Miss Nebraska Orientation

My mommy Teri at orientation.

It is that time of year again.  Pageant season.  The Miss Nebraska Orientation was held April 1st and 2nd in North Platte and not only did I get to reunited with all of the wonderful women I will be competing with this June but I got to see my mama.  Marianne, Tracy, and Kelsey sped into town a few (by few I mean 20) minutes before they were supposed to so I was a bit behind on packing but quickly gathered my things and we made our way to North Platte.  We discussed swimsuit color/style, talent outfit and interview the way down and got quite a few ideas.

After two bathroom breaks we finally made it to town and I got to go straight to my host families house for supper before the contestants met.  I would like to introduce you to Tonja, Ben, James and Joe; my four amazing. wonderful siblings.  Yes indeed, I claim them as family.

The Heirigs kiddos + me= one of my favorite things in the world.

I have had the pleasure of keeping my host family each year I've competed at Miss Nebraska, making this the third summer I get to have them.  I have truly found my place amongst the hectic crazy lifestyle with four kiddos running around.  I have a crazy love for children and I wouldn't trade any of them or the loud household or dinner discussions for anything in the world.  Laura and Rick (my parents) have always been so good to be and outside of my immediate family, my biggest fans.  It's always so encouraging to have the support of all them and their words of encouragement throughout my stays as well.  Laura even put a vase of tulips in my room for orientation weekend.  They are my favorite!  I can't wait to spend my week with them this June!  

After supper and some visiting we headed to the church to meet the other contestants and their host families and then headed over to the Engels for a 'contestant only' get together.  And surprise, surprise, we got to Skype Teresa!  It was such a pleasure talking with her...okay actually listening!  If any of you have heard Teresa talk, that girl LOVES it!  He had great things to say about her experience at Miss America and having the job now!  I am very eager to see her again in June.  

Saturday morning kicked off with the contestant order draw and for the second time in my pageant career I am contestant NUMBER 1!  That's right, first one on the stage for swimsuit, evening wear and my night of talent.  I am in the Diamond group which means I will be competing in onstage question and evening wear the first night of prelims and then swimsuit and talent the second night of prelims.  I am very comfortable and satisfied with my choice...not that I had many to choose from being the third from last name called.  

After paperwork, tickets, photos, production check, and mock interviews each of the contestants go to join our little sisters for a pizza party!  Our directors and parents got to hang out too!  Unfortunately only one of my little sisters, Haylee Serrano, was able to be at the pizza party but I am anxious to meet Anabelle Gillen in June!  Haylee and I had a great chat during supper and got to know a lot about each other!  She told me she is very anxious for the week of Miss Nebraska and is so happy to be my little sister.  And of course I'm so grateful to be her big sister!

Haylee and I

J-States and I posing for a photo!

We could definitely be real sisters, look at that cross-eyed action!

After a very eventful and busy day I was ready to head back home to Lincoln!  Marianne, Kelsey, Tracy and I loaded up again and took to the road with talk about everything.  Really, I'm not kidding.  We talked about boys, Miss Nebraska, death, Sunday school, marriage, happy things, and sad things.  It was a great carpool event!  On one of our bathroom stops we were facing West and got this incredible view.

God is good isn't He?  This kind of image is what makes creation so believable to me.  Where else could such beauty come from?

Feeling loved inside and out,

Kayla

Miss Omaha

And I'll love you with a little love song I found :)

St. Patty's Day Parade

Nicky, Mindy and I with some firefighter supporters!

The frigid March morning, although chilly, brought many supporters and many Omaha residants to the annual St. Patty's Day Parade.  I had the pleasure of joining the wonderful Miss Nebraska, Nicky Haverland and beautiful Miss Douglas County, Mindy Schreiber for the parade and events to follow.  Because we arrived at our location a bit before our cars we jogged over to the fire station to keep warm and ran into quite a good looking bunch of men!  Yes, most of them were married and many very shy too, but it was fun to joke about it.

Omaha Firefighters

The lovely ladies carrying my flag...and a band boy :)

The lovely Miss Douglas County, Mindy

Before the parade started I was able to capture some photos with the school mascots of the band that marched in front of the 'princesses,' my driver and a wonderful bunch of people that are very famous.

My driver and my lovely car!

The Star Wars crew!

It's the Star Wars crew!! They were basically real-life with their outfits and characters.  They welcomed me into a photo with them and I must laugh because I feel like I look a bit like the Darth himself in this photo.  It must be the black attire.

It was a very chilly but successful day and it was wonderful spending time with Nicky and Mindy.  I can't wait for the week of Miss Nebraska to make that an every day occurrence!

Mindy couldn't keep that stinkin' sash on!

That's all for the parade.  Maybe the next one I'll be in will include an ice water instead of a coffee, and some sunblock instead of a scarf! :)

Kayla
Miss Omaha

Mrs. Nebraska 2011

The lovely Karalyn Hoefer, Mrs. Nebraska 2011

I was honored to have the opportunity to sing the National Anthem at the Mrs. Nebraska competition this year as well as watch one of my favorite people compete!  I am such a proud former titleholder of Karalyn's and she will represent Nebraska SO well throughout her year.  The Mrs. America Pageant was just held last weekend and Karalyn made top 15!!! She looked so amazing! 

I also had the opportunity to catch up with my dear friends Mollie and Jessica.  We had a great time whispering our critiques to one another throughout the whole pageant, keeping our fingers crossed for Karalyn!

Jessica, Mollie and I.  LOVE these girls!

Kaity & Kalyssa (Mrs. Nebraska's daughters!)

My new friend Sam!

Jordan Somers & I

Heather Loske & I 

Mrs. Nebraska 2010 Nicole Panneton

It was so fun to be able to watch a pageant and not participate for once...although I feel like I still had the same amount of nerves!  I can't wait to see what Karalyn accomplishes in her reign!

That's all for now ya'll!

Kayla Batt

Miss Omaha

Pancakes for CMNH!

I was able to get some community service hours in at the local IHOP for National Pancake Day!  Many title holders who live near Lincoln met up that evening to help get support for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.  You'd be amazing at how many people come out for free pancakes!  Unfortunately I didn't get to snatch any of those for myself!  This national pancake day is an event sponsored by IHOP to promote CMNHospitals and to gather donations.  Customers are offered a free three-stack of pancakes for a donation to CMNH.  

Mindy & I

Snappin photos in the kitchen!

Mmm..how about that butter!

After talking with customers in the lobby about the partnership between IHOP, CMNH, and the Miss America Organization I actually got to get my hands dirty with some butter scooping!  I always wondered how they got that butter so nice and round!  It was great working along side the staff and my fellow contestants and friends.  It was a great turnout and I can't wait until next year to do it again!

A customer who just finished a plate of pancakes and made her donation.

Now who could resist that stacker?

That's all for the moment!

Kayla

Miss Omaha

Miss Alliance/Outstanding Teen Pageant!

After my short visit in North Platte I headed home for to emcee the Miss Alliance/Outstanding Teen Pageant! I had a blast being home for the day and loved getting to spend time with all the contestants.  This of course is where pageantry all started for me.  I was the first Miss Alliance's Outstanding Teen in 2007 and have been a part of the Miss Alliance Pageant for years.  Like many mothers, mine choose to volunteer me to help her each year with the silent auction.  I must say that I began to enjoy watching the girls compete and then hear how they did at the state level.  Its so crazy thinking that now I am in all of this.  

Congratulations to Sarah Summers of Papillion on winning the Outstanding Teen title and a huge congrats to Megan Dimmit of Alliance.  (Megan's mom was my piano teacher for a few years!)

Miss Omaha, Miss Northwest, Miss Alliance, Miss Blue River, Miss Scottsbluff County

I had a great time with the job as emcee as well.  I got to work with my fellow neighbor/brother/friend Jon Marquez...and many of you who know about Jon and I, we've had quite the love/hate relationship!  Jon and I both played trumpet throughout school and lived right across the street from one another.  Needless to say we have had our moments but all in all make quite the pair!

Brooke Ludeman & I

Former Miss Alliance OT Meghan Thalken

I had a great time and a long drive home, but I got to enjoy the view of a whole lemon pie sitting on the seat next to me!  I sure do love my grandma!  

Sorry so short and sweet but I'm on a race to get caught up!

How about a song for a close :)

A little love from JHud!

I'll be writing soon...no joke...like in the next couple minutes!

Kayla 

Miss Omaha

Playing Catch-up!

Okay, so I know I've been horribly awful at keeping up with my blog the last couple months and I sincerely apologize!  But I'm here to let you know I have much to catch you up on!  First I'm going to dive back into February/March momentarily and then I'll get the recent stuff rolling!  I promise...it's happening!

Absent from blogging,
Kayla
Miss Omaha :)