Let's talk politics.

Missed the last Township October meeting last month because we were out of town in Omaha at a wedding. This month, November we only have one meeting because of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Let's talk politics in general... What do you think about the H1N1 Vaccinations. Have you gotten yours, are you going to? In Mundelein, IL we had a clinic available at a local Jr. High. Started on last week Thursday and the line was very long, or so my friend told me. They got smart and started handing out numbers and you could come back for the shot later. On Friday the clinic was busy as well and ran out of shots and turned people away. Saturday's clinic was cancelled.

Do you think this is the governments fault, or the manufacturer's. that there werent enough available? Do you think that that our president should have promised 10% of our H1N1 vaccines to other governments especially when there are aren't enough for our own US citizens to get vaccinated?

I had a regular flu shot but I wasnt sure if I was going to have my daughter and myself get an H1N1 vaccination b/c I dont know about these shots. Were they properly tested and are they effective or might there be other problems or long term effects? I guess with the clinic running out of vaccinations I didnt have to make that decision in the end. I try to keep our immune systems up with healthy diets, a lot of sleep, and acidophilus(sp?).

So going back to politics, does this mean that if the government can't handle doling out simple vaccinations, how would the government handle health insurance. Should they choose what doctors we can and can't see, if we can get treated, get an operation or if we are too old to get treatment? Did we really want or vote for a socialist president or want a socialist government, is that the way the Dems are going b/c that is not the kind of Dem I am... and if some health program is put into place, and we dont like it... can we eliminate it. How possible will that be with our government system and the horrible slow grind?

Just some thoughts and ideas for the day.

NISP pageant pictures

Check out the big honking crown

Sheridan home after the play trying on the new crown since we missed the pictures after the pageant.

Sheridan's formal gown.

Sheridan's queen friends

The stiff competition. These girls were great.

Left to right, Kara, Marissa, Sheridan, Reene and Meg.

Here are more pictures from NISP Pageant, Nov. 1, 2009

NISP Northern IL Scholarship Program Nov 1 2010

Sheridan's poster on donating to food pantries.

Sheridan in Interview suit

Sheridan in gown for talent, playing piano.

Sheridan showing her sportswear modeling outfit.

Sheridan in her Star modeling outfit.

Yesterday was a big day for us. Sheridan and I left the house at 730 am to go sign in at NISP for her competition.

The morning started with a practice at about 830-9 and then changing for the first of three performing optionals. The first optionals was Star Modeling, to be followed by Sportswear Modeling and lastly by Talent. Before these optionals began the judges also judged the girls on the optionals they could turn in, being essay, photogenic; and community service poster.

For Star Modeling Sheridan wore a zebra blouse with white capri pants, zebra sparkly flats, zebra earrings and a black hat. For Sportswear she wore a blue tennis skort, a white sleeveless top, a white visor, blue hanging heart earrings, white socks and gym shoes and of course nicely decorated tennis racket. For her talent, playing piano, she wore a beautiful coral gown and she played the Sea Chanty (What can you do with a drunken sailor).

After optionals it was lunch, mmm yummy healthy McDonalds, then back to redo the hair. I forgot to mention we put Sheridan's hair in hot rollers this morning, did the poof or bump and then a flip of the hair. We reroled it after lunch to get the curl back, her hair is very light, thin and drops, doesnt hold a curl very well or very long.

Next was a speech to be given. Sheridan wore her new suit and gave a speech on The person she most admires, and it was ME, so nice. She did a great performance. Then the girls changed into their gowns for the modeling of the gowns and answering the two questions, one from their information sheet and one from a basket of pop questions.

Sheridan's first question from her fact sheet was about her participating in a program at school called Walk Chicago and she explained what it was, how they go out on a track and walk and then earn rewards at the end of the year for the laps they counted throughout the year.

Her second question was about looks and do you have to look good all the time - her answer was no because I think inner beauty is what is important not the physical looks. Her replies were amazing.

Unfortunately these process took a long time and so did the tabulating and handing out the prizes and crowning. They started after lunch about 30 minutes late and that put the afternoon behind. This was bad for us because Sheridan had a play to be in at 630 and Sheridan earned a crown but we waited until 6pm. We were really pushing it.

Today was a hard day of competion. Only 15 girls/women competed overall in the pageant. Sheridan's division had 5 girls, like last year, and they were all very, very good, stiff competition, also like last year.

Sheridan's friend Marissa earned the princess ambassador, that is what Sheridan was last year. Kara was the Jr. winner, and she also hold a high title in Dream Girls. I failed to mention before the actual crowning awards were given for optionals. Sheridan won many medals including one for poster and essay and for both modeling optionals and she won the trophies and prizes for both the modeling, and some cool nisp bags with them as well. Sheridan also won the award for the highest overall points in the pageant portion alone, without the optional points. With that and with the two girls crowned in Jr. division we know that she had the chance of winning the two higher crowns she was competing for as well, including Elite and Jr. Supreme Star.

Sheridan won Jr. Supreme Star and the crown is sooo big. The trophy is over half her size. She also got a cool septor, a photo box, an address book, a mini calculator key chain, a gorgeous rhinestone necklace and earrings and a crown pin and tshirt, and I forgot the cool black and white sash too. She was very excited, overwhelmed and so was I. We were very proud.

You Rock Sheridan.

Pageant Clothes

So do you realize that pageants can be very costly?
Local pageants less so but when you get to the national ones...watch out.

In the Miss IL pageant system for example which leads to Miss America, those girls, the older ones especially, not the teens or preteens, they need to be in perfect shape, skinny, preened perfectly. they buy dresses that are $3000. it really bothers me because it shouldnt be about how much you spend on a dress but how you appear, the grace, elegance and presence. How you talk and walk and represent the organization.

Anyway, we had bought some new pageant gowns, very inexpensively, too big b/c they would be sized down but we need the length... well they cost more to be adjusted then the dress, but they are worth it. Sheridan grew too so we took the shawls that came with them and lengthened the dresses too. the seamstress did a great job. you would not know they were altered. I will post pictures of the clothes after the pageants have gone by. Can't show all our secrets.

Sheridan has two coral dresses and one hot pink. With her tan/olive skin she looks good in coral, brown, hot pink and turquoise.

We also had a gorgeous suit made for $95 and worth every penny!!! in coral and brown. This is really inexpensive, actually. She looks so cute and the woman who made the suit is amazing. The suit is lined and gorgeous. We bought the character shoes too, $40, but Sheridan looks great in them. She likes the cut because instead of cutting across the toes they have a v shape and are more comfortable.

For modeling Sheridan has a great capris outfit with zebra on top and white capris on bottom with shoes and accessories to match. For sports modeling she has a skort, white top, visor and tennis racket, white gym shoes. For her acting competions she has a cool hot pink and zebra pattern rock outfit that go with her "rock" theme for the commercials.

I try to keep expenses down and am sure I do better than most.

She loves the clothes and looks good in most everything. Not a bad problem to have.

Libertyville township meeting

There is a libertyville township meeting this Thursday, but it will be the first meeting I will miss because I am going to a wedding.

I am sure all will go well without me!!

NISP Tea

Sheridan, Cassidy, & Samantha just hanging.

All the queens with their new titles.

Yesterday,Sunday, was our annual tea. A great event where many moms helped put it together as well as various lifetime queens as well.

Everyone brought an appetizer or a dessert. All girls earned an award of somekind and some of the girls received their new crowns. Abbi - Ambassador Queen, Allison - Supreme Hostess Queen, Samantha - Queen of Queens, Kristen - Scholarship Queen, Jaime - Royal Honor Queen and Olivia and Mary are new Lifetime Queens.

Great job for all those girls. They should be proud because the moms and other girls are!!!

NISP coming up soon! Any girl or woman can compete

Do you have a daughter who loves to be on stage? NISP is looking for girls from ages 4-6 Tiny Little Miss and Ages 7-8 Little Miss to compete for their frist crown. Northern IL Scholarship program, a pageant with a purpose, Community Service. We have... no girls competing in these age categories & we want your little ones. This is a natural pageant not a glitz!!! check this site: www.nisprogram.com . It is not too late, Competition is Nov 1, 2009 at Round Lake Beach Civic Center. We do community service anywhere needed but especially Lake County and McHenry County IL. come to as many or few activities throughout the year as you want. Looks good on resujmes for adjults & for college applications for kids. Don't want to compete, become a community ambassador, get crown & sash & be one of the girls, come cheer us on!!! Join in the good deeds of community service & a great mentor for the litte ones & fun too. Ages 4 on up to women, married or single!!! Say Sheridan Referred you too, please!! And tell us you are going to compete or be an ambassador. Learn more on website!!!
www.nisprogram.com