“In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet”- I found this quote fitting tonight.  While over 50 girls competed for the title of Miss America tonight only one, Laura Kaeppeler Miss Wisconsin, was crowned.  After seeing the contestants come out to meet with their friends and families I feel that this quote was fitting for each of them that night.  Some girls came out and represented the opposite of this quote.  They were not focused on the outcome but rather on the journey they had taken to get them to this point in their personal and professional lives.  These women are truly inspiring and I know every person in the audience that night could look at that stage and see each of those contestants and find something to look up to in those women.  Whether it is their confidence, dedication to community service, scholastic achievement, or beauty; they all have something admirable and inspiring and many of those girls encompasses ALL of those qualities listed. 

What was hard to see was the women who came out to meet their friends and families and were disappointed in the results of the evening.  Although I may never understand that disappointment personally, I thought about it in regards to everyday struggles when we work so hard and put all of our time and energy into something and it does not work out the way we planned or prepared for.  That night I sat in the audience in awe at the amount of community service that each young women had completed in their own communities and thought how amazing would it be if they could inspire the world to make simple changes and take time out of our lives to dedicate towards others.  That night each girl had reached for the moon and hoped for the dream job of a lifetime to become the next Miss America.  It is important to remember that the Lord always has a plan for us even though we might not understand or be able to see it.  While many girls were still focused on missing their shot at the moon, many of them did forget to look at the ground they stood on and the beautiful things they have planted in each of their own home states. 

I think now about Miss Minnesota, Natalie Davis.  She did beautifully each day and night in competition leading up to finals night and was even named quality of life award finalist.  I have watched and admired her journey to Miss America back from when she was Miss Mankato and then named Miss Minnesota this past June.  Her journey is one of grace, beauty and most importantly passion.  Her passion for her platform is something that is not only inspiring but also moving.  As she speaks about her brother Trevor you can see the passion in her eyes and in her voice.  When she talked about him on stage at Miss America during her on-stage question portion, even though I have heard her story and dedication to her platform before, I was brought to tears still.  Natalie is one of the most beautiful and talented women I have ever met and her success at Miss America just enhanced everything that she has done so far and what she will still do as Miss Minnesota and in her future.  At the end of the night after the pageant today I thought about this quote and how Natalie exemplifies it.  All week she gave it her all towards competing for Miss America, but at the end of the journey she has an amazing flowerbed that she has created.  I know each of us that will compete to become the next Miss Minnesota is part of that flowerbed because Natalie has inspired and instilled in us a passion for this organization and each of our own personal platforms.  She has nourished us with her gifts and inspired us to become the best we can be. 

I will never forget sitting in the audience tonight and watching something live that I have watched for so many years on television.  If anyone is ever feeling uninspired in life or having a rough day I would ask you to re-watch this pageant or YouTube clips of it.  These women should serve as an inspiration to all.  I know I personally left this week being inspired and motivated and feeling as though “the sky is the limit” on the journey that lies ahead of me.

Congratulations again to Natalie Davis on a beautiful job at Miss America!! J

-Caitlyn 

Today I arrived in the fabulous Las Vegas with my wonderful Mom!  You might be thinking why go to Vegas in January.  My answer is simple… The 2012 Miss America pageant!!!  My mom and I woke up bright and early today to fly out to Las Vegas for the week to attend all of the preliminary rehearsals, preliminary competitions, shopping and designer trunk show, and Miss America Finals show (which will also be live on ABC).  I am excited to see each area of competition and what these women look like both on and off the stage.  Through the past few months I have followed their journeys in their home states and now all of these women come together to compete against each other for the dream job of becoming the next Miss America.   Follow the Miss America link on my site to learn more about each of the contestants and this wonderful organization! 

Happy New Year to All!

New Year’s is always a time to look back at the year past and forward towards the year ahead.   When I think about the last year I like to focus on what all I accomplished.  Each of those accomplishments had its own feats and was a journey in its own way.  In my reflection of last year the items which I am the most proud of include: traveling through Europe in the spring, working at the nursing home and also getting my 1st ever job at a hospital, and  becoming Miss Heart of the Lakes 2011.  When I think about the year ahead I set high goals for myself and where I hope to be next year at this same time.  Each year this list may be a little too lofty and have too many items or items that will be impossible to complete and focus on this year.  What I hope to accomplish is to at least give each item some time, whether I get all that I wanted to accomplished or only take a few days or hours incorporate something new in my life both are a form of success in my book.  Many times I know when I talk to my family or friends they simply create a list of resolutions and then when things get difficult and change they cross items off all together.  While there is a time when your life may changes and different goals become more realistic or feasible, it is understandable that these goals might change.  The challenge that I will ask of everyone is that maybe this year you will not simply cross off an item if it becomes seemingly obsolete in your life, but rather just downgrade your ultimate goal in that item so you are not eliminating it from your resolutions completely.  Each item that makes your list should be an important one.

Here is a list of some of my New Year’s Resolutions- Maybe some of these are items which you want to add to your own list J

1)      Laugh more often- It is easy for me to get bogged down with the seriousness of everyday life but laughter enhances even the tensest situations and opens up the mind. 

2)      Increase my number of volunteer hours for Breast Cancer Research – speak in schools and publicly about the cause as well as plan a large fundraising event to donate directly towards research. 

3)      Work on my physical fitness- Yes, this is what everyone typically has on their list but it is more about lifestyle changes to become healthier and respect my body.  It will also help in the lifestyle and fitness in swimsuit competition in June.

4)      Prepare for Miss Minnesota- this means just working on being the best Miss Heart of the Lakes I can be and being the best that I can be.  This may seem cheesy but that competition will just come down to a competition against me and it is the same with each contestant.  I hope to prepare to work towards the dream job of being Miss Minnesota but that will come through developing my own passion in life. 

5)      Make new friends- This should be easy I hope.  I have already met so many amazing and inspiring people through the Miss America Organization and hope to take every opportunity I can in the next year to meet and connect to as many people as possible whether at events or even just the grocery store. 

Blessings in the New Year,

-Caitlyn 

Season’s Greetings!
It is that wonderful time of year to spend with friends and families and those that we love so dearly.  I want to share some of the wonderful traditions that my family shares and maybe inspire others to try these as well.  As you drive through the city you may see dozens of Christmas tree's that are cut and hung up and ready to buy.  What my family has done since I was born is actually to go to a local tree farm and hand pick out a tree.  Once the tree is picked and we all are in agreement that it is the "best" tree for our house, then we grab out a saw and chop it down.  While many of the trees that you pass in the lot may be from local tree farms in Minnesota, I find it touching to actually drive to the tree farm and meet the families who own and run these businesses.  Not only is it rewarding to know and take pride in where the tree is from, but it is also nice to have a large variety of trees to pick from and know that you hand selected this specific tree.  Often times the tree farms that we go to even may have a petting zoo with REAL Reindeer, hot cider, mini donuts, hot chocolate, and handmade crafts and ornaments to shop!!! We have made this a yearly tradition and go each week after Thanksgiving with a couple that has been friends with my parents for years and their 2 sons.  There are many ways to make picking out a Christmas tree a festive and family fun event!

Another item when it comes to the holidays, and this was a new tradition in my family starting last year but I can tell it will be around for years to come is capturing the moment when we open our presents on camera. I will add some pictures below for you to hopefully fully grasp the joy and humor that can be had while opening gifts.  I personally find gift opening sometimes to be slightly "awkward."  This is for two reasons: one being that you have everyone staring at you as you open your gift and judging your initial reaction, and two is the simple fact that sometimes you may not be too fond of the gift you open (although I also feel you should always be gracious because if someone is kind enough to share and offer you a present you should count yourself blessed because there are many children and families that will go without presents this Holiday Season).   So, to break this streak my family started to react as if it the absolute BEST present we have ever received and maybe it really is and maybe it is something we already have, either way it gets a fabulous reaction.  The best part of this is going through the pictures after the fact with everyone and having a huge laugh.  I know I used the surprise/happy pictures taken of my mom opening gifts last year to send out to all of our family and friends for her birthday party this year and everyone loved the photos and wondered what she had just gotten in the pictures because she looked so happy.  A year after the fact you may not even remember what you received for your gifts at Christmas time but the thing I enjoy most about these pictures are that it is a reminder that we had a blast and turned something that can be awkward into one of the funniest times we shared as a family that past year.  So, I will attach a few of those candid photos below and share some of my families unique traditions that maybe you can try adding to your holiday festivities this year with family and friends.

Merry Christmas,
-Caitlyn 

Greetings!
Today I had the opportunity to stop by and volunteer at a local Dairy Queen.  August 11th is national Miracle Treat Day where a percentage of proceeds go towards the Children's Miracle Network (CMN).  Not only is this an amazing beneficiary but CMN share's a national partnership with the Miss America Organization.  As my first opportunity to help out and volunteer with this cause as a Miss America local Titleholder, I had the privilege of having a fun-filled and rewarding day.  Meeting individuals as they came in to support this cause and others who came in just for a satisfying treat and being able to inform them of the wonderful benefit they were contributing to by purchasing a treat on this day.  It was fun to see children and their parents enjoy delicious ice cream but also the satisfaction in their eyes and on their faces when they knew they were giving something back to children in need.
 I look forward to volunteering more with CMN throughout my year of service and was blessed to be able to participate in this wonderful and delicious event! :) 

Greetings!
I am extremely excited and honored to be named Miss Heart of the Lakes 2011.  I don't think I can put into words what this opportunity means to me and what I hope to do with it. I thought I would start by letting everyone know a little bit about me, which I hope this blog will also help with throughout my year of service to the Miss America Scholarship Program.  I think the item I would like to begin with is talking about  my personal platform of Breast Cancer Prevention and Awareness which has been a major part of my life for the past 5 years.  Over those years I have raised now over $5,000 to support research and aide for those impacted by the disease.  I choose to support a variety of organizations throughout the years including, Susan G. Komen and the National Breast Cancer Research Foundation.   I think breast cancer prevention is extremely important and a topic that is commonly missed in spreading awareness about the disease.  I think that as a young woman it is important now to become aware of this disease and what I can do in my daily life to help guard myself against this devastating disease.  In creating my platform I have used my education to help develop a presentation.  I graduated from the University of St. Thomas in 2010 with  degree in Biology and a minor in Theology, and loved my experience there.  I was involved on campus through student organizations, a resident adviser in the residence halls, and a member of campus ministry.  In one of my student organizations I had the opportunity to present a presentation regionally to 2,500 Midwest colleges on the topic of creating their own breast cancer awareness week on their campus.  This is one of the presentations I still do, but through my years of involvment with my platform have learned the importance about spreading preventable measures.  I also enjoy hearing and  sharing the moving and inspirational stories of the women and men impacted by this disease.  I hope with my year to continue to raise funds for breast cancer research, speak to multiple communities about breast cancer, and serve as an ambassador for the Miss America Organization and the Children's Miracle network.
I cannot wait to share more of my year as Miss Heart of the Lakes with you!
Take care,
-Caitlyn  Thompson

Miss Heart of the Lakes 2011