The Journey

I would like to share a bit about what being Mrs. Boise has meant to me since the pageant is only a week a way from tonight!

First, I am excited to be able to compete at this level and feel as if this last year has prepped me for the actual pageant! I am looking forward to being able to get to know the contestants a bit more, see all the attire choices, and being able to actually move forward!

I have had the most amazing experiences of my life. I didn't dream that holding a local title would have opened as many doors as it has, that I would be able to meet the gracious people that I have and also given me some of the fondest memories that I get to cherish for years and years to come.

I have grown through this entire experience and feel truly blessed to have been in the position to not only be Mrs. Boise but MAKE Mrs. Boise someone to look up to! My children, husband, friends and family have grown through all the experiences we've been subjected to which we normally wouldn't have been.

I had always stated previously that one person can make a difference. I can tell you that I believe that today. The neatest part is if I win or not, it's not just one person. It takes a team to enable someone like me to do bigger, think better and accomplish what I have this last year. It boils down to my husband, children, mother, father, mother in law, my sponsors and the community in general helping to hold it all up when sometimes what I was doing didn't even seem like reality. They have encouraged me through and through. Without their support, there is no way I could even have considered competing.

I thought originally that it would be fun to be Mrs. Boise, and oh how it has been! Then upon further review, I decided I didn't want to JUST hold a local title and do nothing with it. I had stated one person can make a difference and this was my chance!!!

The directors of the Mrs. Idaho America Pageant have been so supportive as well. I called, texted, emailed and on and on all hours sometimes in order to ask questions and get info that I felt pertinent to the pageant. It was pretty wild they actually responded every single time while making me feel comfortable to ask away! Sus, Sher, Mandi...a HUGE thank you to you as well!

So, it boils down to one week from tonight! A new Mrs. Idaho America will be crowned!!! I can't believe it's only a week away. I am in shock, saddened it is coming to an end (Mrs. Boise will eventually need to move onto the Mrs. Idaho Title or retire) and feel like it is one of those bitter sweet moments. I've not ever grown this much on one year (less than one year actually) and am eternally and forever thankful that I have been as blessed as I am. I hope to continually bless Idaho with the state title and be able to continue to give back much larger than I can even fathom at this point. To next Saturday night...man oh man!!! For now, I will kiss sleep, fatty foods, sugars and carbs goodbye, but look forward to seeing how the entire night unfolds! I would also like to say "break a leg" to the other women involved. I know either way this goes, I've won! ;-)

Boise Lions Club

On February 4th, I was given the opportunity to be the key note speaker at a local Lions Club meeting. Once again, the Lion's have done nothing but impress! I was able to share my experience and gratitude for this last year with them and let them know more about pageants and the pageant experience. The Boise City Lions Club actually has a history with pageants and were one of the Miss. Idaho Sponsors for approximately 50 years! They are, as always, such an inspiration to me that one person, or even a group of people can make a difference.

Idaho Dance Theater

On January 28, I was able to attend and show support for Idaho Dance Theater. IDT has been active for over 22 years and they are still going strong! I was exremely impressed with their contemporary dance, movie they made and comedic ballet for the evening! Both my husband and I had such a lovely town! Idaho Dance Theater has some of the best dancers in the Northwest!

They have also asked me to do a celebrity appearance and actually dance in their 2011 called "Dancing Through the Decades" and will be held on February 26 at Boise State University's Steuckle Sky Club. I am looking forward to helping them with the silent acution, dinners, live auction, and much more including the celebrity dance competition! Not only am I preparing for one of the biggest nights of my life, I am also preparing and getting trained professionally (like all the other local celebrities) to learn how to dance! Hope you can make it!

Protect Idaho Kids

I have grown pretty fond of Protect Idaho Kids since I have been able to work with them since June of last year! They have a great organization going and do a lot of outreach. I have been so blessed to get to know the founder, Bruce Wingate, and can call him a dear friend now. I was asked to do an appearance for them on January 14 and help raise awareness. Mrs. Eagle, Kristie Bear joined us for the afternoon and helped spread the message of keeping our children safe here locally. The goal is to make Idaho the best and safest place for children to grow up!

Boise Capital Lions Club

On January 13, I got to speak to the Boise Capital Lions Club about my voluneerism in the community and let them know about the pageant experiece thus far. I was truely honored to speak to them about the opportunities that I have as Mrs. Boise in the community, since they are the largest organization in the world for volunteerism. What an honor! Pictured with the VP and a member Nancy.

Alliance

All of the current contestants were offered a free self defense class in Boise from Alliance Jiu jitsu on January 8, 2011. It was a blast to learn how to protect ourselves from potential attackers. Scary at times, but overall, extremely educational! I wouldn't mess with us if I were you... :-)

Movie Night with the other queens!

On January 7, 2010, Mrs. Twin Falls, Kimberly Page hosted a movie night at her parents house to watch last years pageant in the theater room. It was such a fun evening with lots of fellowship, food, getting to know each other and of course, photo ops! :-) Thank you to Kimberly for her warm, welcoming family!

Polar Bear Plunge!

The Make a Wish Foundation hosts an annual event called the Polar Bear Challenge to raise funds for children's final wishes to come true in Idaho. It was held on January 1, 2010 up at Lucky Peak Reservoir.

The goal is to get sponsors to donate or sponsor you in this event where all proceeds to back to the Make a Wish Foundation. I was able to raise a little bit of money and have a LOT of fun!

Mrs. Meridian, Beverly Hartle was the one to encourage all the women to help support this great cause and we were the only ones crazy enough to actually pull it off!

For anyone that knows me, they know I really REALLY don't like to be cold, it's not my favorite thing to do to say the least. So, to get out of myself and "suffer" for a bit in the freezing temperatures (negative 15 degrees outside with the windchill) was a bit of a stretch for me. I am so glad I did it, my mind set going into this event was "these children suffer everyday all day, what is one minute to me?!" Off I went into the freezing water!!!