23 Years Young

Happy Birthday Jillian!

Pageant Sister

A Fond Farewell

Today is my last day of summer. It's seems surreal. 

However, it's come full circle. I spent the entire beginning of my summer prepping hard for Miss California, hitting the gym everyday and running errands getting everything done. 

My big event of this summer WAS Miss California. The ten days I spent there are days I'll hold near and dear to my heart forever. 

Life continued on after Miss California, but nothing seemed as big or as glamourous as the ten days in Fresno. 

We had a few more pageant activities here and there, but nothing major. 

Then, this past weekend (my last weekend) we went to two pageants in a row, meeting up with girls that I haven't seen in months and enjoying saying good-bye to two of our own. 

Slowly, we'll all lose our crowns and will just be "has-beens" of the 2009 pageant season, but the memories will live on forever. 

Today, I'm heading over to my ED's house to hang out with some of my pageant sisters, as well as my real life sister, and try on newly acquired dresses. 

It seems like a fitting end to the summer of 09. 

I started it in a gown and I'll end it in one as well. 

From now until the time I have to give up my crown, I'm going to try and throw myself into as many activities as I possibly can. This was a title I used to resent, and now one I love dearly. 

It surprises me to discover that I DON'T want to lose it. I don't want to have to write my farewell and I don't want to do my final walk. 

But it's the circle of the pageant world. We win, we compete, we change ourselves for the better, and then we pass on the torch to someone else. It's a cycle that improves so many women and one that I hold in high regard. 

I'm going to live up these last few months as Miss Santa Barbara County 09. 

It's the experience of a lifetime, after all. 

Miss City of Orange

Tonight was even better than last night!

There was hardly any traffic on the way down there, so we made really good time and were able to enjoy a longer dinner. 

We got there early and explored part of the gorgeous Chapman campus, taking a few pictures along the way. 

We sat down in the theater and were soon joined by a lot more girls that we knew (many more than last night!)

The first half went by fast, leading into intermission. We roamed around and were excited to discover that a few girls from up North had made the trip down to see Noelle as well. 

Many, many, many pictures were taken and we sat down for the rest of the show. 

Afterwards, all of us titleholders (plus Cori) swarmed Noelle. We made another webisode (brought back memories from Miss CA) and hopped onto the stage for more pictures. 

It was so nice seeing MORE of the girls from Miss California, some we weren't even expecting on seeing! It was a great night and a great girl is taking over for Noelle. 

:)

Miss Garden Grove

A thousand apologies, these aren't in order. Eek! Also, sorry for my jacket in the majority of these. The hotel was COLD during intermission and I wore it for the majority of the pageant...

Last night was Miss Garden Grove where our lovely friend Cori Coleman gave up her title and crowned a new girl to compete in Miss CA in 2010. She's the first of us to go. I have no idea how she was able to remain so composed throughout her farewell. 

Now, we're just going to be picked off like flies. 

It was so nice seeing some of the girls for the first time since Fresno. Those of us who were there had a nice time reconnecting and then laughed as we went out on stage to introduce ourselves. Some things never change. 

It was interesting to be at a pageant where we actually were friendly with the girls. Before this, we were all just acquaintances who had met a few times previously, but this time, we were actually friends. This season of pageants is going to be a lot more fun now.