Today, I am reflecting on my preparation for next week. It has been a very busy year and past few months. After returning home from Mrs. Colorado last year, I found out I was pregnant. Knowing that I was competing for my last time this year, I decided to eat healthier during this pregnancy than I did my first pregnancy. That decision paid off, because I only gained half the weight I gained with my oldest daughter. I refused to let myself eat a box of dried Froot Loops a day, sunflower seeds and a whole watermelon in one sitting like I did the first time. And I wonder why I gained 60 pounds then.
During my last trimester, I decided I wanted to have some memories of my pregnancy and decided to have maternity photos taken. Some of these photos were so amazing, I decided to use some of them for my pageant program ads. I have to say that Megan at Graphique Photography is truly amazing!
After the baby was born, I nursed for almost 5 months, which helped take a lot of the baby weight off. Trying to eat enough to maintain a milk supply to nurse a baby, while trying to lose weight is challenging. Shortly after having my beautiful girl, I started working out again. This included cardio and weights 3-5 days a week and making healthy food choices. This drove my oldest daughter crazy. She hated me eating healthy because I made her and my husband eat what I was cooking. She would say, "mom thinks because she is on a diet, we all need to be." That was until I started making my favorite healthy snack....fresh fruit smoothies. She was all about that and then it was okay that I was eating healthy as long as she could have one too. These are really great and are all natural. My favorite is a combination of 1 banana, 1/2 apple, 6-8 strawberries, handful of rasperries and the juice from 1 orange. I blend these together and then add in my Pro-Fit and ice. GREAT and no artificial sugars or other products. This will be something I'm taking with me to Mrs. Colorado, so if you heard noises coming from my room.....it's probably my blender.
While searching for this year's dress, I was talking to a dear friend who I met through the pageant, who volunteered to let me use her dress. It was just what I was looking for. She has been amazing and I am so excited about wearing this gorgeous gown. I ordered my sarong and opening number dress and was so excited to see the opening number dresses are something I can use again for many things. These gowns are beautiful and I can't wait to see what Emily (pageant director) has in store for our opening number. This year's theme is Faith. It is going to be powerful, as this year has been a year of many things, including reflection, acceptance, forgiveness and acknowledgement of things past. In our final newsletter, Emily wrote this statement, "Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny." The first part of this is so powerful and so true. When you sow a thought, good or bad, that thought will reap an action. If you think positively, you are going to have positive results; but if you think negatively, you're going to have negative results. During preparation of the pageant and during competition, you can't compare yourself to the other women. Each woman is different and you never know what the judges are looking for. If you start comparing yourself to the other women, you will begin to think negatively. You have to have a positive self-image of yourself in order to be the best you. You must keep a positive attitude and think positively about yourself the entire week. Something else Emily said in that newsletter was "As faith is defined as 'complete trust or confidence in someone or something - to believe'. As we approach pageant weekend, I want you to have faith in yourself and the pageant journey." This has really resignated with me because I have faced some things I have not wanted to address from my past as a result of my journey and I am so thankful for that journey. I not only now have complete faith in myself, but others in my life who love and support me.
Something I did to prepare this year, I enlisted a former Mrs. Colorado to work with me on my walk and interview skills, as well as my friend, Wendi. It is amazing how large a roll proper posture can have in a win. I didn't realize that until this year and after looking in the mirror at what I thought was good posture and what I was taught to do, I realize that there is a large role posture plays in scoring. I have also created a small cheering section for myself. It is hard to create a cheering section when you live 5 hours away, but I have a small one and appreciate all my friends who are coming from the SLV and from Denver to see me compete: my husband, girls, parents, Wendi & Matt Seger (and thanks to Wendi for being my pageant week babysitter for the baby), Kazie Hayes, Lori & Morgan Krout, Erin Feltes, & Kim Perez.
I am looking forward to next week, being the best me I can be and catching up with some amazing and beautiful ladies. Here's to bringing home the title of Mrs. Colorado to the SLV....but if I don't, I know from past queens, whomever is crowned will definitely be deserving.
Best wishes to all the titleholders next week. Love to you all!
XOXO
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