Tumbleflump Dancing-Baubles

Hello Friends!

I hope everyone has been staying safe and warm!

These past few days have been such a blessing and I want to fill you in on some of the special moments this holiday season has brought me.

On Tuesday, December 22nd my mom and I set out for some last minute shopping for the girls of the Berea Children's Home. We purchased DVD's, pajama pants, hairbrushes, headbands, chapstick, body spray, scarves, gloves, some candy and a partridge in a pear tree (kidding about the partridge of course!). We brought it all back home and added it to our collection of tote bags, fleece blankets, manicure sets and Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer and began assembling the gifts. They turned out really cute and I was excited to give them to their deserving owners the next day!

(I am a fashion disaster in this photo, please do not hold that against me.)

So, on Wednesday my mom and I hopped into the car and made the hour and fifteen minute trip up to Berea to drop off our eight little gifts. I met with the girls and explained to them that I was Miss Greater Cleveland, a little detail that gave way to millions of questions. We spoke for awhile and then I distributed the packages. They were all so grateful and excited and I promised that I would visit soon and we would have lunch and next time I would bring my crown!

Christmas Eve was spent with my family watching the traditional, The Christmas Story, along with some other holiday movies. A few hours later it seemed, we were exchanging our presents and then heading to the place we have been going for about 12 years, The Brown Derby Roadhouse. Since I was nine years old my parents, brother, and occasionally aunt and uncle have been making our way to the banquet room of this local restaurant. There we serve the less fortunate a hot Christmas meal that includes turkey, mashed potatoes, dessert, and a plethora of side dishes. The opportunity to enrich others lives on such an important day has really shaped my life and helped me realize the importance of community service and, more importantly, it has taught me generosity and love. The family that owns the restaurant donates all the food that is used to serve the hundreds of people that come through the door. The volunteers donate their time that they could be spending with family and friends. The individuals that are perhaps down on their luck, without a family, or in need of meal bless everyone that is helping with gratitude and appreciation. The day is a beautiful mixture of thanks and benevolence, there are people who are genuinely thankful for what they are receiving and people who are happy to be able to give. My family and I finished up our day and came home to leftovers and more movies, a perfect Christmas day.

Since then I have been enjoying time with my family and bracing myself for my next semester at school. I have also been teaching snowboard lessons at my local ski resort and practicing driving in the snow (I have SO not mastered this skill yet so if any of you have any tips please fill me in!).

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday and I will be sure to update soon!

P.S. The title of this blog is the name a Christmas elf name generator created for me. You can now call me Tumbleflump.

Grown Up Christmas List

Hi Friends!

I am trying to keep my promise of staying on top of my blog and in celebration of finals being over I figured tonight would be a great night to update!

After my last update, which happened to be on Thanksgiving Break, I went back to school to finish up the semester. However, right in the middle of that was my birthday! YAY! My friends and my family were so sweet and I was sent flowers, my door was decorated and one of my best friends took me to get a pedicure (first one ever! and I can definitely say it won't be my last!). I had a great time and everyone made it one of my best birthdays ever!

I finished up my last week of classes that week and prepared for..dun dun dun. FINALS. I was so upset that I could not make it to the Miss Mansfield Pageant on Saturday but literally my brain was about to explode just thinking about all the work I had to do. So I sent my mom. (She was a very willing candidate!). The next morning I got a call with all the news from the show. She mentioned everything from how the stage was BEAUTIFUL to how I was now the proud, new owner of a Christmas tree designed by Miss Sasha Eby! She told me everything...everything. It was great to hear about the competition though and I was very excited to hear that Amber and Heather won! Congratulations! and I cannot wait to spend another week at Miss Ohio with you two!!!

So, after the chat with my Mom it was back to studying for a crazy week.

Although there was not a lot of time to get many other things done besides sleeping, eating and studying one of my good friends, Colleen, and I went shopping for some friends that were in need of some Christmas cheer. The little buddy I was shopping for was Jessica and she was two and a half years old and Colleen was looking for goodies for Isabella who was six. We had the best time picking out clothes and looking for the perfect toys to make the holiday season a little bit brighter for these two little girls. Colleen also had a great time picking out miniature sized clothes for me and selecting outfits she envisioned me wearing as a child. Overall, we walked away with some great things (these girls are about to be stylin' at school!!) and a great feeling!

In addition, I have been collecting things for some of the residents of the Berea Children's Home. I cannot wait to deliver the bags of treats to the kids! (If anyone knows where some cute pajama pants are, let me know!)

Today, I had to tear down my Christmas tree (which I set up only two weeks ago) and pack all of my belongings that I could maybe, possibly, sorta-kinda, potentially need over the course of a month and head back home to Mansfield. I am really looking forward to the break (even though I will be working..if teaching little kids to snowboard is considered work!?) and the holiday season!

I hope everyone has been enjoying these past few weeks. I want to leave you with one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs! If anyone saw me on road between Berea and Mansfield you most likely saw me belting this song (luckily no one else was in the car. YIKES!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxtluFgCRW8&feature=related

Keep warm!
Ashley

Forgive thyself little, others much.

It's official: I am the worst blogger known to man. I want to sincerely apologize for dropping off the face of the planet and leaving you all in the dark! I created this blog with the intention to keep everyone up to date with what I was doing during my reign as Miss Greater Cleveland and to use it as a means of communication with the community. However, I failed... miserably, and I want to say I am sorry and I am going to do my best from now on to update! So, I am hoping you can all find in it your hearts to forgive me and read on about all the fun things that have been keeping me SO busy!

First, I started my Junior year at Baldwin-Wallace College! My schedule this semester was jammed packed with classes ranging from Legal Environments of Organization to Dance in America, with everything else in between! As I am sure you can imagine it's a ton of work and I feel like I always have an Economics test or a presentation in my Business and Professional Speaking class. On top of that my involvement in my sorority, Alpha Phi, and my on-campus job as a tour guide keep me really busy!

However, just a few short weeks into school I participated in a fashion show at Catan Fashions! I had such a great time chatting with the other girls, laughing with Meggie and of course, trying on clothes! Down below are a few pictures from the day!

All the models in our fun outfits!

Erica!

The lovely Erica Gelhaus was in attendance and entertained the Catan's crowd while "Sylvia's Girls" were the models for the day. In addition, all the profits from the ticket sales went to help the Miss Greater Cleveland and Miss Cuyahoga County Scholarship Program's future show! We all had a fabulous time and it was really nice to spend a day with some of my favorite people showing off great clothes!

Next, Meggie Wittman, Miss Cuyahoga County/ Partner in Crime/ Sister Queen and I had the opportunity to speak with Alison Nottingham, a former Miss Ohio Local Contestant turned Cleveland.com journalist. She asked us questions on all types of different subjects. She mainly focused on fashion but did ask us our opinions on Toddlers and Tiaras! (Click in to see our responses! http://blog.cleveland.com/seasonal-cle/2009/10/miss_ohio_hopefuls_share_fall.html ) Alison also asked us to wear a typical, everyday outfit, a cocktail dress, and an evening gown. Down below is my favorite picture from the day, Meggie and I in our cocktail dresses!

So once all the glitter had settled from all the fashion shows and interviews I decided it was time for me to re-focus my energy and start helping the community!

First, I started by helping my sorority with our annual Cardiac Arrest philanthropy event. We raised over one thousand dollars for our foundation that supports women's cardiac care! Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America so it was really important to me and my sisters to educate women our age, and older, on the importance of cardiovascular care. It was also great that we were able to raise money for the continuation of research in this field.

Next on my agenda was to assist another fabulous sorority on campus with their philanthropy event! The sister's of Phi Mu decided to hold an event entitled, "BW's Best Dance Crew" in order to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network! As soon as I caught wind of this fantastic idea I asked to be involved in every way possible. So, the Vice President of Community Service appointed me as one of the judges for the event! I had such a great time watching the teams compete (most were fraternity men with no rhythm!) and interacting with the other members of the judges panel. The women of Phi Mu did such a great job with this event and I am proud to say that they raised over five hundred dollars to go towards the Children's Miracle Network and even graciously contributed fifty dollars to my efforts! I am truly honored that these women asked me to be a part of their event and it was really great to see every one's hard work pay off in the end!

So, now that I have brought everyone up to speed with what I have been doing these past few months I think it would be important to add what I am currently working on!

Recently I have been in touch with the Berea's Children Home and after discovering their need for common goods and fun little treasures I am working on putting together tote bags for some of the main residents of the facility. I love children and I am SO looking forward to surprising the little ankle biters with some treats around the holiday season.

In addition, I have been working on creating a leadership activity coloring book that I can take into schools and facilities like the Berea's Children Home to help kids get a better grasp at what being a leader is really all about. It's in the process of being produced right now and I cannot wait to see the final product!

I am going to leave you now with two photos. One depicts the true joy I feel every December 2nd, the day of my birth. The other should remind everyone to eat and be merry during the holiday season!

"Happiness is the experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude."

Ashley Warholic

Hi Everyone!

Wow! August has been such a crazy month! After the Miss North Coast Pageant and Bowling for Books I made my way to the Miss North Royalton Pageant! My directors, Sylvia and Harvey Jensen, put on the North Royalton Pageant for children and young adults in the North Royalton area. Seeing young faces answer tricky questions with ease and walk gracefully around the stage was such a fantastic opportunity. All of the participants really did an awesome job and the crowns could have gone to any of the contestants!! I got to perform on stage during the pageant and it felt great to get back on pointe. The experience was truly enjoyable and I hope to be back next year to see how the young ladies and men progress. Continuing on my Miss Greater Cleveland adventure I attended Browns Training Camp to support one of my all-time favorite sports teams. I had a blast in Berea (right down the street from my college campus!) watching the team scrimmage each other and practice. I cannot imagine doing what they do in that heat!! HOLY TOLEDO! Afterwards a few of the players came over to take pictures and sign autographs, sadly it was not Brady Quinn, but I was really excited to see just about anyone! I have included some of the pictures from that day!

"This Girl Loves the Browns!"

Adam Hoppel!

About a week later Sylvia invited me to go to the Thistledown Horse Track to see the 42nd Annual Miss Ohio Stakes horse race! I had a great time watching the horses, meeting the public and jockeys, and interviewing on-air with the announcer. It was a really unique opportunity that I am so fortunate to have! Here again are some pictures from the day!

In addition to all of these special events I moved back into school and am starting my Junior year at Baldwin-Wallace College. I am excited to be back at my second home and in part of the area I represent as Miss Greater Cleveland. I am not only looking forward to working with some of the youth in the area to promote leadership and education but am also thrilled to be raising funds for the Children's Miracle Network!

I will make sure to keep everyone posted on any new endeavors!

Hello Everyone!

Oh my goodness! I had the best time Friday night bowling with some of my favorite Miss Ohio friends and The Ohio State University Football Team! Not only did we have a blast bowling with supporters and friends, we raised money and books for the Second and Seven Foundation, which promotes literacy through Central Ohio. I captured a few moments of fun on film!

My sister queen Meggie Wittman and I striking a pose!

Making sure our shirts were priceless keepsakes!

Miss Ohio Ladies and The Buckeyes!

I had not bowled well ALL evening but when I got to my friend Macy's lane I bowled a STRIKE! Needless to say, she is my new lucky charm!

Autographing T-Shirts is more difficult than it looks!

This fundraiser was absolutely fabulous and I am so thankful to Erica and her helpers for extending an invitation my way! Giving back to the community provides one of the best feelings in the world and I am so blessed to be able to contribute to such a worthy cause!

Hello Friends!

I must admit, I am VERY excited to be posting for the first time on my own blog! I decided recently that the opportunities the internet provides far outweigh the misfortunes and I should try my hand at blogging. This realization coincided perfectly with my newly accessorized head! On July 24th, I was crowned Miss Greater Cleveland 2010 and therefore have the honor of representing the Greater Cleveland area! In addition, this provides the opportunity for me to compete with other young, talented and intelligent women at Miss Ohio this upcoming June. In order to keep family, friends and supporters updated on my pageant and everyday life events I have created this blog to capture glimpses of my busy days.

So, now that all of that has been taken care of let's get down to business!

First and foremost I want to congratulate Cayla Hellwarth, Miss Lake Festival, my sister queen, Meggie Wittman, Miss Cuyahoga County, and the newly crowned Miss North Coast, Sarah Hider! I am so excited to be able to share the stage with these fabulous young women in June! Here are some pictures from the Miss North Coast Pageant that I attended yesterday evening:

My directors, Sylvia and Harvey Jensen

One of my best friends from Miss Ohio Week, Sasha Eby, Miss North Coast 2009

Miss North Coast Contestants

Sasha Eby, Miss North Coast 2009, Sarah Hider, Miss North Coast 2010, and Myself

Secondly, I wanted to share some pictures that were recently taken at one of my hometown hotspots, Kingwood Center. A family friend who likes to dabble in photography, my mom and I had a fun day goofing around and getting a few shots that I can hopefully use in the future. Here are some of my favorite images out of the 518 we snapped!

Some upcoming events I have scheduled are the Miss North Royalton Pageant, which Sylvia has informed me that more than 40 participants have signed up!, a Thistledown Horse Race, Training Camp with the Cleveland Browns, and a Catan's Fashion Show!

I am very excited for all the events and opportunities in store for me this year and I will do my best to keep everyone updated!

Best Wishes,

Ashley Warholic

Miss Greater Cleveland 2010