Official Banner!

AHHH!!! I am so excited! Here is the official new banner of my sister queens and I for the website! I can't even begin to express my excitement and honor to hold such an amazing title! I can't wait to see what exciting adventures this year holds my sister queens and I! I am hoping to make appearances at River Days, Miss Indiana USA, Ohio USA, Michigan USA, Pacer Games, benefits and fundraisers, 5k's, and who knows what else! I'm adding events to my calendar each week! If you would like I or one of my sister queens to make an appearance, please contact Rick Martinez, the director, via the contact section on the website! I am very excited that my Teen queen will be moving from Illinois to Indiana to start school! I see a few group appearances in the future and maybe a slumber party or two!

Please check out the website for updates on next year's nationals and preliminaries, and watch for my sisters' and my official photo shoot pics coming this fall!!!! We are so blessed to have a director that is also an award winning photographer!!! SCORE!

Check out his and our website at:

www.captivatingpageants.com

www.studiormphotography.com

Riley Children's Hospital Hosting Box Tops Drive

Riley Children's Hospital is one of the most well known children's hospitals in the country and take some of the sickest kids into their care. I work for Methodist hospital which is one of the 3 downtown hospitals for IU Health Network which includes Riley and University. Riley Hospital has a fabulous program called the Riley Education Program that tutors kids while they are hospitalized or receiving treatment so they do not fall behind in their schooling. A large portion of these funds come from Box Top donations. The Box Top donations allow the children to receive free tutoring and give the parents peace of mind that not only are their child's illness being treated but their education is made a priority as well.

Please help me help the Riley Education Program by collecting a donating Box Tops. Donations can be sent to:
                                                          Riley Education Program
                                                                  Room 4550
                                                          705 Riley Hospital Drive
                                                        Indianapolis, Indiana 46202

When sending the donations please make the memo on behalf of the Ms/Miss/Teen Captivating Organization please and thank you!

Nine and Dine

Today I was honored to participate in the Elks Country Club of McDermott, Ohio Nine and Dine event that raises money for needed repairs for around the golf course! We played nine holes and then they had a dinner afterwards! The fun thing is, is that I have never played golf before! what a sight to see, let me tell ya! AHH! I have only goofed around on a driving range but never played a round of golf. Let's just say that the lake on the course had a meal with my balls! A sponsor of mine, Staker Drugs, was also the sponsor of hole 4, the rascally lake hole that ate all my balls! Coincidence? Maybe... HAHA! I had such a fun time and would LOVE to do it again! Next time maybe you will join me!

Me and my golf group minus 1 on the notorious hole 4!

Run for Ronald 6/16/12

The best things in life are given rather than received. On Saturday, my daughter and husband joined me for my first appearance as the newly crowned Ms. Captivating. We participated in the Run for Ronald 5k which raises money for the Indiana Ronald McDonald House. This is such an amazing organization because it provides a home-away-from-home for families with chronically ill children at a low to no cost. They provide a warm bed, toiletries, food, and even counseling to help families cope with caring for an ill child. 





Each year the Indiana Chapter of Ronald McDonald House hosts a 5k to raise money to run the facility. If it were not for people like you and me, they would not be able to care for their families like they do now. The money raised from the run pay for the maintenance of the facility, the utilities, the food, and various other services. A child should not have to go through surgery or treatment alone and without their family and the RMH allows family to be there at all times but also gives parents a quiet safe place to get away as well.

If you are looking for an amazing organization to get involved with, this is an amazing one. Here are pictures from my time at the 5k fundraiser:

Ms. Indiana Appearances

Before competing as Ms. Captivating and ultimately winning, I was appointed the title of Ms. Indiana Captivating. The delegation is currently at large and contestants are appointed a title and awarded a sash to start making appearances on behalf of the CAPTIVATING organization and to promote yourself as well. For my short time as Ms. Indiana Captivating I was able to make a few appearances! I was a BOPPY promotion model, Indy 500 Festival Rookie Run volunteer, and honored to judge Miss Lake State USA which is a Miss Michigan USA prelim! That is only the tip of the iceberg for whats to come!

The road to Ms Captivating 2012

Wow! What an amazing experience! I can not believe that I am your new Ms. Captivating 2012! I never thought in a million dreams that i would be wearing that stunning crown atop my head! It has got to be the most beautiful crown I have ever seen! After all these years, it is finally my turn! So, Let me back up a little and tell you about my pageant history:

I have been competing in pageants since the age of 13. I was a nerd of sorts. Gappy teeth, glasses, tall and lanky with knobby knees. Not the most attractive little girl in the world! A teacher of mine in the 8th grade introduced me to my first pageant. She said it might help me with my confidence! And boy did it!!!! I fell in love with everything about pageants! The runway, the make-up, the clothes, getting the chance to really showcase who I am and what I was passionate about. Pageants helped me to grow from that ugly duckling to this beautiful, confidant, poised, out-spoken woman you see before you today. I went on to compete in the Perfect system and won Ohio's Perfect Teen 2002 then onto the USA system where I recieved the photogenic award in 2003, 3rd RU Miss Teen Ohio USA 2003, 2nd RU Miss Teen USA Ohio 2004, and 1st RU Miss Ohio USA 2006!

In 2006, I decided to get serious about school and marry my high school sweetheart so in 2008 i graduated from Shawnee State University with my nursing degree and married the love of my life. I took a break from pageants to move, travel, get involved in work where I worked as an Organ Transplant RN, and start a family. in 2010 i gave birth to my baby girl, Kenna Grace who has stolen my heart right out of my chest ever since she came into this world!

Last year, I was battling weight issues. I was the heaviest i have ever been nad was actually 20 pounds over weight! I tried every fad diet you could think of. One night laying in bed and watching an episode of MTV made where the Miss Captivating pageant was the pageant the MADE beauty queen competed in, my husband asked me "Why don't you get back into pageants again?" My reaction was "With this body?" He then told me, "Pageants have been your only motivation to stay healthy and they make you feel good about yourself." So I called Rick MArtinez, the director and producer of the Captivating system I just saw on MTV and I entered. 6 months later and 30 LBS lighter, I was being crowned! What an amazing moment and accomplishment for myself! So here we go! Let's get this party started and I hope by letting you into my world this net year, I have encouraged you to compete and hope to see you there next year as mine or my sister queens' successor!
www.captivatingpageants.com