Last trip to Mexico... so long summer camp

aw...I am so humbled by all of the wonderful comments and encouraging words! :) thank you to all of you who have supported me through my involvement in the Miss Missouri Scholarship Program over the past 4 years. It has been a wild & enjoyable ride! And I know God has had a plan through it all... Thank you to those of you who watched online and cheered from where ever you were, those who posed as pretend judges in mock interviews, those of you who told me way-back-when that I could really do awesome things through this organization (Sydney Friar, Rhonda Shellhorn Friar, and many other El Doradians), those of you who loved me unconditionally & spoiled me rotten & kept me coming back every year (Mandy, Greg Sorell, Petra Phelps Baumann, Cora Zweifel Webster), those who sent me thoughts & prayers, and ESPECIALLY to those of you who spent boo-koo bucks to come see me on stage every night & at every special event there was (Terri Alumbaugh, Taylor Jo Alumbaugh, Logan Alumbaugh, Ron Alumbaugh, John Wilkins) THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU ALL!

~Miss Cedar County 2012 :)

Lion's Club Pancake Breakfast... Yum!

The Lion's Club Pancake Feed is becoming one of my most beloved appearances as a titleholder. I helped serve at the Waynesville Pancake Feed last year, as Miss Tri-Counties. This year, I served my hometown Lion's Club in El Dorado Springs, as Miss Cedar County. The best part is the conversations and yes, with mostly old men. They're my favorite ones to shoot the breeze with. They like to give ya a hard time, but they'll let you dish it back at 'em. :) Not only does the Lion's Club do great things for our community and our youth by providing vision screenings and eye glasses, but they sure can whip up some yummy blueberry pancakes! mm mmm.......

Girl Scout Chat

Recently, I was asked to visit with a Brownie Girl Scout Troop, at the school where I am employed, about the importance of inner beauty. We discussed the movie Beauty & The Beast and how Belle fell in love with the Beast when he showed her kindness. I also had the chance to tell the girls that I was a Brownie when I was their age, but now the "club" I'm involved in is the Miss America Scholarship Program. Each of the 2 "clubs" emphasizes the importance of being involved and helpful in your community. The girls showed me their presentations for "Daisy Day", where they had constructed (from large cardboard boxes) models of local businesses that they'd visited and showed through demonstration what they learned at each business. What a great group of girls and future community leaders! We had a blast!

One week until Miss Missouri week!

              I cannot wait to see my good buddy & reigning Miss Missouri, Sydney Friar in just ONE WEEK! I can only imagine the many emotions she is experiencing as her whirlwind year is coming to a bittersweet close. I know I can speak for my hometown and Cedar County when I say we could not be more proud to claim Miss Missouri as one of our own. Sydney has been an amazing representative for our state and for the Miss Missouri Program. It's really quite difficult to explain how I feel other than to say, Sydney, you ROCK!
          I am so excited to experience my last trip, as a Miss Missouri contestant, to Mexico Military Academy a.k.a. "summer camp". I owe so much to Mexico for how I've grown through the Miss Missouri Organization. I love it! :)



Sydney and I having a pep-talk during Miss Missouri week 2011. It must have been a good one! ;)





Friends don't let friends say cheese with food in their teeth. :D

Early Mother's Day Shout Out

After talking to the Women's Progress Club about my involvement with the Miss America Scholarship Organization, they said to thank my mom for them for not letting me be a "Toddlers in Tiaras" prototype, when she let me enter my first pageant at age 9. She didn't even put make-up on me. Nope, just me in my Easter dress and curls. Yay for moms that let us be beautiful as ourselves the way we are. :) I think this picture shows that you can take the girl out of the small town, but you can't take the small town out of the girl. (Dad's truck) HAPPY early MOTHER'S DAY, Mom (Terri Alumbaugh)!!!

Happy Birthday Party - Miss Missouri Style

This year, our reigning Miss Missouri, Sydney Friar and Miss Missouri's Outstanding Teen, McKensie Garber happen to share the same birthday! So they had the awesome idea of having a birthday party that benefited Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. :) Gifts for children were welcomed and cake and punch was enjoyed. Local titleholders that attended signed autograph photos and took time to do a mini photo shoot together. Great party for a great cause! (This party took place the day after MY birthday! :D )

Birthday queens cut the cakes!

Yay for CMNH!

Titleholders and our photoshoot

Some of the Teens Titleholders were brave enough to try the natural spring water from our very own El Dorado Springs City Park.

El Do Chamber of Commerce



Thank you to one of Miss Cedar County's awesome sponsors: Jerry & Jaxcene Beisner.

I was given another opportunity to thank the businesses of EL Dorado Springs for all they do for our community at the Chamber of Commerce 4th Friday coffee at Wilkinson's Pharmacy, during my Spring Break from teaching. I also thanked them for the yummy donuts and coffee we shared that morning! :D