Week number two... Check!

What an exciting week I have had! My first appearance, fun-filled Christmas festivities, and traveling to the Miss Oklahoma USA and Miss Oklahoma Teen USA pageant in Norman, Oklahoma, were all such fun experiences that I can hardly wait to tell you all about.

To start off my week, Miss Kansas USA 2013, Staci Klinginsmith, and I got to sign autographs (my very first autograph as Miss Missouri Teen USA!) and speak about Image Skincare products at the Image Skincare Customer Appreciation event at the Westin Crown Center hotel in Kansas City. There were around 200 guests, and it was so much fun to get to meet all of the fabulous ladies of Image Skincare and learn more about this wonderful product. Image Skincare is the official skincare sponsor of the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants, and I cannot wait to receive my basket full of skincare goodies when I arrive at Miss Teen USA.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! I had an absolute blast at the Mayor's Christmas tree lighting in Lee's Summit on Friday. It was so neat to see Downtown all done up with beautiful Christmas lights and festive decorations. I got to hand out glow sticks to all of the kids as they came to get their free Christmas cookies and hot chocolate. There was even a contest for the best light-up costume! It was so adorable to see all of the kids arrive dressed in Christmas-themed costumes and from head to toe in lights. There was a choir of elementary school kids that sang joyful Christmas tunes, and later in the night Santa came riding in on a big yellow fire truck! It was great to see everyone come out to get in the Christmas spirit despite the wind chill of below freezing (I was just thankful for no rain!). The holidays are definitely my favorite time of year :)

Saturday morning, we were off to Oklahoma! The six hour drive from Harrisonville to Norman was totally worth it, because when my mom and I arrived we got to sit in the VIP section to watch the Miss Oklahoma USA 2014 and Miss Oklahoma Teen USA 2014 contestants compete in the preliminary competitions.  I loved getting to see all of the different swimsuits and gowns the contestants wore. They were all so stunning, and the theatre was just overflowing with personality and confidence. The show was amazing, and all of the girls looked so fabulous! It was also so nice to meet some of the 2013 titleholders and to be reunited with my sister titleholder, Erica. Congratulations to Brooklynne Young, Miss Oklahoma USA 2014 and Brooklynne Bond, Miss Oklahoma Teen USA 2014!

When I woke up the next morning, a big snow storm had come in over night! There was ice everywhere, and snowflakes the size of quarters. Kind of strange for the weather to be colder in Oklahoma than in Missouri! Luckily, the storm cleared out around one o'clock and I was able to get to my appointment with Brian Attebery, the official fitness trainer for Vanbros. I had been looking forward to this, because nutrition and fitness is something I am very passionate about and have always found interesting. Brian gave Erica and I food and workout plans, and showed us how to do each exercise correctly to get the maximum results. He also explained to us the science behind what eating certain foods at certain times does to your body, as well as the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. I found it very interesting as well as motivating and inspiring! I am so excited to see the results of following Brian's program.

I could not have asked for a better second week! I am so blessed with such amazing opportunities and people in my life. I am looking forward to the weeks to come. Tomorrow I will be visiting the KU Medical Center with Miss Kansas Teen USA 2013, Alyssa Klinzing, to do some crafts with the kids there and learn more about becoming an ambassador for her organization, Aly's Red Wagon. Stay posted to read all about it! :)