Small Town Girl

Though sometimes I'm teased about being a bit of a country bumpkin, I have loved every minute of growing up in Selbyville, DE. For those of you who don't know where little old Selbyville is, cruise all the way down route 113 and when you're on the state line of DE and MD, stop. If it looks like you're in the middle of nowhere, you've found it. With a population of about 2000 people, Selbyville is the definition of a small Sussex County town.

There it is! That tiny speck below Frankford.

So you get the point. Selbyville is pretty small and a little country, okay a lot country. The point of this blog is to say how much growing up in a small town has impacted my life, and why I'm so grateful I didn't grow up in a city. Growing up, I was never able to go anywhere without knowing someone, and word spreads faster than swine flu did in 2009. Everybody knows everything about everybody. I suppose this could be a bad thing, but I choose to see it as a positive attribute of my hometown. I have been overwhelmed lately with the outpouring of support from residents of Slower Lower Delaware. The text messages, facebook and twitter contact, and well wishes in person have been so incredibly unexpected and appreciated. It is incredible how many people are supporting me on this journey simply because I come from this area. The Coastal Point published a wonderful article about me and my preparations for Miss Delaware, and so many people have reached out to thank me for my service and provide kind words of encouragement. Essentially, this is an expression of my gratitude. Gratitude for having grown up in Selbyville, and mostly to the people of this town and surrounding area for being the best neighbors anyone could ask for. The support and love that I have received recently has been overwhelming and much appreciated. I cannot express my gratefulness and appreciation in a mere blog post. 

If you would like to shoot me some encouragement or good luck wishes or prayers, please feel free to reach me through this blog, facebook, or twitter (@Lyssa_L0u). Thanks again for all the support!

XOXO,

Alyssa

The Big THANK YOU Post

Today is the first day that I've had free time in a while. Yesterday was a busy day, I spoke to 5 different middle school classes about melanoma and other skin cancers, and a 3rd grade class about reading and goal setting. I also had a personal training session at World Gym, and attended a fundraiser for my friend, Ashley Hudson, who is currently battling leukemia. I decided to write this blog today, because I'm not sure how much time I'll have to blog in these final days leading up to Miss Delaware Week. There are a lot of people I would like to say thank you to, because there's not way I would have been successful thus far in my journey alone.

Thank you to my Mom for always being there for me. She never missed a dance recital, she was there when I tried and failed at numerous sports, she went to my swim meets even though they were hot and stuffy, and she was the one person who was there when I won Delaware's Junior Miss. She is the kind of mom other moms want to be, and I'm glad she's all mine.

Thanks Dad for everything you've done for me, this year especially. My Dad financed my competition wardrobe this year, and he has been my biggest supporter and fan. 

Thanks Karen, my not-evil-at-all stepmom for being there for me. She has more faith in me than I have in myself, and I really appreciate it. Also, thanks for nudging Dad in the right direction.

My family in general, Aunt Lisa and JP, Mom mom and Pop pop, everyone, thank you for being the most amazing, huge, slightly dysfunctional, loving family I could ask for. You can't choose your family, but I'm glad I'm stuck with y'all.

Big Dog, you are the bomb! I never thought I would be excited to be in a bikini in front of an entire audience, but now I am, and I have you to thank for that. I couldn't do it without you. 

Chris, Josh, and everyone at The Perfect Dress, thank you for helping me find my perfect dress, and for standing by me and being so helpful throughout the whole process, even the whole 3 week late bit. Also, Tony Bowls, thank you for designing my dream gown.

Thank you to all of my friends for supporting me. Shelby, my roommate and best friend, thanks for keeping me sane. Abby, can't wait for you to be a watermelon queen, Veronica/Hoss Jr./Dog, my friend, my sister (DJM and Alpha Xi Delta,) love you for being so supportive always, and I can't wait for YOU to be up on the Miss Delaware stage! All of my AZD sisters, y'all are the most supportive and loving sisters in the world. 

Thanks to David and Jen, the best local directors/mentors a girl could ask for.

Special thanks to my 8-year old sister, Remi, and my big brother Cory for keeping me grounded, and slightly giggly.

Thank you Dillan, the best boyfriend in the whole world for being there for me. He's listened to the laughs and the breakdowns this journey has brought me, and he's coming all the way up to Delaware from Alabama to watch me compete. Now that's dedication.

Basically, this blog post is a big, massive, huge thank you to everyone who has had an impact on my year as Miss Coastal Bay. I couldn't have had such an incredible and successful year without all of my family, friends, and prep-team. Y'all are the best I could ever ask for, and I am so grateful for everything.

The Little Things

Each year the Miss Delaware contestants are all assigned one or two little beauties to escort them in the evening gown competition. We call them our "Miss Delaware Little Sisters," and they are one of the best parts about Miss Delaware week. After I won my local title in August, Miss Coastal Bay, one of my judges, Alison Rae Funds, contacted me telling me she was thrilled for my year, and asking if I would have her daughter escort me. I absolutely love kids, and her daughter is probably the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen, maybe tied with my sister, but I'm biased ;) I gave Ava a call today while she was on her way to dance class, and hearing how excited she was for Miss Delaware absolutely melted my heart. The admiration and joy in her voice completely took a terrible day to a wonderful one. Just a few hours ago I was completely distraught over an exam, and then I had a moment like that, which completely changed my attitude. This all goes back to what I was saying in my last blog. Miss Delaware changes lives. Maria will tell you she's just super chill, but beyond that she is touching lives every day, everywhere she goes. Seeing that I have that kind of effect on a starry-eyed young girl as a local title holder was just what I needed to get back my positive attitude and my excitement for Miss Delaware. It's always nice to be reminded of why you're chasing your dreams, especially when they seem so far out of reach. I can't wait to meet up with Ava before Miss Delaware and talk shoes, dresses, and crowns, and for her to rock the stage with me on Friday night in the evening gown competition. She even told me she is coming to cheer me on the other nights of competition as well! Sometimes you just need a little push to get back in a positive mindset.

XOXOXO

Alyssa

Youtube is a Girl's Best Friend

Finals week is not my favorite. Between the stress breakouts, trips to the library, and review sessions, sometimes I just need a good laugh. Youtube is probably my favorite distraction, and I'm famous for always finding a good video. Here is a list of some of my favorite Youtube videos.

Kittens, adorable child, you can't go wrong.

If you are not literally "lol-ing" you might not have a sense of humor.

Gets me every time. Terrifying yet hilarious.

Take an already hilarious video and add Nigel Thornberry. Yes.

5 seconds of brilliant acting by a prairie dog.

There you have it, some of my favorite youtube videos. Enjoy!

The Longest Month

I woke up this morning with an odd feeling. I kept thinking "Today is an important day, but why?"  It's reading day at UD, classes finished yesterday, I'm going to Big Dog's bootcamp tonight, but none of those are it. I looked at my iCal and saw that today is May 16th. In exactly one month, 31 days, Miss Delaware 2012 will be crowned. It feels like just yesterday it was June and I was  hysterical watching one of my closest friends being crowned Miss Delaware 2011. It's all a little bittersweet. Maria has been such a phenomenal, gracious, inspiring, and personable Miss Delaware, and I know she will be missed dearly by the board, us contestants, and the entire state of Delaware. As exciting as it is to think that in one month I have a 1 in 18 shot of being the next Miss Delaware, it saddens me that Maria will be giving up her title and moving on to another exciting chapter of her life.

Lovin' you all day err'day Miss Cahill, ya goober.

Since Maria, and the other former Miss Delaware titleholders have set such a high standard of grace, class, and poise, it's only natural that this year, 18 incredible, intelligent, and stunning young women will take the stage to compete to be the next titleholder. I mentioned in an earlier blog post that I originally entered this program to win scholarship money. I have been fortunate enough to have my entire undergraduate career paid for through academic scholarships and those given to me by the America's Junior Miss/Distinguished Young Women of America Scholarship Program. My hard work in high school has paid off to the tune of over $120,000 and I'm very proud to say I earned every penny of it.  (My parents are probably pretty stoked about that too.) As important as it is to me to try to win some scholarship money to help me finance law school, there is so much more.I also mentioned in the same blog post that this year, my reasons for competing in Miss Delaware are a little different. 

I was never the most confident girl growing up. I was confident in certain aspects of myself, such as my intelligence, my ability to make friends, my dancing, singing, and my piano playing, but I never thought much of myself as far as beauty, something that seems so shallow, but is so important to self esteem. When I was younger, Miss Delaware 1999 Kama Bolland was at an appearance in my small hometown of Selbyville, DE. I somehow had the courage to march right up to her and inform her that when I was grown up, I would be Miss Delaware just like her. Instead of laughing at me or telling me to dream on, Kama took time out of her day to sit and discuss with me what it takes to be Miss Delaware, and how if I kept dreaming and practicing, I could be there one day. Now in 2012 at 20 years old, I still have that autograph card from Kama in my bedroom that says "Alyssa, keep dreaming! Love, Kama." Through some hardships in middle and high school, I somehow lost sight of that long-forgotten dream. Though I went through a phase from about 6-9 years old where I wanted to be Miss America, this has not been a lifelong dream for me, it is more recently developed. 2 years ago as a senior in high school, if someone had told me I would place 4th runner-up to Miss Delaware the very next year, I would have laughed in their face. Once Miss Sandy Soucek and a couple other board members, and my wonderful DJM directors gave me a nudge in the right direction, I read that autograph card from Kama and thought "hey, maybe I can do this." (Side note: Kama Bolland was a Miss Delaware judge last year and I was so awestruck I couldn't even bring myself to mention to her that she was the reason I was there.)

Last year, I let my negativity hold me back. Not just in Miss Delaware, but in life. I've always been too critical of myself, and my "I can't" attitude was starting to bring me down. Its the Miss America Organization that has turned me around and made me into a much more positive, optimistic person. This past year especially I've noticed a change in myself, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Through working with Marcellus Beasley, my body, my attitude, and my strength, both inner and outer have improved by leaps and bounds. It's amazing how making a commitment to change your body can change so much else about you. Where as last year, I was self-conscious and shy in swimsuit, this year I'm ready to strut it. I've found working out to be a way of life now, rather than a way to look decent in a bikini on the Miss Delaware stage. 

Seeing Maria on her journey as Miss Delaware has opened my eyes to the duties, opportunities, and power that a Miss Delaware can have. Not too long ago, Maria and I were eating frozen yogurt outside of Yogoberry on Main Street in Newark. Without a crown and sash, Maria connected with this little girl and invited her to sit with us. We struck up a conversation with this young girl and seeing her face light up at 2 older girls befriending her touched my heart. Maria can have that kind of impact on a child without being Miss Delaware, so you can imagine how she connects with them with a crown and sash on. To have the opportunity to leave a child with a memory of meeting Miss Delaware, to be able to encourage young girls, to be a role model, that's what it's all about, and that didn't click for me until very recently. Someday, I want to change a young girl's life, the way Kama Bolland changed mine, the way Maria has changed so many. Someday, I hope to have the opportunity to tell a young girl that one day she could be Miss Delaware, and to keep dreaming, because not too long ago, I lost sight of my dream, and some very special people helped me to have the courage to go for it again. I have an 8-year old sister, and honestly the role model for her generation are pretty bleak. Miss America gives girls like me the opportunity to be a role model for young girls like my sister, and I want so much to make a difference in someone's life the way a Miss Delaware did in mine not too long ago.

The strides that I have taken this year towards becoming my best version of myself have led me to this point: One month before Miss Delaware, feeling confident and as if I can conquer my goals, a feeling I was a stranger to last year. The journey I have taken as Miss Sussex County 2011 and Miss Coastal Bay 2012 have brought me here, and whether or not I am blessed enough to become Miss Delaware 2012, I know my journey is far from over.

May is going to be the LONGEST month of my entire life!

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. - Psalm 19:14

Slacker

Hey all, sorry for slacking lately. Finals week is rapidly approaching, I scored an amazing new internship, and Miss Delaware preparations are keeping me beyond busy! I conquored a Comm 200 exam, and a Spanish 304 exam, and an extra credit paper yesterday, and today is the end of classes for UD students! 

This is how I feel right now

Well, the good news is after the whole computer fiasco, spending 12 hours in the library, lots of caffeine, a few tears, and forgetting the English language, I finished and handed in my final paper. Sunday night in the library I mustered up the courage to check my grades online. Drumroll please...I GOT AN A!!!!!! Life is good with the not-so-minor exception of my impending logic final. So, if you tend to be a study slacker like me, here are some tips.

• Go somewhere other than your house. I can't study in my house that well because I'm constantly distracted by the refrigerator (yikes), netflix, and the TV. I tend to migrate to the second floor of Morris Library to study with the largest iced coffee I can find. It helps me focus being in a quiet area and when I'm surrounded by people I can't open up facebook, netflix, twitter, etc.
• Music. I have a killer Coldplay Pandora station I listen to when I'm studying or reading, and it totally helps me chill out and stay on topic.
• Caffeine is your friend.
• Set goals and reward yourself. For example, tell yourself "If i write 3 pages of this paper, I can go take a walk/get a coffee/facebook creep for 10 minutes." It works, I promise!
• Eat well. It's impossible to focus with a growling tummy. 

Happy finals week, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Murphy's Law

Yesterday was a normal day until I was sitting in my least favorite class and I pulled out my computer. This scary blinking file logo popped up and I knew I was going to be spending most of my day in the Apple store. After making an appointment at the Genius Bar at my local Apple store I walked the grim death march into the mall. Sure enough, I was living ever college student's nightmare the week before finals week. My hard drive had completely crashed, losing all of my files, and guess who hasn't backed up her files in FOREVER. The loss of my 8 page Spanish research paper has been mourned the most of all. 

After some tears, some starbucks, getting an Apple guy's number (how you doin'?), and $172 later, I found myself in Morris Library struggling to start to rewrite this entire paper that originally took me a week to write. Normally I would have all weekend to devote to the library, but this weekend is the Mela-No-More KENTucky Derby in Dewey Beach, so I'll be busy busy all week! I searched the library for my original sources, and brought the only printed copy I had of the original (thank goodness rough drafts were due last week!) and got to work.

 I'm glad to say as of 12:30 am I am a free woman, and the paper is done and even better than the first time if I do say so myself. Even though I had a mini-breakdown in the Apple store, I'm proud of myself for putting on my big girl pants, downing so caffeine, and not procrastinating until Sunday night. Essentially the moral of this story is back up your files, back up your files, back up your files, BACK UP YOUR FILES! Got it? Good. 

XOXOXOXO,

Alyssa

Music Makes Everything Better!

Lots of free time these past few days = lots of blogging! If you know me or you've read my blogs, you probably know running isn't exactly my thing. I'm more than happy to tackle a stairmaster, and I am a champ on the elliptical, but running has never been my thing. Recently I've decided to give running a second chance, and I'm actually starting to enjoy it! As much as I love yoga and pilates, I like a good old fashioned workout that leaves me sweaty, breathless, and completely drained, and running definitely does me in. Also all the other students here at UD can attest to the fact that the gym here is not the greatest. It's usually full of sweaty, smelly boys who give you death stares if you so much as look at the free weights. It's nice to escape the stuffy smelly gym every now and then and work out in the great outdoors. So, if y'all are like me and need a little extra motivation sometimes to get you going, I'll let you in on a secret. Music is the best motivator. When I think I can't put in another mile and the right song comes on, I can put in that one mile and then some. I thought it would be cool for me to share my playlist on here, and y'all can feel free to steal it or make some suggestions.

1) Electric Feel - MGMT
2) Crazy In Love - Beyoncé
3) Fade Into Darkness - Avicii
4) Boyfriend - Justin Bieber
5) Birthday Cake (Remix) - Rihanna & Chris Brown
6) Best Love Song - Chris Brown & T Pain
7) Ghosts 'n' Stuff - Deadmau5 ft. Rob Swire
8) Turn Me On - David Guetta ft. Nicki Manaj
9) Fergalicious - Fergie
10) Levels - Avicii
11) Pause - Pitbull
12) Glad You Came - The Wanted
13) Starships - Nicki Manaj
14) 7 Nation Army - The White Stripes
15) Bass Down Low - DEB
16) Love on Top - Beyonce
17) Runaway - Kanye West
18) Kids - MGMT
19) Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People
20) Shipping Up to Boston - The Dropkick Murphys (If this doesn't pump you up, I fear you're not alive)
21) Paralyzer - Finger 11
22) Call Me Maybe -Carly Rae Jespen

These aren't in any sort of order, I just put the playlist on shuffle and go for it!

Have any awesome songs that get you pumped to add to my playlist? I am open to suggestions! 

KENTucky Derby

This Saturday is the big day! Mela-No-More will be hosting our 7th annual KENTucky Derby at North Beach bar and grille in Dewey Beach, DE. Each year we have live and silent auctions, a buffet, cash bar, and lots of fun! Tickets are $50 and 100% of the proceeds go to fight melanoma and other skin cancers. Last year, Mela-No-More raised over $80,000 for our cause, and our goal for Saturday is $100,000. This is a cause so close to our hearts because it is something we know Kent would have loved. He was a notorious party animal, so there is no way to better celebrate his life than to party for him! Here is the link to the Mela-No-More website where you can buy tickets for Saturday and find out more information about our event and purpose.

 http://mela-no-more.org/event.aspx

If you're in the coastal Delaware area and you're looking for some fun on Saturday, come hang out at North Beach and help out a great cause!

See ya Saturday,

Alyssa

Greek Week, Mr. Delaware, and other Shenanigans!

Life at UD is a little crazy right now. We're finishing up the semester, getting ready for finals, and finishing up some final projects! Last week was Greek Week here at UD, and in my sorority, Alpha Xi Delta, (xi love y'all!) we look forward to this week all year! The week is full of competitions and fun, and it all culminates with Airband, a huge dance competition that sororities practice for months in advance. After practicing at 7 am every day I'm proud to say our Airband routine was a huge success, despite some serious prop malfunctions!

My little, Kayla, and I in full costume and ready to dance!

Last night I was lucky enough to attend the Mr. Delaware pageant with my friend Becky Albini, Miss Atlantic Coast, to cheer on all the contestants. The new Mr. Delaware is absolutely hysterical and we had a great time! I even won a $50 gift certificate to one of my favorite pageant shops, The Perfect Dress, in Lawrenceville, NJ, where I got my competition gown for Miss Delaware!

The beautiful man behind my beautiful gown, Chris Saltalamacchio, Mr. Delaware 2008, and I at the Mr. Delaware competition.

With just 6 weeks left until Miss Delaware I am so relieved to say I have my entire wardrobe ready to go minus some alterations and touch ups, and one cocktail dress. Preparations at this point are all about getting me where I need to be by June. I've got the wardrobe, now I need to work on the rest of the package! I'm working out, eating right, practicing my talent every time I can get an empty room to myself and working on my confidence every day! It seems like the past few months have been a freight train leading up to June and honestly I hope the next few weeks fly by as well. Anticipation drives me crazy and I do not do well with suspense! At this point I will be accepting thoughts, prayers, well wishes, words of encouragement, and of course, donations to the Children's Miracle Network!

http://www.missamericaforkids.org/Home/Donate/alyssamurray

Shameless plug for donations, it's for a great cause!

Anyway, I have yet another busy week ahead of me, and the annual KENTucky Derby on Saturday in Dewey Beach, which deserves it's own blog entry, coming soon!

http://www.mela-no-more.org/event.aspx

Buy your tickets and come support Mela-No-More with a day full of fun at the beach!

XOXOXO,

Alyssa

5k's, Formals, and Orientations, oh my!

This weekend was a crazy one, that's for sure. Friday night I had my sorority formal at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ. After about 2 hours of sleep I awoke to get pretty in full make up and hair for headshots at the Miss Delaware orientation in Milford at 8:30 am. Then I headed to Selbyville to celebrate my brother's 24th birthday, drove back up to Newark to hang out with the lovely Maria Cahill, and again somehow managed to cheat myself of a decent night of sleep. Sunday I woke up to run a 5k, went to a UD baseball game with Maria, had chapter and airband practice. All told, I danced for more hours than I slept this weekend! Busy for me, however, is definitely not a bad thing. 

Sorority formal was so much fun! I got to hang out with my GrandBig and my wonderful twin littles, dance, and play with some fishies. I was exhausted the next morning but it was definitely worth it!

Steph and Kayla (my Littles!), Me, and Ali (my GrandBig!)

The next morning I was so excited to head to Miss Delaware orientation, to see my old friends and make some new ones. Becky Albini, Miss Atlantic Coast is my partner in crime, so naturally we are always inseparable at pageant functions. I got to see Tierra, Miss Brandywine, my love, and all the other wonderful contestants. Big shout out to my Miss Delaware roommate, Alix Gardiner! Can't wait to spend the week getting to know you girl! Being at orientation made the impending pageant seem so real. It's a little scary that exactly 2 months from today, a new Miss Delaware will be crowned. While it breaks my heart that Maria's journey is entering a new chapter, I am beyond thrilled that I have a chance to add a chapter as Miss Delaware to my life story. (A 1 in 18 chance, but still a chance!) After Saturday, I can already tell that whoever is crowned in June will represent our state with class and grace. I was thrilled to practice my talent and get feedback from the board, pick my placement for Miss Delaware 2012, and learn part of our opening number! I am contestant number 7 (lucky number 7!) in the pageant, which puts me in the Mu group. This means that on Thursday, the first night of preliminary competition, I will be competing in swimsuit and on stage question, and Friday night I will compete in talent and evening gown.  I can't wait to perform my talent, which is a super upbeat jazz routine to "River Deep Mountain High," strut my newly fit figure in my swimsuit, and wear my incredible custom Tony Bowls gown. June cannot come soon enough!

I have no words for how much I love these two.

As far as the 5k goes, I am SO not a runner. I enjoy working out. Lifting weights is gradually becoming one of my favorite activities, I love the elliptical, and I am a big fan of spin/yoga/zumba, and kind of fun workout activity, but running, not so much. This year I decided to run my sorority's annual 5k. My goal was not to do it in a certain amount of time, or to win. My goal was to finish the entire race without stopping or walking. I am so proud to say that I accomplished my goal within 32 minutes, which may not be the best time for someone else, but is a huge accomplishment for me. You may have heard me mention before on here that I have been focusing on my health and fitness this past year. 2 dress sizes and 18 pounds ago, I could have never finished a 5k, or even a 1k probably. It's small victories like this one that keep me so motivated to keep working towards my goal of being Miss Delaware. If I can run a 5k, who says I can't reach my other goals?

My sorority sister/best friend/Distinguished Young Woman of Delaware successor, Veronica Townsend before running the Autism Speaks 5k!

This weekend was a busy one, but that's what being a titleholder with the Miss America Organization is all about. We must juggle schoolwork, our personal lives, pageant responsibilities, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and positive image. It's not easy, but it's worth it. This organization has helped me grow into a responsible and independent young woman. It's busy weekend like this one that make me grateful for friends, family, the opportunities I have to be this busy, and of course, my super comfortable bed!

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:5

Sorry for being M.I.A.!

Hey everyone! Sorry for being M.I.A. lately but things have been so hectic between Miss Delaware preparations, being in the gym, lots of exams, and greek life, but I'm back! This weekend should be pretty hectic. Tomorrow morning I have a geology exam, rocks are SO not my thing, then Alpha Xi Delta formal is tomorrow night at the Camden Aquarium in Camden, NJ, Saturday morning is Miss Delaware orientation at 9am in Milford, (which will be fun seeing as I am NOT a morning person), then AZD's annual Autism Speaks 5k, which I will be running in. Sometimes it seems like there aren't enough hours in the day. Today I had airband practice (airband is a Greek life dance competition) at 7am, I just did some homework and a little studying, I have classes, then my first ever spray tan, which should be interesting, and then a study date with a friend in my geology class. 

Even though I'm so busy, I am unbelievably excited for orientation on Saturday. This is where we receive our placement for the pageant, get to know the girls we're not already friends with, practice our talents, and we are assigned our roommates for Miss Delaware week! It seems that it's all becoming so real now, which is encouraging and overwhelming at the same time. When I was crowned Miss Coastal Bay 2012, it felt like I had lightyears before I would go on to compete for Miss Delaware, but now that my competition wardrobe is complete, my talent has been choreographed, tweaked, improved, and practiced a million times, and I'm happier with my figure than I have ever been, it seems that June 16th is right around the corner. 

It seems so long ago that last year I showed up to my first Miss Delaware orientation, a scared, self-conscious, and  for once in my life, shy young girl. I was so humbled being in a room with so many accomplished women who seemed so much more grown up than I was, and I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb. My talent was unrehearsed and barely choreographed, I didn't know how to style my hair or do make-up, and honestly I wanted nothing more than to go home the whole time. This year, 16 pounds lighter, much more prepared, and very confident, I can't wait to finally feel like I'm in a room full of 18 incredible girls that I belong in. The transformation I have made within myself and physically as well has not come easy, but it is worth all of the effort I have put in. All of the time in the gym, renting rooms in the Little Bob to practice my talent, giving up a few of my favorite foods, and some intense make up and hair lessons have made me into the best me I can ever be. I finally took the tools that God has given me, and used them to improve upon myself. These changes weren't something I did for the sake of Miss Delaware, or to please anyone but myself. I have put in the hard work and the time so that I can be happier with myself, and I am proud of the sacrifices I've made, and how far I've come. The dread I felt last year about going to orientation has been replaced with a sense of excitement, and now I can't wait! I can't wait to see my old friends, make some new ones, learn production numbers, get my placement, find out who my roommate is, and watch some incredible talent rehearsals!

XOXOXOXO

Alyssa 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Myth Debunked: Pageant Girls LOVE Food

Hey y'all, so if you haven't been fortunate enough to try my baking yet, I apologize. I make some mean cake balls and my red velvet cupcakes have been known to contain rainbows and sunshine dust. Clearly, as a competitor in the Miss Delaware Organization, I often can't enjoy too many of my baked goods. This is why I wanted to hit 3 main points in my blog. 

1) Contrary to popular belief, girls who compete in pageants eat. In fact, we eat a lot. We're not always in hardcore swimsuit training mode, and we cheat every now and then too. Shhh! Don't tell my trainer!

McKenzie from Toddlers and Tiaras knows what's up.

2) You need to cheat every so often. If you deprive yourself of everything delicious, you're going to be absolutely miserable, and no one will want to be around you no matter how good you look. I'm not saying cheat often, but once a week give in and let yourself have a cookie or two...or twelve. Okay not twelve, but one or  two won't kill you!


3) There are healthier versions of your favorite deserts! All you need to get your hands on these recipes is google!


Here's a perfect example of a desert I've made the lightened up version of and absolutely loved it! It's from oxygenmag.com. I promise you can't taste the black beans, and at 90 calories a pop you can afford to have 2! Every girl needs her chocolate fix once in a while  ;)

Ingredients:

Dry:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup Sucanat 

Wet:

• 1 cup canned or boiled black beans, drained and mashed 
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 medium eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp unsweetened applesauce

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8"x8" baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.
3. In another smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
4. Add the bean mixture to dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly until ingredients are well combined. Pour batter into pan.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Insert a knife into the center – if it comes out clean, your brownies are ready.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 90, Total Fats: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 20 mg, Sodium: 55 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 10 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 3 g, Iron: 1 mg

TIP: Instead of mashing the boiled beans, blend them in a food processer to get a smoother consistency for the batter – and keep them inconspicuous in the final product.

FIT FACT: Sucanat is pure dried sugar cane juice. It undergoes less processing and is slightly more nutritious than white or brown sugar, as it retains the mineral-rich molasses, which is normally stripped from refined sweeteners. It’s a bit pricier than white sugar, but it’s worth the splurge for producing clean baked treats.

There you have it: simple, healthy, and delicious! Enjoy!

Peace & Blessings

XOXOXOXO

Alyssa

What If?

This picture on my lovely Director, Jen Hayward's wall inspired me the other day, and it really got me thinking. What if every day I was thankful for every single thing? The fact that I am lucky enough to:

1) Wake up
2) Get out of bed and stand up
3) Go to the classes I generally complain about
4) The ability I have to exercise and work out
5) The responsibilities I have through my schoolwork and extracurricular activities
6) Having food to eat and the means to have everything I need for survival
7) A roof over my head
8) Supportive friends and family members
9) The opportunity to be competing for the title of Miss Delaware
10) Being the me that God created

Here's a little food for thought:

Crazy, right?

When I think about things this way, I have a whole lot to be thankful for. It's crazy to think of the amount of people who will not wake up tomorrow morning; those who cannot get out of bed; those who do not have enough food for nourishment; those who are not fortunate enough to attend college; those who do not have a stable home; and how I usually take all of these seemingly simple things for granted. What if every single day, I sent my thanks to the Lord for all the things he has given me in my life. I have always realized that my family and I are incredibly blessed, but some days, especially days like today where I'm feeling very under the weather and busy beyond belief, I tend to complain about the responsibilities I have. This is my new personal pledge to myself.

Each day I will
1) Thank the Lord for everything I have, no matter how small or trivial
2) Not take anything for granted
3) Live each day by His word, to make myself a faithful servant to Him
4) Do at least one thing that will make me a better person, and a better candidate for Miss Delaware 2012

What if you were grateful for everything one day, or every day? Try it out sometime, it could change your perspective on life.

XOXOXOX,

Alyssa

Psalm 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

90 Days Out

Today it really hit me how quickly Miss Delaware 2012 week is creeping up on me.  There are now 19 beautiful and incredible contestants competing for the title (big shout out to the newly crowned girls, especially my friends Renee Bull and Melissa Caltabiano!), and 90 days until one of us will be crowned! It's unreal to think that in less than 3 months I will be packing up my pageant necessities (about 4 suitcases) and heading to Dover Downs Hotel and Casino to have another chance at my dream. I figure now is as good of a time as any to write about why I decided to get involved in this program anyway!

My junior year of high school I started realizing how close college and adulthood were approaching. It was time to stop depending on my wonderful, loving, and supportive parents, and try to do something to help them out. I stopped by my friendly guidance counselor's office and picked up a book full of every scholarship available in the state of Delaware. I took 2 highlighter colors and highlighted the scholarships I was eligible for my junior year, and those I had to wait for senior year to apply for. Junior year my options were limited. I applied for The Challenge Program, a community service based one, and ended up receiving it for having the most community service hours in my high school. The second one involved much more effort than just an essay and transcript, but I was in no position to turn down an opportunity for scholarship money. The other highlighted opportunity was the Delaware's Junior Miss (Now Distinguished Young Women of Delaware Program), a scholarship opportunity which involves a talent portion, academics, self-expression, and physical fitness. I entered on a whim because of the incredible prize package, including personal training sessions, many scholarships to colleges around the country, and an expense paid trip to Mobile, Alabama for nationals. All told, I almost dropped out of the program the night before it began, ended up winning the self-expression category, and to my shock I was awarded the title of Delaware's Junior Miss 2010. At America's Junior Miss, I was humbled to win an interview award for placing in the top 5 interviews of the whole competition, and definitely met some of my bridesmaids (shout out to Hannah McMillan (NC), Katherine Voo (KS), and Alex Morgan (NY), love you girls). After Junior Miss and receiving about 19 more scholarships that I applied for (most based on academic merit), I had officially received enough scholarship money to pay for my undergraduate education at the University of Delaware. It feels amazing to be able to say my tuition is covered by my achievements and my dedication throughout high school, and I think my parents are pretty happy about that too.

I've never been the type to settle for anything. I don't just want to graduate college, it has always been my dream to go on to law school and set up my own practice. Please don't ask me what type of law I want to pursue, I wish I knew the answer! I have been extremely active on campus, joining an incredible group of young women in the Theta Gamma chapter of Alpha Xi Delta here at UD, studying abroad, being involved in Baptist Student Ministry, UDance, and many other activities. Living off campus and being in greek life have their costs though, and impending LSATS remind me how pricey law school will be in just a few short years. When I was first contacted and asked if I would like to compete in a local for Miss Delaware, I laughed it off, and said I was done being involved in scholarship pageants. Once I began to think about the scholarship money available, however, I changed my tune. Once I won Miss Sussex County, and headed off to Miss Delaware, I had received enough scholarship money to pay for my housing on campus. This year though, it occurred to me that there is so much more to being Miss Delaware than receiving money to further my education, and these aspects of Miss Delaware are much more valuable than any amount of prize money I could win.

I have developed my own reasons for competing this year that extend far and wide beyond scholarship money. In the 2 short years I have been involved with MDSO, I have grown into a much improved, more mature, poised, and confidant woman. I feel that these years have changed me in ways that no amount of classes or schoolwork ever could. I am more prepared for the real world, and more ready to face things independently, without calling my mom for help every single step of the way. This year making a change to my eating and exercise habits has been a huge part of making myself into the best Alyssa I can be. Last year at Miss Delaware I was in a size 6, which is by no means "fat" and I was fairly confident with myself. After watching the videos of myself in a swimsuit, I decided to try to improve upon myself. I didn't want to change for the judges, directors, audience, or anyone else but myself. This year my self-improvements have been just that, "self'-improvements. I realized that I was not living up to my full potential, and that I wasn't being my best self. I ditched the junk food, picked up some dumbbells, and found a new hobby and a new confidence in myself I have never encountered before. Now somewhere in the awkward void between a 0-2, I cannot believe the transformation I've seen in my looks, and my attitude. (Huge huge thank you to Marcellus Beasly, AKA Big Dog for helping me look and feel my best!)

I also ditched that little voice in my head telling me I couldn't ever achieve my dream of becoming Miss Delaware, and replaced it with a more encouraging thought process. Instead of saying "I'll never be as great at _____ as ______" I say to myself "Maybe if I work more on ______ I will be better at _____" or something to that effect. I now put things into perspective. I will never be anyone but Alyssa, but I'm really liking this Alyssa person now. 

I've heard attitude is half of the battle, and I think the other half must be faith. To put your future and your dreams in the hands of 5 judges who will only speak to you in person for 10 minutes before deciding your fate takes a lot of trust in the Big Guy upstairs. You hear it all the time, but it's so true. God has a plan for each and every one of us. God's plan may or may not be for me to be Miss Delaware, but I am so glad it was in his plan for me to become involved in this organization. I have met so many people who have forever touched my life, as mentors, as friends, and as sisters, and I have seen a change for the better in myself. Looking back on when I first entered the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization, it's amazing for me to be able to see how much I have grown (and shrunk) as a person, and to feel my confidence soaring to new heights.

XOXOXOXO

Alyssa

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.