined us for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Annual Dinner Auction and Gala! I emceed the event along-side the magnificent Patrick O'Brien, possibly the best auctioneer ever. After being on our feet for seven hours he still had the energy to teach Patti and I some fabulous self-defense moves - watch out potential attackers! After a late night of quick-paced but long lasting auction excitement, and some very successful fundraising, Dawn and I returned to her home with apple pie and carrot cake that we thieved off of some vacated tables. We spent the rest of the night watching movies until we couldn't keep our eyes open any longer.

While in Bellingham I also had the privilege of returning to Rotary North of Bellingham for another visit. This was their annual awards dinner, and I was invited to present the awards to the chosen recipients, or so I thought. Little did I know that I had been deceived by my dear friends at rotary! I stood up in front with an award in my hand waiting to present it to the person that Brian Finnegan spoke of on the microphone. I was listening intently, but was caught by surprise when he turned around to reveal that they had actually invited me to rotary that evening to present a Paul Harris Fellow award to me! It is such a great honor to receive an award that represents service and community at the level of rotary.

Soon after my trip to Bellingham, Patti and I set off for a four day trip to Wenatchee to celebrate the annual Festival of Trees. The Festival of Trees raises necessary funds to support the Performing Arts and welcomes over 5000 visitors. Those of you who know Patti and her reliable navigator Magellan, her GPS device, know that she is (and I mean this with the utmost respect) somewhat directionally challenged, even with Magellan at her side. What I typically don't share is that if anyone is more directionally challenged than Patti, it's me. Long story short, sending us on a trip across the state together is a fiasco waiting to happen, and always an adventure! Honestly, I'm very proud of us though, we made it there and back despite the roaring snowfall in the pass (so maybe only 1 or 2 inches) and only got lost enough to make our way to Dairy Queen for Pumpkin and Mint Oreo Blizzards! I had the opportunity to meet hundreds of incredible people in Wenatchee, and everyone was so warm, welcoming, and excited to learn about the Miss Washington Organization and the non-profit causes I am honored to call myself a part of.

While at the Festival of Trees I had the opportunity to perform at two different Holiday Spice concerts with a number of incredible performers. The hidden talent in our state is unbelievable and it was a special honor not only to play piano at such a beautiful event but to watch as individuals of all ages performed in celebration of the holiday season.

with the Holiday Spice Show Big Band

Bob was kind enough to be my 'body guard' in Wenatchee, and waited to attempt to arrest me until the last night so that I could fulfill my duties!

I had the opportunity to model for Studio 10 Boutique of Wenatchee at the Holiday Luncheon and Style Show. They also invited me to speak on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Children's Miracle Network, and the National Meningitis Association during the show. The audience was so receptive and enthusiastic about offering their support! Afterwards I had an opportunity to interview for a local television station and even met the beautiful Arlene, mother of the last Miss Greater Wenatchee! (We haven't had a pageant in Wenatchee since 1991)
The Festival of Trees Gala Dinner and Auction was quite a glamorous event. I have never seen a more beautifully decorated ballroom filled with holiday cheer! With 10 fully decorated and creatively themed Christmas trees, it was an incredible sight and a hugely anticipated event as people traveled from all over the state to attend. I again was able to speak on behalf of the organizations I advocate as Miss Washington, and also encouraged participants to 'bid high and bid often!' throughout the auction as the honorary 'Vanna'. We were ecstatic at raising close to $100,000 during this evening of community fellowship. It was an amazing experience that I am overjoyed to have been a part of.

Father Christmas is one of the kindest men I have ever met. We had a wonderful time together!

Crowning one of the event's sponsors!

For those interested, the Miss Washington Fashion Show is January 4th and tickets are now available at $35 each. Contact Fianna Dickson at misswa2003@hotmail.com to reserve your seat. The fashion show is at the beautiful Liberty Theater in Puyallup and brunch will be served. Also, official Miss Washington t-shirts are now available for $20 each. Contact Patti Belik at aclassactevents@gmail.com as soon as possible to place your order!

My preparation for Miss America keeps me continually busy and constantly growing. I am so grateful to be surrounded by incredibly encouraging people as the date grows nearer. My parents have been consistent sources of support and I want to take a second and express a special THANK YOU to them both for their dedication to helping me achieve my goals, for instilling their love for service in me, and being two of the best role models I could ask for.

Frank Lloyd Wright perfectly describes my state of mind as a prepare for Miss America with these words: "I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen."

Happy Thanksgiving friends!

Thank you!

With just eight weeks until the departure date for Las Vegas, my schedule gets crazier by the day. Amidst the madness of Miss America preparation, I can’t help but think about the endless support that I receive each and every day. It is incredible that even when our economy is experiencing great hardship and people’s lives become hectic with the holiday season, so many still come out of the woodwork and offer their services and open their wallets to our organization. I would like to take just a quick moment to thank some of my most recent sponsors and supporters.

Weddings with Joy is a boutique in Olympia that has become our official dress provider. This boutique has been sponsoring me since my very first pageant at age eleven! They have taken on a huge role this year in allowing me to borrow evening gowns and cocktail dresses for any and all of my appearances. I am so grateful to Angela, the owner, and every employee at Weddings with Joy for their enthusiasm for our program! Please visit their website at http://www.weddingswithjoy.com/ The following are just a few of many dresses from Weddings with Joy!

I am so thankful to have a full gym sponsorship including classes and personal training to Anytime Fitness from Anytime Fitness of Yelm. My local branch didn’t hesitate to offer their services in helping me physically prepare for the Miss America competition, and stay healthily fit during my year as Miss Washington. Thank you so much to Owner’s Mark and Helen and personal trainer Devonne for your endless support! http://club.anytimefitness.com/clubs/yelmwa/

Royal Hawaiian Tanning Salon has also sponsored a year of unlimited free tanning as my official tanning sponsor. I am so thankful to have the support of my favorite full-service tanning salon with a location right here in my hometown. Thank you to Mike, Becky and all my friends at the Royal Hawaiian!

The official skin care product provider of Miss Washington each year is Tutta Bella. These products use only quality ingredients from plants that are nutrient-rich in the essential vitamins and minerals. This toxin-free, all organic skin care line is by far the best I have ever used, and I am so thankful to Dana and Beth of Tutta Bella for their generosity! Visit their website at http://www.tuttabella2.com/ for more product information.

I had the privilege of receiving a Color 1 consultation from Barb Wilson early in my year as Miss Washington. I cannot justly describe how beneficial my meeting with her was. I learned so much about wardrobe and accessorizing and apply her advice each and every day. Our consultation truly was a gift that keeps on giving every time I head out to shop! You can learn more about Barb’s services at http://www.barbwilson.com/

Please be aware that this is a very incomplete list of sponsors. Hundreds of businesses and individuals offer their services and wallets to the Miss Washington Organization and we are so grateful for that generosity. I would also like to add a little note to say thank you to my co-directors Peggy Miller and Patti Belik. I am so blessed to have two inspiring, encouraging and fun-loving role models in these two women and in just four months have learned so much from the time they have invested in me. I could not begin to describe to you the personal sacrifice that these two and so many other volunteers make on my behalf and to further the success of our organization. Thank you Peggy and Patti – 8 weeks and counting – let the fun begin!

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.-- Albert Schweitzer

Strong convictions precede great actions - Louisa May Alcott

October 11th was the Miss Thurston County Pageant in Olympia, our second local of the year! It was so nice to spend the evening with my pageant sister and roommate from Miss Washington week, Kara-Ann Pedrini, and to meet up with other Miss Washington contestants from the Class of 2008. Congratulations to our most recent addition to the Miss Washington Class of 2009, Sharise Williams – Miss Thurston County!

I was honored to be asked to host the annual Lights on Afterschool event in our state’s capital, Olympia on Thursday, October 16th. This national event was launched in October 2000 and was celebrated in more than 7500 communities this year by over 1 million Americans. It is a project of the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to quality, affordable afterschool programs. Studies show that 3pm-6pm are the peak hours for juvenile experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and sexual activity, and more than 14 million school aged children are on their own afterschool. As a future educator and regular volunteer in public school classrooms, this cause is near and dear to my heart and I am honored to be working with the Afterschool Alliance. Click in to read one news release in preparation for the event and please visit www.afterschoolalliance.org to learn more about this organization. www.publicnewsservice.org/print.php?key=6745-2

The Washington State Prevention Summit was held over four days in Yakima, Washington, and I had the pleasure of being the emcee for the event, and working alongside Lt. Governor Brad Owen and Attorney General Rob McKenna, two individuals who have prioritized mentoring and educating youth throughout their careers. The goal of the Prevention Summit is to provide an enriching educational and networking opportunity for youth, volunteers and professionals working toward prevention of substance abuse and violence. I had the honor to work alongside many incredible individuals who truly care about giving young people and educators alike the resources they need to make a positive impact in their communities. It was a special privilege to be surrounded by hundreds of youth who have made a commitment to being positive role models in their schools and communities. Thank you to Ivon Urquilla for your enthusiasm in partnering with the Miss Washington Organization on this project!

It was so nice to reunite with local directors, state volunteers, and the board at Fall Forum weekend. We gathered in Bellingham, my home away from home, to spend a fun-filled weekend together. It was incredible to see so many people giving up their time (like they do all year long) to work on bettering their relationships with each other and improving our state organization in every way possible. We are blessed to have an organization filled with selfless individuals who are willing to go above and beyond to ensure that young women in Washington State have the opportunity to learn, grow, and benefit in every way through our program. Thank you Peggy, Mike, and Patti for all of your efforts in organizing fall forum weekend, and thanks to everyone who attended! I am so fortunate to have a countless number of positive role models in such a fine group of volunteers, as are the other young men and women who benefit year round from your positive influence.

There has been a new and very meaningful development in my life, and to understand how important it is to me I need to share a story with you. In 2006 I earned the title Miss Whatcom County, and prepared for my first experience as a Miss Washington contestant. The Miss Washington competition is held over a week in Tacoma, Washington. Three days into the week long competition, I woke up suddenly ill, and before I knew it I was in the emergency room. Long story short, I was hospitalized for several weeks and was diagnosed with meningitis. Obviously, I did not make it to the Miss Washington stage that year which was unfortunate, but a real blessing in disguise. It’s really interesting that it takes a life-changing experience for some of us to truly appreciate each and every day we have, but I am thankful that I was blessed in this very unique way with an opportunity to evaluate the way I was spending my days and the way I want to spend the rest of them. I was recently contacted by the National Meningitis Association, and am now serving as a national spokesperson and goodwill ambassador for the organization. The NMA is specifically focused on raising awareness and protection among adolescents and young adults, many of whom can be protected from this very serious illness through education and vaccination efforts. I am so overwhelmed and completely honored to be working with this cause. Please click in to view a quick but valuable fact sheet with information about the disease and immunization. http://www.nmaus.org/press-room/materials/Facts_About_Meningitis.pdf and visit the NMA website at http://www.nmaus.org/.

Reflecting on the appearances and events I have attended as Miss Washington and the number of valuable organizations we have been able to partner with, I am proud that there are a variety of causes and people represented. However, I also see the common trend of children and youth present within each appearance. My priority has been to utilize my title as Miss Washington to reach as many children as possible as a positive role model and representative for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I am thrilled that I have been able to do that while partnering with a number of equally valuable organizations. I am so excited that we have been able to develop so many valuable relationships within just three short months, and I cannot wait to see what else the year has in store for the Miss Washington Organization!

Girl Scouts are one of the many afterschool programs involved with Lights On Afterschool Events!

Working with staff members from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Thurston County

Destination Graduation - Youth encouraging their peers to prioritize school!

“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.”- Helen Keller

I am sitting at the airport and its very possible that a number of people think I am out of my mind with my giraffe print luggage and venti-sized white chocolate mocha because I have the biggest possible smile on my face. I have never been so overjoyed to be at the airport. I arrived at LAX this morning approximately five hours before my flight was scheduled to leave. Why so early? Let’s just put it this way… I didn’t sleep a wink last night and literally sat on my bed watching the minutes tick by. I got on the earliest bus I could. The airport feels closer to home, and most importantly there is a Starbucks at my terminal. I didn’t realize my dependency on coffee until spending nearly a month in LA where, unlike Seattle, there is NOT a Starbucks on every street corner. Not that we spent time on any street corners here, because we didn’t.

Blogging about my experience is very difficult, because I am under contract not to disclose any information about the show. I can say, however, that I feel like I walked away with very valuable life experience that prepared me in many ways for my future and for Miss America. It is so funny to me how life throws challenges at you, that at the time make no sense at all, but in the end always have a purpose. I made some truly wonderful friends and can say with all honesty that as happy as I am to be going home, I am very sad to be parting ways with these incredible women.

Although I cannot disclose anything about the experience filming the reality show, I CAN tell you about the activities we were able to participate in on our off days. We had several appearances, from a Warner Brothers Studio Tour and appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show, the KTLA Morning Show, a visit to the Los Angeles Zoo, a media appearance with a fellow CMN supporter - IHOP, a Los Angeles Angels Baseball game, a visit to Children’s Hospital, and even an afternoon of shopping at the second largest mall in the country, South Coast Plaza.

My favorite appearance was most definitely visiting the Children’s Hospital and spending a day connecting with some of the children and teenagers served in LA. My involvement with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and my aspirations to teach are a result of a love for children, and I cannot tell you what a refresher it was to be surrounded by kids once again.
I would really like to say thank you to all of the people who sent their words of support and encouragement while I was away. It meant so much to hear from each and every one of you. One thing I learned on this trip was how blessed I am to come from a state that I love, a supportive state program, and to have a solid support-base of friends and family. I feel so fortunate.

Believe it or not, Miss America is only about three months away - I am counting down the days! In the meantime, I am working very hard to prepare myself in every way possible and to learn everything I can along the way. The following is a quote that was given to me in a card just before I left for the show, and they were the perfect words to keep in mind during that experience, and always.

“Do not pray for an easy life… pray to be a stronger woman. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, but for powers equal to your tasks… then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be the miracle.”

And….. pictures from off days!

At one of many delicious meals

Backstage at the Ellen Show