Vickie and Tim Bollenbacher are the Best Parents Ever!... in case anyone was wondering...

[The photo above was taken after I was crowned Miss Northwestern Ohio 2004.]

I thought about auditioning for MTV’s Tiara Girls when they began casting, but I didn’t have time to do so with school commitments and such. After the show aired I was glad I hadn’t because I think it puts pageants in a horrible light. Just the other day I caught a new episode; at least it was new to me. I don’t know if it’s one I missed when it originally aired or if they’ve filmed more.

Regardless, I realized that had I auditioned, I would have never been selected for the show anyway. Why? Because my parents aren’t psychotically obsessed with self-esteem crushing tendencies! In fact, my parents are amazing! People often ask if they “put me in pageants.” The answer is no. But they have supported me in all I choose to do and taught me to finish whatever I start. (I still have nightmares about the little league softball teams I hated by wasn’t allowed to quit!)

I say it every time I give up a title and I’ll gladly put it in print, I could have never achieved what I did in the Miss Ohio system without my wonderful parents. I feel awful for women whose “supporters” are merely living vicariously through them. To the mom I saw on Tiara Girls the other day I say loose the pounds off your own fat back end, enter a Mrs. pageant and leave your daughter alone!

To my own parents, not that you have the access to read this :), I say Happy Anniversary (37 years yesterday) and Thank You so much for always supporting my dreams!