Sunday, July 30. 6:34 AM Car packed. Gigi and Pearl kissed. Mom and dad also hugged and kissed. In the car ready to head to Princess of America in Branson, MO. I pull out of the driveway at my parent's home. Sun is coming up. It's going to be a great travel day! I'm feeling confident about my girls. I'm feeling .... awesome. (Que motivational background music). I put on my sunglasses. Turn up my iPad. Drive. THEN .... (Phone rings) - it's my dad. Good grief I'm only five ho

JULY 15 - Today was finals at USA National Miss. This week felt like it went on forever and when Friday hit - everything was on fast forward. Until I woke up this morning, time creeped at an agonizing pace. Oh for heaven's sake! Finally, it was time to move into the dressing rooms for Hayden's finals. As you may or may not know, I hate finals. I just hate the waiting to get to the end. I hate not hearing some of my TCM girls' names not called. I hate seeing their hearts broke

Prelims started today for USA National Miss in Boca Raton. TCM girls Hayden, McKenzie, Desi, and Kate will strut their stuff on the runway. After prelims, there is nothing left for us to do that could change the outcome of Top 15. Will their interviews and stage work be enough to push them through to the next round? Well considering it hasn't happened yet at the time I'm writing this - I have NO IDEA! But they have been spot on all week and I'm beaming with pride. Jump ahead.

Interviews went great yesterday for Hayden Johnson, UNM Miss LA Princess. She's so stinking cute! She's actually the cousin of TCM girl, Desi Templet, so it's been like a family reunion! Hayden is full of personality. She models, she acts, and she sings. She's a triple threat. Sounds like most girls on the TCM team. She fits right in! Thursday is another full day of interviews. TCM girls, McKenzie, Desi, and Kate. Desi is first up in the early morning hours. She's calm, cool,

USA National has begun in Boca Raton! The resort here is breath-taking, simply gorgeous! I would live here in a heart beat! Second year we are here so I already know all the good spots to practice, shortcuts, etc. Let's face it - I was exhausted when I arrived here, but my TCM girls here needed me so work began! After downing a couple of bottles of Neuro Sonic, I felt right as rain. Orientation was great and Monday, group and private sessions began. I would like for you to fi

First off - intros (again). I am Erin Husbands, owner and founder of The Crowning Moment. If you are just joining in, I am on a 19 day straight pageant adventure and these are snapshots of my life as a pageant coach. I just left International Jr Miss in Nashville, and now I am in Boca Raton at USA National Miss with a different group of TCM girls. I promise I'll bring you the second part to the conclusion of IJM for the older girls, but since today is travel day, I really wan

Finals. It says it in the word - final. It's the final event. It's the final day. Its .... final. I sit in the back a nervous wreck. Waiting for all the opening hoopla to finish to get to the good stuff. I can't breathe. I want to push fast forward to get to the moment that counts. Top 15. I hate this moment actually. I hate the suspense. I love hearing their names but what I hate is the "not hearing." One by one they call out Jr princesses. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Then .... Gulf Shor

Let's just move to Friday, July 7. Preliminary competition day for IJM. Today is a particularly stressful day for me. I always have a vision of how this particular day should go, though I know better because it NEVER goes that way. See, I haven't seen sleepy time since Wednesday night at this point. After starting my Thursday at 5:45am, I helped my TCM girls through the final portion of interview and casual wear. Then I pulled an all-nighter with 8.5 hours of steaming, ironin

"Hello, My name is Erin Husbands, a LSU Tiger Fan from Baton Rouge, LA. But that's not as interesting as knowing I survived an earthquake, have four legal names, and made medical history at age 1." Interview day is probably the most stressful day for any pageant girl. If they tell you it isn't, they are lying. I was a pro at interview but I always got nervous and anxious before each one. Always. Up until my very last one, ever. This is the single most important phase of compe

I know I'm a little behind - things are super busy at IJM. Let's catch up, shall we? Monday evening brought the ever-exciting IJM orientation. Now if you have never been to this event, there is more energy in this one ballroom than in the entire coliseum when at Miss USA. (And those words are from Lu Sierra herself!). The energy is blowing the roof off and the excitement is overwhelming. It's just plain awesome! Did you catch the famous name I grew out there? Lu Sierra. The w