Pink Snuggies, Limo Golf Carts and Cancelled Flights... just a typical week as Miss Minnesota!

Flight to Orlando: 1,308 miles
Flight Home from Orlando: 1,308 miles
Flight to Atlanta: 908 miles
Flight Home from Atlanta: Delayed… miles pending.

As I sit in the airport waiting for my flight to Minneapolis to take off I realized that in the past five days I have been in five different states. I can only imagine that this is what Katie Stam (Miss America 2009) life must be like.

August 11, 2009 – MAOT Preliminary Night

On the first preliminary night, Katlyn (Minnesota’s Outstanding Teen) competed in evening gown and onstage question. The teens put on a great show, and Katlyn just nailed her onstage question! That evening at the preliminary pageant about 30 Miss America titleholders attended the pageant. We were all laughing that for the next few days our names might be Minnesota, or Wisconsin or New Jersey until we got to know each other better.

August 12, 2009 – Universal Studios
All the titleholders were up bright and early for filming for the TLC special. We stopped at Sea World, for a group photo, and then it was back on the bus to Universal Studios. I love going to amusement parks because I love to ride the rides, last summer I performed at an amusement park and after being there all day working I would stay late, just to go on rides for free.

I have been to Universal Studios on a family vacation and my two brothers and I would get the fast pass so we could go again and again. Who knew that all I needed to do was put a sash and crown on, and I could be a VIP and not wait in any lines! The first ride of the day was the Simpson Ride, which is a simulator. I rode with Pennsylvania, Arizona, Washington, South Carolina, and North Carolina in the simulator. We were so excited we started to take pictures, but then the ride shut down. I think we might have accidentally broken the ride with all the photos we were taking. Let’s just say we had a great laugh about this afterwards. The rest of the day was filled with rides: The Incredible Hulk, Dueling Dragons, Return of the Mummy, and Spiderman.

Thank goodness we had time to freshen up before the Wednesday night preliminary. In our gift bags we received Miss America baseball caps with their official logo on it; I put mine on to hide my hair from a day out in the humid weather. As I was trying to sneak back to my hotel room to get ready for the event that evening and go do my hair repair, I ran into Miss America Katie Stam! She was staying just down the hall from me!

One thing I learned about Florida in August is that it is very humid. My hair wasn’t sure what to do, go flat or frizzy. This called for a trip to the closest CVS to pick up some hair care products that hold in the humid weather. When I was back in my room Jennifer who was my Miss Minnesota chaperone that week was a little concerned when I started spraying my hair, the room stared to get a little foggy.

At the Outstanding Teen Prelim, Katlyn did her physical fitness and she wore a cute workout outfit designed just for the Teens. Both Tuesday and Wednesday night pageant preliminaries were emceed by Sierra Minott, Miss Florida 2008, she shared some of her experiences at Miss America. That night after the pageant we had an official meeting for Miss America. We were able to meet the board, and find out more about the TLC taping. We also took a group photo with our (H20) water. Miss America 2010 is Going Green! Each Miss America contestant would be filming a green commercial in the next couple of days.

August 13, 2009 – TLC Taping
Up early the next morning in our matching “Going Green” t-shirts all of the titleholders jumped in the pool. Well, we didn’t jump… but we did dip our toes in and took a group photo. Then it was time for filming for TLC. We had a meet and greet with Sam Haskell and Miss America Katie Stam. Then it was one quick interview for TLC and then a nice long break until my official TLC interview for the website. I was off to have lunch with my Mom. It was my parent’s 26th wedding anniversary and my Dad surprised my Mom by flying in on a red eye flight from LA to Orlando. So Dad was at the pool with my little brother and Mom and I planned to meet up with them later.



My mom and I had arrived in Orlando on Tuesday to meet with Regalia and look at evening gowns for my Miss America Competition wardrobe. After a nice lunch and catching up we were off to the trade show to LaCasaHermosa, they asked if I would be in their filming for the TLC Program trying on gowns. I loved the gowns they had on the mannequins and would have loved to try on the red gown with the beads with wire that went around the neck. I tried on a black gown that was very old Hollywood. After the taping we stopped over to the Regalia booth and talked with David and went up to the Regalia suite with him. In the suite was Jasmine Murray from American Idol who was singing the national anthem that evening at the teen pageant. We had a chance to discuss our American Idol experience since we were both 16 at the time. I was on season 5 she was on season 7.

Before the Outstanding Teen Pageant that evening we went to Maggiano’s with the board. Maggiano’s had designed a special menu for us. All the Miss titleholders have been going from one thing to another and it was fun to sit and talk to each other. Seated at the table with me were Connecticut, Hawaii, Vermont, New Hampshire, Arizona, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.


At the Outstanding Teen Preliminary Katlyn’s performed her talent, a beautiful Spanish piano piece. She did a fantastic job and I was so proud of her. My favorite part of the evening was the disco production number. Katlyn had described the outfits they were going to wear and when I saw the stage full of teens in neon jump suits, I loved it. I was bummed to hear that they were not able to keep the jump suits. I thought maybe Katlyn would let me wear it to the next local pageant for my talent costume. I could sing a disco song.

August 14, 2009 – Miss America Fundraiser
I had the day free until the evening. My family came to Florida for a little vacation before my brother heads back to school so I joined them for the day at Universal Studios. One big difference from when I went two days earlier… waiting in line. When I was with the Miss America group we went in through the exit line as VIP’s. Well this day I had no crown or sash, which meant waiting in 45 minute, long lines. We were able to make it to two rides before I had to head back to the hotel to get ready for the evening events. First up was The Incredible Hulk, we convinced my Mom to go on with us. My Mom usually doesn’t like to go on rides that go fast, or your feet dangle 100’s of feet in the air upside down. After we got off she didn’t speak for a little while, I don’t think she enjoyed the ride. That was her only ride of the day!!!! She told me she kept her eyes closed the entire time and prayed for it to be over. So when we walked over to the Dueling Dragons ride she decided she would find a bench to sit and wait for us.

That evening we were invited to the Siegel residence for a fundraiser for the Miss America Program. After our bus ride (sitting next to bus buddy Miss Wisconsin) we jumped on what I like to call “limo golf carts” and headed over to the estate. We enjoyed food, an amazing desserts table, a live auction, and dancing. It was a great evening to meet sponsors and guest from all over the country. I enjoyed talking to the guests from Minnesota. After a four-hour event we headed back to our “limo golf carts” which led us to our buses, which took us back to the hotel.



August 15, 2009 – Orientation and Final night of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen
In the morning we had an orientation with the Miss America Board to hear about the plans for Las Vegas. Miss America Katie Stam also took the time to speak with us about her schedule and what it takes to be Miss America.

At the end of our meeting we were given goodie bags from the Miss Americas Outstanding Teen Sponsors. I loved the pink snuggie and used it on the plane ride home. The bag was full of great items that I brought home that I could use.

That evening they set up tables before the final show for all the state titleholders to sign autographs. I sat next to Miss Arkansas, Sarah and it was fun getting to know her a little bit better


The final pageant was a wonderful show. I sat next to Ashley, Miss New Jersey, who had a great evening! Her teen was 1st runner up and I loved her excitement whenever Brenna advanced to the next phase of competition. Congratulations to Jeanette Morelan, Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2010 from Wisconsin!





August 16-19, 2009 - Craziness
My family and I flew home on Sunday and had a fast turn around. My mom and I unpacked, and then packed back up for the Atlanta Mart. I was invited down to the Atlanta Mart to meet with a few designers to look for wardrobe for the Miss America Pageant. My Mom and I got to go before the Mart was open and the designers were just getting the show rooms set up. First we met up with Sarah Moses who owns Michael’s Pageant Shop who was also at the Atlanta mart and came with us to our meeting with Sherri Hill.

Then we met with Carry from Regalia who joined us at our meeting with Tony Bowls. Tony Bowls contacted me before the mart to come down so we could discuss designing a gown. It was so much fun being at the Mart and getting first look at all the gowns before the mart was open. I have never seen so many dresses in my life!

After meeting with Tony Bowls, Mom and I had lunch and then met with Carry from Regalia again at Jovani. I was so excited to see the Jovani gowns because my talent gown was a Jovani. I met a girl who works for Jovani that I knew from a pageant when I was 10 years old. It was fun to laugh about how we were back then and how much we have changed. The Jovani staff and models were all excited about my CD that I recorded for Children Miracle network and had me sign copies for them. Then they blasted the music in the showroom!

It was a long day of trying on hundreds of dresses, but I think I found a couple great pieces to add to my wardrobe for Miss America pageant. After sitting and talking with Carry (who spent the day with us) we were ready to go back to the hotel. I had no idea that we were at the mart trying on clothes from 9 to 5:30 and I was tired. After the long day my mom and I crashed at the hotel and had a flight home in the morning.

The weather was perfect in Atlanta, Georgia but not so perfect in Minneapolis. We took a short flight to Charlotte, North Carolina and were suppose to jump on a flight home. First the flight was delayed an hour, then two hours, then three, and then four and then cancelled. Thank goodness my father was already on it and got my mom and me on a 10:15 PM flight.

Sooooo……1 PM… what does a mother and daughter do for 8 hours in an airport? First we had to go and pick up our luggage that we checked and go back to ticketing to recheck it to the 10:15 flight to Minneapolis. After checking our bag I asked if they could give me a pass for the US Airways lounge so my Mom and I could sit and wait, and I could plug in my phone and computer. John Cameron the agent at US Airways who graciously gave us meal vouchers for the day tried to get his supervisor to let us in, I even tried the “I am Miss Minnesota” but it didn’t work. For the next 8 hours we walked the entire airport going through every souvenir shop. At one point of the day we rested in rocking chairs with some frozen yogurt we shared. I spent most of my time looking for plugs to charge my phone and computer and would go sit on the floor and write my blog. My Mom was reading Sam Haskell’s book that we purchase at the teen pageant in Orlando. She did finish it before we got on the plane to head home. Thank goodness our 10:15 PM flight left on time and we were back in Minnesota by 1 AM.

August 21, 2009 – My Golden Birthday
The Kilgarriff family has a tradition of giving the birthday person breakfast in bed for their birthday. We also must wear this birthday hat that my mom purchased years ago that lights up and plays music. I have many photos of me in that hat. I hope my mom never shows those pictures to anyone because if you can imagine what your hair and face look like when you first wake up then you know what I look like in those photos.

I had a fundraiser that evening at the Epic Center, and a good friend of the family, Linda, offered to do my hair for the event. She did a wonderful job and thank you to her kids Sammi, and Austin for helping out as well. I believe my little brother even took a photo of Austin holding a clip in my hair!

My Mom and Dad came with me that evening to the event called The Breast Party which was a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Awareness Association at the Epic center downtown Minneapolis. I performed with the band, The Remnants (the band members are all doctors!). They learned my music to my two original songs for this event. It was a great way to spend my birthday sharing my talents with breast cancer survivors. I heard incredible stories from survivors and convince some people to take a vacation to Las Vegas (right around Miss America). A special thank you to Amy Marie, for letting me be a part of this event and having the band play Happy Birthday to me.

Always
Brooke