Its 9:30am on Friday, June 29th and I am at the Minneapolis Airport with my good friend Ann Marie Moore getting ready to go to Atlanta, Georgia. Ann Marie was going to be a judge at this year's pageant and we were excited to be going together with her, my husband Sam and her mom Joanie. Later on that afternoon we landed in Atlanta and after grabbing some lunch we met up with Faith, Carl and their son, Bryan. It was so hot and humid down there that I was more surprised that my hair didn't frizz.
Joanie and Ann Marie cramped up in the back seat after we had rented a car. Between all of us, we had BIG suitcases that had to squeeze into the back seat since the trunk was full!
As you can see, Faith is trying to put on some eyelashes for me as we prepare to leave for the cocktail party later that evening. You did a great job Faith and thanks for the eyeliner tip!
Looking great and ready to go!
Later that evening we attended a cocktail party for the Mrs. Georgia-America contestants at this really cool and hip restaurant called Two Urban Licks. As you can see, Carl was enjoying a nice refreshing can of beer and the largest can of beer we had ever seen! He never finished that by the way!
My husband Sam, Carl & Faith Schway Directors of the Mrs. Georgia-America pageant at the cocktail party
Here I am with Mrs. Georgia-America 2006, Robin Mason. She attended the cocktail party and it was great seeing her again since she was a judge at the Mrs. Minnesota-America pageant this year. I kept on meeting each one of the 10 contestants to try and get to know them all and they were all so sweet. They had very bubbly personalities and I was so curious as to who my new roommate for nationals was going to be.
Suzette Bryan, Mrs. Johns Creek one of the contestants and myself at the party.
Carrie Kelly Mrs. Fulton County, Me, Suzette Bryan Mrs. Johns Creek, Stacey Rook Mrs. Walton County, and Melissa Duren Mrs. Coweta County. Just a few of the Mrs. Georgia contestants meeting for the first time!
All the Mrs. Georgia-America contestants with the current Mrs. Georgia-America, Robin Mason (center). At the end is Jayne Black, Mrs. Wisconsin-America, myself and Taryn Schuyler, Mrs. Iowa-America.
Jayne Black, Mrs. Wisconsin-America, Me, & Taryn Schuyler, Mrs. Iowa-America having a great time at the cocktail party.
Me and my husband Sam having fun at the party!
Saturday, June 30th Interview Day!
(left to right) Lea Johnston, Sonya Hightower, Cindy McGill, Carrie Kelly, Cynthia Gleich, Nicholette Pence, and Stacey Rook.
After breakfast, we got ready for the interviews that were being held at the beautiful Doubletree Hotel in Roswell, Georgia. All the girls met in the lobby and I thought they looked extremely calm and ready to go. Each girl got 6 minutes in front of a panel of judges and as each girl walked out, they seemed happy and I think relieved that it was over.
Here they are before their interviews. Carl and Faith wanted to discuss what they should expect when they walk into the interview room and what the rest of the weekend was going to be like. I told them it looks like they are in the Apprentice boardroom and that Donald Trump was going to come walking in!
During the contestant interviews, Jayne, Taryn, and myself decided to enjoy the warm sun by taking some pictures outside of the hotel.
After the interviews were over, we were invited to eat lunch with the judges and then decided to do some afternoon shopping in Atlanta. There were some fabulous malls and shops in Atlanta, I loved the Lenox mall that was downtown and they had so many great restaurants to choose from.
After all that shopping, we all decided it was time to eat so we found this great restaurant called the Peachtree Diner where they had an assortment of dishes to choose from, but my favorite were their desserts. My husband, Ann Marie, myself, and Joanie split a red velvet cake that was incredible!
At the Mrs. Georgia-America Pageant, Sunday July 1st
Pageant day was here for the Mrs. Georgia contestants and we were wondering who would be our 4th girl added to the group?
Helping out Joanie Clausen as we sell program books and pass out VIP tickets.
The pageant began shortly thereafter and the girls all came out in red dresses for their opening number. After each contestant competed in swimsuit, and evening gown, then their were the announcement of the top 5. The top 5 were Suzette Bryan, Lea Johnston, Cindy McGill, Nicholette Pence, and Stacey Rook. All 5 then re-competed in swimsuit and evening gown. All the ladies were beautiful in their evening gowns and then it came down to the final question. At this point I was SO nervous for all the girls because I know how they were feeling. After the final question, the presentation of special awards were given and they went to the following contestants:
Mrs. Congeniality: Carrie Kelly
Evening Gown: Stacey Rook
Photogenic: Suzette Bryan
Swimsuit: Suzette Bryan
We then were called on stage to answer a few fun questions from Faith.
Robin Mason, Mrs. Georgia-America 2006 then took her final walk and gave her farewell speech and got ready to crown the new Mrs. Georgia!
The fourth runner up was Nicholette Pence, third runner up was Lea Johnston, second runner up was Cindy McGill and then there were down to the last two. Who would it be, Stacey Rook or Suzette Bryan? Faith asked for a drum roll, it was so quiet at that moment you could hear a pin drop, then Stacey Rook was called as first runner up, and the new Mrs. Georgia-America was Suzette Bryan! She was completely shocked as she heard that she was the new Mrs. Georgia-America! We took many pictures on stage that I will have posted very soon and after we all went to the after party at another fantastic restaurant called AquaBlue where a great time was had by all. I am so thrilled to have such a great roommate at nationals and we are finally a group of four as part of Team Schway! Congratulations to Suzette!
Me, newly crowned Mrs. Georgia-America Suzette, Mrs. Iowa, Taryn, and Mrs. Wisconsin, Jayne
