Finals... They're Here!

We all know what time it is... The end of the school year is approaching, and that means... FINALS! Since this is my senior year, I'm getting super excited to graduate. We even got our caps and gowns today! But, before I can walk across the stage and accept my diploma, there's a few finals standing in the way. My favorite way to study is by making flashcards, because it really helps me remember the material. I have an app on my phone called "Flashcardlet", which allows me to make digital flashcards that I can have with me wherever I go. That way, if I'm out waiting at a restaurant or somewhere, I can go through my flashcards easily and quickly. I use this app for pretty much every test I take. Be sure and check it out if you're looking for a new way to study! :)



Calling All Peanut Butter Lovers!

I don't know about everyone else, but I could eat an entire jar of peanut butter on the spot. It's my favorite flavor of everything! Here is a recipe that I discovered a variation of awhile back, and gave it my own little twist. If you ask me, I think it tastes like peanut butter cheesecake. Only HEALTHY! The best of both worlds. :)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. (give or take... depends on how much you like peanut butter.) natural creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp. chocolate PB2 (I absolutely LOVE PB2. It's powdered peanut butter, and can be found at any local grocery store!) can omit.
1 individual container (usually around 5 oz.) vanilla Greek yogurt
A dash of cinnamon

Mix all of these ingredients together and... there you have it! My healthy version of peanut butter cheesecake filling. I like to top it with dark chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs. It's also a perfect dip for fruit, like apples! WARNING: it becomes addicting. ;)

Happy Easter :)

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day spent with family and friends. Don't forget the true reason we celebrate... He is risen! :)

Operation That's My Dress: NYC!

I am finally getting settled back in Missouri after an amazing weekend at Operation That's My Dress by the USO and Sherri Hill in New York City! 240 prom dresses were given away to military daughters, and a total of 800 military service members, their families, and USO volunteers were present at the fashion show. I am so grateful to have been a part of such a wonderful event, and I cannot thank the USO and Sherri Hill enough for allowing the state titleholders to participate in the fashion show and help the girls find the dress of their dreams! :)

I had never been to New York before, but it had always been a dream of mine to see The City That Never Sleeps. :) Let me just say, it did not disappoint! I was in awe at all of the buildings and electronic billboards everywhere. It was definitely nothing like you could see in Missouri!

I LOVE the Minions! Had to get my picture with them. :)

 

Friday night my mom and I met up with Erica (Miss Missouri USA), Claire (Miss Kansas Teen USA), Claire's mom, and Amanda (Miss Nebraska USA) for some shopping and dinner at Tao, a super cool sushi restaurant in Manhattan. My mom ordered a GIANT fortune cookie, with fortunes for everyone at the table! It was tasty. :)

 

 

Of course we had to stop by Trump Tower. :)

 

Saturday morning I went to my fitting for the Sherri Hill fashion show on Sunday. I ran in to Savannah, Miss Arizona Teen USA, on my way there! I am so glad I finally got to meet her.

After awhile of exploring New York City with my mom, I headed to rehearsals! We ran through how the show would work, and then we all went out to dinner at B. Smith's. Thank you to the USO for providing such a fabulous meal for all of us!

 

 

My mom and I at dinner. :) I am so thankful for everything she does for me!

Exploring Times Square with Brooklynne, Miss Oklahoma Teen USA!

Sunday morning we were up bright and early getting ready for the show! I had so much fun taking lots of pictures with all of the other state titleholders. I even got to meet Miss USA, Erin Brady! She was so sweet and she looked gorgeous, the next Miss USA will have some big shoes to fill. :)

 

With Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA! 

 

Sadie Robertson and her family from Duck Dynasty made a special appearance at the fashion show and the event! It was so cool to get to meet them. :)

I was super excited to meet the one and only Sherri Hill! Operation That's My Dress would not have been possible without her generous donation of dresses.

 

The fashion show was incredible! There was so much energy in the room and I loved getting to model some of Sherri Hill's beautiful dresses. :)

 

We all had a blast helping the girls find the dress of their dreams! Here's a few girls who said "Yes" to the dress! :)

Morgan was one of the girls I got to help pick out the perfect dress for prom. :) She was so sweet and looked gorgeous in all of the gowns she tried on! So glad I got to meet her!

This little girl was all smiles helping her big sister pick out her dress! :)

Selfie time with two of the girls that found the prom dress of their dreams. :) These girls looked stunning and are going to have a blast at prom!

I spent my last day in New York visiting the Miss Universe Office. It was so awesome to get a tour of the office and meet the staff! :)

Look who it is, Miss Teen USA 2013, Cassidy Wolf!

I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to help out at Operation That's My Dress! This was definitely an experience that I will never forget. :) Check out this YouTube video from the weekend: http://youtu.be/SsLnatDJncs

Thank You SU607 Girl Scouts

I would like to give a big "Thank You" to the SU607 Girl Scout troop for having me as a guest speaker at their meeting on Monday night, and for helping me decorate the T-shirts for the stuffed bears donated by Build-A-Bear to go in my care packages to give to the children staying at Hope House! I loved getting to talk with them about the importance of healthy relationships and self respect as they go through junior high. They were all such great listeners, and they did an awesome job decorating the T-shirts for the bears. Thanks again girls, you all are great!

Play Ball!

It was so much fun to get to throw out the first pitch at the Springfield Cardinals baseball game! I will admit that I did cheat a little bit and stood closer to home plate than the full 60 feet 6 inches... but I was just glad that the ball made it over home plate! ;) Louie the Cardinal gave me a few pointers before I threw. Thank you to the Springfield Cardinals for allowing me to throw out the first pitch, and for providing 4 free tickets so that my family and I could watch the game afterwards. :)

Save the Date!

Yay! I am so excited to say that the 2014 Miss Teen USA pageant will be held at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas! The presentation show will be Friday, August 1st, followed by the final show on Saturday, August 2nd. Be sure and tune in to watch the live webcast on both nights at www.missteenusa.com :) I am beyond excited for this opportunity of a lifetime. Let the countdown begin... Bahamas here I come!