Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The countdown has begun...

Hello Friends!

I really can’t believe how the time is flying! There is so much to update with only two weeks left before Miss Minnesota week! I can just feel the excitement from the local titleholders and friends and remember all too well the same feeling only a year ago! Now, my excitement is the anticipation for their experience at Miss Minnesota and for how truly amazing my year has been as Miss Minnesota.

First of all, the last Night of Inspiration Concert was amazing!! Thank you so much to the former Miss Minnesota’s who participated; it was great to have you all there! For those of you who couldn’t make it, we had many amazing former Miss Minnesota’s come back including Miss Minnesota 1968! Our state has always been known to have talented titleholders, so I can’t say enough about how great the talents were. Moreover, hearing each Miss Minnesota share about who has inspired her and what her year was like offered all of us great insight into the history and growth of the program. Through this successful endeavor, we raised some money to help support the next Miss Minnesota while also sparking a vision to hopefully include this event in the program for years to come.



I haven’t traveled as much in the past month so it was great to able to travel to Canby, MN to visit our water bottle sponsor, “Water Billboards,” and to visit their elementary, middle, and high schools. Visiting Water Billboards was so cool; it was fascinating to see how they make the eco friendly water bottles. They literally are made from a tiny little tube and then blown up to any size water bottle. They also have a great marketing tool of creating your own private label on the water bottles. It’s a great idea for graduations, weddings, and pageant weeks. Plus, they sell other great items that are all eco friendly. Visit www.waterbillboards.com to see for yourself!



On the personal side of my life, I am back in school for the summer semester. Things have been a bit more hectic, but it feels great to be back! I thought I would be a bit rusty, but I picked right back up by composing orchestral music, and, I must say, I love it! Also, my piano students had their end of the year recital this past weekend, and I am so incredibly proud of them. It has been a commitment on my end and my piano families to be flexible with my busy schedule (since it is 3 1/2 hours away from where I live in St. Paul!) I feel so blessed that I have been able to use my gift of teaching to have my own private piano studio. Although, as much as I love performing, I really loved taking a back seat and watching my students perform. Seeing all their hard work this past year pay off was so rewarding!



As my appearances draw to end during this final month of my reign, I find myself saying “This is my last school visit” or “This is my last visit to a place I’ve never been as Miss MN,” but I know my life will be full of adventure so that keeps me optimistic! I am afraid to say that my next blog may be my last as Miss Minnesota 2010. I have such mixed emotions of giving up this amazing title. Thank you to my readers and supporters; you are such a blessing to me!



Sincerely,
Kathryn Knuttila
Miss Minnesota 2010