And Summer is ON!!!

And the fun is on!!  Classes are done, and nothing is to stop me from spending my days living, loving and laughing!!

Saturday, May 12th: I spent the morning with the Miss Spokane Scholarship Organization at the Junior Lilac Parade and children's fair.  The funny thing?  When I showed up to "volunteer with" the Miss Spokane gang on Saturday morning, I had no idea that I was about to be part of a parade.  I went to the corner they said to meet them at, in a "spring dress"....and oi ve!....people are lining up for a parade!  OH!  Okay!  Sounds fun!  Let's do it!  And there we went....more people were along the parade route than I will likely see again at one time through the rest of my reign.  And I didn't even know it was going to happen!  Hehehe.  I got to walk the parade route, and had fun running up to a few excited young children to give them hugs and high fives along the way.  I even saw a few people I know from soccer and church in Spokane!  I am so very appreciative to the Miss Spokane Scholarship Organization for including me in their special day!

Fighting over Boomers with Miss Evergreen and Miss Inland Empire.

With Shock, the Spokane Hockey Team mascot at the Children's Fair!

After the parade, Miss Evergreen, Ramya Ramanathan, and I loaded up my car and hit the road for Seattle.  BUT....along the way, OF COURSE we had to stop in Moses Lake to love on my nephews and refuel with some Starbucks!!

With Ramya in Moses Lake!

And if you want a hilarious peek at Ramya and my fun on the road:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uePM7YxbwwU

Sunday, May 13th:  I woke up at 5 am (YAWN!!!) in order to be in downtown Seattle ready to go at 6:30 am.  WHY?  For the Color Run!  The Color Run is a 5K run that benefits the Ronald McDonald House...BUT, there's a twist!  Along every kilometer of the race, a different colored powder is thrown onto the white-clad runners.  I joined forces with Miss Liberty (Salina), Miss Seattle (Jean Sun) and Miss Evergreen (Ramya), and volunteered as a color thrower on the yellow team.  And OH. MY. GOODNESS we had fun!

Before....

....And After!!

 I have spent the last week and a half working in the Moses Lake schools promoting community service and academics.  Just as an example, tomorrow I head to Frontier Middle School to fly some precisely engineered bottle rockets.  Yes, I know....rough work ;).  And when I am not in the schools?  Preparing for Miss Washington and loving, loving, loving on my two wonderful nephews that I am THRILLED to be in the same town as again!

With my two precious nephews!!

Psalm 139:16  ...All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.