Winter Festivities!

Hello again!
It's been a little over a week since my last blog post and a lot has happened since then! I last left you with excitement of the Snow White production! I was able to attend two shows of Snow White to admire both casts and all the hard work they put into creating such a marvelous show!

The first bit of exciting news that I can share with you is all the work I am getting involved in and started with my platform, the March of Dimes! I am very excited about all of this and can't wait to get more of you involved with me!  I met with Chris who is the State Director for the March of Dimes and we quickly got to know each other and clicked with our mutual interest of helping babies! We talked about all the events that are coming up that include; the March for Babies Iowa City walk kickoff event, Advocacy Day in Des Moines and the various walks around Iowa!  I look forward to being involved in all these events, hearing the stories of others, sharing my brothers story and making a difference. Another thing I have in the works that I am excited about is a sorority tour that I will be launching soon! I am not a mother of a premature baby, but I am a sibling and I am aware of it.  I am a role model and I can relate to women my age, whose next step in life is to start a family and if I can help educate women on the importance of taking Folic Acid during pregnancy and I can make then aware of the March of Dimes before they need it then I am going to do it!  Being a sorority woman myself, I look forward to not only revisiting my chapter of Alpha Chi Omega, but to also being welcomed in all of the chapters! Lastly, because of my personal story, passion and drive, Chris invited me to be apart of the State board for the March of Dimes so I can help make a difference not just in Iowa City or Muscatine but around the entire state! Look forward to my next blog post going more in depth of what the March of Dimes is and what they do, as well as mine and my brothers story!

The next big thing of my week was the Winter Festival in Muscatine.  Kristen and I were able to drive together and spend the day volunteering together!  This was such a fun part of the whole experience because volunteering with a friend is always more fun than alone! The first thing I did was color with all the kids that arrived for winter fun.  When it was 1pm it was time for the first activity of winter festival which was the golf ball hunt.  Kristen and I were able to hand out prizes to the kids once they found their share of golf balls in the snow!

I think we enjoyed the prizes more than the kids did ;)

The next event was the snow sculpture contest!  Kristen and I didn't know what to expect going into this competition but boy were we surprised!! There were 12 different teams that created such wonderful and unique sculptures!  The teams were only allowed to use themselves and the snow to create their sculptures and they had one hour to do it!  While being a judge was tough, a winner had to be picked.  

Kristen with the Eiffel tower sculpture that received second place!

Me with the whale sculpture that took home the grand prize and a pool party!

Also while we were there we tried our hand at the golf simulator!  Not going to lie when I tried I missed the ball not one, not two but three times!!  The fourth time though, I hit it out of the park, at least I think!  Let't just say if I try to golf again I will take off the crown, sash, and heels!  But I don't see myself turning into a pro-golfer any time soon.

Once again I had a wonderful time in Muscatine and was welcomed with open arms!  Before I go though, I want to take a second to thank all of our wonderful sponsor that the Muscatine board has secured us!! I have had a blast working out with Jon and can't wait to get two more workouts in with him this week! Jennifer keeps my nutrition fun and on point, we have a wonderful time video calling and discussing different recipes to try! She makes it so that nutrition doesn't feel like a chore and I don't get sick of eating the right way.  Lastly, Heather and Stacey at Le Chic have a wonderful way of making you feel apart of the family!  Kristen and I were able to stop by and see them during a break at the Winter Festival, even though it was a short visit it was sure sweet!! I can't wait to begin my wardrobe search with them shortly!  

Stay tuned this week for workouts, March for Babies Kickoff, Dance Marathon, Miss Greater Des Moines/Miss Metro Pageant and more!!

XO- Miss Pearl City, Christy Scimeca

The road will be long, but sometimes you have to make smaller goals so you can reach big ones! 

Time for a Show!

It really is hard to believe that I have only been Miss Pearl City 2015 for less than two weeks.  And it still hasn't hit me that the next pageant I will compete in will be MISS IOWA!  I don't think all this has sunk in yet because of two reasons, I have been preparing for this for a while now so hard work is nothing new to me and because my life is so busy already as it is that I just keep going at 100 MPH!  With that being said, it's show week at the Nolte Academy!

(Shows are at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts and are Friday night 7PM, Saturday 2PM and 7PM and Sunday 2PM and 7PM. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.coralvillearts.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=343.)

Show week is a fun, exciting, exhausting, stressful and wonderful time of the year that we get to experience more than once!! This time around the Nolte Academy is putting on a musical production of Snow White and it couldn't be any cuter! While rehearsals have been going on for months, these last two weeks have been for finishing touches. I was able to help out with making costumes for the animals in the forest, decorating sets and painting various sets and props.  Being a "dance teacher" is one of the things that has prepared me most in competing in pageants.  I put dance teacher in quotes because all dance teachers know we are much more than that.  I don't just teach dance, I sew costumes, glue on rhinestones, build props, create sets, encourage young dancers to audition for our productions, am a listening ear, a role model and the list goes on.  Being a dance teacher requires me to think of out the box and on my toes in and out of the studio, it also allows me to interact with people of all ages.  I've learned how to work on a team and rely on others which has helped me quickly adapt to working with the fabulous Muscatine board!

A side from this week being show week, I was able to get in a workout with Jon at 8 one 8 fitness where he kicked my butt and made me realize I can do so much more than I thought I could.  We work really well together and I can't wait to see all the personal goals I beat on the way to the Miss Iowa stage!  I was also able to catch up with Michelle and Jessica from Legacy Group Pageant Consulting.  We had a wonderful conversation where we recapped the Miss Muscatine competition, talked about my goals for Miss Iowa and all the things I am working on and doing with my platform.  I have dived head first into my platform and I have many things in the works that I can't wait to tell you about! The first exciting thing is that I was invited to join the Iowa City committee for the March of Dimes: March for Babies walk, we had a wonderful meeting and things are well on their way! I was then able to stay and chat with Andrea who is the Community director of the Hawkeye division of March of Dimes where we came up with all the wonderful ideas that are to come! I look forward to being more involved in the March of Dimes and hopefully making a difference!  The Iowa City walk is April 12th in Lower City Park and if you want to join me on this walk I would love for you to join my team! If you are unable to join me on the walk you can also donate to my personal page! 

https://www.marchforbabies.org/march/s_team_page.asp?SeId=2293027&si=&mfb2015=1&PersonId=

I am off for the day! I have another workout today and opening night for Snow White! Thanks for reading and keeping up! And as promised a quote, and my motto for the week =)
Miss Pearl City 2015, Christy Scimeca

Hit the ground running!

What a week! That's right it has ONLY been a week since I was crowned Miss Pearl City but it has been a productive one! In this past week I was able to meet so many new people and already have two appearances.  The first person I met on the Muscatine team was Jon Hunt from 8 one 8 fitness.
I am very excited to get back in the gym and training with him for the Miss Iowa stage!
To go a long with the killer workouts I am going to be doing, I was also able to meet Jennifer Lintz our nutritionist for the year.  She provided wonderful meal plans and ideas that will have me rock the Miss Iowa stage.  I am going to listen to every word she says as she has won herself three preliminary lifestyle and fitness awards at Miss Iowa.

My week ended with a few appearances, on Friday I was able to visit the Performing Arts Preschool at the Nolte Academy where I work.  It was an absolute joy to see their excitement and answer all their wonderful questions! We talked about the four points of the crown and they all got to try on my crown and see my wardrobe! 

Saturday, I was able to meet with Dewayne Hopkins, the Mayor of Muscatine, at City Hall.  We had a wonderful conversation on both of our histories and the history of Muscatine.  He explained to me all the festivities I should attend during my year and we discussed how I can increase the awareness of the March of Dimes in the community of Muscatine! I am very excited to work with him this year in making all my goals a reality.

Lastly, Kristen, Stacy and I were invited to help out at the Bridal Expo in Muscatine.  Here we were interviewed by a Muscatine Reporter and we helped behind the scenes of the Bridal Fashion Show.  All of the models were great and it was a joy to help them feel beautiful and get them stage ready.  My favorite part of the day was being able to get to know my Miss Muscatine sisters!  We had time to just talk and get to know each other, we helped others and we snuck in some time to hit the photo booth! 

If this was just ONE WEEK, I can not wait for this entire year!  Thank you for your continuing support and I hope you enjoy taking part in my journey!

XOXO with love, 

Miss Pearl City 2015

Christy Scimeca

PS as promised a little inspirational quote every time =) 

It all starts somewhere!

This past Saturday was the 49th Miss Muscatine pageant and I am very happy to say I am your new Miss Pearl City 2015! The day was a very big one for me as it was also my 23d birthday! Saturday started for me with waking up and getting in a quick workout out session at my hotel gym. From there I had a good amount of time to freshen up and get ready for my interview at 1:30.  I want to thank the Miss Muscatine board because I throughly enjoyed the judges and because of that my interview went GREAT!  From there I had downtime to just relax! I took this time to hang out at Ely's in downtown Muscatine with fellow contestant Jessica Erbst! Before we knew it, it was time to head to the middle school to run talent and get ready all before the show started at 7pm.  While we were on stage waiting for the opening number to start I remember looking at all the contestants and telling them I didn't feel like we were about to compete, but the curtain opened and the lights came on and just like that the show had started! My first phase of competition was on-stage question, from there I went on to lifestyle and fitness, talent and evening gown. The show really flew by and the competition was so tough I wasn't sure what was going to happen at the end of the night.  But hard work really pays off! I was delighted and honored to have recieved the title of Miss Pearl City 2015!

Now a little bit about me! My name is Christy Scimeca and I currently reside in the Iowa City area. I just graduated from the University of Iowa in May of 2014 with a B.A. in dance, a B.S. in athletic training and an entrepreneurial ship certificate in management.  In the Iowa City area I teach and choreograph at the Nolte Academy of Dance where this is my fifth year teaching.  I also work as a PRN athletic trainer in the area and am the coach of the Cedar Rapids Titans Dolls.  As you can tell I love to keep busy and I like to do a little bit of everything.  But none of this will keep me from giving my all for the next six months getting ready for Miss Iowa.

Lastly, my platform is the March of Dimes: Education on Prematurity and I can not wait to get more involved in this organization and help families in Iowa understand the severity of prematurity. I have chosen March of Dimes because both myself, my brother and new cousin
were born premature.  In another blog post I will explain my brothers story and how he has shaped my life!

Thank you for your support and for following me on my journey to Miss Iowa!!
Until next time,
Miss Pearl City 2015, Christy Scimeca

PS I LOVE inspirational quotes and will try to include one on every post!

Miss Pearl City 2015 is Christy Scimeca!

Crowning Moment!

With sister titleholders - Miss Muscatine, Kristen One; Miss Riverview, Stacy Phipps

Oh, Hello 2015 - It's almost time for the next!

Hi!

Saturday was the first rehearsal for the Miss Muscatine 2015 pageant, and I’m thrilled to say that there are 12 beautiful contestants to compete for the following three titles: Miss Muscatine, Miss Pearl City, and Miss Riverview. Why will three titles be awarded you ask? Well through the generous support from the Muscatine community and the desire to provide more scholarship money, the program is able to select three titleholders to represent the Muscatine area at the 2015 Miss Iowa pageant. Each titleholder will receive a $3,000 scholarship… I can attest to how helpful that is with paying for school. THANK YOU to those who make that possible. The 2015 Miss Muscatine pageant will be on Saturday, January 10 at 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center in Muscatine.

I’ve been back in the great state of Iowa for a week now. It’s been wonderful to have my family back together at home for the first time in a year! We had Christmas Eve at my aunt’s house and played games into the night. Playing games is so underrated… We had so much fun! However I did learn that it’s awful to roll a “K” in Scattergories. I’ve been post-Christmas shopping a little too much, too, so I’m also pretty busy strategizing my suitcase and carry on to fit all my stuff within the weight requirements!

The past semester of school FLEW right by, and I had a feeling it would. I’m halfway through with my senior year of college. AH! Really, where does time go? It’s been a great several months, though. I’m still the PR/communication intern at the President’s Office at Mary Hardin-Baylor, so that’s kept me busy when I’m not in class. I’ve gotten to spend quite a bit of time with friends and my fiancé and his family. A pretty big highlight was seeing Eli Young Band in Houston for Seth’s birthday! Oh yeah, and I got engaged in August, so I’ve been doing quite a bit of wedding planning! Word to the wise… If you plan your wedding in the midst of busyness, you don’t even have time to stress out about anything! Haha I’m so excited to get married to my man in May! 

If you’re in the area I encourage you to make plans to come to the 2015 Miss Muscatine pageant on January 10! There will be a magic show, performance by the “Out of Town” band, performances by myself, Miss Muscatine, and Miss Muscatine’s Outstanding Teen, and just a great group of girls to cheer on! Hope to see you there! GO HAWKS!

Leah

 

My roomies and I at the CV fall party.

 

Playing guitar with Jax at Memaw's birthday party!

 

My honey graduated from college earlier this month!

I Blinked and it was September 5th...

Hello again!

 

I think I just blinked and it was September 5.  Did anyone else see summer fly right by?  I guess that's what happens when you're having fun!

After all of the excitement from Miss Iowa week, I went back down to TX to take three summer classes.  If I have one piece of advice, don't take three classes in two months!  But in all honesty I really enjoyed getting back into the swing of the life I like best...  Cooking yummy food, hitting the gym, shopping, learning and spending time with people who are important to me.  What else in the world could you possibly want?

Once I was done with my classes, Seth and I road tripped to Iowa to see some family at our reunion, hang out with the people I love most, do a couple appearances and a fundraiser, and go to the Iowa State Fair!  It was a busy week but so worth it.  Serica, Nina and I went to two assisted living homes in Muscatine to spend some time with the residents and perform our talents.  I LOVE watching the expressions on people's faces when they hear Nina's beautiful piano pieces or Serica's energetic Irish dance or even a familiar hymn I play with my guitar. 

 

After spending a few days in Dubuque for a "vacation" (which pretty much was eating pizza, shopping in Galena, playing in the arcade and relaxing), we stopped in Muscatine for a fundraiser at Francesca Vitale's restaurant.  They were so generous to give us a proceed of that nights sales as we greeted and visited with guests!  We even got to sing happy birthday to a nice lady at a table!

 

I spent a little time in East Texas before the fall semester of my senior year started, and here we are!  Oh I should also mention that something exciting happened the night before classes started...  I got engaged!  I could probably go on and on about this, but I'll just say it was romantic, thoughtful, and beautiful : D 

 

Now I'm back on the school and work grind.  Getting ready to graduate and have a wedding!  Life is so crazy and unpredictable, but that's what makes it so great.

Until next time,

-Leah