Happy Holidays

I will be taking the month of December off so that I can spend time with family and friends over the holiday. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. See you again in January.

Miss Seattle

Congratulations to McKinley Smith, crowned Miss Seattle 2010.

Tamara and I with the lovely Jackie Mendez, Miss Pierce County.

2009 Miss Tri-Cities Jerrica Fowler and 2009 Miss Tri-Cities Outstanding Teen Samantha Brown.

Queens For a Cure Benefit Pageant

Event Founders and Emcees Kennedy and Victoria.

Breast cancer survivors in the audience being presented on stage.

This event raised over $10,000 which will be donated through Race for the Cure. At the race, all Queens for a Cure participants will have the opportunity to display their banners and crowns in recognition of their fundraising efforts.

Pageant judge - Chandler Batiste, Miss Whatcom County 2009 and first runner-up at Miss Washington 2009.

Taylor Mann - Queens for a Cure Supreme Queen. Taylor raise over $1,000 for Race for the Cure.

Isabelle Banks - Queens for a Cure Supreme Princess. Isabelle raised $825.00 for Race for the Cure. She was also first runner up in the Junior Pre Teen division.

Pageant Judge and friend - Tia Hunsperger. Tia was Mrs. Washington Globe 2003 and placed as 2nd runner up at the Mrs. US Globe Pageant.

Cheyanne Garcia - Queens for a Cure Pre-Teen Queen.

Kendall Sadler - Queens for a Cure Supreme Sweetheart and Kelly Backous - Queens for a Cure Miss Queen.
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Today I attended the first annual Queens for a Cure Benefit Pageant founded by two amazing young ladies. Victoria Knight and Kennedy Miller formed Queens for a Cure after a friends mother passed away from breast cancer. Inspired by the love of their own mothers, they wondered if they could do something to help prevent more daughters from losing their mothers. Queens for a Cure raises money by holding the pageant event and donating proceeds to breast cancer research. The Supreme titles encourage participants to go out into their communities and raise additional donations.

Seattle expected to be key market for electric cars

Puget Sound is poised to become one of the key markets for the initial wave of electric cars.

Mrs. Oregon America 2010

Mrs. Washington contestants represent at Mrs. Oregon America 2010.

Mrs. Oregon America 2009 - Joelle Rankins-Goodwin.

Jamicka Jones (Mrs. Fife).

Kathy Kannada, Mrs. Washington America 2002.

Miss Washington County - Kaya McGrath

Group photo: Elizabeth Larsen (Mrs. Washington 2009), Derozette Banks (Mrs. King County), Amanda Gonzales Merrill (Miss Oregon's Outstanding Teen), Irene Schade (Mrs. Olympia), Carla Richards (Mrs. Pierce County), Lisa Quast (Mrs. Issaquah).

Pageant Judge Emma Pellet - Emma is the reigning Miss Oregon Earth 2009 and will compete for the title of Miss Oregon USA in the fall. She is the November cover model for Supermodels Unlimited magazine.

Sandra Herder, Mrs. Oregon International 2009, and Sheilja Patel, Miss Teen Oregon International 2009.

The new Mrs. Oregon America - Joy Huston.

Group photo - Derozette Banks (Mrs. King County), Lisa Quast (Mrs. Issaquah), Joelle Rankins-Goodwin (Mrs. Oregon America 2009), Elizabeth Larsen (Mrs. Washington America 2009), Joy Huston (Mrs. Oregon America 2010), Tamara DePorter (Mrs. Seattle), Laura Hunter (Mrs. Whatcon County), Carla Richards (Mrs. Pierce County).

Pageant Host - Chet Buchanan

Dinner at Applebee's Restaurant.

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Mrs. Washington contestants traveled to Lake Oswego Oregon to cheer on contestants at the 2010 Mrs. Oregon America pageant.

Miss Washington USA

Tamara DePorter (Mrs. Seattle), Julie Rzechula (Mrs. Washington International 2010), Isabelle Banks (Little Miss Washington 2009), Jessica Riggs (Mrs. Snohomish County), Marikay Coyer (Mrs. Washington America 2008), Laura Hunter (Mrs. Whatcom County).

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I was not able to make it to the Miss Washington USA pageant, but I wanted to share pictures of titleholders who went to watch and cheer on the contestants.

The Grey Ribbon Gala for the Chris Elliot Fund

I donated one of my bracelets for the Chris Elliott Fund (CEF) auction. The bracelet was bid on and won by Actress Jean Smart.

Jessica Riggs (Mrs. Snohomish County), Elizabeth Larsen (Mrs. Washington 2009), Tamara DePorter (Mrs. Seattle).

Group photos with some of the Sea Gals.

Group photo with John Curley, the Auctioneer.

Group photo with actress Jean Smart.

Laura Hunter (Mrs. Whatcom County) and I greeted guests at the door.

Tamara DePorter (Mrs. Seattle) is on the Board of Directors for the Chris Ellott Fund (CEF) and CEF Ambassador.

Lisa Bluhm (Mrs. Pacific Northwest), Derozette Banks (Mrs. King County) and Laura Hunter (Mrs. Whatcom County) help out before the event.

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This Friday our group of pageant sisters gathered together to volunteer for the Grey Ribbon Gala in support of the Chris Elliott Fund. The Grey Ribbon Gala benefits brain cancer research, education and awareness.

Walk for the Animals

Lara Thompson-Kravik of Blue Dog Bakery was handing out tasty dog treats. As you can see, they got Cordi's attention.

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Today my husband Mitch and I joined more than 1000 walkers for the Walk for the Animals event to raise money for the Seattle Humane Society. This event raised more than $100,000 for the care of abandoned pets. The event was followed by FidoFest - a celebration of everything dog.

Bellingham Bulldogs Game

The Bellinghham Bulldog Cheerleaders.

Visiting Bellingham for a Bulldogs game. The Bellingham Bulldogs are a semi-pro football team and local non-profit community driven organization. Here I am joined by Laura Hunter (Mrs. Whatcom County), director of the Bellingham Bulldogs Cheerleaders, Isabelle Banks (Little Miss Washington), and the Bellingham Bulldogs Cheerleaders.

The Bellingham Bulldog Cheerleaders at work.

Seattle Coffee Fest

Jessica and I with Talia Alcantar, one of the owners of Alcantar Coffee.

Enjoying some of the many samples provided at the show.

Hanging out with Josh (between Jessica and me) of Espresso Parts NW at the Aroma Challenge booth. Convention attendees could stop by to identify the distilled scents that are sometimes found in coffee.

A big thanks to Jessica's husband Mark, our photographer for the event.

Wendy Fisher and Marilyn Dryke with the Cafe Femenino Foundation. The Cafe Femenino Coffee Project is a social program for women coffee producers in rural communities around the world.