Here We Go!

Seven. Days. Left. Yes that’s right, Miss California Latina is exactly one week away. Next Sunday, at this very hour I will either be the next reigning queen or I will look back on this amazing year and still feel a great sense of satisfaction. Everything I need for the pageant is set in stone and ready to go: travel plans, makeup and hair looks, and freshly steamed outfits.

I have had such an amazing time preparing for the pageant and I am honestly able to say I’m ready to be living the actual experience. I have been waiting exactly one year for this day and now that it’s right around the corner, just amazes me. I have had so much support from my family and close friends and knowing I have all of their best wishes and positive vibes is giving me that extra boost of confidence I need. I’ve sent a few questions via email to the pageant coordinator about certain details throughout the weekend but I also figured it’d be best for me to just go with the flow and experience the mystery as the days go on.

According to our itinerary, we will be busy from about 7am to 11pm throughout the entire weekend and the only time we’ll be in any contact with our families is on Sunday, the final day. Though I’d like to spend some time with my family to shake off some last minute jitters, I know I will be having a great time participating in interviews, photo shoots and outfit fittings. Out of all of the events that will take place, I really am looking forward to the personal one-on-one interviews (taking place on Saturday). I feel this is truly going to be my perfect opportunity to really connect with the judges and allow them to get to see my true self. Plus, who doesn’t like to talk about themselves?!

I’m so thankful for everything that has come my way as Miss San Jose Latina and I am so ready to see what doors will open for me next week!Love,
Kassie P.

Behind the Scenes

My favorite day of the week is Sunday because I get to visit my parents and spend some quality time with them while taking advantage of a quarter free laundry system, of course. I keep all of my most prized possessions at my parents house so it wasn’t a big surprise that I’d keep all of my pageant odds and ends tucked away in my old room’s closet. In a previous post, I mentioned I was almost done purchasing all of my outfits items and thankfully today marked the final shopping day for all of my pageant gear meaning a complete head-to-toe dress rehearsal was definitely necessary.

After about two hours of makeup, hair and outfit changes, I was finally done! I practiced walking in all of my outfits (evening gown especially) and adjusted a few buttons here and there. I am so happy I have everything set because this is just one less thing on my mind now that the pageant is exactly two weeks away.

A lot of my friends have been asking if I’m getting nervous but in complete honesty, I’m getting very excited. I am having the time of my life soaking up all of these opportunities and experiences that I’ve had that being part of the pageant has given me and I’m now ready to actually be in Pasadena!

Love,
Kassie P.

Bling Bling!

My mom and I headed out to the mall on Monday with a glitter vision in mind. We were determined to find the most sparkly and “blinged out” pair of earrings I would soon wear with my evening gown. As mentioned in a previous post, I’m wearing my prom dress and if you were to look up the definition of glitter or sequins, my dress would probably be pictured. In 2007, I wore plain earring studs not to take away from the dress but pageants as we all know, is a whole another ball game. Hopping from one store to another, we finally came across to the most perfect, shiny gold embellished earrings. Not only was the price more than reasonable but the earrings are something I’d definitely be able to wear again long after the pageant is over.

Since luck was on our behalf, we had extra time to look around for other pageant odds and ends. After visiting a few shoe stores with no success in correct sizes or styles for my evening gown and interview outfit, we decided to go into one last store before calling it quits. Finally, under the dim lights on the shelf there they were: gold platform high heels alongside black suede professional-sized heels. I immediately asked to try on both pairs and I was so excited when the saleswoman came out with two boxes. More importantly however, when I opened the boxes, the shoes had never been tried on before as they were both neatly wrapped in plastic, untouched. As I unwrapped the fresh shoes, I carefully slipped my feet in and… Alacazam! They fit so perfectly and were so comfortable to walk in as if the manufacture said, “Here, these are made especially for you.”

Originally, I had planned to try on all of my new items together but that was before my stomach had other plans of its own. On our way home, we stopped by Target to purchase our final family dinner desserts as the last hoo-rah since pageant bikini body mode is officially now on FULL GEAR. I grazed on warm baked cookies, ice cream and hot chocolate fudge for more than I should have and before I knew it, I spent the remainder of the night in the restroom, detoxing my sugar rush one flush at a time.

Love,
Kassie P.