ItoldyousoItoldyousoItoldyouso!!!

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I told you so!

It’s been a week full of victories like no other. Not only is Fairhope High School reviving the Twirler’s program (The Majorettes are Back) but the Southern states have spiked the football in the end zone of The University of Life with Sunday night’s Miss America Pageant.

miss-america-2016-contestants-fe922f61004d7eb0This means one thing . . . good things are on the horizon for the United States of America! All the stars are aligning and pixie dust is coating the country with peace, love and beauty!

 

150914-betty-cantrell-0413_d6fb492c29c4e662230bff880acbf078.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000Miss Georgia, Baciliky “Betty” Cantrell, who loves the Andy Griffith Show, can drive a full sized John Deere tractor, and handle a shotgun, was crowned the new Miss America 2016. She has trained with a vocal coach since she was 14 years old and wowed the judges not only with the best red dress in the entire world, but also with her operatic selection from Madame Butterfly.

 

miss-new-york-talent-inlineWhat? She didn’t bang plastic cups on the floor like last year’s winner from New York? (read about last year’s fiasco HERE).

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In addition to Miss GEORGIA, other runners up were:

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Fourth runner up, Miss ALABAMA, Meg McGuffin (known to her friends as “Egg McMuffin” – cute).

Third runner up, Miss LOUISIANA, April Nelson

Second runner up, Miss Colorado, Kelley Johnson (who dressed in baggy scrubs and gave a talk about nursing, which technically, I think is a skill more than a talent, but hey . . . who’s going to vote against a nurse? They’re like teachers. Everyone loves them.)

First runner up, Miss MISSISSIPPI, Hannah Roberts

Miss America Crown, Fairhope Supply Co.

Here’s a map showing the number of Miss America winners by state, but I’m sure all of you know that one of the Miss Americas representing New York ร‚ย (Mallory Hagan) wasร‚ย actually born and raised in Alabama. You do know that, don’t you?

 

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We need a Miss Louisiana to win next year to fill in the entire South with sparkly, smiling, dancing, twirling, bright, swirling, happy young ladies. I just know there’s a girl deep in the bayou that fits that description somewhere.

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Okay, now do tell . . . did you watch the pageant? Did your favorite win? Can you drive a John Deere tractor?

(whispering . . .) Is your state still shaded gray? Tsk, tsk, tsk.

 

 

23 Comments

  1. Arlene@Nanaland on September 16, 2015 at 7:21 am

    I did not watch the pageant but as an old nurse, I certainly heard about Joy Behar’s(the View) comment regarding Miss Colorado’s stethoscope!! Since I did not hear the monologue I cannot comment on it but I am glad to see someone who works hard as a nurse but still has time to be pretty and to encourage young girls watching the show to consider nursing as an occupation. I think everyone knows that Southern Girls are the prettiest and the most charming! I had to laugh at the banging cups on the floor talent…I had not heard of that one! I thought that was something you learn at summer camp!! And sadly I cannot drive a John Deere but my daddy had one and now my brother in law drives it as he keeps our family farm up these days. And congrats to Miss Georgia because that is my home state and I am proud we represented well.

    • Leslie Anne on September 16, 2015 at 7:43 am

      Miss Colorado’s nurse monologue would make you cry, it’s so beautiful. Nurses everywhere should be proud. Of course, if she had been from the South, I would have loved it even more, but now that’s just being honest and petty. Shame on me, and bless others.

      And by the way, all the women I know from Georgia are gorgeous!

  2. Sandy on September 16, 2015 at 9:32 am

    I hadn’t planned to watch the Miss America pageant. In fact, I had forgotten all about it. I loved it growing up and never missed it or the Miss USA pageant, so I shared the love with my daughter at a young age. She loves them, even more after lived with a pageant girl in college. My daughter texts me Sunday evening about 5 minutes before hand to tell me I needed to watch. Well, Hubby isn’t not enthralled with the idea at all, so I headed off to another room to watch. Daughter and I texted like a play by play throughout the program. A great time was had.

    I do love the fact that Miss Georgia can handle a gun and drive a tractor. I have the first one down, but I am putting the latter on my list of “to learn.”

    Oh, I and liked her talent gown more than her evening gown.

  3. Leslie Anne on September 16, 2015 at 11:11 am

    How fun to have a texting buddy to share the show with. There were certainly many moments to discuss! And I agree with you about the gowns.

  4. Dayle on September 16, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    I was so ticked at myself for forgetting all about this pageant, so I didn’t watch. My bad.

    • Leslie Anne on September 16, 2015 at 4:13 pm

      It did seem to sneak up on us this year. I don’t know if they didn’t promote it like before, but I was surprised when I saw it on!

  5. Connie on September 16, 2015 at 3:51 pm

    We’re so excited about our Georgia winner and……..the new Miss Georgia stepping up from 1st runner up is Adeline Kenerly from my home town, Jesup, Ga. We are thrilled to say the least!

    • Leslie Anne on September 16, 2015 at 4:11 pm

      Good going, Jesup!

  6. Rachel on September 16, 2015 at 4:43 pm

    I didn’t watch, but saw that Miss Georgia took the sparkly crown! As a transplanted Georgia peach (from NC), I was thrilled. And happy to see that North Carolina isn’t gray, ha. GRITS (Girls Raised In The South) are the best. Don’t you just love that name, “Betty”?! So very Southern, even if it is a nickname for “Baciliky” instead of “Elizabeth Ann.”

    • Leslie Anne on September 16, 2015 at 5:37 pm

      And where was I during the pageant? Visiting my Aunt . . . BETTY!

  7. Beemie on September 16, 2015 at 5:46 pm

    I haven’t watched Miss America in decades, but not because I don’t like it, actually I just forget. My mother believed all of her daughters could be Miss America. She was a faithful watcher…truth be told I do believe the South has a formula for winners, usually charming and beautiful. Congrats to Miss Georgia!

    • Leslie Anne on September 16, 2015 at 8:37 pm

      Leave it to our Mothers to make us all feel like a Queen!

  8. Rhonda on September 16, 2015 at 6:49 pm

    Why yes, I can drive a JD Tractor! Go green, or go home! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Love that gorgeous red dress! Sure was pulling for Miss North Carolina! She was representing not only our state, but my daughter’s alma mater, and we thought she might have a good chance… or maybe we were just biased! ๐Ÿ™‚ ~Rhonda

    • Leslie Anne on September 16, 2015 at 8:38 pm

      I am totally impressed with your tractor skills! You are a Queen in my eyes!

  9. Kelly - Talk of the House on September 16, 2015 at 7:40 pm

    Heck yeah I watched! Betty goes to college with my daughter! ๐Ÿ™‚ My husband knows her parents well, and she is a local girl. (My husband says she looks just like her mother…that’s a wow!) My mom AND my mom-in-law are both named Betty. Anything else? Oh yes…I can drive a Ford tractor (and have on a number of occasions) and I can drive a John Deere lawn mower. Does that count? We are super proud of our Georgia girl. She is the real deal. And your Alabama beauty was shining star as well!
    Our country sadly needs some beauty, grace, dignity, class, and pixie dust sprinkled heavily across it.

    • Leslie Anne on September 16, 2015 at 8:40 pm

      How fabulous to personally know Miss America! I met Heather Whitestone twice, and of course, think she’s the ultimate Miss America, and she was beyond charming and magnetic with her beauty. Congratulations on having such nice friends!

  10. Jenna on September 17, 2015 at 1:08 pm

    I didn’t watch but saw her interviewed the next day, I was so impressed with her accomplishments and her goals! Brains and beauty plus class and compassion and gratitude~

    • Leslie Anne on September 17, 2015 at 8:31 pm

      Brains are the way to go every time!

  11. Mo at Mocadeaux on September 17, 2015 at 10:41 pm

    Hooray for Southern beauties! And hooray for nurses (even if they are from our west)! I saw that there was a big kerfuffle because Joy Bahar of The View made fun of Miss Colorado for coming out in her scrubs. Can’t we all just be congenial?

  12. Katie Clooney on September 18, 2015 at 6:54 am

    I didn’t watch it this year because we were out of town. I do enjoy watching it every year tho. The question/answer segment and the gowns are my favorite. Have a wonderful weekend, Leslie Anne.

    • Leslie Anne on September 18, 2015 at 7:26 am

      The question section was . . . questionable for Miss Georgia. Others received questions about politics, but she was asked about deflategate and admitted she didn’t know much about the NFL, but thought Tom Brady was guilty. Weird question.

  13. Lori on September 18, 2015 at 8:48 am

    I was thrilled with all the final southern states! Come on Louisiana, we are all cheering!

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