BUSY BUSY BUSY

This has been a busy month. Full of preparations for Nationals and getting my message out here in Maine. I leave in 4 days for Las Vegas and things are coming together. Suitcase is just about packed, dresses are hanging and excitement is brewing!! I have been blessed with a lot of support from the community, family and friends. Along with my other sponsors I also recieved sponsorship money from Central Distributors (a wine distributor that services our store) and also from Oakhurst Dairy here in Portland. Thank you so much for generosity!!

Last weekend I attended the Mrs Massachusetts America Pageant in Newton, Massachusetts. The delegates were all beautiful and represented Massachusetts well. I received a very warm welcome and it was much appreciated. Tomorrow morning I will head into South Portland to hangout with the Coast Morning Shows (93.1)Tim and Eva. I am looking forward to it and I am sure it will be a lot of fun!!

The local papers www.inthecourier.com wrote a really nice article about my journey last week. It has been so much fun preparing for the "Big Stage" in Las Vegas. I hope to make Maine proud and to not let down all of those that have supported me and stood behind me. Thank you all.....xoxo!!

I went and cheered my softball team on last week also. It was so nice to see the girls. We were trying to figure out how long the Radleys team has been around and I think we figured around 10 years. They are a wonderful group of ladies and I consider them all friends...and I cant wait to get back on the field and join them.

Thats about all I have to write before heading to "Sin City". I am looking forward to this experience and to meeting some amazing women.

Stay tuned..................

Sponsors

I have been blessed with an amazing amount of support. Please patronage these businesses. They have supported me beyond my wildest dreams.....Thank you so much for your generosity. I hope to make you proud!!

Preparations and having fun.....

It has been such a busy few weeks for me. Not just with preparations for nationals but with end of school events for my kids and our family vacation...its been crazy. I was able to visit my youngest sons classroom as "Mrs Maine" last week. I volunteer in their often but the kids hadnt seen my crown yet. They were so cute and excited. I brought the little girls tiaras and the boys crowns. They ate some cookies I brought while I read a story to them. They asked lots of questions about being Mrs Maine. This is truly one of the funnest things to do....just being able to be up close and personal with the kids is great!! Thanks Mrs. Ly at Blue Point for having me.

Last night I attended the Miss Maine America pageant in Brunswick. Wow, it was a great show. I am new to pageants and don't have a lot of experience...but it was a great production with wonderful delegates. The talent portion was just amazing!! It was fun to meet other title holders also. The new Miss Maine Susanna Stauble is a student from the school where I teach....Westbrook High School. Actually, I am at Westbrook Regional Vocational Center that is attached to WHS.....just to clarify :) She was amazing and she will have a wonderful year...I am sure.

Preparations for Nationals are coming together. It is just about a month away. I received emails that my opening number dress as well as my evening gown have been shipped. I am anxious to get them....and hope they fit!! This week I hope to finalize travel arrangements for both my family as well as myself and tie up some loose ends. I am actually glad that the National pageant is held in Las Vegas...we may be able to stay dry for more than a day!!! It has been raining nonstop here forever!!! Until next time!!!

Memorial Day Parade Old Orchard Beach

So the ladies at my favorite bank (Saco and Biddeford Savings) had asked me to ride in the parade with them. I wasnt sure how I felt about it. Our business is in Old Orchard and I didnt want people to get the wrong idea of me. I was afraid of people just thinking I thought that I was just a pretty lady and was good to look at. That isn't my reason for this journey. I have such an important message that I want to share. But, anyway...there I sat on the back of Bernice's car as her and Carolyn drove me through the streets of Old Orchard Beach. It was pretty cool. Everyone was very receptive and yelling my name!! It was a lot of fun!! We had a few laughs as Bernice a few times stepped on the gas a little too aggressively and almost put me in the trunk!! We ended up at Memorial Park where there was a ceremony. Chris Cash who was killed in Iraq was honored by his mom. She has done such a great job in preserving his memory. It was all and all a great day. A bonus was the sun was shining!!!

Foster Family Fun Day

New to this blogging stuff......

There have been so many new things that I have recently done. First, would have to be becoming Mrs. Maine United States. A few years ago a few of my students had told me I should try for Mrs. Maine.....it took me a few years but I decided to give it a shot. It turned out pretty good too!! :) I have never even read a blog; never mind write one so you will have to bear with me. I hope to accomplish some great things this year and will try my darndest to keep up with this "blogging".

I am busy preparing for the nationals in Las Vegas. They are coming up in July and there is so much to do before then......pictures, shopping, sponsors, shopping, applications, shopping, travel arrangements, shopping........ :) Along with all that I will be making some appearances, being a wife and mom and hopefully making some memories along the way.

My first appearance was last weekend and was a lot of fun. I traveled all the way to Prospect Maine. If you don't know where that is....it's ok...I didn't either. Anyway, I went to take part in the Foster Family Fun Day at Fort Knox. It was an absolute blast. I loved being with the kids and families. I signed lots of pictures, hammered together a toolbox and shared lots of smiles with so many amazing children. I even got to fire a cannon at the Fort. Lots in a days work!! There are so many children out there that need safe homes to grow up in. Thank god there are so many wonderful people willing to open their homes and hearts. With that being said....there is always room for more families to step up and help a child in need!!

My next appearance will be this Monday at the Memorial Day Parade in OOB. I am not sure how I feel about this but I am up for the experience. I will be riding with the gang from our bank...Saco and Biddeford Savings. I should be fun and its supposed to be sunny!!

Here's to ending my first blog entry.......this isn't that bad huh?

Until next time...............
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