MRS. UNITED STATES 2009 (Day 1) - Las Vegas, NV

Well, I decided to throw my hat back in the ring one more time and compete for the title of Mrs. United States. So here I am in Las Vegas! I am SOOOOO behind on my blog and hope to get it updated when I have more time. I swear there are simply not enough hours in the day, especially when you're a MOM!

My flight was on time, however my luggage was not. Since the airline could not guarantee when it would be delivered (they gave me a "window"), I decided to wait at the airport. So I got to see a lot of McCarran Airport, LOL. Luckily I only had to wait about 2 hrs, and at least it wasn't lost (it just came in on the next flight). I arrived at the hotel and checked into my room, got settled in, and went downstairs for Registration. Due to my luggage being delayed, I missed seeing the majority of the contestants, however it was nice to meet Mrs. Alaska, Mrs. Kansas, and Mrs. Indiana.







With Mrs. Kansas, Cydney Boler...she was very friendly, sweet, and 5'10" like me!


















...and Mrs. Alaska is the same! Darling!









After checking in, we had dinner downstairs at the buffet and we were all trying to find healthy food (hard to do in a Las Vegas buffet!). I finally got to meet Ginny Meerman (Mrs. Maryland) and she is awesome! Love her personality, she is sassy and fun and I am all over that, ha ha. I also sat next Mrs. Utah (who is 5 months pregnant and so cute!), Mrs. North Carolina, Mrs. Pennsylvania, Mrs. Arizona, Mrs. Indiana, Mrs. Oklahoma, and Mrs. Florida. There are some beautiful ladies competing this year and lots of tall girls like me! Maybe we should start a basketball team! We enjoyed getting to know each other at dinner and on the way back to our rooms, I ended up chatting with Mrs. Washington Beth Kovacevich who is AWESOME! LOVE her! She was Mrs. Washington America 1996 and competed with my good friend Susan Jackson. Tomorrow kicks off with a bang with our first official rehearsal and the State Gift exchange. Stay tuned...






Dinner at the Orleans Buffet (L to R: FL, Me, MD, UT)












Getting to know Mrs. OK and Mrs. FL.












L to R: FL, IA, HI, MN, OH, SD, WA















Me with the darling Michelle Berndt, Mrs. Iowa United States. Michelle was 1st RU at Mrs. Iowa America this past year. What a great gal!













I had to take this photo of Garianne Gunter, Mrs. United States holding her beautiful (and obviously tuckered out) little girl Isabella. Isabella was wearing the CUTEST patriotic outfit and seeing her made me really miss my little one!















L to R: Guam, WA, MN, RI

MRS. INTERNATIONAL 2009 - SKOKIE, IL

I once again found myself in Skokie, IL attending the Mrs. International pageant. I coached two clients in the pageant, Tami Krause (MN) and Sue Jackson (WI). Both ladies looked incredible and certainly made me proud! It was great to catch up with some of the ladies I had competed with at Mrs. America 2006, Lidia Szczepanowski-Goldsmith (NY) and Sheryl Ellison (CA). I am proud to announce that Tami was a Top 10 semifinalist--when the announcer said "And the new Mrs. International is...Mrs. Mi...ddle East" I just about passed out because I thought they were going to say Mrs. Minnesota! Alas it was not to be. But the new Mrs. International is the very deserving Armaiti Shahidi Fitzgerald who represented the Middle East. Her platform is Oral Cancer and she was lovely.






It was great to catch up with Suzy Bootz, who was Mrs. International 2005. She is such a neat lady!















So proud of my two clients, Sue Jackson (WI) and Tami Krause (MN). They are amazing clients AND friends!

















It was great to reconnect with Lidia Szczepanowski-Goldsmith (Mrs. NY International 2009). Lidia and I competed at Mrs. America together in 2006--she is hilarious and one of the most "real" women you will ever meet!














With my client Jessica Scheu (Miss Teen MN Int'l 2009) and her awesome mom Leslie...we are holding our "Tami heads on a stick" while cheering her on!








With my client Jessica Scheu (Miss Teen MN Int'l 2009) and my dear friend Allison Stavrakis, who is the State Director for the MN International pageant.








Me with all of my clients (L to R): me, Tami Krause (Mrs. MN), Jessica Scheu (Miss Teen MN), Sue Jackson (Mrs. WI), and Feryl York. I love my girls!











With Executive Director of the Mrs. International pageant Mary Richardson. I swear, this woman ages BACKWARDS! She looks better every time I see her.













Chatting with the lovely Val Whitehead (Mrs. Iowa Int'l 2009) and the darling Ashley Hanson. These are two cool chicks!













Although we are at the Mrs. International pageant, we had to give props to the fact that we were all former Mrs. Minnesota America queens as well (we are holding our "year" up on our fingers). L to R: me (2006), Tami (2003), Kim Dorn (2005). Kim is 8 months preggers here and looked gorgeous!










Some of the Mrs. America "class of 2006" reunites at the International pageant. L to R: Lidia Szczepanowski-Goldsmith (NY), me, and Sheryl Ellison (CA)










With the newly crowned Mrs. International, Armaiti Shahidi Fitzgerald. Also pictured is Miss International 2008, Jayna Altman.

2009 MN INT'L SEND OFF PARTY - NORTH OAKS, MN

My best friend Sarah Moses (owner of The Pageant Shop) and I hosted the 2009 MN International Pageant Send-Off Party at my home. The weather held off for most of the night so it was nice to be outside by the pool, but once the rain started, everyone ran inside. Luckily it held off until it was almost dark. It was great to see old pageant friends and meet some new ones!






The good luck cake! I love photo cakes! How the heck do they DO that?!?














Guests enjoying the festivities...










We had to do the wardrobe preview inside when it started to sprinkle...we didn't want their clothes to get wet!

















My client Tami Krause (Mrs. MN Int'l 2009) is head coach of the MN Vikings Cheerleaders, and it was neat to see her girls support her!









Sarah and I so proud of our two-in-a-row winners of the Mrs. Minnesota America title, Wendi Russo (in pink) and Heather Hall (in yellow). Wendi won in 2008 and Heather won in 2009. GREAT ladies and great clients!









Former Mrs. Minnesotas in attendance (L to R): Allison Stavrakis (1988), Kelly Jahner-Byrne (2001), Pam Finley (2002), me (2003), Nancy Paradeise (2004), and reigning queen Tami Krause (2009)













ALL of the formers and current queens in attendance! Clockwise from L: Tami Krause (Mrs '09), Allison Stavrakis (Mrs '88), Nancy Paradeise (Mrs '04), Pam Finley (Mrs '02), Becky Ringen (Miss '06), Megan Ehlert (Teen '07), me (Mrs '03), Tina Rosenthal (Miss '08), Danni Epps (Miss '07), Jessica Scheu (Teen '09), Maddy Thoele (Miss '09)







Party hosts with the three reigning MN Int'l queens (Tami and Jessica are my clients)














Sarah and I are so proud to have the reigning Mrs. Minnesota International (Tami Krause) and reigning Mrs. Minnesota America (Heather Hall) as our clients!















What would we do without our pageant moms? Especially when they look so cute wearing their patio dresses! L to R: Leslie Scheu, Jessica Scheu, me, and my mom Bonnie Henderson. WHAT A TEAM!!!















The two most important ladies in my life--my mom Bonnie Henderson and my daughter Ava. There is nothing I wouldn't do for either of you!












Ava with her idol Jessica...and she thought Maddy was pretty neat too! Ava ADORES "teenagers"!

2009 MRS. MN/IA/WI AMERICA PAGEANT - ST. PAUL, MN

The 2009 Mrs. Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin America pageants were once again held at the beautiful Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul. This was my second year coaching for this pageant and I am thrilled to report that I coached two out of the three new winners, Heather Hall (Minnesota) and Coral Hildebrandt (Wisconsin). ALL of my clients were absolutely amazing and I am so proud of EACH of them!

Friday started out with interviews at the Embassy Suites in St. Paul, followed by the costume competition judging and preliminary swimsuit judging. The creativity in the costumes was terrific!

Saturday was filled with rehearsals prior to the pageant itself. It is always so fun to catch up with other former Mrs. Minnesota America queens and to see long time pageant friends. This was the first year that my daughter Ava (age 4) participated as a Junior Queen (they get to wear a crown and then "present" the contestants with a flower on stage). She was SOOOOO excited and kept talking about being a "rose princess." She has seen me practicing with my clients, so she asked me how to walk, and I told her to go slowly and walk like a princess. Well, she definitely took my words literally because she walked at a snail's pace and took FOREVER to get across the stage. The audience went crazy and I was laughing so hard that tears were coming down my face. She took it very seriously and then at the end, she blew the audience a kiss (which I did NOT tell her to do--that was of her own accord). I was very proud of my little girl! Time will tell if she wants to get into pageantry when she gets older (my rule is that she has to be a minimum of 13 yrs old). We shall see...







With my two awesome Iowa clients, Katie Peterson (far L) and Feryl York (far R). Love these girls!!!












With a few of my Minnesota girls (L to R): Tamara Jett, Breanna Ludeman, me, and Heather Hall











With my two Wisconsin clients, Jessi Mishler (far L) and Coral Hildebrandt (far R)















My WI clients in their state costumes. Coral is Wisconsin's "unofficial" state bird (the mosquito!) and Jessi is a golfer.















My Iowa girls in State Costume. Feryl is a "chick" representing Iowa's egg industry, and Katie is representing the many art fairs in Iowa.









Me with my clients from MN, WI, and IA. What an incredible, CLASSY group of women!













I did hair and makeup for a few clients, including the lovely Breanna Ludeman. Watch for great things from her!
















ALL of the contestants in the Mrs. Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin pageant.












Congratulations to my client (and dear friend) Wendi Russo, the outgoing Mrs. Minnesota America 2008. Wendi did an AMAZING job and I treasure her friendship!
















With MN contestant Heather Hall














My daughter Ava with Ella (my client Heather Hall's little girl) at the Junior Queens practice. Ella was such a good leader! SO CUTE (not that I'm biased or anything!)












The Junior Queens waiting to do their thing! They were so cute!











My daughter Ava with Chloe Russo (outgoing queen Wendi Russo's daughter) having fun before the pageant.

















In the lobby with good pageant friends (L to R): Sarah Moses (owner of The Pageant Shop), Donnell Rank (Mrs. MN Int'l 2007), me, Brie Anderson, and Ava









Wendi and I with our 4-year-olds...Ava and Chloe had so much fun sitting together at the pageant! Ava could have cared less about sitting with me...she just wanted to play with Chloe!















Wendi and I met as client and coach, but she has become one of my closest friends! I am so proud of her and all that she has accomplished!










With my mom Bonnie Henderson. OK, I know I am a bit biased, but DANG does my mom look good or what!?! Can you believe she is 65??? I hope I look like her when I am her age!










Waiting for the pageant to start with my clients and friends (L to R): Sue Jackson (Mrs. WI Int'l 2009), Jessica Scheu (Miss Teen MN Int'l 2009), and Tami Krause (Mrs. MN Int'l 2009 and former Mrs. MN America 2003)









Opening number















State costume











MN contestants in Swimsuit














WI contestants in Swimsuit














WI contestants in Evening Gown













Iowa contestants in Evening Gown














MN Top 5 contestants












Former queens take the stage












MN Top 5 in Swimsuit













My clients Jessi Mishler (in blue) and Coral Hildebrandt await the announcement of the winner...

















Sparkle! client Coral Hildebrandt is crowned as the new Mrs. Wisconsin America 2009! YAY CORAL!!! Way to go!
















My client Heather Hall realizes she has just won! WOW!!! Congratulations Heather, I am so proud of you!
















I am so proud of my client Heather Hall, the new Mrs. Minnesota America 2009!














Three new queens are crowned, and I am proud to announce that two of them are my clients (Coral and Heather)! L to R: Coral Hildebrandt (WI), Loni McNertney (IA), Heather Hall (MN)
















With my client Laura Diers (Mrs. Iowa America 2008) and Breanna Ludeman after the pageant










My best friend Sarah Moses (owner of The Pageant Shop) and I are so proud of our winners! L to R: Wendi Russo (Mrs. MN America 2008), Sarah, me, and our newest success story Heather Hall (Mrs. MN America 2009)

















Me with my two latest winners!














Congratulating my client Heather Hall on her big win! Heather is a CLASS ACT all the way and was such a deserving winner!













With Diane Tucker (Mrs. World 2007) after the pageant. Diane and I competed together at Mrs. America 2006...she won and then went on to win Mrs. World, and let me tell you that it couldn't have happened to a nicer person! She is one of the nicest people you will ever meet in pageantry!













Some of the Mrs. America "Class of 2006" reunite for a photo! L to R: Victoria Broz (NV), Katie Scott (IA), Shannon Martin (WI), Diane Tucker (AZ), and me (MN)





Former Mrs. Minnesota Americas gather for a photo (L to R): Faith Schway ('85), Kathy Thompson ('01), Heather Hall ('09), Robin Duffney ('95), Wendi Russo ('08), Bessie Giannakakis ('07), Jane O'Hern ('84), and me ('06)









Celebrating Heather's win with her husband Joe, the nicest guy ever!













YAY!!! We did it! I am so proud of you Heather!!!