I can't believe I have been here an entire week!

My day started with a 5:45 wake up call to get ready for my television interview. The show producer, Peter, asked us questions and they taped our responses to use if you make it into the top ten.....Then I went on to the golf competition!

It was was fun. The golf course at Ventana Canyon is incredibly beautiful and the views are inspiring! I am a terrible golfer but really had a great time with the camera crew and the ladies. We got to exchange gifts with the contestants and that was a wonderful, heartwarming experience because of the thought and time that was put into the gifts. I met Mrs. America, Andrea Preuss today. I love her. She is a very nice, caring woman. I got to try on the Mrs. America crown (there is a picture with me wearing the America crown). WOW!!


We went to a BBQ tonight with Mrs. America. The food was great and the atmosphere was really relaxed.....something I think we all needed. It was at the hotel and we watched the sun go down. The sunsets here are really beautiful.....I wish you were all here to share this experience with me. I am grateful for the opportunity to represent you.

Next up, a hot shower and a soft pillow!

Love, Drennan

Wow! What a weekend!

Sorry I haven't posted in a couple of days....They really keep us busy. That is a great thing because it keeps me from missing my friends and family too much!

Saturday was great. We had a break in the morning, rehearsals in the afternoon and then dinner with Mike Dominguez, the General Manager of the resort. This has been one of my favorite activities yet. They served us a delicious 5 course meal including a chocolate dessert that was the best thing I have tasted in days!...Don't they know we have a bathing suit to get into next week! As part of the festivities we all presented him with gifts representing our states! As luck would have it, mine were still on a UPS truck somewhere in Tucson....They finally arrived yesterday!

Sunday, we started the day with the Mayor of Tucson, Bob Walkup. He is a dear man with such a glow. Tucson has welcomed us with such hospitality....If they could just turn down the heater a little! I am not sure I could ever adapt to this weather!

The afternoon was rehearsal with Frit and Frat (I have been calling them Frick and Frack...Oops!). They keep adding more to the dance... heeeeelllllpppp!!!! I just wish I had gotten a little more of my sister's rhythm......Diane keeps telling me not to worry and she has really been working with me! Thanks, roomie!

Later that evening, we went to a AAA baseball game for the Sidewinder's. It was fun, even though I am not a huge baseball fan. The highlight of the night was singing the National Anthem in front of everyone at the game. That is something I never dreamed I would get to do because I can't sing at all. We got home a bit early tonight because Monday was a day full of activities!





Monday started early with a trip to the Old Tucson Studios. It is actually a working movie studio! We watched cowboys do a show with stunts, one of them is from Utah! After a train ride around the park, that is me with the conductor, we were treated to a saloon type of show where 8 of the contestants had volunteered to learn the "Can Can".....Not me! They performed for us and did a great job!

Next our tour took us to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum where we got to see all of the wildlife of Arizona. It was extremely hot outside today! I did alright because of the advice of my wonderful director, Diane Ritter who said "drink a lot of water!" She is right!~ It was much easier to tolerated the heat. Now we are off the dinner and a 3 hour rehearsal.

Tuesday, I will participate in the golf challenge and then we have rehearsal and a relaxing BBQ tonight! More later! I love you all...Drennan

I have a few additional photos for you to enjoy.

Yesterday was amazing! We met in the hotel lobby at 7 am and were greeted ,again, by the generosity of our sponsors. We were each presented with a beautiful pair of Tony Lama cowboy boots and cowboy hat! We then went to the Tanque Verde guest ranch where all 50 contestants rode horseback, on a trail that led to cowboys making a blueberry pancake breakfast... It was delicious! I was riding behind Mrs. Hawaii and her horse slipped on some rocks and she almost feel over... Very scary!!

Arizona is such a beautiful and peaceful place. I never knew the desert has such a beauty all to itself. Did you know that the saguaro cactus is indigenous to Arizona. It doesn't grow anywhere else in the United States...As the day wore on it got hotter and hotter. I thought I was going to faint! I almost hoped that I would so that they would take me to an air conditioned hospital...Joking!! We finally arrived back at the hotel and had the afternoon off! I sat in the gigantic bathtub and then took a much needed nap.

From denim to diamonds! Last night we got all dressed up and went to the reopening of the Fox Theater in Tucson. It has been a landmark in Tucson for 100 years. We really felt like movie stars at the Academy Awards! As we walked the red carpet, camera lights were flashing and a camera man was stopping girls to ask questions. It was almost like the real thing. We all watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's"....What classic and Audrey Hepburn was such a beauty! (I loved the movie but it made me miss my husband).

Tomorrow we get our swimsuits and shoes...These sponsors are amazing! Rehearsal in the afternoon and tomorrow evening is dinner with the president of the hotel! Yikes!

I have been reading your comments everyday and I am grateful for your thoughts , prayers and well wishes! I wish you all could be here with me! I think of you everyday!

Love, Drennan

Day #2!! So much fun! Frick and Frack, our dance instructors are great and at least I have two weeks to learn our dance routine....you can only imagine how that went if you know my dancing abilities. the number is great and we are dancing to the music of LL Cool J! It was a great chance to meet some of the ladies I had not had a chance to meet yet! Everyone is wonderful!

We had a surprise challenge today. Throughout the next two weeks we will all be taking part in a series of challenges. These challenges are designed to bring an additional two women in to top semi-finalist catagory who did not make the top ten overall. Everyone is very excited about this! Today was diaper changing! I thought I had this one mastered, right! Wrong!!! The babies bottoms were smeared with peanut butter and refried beans. I had trouble opening the bottle of baby oil so I didn't do so well. That's ok, we laughed alot!! Next we will have challenges in putting, margarita making, horseback riding and a few other things.....

My favorite part of the day was the mayor's conference at the Starpass Resort. We got to suprise all of the mayor's of the Arizona cities for a meet and greet and we were invited to their evening festivities. We were a big hit at the conference and we met many of the mayors families as well. There were a few people from Utah at the conference who were very excited to see Mrs. Utah.
I am so excited for tomorrow because we don't have to wear high heels until after dinner. In the morning we get to wear cowboy boots and hats for horseback riding and then we get to REST!!!!! Yea! Our bathtub is the size of a swimming pool so that is where I want to spend my down time.
Thank you to everyone who is writing in, it really keeps me motivated and I look forward to reading the blog every night.

Love, Drennan

Wow! What a day! Delayed in Phoenix with a flat tire on our plane! Oh well! Thank goodness my dad was there to keep me company! It could have been worse, poor Mrs. Montana had her entire luggage searched at the airport, missed her flight and they confiscated all of her make up and a few other things! The good news is that she has her evening gown....The important things!

I was rushed to get to the hotel and the contestant orientation on time! Thank goodness my roommate, Mrs. Arizona, Diane Tucker was there to help! I have found a great new friend and look forward to spending time getting to know her! We walked into the orientation and there were 50 of the most beautiful women in America. I am excited to get to know them all a little better. The founder of Mrs. America, David Marmel, welcomed us warmly and the entire Mrs. America Staff is great! Talk about goodie bags! The sponsors are so generous! The hotel treats us like true VIP's....A girl could get used to this.

Today we start rehearsals and will do some remote location shooting...Authentic Arizona ranches and resorts! Should be fun.

Thanks to all of you for your well wishes. I am reading your comments on a daily basis. I am unable to respond to all of you so please know I appreciate you all!

Love,
Drennan

Today, Tucson!

Well, I am off to Mrs. America! I can't believe it was only eight weeks ago I won the title of Mrs. Utah America 2006! What an honor to represent the married women of the state of Utah!

It really has been a whirlwind! Finding the right gown (It is spectacular! Thanks to Julie Phillips and Pageant Consultants!) AND interview suit! I am set to go! How much fun can a girl have shopping in eight weeks! Well let me tell you.......I will never have this opportunity again and I love every minute of it! It was also a very special time to share with my husband and my mom. They encouraged me all the way and spent countless hours designing my state costume! It is wonderful!

I need to take this opportunity to thank my husband, Lee, my family and friends for their unconditional love and support. With out them, I would not be the woman I am today! I would also like to thank my two darling boys! Mommy will see you soon. I love you, be good and listen to Daddy!

I must also thank all of the former Mrs. Utah title-holders for their role in my preparations for Mrs. America. No question was too silly and they gave me countless amounts of time and coaching! I am honored to part of such an inspirational group of women! For ten years this program has flourished under the direction of Diane Ritter. Thank you, Diane, for ALL you do!

I leave for Tucson this morning and I have butterflies! Thank goodness my dad is able to make the trip with me as he has business to take care of there! I look forward to some uninterrupted time with him and what a handsome porter! Who else to carry ALL that luggage!.....just kidding, thank you dad!

Check back because I will be keeping this sight updated on a daily basis! Thanks to everyone for their support...I will keep you posted!

Love.
Drennan