Dear Happy Helpers,

2.29.2012

Do you want to help me with Miss Idaho without having to spend a dollar?
Alright... if you are a male... this post will do nothing for you... so you can read it or just pass it by.

If you are a female and 14 or older with a facebook... Help a sister out! I am getting ready to compete at Miss Idaho. And I am hoping to get a brand new gown for my final year competing. But those gowns are darn expensive... and I am definitely on a budget! Well a local gown shop is holding an contest and a great opportunity for dress buyers. But I will need your help!

Go to Venue Pageant and Prom's on Facebook. "Like" their page. Then make sure you post on the wall that Deidre Edmunds sent you! I would really really REALLY appreciate your help. Feel free to share this with your friends as well so I can get as many votes as possible. Thank you so much for all the support as always!

Love,
Deidre

Dear IHOP,

Thank you so much for being willing to support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals by donating free short stacks to people across the country. I feel so lucky that the Miss America Organization has teamed up with two other organizations that are all about support and love. I am grateful for all the opportunities for growth and service that has presented through such a great cause.

Greeting all those coming into IHOP for a free short stack. People were filtering in and out so quickly. It was great to be a part of this event and educate people on why IHOP gives free pancakes. And I made some great friends while spending my evening at the restaurant. 

 The little girl I am holding was SO excited to see princesses. Her Mom said she is "5 going on 45" and can't wait to be a pageant queen herself. 

 Two brothers and a sister. The girl took probably 10 pictures of me when I was walking around helping and then showed them all to me on her Mom's phone. Then all the kids wanted individual photos and multiple group shots. The boy with the red pants... quite the hugger. 

The little girl I am holding is a Primary Children's Hospital (the local CMNHospitals) patient. She is living proof the CMNHospitals help children in need. She is healthy and strong... and adorable! Her family still has to take her to Primary Children's because she bruises very easily, but they let us know how grateful they were for Children's Miracle Network. They said it has made such a difference in their life and helped their little girl have a life.

In case you were wondering why IHOP was so willingly giving away millions of pancakes, I will let you know! IHOP donates the pancakes in hopes that in return you will donate the money you didn't spend on food to CMNHospitals. Did you know that 1 in 9 children's families can not pay their medical bills? Even with that statistic did you know that CMNHosptials does not turn anyone away because they want the children to get the help they need? Your donations are what makes this happen! You can donate even without free pancakes and ALL the proceeds will go directly to the hospital. Please help a great cause by donating to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and helping these children and their families. The money you donate will go to the hospital that serves your area (based off of the zipcode you enter). Thank you for helping in such a great and wonderful cause. If you have any questions about CMNHospitals please contact me at missmagicvalley@gmail.com

Love,
Deidre

Dear St. Patrick's Day,

Not many celebrate this one.... but I think it is fun. Wear green, leprechauns come and change your milk green, find some gold, don't get pinched. Here is some holiday cheer for you to print and display in your home.


Love,
Deidre

Dear Treats,

2.28.2012

I LOVE TREATS!!!! (I love them even more when I am on a "diet"... I use the term diet loosely because my diet consists of calorie counting and not cutting out every food that makes me happy. Pick and choose where I can let a treat in the mix... choose wisely my friends.) But I really do love treats. And I love making them. So sometimes I make them just so have one and give the rest away. Welcome to the life of a woman getting ready for swimsuit on the Miss Idaho stage. Actually welcome to the life of any woman. Why else do you think your girlfriend or wife is so willing to make you cookies and cakes on a regular basis? So this weekend I really wanted a homemade Oreo. So I made a batch. Why does chocolate and cream cheese forsting go so well together? I ate a couple, my mom ate a couple, and I gave the rest away. What other treats should I be craving (or are you craving?) so I can make a batch eat one or two and give the rest to, most likely, you!



HOMEMADE OREO COOKIES

The Cookie Part...
1 Box Devil's Food Cake Mix 
1/2 Cup Solid Shortening (or butter)
2 Eggs

Roll into dime sized balls
Cook for 9 minutes at 350 degrees

The Frosting Part...
8 oz Cream Cheese
1/4 Cup Butter
1 TBSP Vanilla
2 3/4 Cup Powered Sugar

The frosting kind of makes a lot so we always save it
to eat with graham crackers at a later date...

Love,
Deidre

Dear Anti-Bullying,

2.27.2012

This week I got the opportunity to return to Sawtooth Elementary (where I went for K-6) to promote my platform. It is such a humbling experience every time I go into a school. The principals are always so helpful and ready for me to present. Mr. Rutledge had turned the whole week prior into Bullying Awareness at his school. He ordered "Say No To Bullying" bracelets for every student, all the walls in the school were full of anti-bullying information, and he had even called KMVT to come to my assembly. You can see the full story here or my other debut on the news here. It is incredible how much my platform has picked up and created opportunities all on its own. I am so grateful that I can go into these schools and teach about the importance of respecting classmates.

In front of my elementary school. I have a picture of me standing here with my kindergarten diploma when I was younger... the sign seemed to be much higher then.

With my first grade teacher and her class. So great to still see her doing what she loves.

"Put your hand higher! I can jump!" The boys all love giving high fives and  the girls love giving hugs and trying to touch my crown as they walk out.

I am looking forward to more opportunities to teach students how to S.T.A.M.P. Out Bullying in their school, as well as the self-esteem and respect assemblies and group presentations I have coming up. This has been a great year to be a title holder and I am looking forward to what comes next. If you have any questions about my platform, what I do, or would like me to come present please email me at missmagicvalley@gmail.com.

Love,
Deidre

Dear Crafter Inside,

2.23.2012

I knew your craftiness was just waiting to come back out. First baseball bracelets, then printables, and now a bookshelf. Heck, I'm not even mad... that's amazing! (Name the movie.) I am glad some of my friends have their own homes with their own furniture so I can help them in decorating things and making them cute. I cannot wait for my own home so I can decorate and be crafty to my own desire to make my house a home.

White bookshelves that you put together yourself are nice. But they are better when you make them cute. So we covered Cassidy and James' bookshelf in old book pages. Cute, yeah?


Love,
Deidre

P.S. Oh... and thank you Haleigh for my new artwork. One for winning and one just in case.


Now really... Love,
Deidre

Dear MMV,

2.22.2012

Okay, here is another pageant post. But you love them, right?

This weekend was incredible. Incredibly inspiring and incredibly fast. I went home Thursday night and came back to Utah on Saturday so I could teach Relief Society the following day.

I got the opportunity to go to Lighthouse Christian Academy and present to the pre-kindergarten and elementary students about anti bowling. First thing I learned, obviously I need to pronounce my words better...

Me: What is bullying?
Boy: It is where you have a heavy ball and go like this... (insert bowling action)
Me: Well... bullying and bowling do sound similar....

I love seeing the students hold onto the idea that bullying hurts people and even when apologize are said, the scars are still there. I love when I can tell the students look forward to mutual trust and respect between their peers. I love that the teachers and staff understand and respect my message and want me to come into their schools. Most of all I love being the one to be involved in the process and getting to be a role model to these students.

 Miss Magic Valley in front of the Lighthouse sign.

Teaching the kids how to STAMP out bullying in their school. 

"Are you a princess? Can I touch you crown?"

Saying thank you to an appreciative teacher. 
So flattering that they appreciate my message and the work I have been putting in.

Later that afternoon I got together with all my sister title holders for a photo shoot. It was way fun to just spend the afternoon catching up with all of them. I talk to my teen, Lauren, a lot, but I don't get to talk to the other two very often. These girls are incredible. I am so lucky to have them as sisters.

Miss Canyon Rim, Kristina Nye; Abby Bitzenburg, Miss Canyon Rim's Outstanding Teen; Lauren Smith, Miss Magic Valley's Outstanding Teen; Deidre Edmunds, Miss Magic Valley

That is a little sneak peak of the photos we took. I look like a giant, but it is fun, right? I am heading home again tomorrow for a little more pageant excitement.

Love,
Deidre

Dear Draft,

It is so nice to have someone that I can CONSTANTLY brag about. Sorry if it is getting old to you, but it is still very exciting for me.

Adam pitched his first game last week, and although I couldn't be there I listened to the games on the internet when I could and got text updates from Gloria (one of Adam's teammate's girlfriend) and Adam's two sisters, Gina and Amy. Plus I got one million photos and a video... so it is basically like I was there, right?



Adam pitched the Saturday game of the series. Here are his stats...


(led the team in strikeouts and walks.... interesting....)

He did so great. 7 up, 7 down... and then he stressed me out. 1 out, bases loaded (not only were the bases loaded but they were loaded because Adam walked the previous three), and full count at bat.... seriously? Adam threw a curve ball and struck the guy out! 2 outs. Bases loaded. Third guy up, hit a fly ball into right field and got out by Brugman. STRESSFUL. In the 5th inning Adam strained his groin and had to come out. But he did FANTASTIC. So fantastic that he made it onto this website.


Keep up the good work! St. Mary's this weekend and Arkansas next week.

Love,
Deidre

Dear Winning... Again,


You all remember how excited I was to be winning so much, right? Well the winning continues...

First I won the One on One Cookie Decorating Contest. My cookie took 1st in the category: Most Like Martha Stewart. You might remember seeing the picture in a previous post, but here it is one more time.



Then at power stand we had a championship of all activities on the break floor. We were split in teams to compete in a round of lightning, ping pong, air hockey, and a dance off.... Obvi I was selected for one of our teams dancers. Watch the video to see how I did.



If the title of this post didn't give it away I was the female champion for the dance off. You can watch it all from a different angle here. Let the winning continue... maybe in June, if you know what I mean.

Love,
Deidre

Dear Baseball,

2.21.2012

Okay... so this post is LONG overdue... not just because I havent blogged in a few days (I went home to promote anti-bullying, details to come) but because I made this gift for Adam for Christmas and I just barely got the clasp attached and I was making him tie it on. So here it is, just in time for baseball season. I turned this...


Into this...



"Are those friendship bracelets?" You bet they are.

Love,

Deidre

Dear Pageantry,

2.16.2012

This little gem has been floating around the social media world and I think it holds pretty true in all aspects.


I love being involved in the Miss America Organization. I have been blessed with many opportunities because of pageants and my plattform. I have worked hard for the things I have accomplished and I know that this program has made me a better person. I am more more educated, I stay up to date with world news, I learned the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and I have met some of the most amazing woman America has to offer. The Miss America Organization is about service, scholarship, style, and success. I love competing not because of the crown, but because of the woman I am from competing. And although world peace would be fantastic, I want a lot more than that. I want to help create a safe environment for students in public schools, I want to be a role model to young girls who struggle, and I want to be able to strike up a conversation with anyone anywhere so they understand they have importance. Competing in pageants isn't about me, it is about me making a difference in my community.

Love,
Deidre

Dear Valentines Day,

2.15.2012

I am getting all sorts of mixed signals from this holiday... People love it, people hate it, some call it S.A.D. (Singles Awareness Day), people refuse to celebrate, girls use it as an excuse to eat all the chocolate they want, boys use it as a reason to sit around and eat pizza and watch ESPN (any reason is a good reason, right?), a few claim it was created by Hallmark... whatever your feelings are I love Valentine's Day. And it isn't just because for the first time ever I had a Valentine (and he was seriously the BEST Valentine...), but it is because I love love. The best status I saw yesterday was:

"People complain because they are all alone on Valentines Day just because their single, well i'm single and i'm not alone! I have all my friends and family who love me! I love Valentines Day its my favorite holiday & no one can ruin it for me! ♥ Happy Valentines Day!"  

This girl knows what it is all about. No matter if you are single, dating, engaged, or married there is SOMEONE SOMEWHERE that loves you. And that is enough reason to celebrate. Even if it is just your Mom... I mean, my Mom is awesome. And she always sends me a DELICIOUS caramel heart from Fredericksons. 

Either way, yesterday was a huge success. I got to work to find these little gems on my desk.


We had a few contests at work as well. First, we had a conversation heart competition. Everyone was given a bag of candy hearts and were to make up any convo they wanted. Second, we had a cookie decorating competition. The cookies were made by Ann and they are delicious. Stay tuned to find out how I placed in the competition... But here is what I made.


About halfway through the day I came out of a meeting to find a beautiful rose and stuffed animal on my desk. Best surprise on Valentines Day. Once I got home Adam took me out to dinner at Malawis and gave me the sweetest card. After dinner had to run to class. While he was there I heart attacked his car.


Once his class was out he came over and we built a fort with his roommate Bret and his girl Jen. We watched Stomp the Yard and ate treats. I gave Adam his present too. Which, I have to say turned out really nicely. I made him a book of all our text messages from 2011. It will be nice to have them to look back on like letters... but since we live in a day of technology the texts win!


After a nice evening together Adam went home and then text me "When is the last time you checked your front step?" So I ran out to check and found a box of chocolates. What a keeper.

Love,
Deidre

Dear Dinosaurs,

2.14.2012

For some reason I really like dinosaurs. It might sound weird... or 6-year old boyish.  My infatuation with them might stem from growing up with all boys or from listening to my incredibly smart nephews talk about them, maybe it is from hearing my parents call broccoli dinosaur trees, it might be because I used to watch Jurassic Park a ton, or it might just be because I do an incredible raptor impression... I don't really know.  But I love them. And I am fascinated by them. At Thanksgiving Point there is the Museum of Ancient Life, and Adam and I have both been wanting to go there. So last weekend he planned a surprise date and took me to see the dinosaurs. It was such a fun night. It was fun seeing all the dinosaurs, guessing whether something was petrified wood or crocodile dung, digging in the sand to change the water flow, and finding out how much we weigh in dinosaur. 


Adam tried to kiss me so I showed him how I could be a dinosaur.







 Together Adam and I weigh about the same as a Herrerasuaras.

Before the museum starts there is this fun science area where you get to play with all these experimental things. This was a point of entertainment for awhile.  





He is a keeper. It was a fun date night. And I am not even embarrassed that we played around where the little kids were as other couples are age walked by and looked at us like we were crazy.

Love,
Deidre


Dear BYU Baseball,

2.13.2012

Baseball season is here! The BYU Baseball team has their first series this weekend at UC Riverside. Adam is getting so excited to pitch Saturday, and he is going to be incredible. He has been dominating at his team scrimmages, (7 strike outs in 4 innings last week) so imagine how he will do when he is pitching against guys that aren't expecting much from Skinny. I am bummed I have to miss his first series because I decided to be a grown up with a full time job... who does that? Luckily I have Lindsay's and Gina's number so I can text them one billion times for updates. Oh, another bonus of baseball season starting? Baseball posters and a billboard. Who wants to see a sneak peak from the BYU Baseball photo shoot?


Wait... who is that attractive guy on the right hand side... let's take a good look at that #22 guy... who is that?


Oh! It is Adam. Looking good. I cannot wait to go watch Adam pitch. I have never seen him so excited about something. You can tell he is truly passionate about the game. And I am so proud of him and all he has accomplished already this year. 

The WCC has BYU ranked 7th... little do they know how incredible the Cougars are this year. Every team is going to be shocked by BYU domination. And I am pumped. Let's go COUGS!

Love,
Deidre

Dear Viewers,

It is important that you see what stock I come from.... In Idaho, we ain't scared of nothin!



Love,
Deidre

Dear Future Baby,

2.09.2012

Mama is gonna teach you how to DANCE!


Love,
Deidre
a.k.a. Mama

Dear Temple Run,

So Sunday I went to a Super Bowl party with Adam and the baseball team. One of Adam's teammate's girlfriend ( a mouth-ful to say that, right?) is my friend Gloria. Gloria decided to tell me about this game she has on her phone that she loves. I believe her words were, "You don't have Temple Run?! You need to get it. Like now." So I did what she said. I downloaded Temple Run right then... she is right. I needed it. And now I wish I would have never had it. I need to delete it but it is soooo addicting and I love it. So here is to you Gloria for introducing me to a game that will consume all my spare time until something more enticing comes along. 



At least my scores are getting better, right?

Love,
Deidre

Dear Valentines Day,

2.07.2012

You are officially one week away. That is right gentlemen. Don't forget to get your special someone a special something. (Why do I automatically think of the movie Elf when I say special someone?) Valentine's Day might have been created by Hallmark and Hershey... but lets honor it okay. Because who doesn't love love? I mean... I love it. To help you in a special valentines celebration I have some printables to share with you. 







Be happy. Be in love.

Love,
Deidre

Dear Winning,

2.06.2012


It appears I have been doing a lot of that lately. Winning. I don't know where this lucky streak came from, but I will take it!

It all started with the Name Plate Contest.



And then Phase 10.


Then it was Trivia Tuesday.


After that the Karaoke Contest... sorry no photo, but I sang Spice Girls. Which I am sure you can imagine was EPIC.
And to top it all off Adam and I handed Bret and Jen their first 4 Card Game Loss.


Feels good to be a winner. Lets make it a trend, okay?

Love,
Deidre


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