Sunday December 6th...

I will be appearing all day for a "Holiday Welcoming Autograph Signing" at my sponsor Dillard’s of Hulen Mall in Fort Worth, TX! Come on out & spread some cheer! See you there, will post soon...

Happy Turkey Week U'ALL!!!

Miss Oklahoma & Miss Oklahoma Teen USA Photos...

Late last night I returned from the weekend in Midwest City, OK where I had the chance to judge for the Miss. Oklahoma & Miss. Oklahoma Teen USA! I had a wonderful time & met some really great people! I want to send a special "Thank You" to my director Tracy and the Vanbros & Associates production company for a wonderful experience and I look forward to seeing them again soon! It was a pleasure to be on the other side of a pageant and to watch a wonderful show!

Congratulations to the new Miss. Oklahoma USA 2010 Morgan Woodlard & The New Miss Oklahoma USA Kandis Holt! They are GORGEOUS & will represent the state of Oklahoma well are sure to make Oklahoma proud at the nationally televised Miss USA & Miss Teen USA pageants! Thank You to all the beautiful girls that competed and I met this weekend, it was a group of amazing girls and a hard job to pick just one! I hope the contestants return next year for another chance at the crown, there was some really amazing Girls!!

Here are some photos of this past weekend....


All the Judges on the way to Prelims Saturday


Judges Dinner at the Hotel Sunday


Missy, Mrs. Oklahoma 2007, & I


Before Finals Sunday


The New Miss. Oklahoma USA 2010 & her judges!


My Director Tracy & I


KS Finest Judge, Lee, & I ;)-


Tracy & her "Girls" :)

Departing for Miss Oklahoma & Miss Oklahoma Teen USA...

This weekend I will be appearing and Judging at the Mrs. Oklahoma & Miss. Teen Oklahoma USA! I look forward to the opprotunity, seeing some friendly faces, and wishing the contestants luck with their final preparations!

See you in OK! :) I will post photos on Monday of the my weekend and of future queens of OK!

My apologies...

I want to apologize for not posting for a few weeks... It seems there hasn't been enough time in a day lately ;) But I wanted to let you' all know that I will be posting an update this week and am honored to take part in the Miss. Oklahoma & Miss. Oklahoma Teen USA Pageants this coming weekend!

Enjoy your Monday! :)

Until next time...

Miss Oklahoma & Miss Teen Oklahoma USA !!!

http://www.missoklahomausa.com/

PRELIMS: Saturday, November 21
FINALS: Sunday, November 22!

Midwest City, Oklahoma!

See you there!! :)

Pottsboro Homecoming!

Friday, October 9th, I attended the Pottsboro HS Homecoming! It was FREEZING ;)- But My husband & I met a ton of great fans and I want to Thank PHS for incredible generosity and hospitality! Hope to see you again soon!

Here are some photos compliments of the Strotcher Family! ;)

My past 2 weeks...

Since I've been home from Arizona I've finally settled back at work, home, and life! The past few weeks we've had my parents and grandparents come in from out of town for my son, Trae's, 1st Birthday Party! We enjoyed having friends and family visit and Trae had a BLAST at his 1st Birthday Party! Wow- Time is just flying by! ;(

So since I was gone I missed my family terribly, so we've been spending allot of quality time as we get settled back into our daily routine, besides Trae's 1st Birthday Carnival we also took him to his first pumpkin patch last week!

I thought I'd share my past few weeks with my family...

Now that we are back to speed I have several appearances scheduled for this fall already and look forward to getting out there as much as possible!

This Friday night I will crown Pottsboro High school’s Homecoming Queen at their Homecoming in Pottsboro, TX! I've heard the local media will be attending and PHS Football team is great! So if you're in the area come on out, rain or shine ;)-

Stay tuned for more appearance photos for this weekend!!!!!


Trae's 1st Cake, and the 1st Big Cake I made!



Our first visit to the Pumpkin Patch!



" It's not where you go in life, it's who you take with you!" -anonymous

Mrs. America Online Tonight!

I want to apologize for not posting for a bit...

I feel like I am still trying to organize things around here and get caught up! The past almost 2 weeks that I've been back home seems to have FLOWN by! LOL! Not to mention I swear it's been raining for the entire time! But the good news is the weather is starting to clear and cool and I'm now back on track!

My son's 1ST Birthday is this Sunday!! We have my grandparents and my parents coming into town to join us, along with all of our family and friends!! So not only have I been catching up, unpacking, sending my many thanks to my sponsors and support staffs but also trying to plan my first Birthday Kid Carnival and get my appearances on the go!

I really want to make the most of my year and have a few more appearances in line and hope to have many more! For all those interested, it would be my honor to make appearances at your local schools, hospitals, festivals, charity events, and more! So please feel free to contact my director Tracy Crist or myself for any request!

So stay posted for my upcoming events! I will post again after my son and our family's big events this week/weekends!

Thank you for your patience.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY.. I wanted to share that the Mrs. America pageant will be online tonight at www.mrsamerica.tv!

Tuesday, September 8th FINALS!

Tuesday was yet another early morning… Hair & make-up at 7am, Rehearsals 9-1, Lunch, and back to Rehearsals! And I still managed on missing a beat or two! LOL! Than down and ready for the show at 6!

I was extremely excited for Finals! After prelims, I felt it was not my best performance, but would be given another try to really give it my all finals night! BUT I was wrong ~ Lol! There were so many beautiful ladies, I didn't make it into the finals, but I wasn't the only blonde, there were many- lol! But with the comfort of my friends, family, and a TON of audience members remarks that I belonged there, made me feel I wasn't left behind! ;)- Most importantly though, as life, sometimes you win big and sometimes you lose even larger! Well, this was one of those times...lol... But I feel I did so with pride and class and that's all that matters.

I do want to apologize to my Texas Gals, Friends, Family, Directors, and all those whom have been helping me along the way... You ‘all had such great expectations from me and such a strong belief and support in my dreams - I want to Thank You! At first I thought I may have let you down a bit... but after getting home and thinking what a great time I had I realized you ‘all would’ve been proud of me the entire week I was at Mrs. America! I wanted to do well, especially for you, but in my own way... I learned a TON this past week about myself and about others - I Thank You for that as well! But most importantly I realized my day to day life is a blessing!! And I stepped out of that for one week and had an experience of a lifetime that I will cherish for years to come!

I also met a TON of new girlfriends and created friendships that I'm sure will last a lifetime! After going through an experience away from home with girls you can relate too, makes a bond unforgettable! I want to Thank My "Rommie" Heather Rouba, Mrs. Oklahoma! I had a great time getting to know you and so fond of the MANY laughs we shared (esp. those when we were extremely over tired)! LOL! I had a blast and hope we keep in touch! Thanks for putting up with my flowers, and with me! lol!

I want to Thank my mother-in-law, Phyllis, although because of a last minute family emergency, most of my family was unable to attend.. I knew she wanted to be to there to support me, but by picking up all my responsibility while I was gone and going above and beyond "lending me a hand" displayed more than support! I am so Thankful to have you in my life to help me be a great " Mom!"

My Mom & Dad - WOW! I can't even describe all the places they've traveled to support me! I want to Thank You for coming to route me on, for helping with Trae, but most importantly being the BEST Mom & Dad a girl could have!

My Director, Tracy! Thank You for being you and the support and encouragement through a long and eventful week! It was great to see you laugh than to hear it over the phone for a week! lol! AND Thank You for the "gifts" everyday!! It was like Christmas!! I LOVE gifts!! ;)- LOL,! Most importantly Thank You for your time to listen and faith in me! I'm excited to see and share the remainder of the year together!

My Husband and Son!! GOSH I missed them!! Thank You for "managing" without me and putting in 200% so I could have a shot at a dream! You both mean the world to me and it tore me to be away from you!! I’m thrilled you ‘all got some "man-to man" time but I'm so happy to be home to add the feminine touch! lol! Zoli, Thank You for believing in me more than I do! I Love You so much!

Well, after all that, I just Thank EVERYONE! lol! WOW- what a week! And what a weekend to recover! I don't think I've ever been so tired or exhausted! But after 7 loads of laundry and 2 days of unpacking, I think I'm just now starting to feel at speed!

Here are a few pictures of Finals night... I will post some more when I receive them so I will keep changing this post to add more photos...

Looking forward to be back in the "swing of things" but even more HAPPY TO BE MRS. TEXAS!!! Looking forward to a year that's not even near close to being complete! :)










This is a sign my mom made to hold up at the pageant- we never got to use it becuase the whole family couldn't make it- but I had to share because it was so cool!!

Preliminary Competition Saturday...

Saturday, today, is the preliminary competition!!! Again we started breakfast at 8am and Heather & I had to be in Hair & Make Up by 7am to get Roller Set for the day and then touch-Ups after the 2nd rehearsal before we were to report in the dressing room!
We got to Bed at 1am & Again Up at 5:30! Whoohoo I feel like superwoman! LOL!

My Monday(Labor Day)Schedule Summarized: 7am Hair & Makeup 8:30 Breakfast 9am Rehearsal 12:30 Lunch 1:30 Rehearsal, 4pm Hair & Make Up, 5:30 Report Dressed and Ready for competition and dinner in dressing Room. 6:30 Line Up for Prelims! WOW! Back to Back... But it went by SO FAST!!!

Here are some pictures of today...


Rehearsal Monday Morning


Mrs. Utah & I ready for swimwear!!


Mrs. TN & I after Evening Gown!
MY GOWN IS BY FRANKIE COUTURE!! I wish you could see the back in this photo- it is Backless and BREATH TAKING!!! I received SO many compliments Monday & Tuesday on my gown!! GO FRANKIE!! Luv & Thank U!!


Evening Gown photo taken by a photographer in the audience...


My YELLOW ROSE Costume!! EVERYONE Loved it!! It was still Catchy and appealing yet tastefull & cute!! The girls were calling me tinkerbell! LOL! Thank You Tracy Elliot ( Mrs. TX '06)!

And let the competition begin...

Interview Sunday!

Sunday was the day the actual competition began! You could feel a bit more tension in the morning, but as the day went on and girls were finished with their interviews, it was a relaxing but busy day!

My interview began at 4:10PM! YES PM!! I was "geeked" Saturday night when I went to bed late catching up on some work emails and posting photos - that I could finally sleep in! NO ~ of course I couldn’t sleep in ... 6am I was awake and ready to roll! lol! Tired of course, but didn’t feel it until after interview ;)- Thank Goodness

I wasn't supposed to be in hair and makeup until 1:30pm, but I went early so my room mate could rest a bit and to say a "Good Luck" to Kansas and Kentucky while they were getting theirs done.. well, Tamara and Joann said why not now, since your here and ready after KY & KS! So I was ready to rock at 1pm! LOL! With no where to go! LOL!

Anyway, Tamara Matthews ( Make-Up) and JoAnn Peterson (Hair) did an INCRECIBLE job!! My interview dress was incredible too!! I received a compliment from EACH judge on how gorgeous my interview dress was!! Good Job Mel! lol!

Anyway, My interview went EXTREMELY well!!! I had each judge laughing and relaxed! I felt 110% after leaving interview!! The interview portion of the competition is my favorite and went well!

Here are some photos...


Hair & Make-Up in Mrs. Leigh & Mrs. Zoe's suite! THANKS GIRLS!! xoxo


Tamara Matthews( Make-Up) & I


Happy After Interview!

After Dinner and Interviews were over, we were to attend a Jazz Fest before Rehearsal...




Rehearsal lasted until 10:45 and we were off to bed for another early morning and LONG day!

BUT MY HUSBAND, SON, MOM, & DAD arrived this afternoon!!! YEAHHH!!!! It was so NICE to see them!! I missed them SOO MUCH!!!

Saturday at Mrs. America!

This morning we started bright & early for a group swimsuit shot at the pool at 6:15 so we all got up around 5:30! And we are just now getting in at 11pm! WOW!

Today we had an MENC Seminar after breakfast, than to rehearsal than to lunch and back to rehearsal and the same for dinner! Than to rehearsal again! :)- We also exchanged our gifts with everyone! That was fun it was almost like Halloween emptying all our bags and sorting through everything! LOL! It was great!

A REAL SPECIAL surprise today was Mrs. Leigh Geittman Allen and her mom arrived this morning!! They have traveled all the way to Tucson to watch Mrs. America and Route me on!

Another Surprise is OUR SHOW WILL BE ON TV!! We just got the news last night at dinner from Mr. Marmel!! So stay tuned- here are some of the pictures I took today...


My “Partner” in line up, Mrs. Tennessee!


Mrs. Texas & Mrs. Indiana!


Dinner with my “Roomie”!

Friday Day 4 at Mrs. America!!

The President's Ball


The Girls in Pink! ;)


Mrs. IL & Mrs. TX! She (Anji- IL is a TRUE beauty!)




OK, TX & IL at Dinner!


Rehearsal this morning


Golf Outing this morning at the Resort

Thursday ~ Day 3 at Mrs. America!

What a day! I never realized how many places you can be in one day! LOL! ;)-
Here are a few pictures of today....


Cocktail Reception & Dinner with CVB President


My Friends, Mrs. Indiana & Mrs. West Virginia!


No Better way to shop than on the red carpet with champagne! We are some lucky girls!!


Mrs. Kentucky & I


Texas & Delaware!


Rehearsal with Mrs. Tennessee & Mrs. Mississippi


Boarding the Bus!


THANK YOU FOR ALL MY FLOWERS! I have 8 dozen roses and more, my room smells like a florist! LOL!! I appreciate all your support and love!! And Thank You Dawn for my Crown Garment Bag as well!!! LOVE IT ALL!! ;)-

Until tomorrow! :)
PS It may take me a bit - I only got 3 hours of sleep last night and need to rest up for a big day, but stay tuned I will post! :)

Day 2!

Our Second Day at Mrs. America was an eventful one~

We started the day with breakfast, then to rehearsal, opening number fitting, Lunch, an hour of rest, Helping with Habitat for Humanity(AWESOME!)bus rides, than a "10 min get ready into a dress for dinner!" :)- But we ended the day with seeing our directors that just got into town, so it was a great day! Although, I terribly miss my son & husband, I CAN NOT WAIT too see them Sunday!


Rehearsal this morning


Getting on the bus to help with Habitat for Humanity with Mrs. Indiana!


The 51 Contestants for Mrs. America!


Out to a Mexican Fiesta! :)


My Girl Pals! Heather (Mrs. Oklahoma) and Diane (Mrs. Kansas)

Hugs Until Thursday! :)

PS- I WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY & FRIENDS FOR THE 12 LARGE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF BEAUTIFUL ROSES!!! My Room is a florist!! lol!

Tuesday Sept 1st Introduction Dinner & Cocktail Party!

My roommate, Heather- Mrs. Oklahoma, & I


My Dinner Table Girls!

Last night was our first initial meeting at the cocktail party! All that know me, know that I'm OCD organized! WELL- 10 min before I walk out the door - my dress breaks :( and I lose my camera battery in our stuffed room! ;)- Wow- I was walking out the door and putting my shoes on! :)LOL! That’s why I have that silly scarf on- I was hiding my safety pins to hold my dress together! LOL! ;)

Anyway, today we have a FULL day- so I've got to run to breakfast and I will post this evening or tomorrow morning!

Miss U'ALL!

Hello From Tucson!

Jennifer, Mrs. Louisiana & I at DFW Airport ready to take off to AZ!


Unpacking 4 boxes and 3 suitcases! :)- LOL! THANKS MOM & DAD for the beautiful roses!!

Thank You Mikey & Bernie for the Beautiful Pink Roses as well!
Thank You Dawn Neufield for the Yellow Roses of Texas too!
And thank You to Zoli & Trae- My room looks like a florist! LOl!

Dinner last night...

HERE I GO!

I've got my suitcases zipped, packed and ready at the front door!

My Father-In-Law & Nong have offered to come down and drive me to the airport! So waiting for them and we'll be on our way to AZ!

Gosh, I can NOT believe it's here already!! WOW!! I plan on posting in the evening photos of our activities and preparations while at Mrs. America, so keep checking daily! Our days are long and our mornings are early- so bare with me if I miss a day or so, but I promise I try my best! It took everyone to get me here, and I want to share this once in a lifetime experience with you'all! So here we go!!! WHOOHOO!! GO TEXAS!!!

But on a sentimental note, this morning I said good bye to my husband and my little guy "Trae". It was SO hard, Trae off course, didn't realize what was going on so no emotion from him, he probably as just wondering why mommy was sobbing and balling! But it hurts to leave them, They are what makes me keep going every day... I know they are going to be in the best hands with "Mammaw" but It just hurts inside to know I wont see them for at least 6 days! It hurts me more than them I think, because they'll still be in their routine and probably won't realize I'm even gone- unless there is laundry to be done or no more food in the fridge ;)- JK!

I just wanted to say to my husband- I love you more than life itself and I'm SO appreciative for all you do for me and for believing in me and my dreams! I Thank God everyday I get to share my life with you! Give my kisses and love to our little man and spoil him rotten when I'm gone! I LOVE YOU!! See you in the hot AZ sun! PS- Please drench Trae with sunscreen as soon as you get there! ;)- lol!

To my mother in law, I can not even begin to express my sincere gratitude to you for all your help these past few months and for the week ahead! I'm very blessed to have the friendship and guidance you give me! I admire and respect you in so many ways! Hopefully, we have a break so we can enjoy a spa day in AZ!! ;)-

My Mom and Dad- Thank You for believing me and supporting my dreams always, it's your prayers and positive thoughts for me and my family that make us who we are! I LOVE YOU & Cant wait to see you in AZ!!! MOM- Thank You so much for working so hard on the signs and banners, I'm sure I’m going to LOVE them, when I can see them from stage!

All My friends, family, and the Texas Contestant Girls ~ THANK YOU SO ALL YOUR WODNERFUL SUPPORT! It means everything to me!!! I hope to make you proud!!

LUV U'ALL & Until AZ... :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!

Just wanted to wish my #1 Fan, My Hot Lit'l Momma a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We'll see you next week in Tuscon!! Miss You & Hope you have a wonderful day!! XOXO

Getting ready to leave in the morning... will be posting a good bye soon!

What a week!

Well, as you'all know I leave Monday morning for the opportunity of a lifetime! So these past few weeks to prepare have been a little crazy! ;)

The good news on a personal note, is that my son "Trae" has been FINALLY diagnosed! I say it's good news because now that we know the issues we can handle them correctly! Monday morning I took him to a Pediatric ENT specialist and they put a small microscope tube up his nose and down his throat(and I had to hold him down- I think I was crying more than he was!) and took a look at his larynx, trachea and throat. Turns out, he has severe scaring and burns that is from severe acid-reflex that has been causing his throat and larynx to swell shut while deep inhaling! So every time he gets excited or upset (which is often;)-) He gasps for air. By the looks of things, he has been suffering with this for awhile, most likely since his colic began and until now, which has caused his throat to be so bad. Most babies with reflex spit up, but not Trae, he was holding the acid in his throat. Poor thing!! Which is why it was always worse in the morning from laying in bed. But the great news is possibly 6 weeks on a new medicine he may be all better! The Doctor says it's a test of time, he may have to keep on for a long time, maybe not! But my little man is now even happier & faster than ever! lol!

Well this past weekend I organized all my outfits, more than 10 day dresses/outfits complete with shoes and accessories, 9 dinner cockatils,and 2 gowns. Not to mention the normal bed, room, products, make-up, etc, etc, etc!! WOW ~ I have got 2 large suitcases, a roller, 2 garment bags, and have shipped 3 large boxes! A U-Haul would’ve made it easier ;)- lol! I shipped my state costume, delegate and presidential gifts, a clothing rack, and a ton of misc backstage things today!! What a sign of relief- I can at least start to see some of the floor in my spare bedroom! lol

Today my cards came AND >>>>>> MY GOWN!!! Frankie sent my gown to me with matching custom made earrings today and they are BEAUTIFUL!!! Tonight after dinner and Trae's bedtime I'm going to try it on & I can not wait!!

I also wanted to share, that I feel so honored as Mrs. Texas. My Mrs. Texas fellow contestants have been showing me the most UNBELIEVABLE love and support! They are TRUE QUEENS! Tuesday I received the most GORGEOUS Vera Wang Roses from Laura Scherer (2009's TX People's Choice & Best Smile Award)and her husband, I got the warmest phone call from Second-Runner Up My Girl Pal & Some say Twin, Lori Conklin, wishing me best of luck, and CONTINOUS face book emails from Dawn, Sheree, Lauree, Sheila, Leigh, and Keri! I must say its THE BEST compliment a girl could receive ~ that you're fellow contenders think and wish the best for you! Thank You Girls, It sincerely means the WORLD to me!!

I pretty much ran all across town and back everyday the past 2 weeks! But at least now have things a but more organized and ready to go!

This weekend we have several Birthday parties to attend and I plan on taking the time to soak in every minute with my family and friends to try and relax a little before my nerves go hay-wire again! ;) I also have all my last minute appointments, hair, nails, etc, etc..

Sunday night will be here before I know it and Ill be zipping my suitcases with my final last minute things and saying good-bye to my little man for more than 24 hrs :( which I have never done!) I think that's going to be the most challenging part, my husband and I are very close and have never spent that much time apart from each other and my son goes Everywhere with me (work, errands, appointments, 24-7everywhere!) So I think that is going to be my biggest challenge...

I won't bore you with every little thing but wanted to let you know I'm almost ready!!!

Stay posted - If I have the opportunity late evenings I will posting pictures and comments about my Mrs. America adventure starting Monday!

Gosh- Can you believe its already here....

Filling you in...

Over the past week I have been working hard and working hard preparing for Mrs. America!

My custom made gown by Frankie has arrived & needed just a few alterations, so I dropped it off along with my business suits and a few dresses! My seamstress is going to quit busy until Friday! ;)- My gown is gorgeous & I can NOT wait to show you'all! Frankie & Tracy made a perfect match for me! Thank You!

I have also paid a visit to my sponsor RDA PLANO and have stocked up on my hair and nail supplies to make sure I look my best in Arizona! Thank You RDA!

This past weekend my Alberto Makali wardrobe arrived and now its time to accessorize! I received some very cute dresses to wear while I'm at Mrs. America!

This weekend I plan to get all my outfits together and packed as well as get my costume pieced and ready to ship! I'm going to need a U-Haul! lol ;)-

I also received notice this week that my roommate during my stay in Arizona will be Heather, Mrs. Oklahoma! We've already met which is nice and can help each other out a ton while we're away from our families!

Speaking of Family, my son Trae, has been a bit sick, and we all know a sick baby is hard. He's getting better every day and its killing me to think of leaving him and my husband for week :( So these next 2 wks while I prepare to leave I plan on spending as much time as I can with the 2 of them!

I've been so busy but I feel I'm managing it well! But most importantly I'm really excited about the opportunity of a life time - just around the corner! ;)

Until next time...

Here is one of our new family photos we took a few weeks ago for Trae's 10 month old pictures!

Interview Mock Training Weekend with "The Boys!"

This past Saturday morning I traveled to Mansfield, TX for Interview weekend with "The Boys!" and Mrs. Oklahoma, Heather Rouba! I call them "The Boys" because they grew the nickname with us at the Mrs. Texas pageant workshop and because of my director, Tracy. ;) And now I know why they are "The Boys" - because they've got all "The" pageant preparation advice a girl could get in one night!

Rich & Alvin, make up "The Boys", and they are wonderful! They brought some judges in to walk us through a mock interview and gave us criticism when needed and propps to let us know - we are ready for Mrs. America!

I also got a chance to get to know Heather, Mrs. Oklahoma a little more as well. She is an intellgent and beautiful Queen and I look forward to what we both can bring to the Mrs. America pageant this year!

Heather & I left with more knowledge of what to expect and how to better prepare ourselves for at the Mrs. America pageant, which is right around the corner! And we are READY! ;)

THANK YOU RICH & ALVIN! THANK YOU TRACY (we missed you that night) & THANK YOU HEATHER!

Only 3 more weeks to go!!


Rich, Myself, Alvin & Pupp Sheridon!


Mrs. Oklahoma & Myself after a long interview preparation night back in our comfy clothes!

My Mrs. America Head Shot...

Tracy & I finally picked "one" ;)- After a few changes - This will be my headshot for the Mrs. America Program book, website, and judge bio's!

Hope you'all like it! :)

My Mrs. America Ad for the Program Book!

Sponosored by Royal Case Company www.royalcase.com

Designed by my director Tracy Crist!

Love it Tracy!! Thank You!! GO TEXAS! ;)-

My Second Mrs. Texas Photo Shoot with Larry Wright in Kansas..

A Little Preview...

These were taken by Photographer Larry Wright while I was in Kansas for the Mrs. Kansas Pageant. Make Up Credit goes to Tamara Matthews!

Stay Tuned to see the rest of the photos! ;)

Thank You To My Sponsor Dillards of Hulen Mall In Fort Worth!

I spent all afternoon at the Dillards at Hulen Mall in South Fort Worth and left a very happy girl!! Thank You to Rich Robertson and My Director Tracy Crist that set up sponorship of a gorgeous evening gown, 2 sassy cocktail dressess, an interview dress, and a "must have" from Rich! ;)- ALL COMPLETE with Shoes & Accessories! Not to mention I spent time at the Dior counter recieving more tips & a HUGE "goodie" bag of fragrances and tons of color!!

My Closet feels like its Christmas today!! lol...

I had such a great time!! Everyone was extremely sweet & helpful!!

I Thank Dillards of Hulen Mall & Rich for an amazing experience & look forward to the appearnces I will be making at their Dillards!


Rich Robertson & I after a Long day of shopping ;)


See you soon Dillards!! Ps- You cant see that there are a ton of bags by my feet..;)-

Gown Sponsor Frankie Simmons-North of Frankie Couture Gowns

One of the prizes of winning Mrs. Texas 2009 was a custom made gown designed by Frankie of Frankie Couture Gowns...

Between Frankie's Talent & Tracy's creative idea's they came up with an AMAZING gown for me to compete in at Mrs. America! I can not give away any details but I've got several sketches of my gown & it is going to be BREATHTAKING!

I was with Frankie this weekend at the Mrs. Kansas pageant & took this photo with him to post, this is not my gown for Mrs. America in this photo but I CAN NOT wait to see it!!

Thank You Frankie & Tracy!!! I love U'ALL!


Myself & "Frankie" of Frankie Couture

Hosting Mrs. Kansas 2009

This past Saturday morning I flew to Kansas to host the Mrs. Kansas America 2009 pageant with former Mrs. Kansas, Dr. Kimberlly McDowell! There were 9 lovely contestants but by far, Diane Packstellis stood out among the rest and was crowned Mrs. Kansas 2009!! I had the chance to get to Know Diane the next morning at our Mrs. America photo shoots, she is a lovely & intellegent woman and I look forward to getting to know her more at Mrs. America!


Mrs. Kansas 2009 & Myself.


Mrs. Kansas 2009, Our Fabulous Director Tracy Crist & me!


Mrs. Leigh Allen Gittman, Member of the Judges Panel for Mrs Kansas. Leigh is respected & Loved in the pageant industry & I admire her beauty inside & out!

Sorry my pictures are not that great... I had to leave behind my new camera - I didn't want to check it at the airport ;)- Next photos will be better ;)-

Thank You to my Sponsor- Jab Wear..

This is the jab wear hat I received & I LOVE it!! I'm actually wearing it right now! ;)- lol...

For information on jabwear visit www.jab-wear.com

My Official Hair Supply Sponsor... RDA of Plano!

Yesterday I dropped off a framed poster & new comp card to my official hair supply sponsor RDA Plano!!

Thank You Ronnie, Chase, Penny & All those at RDA PLANO! You are extremely gernerous & know your products! My Hair is beginning to look amazing becuase of you! ;) I sincerely appreciate you & all your help! I look forward to an amazing year with you by my side!

The Garrett Patton Salon...

Today I stopped in the Garrett Patton Salon to hand them their poster to show their salon is the Official Sponsor of Mrs. Texas 2009!


Garrett Patton (salon owner) & I

Patrick, Misty, Garrett, Ali & Mrs. Texas 2009!

I DEEPLY appreciate Garrett, Patrick ,Ali & Misty!! U'ALL are WONDERFUL Sponsors & even better friends!!

McKinney's Red, White & Boom! Parade & I will be featured in this Friday's edition of neighborsgo!

You can pick one up this Friday at any standalone Starbucks in McKinney!

Had to Share My Big Birthday... ;) July 5th!

My Extended family & I celebrated July 4th evening in Sherman at my In- Laws with a Mexican Fesista cooked by Mammaw ( yummy!!) & with a cake that was so close to being(literally) in my face by "Poppy!" I will never forget that :)- Than after much swimming we headed up to the boat dock at the marina for Lake Texoma's famous Firework show! My son Trae LOVED it! He was in AWE! It was great to see his reaction!:)




Than on Sunday July 5th we celebrated with the big family & some close friends out to dinner...



I got tons of great suprises & gifts -One of which is a new Nikon Professional camera- which takes AMAZING quality pictures ~ so from now on, once I figure out how to work the high-tech camera :) My photos will be ALLOT better for you'all! lol.

Thank You to my unbelievable Husband Zoli & My son, Trae for such a great week & My family & friends who made it all possible! I LOVE U'ALL SO MUCH!!! xoxo

4th Of July!!

McKinney's Red, White & Boom! Festival & Parade

At 9:30-11 am I attended the city of McKinney's Red, White & Boom Parade! I was #8 in the line up of about 50 floats...

McKinney's Chamber of Commerce who hosted the event were INCREDIBLEY nice & accommodating to me! There were a TON of people that attended the parade & I meet a allot of Friendly faces & I look forward to attending more of their local events!

This was taken before the parade during line-up...


After the parade I attending The Red, White & Boom's Classic Car Show to sign autographs from 11-12pm. I really enoyed ALL the kids & parents & staff!




Once Again Mrs. Texas drew a big crowd & I was so HONORED to be there!!
Thank You McKinney!!

Then after I headed back up to my hometown of Melissa!

From 2-3pm In 106 Degrees my hometown of Melissa showed me SO much support in their parade!

Again this was taken during the line-up...




A Police Escort in My Home Town! ;)-


Thank You to all those at the parade & Everyone in Melissa for showing such great support!

Happy 4th of July Everyone!!

Thank You...

Friends & Family have been asking what I have been up to since I was crowned almost 3 weeks ago...

Besides the one appearance I have made so far, I have been a “ Busy Bee!“ so to answer you're question: What haven’t I been doing is what I should say! lol...

Over the last 2 weeks on top of my normal days of work, family life, and taking care of Trae! ;)- I've completed my Bio's for Mrs. America & the majority of my paperwork (which there is a TON! ;)), I have stated my life theme & submitted my life theme photos (which are now posted online at the Mrs. America website), Together with Tracy's creative mind & Frankie's extreme designing talent we have designed my custom evening gown for Mrs. America (It's Gorgeous!!), I created a few style of Thank You cards & stationary for the year, and have contacted several Chamber of Commerce's to meet with them and discuss event possibilities throughout my reign, and have started obtaining sponsors for my reign as Mrs. Texas 2009. Which is why I wanted to send a special post this evening...

I want to send a VERY special “ Thank You“ and to say what a delightful honor it is to add my first few sponsors to the many people that help Texas get to Mrs. America…

The Garret Patton Salon in Sherman, TX
224 1/2 W. Houston St
Sherman, TX 75090
903-893-2009
garrettpattonsalon@mac.com

Garrett’s a personal friend of mine & has been coloring my hair for a few years now & has agreed to be my official colorist for my reign as Mrs. Texas compliments of the salon! Thanks to Garrett, Patrick, Ali, & Misty!

RDA PLANO-Pro Mart

910 W. Parker Rd # 325
Plano, TX 75075
972-509-1822
rdaplano@yahoo.com

Ronnie & ALL his Staff at RDA Plano are AWESOME! They have agreed to sponsor me with ALL my Styling Products for my Reign as well!! I paid them a visit today & was amazed by how knowledgeable Miss. Peggy was with all the help she offered me & ALL the top-of-the-line Products she filled my cart with!! I’m one happy girl as I shampoo tonight! ;)-


The Paper Lion of McKinney
www.thepaperlion.com

They have agreed to donate 100 Thank You cards & envelops to Mrs. Texas for 2009! They are such a creative & cute boutique I could stay in that store for hours!!

This weekend I have SEVERAL Holiday Appearances with some new contacts I have made I look forward to them & watch my post to see ….

HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY 4th of JULY!!! My favorite Holiday of the year!! ( Most of you know why~ My Big Birthday is Sunday Morning!!) ;)

My LifeStyle Photos for Mrs. America...

I just wanted to post these personally-

They asked us to turn in 5 " Life Style" Pictures of our families... So "Mammaw", Maddie, Shell, Zoli, Trae & I meet "Poppy" & "Stevie" out at the Ranch on Friday afternoon ~ When it was 105 Degrees! The boys were working hard in the heat at the Ranch - You can tell By "Scooters" Coat! "Scooters" usually all white coat is spotted from sweating ;)- and Poppy & Stevie would've looked the same if they had a coat ;)- JK!


Trae meets Scooter!





Trae feeding the "Fella's"


This is one of the Photos I submitted!

The Other's you'll have to visit the Mrs.America Website under Texas to see!

( I can't give them all away now ;)- )

I hope you enjoy seeing Cowboy Trae~ :)

Appearance at Salute to America

Sunday June 28th I was honored to join US congressman Ralph Hall for a Guest Appearance at The Salute To America Concert in Sherman, TX. The evening was to honor American Veterans, Military, Policemen, and firemen. It was a wonderful display of gratitude for their service and commitment to giving their lives for our freedom! The host of the evening was the talented Jill Brown whose students at ALL ages are AMAZING & TALENTED singers!!

It was a pleasure meeting Congressman Ralph Hall, Mr. & Mrs. Brown, All the US Veterans that attended & off course, the all talented children & their parents!


The Student Singers in A Salute to America



US Congressman Ralph Hall


Host of A Salute To America : Mr. & Mrs. Brown



Introduction of Mrs. Texas 2009




Signing AutoGraph Cards & Taking Pictures with the Girls! How Cool! ;)-

The Clifton Record Newspaper Wednesday June 24th

Wednesday, June 24 2009 03:34 pm


SOUTHLAKE — Collin County volunteer and mother Melissa Pocza will represent the state of Texas in competing for the title of Mrs. America on Sept. 8.

Pocza, who was given the title Mrs. DFW in the competition, was crowned Mrs. Texas America Saturday, June 13, at the Carroll Theatre in Southlake.

Out of 33 competitors, Pocza not only brought home the title of Mrs. Texas but was also awarded best in the evening gown and best in the fitness portion of the competition.

Pocza a resident of Melissa, Texas, and Collin County is a local volunteer and mother. She has been involved with many local organizations such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America, The Boys & Girls Club, Melissa ISD, Special Olympics, The AKC.

Her volunteerism and fundraising activities throughout the community were significant in her being chosen to represent DFW in the competition, and as Mrs. Texas she will began to broaden and strengthen in not only in her own local community but through out her state of Texas.

“I feel there’s no better way to give back, than to give back in your own neighborhood and state,” says Pocza. “It’s important for me to volunteer locally because not only can you see a difference, but my son and children around me can witness, and see that it only takes one person to make a difference.”

Pocza is also an account executive at Royal Case Company in Sherman, and a North Texas realtor. She previously was a substitute teacher at Melissa Independent School District. But most importantly, she is a new mother to her eight-month-old son, Zoltan Michal III, “Trae.”

Crowning Pictures..

These are some pictures I received off the Mrs. Texas website...

Today Is the first time I got see what the actual crowning looked like ;0












And of Course, I had to give the Big Texas Thumbs Up! lol!

Melissa resident crowned Mrs. Texas

Melissa resident crowned Mrs. Texas

Shared via AddThis

A Preview of My Mrs. Texas Photo Shoot for Mrs. America

Photo Credit: Rhonda Gilliam
Make Up Credit: Tamara Matthews

Most of the pictures have not been touched yet... I just selected one of each outfit change to post, besides the gown picture which you'll see in the top right hand corner... I will be shooting again with Larry at Mrs. Kansas in July - stay posted for the 2nd photo shoot results near the end of July!



The pictures were taken by wonderful Rhonda Gilliam. She's Great! And not to forget- Fanned by Frankie, JoAnn & Tracy :)~ lol~ We had a ton of laughs Sunday morning bright and early at the shoot! I never knew I could look like this with 30 min. of sleep from being so excited! Thanks to Tamara who did incredible work to hide my exhaustion! lol... Thank You!

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