"Spin for CMN"--A Children's Miracle Network fundraiser

My fundraiser for the Children's Miracle Network, "Spin for CMN," is this Friday at the Monroe Athletic Club and you are officially invited!  Here's a clip from my visit to KNOE this morning, where I talked about the upcoming event.

The Miss America Organization and Children's Miracle Network are partnered, and as a Miss Louisiana contestant, I help raise funds and awareness for this wonderful non-profit that has already raised over $4 billion dollars this year, which helps to ease the burden from sick/injured children and their families. It's an honor and privilege to be associated with such an incredible cause, and over the past 3 and 1/2 years, I've met the most inspirational kids who've had a profound impact on my life.  


Justin Jarreau was Louisiana's Miracle Child in 2008 (the year I first won a prelim) and he was the special guest at my first fundraiser, "I Dance for Hope for the Kids of CMN."  We met and spent an afternoon together before the event, where I heard all about his story, "From Tragedy to Triumph."  Justin was in a tragic car accident that left him without a part of his brain and, as a result, doctors predicted he would never regain motor skills.  


With lots of fervent prayer, a loving family, and treatments from a CMN hospital, this resilient boy went from not being able to walk, speak, or function independently at all, to running, uttering "I love you's" to his mom, and living a life that every child--especially this one--deserves.  Justin defied every doctor's original prognosis and beat all the odds... Truly a triumph, and one his mother said never would have been possible without his treatments--none of which cost the Jarreau's a dime--at a CMN hospital. 


This Friday, I hope to raise as much money as possible for kids like Justin who need a hope, a prayer, and a triumph.  If you're around the Monroe area and free from 8:00 a.m. to noon, come join us and ride in honor of a Louisiana child and contribute to the miracles happening around our state.  If you aren't able to come, but still want to contribute, you can visit: 

 https://missamericaforkids.org/m.aspxi=4773+7116C96AD 

Your generous donations are appreciated and will benefit so many deserving kids in need of quality care and attention from premiere hospitals--Thank you!

It's Crunch Time

Four weeks from this past Monday, I check in to the Miss Louisiana dorms and the exciting week will begin!  This means that for the next month, I've got to give 150% percent to preparing for Miss LA. It's crunch time!!!!


Speaking of crunch, who doesn't like a good crunchy, salty chip?  You can dip it, dunk it, crumble it, throw it in soup, or nibble on 'em straight from the bag... I don't know about you, but I can't just eat a plain 'ole sandwich without some kind of crunchy side.  So, what's a girl to do when it's crunch time but she can't have her crunch? Two words:  kale chips.


What's this kale I speak of?  Well, it's a leafy green that's chock full of antioxidants, rich in lutein, calcium, iron, & vitamins A, C, and K, plus it's calorically low (one cup is 37 cals.)!  Oh, and kale has seven times more beta-carotene (i.e. prevents cancer, protects you from free radicals--can you say wrinkles?--and supports healthy eyes, clear skin, and stronger immune system!) than broccoli.  Is there anything this superfood can't do?  

Baked Kale Chips:


1 bunch kale
1 tbsp olive oil 
sprinkle o' sea salt


Preheat oven to 300°.  Wash kale, lay flat to dry, and then remove tough center stem by cutting or tearing large chunks off.  

I used my Misto--a genius little gadget--to lightly spray the kale, but you can lightly toss with olive oil in a bowl. 

 Spread kale in single layer on large baking sheet (covered mine in parchment paper for simple cleanup) and bake for 20 minutes until crisp.  Allow kale chips to cool on a baking rack.  Time to crunch. 

    On a different note, at 6:00 a.m. this morning I was on KNOE-TV8 talking about "Spin for CMN," my upcoming fundraiser for this Children's Miracle Network.  Video and details to come later in the day! 


    

Tioga's Got Talent

Yesterday, the day was off to a very early (but great) start.  Here's the play-by-play:


4:50 a.m.:  Alarm sounds, waking Sleeping Snooty from a good dream.  She rolls out of her high-rise bed, plants both feet on the ground and shuffles over to the armoire for, you guessed it, workout clothes. It's BodyPump time in t-minus 40 minutes!


5:00 a.m.: Clothes on, washing face, reminding myself that Starbucks medium roast is waiting on me in the lobby of the MAC


5:10 a.m.:  Almost ready to leave--lacing up the sneaks, catch one last glance of myself in the mirror and, alas, my pants are on inside out.  It's still dark, people...  At least I have an excuse this time...once, I went a whole day with my yoga pants on backwards.   Never having been an issue, I spent the whole day tugging them up in the back, noticed a Nike check on my right cheek, and thought, "Hey, that's kinda unusual...but I like it." Moment of realization:  Pulling them back up in the bathroom and reading the inner-front band--"Nike Dri-Fit made in Thailand." Oye Vey.


5:30-6:25 a.m.:  Rock it out in class : )


7:15 a.m.:  Hit the road for Pineville, LA to emcee Tioga Elementary's Talent Show!


8:45 a.m.:  Pull into the parking lot and, upon checking in, I'm greeted with smiling faces and first-rate hugs!


9:00 a.m.:  The fun begins...

Ahh, talent shows... I used to be quite the enthusiast.  As a young girl, any chance to perform on-stage was met with three words:  Sign. Me. Up. I hold fond memories from elementary school talent shows in 97', 98', and 99'--my 4th, 5th, & 6th grade years at Jack Hayes.  For my fourth grade debut, I sang "Every Heart Beat Belongs to You," by Amy Grant.  After the intro, I popped up from behind a colossal cardboard heart (made by none other than Onna Gallagher) that had "Hope" written across it in flashing lights and a 3400 font.  Evidently, no one sent my mother the memo that it was but a humble production... not a Broadway production.  Good 'ole Nonnie has always gone above and beyond!


The next year, I wanted to step it up a bit and do something less old-fashioned, more current.  My 5th grade mind decided on a selection that was sure to be a crowd pleaser.  I approached Mom with the brilliant idea and this is how it went:


MOM:  Have you given any thought to what you might sing in the talent show, baby?  I think "Part of Your World" would be beautiful on your voice and you could have a treasure chest with your "collection" of treasures on top to use for props...


HOPE:  *moaning & groaning*  Mom, I don't want to sing a Disney song! I wanna do something popular... like the other kids do...


MOM:  Okay, like what?


HOPE:  ...Well... like..."Scrub"


MOM:  What's "Scrub"?


HOPE:  ........You know... that song, "I don't want no scrub, a scrub is a guy that can't get no love from me..."


MOM:  .......................Hope, we may do a lot of things around here, but scrubbin' ain't one of them...

*end of discussion*

What song did I sing, you ask?  If you guessed "Part of Your World," you'd be correct.  And where did I place in the talent show?  First...  Yep, Nonnie knew what she was talking about.  Turns out "I've got gadgets and gizmos a plenty" was much more engaging than a song with too many double negatives to count.  To this day, we still don't scrub... 

This was my second trip to Tioga Elementary and the students were as sweet as ever, attentive, and, yes, really talented! I was so impressed by the variety of talents these Kindergarden through 6th graders had--everything from magic tricks to singing while playing guitar, dancing, and acrobats--I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them and hope they'll have me back soon!

   

Giving a wave with the whole group.

The world is as many times new as there are children in our lives.              ~Robert Brault, http://www.robertbrault.com/

LET'S START AT THE VERY BEGINNING, A VERY GOOD PLACE TO START

I'm fond of new beginnings.  Morning time has always been my favorite for this very reason:  It's a new start.  A new possibility.  Another chance to experience the unknown... A few months ago, I graduated from college and many new chapters--some exciting, some daunting--have sprung up as of late.  

Exciting: Getting my first "big girl" job as an Associate Producer at KNOE-TV8.  

Daunting: Moving out of my picture-perfect on-campus apartment and back into, that's-right-you-guessed-it, the Parent's house (*insert cliffhanger sound effect: "Duh, Duh, DUH!") 

Exciting: Applying to grad school at Johns Hopkins for a Masters in Health Communications--I'm keeping fingers, toes, legs, arms, locks of hair, and any other intertwine-able thing crossed...

Daunting: Waking up each day, rolling over, throwing a leg out from under the covers, & realizing that I still live with my parents. 

Exciting: Discovering a newfound joy.  I recently became a yoga instructor and it's been all-around uplifting & rewarding. 

Daunting:  Okay, okay I'll leave it on a good note...

If you happen to be reading this post, then you're getting a firsthand glimpse at the next installment of Exciting...  Always having loved to write, I've been thinking about starting a blog for a while and finally realized the opportune time is now.

A little backgrounder:  My name is Hope Anderson.  I enjoy working up a good sweat and making healthy versions of unhealthy dishes you never imagined were possible.  In other words, I'm a health-nut and try to manipulate others to live healthy, wholesome lives, too; however, I do have a sweet tooth that must be indulged every now and again.  One day, I hope to anchor the Today Show, reporting on health topics and writing features for major publications.  Just move on over, Mrs. Morales...  

Dancing has been a passion of mine since the age of three.  A big stage, pink ballet slippers, angel costume, lipstick, glitter, and hairspray synthesized for a magical combination and I've been hooked ever since.  

I like, make that love, to cook:  something I did a lot more of when I had my own kitchen, sans a woman I affectionately call "Nonnie" who protests when I even think about dirtying her kitchen... I always clean up my mess... (*Note: Cleaning the kitchen is a necessary evil that comes with the pleasure of cooking.  While I can honestly say I clean up my mess each time I cook, this assurance comes with no time constraints.)

The past three years have been largely dedicated to reaching a significant milestone:  winning the privilege and title of Miss Louisiana.  Now, before you try and deduce that I was one of those little tykes on Toddlers and Tiaras, hold it right there! I am no enthusiast for child pageants; in fact, I'm very opposed to them and think little girls should be gaining self-esteem through activities that build character (such as dancing, trying out different sports, acting in plays, taking art lessons, etc.), not being heaved across a stage by a domineering mom wanting her princess to have a "real" crown.  


The only run in with pageants I had as a child was as an audience member at my (then 3 year old) cousin Hannah's debut pageant career.  She was rolled, fluffed, primped, and ready to go on-stage.  That is until Little Miss Muffet decided she was hungry... and McDonnald's chicken nuggets sounded much more appetizing than curds and whey.  So my Aunt Anna did what any decent mother would do in this situation:  She sent someone to get that baby some Mickey D's.  Problem solved! Right...? Yea, right until it was time for Hannah to prance onto stage in the first line up--Aunt Anna couldn't pry Hannah's precious chicken nugget from her impenetrable baby fingers.  Hannah walks onstage with the other little debutants and we all sighed with relief that she at least made it up there! Nugget held between her teeth, she proceeded to introduce a talent portion of the competition by dropping down to the floor and performing full-out pushups.  Not just any baby can do that...and while biting a chicken nugget, no less.  We were so proud.  

At my own interest, I competed in my first pageant as a sophomore in college.  Since then, I've acquired tens of thousands of dollars in scholarship assistance thanks to the Miss America Organization, to which I will continue to avidly support long after I hang up those nude pageant heels. 

I've been immeasurably blessed by competing on the Miss Louisiana stage, discovered new sides of myself, and met remarkable young women who are just as proud as I am to call Louisiana home.  

This brings me to a noteworthy point:  In nine weeks, a new Miss Louisiana will be crowned and I will be competing as Miss Spirit of Ruston.  Miss Louisiana's been dubbed the "Super Bowl for Women."  Preparation is grueling...  Sacrificing is unquestionable...  Mental, physical, and emotional preparedness is key...  Ruthless contestants tackling each other backstage... I kid...... possibly... 

So needless to say, this chapter is a very important chunk of the story, my story, and much has yet to be inscribed.

"Do a Little Dance, Bake a Little Love, Get Crowned Tonight" is an imperfectly perfect account of life as I know it--  Leaping with total abandon through both the grande and petite moments, extending some love to others--occasionally with a homemade, nutritious goodie--and fervently preparing for a pivotal night that I hope will result in the chance to do something bigger than myself.

To echo musician Gavin Degraw, "This is the start of something good. Don't you agree?" I do. Wholeheartedly.