Happy New Year!

Happy almost New Year! I decided to spend the last few days of 2017 looking back on the year soon to be behind us and creating a highlight reel of my favorite moments from these twelve months. I think the best way to step into a new year with positivity is to reflect on the closing year with gratitude, gratefulness, and happiness. I'm inviting you to do the same! Scrolling through my 2017 memories made me smile and look forward to making new ones. What are YOU thankful for from 2017? What moments would make up your highlight reel? Take a minute to sit down and think about your best laughs, happiest days, and favorite people from the past year and choose to enter 2018 with joy and appreciation in your heart. 2018, let's do this!

My 2017 Highlight Reel

Winter

• An amaaaazing memory from the very start of 2017 was traveling to Georgia to work with Matt and Meredith Boyd. They are not only insanely talented, but the most kind and humble people, too. I loved being able to spend the day with them. My mom and I spent a January weekend flying into Atlanta, where I got to feel like an absolute queen taking photos with Matt and getting beautified by Meredith. These photos were used for the Mrs. Indiana program cover and this was one of my most cherished Mrs. Indiana trips, as I left with photos to look at when I'm 80 and remember my reign.
  
  
  
  
  
• I loved continuing my service as Mrs. Indiana into the new year, including Fort Wayne's Cinderella Day and the Wish Gala in my very own city. This event raised funds to help make a child's wish come true through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Local models sported fashions on the runway in downtown Lafayette's Lahr Attrium.
  
  
  
  
• Fast forwarding to this winter, I was blessed to spend another Christmas with my family in Michigan and Daniel's family in Indiana, opening presents and eating tons of food. We wore PJs most of the time, saw a lot of pretty snow, and laughed often as we watched our puppy Derby and her Uncle Dug play. What a perfect way to end the year with the people we love. 
  
  

Spring 

•  As my reign as Mrs. Indiana came quickly to a close, I soaked up every appearance and event. I loved being involved in communities across the state, from the Purdue Challenge 5k, to emceeing pageants, to promoting the pageant on the news, to my favorite event of all- the Elkhart County Humane Society fashion show.Spend the evening with rescue dogs? Umm, yes sign me up. Helping the Humane Society continue their work to place more animals in loving homes was spectacular.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• As bittersweet as passing on a title can be, there is something so special about guiding new contestants through the pageant experience. In April, I was fortunate enough to pass on the Mrs. Indiana crown to Mekayla Eppers. Placing the crown on someone's head and passing the torch was the culmination of one of the most life-changing and incredible years of my life. There is no better feeling than putting your crown and sash way for the last time and seeing how dirty and they both look- it was the most exhausting yet most amazing job I have ever had.
  
  
  
  
•  Daniel and I made the trip to Louisville, Kentucky to continue our Kentucky Derby tradition. It was a rainy day this time, meaning we spent some races in ponchos. But, the sun came out just in time for the Derby and it was a beautiful view as we watched Always Dreaming sweep the competition. We drank Mint Juleps, placed our bets, and eyed all the amazing outfits. This place will always be so special to us since this is where Daniel proposed.
  
  
  

Summer

• Wedding season was upon us and The Skeltons attended a record-breaking number of nuptials, from Illinois to Tennessee to Michigan and of course, many in Indiana. Weddings are one of my favorite things because it is a chance to watch your friends and family start their new lives. Golf courses, fair grounds, barns, inside, outside- you name it and we've attended a wedding in it or on it. We enjoyed a dance or two, a piece of cake here and there, and a drink or three along the way. Thank you to all of our friends for letting us be a part of your special days. I have no complaints getting to see my handsome husband dressed up in a suit or a tux.
  
  
  
  
  
• Broncho Cheer started a new tradition as we made the long (haha) trip to Purdue University for camp. Our athletes spent three days learning from the fantastic UCA instructors and brought home some pretty snazzy hardware at the end of the week- they won numerous awards, plus learned new cheers and stunts. I was so proud of them and their efforts to kick our season off right.  
  
  
• My dream was realized, finally, as I got to take a vacation with my best friends. We have been trying to make this happen since graduating college in 2013. My Delta Gamma sisters and our significant others spent the week in Branson, Missouri over the 4th of July. We rented a boat, played card games in our Air B&B, and cruised around Branson. It was a great week with drinks in our hands and butts in the lake. I'm forever grateful to have made such good friends at Purdue. They mean the world to me.
  
  
  

Fall

• We cheered Purdue on through the hottest of hots and the rainiest of rains this football season. Purdue football means family, tailgates, and this year, some sweet victories! We must have done our job as fans because Purdue went to (and won!!) a bowl game for the first time in 5 years. I can't help but have fun when I'm eating hot dogs, sitting in Ross-Ade Stadium, and rooting for the black and gold.
  
  
  
  
•  October 1st brought my mom and me a pageant present- new Miss Cardinal and Miss Cardinal's Outstanding Teen titleholders! We were so sad to see our 2016 girls go, as they were some of the most wonderfully talented and kind young ladies we have ever met. We were proud to call ourselves their directors. However, we were thrilled to welcome two new Hoosier women into the Cardinal family. Watch out for them at Miss Indiana and Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen pageant this coming summer.
  
  
  
• Walt Disney had a dream years ago that he could make a park for everyone, of all ages. I think it is alright to say that he succeeded. This fall's Disney trip was extra magical because not only was it in celebration of my Grandma and Grandpa Mumaw's 50th wedding anniversary, but also because Daniel and I got to go on the Keys to the Kingdom tour. We walked Magic Kingdom with a tour guide who told us fun secrets and little-known facts about not only Disney World, but the man behind it, too. We got to sneak on rides through the back doors and walk through the utilidor- Magic Kindgom's underground passageway! Another neat part of the day was getting to browse the building where they store the parade floats. It was another wonderful family trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Phew! There's my 2017 highlight reel. These are just a few of the moments I liked best- my own version of my #bestnine ...errrr... #besttwelve. There were plenty of other favorite memories in between- teacher days, coaching nights, snuggles with Boomer and Derby, and movie nights on the couch with Mr. Skelton. Now, go make YOUR list of favorite moments of this year and get ready to take on 2018. Happy New Year!