Dawn View;and Something Funny

The next two pics were taken from our balcony at the hotel on the morning we returned to Missouri. I'm not sure, but I want to believe that this is Mount Hood---but it could be another mountain.This is taken to the left of the last pic and a few minutes later. The sky color was a little deeper. There was a park directly across the street from the hotel. The tree tops you see were from that park. We were on the 7th floor.

This shot was just a few minutes later, and you could begin to see buildings and other structures. We caught the light rail train back to the airport right outside the hotel. We felt like we saw a cross-portion of downtown Portland as we rode along. I think it was only 20 or 30 minutes for the trip. Some areas it traveled pretty fast, but some areas [near other traffic] it was slower. I kind of enjoyed the ride!

Okay, I don't usually take a picture in the bathroom! But I just couldn't resist this one. Oregon is one of the 'GREENEST' states I know about! So they encourage Ecology in many ways. This sign is posted above the stool in the bathroom.

In order to conserve water---this sign tells you how to flush! You pull up on the handle for "liquid" waste[ number 1] and down on the handle for "solid" waste [number 2]. And now you know!!!

HUNGRY! and SO Tired!

After the Finale, we were all pretty hungry so we decided to eat at the restaurant in the hotel. Here is Erika coloring her menu /placemat while we waited for our order.

This picture "says it all!" about how tired everyone was. It was a lot of work in some regards, mainly for Madison and Karen, to get Mad to her 'appointments'/rehersals, and events on time and in the right outfit etc. And there was some 'let down' after it was all over, but I am so glad that Madison got to experience something like this. and I am SO glad that we got to be there to see it all!

Madison is coloring her placemat with Papaw looking on. We all de-stress in different ways. One of the ways Madison chooses is to zone in on some type of artwork. She has always loved to color and draw and has had great comments from her classroom teachers over how well she does with it.[If you want to see what she created for the pageant contest that won her a 'first' rating, check out Karen's blog.--there is a link to it from my blog!]

Tropies and Tears and Smiles

After the pageant we met Madison in the hall and took a few pictures. Her trophies are sitting on the floor in front of her. The biggest one is for her "First" in the Art contest, the second biggest is for her "Second" for the Resume' she wrote [all the girls were supposed to write one.] and the smallest is the one she got for being in the state contest. Each of the girls that made it to state got one of those.Karen had gone running back to the dressing room after the finale thinking that Madison would go there first. Madison had been smiling and talking with the rest of us but when she saw Karen come up to join us she burst into tears. I think it was a lot of things--being tired, relief that the stress was over,being happy that she went so far in the contest, and maybe a little bit of diappointment because she didn't win, too. But the tears didn't last long and she got her 'smile' back real soon.Erika was concerned about her tears and gave her a hug. She told her she was happy for her. Chris had found a rose on the floor that some one had dropped and had given it to Erika during the pageant. She decided that she wanted to give it to Sissy, too. So Madison is olding both roses .One last shot of them all. [ Jacob didn't come with them to Portland because he had an "End of Season" soccer tournament to play in that weekend.]

Pics From the Finale-Sunday Evening

Here are some pics I was able to get from the finale. This first one is from the dance routine that all of the girls participated in doing at the start of the program. The girl with the sash and crown is last years winner. Madison is standing to her left [to your right as you look at the picture].Here is a shot of Madison, with her tropy for being in the state pageant, as she is being introduced for the final time. The girls all rushed back to the dressing area to change out of their 'dance' clothes and get into their formal wear for the rest of the program.This is right after they announced Madison's name as being in the Top 10. I believe she is receiving her Rose for that in this picture.Here are the Top 10 waiting for the judges final decision. From these ten there was chosen 4th runner-up, 3rd, 2nd, 1st, and the winner. Madison is standing in the center, and the girl that you can barely see behind last years winner is the one Karen says was the winner this year.

Madison didn't place in the top 5, but she was delighted that she had made it into the top 10! We were proud of her! Glad that she went as far as she did, and really proud of her gracious attitude throughout the whole pageant! And she still had that big smile!

The End Result!

I'm not sure...but I think this big smile is partly because all of the "sit still,"head up" is finally over!

Here is how the back looked. Remember, this is all Madisons hair . NOT an artificial "fall" or hair piece!

A side view [and she is STILL watching the cartoon show on TV]

The Tee shirt and hair bow are part of the outfit she wore for the dance number that the girls did together at the beginning of the show. She put it on before Karen started on her hair so she wouldn't mess her "do" up by putting it on. Karen warned her that they would have to 'go slow' and be very careful in taking the Tee off when she had to quickly change into her formal wear for the finale.

Time for a quick pose with Nanny and Papaw before we all went down to the finale. She always has had this great big smile! Love it!!!!

Gettin' Beautiful...

...takes time and patience! Madison's hair is so thick, that it takes a long time to get even a simple "DO" accomplished.

Karen pulled it all into a pony tail, wrapped a piece out of that around the 'pony' to hide the 'band' and then began to separate and curl her hair into ringlets. She tried using her curling iron but the curls were just NOT staying together. I suggested my [smaller bore] iron and that made a tighter curl.

Then each curl got sprayed with lots of hair spray!

Papaw and Erika were reading the 'funnies' together while all of this was going on [Madison was watching a cartoon show!]

Storm Warnings/ Storm Shelters

Have you ever been 'stuck' in a store like WalMart during a tornado warning, or a severe storm warning?
Several years ago I got to spend a half hour or so in the 'cooler' area of our local Aldi's store while a severe thunder storm raged out side. I was glad for the comfort of feeling I was in a strong safe place.
Last evening a friend and I stopped off at the WalMart in Warsaw for a 'comfort stop'. We had just dropped another friend at her house on our way back from a shopping trip in Springfield. It was a little dark with a few sprinkles when we went into the store. I decided to use the opportunity of being at a Wal Mart to pick up some vitamins etc. that I was needing. My friend and I were looking for one I wanted when an employee came up to us and asked that we would please move to the center of the store as they had been advised that a severe thunder storm was approaching. When we got to that area we could see that nearly everyone who was in the store was milling about in that area. We spent time checking out some merchandise in the area and just walking around in it. About 20 minutes into that someone made an announcement over the store speakers that we were 'in line' of a tornado that had been spotted in Oceola. I was a little more concerned than I had been, and then I was a little more concerned when I thought about where they had gathered everyone: middle of the store, no structural support that would keep the roof from crushing us all if it fell.
I wonder why that area was chosen!?!? Was there not some area of the store: offices, hall, even bathrooms, that would have protected us from flying glass but would have had interior walls to help support a roof structure? I don't know who writes their policy, but I think they should re-think it! I'm probably going to write a letter to Wal-Mart headquarters and maybe one to some state officials expressing my concerns and asking why they approve this policy. Maybe there is something I don't understand, but then ,again, maybe there isn't!!!

Pageant Saturday Evening

All of the girls were judged in these catergories: Formal wear [with escort], personal introduction, interview with the judges, and ?[I can't remember?!?! :0)].
Here is Madison with her handsome escort, her Daddy. I think her dress fits her personality, and I was very impressed that Chris could still wear the Tuxedo he had while in high school!! [Heehee!]

I know this picture is dark, but this is when she was actually introduced for the first time. After they walked onstage she walked toward the judges and then made a slow circle in front of them so that they could see her total outfit, smiling all the while, of course! When Chris rejoined her, he presented her with a rose bouquet [most escorts did this for their girls] and walked her off stage. Erika was sitting between Ron and I. Madison was number 22 out of 46 or 47 girls to be presented. After a while Ron touched my arm and said to me,"Is Erika asleep?''. Sure enough, she had curled up on the comfy chair and was fast asleep. She stayed that way through all of the rest of the evenings program.
After the 'formal wear' Madison had to rush back to the dressing room and put on her 'interview outfit' and get ready to come back out for her Personal Introduction.
The girl standing by her was last years winner in this division. She stood there and passed the microphone to each girl as she came out [by herself this time] and gave her own introduction. Some girls tried to memorize a whole complicated speech. Some did well with it and some did not. Madison came right out and took the microphone and said,"Hello! My name is Madison Lamb, from the beautiful city of Medford Oregon. When I grow up I would like to become an interior designer. Thank you!"

She had a lot of 'stage presence', perhaps because she was the primary character in a Christmas play at church last December ?!?

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Today you would have been 104. You got close to 100--just 3 years and 2 months away. I thought, as did many others, that you would make it to 100. God had other plans, and His plans are always best!!
I remember other birthdays after Daddy died and how "Just us Girls" got together for most of them. We took you out for lunch and a shopping trip---usually to Wal-Mart's fabric department because that was one of your favorite places to go. A few times we had a picnic/cookout down below Truman Dam, too. One of the best times was when we surprised you with an 80th birthday celebration and invited so many friends and family to join us at the Methodist church in Smithton. A couple of days later we girls took you out [on your real birthday] for lunch. It was always great when Evelyn could come in from California and be with us, too. One of the saddest times was when we went out for lunch [the guys,too.] and then we all went to see Carolyn because we wanted to include her in the day. None of us had any idea that would be the last time most of us ever saw her again.
I would love to hear you tell the story once again about the surprise party you planned for yourself. The surprise was on Grandma because you had asked your friends to come and she wasn't planning a party! If I remember right, you had told her that you wanted a party but she was busy at the time and did not REALLY pay attention to what you were saying. Then you asked her what she was going to serve or something the day of the party and she realized that you were serious and had to come up with something to eat and drink in short time.
Another story I would love to hear again was about 'old Maude' the former race horse that your family had as a 'buggy' horse and how notionate she was about moving only as fast as and when she wanted to move. Except for the day when she met the 'horseless carriage' on the road and it passed her. She took off for home and you all just had to 'hang on' because she didn't stop until she was in the barn!
I could just see it all in my mind as you were telling it!
There are many more things to remember, but they will have to wait until another time.

Brakfast Buffet--Saturday Morning

If you reserved rooms at the hotel for the NAM pageant, you received vouchers for the breakfast buffet. The food was really pretty good, but I don't think there was enough communication to the person who scheduled staff etc. for the weekend. They kept running out of certain foods [i.e. plenty of gravy, but NO biscuits!]and did not really have enough wait staff either; but everyone was pleasant and helpful--just overworked. [They also had a "Stamp Show" and some other meeting going on in the motel!]

Madison 'practiced her smile' for everyone with a camera! It has always been beautiful! Everywhere she went in the hotel, she wore her pageant number, too.

Karen is peeling and quartering an apple for Erika. Look how long Erika's hair has gotten. It is so different from Madison's in color, texture, and 'thickness'. But it is beautiful, too. And it is part of what makes her be Erika!
I was scrapbooking a page with Erika's baby pictures one time, and it was very interesting to see how her hair got lighter and lighter each month. It was brown like Madison's had been when she was born, and was this beautiful golden color by her first birthday.

After our breakfast together, Madison had some rehearsal time and other meetings. For lunch, we all walked down a block to a mall at the Lloyds Center and ate in the Food Court then went our separate ways to due a little shopping. It was beautiful weather!

National American Miss--Oregon

Friday night of the pageant weekend they had a "50's" get aquainted dance for all the contestants and their families. Karen and Chris made Madison's poodle skirt and fixed an "M" on her shirt a la "Laverne and Shirley". Erika got a poodle fixed on one of her skirts and an "E" on her shirt. Both had long scarves tied around their pony tails. Check out Erika's big old sunglasses!

Here, they are dancing on the very crowded stage with Daddy. Karen and I were trying to take pictures---when we could find them in the crowd!

Madison is trying to do the Twist. Her elastic in her skirt was a little too loose and she was constantly having to pull it back up as she danced.

Here is a close-up of the "poodle". She ought to be able to wear this skirt for a while. They both looked so cute!

Mommy and Daddy got 'in the spirit' and dressed 50's style, too. The music variety was great but it was really loud, and then they were trying to talk over it to tell the girls some things. My ears were 'tired'! Might have something to do, too, with the fact that we had flown that day and it was already past Midnite, Missouri time, when we were through! Ron stayed in the room and went to bed. He 'turns into a pumpkin' when it gets that late!