PUSH WEEK!

Hello World!

Another fabulously productive week in the books! Workouts got harder and so did the cardio, but hopefully it will all pay off in just 2 SHORT WEEKS! This was my last week to add members to my sponsor team who wanted to make monetary contributions and be listed in the beautifully designed Pageant Program Book.  I would personally like to thank my last business contributor, Ancel and Associates for their generous contribution and congratulate them on becoming one of the last members of the official sponsor team of Miss Oklahoma USA 2011.  I have a couple more leads to follow up on today and then will finally be sending my sponsor list on to Vanbros and Associates, Inc. to be listed! Thank you again to all of you for your outrageously unselfish support!

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that I have successfully rendered the services of one of OKC’s premier stylists to prep and teach me how to do my hair for the pageant, Sarah Lashley! Sarah’s immense talent was recently featured in So6ix Magazine’s photography and styling contest with an incredibly cool photo featuring model, Stevie Simpson, and photographer, Clifton Roberts.  What is more, after speaking with Sarah, (in a line for the restroom of all places!) it is evident that this woman is nearly as competitive as I.  She describes herself as a perfectionist and immediately started pointing out what we could improve on with my hair.  Best conversation of the week goes as follows:

Sarah: “What shampoo and conditioner are you using right now?”

Me: “Um, whatever is cheapest at the store?”

Sarah: (Insert appalled look here)

Me: “I think I’m using the Suave version of Aveda right now.”

Sarah: “Don’t you ever use Suave on your hair again!”

LOL! Immediately following this conversation, Sarah filled my arms with a high end salon shampoo, conditioner, and, repairing oil which she instructed me to start using IMMEDIATELY.  (Used them this morning Sarah, and they smelled oh, so good!) She also promised me a cocktail treatment upon my next visit to Bodytrends.  I am SO looking forward to working with Sarah over the next couple of weeks as we work together to come up with the perfect, individualized hairstyle for the competition!

Interested in getting with this fabulous stylist? Sarah works out of the Bodytrends North spa, studio, and, salon located at Britton and Penn, catty-corner from Casady High School.  Don’t forget to vote for her fabulous entry (as seen below!) in the So6ix November Fashion Contest at www.so6ix.com

After that wonderful exchange and always fun VIP treatment with Tati at Bodytrends, I was southbound I-35 to attend the Tony Bowls Fashion Show at Southern Charm featuring current Miss Oklahoma USA, Morgan Woolard! It was so good to see Mo again, it really has been years! As always, Anita and Warren were amazing too.  The fashion show also featured some Miss Oklahoma Teen USA competing this year, including one of my personal favorites, Miss Oklahoma City Teen USA 2011, Ariel Henderson.  I met Ariel and her family in passing at Southern Charm a couple of weeks ago, and am so excited to see how this beautiful and promising young girl does this year.  She is just as passionate about her platform as I am, and had proven it by helping to create a program to fight bullying in schools.  You go girl! I am confident you will do amazing when we see each other again in Guthrie!

Tony Bowls had some truly stunning prom looks.  (Seriously, where were these when I was in high school?!) Some of the bigger trends this year include animal prints, bright colors, peacock feathers, and butterflies! The show was beautifully done, I felt so privileged to attend.  Kudos to Anita and Warren and I can’t wait to continue working with you over the next few weeks as everything comes together! I am also excited to continue working with Miss Morgan, who has been so helpful (and patient!) answering every silly little pageant question I can think of.

Today is the start of what I like to call, PUSH WEEK! (Grrrr…) Two weeks out of a fitness show, you hit the weights HARD every day of the week and truly pushing yourself to your personal physical limit.  I have no doubt whatsoever that my sponsor trainer, Jason Neville, will do just that! We set up push week so that we are hitting legs (and bootay!) three separate times! Oh. My. Lanta.  With Nev’s workouts, you don’t get sore right away, you get a couple days to dread the upcoming pain and then about 36-48 hr’s later, woooweeee the sore hits like a big red truck! I am so determined now being two weeks out…BRING…IT…ON! God give me the strength to finish the hard workouts strong and be as prepared physically as I possibly can be going into pageant weekend, the 26^th-28^th.  (I will be enjoying 99% fat free ground turkey for Thanksgiving by the way ;) Got to do whatever it takes!

Later today, after Nev destroys me, I am getting the wonderful opportunity to work with one of the most beautiful, inside and out, friends I’ve got, Miss Carolyn O’Connor! I can’t wait to meet with her because she has a wonderful sense of style and a KILLER walk.  Her mother, the beautiful Lucia O’Connor is a former Miss Oklahoma (on the America system) so Caro really knows her stuff! I cannot wait to sit down with Caro, WALK IT OUT, and get as ready as I possibly can to compete.  She has also volunteered to help me get as ready as possible during the final countdown, duh duh nuh nuh! PAGEANT WEEK along with the ever-wonderful leading ladies at Bodytrends, Stacy and Tashonda, and my wonderful sponsor coach, Laci Scott! (Lace is headed to NYC to shoot a new line for Sherri Hill this week! How cool is that?) Thank you all for your help, I do not know where I would be without you!

Me, Amy, and Carolyn dressed up retro style!

Sunday is a BIG day because I am mini-roadtripping to Springfield, MO to see the Miss Missouri USA 2011 Pageant! When I first committed to the fitness competition, going to see the NPC Oklahoma in Tulsa was one of the most motivating factors for me in my training for Total Package.  The tangible experience is going to be so valuable for me, I can’t wait to hit the road, possibly with my pageant BIG SIS, Mrs. Payne County 2011, Lyndsee Gray Hargett.  (Fingers crossed!) Even if I don’t find somebody to accompany me, I am totally still going ;) Thank you again to current Miss Kansas USA, Bethany Gerber, for the idea to attend a pageant ahead of time.  Can’t wait to see the Vanbros Team in action at long last!

Well I am off to the always wonderful, Body Wrap Spalon to continue prepping.  Tiffany, Dana, and the rest of the wonderful girls there are helping my get my skin as great as it possibly can be to compete.  They were my first sponsor on this long journey, and therefore, some of the first people to believe that I can bring home this crown! Thank you ladies, see you all very soon :)

Watch for some incredible deals coming up on Black Friday (aka the first day of the pageant for me!) and Cyber Monday for the latest and greatest treatments offered at the Body Wrap Spalon! Check them out online at www.bodywrapspalon.com

“That would be harsher punishment for parole violation, Stan…and…World Peace!” Haha sorry, “Miss Congeniality” has been on repeat in my DVD player since I made the life-changing decision to compete this year.  It is the single most motivating film I have seen concerning the pageant.  Although character Grace Hart’s “Dirty Harriett” turned Beauty Queen transition is slightly different from my own, she too discovers the formerly alien joys of pretty clothes, hair, and makeup, but more importantly, feels complete after a lifetime lacking in self-esteem and respect.  At the conclusion and upon being dubbed “Miss Congeniality” for the Miss United States Pageant, Hart reflects on the experience as being one of the most “liberating experiences of her life.” (Not to mention, who doesn’t love a comical Shatner movie?) I feel ya sista, and I am not even to the pageant yet! Can’t WAIT though, for this experience of a lifetime!

I am focused and determined and you will find no one more determined to represent this state than I am.  Over the next two weeks, I will be adding a couple more product/service sponsors to my team, positioning myself for my best possible chance at the ultimate goal, the immense honor of wearing the Incorruptible Crown (Thanks Lisa!) Pray for me on my last to weeks of preparation and that I get the opportunity to make a difference in the beautiful state of Oklahoma!

xoxo

Britt

PS! Although I wrote this entry this morning before the sun was up, (and after cardio!) I have some exciting additions.  YES, my sweet pageant “Big” Sister, Lyndsee will be accompanying me to Springfield for the Missouri USA Pageant. YAY! Roadtrip!

My Super Gorg "Big" Sis :)

Addition #2…I am stoked to announce the addition of the fabulously talented Raylene Cravens to my product/service sponsor team! Raylene has been kind enough to offer her Nova Lash Extension services, a true gift from GOD to girls like me who were blessed with unusually short lashes ;) Nova Lash can be seen on celebrities such as Kim Kardashian among others! I am so excited about this newly formed partnership, and cannot wait to get started.  Check out Raylene’s website and further testimonials about Nova Lash and all of her other products and services at www.yourextensionspecialist.com

Pretty Raylene!

Okay, for real this time! xoxo!

Britt