My 7-mo-old was laying on the floor when he discovered something of great interest. A big, red soccer ball. Way too big too fit into his mouth which is where everything else goes. I wondered whether it held his interest because it was a challenge he was up to. How to get the ball into his mouth. Or if he wanted it because it belonged to his older brother. Somehow his brothers toys are much more appealing to him, especially if brother is currently playing with it.
Just as baby got up on his knees, fell and then scooted with his arms (some sort of air force version of the high crawl) and headed straight for the ball, I scooped him into my arms and we headed out the door. And I thought how frustrating would that be? You fix your eyes on something and just as your about to get it, it's gone in a flash.
I wonder, do babies really think they have it so good? You always here people say "how would it be?" How would it be to get carried around all day? Hmmm, on the flip side, how would it be when you are looking right at something and suddenly, the person carrying you turns away. You strain your neck to find that object again but it's gone. How would it be to have someone feed you? Well, how would it be if all they gave you was green beans and bananas? It took seven different feedings over the course of two months for Matthew to finally eat green beans. He finally said, "Fine. If that's all she'll give me, I'll eat the gross stuff and then she'll give it to me less." How would it be to have someone change your diapers for you? This morning I woke up to a very smelly Matthew who had gone #2 sometime in the middle of the night and then slept in it. How would it be when mom doesn't wake up and you have to sleep in your diaper all night? Well, he didn't seem to mind so much but I sure did when I had to take him in the shower and my oldest did because he could smell it!
So when I tear Matthew away from the red soccer ball because it's time to go, I would like to ask him, "How would it be?" I think he would say something like, "How could you? I was almost there!" But as I buckle him in the car seat I notice that his eyes are already fixed on something else and I would like to think he's already forgotten about the red ball. Well, if not, I've begun training him for that day when he thinks he's going to get that great job and doesn't. Or when he asks out that pretty girl and she says no. And I tell myself I am a good mom because I am teaching him a very important lesson about dissapointment.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Suck It Up, It's Crunch Time
Vol. 11 , No. 38 , May 21, 2008
by Jen Gubler
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of articles by staff writer Jen Gubler as she documents her experiences as a contestant in the Mrs. Utah pageant. Watch for the next chapter in this series in the weeks to come.
“Faster,” the voice said. “Go faster. Get your heart rate up.” I peddled and panted, my arms swinging back and forth wildly in tune with my legs.My body felt out of control, as if my legs were pushing my arms and I couldn’t stop myself from the movement. I expected the numbers on the monitor to jump at lightening speed, showing a high heart rate and a hundred calories burned. I glanced down and saw a big zero where I expected to see one hundred. My efforts felt futile and my head was spinning with thoughts of failure. I dropped my head in shame. My self-pity lasted mere moments as I was commanded to begin a set of lunges across the floor. “Give me 10,” the voice instructed.Step, lunge, return. One. Step, lunge, return. Two. I painfully made it to 10 when the voice said, “Give me another set of 10.” “Ten means 10!” I wanted to yell. “When did 10 turn into 20?”I lunged and squatted, heaving the heavy weights with me as I went. Those 3-pound weights felt more like 30. I lifted, curled and pushed heavier weights until my arms felt useless.I dropped onto the weight bench with a grunt and didn’t move, too tired to care who saw me like this. “I was going easy on you,” the voice said.I lay there hoping it was all a bad dream; my subconscious reliving my old military days. Nightmares of a past drill instructor yelling “Drop and give me 50!” Myself so young and scared of what would happen to me if I ever stopped in the middle of a 2-mile run. Was this my mind’s way of remembering the terror I had faced almost 10 years ago as I bravely faced that team of sergeants requiring more than I thought I could give? I still clearly remembered the pain and agony of waking before dawn to the sound of Staff Sgt. Nunez yelling “faster you lazy pigs!” You couldn’t hide, but you could run. You had to run, around and around a track until your legs were numb. And when Staff Sgt. Nunez was bored, you ran through a forest filled with yellow spiders bigger than your fist with a pack that weighed more than you did in the sweltering San Antonio heat. The burning in my thighs told me this was no dream, it wasn’t boot camp either. It was my appointed pageant trainer.I sat up enough to see her staring down at me. For a brief moment I thought of firing her. I didn’t need this! I had children to chase around my house that definitely counts as enough exercise. But thoughts of walking on a brightly lit stage in front of hundreds of people in a bright pink swim suit filled my head.I begrudgingly allowed her to help me up and quickly forgot that I was supposed to be angry with my sergeant, I mean, trainer. I retreated out of the gym, passing a younger group of girls who eyed my sweat pants and XL Army tee shirt with disgust. I smiled at their designer work-out clothes, perfectly placed pony-tail and overly-done make-up. “Wait until you have a baby,” I thought to myself with a sense of satisfaction as I escaped.Then my worst fear’s became reality when I heard, “It’s time for our 3-mile run!”Trainer’s Note: Because of the short time frame we were facing, I decided to start Jen off with an aerobic warm-up, followed by a weight routine to tone and tighten her trouble spots. I could see about two minutes into the warm-up she was not quite grasping the concept of an elevated heart rate. As she strolled leisurely on the elliptical machine, she was very animated chatting about getting ready for the pageant and her son’s soccer league. I interrupted her amusing anecdote and asked her if she could feel her pulse increasing. She giggled and replied no. When I stepped onto the elliptical next to her and told her to keep pace with me, a determined look came over her face. The chit chat stopped and a small groan escaped from her lips.I would like to thank my sponsors: Intermountain Women’s Health SpecialistsMassage Envy • St. George Musical TheaterHot Shot Images • Hurricane Chevron, Hurricane Wendys • Stout Home FurnishingsRuby’s Inn • K&M Drywall • Tan-AciousDraper Ramada Limited • GR8PRICES.com Clay Egan Racing • Classic Sports Hurricane Valley Journal • Cedar City Review.
by Jen Gubler
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of articles by staff writer Jen Gubler as she documents her experiences as a contestant in the Mrs. Utah pageant. Watch for the next chapter in this series in the weeks to come.
“Faster,” the voice said. “Go faster. Get your heart rate up.” I peddled and panted, my arms swinging back and forth wildly in tune with my legs.My body felt out of control, as if my legs were pushing my arms and I couldn’t stop myself from the movement. I expected the numbers on the monitor to jump at lightening speed, showing a high heart rate and a hundred calories burned. I glanced down and saw a big zero where I expected to see one hundred. My efforts felt futile and my head was spinning with thoughts of failure. I dropped my head in shame. My self-pity lasted mere moments as I was commanded to begin a set of lunges across the floor. “Give me 10,” the voice instructed.Step, lunge, return. One. Step, lunge, return. Two. I painfully made it to 10 when the voice said, “Give me another set of 10.” “Ten means 10!” I wanted to yell. “When did 10 turn into 20?”I lunged and squatted, heaving the heavy weights with me as I went. Those 3-pound weights felt more like 30. I lifted, curled and pushed heavier weights until my arms felt useless.I dropped onto the weight bench with a grunt and didn’t move, too tired to care who saw me like this. “I was going easy on you,” the voice said.I lay there hoping it was all a bad dream; my subconscious reliving my old military days. Nightmares of a past drill instructor yelling “Drop and give me 50!” Myself so young and scared of what would happen to me if I ever stopped in the middle of a 2-mile run. Was this my mind’s way of remembering the terror I had faced almost 10 years ago as I bravely faced that team of sergeants requiring more than I thought I could give? I still clearly remembered the pain and agony of waking before dawn to the sound of Staff Sgt. Nunez yelling “faster you lazy pigs!” You couldn’t hide, but you could run. You had to run, around and around a track until your legs were numb. And when Staff Sgt. Nunez was bored, you ran through a forest filled with yellow spiders bigger than your fist with a pack that weighed more than you did in the sweltering San Antonio heat. The burning in my thighs told me this was no dream, it wasn’t boot camp either. It was my appointed pageant trainer.I sat up enough to see her staring down at me. For a brief moment I thought of firing her. I didn’t need this! I had children to chase around my house that definitely counts as enough exercise. But thoughts of walking on a brightly lit stage in front of hundreds of people in a bright pink swim suit filled my head.I begrudgingly allowed her to help me up and quickly forgot that I was supposed to be angry with my sergeant, I mean, trainer. I retreated out of the gym, passing a younger group of girls who eyed my sweat pants and XL Army tee shirt with disgust. I smiled at their designer work-out clothes, perfectly placed pony-tail and overly-done make-up. “Wait until you have a baby,” I thought to myself with a sense of satisfaction as I escaped.Then my worst fear’s became reality when I heard, “It’s time for our 3-mile run!”Trainer’s Note: Because of the short time frame we were facing, I decided to start Jen off with an aerobic warm-up, followed by a weight routine to tone and tighten her trouble spots. I could see about two minutes into the warm-up she was not quite grasping the concept of an elevated heart rate. As she strolled leisurely on the elliptical machine, she was very animated chatting about getting ready for the pageant and her son’s soccer league. I interrupted her amusing anecdote and asked her if she could feel her pulse increasing. She giggled and replied no. When I stepped onto the elliptical next to her and told her to keep pace with me, a determined look came over her face. The chit chat stopped and a small groan escaped from her lips.I would like to thank my sponsors: Intermountain Women’s Health SpecialistsMassage Envy • St. George Musical TheaterHot Shot Images • Hurricane Chevron, Hurricane Wendys • Stout Home FurnishingsRuby’s Inn • K&M Drywall • Tan-AciousDraper Ramada Limited • GR8PRICES.com Clay Egan Racing • Classic Sports Hurricane Valley Journal • Cedar City Review.
A Picture Says a Thousand Words
Vol. 11 , No. 32 , April 09, 2008
By: Jen Gubler
Editor's note: This is the third in a series of articles by staff writer Jen Gubler as she documents her experiences as a contestant in the Mrs. Utah Pageant. Watch for the next chapter in this series in the weeks to come.
Now that I have met all the beautiful, talented women involved in the Mrs. Utah pageant, my competitive side has gone into overdrive. I attended a very informative workshop in Draper a couple weeks ago and learned a lot of really important things: how to acquire sponsors, what clothing is the most flattering, which ladies are my biggest competition. After meeting each of the contestants, I learned the most important fact that will help me with this competition: I am the underdog. I spent the evening before in a nice hotel with very poor lighting and did not realize until it was far too late that I had forgotten a very large portion of my make-up. You certainly cannot meet a group of pageant women without your make-up. But I was confident, after stopping at Wal-Mart and picking up a few necessary items that I could pull off that bronzed, sun-kissed look. Being the only contestant from Southern Utah, I wanted to show off that “tanned” look that I am supposed to have. It wasn't until after the workshop and viewing my make-up outside, in the natural light, that I noticed the streaks across my cheeks that the blush had left earlier that morning. Never, ever try a new brand of bronzer in poor lighting. It could have been very humiliating if it had not been so funny. There are 13 other contestants out there hoping I do my own make-up for the actual pageant.I returned home slightly embarrassed but had very little time to think it over. I was bombarded with e-mails of all the items that must be done for the pageant. At the top of the list: head shots. The pageant director gave us the name of a terrific photographer in Draper who could do our head shots and family pictures. Draper, however, was slightly out of the way for an afternoon of family pictures. Besides, I knew immediately which photographer I wanted to use.The morning of the pictures I scheduled an appointment at the hair salon, dropped the children off at my best friend's, took the dog to the groomer and reminded my husband many times that pictures were at 2 p.m. and his brand new “picture-only” shirt was in the closet.I arrived at the hair salon several minutes late and hurried to my chair asking the terrific hair dresser to “just make me beautiful.” She looked at me, confused, and asked for pictures of what I wanted it to look like. After an hour I changed her title from hair dresser to magician and she sent me over to the make-up artist with a head of very curly hair that she assured me would loosen before I had my pictures taken.I am not one of those ladies that cannot leave the house without a palette of make-up on my face. Unless I am going to a symphony or ball, leaving the house with hair too done-up and make-up too heavy just makes me uncomfortable. So after an hour in the make-up chair I was getting very nervous. She applied creams and bronzers, highlighters and primers, and make-up I had never seen before nor could even pronounce. The girly side of me had a great time until it was time to leave and I had to face the world with my very over-done face. I felt foolish and embarrassed as I arrived several minutes late to pick up the family pet, our beloved Shih Tzu named Daisy given to us by Rachel who is my best friend and sister-in-law.With Daisy in tow, her ears expertly tied with pink bows, I arrived very late to the photography session. Nissa Lamb was already snapping away, fixing lighting, changing fuses and backgrounds. My husband and two little angels were dressed perfectly and smiling away as they moved into different poses. I never thought it would be possible to get a 7-year-old, a 5-month-old and a puppy to all look at the camera let alone smile. My husband and I attached permanent smiles on our faces and did not dare move, not even to breath. The whole experience was fun but I felt pretty silly with all that make-up on and hair that says “Thank you very much for the Country Music Award.” I spent the weekend concerned about how the pictures would turn out, though I now know that I should never have doubted Nissa's ability. I changed her title from photographer to magician when she returned a CD of my photos. The lighting was perfect, the background set the right tone, my hair sat just right across my shoulders and even my very over-done make-up looked more subtle and natural then it had actually felt. The children smiled, the dog looked at the camera, and my husband and I looked comfortable and happy. She was even able to Photoshop the baby's drool out of the picture.Feeling much more confident, I e-mailed the head shot to the pageant director. I certainly didn't feel like an underdog anymore.Visit www.mrsutahus.com for a list of this years pageant contestants.Thank you to all of my sponsors: Intermountain Women's Health Specialists (Dr. Fagnant and Dr. Chalmers), Massage Envy, Hot Shot Images, Hurricane Chevron, Hurricane Wendys, Stout Home Furnishings, GR8PRICES.com, K&M Drywall, Draper Ramada Limited, Ruby's Inn, Clay Egan Racing, Classic Sports, Tan-Acious, Hurricane Valley Journal, Cedar City Review, and Dixie Weekly News.
By: Jen Gubler
Editor's note: This is the third in a series of articles by staff writer Jen Gubler as she documents her experiences as a contestant in the Mrs. Utah Pageant. Watch for the next chapter in this series in the weeks to come.
Now that I have met all the beautiful, talented women involved in the Mrs. Utah pageant, my competitive side has gone into overdrive. I attended a very informative workshop in Draper a couple weeks ago and learned a lot of really important things: how to acquire sponsors, what clothing is the most flattering, which ladies are my biggest competition. After meeting each of the contestants, I learned the most important fact that will help me with this competition: I am the underdog. I spent the evening before in a nice hotel with very poor lighting and did not realize until it was far too late that I had forgotten a very large portion of my make-up. You certainly cannot meet a group of pageant women without your make-up. But I was confident, after stopping at Wal-Mart and picking up a few necessary items that I could pull off that bronzed, sun-kissed look. Being the only contestant from Southern Utah, I wanted to show off that “tanned” look that I am supposed to have. It wasn't until after the workshop and viewing my make-up outside, in the natural light, that I noticed the streaks across my cheeks that the blush had left earlier that morning. Never, ever try a new brand of bronzer in poor lighting. It could have been very humiliating if it had not been so funny. There are 13 other contestants out there hoping I do my own make-up for the actual pageant.I returned home slightly embarrassed but had very little time to think it over. I was bombarded with e-mails of all the items that must be done for the pageant. At the top of the list: head shots. The pageant director gave us the name of a terrific photographer in Draper who could do our head shots and family pictures. Draper, however, was slightly out of the way for an afternoon of family pictures. Besides, I knew immediately which photographer I wanted to use.The morning of the pictures I scheduled an appointment at the hair salon, dropped the children off at my best friend's, took the dog to the groomer and reminded my husband many times that pictures were at 2 p.m. and his brand new “picture-only” shirt was in the closet.I arrived at the hair salon several minutes late and hurried to my chair asking the terrific hair dresser to “just make me beautiful.” She looked at me, confused, and asked for pictures of what I wanted it to look like. After an hour I changed her title from hair dresser to magician and she sent me over to the make-up artist with a head of very curly hair that she assured me would loosen before I had my pictures taken.I am not one of those ladies that cannot leave the house without a palette of make-up on my face. Unless I am going to a symphony or ball, leaving the house with hair too done-up and make-up too heavy just makes me uncomfortable. So after an hour in the make-up chair I was getting very nervous. She applied creams and bronzers, highlighters and primers, and make-up I had never seen before nor could even pronounce. The girly side of me had a great time until it was time to leave and I had to face the world with my very over-done face. I felt foolish and embarrassed as I arrived several minutes late to pick up the family pet, our beloved Shih Tzu named Daisy given to us by Rachel who is my best friend and sister-in-law.With Daisy in tow, her ears expertly tied with pink bows, I arrived very late to the photography session. Nissa Lamb was already snapping away, fixing lighting, changing fuses and backgrounds. My husband and two little angels were dressed perfectly and smiling away as they moved into different poses. I never thought it would be possible to get a 7-year-old, a 5-month-old and a puppy to all look at the camera let alone smile. My husband and I attached permanent smiles on our faces and did not dare move, not even to breath. The whole experience was fun but I felt pretty silly with all that make-up on and hair that says “Thank you very much for the Country Music Award.” I spent the weekend concerned about how the pictures would turn out, though I now know that I should never have doubted Nissa's ability. I changed her title from photographer to magician when she returned a CD of my photos. The lighting was perfect, the background set the right tone, my hair sat just right across my shoulders and even my very over-done make-up looked more subtle and natural then it had actually felt. The children smiled, the dog looked at the camera, and my husband and I looked comfortable and happy. She was even able to Photoshop the baby's drool out of the picture.Feeling much more confident, I e-mailed the head shot to the pageant director. I certainly didn't feel like an underdog anymore.Visit www.mrsutahus.com for a list of this years pageant contestants.Thank you to all of my sponsors: Intermountain Women's Health Specialists (Dr. Fagnant and Dr. Chalmers), Massage Envy, Hot Shot Images, Hurricane Chevron, Hurricane Wendys, Stout Home Furnishings, GR8PRICES.com, K&M Drywall, Draper Ramada Limited, Ruby's Inn, Clay Egan Racing, Classic Sports, Tan-Acious, Hurricane Valley Journal, Cedar City Review, and Dixie Weekly News.
The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
Vol. 11 , No. 28 , March 13, 2008
By: Jen Gubler
Editor's note: This is the second in a series of articles by staff writer Jen Gubler as she documents her experiences as a contestant in the Mrs. Utah Pageant. Watch for the next chapter in this series in the weeks to come.
I am officially a contestant in the Mrs. Utah United States pageant. Not to be confused with Mrs. Utah America, Mrs. Global Utah or Mrs. Utah International. I have paid the application fee, acquired my first sponsors and told the entire Hurricane Valley I was going to do it. This is where I consider myself past the point of no return.The GoodSo if I can't chicken out, I should really try to win. At least that is what my husband said. In the long list of things to do before the pageant in May, I put two at the very top. First, I rented “Miss Congeniality.” I thought it would be really important to watch how she tripped on her heels during the opening number so that I would have a witty comeback if I did the same thing. I'm the kind of person who thinks of a comeback two days later when no one is around to hear it. I also enjoy the part where she uses Benjamin Bratt in her talent portion of the contest. Having been a police officer in the Air Force many years ago, I still enjoy movies where women carry guns and try to run in high heels - as if that was actually possible.Second, I needed advice from previous beauty contestants, and fast. Somehow losing the extra baby weight and getting my teeth whitened didn't seem quite as important just yet. So I called on my sister-in-law Rachel. She's the one I go to when I need to talk about girl stuff. She had entered the Ms. Utah Wheelchair pageant and I was hoping she could tell me more about pageants than the directors of “Miss Congeniality” could. After all, Rachel was named Miss Congeniality.I expected to hear about how important make-up was, how to do my hair just right and what color of evening gown would most impress the judges. Okay, I'm a little naïve when it comes to things like this. I needed help and I knew it. What I didn't expect to hear was how good of friends the contestants all became and still spends time together after all these years. While it seemed the complete opposite of what you see in the movies or even on CNN, I was relieved. There weren't going to be women sabotaging each other and hiding each other's swimming suits. Though I would gladly trade mine in for a comfortable pair of jeans and flip flops.I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This was going to be fun. And somewhere down the road, it would be a self-esteem boost and I would look back with fond memories of my one-time pageant experience. If I was being completely honest with myself, I did want to win and I wanted to help others along the way. I immediately set to work on my platform. I really enjoy volunteer work and I wanted to pick a platform that had always been important to me and something I knew a lot about. Looking back, I thought of the domestic violence council I had been a member of. There had also been that time I worked as a youth mentor. And now, I am coaching my son's soccer team. Maybe my platform should focus on helping the youth. But thoughts of emergency preparedness kept coming into my mind also. I thought of my husband, who has been such a blessing in my life, and how I had learned the importance of putting my marriage above all else. What a difference it would make if everyone learned such an easy concept, I thought. If we had less divorces, we would have less children in limbo. Less children in limbo could lead to higher self-esteem as they became adults. A healthy family life could be helpful when a child is faced with the decision to drink and do drugs. And while it won't prevent everything, a child who feels safe going home and talking to their parents is a child who may choose not to become involved in dangerous activities. Having been divorced myself, I saw how it affected my oldest son.It was then that the clouds parted and the sun came streaming through the windows. Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic but I did get butterflies in my stomach and I knew that I had my platform. The BadMy discussion with Rachel also enlightened me to the financial stress of pageantry. I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me. More work than just picking out an evening gown. According to the Mrs. Utah United States website, I had to raise quite a bit of money; whether that be through donations, selling advertisement or coming out of my own pocket. I wasn't very thrilled about the latter as it would have meant not making my house payment.I began to tally the amount I thought I would need. There was the $950 entry fee and while they give you a lot of gifts for doing the pageant, it didn't exactly cover the financial cost of everything. Over the next three months I would have to make three separate trips to Provo so I had to add fuel and hotels to my total. There was also the black cocktail dress, evening gown, business suit, swimming suit with wrap and clear or taupe high heels. That still didn't include the optional but necessary make-up, teeth-whitening, photography, monthly gym membership or hair care. I worried that I wouldn't find a way to cover it all. I began working on sponsors and found that some people were genuinely excited. Greg Kesmetis from GR8PRICES.COM, who sales software at a great price, bought an ad before I even asked. Jed at Stout Home Furnishings bought an ad and told me how much my husband had tormented him as a child. Thankfully they quite like each other now. Wendy Smith, the new owner of Tan-Acious offered a discount on services. And Jared at Classic Sports gave a large donation with instructions to wear the Classic Sports logo on the back of my dress. I am now entering the Mrs. “Nascar” Utah United States pageant. I have found that about one in every five businesses is truly happy to help.The UglyI was very excited when the director of the pageant said we had to wear a one-piece bathing suit with a wrap. Until she said that we will be taking the wraps off in front of the judges. I was horrified. Not for myself, but for everyone who would have to watch. Maybe I needed to add stretch-mark removal to my to-do list.As always, I would like to give a big thank you to my sponsors Nissa Lamb, owner of Hot Shot Images, Tan-Acious, Stout Home Furnishings, Classic Sports, GR8PRICES.COM, the Hurricane Valley Journal, Cedar City Review and the Dixie Weekly News.Jen will be writing future articles on pageant make-up and hair tips. If you have a tip you would like her to try and write about for skin care, hair care, exercising and more, e-mail them to jen@hvjournal.com.
By: Jen Gubler
Editor's note: This is the second in a series of articles by staff writer Jen Gubler as she documents her experiences as a contestant in the Mrs. Utah Pageant. Watch for the next chapter in this series in the weeks to come.
I am officially a contestant in the Mrs. Utah United States pageant. Not to be confused with Mrs. Utah America, Mrs. Global Utah or Mrs. Utah International. I have paid the application fee, acquired my first sponsors and told the entire Hurricane Valley I was going to do it. This is where I consider myself past the point of no return.The GoodSo if I can't chicken out, I should really try to win. At least that is what my husband said. In the long list of things to do before the pageant in May, I put two at the very top. First, I rented “Miss Congeniality.” I thought it would be really important to watch how she tripped on her heels during the opening number so that I would have a witty comeback if I did the same thing. I'm the kind of person who thinks of a comeback two days later when no one is around to hear it. I also enjoy the part where she uses Benjamin Bratt in her talent portion of the contest. Having been a police officer in the Air Force many years ago, I still enjoy movies where women carry guns and try to run in high heels - as if that was actually possible.Second, I needed advice from previous beauty contestants, and fast. Somehow losing the extra baby weight and getting my teeth whitened didn't seem quite as important just yet. So I called on my sister-in-law Rachel. She's the one I go to when I need to talk about girl stuff. She had entered the Ms. Utah Wheelchair pageant and I was hoping she could tell me more about pageants than the directors of “Miss Congeniality” could. After all, Rachel was named Miss Congeniality.I expected to hear about how important make-up was, how to do my hair just right and what color of evening gown would most impress the judges. Okay, I'm a little naïve when it comes to things like this. I needed help and I knew it. What I didn't expect to hear was how good of friends the contestants all became and still spends time together after all these years. While it seemed the complete opposite of what you see in the movies or even on CNN, I was relieved. There weren't going to be women sabotaging each other and hiding each other's swimming suits. Though I would gladly trade mine in for a comfortable pair of jeans and flip flops.I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This was going to be fun. And somewhere down the road, it would be a self-esteem boost and I would look back with fond memories of my one-time pageant experience. If I was being completely honest with myself, I did want to win and I wanted to help others along the way. I immediately set to work on my platform. I really enjoy volunteer work and I wanted to pick a platform that had always been important to me and something I knew a lot about. Looking back, I thought of the domestic violence council I had been a member of. There had also been that time I worked as a youth mentor. And now, I am coaching my son's soccer team. Maybe my platform should focus on helping the youth. But thoughts of emergency preparedness kept coming into my mind also. I thought of my husband, who has been such a blessing in my life, and how I had learned the importance of putting my marriage above all else. What a difference it would make if everyone learned such an easy concept, I thought. If we had less divorces, we would have less children in limbo. Less children in limbo could lead to higher self-esteem as they became adults. A healthy family life could be helpful when a child is faced with the decision to drink and do drugs. And while it won't prevent everything, a child who feels safe going home and talking to their parents is a child who may choose not to become involved in dangerous activities. Having been divorced myself, I saw how it affected my oldest son.It was then that the clouds parted and the sun came streaming through the windows. Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic but I did get butterflies in my stomach and I knew that I had my platform. The BadMy discussion with Rachel also enlightened me to the financial stress of pageantry. I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me. More work than just picking out an evening gown. According to the Mrs. Utah United States website, I had to raise quite a bit of money; whether that be through donations, selling advertisement or coming out of my own pocket. I wasn't very thrilled about the latter as it would have meant not making my house payment.I began to tally the amount I thought I would need. There was the $950 entry fee and while they give you a lot of gifts for doing the pageant, it didn't exactly cover the financial cost of everything. Over the next three months I would have to make three separate trips to Provo so I had to add fuel and hotels to my total. There was also the black cocktail dress, evening gown, business suit, swimming suit with wrap and clear or taupe high heels. That still didn't include the optional but necessary make-up, teeth-whitening, photography, monthly gym membership or hair care. I worried that I wouldn't find a way to cover it all. I began working on sponsors and found that some people were genuinely excited. Greg Kesmetis from GR8PRICES.COM, who sales software at a great price, bought an ad before I even asked. Jed at Stout Home Furnishings bought an ad and told me how much my husband had tormented him as a child. Thankfully they quite like each other now. Wendy Smith, the new owner of Tan-Acious offered a discount on services. And Jared at Classic Sports gave a large donation with instructions to wear the Classic Sports logo on the back of my dress. I am now entering the Mrs. “Nascar” Utah United States pageant. I have found that about one in every five businesses is truly happy to help.The UglyI was very excited when the director of the pageant said we had to wear a one-piece bathing suit with a wrap. Until she said that we will be taking the wraps off in front of the judges. I was horrified. Not for myself, but for everyone who would have to watch. Maybe I needed to add stretch-mark removal to my to-do list.As always, I would like to give a big thank you to my sponsors Nissa Lamb, owner of Hot Shot Images, Tan-Acious, Stout Home Furnishings, Classic Sports, GR8PRICES.COM, the Hurricane Valley Journal, Cedar City Review and the Dixie Weekly News.Jen will be writing future articles on pageant make-up and hair tips. If you have a tip you would like her to try and write about for skin care, hair care, exercising and more, e-mail them to jen@hvjournal.com.
Curiosity Killed the Cat
Vol. 11 , No. 26 , February 28, 2008 Curiosity Killed the Cat
By: Jen Gubler
It started as a misunderstanding. I was looking for a fun story on beauty pageants. How stressful is it really? What do the women have to go through to prepare for the big night? Is it really competitive or do the women build everlasting friendships with each other? And mostly, how do they pick their platforms? Is it something they care about or something that will just impress the judges? I wanted to go in-depth, behind the scenes and uncover the truth. In-depth and behind the scenes is exactly what I am going to get.I left a voice mail for one of the pageant officials at the Mrs. Utah United States pageant. I thought I had told her that I was looking for some information on the pageant for an article. I immediately received a return call and several e-mails containing pageant information. But not the kind of pageant information I was expecting. The e-mail said, “You will LOVE this program,” and “...it takes a lot of courage to say you want to do a pageant.” It didn't take long to figure out that they thought I wanted to participate in the pageant.I'm can't say why I didn't correct the misunderstanding right then and there. Instead I began joking with others about the idea. Me in a beauty pageant! I thought that was pretty funny. After all, I had my last baby just three months ago. I told my co-workers about the idea, expecting a smirk or a joke or two. Instead I got something like, “You should really do it” and “We would totally support you.” Hmm, were they sincere or afraid I would throw a reporter's notebook at their head?I began to see myself going undercover and writing a series of articles uncovering the good, the bad and the ugly about beauty pageants. This made the pageant look very appealing. But after the e-mails I received from the pageant director, it was bound to be a series of articles about how sweet and caring and supportive these women are. The e-mails were dripping with sincere appreciation for the things these women accomplish. I was going to have to think this through but with the deadline to submit my application just a few days away, I didn't have much thinking time left.The true test was when I asked my husband. The very supportive and yet very honest man who said, “I love it when you sing, but don't try out for American Idol.” I knew he would give me the answer I needed. He would tell me how beautiful he thinks I am and how much he loves me, and then tell me to wait until next year when I had time to get to the gym. I wanted to ask him in person, to watch his eyes and facial expression when I told him about my idea. He was in Salt Lake, however, and the phone would have to do. So I laid it on him, half joking and half serious and he did the most amazing, surprising thing. He said, not to me but to his co-workers that were in the room, “My wife is the next Mrs. Utah.” Well, I guess that was my answer.So I headed back to the computer and looked over the Mrs. Utah United States site very carefully. There was an interview in which I would have to wear a business suit, an evening gown contest, and my worst nightmare, a swimming suit contest. I filled out the application and lingered over submit for a few extra seconds. I reasoned that a lot of good could come from this. I could pick a platform that truly meant something to me and maybe do some good for the community whether I won or not. So, baby weight and stretch marks aside, I have entered the Mrs. Utah pageant.There is one person I haven't told yet. My seven-year-old son who knows I can't throw reporter's notebooks at his head. He would surely have laughed at me.I would like to give a big thank you to my first sponsor Greg Kesmetis with GR8PRICES.COM and the Hurricane Valley Journal.Editor's note: Jen Gubler is the newest staff writer for the Journal. She is married to Clarence Gubler and they live in La Verkin with their sons, Zachary and Matthew. She brings a lot of experience and enthusiasm to the pages of the Journal and we feel lucky to have her on the staff. We hope you enjoy getting to know her through her writing, especially during the Mrs. Utah series. Watch for the next chapter in this series in the weeks to come.
By: Jen Gubler
It started as a misunderstanding. I was looking for a fun story on beauty pageants. How stressful is it really? What do the women have to go through to prepare for the big night? Is it really competitive or do the women build everlasting friendships with each other? And mostly, how do they pick their platforms? Is it something they care about or something that will just impress the judges? I wanted to go in-depth, behind the scenes and uncover the truth. In-depth and behind the scenes is exactly what I am going to get.I left a voice mail for one of the pageant officials at the Mrs. Utah United States pageant. I thought I had told her that I was looking for some information on the pageant for an article. I immediately received a return call and several e-mails containing pageant information. But not the kind of pageant information I was expecting. The e-mail said, “You will LOVE this program,” and “...it takes a lot of courage to say you want to do a pageant.” It didn't take long to figure out that they thought I wanted to participate in the pageant.I'm can't say why I didn't correct the misunderstanding right then and there. Instead I began joking with others about the idea. Me in a beauty pageant! I thought that was pretty funny. After all, I had my last baby just three months ago. I told my co-workers about the idea, expecting a smirk or a joke or two. Instead I got something like, “You should really do it” and “We would totally support you.” Hmm, were they sincere or afraid I would throw a reporter's notebook at their head?I began to see myself going undercover and writing a series of articles uncovering the good, the bad and the ugly about beauty pageants. This made the pageant look very appealing. But after the e-mails I received from the pageant director, it was bound to be a series of articles about how sweet and caring and supportive these women are. The e-mails were dripping with sincere appreciation for the things these women accomplish. I was going to have to think this through but with the deadline to submit my application just a few days away, I didn't have much thinking time left.The true test was when I asked my husband. The very supportive and yet very honest man who said, “I love it when you sing, but don't try out for American Idol.” I knew he would give me the answer I needed. He would tell me how beautiful he thinks I am and how much he loves me, and then tell me to wait until next year when I had time to get to the gym. I wanted to ask him in person, to watch his eyes and facial expression when I told him about my idea. He was in Salt Lake, however, and the phone would have to do. So I laid it on him, half joking and half serious and he did the most amazing, surprising thing. He said, not to me but to his co-workers that were in the room, “My wife is the next Mrs. Utah.” Well, I guess that was my answer.So I headed back to the computer and looked over the Mrs. Utah United States site very carefully. There was an interview in which I would have to wear a business suit, an evening gown contest, and my worst nightmare, a swimming suit contest. I filled out the application and lingered over submit for a few extra seconds. I reasoned that a lot of good could come from this. I could pick a platform that truly meant something to me and maybe do some good for the community whether I won or not. So, baby weight and stretch marks aside, I have entered the Mrs. Utah pageant.There is one person I haven't told yet. My seven-year-old son who knows I can't throw reporter's notebooks at his head. He would surely have laughed at me.I would like to give a big thank you to my first sponsor Greg Kesmetis with GR8PRICES.COM and the Hurricane Valley Journal.Editor's note: Jen Gubler is the newest staff writer for the Journal. She is married to Clarence Gubler and they live in La Verkin with their sons, Zachary and Matthew. She brings a lot of experience and enthusiasm to the pages of the Journal and we feel lucky to have her on the staff. We hope you enjoy getting to know her through her writing, especially during the Mrs. Utah series. Watch for the next chapter in this series in the weeks to come.
Six Steps to Keeping Healthy Resolutions
This article was written by Jen Gubler and published in the Hurricane Valley Journal (Vol. 11 , No. 22 , January 30, 2008).
- For the Journal By Jen Gubler
Like most women in the valley Dowanna Cox is busy. As a full-time mom and the new owner of Curves in Hurricane she knows just how hard it is to find the time to stay in shape and stay healthy. Many people make New Year resolutions to lose weight and get more healthy and many of those resolutions are forgotten soon after, which is why Cox gives each member of Curves a health goal worksheet.The idea behind the worksheet is to commit to being healthy and know what steps you need to take to achieve that goal. Cox believes step one in keeping your New Year’s resolution to lose weight is to write down your goals and don’t give up if you make a mistake.“Women are fast moving,” Cox says. “If you mess up, start over the next day. It’s no big deal.”You’re goal this year may be to eat healthier, exercise more or even to drop pounds. But unless you commit to doing it, you will never achieve it.Annette Hall, a resident of La Verkin and mother of four, says she follows a plan for a healthy lifestyle herself and the best advice she could give anyone is to set an achievable goal.“There are so many people that want to be the perfect size,” Hall says, “and that’s not achievable for everybody.” Hall also says there is no perfect size and instead of worrying about the number of pounds you lose, its how you feel on the inside that matters.Step two in reaching your new goal is to remember not to go it alone. Whether you join a fitness or weight loss center or enjoy activities like running and swimming, you are more accountable when you go with friends.Lynne Murrah moved to Toquerville two years ago from Las Vegas. She stays busy taking care of her 99-year-old father and exercising at least three days a week. She enjoys going to Curves because she likes to get away and have time for herself. But she also enjoys the friends she’s made.“I haven’t met anyone I didn’t like,” Murrah says. “I’ve made a lot of friends.”And it shows, Murrah has lost 19 pounds since she began exercising and she did it without dieting. “I eat anything. I just cut back,” she said.Step three is to keep a positive attitude. Cox believes exercising makes you feel youthful and gives you more confidence. She says exercising gives you more motivation and by believing in yourself and your workout plan, you will see results. A positive attitude will help you feel better and stronger, even without losing weight.Step four is to eat healthy and to stay hydrated. By watching what you eat and cutting back on sodas and unhealthy snack foods, you also cut back on your chances of developing harmful illnesses like diabetes. Skipping meals can also be harmful to your body. Every time you skip a meal, your body stores more fat. Instead, try eating every few hours and snacking on fresh fruits and vegetables.Hall, who also worked at Curves for four years, says people don’t understand how important it is to stay hydrated. Drinking 64 ounces of water a day is essential to living a healthy diet. Hall warns that coffee, tea and soda do not count and that starving yourself of important fibers and nutrients can be dangerous to your body. She suggests filling a bottle with 64 ounces of water early in the morning and keeping it in your fridge. By drinking throughout the day, you can more accurately keep track of your water intake.Maridee Johnson joined Weight Watchers five years ago and says the best thing about the program is that once you’ve lost the weight, they show you how to maintain that healthy lifestyle. She is also the receptionist at Weight Watchers and recently had a new baby and was able to lose the extra weight again. She enjoys the benefits of the program like having a support group and learning about healthy eating.“It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change,” Johnson says.Step five is to exercise and keep busy. Hall suggests three days of strength training and two days of cardio followed by 48 hours of rest. While exercising for a 30-minute period, keep your heart rate up. At Curves, you are encouraged to check your heart rate every eight minutes to determine that your heart rate is adequate with your age and current health. Always check with your physician before beginning an exercise program. Moving increases your metabolism and helps your body fight the stored fat. When exercising, pick an activity that works the larger muscles groups like walking, running, swimming or biking. Keep your hands busy to resist the urge to snack on sugar and processed foods.Sadie Gubler, of La Verkin, is the mother of a toddler and recently joined Weight Watchers. She joined because she saw that her family was successful on the program and she wanted more self-control over what she ate. She says that by joining Weight Watchers, she chooses and makes her own food following their guidelines. But it is important to exercise, she says. She enjoys walking and bicycling with her husband.Step six is to set new goals when you have reached the old ones. We are never finished when it comes to keeping our bodies healthy and sometimes it’s not about losing weight. Phyllis Lawton, a Curves member, emphasized consistency. “The important thing is you keep coming back,” she said.
- For the Journal By Jen Gubler
Like most women in the valley Dowanna Cox is busy. As a full-time mom and the new owner of Curves in Hurricane she knows just how hard it is to find the time to stay in shape and stay healthy. Many people make New Year resolutions to lose weight and get more healthy and many of those resolutions are forgotten soon after, which is why Cox gives each member of Curves a health goal worksheet.The idea behind the worksheet is to commit to being healthy and know what steps you need to take to achieve that goal. Cox believes step one in keeping your New Year’s resolution to lose weight is to write down your goals and don’t give up if you make a mistake.“Women are fast moving,” Cox says. “If you mess up, start over the next day. It’s no big deal.”You’re goal this year may be to eat healthier, exercise more or even to drop pounds. But unless you commit to doing it, you will never achieve it.Annette Hall, a resident of La Verkin and mother of four, says she follows a plan for a healthy lifestyle herself and the best advice she could give anyone is to set an achievable goal.“There are so many people that want to be the perfect size,” Hall says, “and that’s not achievable for everybody.” Hall also says there is no perfect size and instead of worrying about the number of pounds you lose, its how you feel on the inside that matters.Step two in reaching your new goal is to remember not to go it alone. Whether you join a fitness or weight loss center or enjoy activities like running and swimming, you are more accountable when you go with friends.Lynne Murrah moved to Toquerville two years ago from Las Vegas. She stays busy taking care of her 99-year-old father and exercising at least three days a week. She enjoys going to Curves because she likes to get away and have time for herself. But she also enjoys the friends she’s made.“I haven’t met anyone I didn’t like,” Murrah says. “I’ve made a lot of friends.”And it shows, Murrah has lost 19 pounds since she began exercising and she did it without dieting. “I eat anything. I just cut back,” she said.Step three is to keep a positive attitude. Cox believes exercising makes you feel youthful and gives you more confidence. She says exercising gives you more motivation and by believing in yourself and your workout plan, you will see results. A positive attitude will help you feel better and stronger, even without losing weight.Step four is to eat healthy and to stay hydrated. By watching what you eat and cutting back on sodas and unhealthy snack foods, you also cut back on your chances of developing harmful illnesses like diabetes. Skipping meals can also be harmful to your body. Every time you skip a meal, your body stores more fat. Instead, try eating every few hours and snacking on fresh fruits and vegetables.Hall, who also worked at Curves for four years, says people don’t understand how important it is to stay hydrated. Drinking 64 ounces of water a day is essential to living a healthy diet. Hall warns that coffee, tea and soda do not count and that starving yourself of important fibers and nutrients can be dangerous to your body. She suggests filling a bottle with 64 ounces of water early in the morning and keeping it in your fridge. By drinking throughout the day, you can more accurately keep track of your water intake.Maridee Johnson joined Weight Watchers five years ago and says the best thing about the program is that once you’ve lost the weight, they show you how to maintain that healthy lifestyle. She is also the receptionist at Weight Watchers and recently had a new baby and was able to lose the extra weight again. She enjoys the benefits of the program like having a support group and learning about healthy eating.“It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change,” Johnson says.Step five is to exercise and keep busy. Hall suggests three days of strength training and two days of cardio followed by 48 hours of rest. While exercising for a 30-minute period, keep your heart rate up. At Curves, you are encouraged to check your heart rate every eight minutes to determine that your heart rate is adequate with your age and current health. Always check with your physician before beginning an exercise program. Moving increases your metabolism and helps your body fight the stored fat. When exercising, pick an activity that works the larger muscles groups like walking, running, swimming or biking. Keep your hands busy to resist the urge to snack on sugar and processed foods.Sadie Gubler, of La Verkin, is the mother of a toddler and recently joined Weight Watchers. She joined because she saw that her family was successful on the program and she wanted more self-control over what she ate. She says that by joining Weight Watchers, she chooses and makes her own food following their guidelines. But it is important to exercise, she says. She enjoys walking and bicycling with her husband.Step six is to set new goals when you have reached the old ones. We are never finished when it comes to keeping our bodies healthy and sometimes it’s not about losing weight. Phyllis Lawton, a Curves member, emphasized consistency. “The important thing is you keep coming back,” she said.
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