Living the Dream.

First off, PLEASE watch this video.  It is a nice window of insight into life as a Miss USA contestant.

Next...  WOW.  I am flying back from Las Vegas as I write, and I am feeling all sorts of things right now.  I am mostly stunned to be returning to New England after living what already seems like just a dream.  Did that really just happen???

I just spent basically a month living in a hotel with 50 other Miss USA contestants.  From about 7am to 11pm we were on the go, non-stop with appearances, events, filming, and rehearsals.  And of course, 7am breakfasts meant 5am wake-ups to get hair, makeup, and outfit ready for the day while sharing the tiny bathroom with my roomie (Indiana).  Wash hair, dry hair, do hair.  Foundation, fake eyelashes, lips, cheeks, eyes, etc.  Outfits, accessories, shoes, and don’t forget your sash!  Long days in big heels surrounded by fabulous security guards and chaperones.  We did SO many things.  Most of our events focused on photoshoots and filming.  We were fed VERY well.  If we weren’t eating in the buffet, we were being spoiled by incredible restaurants.  People shouted at us when we walked by in our pageant herd... “where is Texas!!!” and we packed more pageant girls into one elevator than I could ever have believed possible.  I can only imagine how interesting it was to see us all walking somewhere, two by two and flanked by security and chaperones, all sparkly and very tall. 

Living on the contestant floor in Planet Hollywood with the girls became routine pretty quickly.  After long and exhausting days, we would still all hang out together at the end of the day.  I was nervous going to Miss USA because of all the pageant horror stories about crazy, catty girls and drama... but there wasn’t any of that.  I can honestly say that I could sit with any contestant at any meal and have a great conversation.  We are all sisters.  Nobody understands what I went through in Vegas but them.

It was exhausting and grueling, emotionally and physically draining, and completely amazing.  It really was living a dream.  I feel so blessed to have been given the chance to go to Miss USA.  I am so grateful to my family for supporting me while I competed at Miss Vermont USA, throughout the year, and during the crazy Miss USA preparations.  I love you Mom!  I am also grateful to my friends for being so interested and involved in my pageant escapades.  Thank you also to my great director Randy Sanders for helping me along the way.  And a huge thank you to the amazing girls who made Miss USA SO much fun.

I am feeling a little confused about going back to my real life now.  You mean I don’t have to wear my sash anymore?  Where are my security guards?  Where are the 50 other girls?  I can wear my sandals and yoga pants?  I am allowed to leave the house alone?  People use my real name?  I don’t have to wear fake eyelashes anymore? 

My reintegration into life is definitely going to feel a little lonely.  Like I said... I was surrounded by the other contestants pretty much every waking moment for 19 days and none of us were allowed ANYWHERE alone.  Not even the bathroom (unless we were on the contestant floor).  I feel like I have so much freedom already.  It will feel strange to not be competing for a pageant anymore.  I have been preparing for a pageant for almost two years now!

However, I am excited for what lies ahead in my life right now.  I am moving into a new Vermont apartment and working as a summer school nurse while I study for my NCLEX nursing exam.  I’ve been accepted to graduate school for the fall.  I am excited to spend more time with my family and friends, and I am looking for a horse to ride again... I haven’t had time to ride since last summer!  Life is AWESOME. 



Now when I look at a map of the US, I don’t see a bunch of places... I see a bunch of people.  The Miss USA experience was really amazing.  Preparing for the pageant completely took over my life, and I have never worked so hard for anything ever.  It was so great to be part of something so special.  Although very difficult at times, my life has been forever changed by the experience.  I am so happy that I did this, and I will probably be having Miss USA withdrawals for some time now.  Until then... NAP TIME!

 

(yes that is me. backstage at dress rehearsals)

Thanks for staying tuned and cheering me on! Hugs to you all.

Vegas!!!

 

Hey all!

As you probably know... I am in VEGAS for Miss USA right now!  I got here on June 3rd and have been SO incredibly busy since then. What a whirlwind!  Every minute of our day is booked with photoshoots/filming & appearances at pools, clubs, restaurants, shopping centers, and more.  Rehearsals begin tomorrow.  I am so excited.

My favorite thing so far has been getting to know my pageant sisters.  I was a bit nervous coming here because I was worried about the girls...  Would they be nice and fun, or would they be stereotypically "catty" like pageant girls are expected to be?  I have been pleasantly stunned.  I have made SO many friends and am just delighted with how wonderful the girls are. I am having the time of my life and sharing this unique, exhilarating, exhausting, wonderful, crazy experience with my new awesome friends.

It is Miss USA's 60th anniversary and I can promise you that this year will be an incredible show.  Stay tuned!!!!

A big shoutout & thank you to our fabulous sponsors Rain Cosmetics, Farouk Hair/Chi, & Chinese Laundry shoes.
A big shoutout & thanks to my personal sponsors: Maria at The Crowning Touch for my fantastic gowns/cocktail dresses, my family at The Chop Shop, Katie Boyd at the Miss Fit Club, Ecco clothing, Zinnia's Jewelry, Jane Yoga, Salaam clothing, Cliche Boutique, & Bertha Church Botique.

Thank you also to my AMAZING supportive family and friends.  You guys rock!

Miss USA is such a special experience and I feel truly blessed to be a part of it all.  Keep up to date with me on facebook & twitter!
~Lauren

NYC Media Tour

 

Hello all!

WOW did I have a busy two days at the Miss USA NYC Media Tour.  I had an amazing time getting to know the other girls while riding around on a double-deck tour bus to various interviews. 
Highlights of the trip include...

• Meeting Donald Trump! He is an impressive, articulate man and I really don't think his hair is that bad.
• Regis & Kelly (airs Monday, 5/30)
• The Today Show appearance
• Fox & Friends appearance
• LXTV segment
• AOL interview
• Dinner at P.F. Chang's
• 

And last but not least... our participation in Fleet Week events!  It is currently Fleet Week in NYC.  Fleet Week is both a celebration and educational event for the public to join with our Navy and Marine Corps.  It gives us all a chance to say "thank you" to the men and women who risk their lives to protect ours.  Events during Fleet Week include ship tours, lectures, fun competitions, music, The Parade of Ships, and a Memorial Day ceremony. 

Our participation in Fleet Week was two-fold.  We first attended a barbecue aboard the Iwo Jima ship.  This gave us a chance to really talk to members of the Navy and Marine Corps.  It was really great to talk to these people and learn more about what they do, where they've been, and how it is to serve our country.  I even was sought out by a few Vermonters!  How fun.  Our second event was a Bike Build in partnership with the USO.  We were teamed up with men and women in the Navy and Marine Corps to assemble bicycles that were to be given to children of deployed soldiers.  This was really great.  We even got to see some kids test the bikes out.  Don't worry... there was a Quality Assurance Specialist who made sure we built the bikes correctly!

One of the most memorable things of this trip was the experience of riding the double-deck tour bus.  People walking and driving the streets of NYC often realized that we were a bus full of Miss USA contestants, and they would shout random state names at the bus and take pictures and wave.  We even had rapper Flavor Flave hanging out the window of his fancy SUV to yell up to us. 

It was great to see the girls and sad to see them leave.  BUT I will see them all in a week in Vegas.  I won't miss them for too long.  MISS USA HERE I COME!

Rest In Peace, Emma

 

What is about to follow is a pretty tragic story, but it explains why my finger is wrapped up in gauze.

If you know me, you know that I am a complete animal nut.  You also probably know that I rescued a dog a few months ago after my dog of 14 years passed away.  I wrote a blog post about the whole experience.  My rescue dog, Emma, was 11 hours away from being euthanized in a Georgia shelter because they had too many dogs.  She was saved by Good Karma Rescue and brought to me.

 Emma became instantly attached to me, and I became equally as attached to her.  I took her everywhere.  She would even wait outside the bathroom door for me when I showered!  She accompanied me to friend's houses, photo shoots, sponsors, errands, and more.  She loved car rides.  She slept in my bed.  We traveled.  We went for a run every morning.  When I left the house, she was not a happy girl because she just always wanted to be with me.  In just a few months we had developed a very strong bond.

 

On Monday night, I stood and watched while Emma ran into our quiet dead-end road.  I called her and she turned to run back to me when she was hit by a speeding car.  The car came out of nowhere- I didn't see it coming at all.  The girl who was driving didn't even know that she hit Emma.  She sat up but couldn't move her back legs, and then fell over.  She couldn't move her front legs either.  I ran up to her screaming like a crazy person and she bit me- she was so scared.  I was so scared too.  Frightened, horrified, and stunned.  Everything seemed to move in slow motion.  It was like my life had suddenly become a terrible scary movie.  Emma didn't bite again when she realized it was me crouching over her.  I was able to calm her down a bit, but she had already broken and sliced my finger in her fear.  My poor baby.

Lucky for us, a doctor was taking a walk when the accident occurred.  She must have been an angel.  She ran over and helped me load Emma into my car, and drove us both to the emergency vet.  I couldn't drive because I was bleeding everywhere and freaking out.  Instead, I comforted my baby Emma on our frantic drive to the vet.  My amazing roommate met me at the vet's office as quick as she could, despite the fact that it was her birthday.  She made it there in record time and our savior doctor left.

The vet took an x-ray and informed us that Emma had fractured her back and punctured a lung.  She would need more x-rays and would have to be sedated for weeks to see if there was a chance of healing.  I asked the vet what he would do if it was his dog... I am a hospice nurse after all, and I don't believe in unnecessary suffering at the end of life.  The best option for Emma was to be put to sleep.  I pet her little black head and looked into those chocolate brown eyes when she took her last breathe.  My poor little baby.

As if that wasn't enough, I had to go to the ER and get stitches after.

 

Life is always full of unpredictable joys and tragedies.  I am glad I was able to give Emma the loving home she deserved for the remainder of her days.  She was a really great dog.  Thank you to everybody who has shown so much love and support... especially to Lauren, Mom, Nan, and Kyle, but also to everybody else in my life and on facebook/twitter.  You are all amazing.  I will miss you so much Emma.
~Lauren

Troops & Countdown

 

Hey all!

Time for an update.  I had a lovely Easter weekend with friends and family.  While visiting, I had the opportunity to greet incoming troops at Pease Airforce Base in Portsmouth, NH.  Pease Airforce Base is basically a rest stop for the troops.  The troops stop here for about an hour before they continue their flight to their home destination.  Because it is just a rest stop, there are no family members or friends of the troops present.  However, there are the Pease Greeters.

The Pease Greeters are a huge volunteer group of retired veterans and community members who gather to give the returning soldiers a big welcome.  It was an absolutely moving experience to witness over 300 volunteers gather to provide these soldiers with lots of clapping and hand shakes, stuffed animals to bring home to their children, food, phone calls to home, and a ceremony in recognition of their service.   The men and women I greeted were returning from 1+ years of service in Afghanistan.  They were so grateful for their wonderful welcome back to the states, but we were even more grateful for their dedication to protecting their country.

Check out http://peasegreeters.org/

 

 Beyond that wonderful experience... things in my life are starting to happen very fast!

• I am having my Miss USA Send-Off Party this Friday as a fundraiser for Vermont Respite House.  I hope you are coming! 
• My last official day of classes is May 4th.
• Going to NYC May 5th & 6th for some runway coaching for Miss USA
• Final Exams are May 12th & 13th
• Senior Week begins May 15th
• University of Vermont College of Nursing Pinning Ceremony is May 21st
• University of Vermont Graduation is May 22nd
• NYC May 24th-27th for Miss USA Media Events
• VEGAS June 3rd-21st for Miss USA 2011 Competition! WHOOHOOOO!

 Bring it on!

Food. Yum!

If you know me, you know that I am passionate about eating healthy.  Filling our body with nutritional foods gives us a natural energy and radiance that nothing else can.

  (not that kind of natural energy)

It is easy to weigh ourselves down with heavy, processed foods.  The chemicals, fat, and sugars in these foods contributes not only to weight gain, but also to depleted energy levels.  Our body has to work extra hard to digest these foods.  We become exhausted from this digestive work and turn to coffee and candy bars for an energy pick-up.  The short boost of energy provided by coffee and sugars is a very temporary band-aid for a solvable problem.

Before I went to college, I ate whatever I wanted... from burgers to cookie dough!  After moving to Vermont (go figure) for nursing school, I became much more health conscious.  I went from a "typical" American diet to a very health-centered diet.  I lost weight, felt energized, and no longer needed a pick-me-up coffee or soda.

Some important things I have learned about eating for energy and health:

• SNACKING is important between meals to keep up energy levels! Just make sure it is a good snack.
• Pack your meals if you are going to class/work.  Fail to plan, plan to fail! 

• Don't step on the scale toooo much... if your pants are looser, that is a good indicator of your weight as well.
  
• Try to limit your time spent in the middle aisles of the grocery store... fresh produce is on the outer aisles!

• Watch out for food that comes in a box, wrapper, or vending machine.  Can you pronounce the ingredients?  If not... warning sign! Don't eat too many chemicals.  It confuses your body.
• Include fruit and/or vegetables in every meal

• Meat should not be the focus of your plate.  A portion of meat should be no larger than the palm of your hand... wow! 
• Drink mostly water, and a lot of it!

• Juice is not a sufficient substitute for your daily dose of fruit... no fiber, and lots of sugar. Make sure you bite into a piece of fruit every day too.
• Allow yourself to indulge occasionally.  Nobody is perfect!
• Practice portion control.  Stop eating when you are full (sometimes it just tastes so good!)
• Whole grains! A good goal is to make half your grains whole.
  
• Soy products can be your friend.  

Some of you may be wondering... what do I eat?!?!

I'll share with you my favorite staple foods.  I like to mix it up with, but I usually eat these in the course of a day:

• Eggs!!! If cholesterol is a problem, cut out one/all of the yolks.  Omelettes, hard boiled, sunny side, over easy, scrambled... throw in some veggies, feta, or (my favorite) pesto!  Even apples and cheddar are good with eggs.  If you can, try to get them local and/or free range.  We want to support animal rights here.

• SWEET POTATOES! These are amazing if you cook them until they are very squishy. 
  
• Almonds and raisins: what a great combo!  A serving of protein, healthy fats, and fruit!

• Apples & Bananas
• Carrots & Hummus (my favorite: Sabra Hummus, roasted pine nut)

• Stonyfield Farms Yogurt! Plain or french vanilla, low fat. 
• Fish. Tilapia, salmon, and shrimp... yum.
• Spinach!!!! Sprouts! Lots of it.
  
• Avocado: healthy fat and delicious!
• PEANUT BUTTER! My favorite dessert. Mix with honey or yogurt (or both!) but make sure you get real peanut butter... Skippy doesn't count!  Ingredients should be peanuts and salt. That's it!

• Protein Shakes: I drink quite a few of these because I work out a lot and don't eat meat.  Spirutein is a great meal replacing shake, and Muscle Milk/Whey Protein are great workout drinks.
• Spirutein (cappuccino flavor!) with Silk Soy Milk in the morning
• Chocolate Muscle Milk Lite during the day (they discontinued the mocha one?!)
• Vanilla Whey Protein mixed in with my yogurt

Those are my staple foods.  If I need a sweet treat, I will do the peanut butter & honey or some dark chocolate almonds... you can't over-indulge in those because they are so rich!!!

 

I will leave you with a favorite recipe of mine... healthy apple almost pie!

Ingredients:

• Apple
• Cinnamon & Ginger
• Walnuts & Raisins
• Vanilla Yogurt
  
• Quinoa (optional)
  

-Take an apple (or a few) and slice it up.  Sprinkle on the cinnamon and ginger.  Sprinkle on walnuts and raisins. Throw it in the oven on a cookie sheet.  Let cook at 350 until raisins are puffy, walnuts are crispy, and apples are squishy. (15 minutes or so)

-Meanwhile, cook QUINOA if you want to use it.  Quinoa is a healthy grain that is full of protein and fiber. Yum!
-Remove the apple mixture from the oven and mix it up with some quinoa and yogurt. YUMMY!

 When I make this, I cook up a bunch of apple mixture and quinoa and keep it in the fridge.  It can be reheated and is a great breakfast, lunch, or dessert!


That's all for now... enjoy and eat up!

PS I highly recommend the movie Food Inc. 

~Lauren

Stethoscopes & Crowns

 

Those of you who know me know that I am a nurse.  Being a nurse has absolutely shaped me into the person I am today.  I really, truly love being a nurse.

Something I have learned in my time as a nurse is this: Nurses are SPECIAL.

 

Another thing: the qualities I have learned in nursing would make me a GREAT Miss USA!  How so?

• Nurses have great communication skills.  We have to establish trusting, caring relationships with multiple patients and their families each day.  We know how to speak AND listen.
• Nurses have awesome interpersonal skills.  With patients, families, doctors, social workers, pharmacists, other nurses, nursing assistants, etc... we coordinate with them all!!
• Nurses are trustworthy.  We are trusted with patient's lives each day.  What more sacred thing could somebody be trusted with?
• Nurses can handle stress.  The stress of caring for a bunch of patients at the same time and having to be in a million places at once is very common.  The stress of being the calm, caring nurse while people go through traumatic and sad times.  The stress of wanting to give and help everybody but not being able to.  We know how to handle the worst kind of stress.
• Nurses are excellent at time-management.  We have huge, crazy, never-ending to-do lists and would not accomplish anything without excellent organizational skills!
• Nurses work long days and long nights.  Ive worked my fair share of 12-hour day and overnight shifts, and even a few 16 hour shifts.  On my feet the whole time, busy busy busy and with a SMILE on my face!  
• Nurses care.  We put our patients first and have great compassion.
•  
• Nurses are flexible enough to deal effectively with all of the unexpected twists and turns that their days take.  
• Nurses are fun!!!!  We work long hours, often over-time, and spend a great majority of our time at work.  Our jobs become a huge part of our life and who we are.  We laugh a lot and have a good time with our patients and co-workers.  They need the laughter as much as we do!
• Nurses have great physical endurance.  Working long hours on our feet and lifting heavy people takes a great deal of strength and stamina.
• Nurses have a great deal of respect for human life and their own lives.  We are grateful and appreciative of every little thing, because we have seen people go through very hard things.  

These all sound like qualities that Miss USA needs to have... great communication and interpersonal skills are a huge part of the Miss USA job.  She needs to be trustworthy enough to show respect for herself, the Miss Universe Organization, and her country.  She needs to be flexible, handle stress, manage time well, and have the physical endurance to remain positive through long days and long nights.  Caring and compassion is important for her to relate with the people she meets, and laughter is something to share with everybody.  She needs to have fun being Miss USA!  Most importantly, gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity of being Miss USA is important to keep her grounded.