November
Hello All!!!
Just when I think things couldn’t get crazier……… November came! I knew that this last month was going to be filled with new adventures and experiences, but I guess I didn’t give it that much thought since this whole year has been one big new adventure.
So, I left you all last when I had just arrived in L.A. All the girls were so anxious to find out what we would be doing during our ten day stay. Unfortunately, we found out only bits and pieces as the week went on until the whole thing revealed itself to us in the end. I can’t say too much about what happened there because you are all going to have to watch (January 4th at 9pm Central Time on TLC), but I can say one thing – I came back a brunette. This is huge for me because I have never had hair darker than sandy blonde. Not only is it a huge appearance change, but it is a mental change as well. I am just taking in what it feels like to be a brunette – I now classify myself as the “mysterious brunette” instead of the “perky blonde;” although, I will always be Ashley!!!
I bet you are all wondering how my new hair color is being received and when there will be pictures up. Well, in answer to the first question - everyone really likes it, but I promise there were polls on my hair going around my hometown of Scottsbluff over Thanksgiving. It is really growing on me, and I love it!! So now, in response to the second question, I am in the process of getting some new headshots taken. I will post a new picture as soon as I can – hopefully, it will be worth the wait!!!
Besides my hair, L.A. was such a neat experience for me to be able to get to know all the girls. There are so many neat girls competing this year, and I am honored to be part of this class of women. I think we have bonded so much more because we lived together for ten days, and we had a lot of fun in the process.
So, what is next? Well, it’s about that time – MISS AMERICA LIVE 2008! I am preparing as much as I can for the big event as it is right around the corner. I am getting more excited with each day and can’t wait to represent the amazing state of Nebraska! I wish you all a Merry Christmas and wonderful holiday season.
God Bless,
Ashley

October

Hey All!!!

I'm alive!!! I know some of you were wondering ;) Well, I am sitting here in my gorgeous suite in LA with my fabulous roomie, Miss Colorado - Maggie Ireland. It is about midnight here, but with daylight savings last night, just getting back from the cruise where I was on Eastern Time, and now getting adjusted to Pacific Time, I have no idea what time my body thinks it is. So.....I am up writing to all of you - this letter is long overdue!

Well, October was an exciting month. I drove/flew over 13,000 miles just last month where I started out in Scottsbluff and stopped in communities including Ogallala, North Platte, Holdrege, Lexington, McCook, Cozad, Fremont, Lincoln, Omaha, Grand Island, Broken Bow, and Gothenburg where I worked with local TeamMates chapters, spoke out about domestic abuse, pretended to be a golf pro at the state fundraiser, modeled a fur around the fur harvesters' convention, helped crown a new Harvest of Harmony, and even flew around with the Governor to promote the importance of a college education to kids across the state. My month ended with TeamMates' big fundraiser and celebration in Omaha at the Qwest Center, the Miss Omaha/Miss Douglas County/Miss River City pageant (congratulations girls!), and after packing all night, I headed to Miami, FL, to cruise around hurricane Noel (and I thought motion sickness in a car was bad). Finally, tomorrow I will begin taping the Miss America Live reality series with the 51 other amazing women who are vying for the title of Miss America 2008 - not bad for one month, whew!

It has been an absolute whirlwind, but I am enjoying every second of it. On the cruise, we listened to two speakers talk about making your own "Brand" and taking in all the moments we will experience this year. It was a great presentation and made me really think about all the amazing memories I have already made, and there are so many yet to come. I want to tell you all every funny story and every detail of my excursions across the state, but the warm bed in front of me is calling my name. I am sending warm wishes your way and cannot wait to see everyone again when I get back to "The Good Life" in Nebraska! Hugs and Kisses!

Always,
Ashley

September
Hello Friends!
First of all, I have to apologize for being so tardy on updating you on what has been going on. Well, it has been a whirlwind of fun events and has been very hectic – I know it is a feeble excuse, but I’m sticking with it! I am writing this late at night because that is when I work best.
Well, after I left you all last, I was headed to Atlanta to model at Market for the amazing Miss Sherri Hill. I had a blast, but I must say it was hard work. Miss South Carolina, Miss Texas, and Miss Oklahoma were among the amazing girls I was privileged to work the runway with in Atlanta. When I got back, I headed to Columbus where I spoke to an elementary school and met with Laura and Sharon from the Columbus TeamMates Program. From Columbus, I headed to St. Paul where I spoke to about 700 kids in grades K-12 and visited with local businesses about the TeamMates program in their area. That same day, I drove to Grand Island where I was able to meet with some kids in their TeamMates program and was also able to help at their TeamMates booth at a tailgating event. I have received an overwhelming welcome from all the communities I have been to, and I am excited for the upcoming events I will go to and the places the crown will take me.
The beginning of September took me from the Nebraska State Fair to Bayard, Nebraska, where I was able to be a part of their Heritage Days Celebration, and then on to be the ambassador for the Panhandle’s Aids/HIV walk and fundraiser ( I was extremely honored! ). Later, I taped a commercial for Mr. Bob Spady in North Platte and helped with a TeamMates picnic that afternoon. The next day I was able to speak to St. Pat’s school and share how to “Team up for Success: Passing up Peer Pressure, Setting Goals, and Hitting Your Target!” – I know I am a nerd, but I have to have some fun with the kids. From there, I was the Husker fan of the week and was interviewed on KETV in Omaha. The interview played on game day and worked out perfectly since I was able to be a part of the halftime presentation with Tom and Nancy Osborne on the 50 yard line!! What a feeling it was to be on the field with a full stadium of people clapping and cheering – I always knew I should have tried to be a football player. After the game, I sped to Omaha for the Miss Sarpy County Pageant (by the way, a couple weeks ago, I got out of my second ticket in Oklahoma City for an illegal U-Turn, so the count is now to two warnings!). My month ended with the Falls City kickoff presentation for Education Quest and their “Know How to Go” campaign. It turned out great, and we had a wonderful reception. I also had so much fun with Governor Heineman – he had such a wonderful message for the kids.
I continued my day with a drive to Chadron where I was able to meet with kids and help with TeamMates events over the weekend. I was honored to be in their homecoming parade and sing the National Anthem at a CSC football game. One of the best parts of being Miss Nebraska is getting to be a part of so many neat events across the state and in every community. I truly am learning so much about the different traditions across the state and with each event I attend and with every person I meet, I am constantly reminded of what makes the state of Nebraska such an amazing place to live. Go ‘Skers, Go CSC Eagles and Danny Woodhead, Go TeamMates, Go Nebraska!!!
Always,
Ashley
P.S. Pictures will follow soon. Anyone who has seen my car and knows that I am living out of a suitcase and two overnight bags understands why I cannot find my digital camera and have also misplaced my phone charger (good thing I have a car charger). I am currently using Wal-Mart’s finest – a disposable camera - and will post pictures when I use up all the film. Again – Love to all!

August

Hello everyone,
After I last left you all, I was in Scottsbluff heading back to the eastern end of the state. The day after I reported to you all that I had received “no speeding tickets yet” came with a surprise as I headed through Ogallala. I was pulled over by a nice officer named Jesse and was let off with a warning – I made sure to sign him a thank- you picture!!!
I stopped in Gothenburg to support the Relay For Life celebration there and watched Miss Nebraska Board Member, Marsha Hecox, take the opening lap – she was one of the honorary chairs of the event! The next morning, even though it was pouring rain, I took pictures with Tom Osborne, Adrian Fiala, and all the golf teams at a TeamMates golf tournament at the Wild Horse Golf Course in Gothenburg and then headed to Grand Island for an autograph signing at Viaero Wireless. Viaero was a lot of fun, and they gave me a Blackberry and service for the year – so a BIG thank-you to Viaero!! I know understand why they are called “crackberries” or as Murray Schad would say “raspberries!”
I was then able to spend a couple days in Lincoln where I attended TeamMates annual partnership meeting. It was an amazing experience to see most all of the TeamMates chapters from across the state attend. They attended seminars and classes to help them with questions and to give them ideas on many areas such as fundraising and mentor training. I was introduced and able to extend my help to chapters across the state!
I believe that takes you through the end of my July. The beginning of August started with an appointment that I was really looking forward to – a tradition that women just love – a haircut and highlight!!! A big thank-you to Dan Macke from the Strand in Lincoln for donating my hair care for the year! Jason was my stylist for the day and did an amazing job on my hair. I am so excited to know that my hair will be in great hands – literally - this year!
With a refreshed look – I headed to Omaha where I attended a Ralston Public Schools golf tournament which raised funds for the school and their TeamMates program. I then headed to a meeting with Suzanne Hince and Julie Swain from TeamMates. On Saturday, I was able to attend a couple weddings and receptions, including former contestant Tami Foehlinger’s. It was a great time to catch up with friends and celebrate the happy occasion, and it reenergized me as I headed to Kansas City the next morning for Miss America preparations!
The next week entailed television interviews in Omaha where I pushed mentor recruitment for TeamMates – I did two live news interviews and did not say anything too embarrassing! On Friday of this week, I spoke at Kiewit in Omaha about mentoring with TeamMates and signed autographs for many employees who wanted to embarrass their coworkers – hey! That is what I am there for!
I left that afternoon to head to Scottsbluff where I saw my family really briefly. My little sister, Emily, just won the title of Miss Scotts Bluff County, and of course, I am a proud sister. Since I could not attend the pageant, I had to see pictures – she is amazing! As she headed for a parade the next morning, I headed to Chadron where I spent an hour talking about TeamMates on a local radio show, signed autographs at another Viaero Wireless store opening, taped a TV commercial for Viaero, and taped Public Service Announcements for the Chadron TeamMates chapter.
And with all of the fun I had on Friday and Saturday, my weekend was still not over. The announcement of when, where, and what station Miss America would be on came to me on Saturday afternoon – I am very excited and hope you all will tune in to watch or better yet, come down to Las Vegas and watch in person!!! The final night is planned for January 26th at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino.
After a sleepless night, half because of excitement and half because my body is confused because of my hectic traveling schedule and awkward hours, I headed to Ogallala to be in their parade on board a Pinnacle Bank wagon – thanks Kevin and Myron.
Now, let me just preface all of this with something that may not exactly make sense right away, but it will in a minute – I hate spiders, I will scream like a crazy woman if one is anywhere near me. Okay, that said, on our farm we have about eight peach trees that are producing fruit like crazy, and my mom thought she would send some sacks of freshly picked peaches with me to drop off to people across the state. Yes, I am the peach lady. Anyways, I had a rough day because my phone wasn’t working right because I dropped it, and I got on the road pretty late after the parade in Ogallala. As I was traveling, I was trying to stay awake with a Starbucks and was trying to reset my phone by taking out the battery (I know I am really not a safe driver) all while driving down the interstate. Right as I snapped the battery back into place, I saw something out of the corner of my eye – a spider crawling up my shirt – it was definitely not small and it was moving rapidly toward my face (it was very dramatic). I screamed and flicked it across my car all the while trying to stay on the road. Then, I was paranoid, I had two more bags of peaches to drop off, and I knew there were more spiders.
I dropped off one more bag and tried to look for the monster spider in my car. Did I mention that I am basically living out of my car and there are tons of spaces and hiding places for spiders? I couldn’t find it, but I decided to keep going. Right as I got on the road again, I saw something coming down at my face from the ceiling of the car – okay, I lost it in the middle of a neighborhood in North Platte. I am not sure who lives in those houses, but they received a show as I jumped out of my car screaming, doing a spider dance, and frantically waving my arms around my head. Long story short, that spider had tormented me long enough – it received a hefty squirt of carpet cleaner and will not be causing me anymore problems!!!
So I survived the spider attack and headed back to Omaha. Today, I was able to attend carnival day at Children’s Hospital where I took pictures with patients and signed autographs. It is always humbling to see the children who are battling illnesses, and this event was a great way to make them smile. Tomorrow, I am off to Atlanta, Georgia, where I will be “working it” for Sherri Hill at market, but I will be back next week and ready to hit the road again!!!
This was a long addition, but I wanted to tell you all some stories and hopefully bring a smile to your face and give you all an idea of my everyday life as Miss Nebraska!
Love Always –
Ashley

July

Hello Friends!
Okay…….so July just went by even quicker than June. I have had so many experiences this month and was able to celebrate my 22nd birthday and even go camping over the 4th of July – picture me with mud all over my face from falling into beaver ponds, catching fish, and taking them off the hook all by myself!! I am really very proud!
This month has taken me from Scottsbluff and Gering, where I was in the Oregon Trail Days Parade, to Lincoln and Omaha where I was able to promote TeamMates at the Luis Palau festival, meet with my little mentee, and do press interviews. From there, I headed to Crete for the Miss Blue River/Southeast rehearsals. On Saturday morning, I was a guest at Younkers in Omaha for their Trends event where I signed autographs and got my makeup done before I headed back to Crete for the teen and miss pageants. After emceeing both pageants, I headed to North Platte to thank sponsors and pass out certificates. Currently, I am in Scottsbluff, where yesterday I was able to speak to our Rotary Club about mentoring and in the evening was also able to perform and speak to Platte Valley Bank’s Ambassadors Club at their annual ice cream social.
Whew…..It is been a busy but very fun month, and August looks to be the same. I cannot wait to see all of you as I continue to travel across the state. Look for the Miss Nebraska car as I zoom through your towns – good news, though, no tickets yet!! And if you see any pictures or cds floating around your town, it may be because I left some on the top of my car as I drove off down the interstate!
Best wishes to all!
Always,
Ashley

June

Dear Friends and Supporters,
Wow – I can’t believe that June has already come to an end. It seems like just the other day that I pulled into North Platte to start the week of competition at Miss Nebraska. It has already been three weeks since I was crowned Miss Nebraska, and I must say it still hasn’t all sunk in. One thing I am sure of, though, is that I am extremely honored to represent the state of Nebraska and all the amazing women that I had the privilege to compete with this year.
First of all, I want to say thank you to the city of North Platte for hosting the Miss Nebraska Pageant again this year. Every year I look forward to coming to North Platte because of the overwhelming welcome that all the contestants are received with. If there is ever a town that understands the essence that is Miss Nebraska, it is North Platte.
Secondly, I want to thank all the volunteers and sponsors that make the program run so smoothly. I had such an amazing time during the week and truly was sad when it came to an end. A special thanks to all the hostesses who helped out with “fun things” such as gluing swimsuits to the contestants and to the host families who provided all the girls with encouragement, strength, and a comfy bed. Thank you to all the sponsors who provided food, t-shirts, fun gifts, and scholarships to all the Miss Nebraska contestants. Finally, I want to thank the state board for again putting on a first class production and pageant. I think I can speak for all the girls when I say thank you for making the week of Miss Nebraska so special and memorable for everyone involved.
I also want to thank the 16 other contestants who competed with me three weeks ago. It was so nice getting to know a lot of you for the first time, and it was a fun reunion for me to see all of you who I have grown close to while competing over the past four years. You are all so amazing, and it is an honor for me to be chosen to represent you at Miss America. I hope to stay in contact with all of you over this next year, and please do not hesitate to call me – I would love to get together when I am in your town!
I want to also share with you some of the fun and exciting things I have been able to do since becoming Miss Nebraska. After picking up my new car from the Spady Dealership (thanks Gretchen and Lisa for all your help!), my year started off with Nebraskaland Days in North Platte. I was honored to participate in everything from parades and rodeos to the Governor’s Art show and the Cake Bake! I was able to meet and spend some time with the gentlemen from the U.S.S. Nebraska and was also provided with entertainment such as the Frontier Revue.
The next week, I was able to head back to western Nebraska where I sang and signed autographs at a celebration for the newly crowned Miss Nebraska Outstanding Teen, Kayla Batt. I was also able to speak to a women’s group in Bayard, Nebraska about self-esteem and perseverance and also visit the Western Nebraska Veterans Home. From there I headed back across the state to Columbus for the Miss Columbus local, and then I spent a couple days in Lincoln and Omaha working on paperwork and video footage for Miss America. Finally, I headed to Kansas City to do more Miss America preparation and then back to the western end of the state.
So far, this past weekend, I participated in Mitchell, Nebraska’s Concert in the Park where I performed and signed autographs on Saturday and Sunday. I cannot explain how amazing my hometown has been and how much Nebraska’s panhandle has really embraced me. I have enjoyed meeting so many new people (I have already gone through over 1000 autographed pictures!), and they have made the 2,500 miles I have already put on my car worth the drive.
Thank you to everyone who has sent me notes of congratulations and encouragement. I appreciate the statewide support that I have received and will do my best to represent the program and give back to the communities and people who have given me so much. I look forward to a wonderful year and will keep everyone updated on my travels.
With Love,
Ashley