Central Plains Tourism: The Austin Museum and The Threshermans Reunion!

What is the most colorful tourist attraction in my region? This was an easy question to answer since I live in a rural area in Manitoba so there aren’t many options. Lots of people from around Canada and the USA come to our Provincial and National parks not only to enjoy the beautiful landscapes, but also to hunt and fish. But what really attracts people from all over the world? Austin Thresherman’s Reunion and Stampede!! You don’t have to go to Calgary to experience a big rodeo!

Come one, come all! Every July the Manitoba Agricultural Museum hosts the Austin

One of my favorite parts of the rodeo... bull riding!

Thresherman’s Reunion and Stampede, or for short.. Threshermans! The event takes place over a span of four days, July 25-28, at the Austin Museum. I have gone to Thresherman’s and I can honestly say it is A LOT of fun and not just for adults or teens, there is something fun for everyone no matter your age. Some of the activities include: a rodeo, the Manitoba Agricultural Museum, live entertainment, camping, a petting zoo, vendors, a barrel train for kids, and the Corn and Barley Corral. Oh, and you can’t forget the delicious food, there are three permanent food booths: The Mexican Food booth, The Lions Club booth which makes hamburgers/poutine etc, and lastly there is the Country Side Catering booth which does more home-cooked style meals. There is also small booths that have mini doughnuts, lemonade, and other classic treats.  There definitely isn’t a lack of things to do when you are at Thresherman’s.

This whole event takes place at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum, where there are all kinds of old tractors and farm equipment. The museum is located south of the wonderful town of Austin. I think it is pretty amazing how so many people come out to such a small town in a rural area. Last year an estimated 10,000 people, from North America, South

An aerial view of the Museum and grand stands

America, and even Europe, attended Threshermans Reunion.  To accommodate all these people there are around 600 volunteers. Without the Museum and Threshermans the MacGregor/Austin area wouldn’t be known nationally or globally. Most of the people who come out have roots to either this area or farming, some even bring their own antique farming equipment to show case. The museum is always attracting people, just this month there have been visitors from Germany and France. Some of the displays include steam and gas tractors, farm equipment, and buildings; among these buildings are old homesteads, shops, schools, churches, and even an old MTS building!

Throughout Threshermans the museum is buzzing with activity; historical exhibits are brought to life with guides who are dressed the part and in character. There are also people that are grinding wheat and baking, which you are able to buy. For all the fashion lovers like myself, there is a fashion show! Of course it isn’t of modern fashions, but of old style clothing. The museum workers also take out some of the old farming equipment to show it off, like taking an old steam tractor around the track, or getting some horses and demonstrating how horse powered equipment is used. It is really cool to see what kind of equipment was used in the old days and how much farming has evolved in the last 100+ years. Check out the video below to see some of the displays at the museum!

Every day during Threshermans there are plenty of venues for entertainment, and every year there is a theme: this years themes are Massey (Farm equipment brand) and horsepower. Everyday there will be demos of Massey and horsepower equipment. The grand stand is where a large portion of the events happen, such as the parade and the rodeo. The parade takes place every afternoon and it includes a variety of farm equipment, the steam tractor being one of them, and horses also take part.

Now, last but certainly not least…my favorite parts of Threshermans: the rodeo, and the Corn and Barley Corral. The rodeo is by far the most exiting of all the events, and it happens every evening! There is a warm breeze though the jam-packed grand stands, kids on parents laps, men and women sitting on the fences, and the smell of food mixed with the smell of straw and dirt floats through the air. Anticipation for the rodeo to begin hangs  in the air, after belting out the national anthem the show is on the road. When I go to watch the rodeo I always hangout on the fence with a bunch of friends and we get a great view! The rodeo has all the events any other rodeo has,

This picture isn't from Threshermans,but it give you an idea of what mutton bustin is!

but to narrow it down I will share my favorites with you… Bull Riding…. Mutton Bustin…. Tie Down Roping…. and Bareback Riding! Bull riding is pretty self explanatory, it is when a very brave person hops on a bull that has a cinch around its waist that makes it buck. It is pretty intense to watch so I can only imagine what it is like to do! Mutton Bustin is soooo cute! It is when you put a kid on a sheep and see how long they can ride it before they fall off. Tie down roping is when a calf is released into the pen, and then a person on a horse has to chase the calf and rope it. After they successfully rope the calf they jump off their horse and tie three of their legs together. Bareback riding is very similar to bull riding, except that it is on a horse. There is a cinch around it’s waist causing it to buck, and all the rider has to hold onto is a single handle.

Hanging out at the Corn and Barley Corral with my friend Courtney! :)

When the dust settles and the sun goes down, everyone winds down and migrates to the Corn and Barley Corral, where there is great music, and great times. I love the Corral because I get to dance and have fun with my friends! Every day and night there is live entertainment, check out the Threshermans page on the Manitoba Agricultural Museum website to see the set list, and to find out more about the Museum and Threshermans!

In closing, I would like to thank Niagara Falls for sponsoring the second blog challenge :) Niagara Falls is absolutely breath taking in its beauty, and I would definitely recommend taking your family there!

This week I challenge you to go out and explore your community or visit a tourist attraction in your area that you have never been to before :)

-Taylor Boehlig, Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2013 :)

 

 

 

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Posted On:June 18, 2013 Categories:Assignments

Being Green: Every Little Bit Helps!

In today’s society there are more and more buildings popping up that are “Green Buildings” or other buildings or organizations are trying to become more green.  What makes them so green?

“A  green building is an environmentally sustainable building, designed, constructed and operated to minimize the total environmental impacts.”

My community, of around 900 people, has been taking small steps towards being more “green” and making a smaller impact on the environment in the last decade or so. We don’t have a building that is 100% green through and through but there are local businesses and recreation buildings that do a small part. Remember… every little bit helps!

My school, a building I visit 5 days a week, has recently made some pretty cool changes in regards to being more environmentally friendly. As most schools do now-a-days we have recycling bins in every classroom. One thing that I find unique about our school is that we have a group called `We Green`. This group was created last year by two of our teachers Mrs. Martens-Remple and Mrs. Polasek with intentions of bringing more environmental awareness to our school. In the last few months of school last year the `We Green` team introduced

One of the many compost bins throughout our school

composting to the school body. It didn’t really catch on then, but there has been a great response this year! Compost is decaying organic matter, such as leaves, and fruit (peels and cores). You collect these items in a bucket and over time they become nutrient rich soil. This is great because you get to take the nutrients from the plants and put them back into the earth. It also is a good alternative to chemical fertilizers that can pollute fresh water and be dangerous. The average amount of compost collected every day by our `We Green` team is 20 pounds! There aren’t just apple cores and banana peels in our compost. There are also plates, bowls, spoons, and napkins!

Val, who runs our canteen, is pictured above with some of the biodegradable products used in our canteen!

This year, with help from the We Green team our canteen switched from plastic to biodegradable cane sugar products, by Bio Serve. Last year the `We Green` team planted some flowers in a classroom and they are hoping to bring that touch of color outside. Behind our school we have a small court yard. It isn’t very well kept and it is drab. Once they have collected enough compost and soil the `We Green` team is planning on turning our old, rundown court yard into a beautiful flower packed oasis! The “We  Green” team also puts up posters all around our school to raise awareness for environmental issues such as conserving water. My school is always too hot or too cold, it feels like we don’t use the furnace in winter, and don’t use the air conditioner in summer. My logical reasoning for this is that the custodians are trying to save energy, but who knows why! :P

In 2006 my town built a brand spankin’ new public library with geothermal energy.For those of you who do not know what geothermal energy is let me tell you! First

The MacGregor Library and Archives, which has a geothermal energy pump

of all I would like to point out that Manitoba is one of the leading provinces in geoenergy in Canada! Manitoba has 25-30% of the geothermal units in the country, and 56% of the geothermal installers are trained in Manitoba. Rather than burning terrible fossil fuels which harm the ozone layer or powering an electric element, geothermal energy pumps natural heat out of the ground. Having a geothermal energy pump also lets you eliminate your furnace and A/C because it can do both of their jobs! The geothermal energy pump may cost more to install than the conventional furnace or air conditioning system but your annual heating costs will be 70% lower and therefore will payoff in the long run, not only in your wallet but also in the environment! It also can heat water at no additional cost.

Here is a brief diagram of the geothermal system

The soil below the frost line is rather constant in temperature and does not freeze. In winter the soil below the frost line is warmer, and in summer it is cooler. The pump itself is a network of buried pipes that transfer the heat from the ground up into the building, converting it to warm air, and distributing it through air ducts. Or in a simpler version… it moves heat from the soil to another place.

Our Library also has a book sale for the whole month of February where they sell all the books they no longer want or need. If the books don’t find a new home there they either go to the thrift store or are sent to a recycling plant so be disposed of in a environmentally friendly way.

The lone grocery store in my town made the decision to eliminate plastic bags. Now you have to either a.) bring your own reusable bags b.) use a box that product came to the store in c.) buy a paper bag or d.) carry it yourself. This is a great idea because plastic bags don`t get disposed of properly for the most part. There is a great video on YouTube called “The Majestic Plastic Bag“  which is a “mockumentary“ showing the life of a plastic bag. Now not only does the grocery store save money on bags, but it also has a great impact on the environment.

My family also tries to do our share to be green. We recycle, at my moms and at my dads. We do a lot of little things, but I would like to think that they add up. I would like to make my houses more environmentally friendly in the future in some way or another since there are so many new ways to be green that are coming out.

The sponsor of this blog challenge is TIOCOAT which a really cool company that makes  rubber roof coatings. This roof cover has some great stats:

-Guaranteed to last the life of the building

-Reduced maintenance costs for the roof (And are also water resistant)

-Budget management is easier because the life span of the product is predictable

-It is very fast and easy to have done, and you save money on roofing materials

 

This week I challenge you to find a new way to be green!! It could be getting a manual lawn mower, starting a compost pile, or even walking or biking somewhere instead of driving.

Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2013,

Taylor Boehlig :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted On:June 5, 2013 Categories:Assignments

Free The Children Fridays

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a great long weekend! I sure did :)

As you may know part of our score for the national pageant comes from fundraising.  All of us girls are to raise a minimum of $400.00 for the Canadian charity Free The Children (FTC). I am really excited that we are fundraising for FTC because I saw

"Free The Children" By Craig Kielburger. A very good read! I recommend it!

Craig Kielburger, the founder of Free The Children, speak at We Day when I was in Grade 10. Everyone there got the book “Free The Children”, by Craig himself, in our little goodie bags. I read the book and I learnt so much not only about FTC and how it came to be, but also a lot about child labour laws and sweat shops in developing countries. Since then I have had an interest in Free The Children and all that they do.

One thing that I found very interesting about FTC is that Craig Kielburger started it when he was only twelve years old! I personally can say that when I was twelve all I wanted to do was ride my bike and hangout with my friends. It really proves that you don’t have to be an adult or a celebrity to have your voice heard! It’s really cool how FTC is all about children, like us, helping children! We are all very lucky to be living in the country we live in with a nice house, a school we can attend regularly, workers rights, parents who are able to support us, health care, clean water, and much more. We take all of this for granted. That is why I think it is important for us, to take time out of our oh-so-busy lives, to help children and people of all ages who are no as fortunate as us to have a better quality of live and give them a voice.

To learn more about Free The Children check out their website http://www.freethechildren.com/

To raise money for Free The Children I have decided to have “Free The Children Fridays” at my school. Every Friday there will be an activity or game of some sort in support of FTC.

THIS FRIDAY MAY 24th, 2013 (tomorrow) will be hat day! If you donate a minimum $2.00 to Free The Children you can wear a hat of your choice all day! (Remember the dress code, no inapropriate sayings/pictures on your hat) I sadly will not be at school to collect donations because I have an injury from soccer and will be going to the doctor, so please give your donations to Campbell Lloyd or Kristyn Klassen!

I will announce what the activity for every Friday is on the Monday of the same week via my Facebook fan page, twitter, and possibly my blog!

Even if you do not attend MCI or live anywhere near MacGregor and you still want to make a donation feel free to contact me at missteencentralmanitoba@hotmail.com :)

Help me surpass the minimum amount required and give children all over the world a voice!

-Taylor Boehlig, Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2013 :)

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Posted On:May 24, 2013 Categories:Recent Events

Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Belated Mothers Day to all the Mothers out there, and an extra special Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom, Cheryl!

The leafs newest fan, even though they lost in game 7 tonight, my Nephew Levi!

In my generation teens are getting less and less appreciative of their parents, especially mothers (and yes, I am guilty of this too at times). How can we not recognize the woman who, this is my moms favourite line, carried us for NINE months and changed our dirty diapers, got puked on, stayed up all night with us etc…?? My one month old Nephew Levi, who is super cute, has shown me how stressful it can be to have a baby.  Maybe it is my lack of motherly instincts and intuition, but if Levi doesn’t stop crying after attempting to give him a bottle I throw in the towel. So THANK-YOU MOM for always having patience with me from diaper days, to asking for your car keys days.

My mom, Cheryl, and I right after I got crowned :) #1 Mom!

We have so many things to thank our Moms for I can’t even begin to explain! I personally, thank my mom for raising me and all the stuff that goes along with that, and for being my best friend! There are times where my mom and I don’t get along, but that is a rare occasion. Anybody who has been around my mom and I has probably noticed we have a special bond! Unlike most moms, my mom has a nickname other than mommy, mother, mamma, or ma. Her nickname is Sherry and I call her that more than I call her mom probably. It is not out of disrespect, it’s because she is more than just my parent; she is my friend! My mom is not the only one in with a nickname… she calls me Terry or Ter also.

My mom and I are also quite the vocalists! Every Sunday we listen to the “Sunday Request Show” which is not my primary choice of music for sure! From our days of listening to all that old hymn music we discovered “our song” which is called “How Far Is Heaven” by Kitty Wells. Now we don’t just sign this song, oh no, we belt this song out in high pitched, nasally, pitchy voices. I feel sorry for our neighbours :P   Some of our other favourites are “Ring of Fire” and “Jackson” by Johnny Cash.

In all seriousness, I am so thankful for everything my mom does for me. She is the laundry fairy, the cooking fairy, the dishes fairy, the cleaning fairy, and the car fairy. The odd time she even will tidy my room while I’m at school if I neglect it long enough. She is busy with her fairy duties while I’m gone with her car playing soccer or going to a movie. I always think that my little brother

Reece, who is four, makes the most messes. Which is partially true… stepping on toys and stubbing your toe on a transformer

is not uncommon in our house. I have realized I make a lot more messes than I would like to admit. My main mess that I make is that I leave the apple slicer on the arm of the couch with the apple still in it but when I come home from school or practice it is magically gone, unless my step dad finds it first and put it on my pillow :P

I am thankful for my mom and I love her SOOOO much, and I wish that I could come up with the words to show her just how much I appreciate her.

I love you SOOO much Mom, don’t ever forget it!

Love: Taylor

-Miss Teen Central Maniotba-World 2013 :)

 

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Posted On:May 14, 2013 Categories:Recent Events

My Take On Pageant Stereotypes

Hey Everyone!

Here are two classic after haircut pictures of me with no filters... one from grade 8 (on the right) and one from grade 11 (on the left). This shows how much a person can change in three years, just like my thoughts on pageants did!

Today I am going to talk about pageant stereotypes. I live in a small town (population hovers around 900) and the only type of pageant the people in my town are familiar with, all thanks to TLC, is “Toddlers and Tiaras”. I want to get this out there for everyone to hear: Miss Teen Canada-World is SO different compared to TLC’s take on pageants. It’s almost parallel universes! I am not going to lie I actually wrote a persuasive essay against pageants in grade 8, but back then “Toddlers and Tiaras” was the only type of pageant I knew about. So when people judge me about pageants I don’t blame them, because I used to think poorly of them too.  My thoughts about pageants changed completely in April 2012 when I watched the Miss Teen Manitoba pageant. Now I want to change your thoughts on pageants if you have not already.

 

Here is a small list of common pageants stereotypes:

1.)   It’s all about looks

2.)   They are degrading to women

3.)   The girls might be beautiful… But they aren’t smart

4.)   The girls are superficial and fake

 

Stereotype #1: It’s all about looks. It is a beauty pageant; of course it is partially scored on looks. There are many other areas that girls are judged on that don’t have anything to do with their looks. It is about INNER and OUTTER beauty. The most gorgeous girl with terrible inner beauty could lose to someone with amazing inner beauty.

 

Stereotype #2: They are degrading to women. From my experience with pageants thus far I have gained SO much confidence! Even before I knew I was going to be crowned I knew I would walk out of there with my head a little higher. Having this boost of confidence will help me thrive to be the best I can be and will open a lot of doors I may have been to shy to open before.

 

Stereotype #3: The girls might be beautiful… but they aren’t smart. I myself have been on the honour roll all of my high school life and I’m sure most of the other girls have been too, or not far from it. Feel free to check out their blogs or their pages on the Finalists page on the MTWC Site to see their accomplishments for yourself! There is also an essay writing contest in the pageant!

 

Janelle, Elexis, Echo, Harley, Alyssa, Clarissa, and Kendall are some of the most genuinely kind girls I have met!

Stereotype #4: The girls are superficial and fake. All the girls I met at the provincial pageant were all sincere down to earth girls!  All of us have volunteered at various places regularly. As for the fake part… people may think a spray tan, fake eyelashes, or extensions are considered fake. While being on stage the lights can easily wash you out (especially after this long winter we are having) so having a bit of a spray tan stops you from reflecting the light into peoples eyes, while also defining your muscle tone more. Fake eye lashes really help your eyes pop on stage, again the bright lights wash you out and you don’t want to look like you have no eyes! So many teenage girls wear extensions now for everyday life so I don’t think calling a pageant girl fake for wearing them is very fair. I didn’t do any of that for the provincial pageant but that is because I had zero experience and didn’t know that doing those things would help.

This may not show case my skill in hockey very well but I laugh every time I see it! (I'm the one falling down about to go off :P )

This is me showing off my "redneck" side covered in mud from a good day of riding.

Another related topic is that girls think that they have to be a “girly girl” or super experienced to enter in Miss Teen Canada-World or any pageant. Most of the girls who win titles don’t have any experience with pageants, just like me! I don’t see myself as the average beauty queen. Maybe it’s the fact that I have spent more hours in skates  or cleats than heels, more time on a hockey rink or track than a stage, or maybe because I’m a bit of a “hillbilly”  or “redneck”. I have never been on a stage before the pageant either… well except for choir concerts and school plays that were mandatory to be in. Regardless of all those things I still do have a girly side to me. I love shopping, the color pink, dressing up, buying shoes to add to my collection, doing hair and makeup…. And now doing pageants! Don’t let your lack of experience stop you from expanding your horizons and trying something new.

 

I encourage you all to step out of your comfort zone and try something new this week! It can be very rewarding and could give you an opportunity that was not available before. So get that new hair cut you have been too scared to get, or try a new exotic food! On a side note to that my Mom tried getting a chunk of her black as night hair dyed purple but it turned blue, then green, and now it is starting to turn yellow (her hair has never taken well to being dyed). My point is that she dared to be different and changed things up, I actually like her hair being blue, green, or yellow. Start small and see where it takes you!

 

-Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2013 :)

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Posted On:April 22, 2013 Categories:About Me

Pray for Boston

A photo of the Boston Marathon

Today the song “Where were you when the world stopped turning” by Alan Jackson is on my mind. In grade 8 we did a project with that song and so I really learnt the meaning of it. While we were learning about this song, we were relating it to 9-11 and the Twin Towers. When the Twin Towers were hit I was just in grade one so I don’t remember much of anything regarding that. Today hundreds of people’s worlds stopped turning. And where was I? I was on the way home from a badminton tournament, upset because my partner and I had lost in the semi-finals. What a petty problem compared to what happened in Boston today. I had been on Twitter and I saw that everyone was posting #prayforboston and other hash tags related to that. I googled it and my heart literally ached. The fact that the Boston marathon was in honour of the Sandy Hook Elementary is just a part of this horrific day.  Two bombs went off in Boston right by the finish line of their annual marathon: Injuring over 100, causing 10 amputations, and taking the lives of 3 people. Around 40 people from Manitoba were running in the marathon. I feel so helpless, and I just wish there was something that I could do to help. Being all the way in Manitoba the best way to help right now is to pray.

Ana Marquez-Greene, a former Winnpeger, who lost her life in the Sandy Hook shooting.

I have trouble wrapping my head around the fact that all these people have been injured or killed senselessly. The bomb does not only affect those who were injured or lost their lives. It affects their families, friends, the city of Boston, and the world. This past year there has been so many tragedies from the shooting in the movie theatre in Colorado, to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. It’s crazy to think how wide spread the effects of events like this are. A little girl from Winnipeg  (the capital city of my province, just an hour away from my town) moved to Newtown, and was one of the kids to lose her life there. In today’s world people put their lives in danger by going to work, the movies, a marathon, and even school. All I can think is how can I help? How can I change this?

It really makes you appreciate what you have when you see someone lose everything, or someone they love. Some days, and I am guilty of this too, kids really under appreciate their parents and family. Next time you are mad at your mom, brother or even a friend remember that life is precious and you could lose them at any time. Say “I love you” to your parents more often, and cherish the people you have in your life. I can personally say that I take my life and the people in it for granted and I am going to work on changing that. To start with I want to cut down on how much I am on my phone or the computer. I know for sure that most kids/teens are on their phones way to much and miss out on a lot of family time. I am going to hug my parents more, yeah sure I may not look “cool” to some people, but I think it’s pretty cool to show my parents I love them. I am just going to appreciate everything in my life more.

This is not my regular type of blog post but I have been thinking about this all day, and I feel like it is an important topic. My prayers are going out to all of those affected by the Boston Tragedy.

-Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2013

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Posted On:April 16, 2013 Categories:Current Issues

All About My Platform: Supporting Kids/Teens With Broken Homes

Hey everyone!

My Dad (Harvey) and Step Moms (Pat) wedding, with my brother (Jesse) and sister (Dakotah), and my step sisters (Sam, Kristin, and Giselle).

Here is my Mom (Cheryl), Step Dad (Ian), Brother (Jesse) and Sister (Dakotah).My little brother Reece is missing.. he is camera shy sometimes:P

For  this blog post I would like to tell you a little bit more about my platform. I have chosen two platforms because they are both near and dear to my heart! My platform that I had at the Provincial Pageant and will  be continuing with to the National Pageant is supporting kids or teens with broken homes. I chose this because my parents divorced when I was in grade 2 and it had affected me in many different ways. Since then they have both remarried.  I remember feeling like I was the only kid in the world who was going through a divorce and I really want to ensure that no kids feel like that! I really want to raise awareness for kids dealing with divorce because around 50% of marriages end in divorce in Canada. I would have (and still would) love to have somewhere to talk to kids who have gone through what I have or are going through it now. So that is my goal to give kids and teens somewhere to talk about this. Whether it is an online chat room format or a support group. At the Miss Teen Manitoba pageant I told all the other delegates what my platform was and I was surprised to see that half of them had divorced parents or their parents are in the middle of a divorce. Now I have 4 girls who know exactly what I’m feeling to talk to!

Here I am playing one of my favorite sports: soccer! Go Mustangs!

My second platform is promoting an all around healthy lifestyle for people of all ages, whether it is mental, emotional, or physical health. I have been a bit of a sports  nut my whole life. If I am not on the ice playing hockey, I’m out on the field playing soccer.  Sports have been a huge part of my life and I feel that everyone should have the opportunity to play sports! From playing sports I have learned a lot about leadership, commitment, self discipline, time management, and team work. From playing sports I have also made so many amazing friends  and have had the opportunity to travel around Canada and the USA.  Being active and eating healthy is very important. It keeps your body in tip top shape inside and out and can prevent many health problems. Last year I went on a no sugar and no white flour diet … for a full year! I did this to cleanse my stomach. Just from cutting out sugary snacks and whole wheat foods I feel a lot better, and my energy lasts longer. I have started to eat sugar and white flour again, just a little bit, and I can definitely tell the difference. I would like to encourage all of you to try and cut down on the sugar! The taste doesn’t last forever but the consequences do! Mental and emotional health is also something I would like to promote. People today, especially teens, are developing more and more mental and emotional health problems. Whether it is low self esteem, anxiety, depression, or the effects of bullying. Self esteem and body image are getting to be a bigger problem in women due to all the photoshopped super models and what society’s image of a “perfect” woman is. Everyone is beautiful no matter your size, shape or ethnicity.

I will keep you all updated on my platform and everything else to do with my journey to Nationals via Facebook, Twitter, or my blog :)

In the mean time I would like to challenge you all to eat healthier (have an apple instead of a cookie, or replace white flour for whole wheat), and to get out and exercise (walk to school or work instead of drive, or do 20 crunches and 20 push ups before bed)!

Thank-you for reading my blog!

Until next time,

Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2013 :)

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Posted On:April 13, 2013 Categories:About Me, My Platform

Hello from Taylor Boehlig Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2013

Hello Everyone!

Above you can see my hockey team the AAA Midget Central Plains Female Capitals

For my first post I thought that I would let you all get to know me by telling you three words I would use to describe myself and then expand on each :) First, is athletic. I absolutely love sports of all kinds, from skiing to hockey or volleyball, I love them all! I also play soccer, badminton, and track and field also. Some days I would have soccer, volleyball and hockey practice in one night!  The second word to describe me is outgoing. I love meeting new people and I am very talkative. An unpopular opinion that I have is that I love public speaking! Recently I had my end of the year hockey banquet and some of us girls had to do a speech. Everyone was absolutely dreading it while I could hardly sit still I was so excited. The third word to describe me would be compassionate. Whenever I see a need I feel obligated to fill it. I love helping others, whether it is serving a meal to the homeless or being a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Now that you know a little bit about me I would like to tell you about my family! I have divorced parents, which inspired my platform to support kids with broken homes. There is my Dad Harvey, and my step mom Pat, and my Mom Cheryl and my step dad Ian. I have three siblings, 2 brothers Jesse and Reece and a sister Dakotah. My family’s most recent addition is my nephew Levi! Then I have three step sisters Sam, Kristin, and Giselle. I have two dogs, Nemo and Max which are part of the family too :)

Rilee Lloyd, Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2012, and I

I am so excited to have been crowned Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2013! I never would have though that I would be in a beauty pageant since I was a tomboy growing up. Who would have thought that the girl who is either covered head to toe in mud riding a quad, or drenched in sweat with a hockey stick would enter in a beauty pageant! Lots of people were surprised when I told them that I was competing in a pageant, and always ask how in the world I got into this! It all started in April last year when my boyfriend Campbell invited me to watch his sister Rilee compete, who won Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2012! When I heard Campbell say pageant my mind flashed to TLC’s Toddlers and Tiaras, and to be honest I was a little scared to see what lay ahead. Much to my relief the pageant was no where near what you see on Toddlers and Tiaras. Nobody’s mom was helping them put their “flipper” (fake teeth) in, or screaming at their daughters. Miss Teen Canada-World is so different compared to Toddlers and Tiaras, it’s like day and night. The girls on stage looked like they were having so much fun and what really stuck out to me was their platforms. I didn’t expect that at all. I thought it was really cool that beauty queens all had platforms that were so close to their heart that they were really passionate about. After the pageant I thought “Hey! Maybe I could do that!” but I didn’t have the confidence to pursue it then because the only thing I had worn close to a heel was a hockey skate and they aren’t very similar at all. Then Campbell suggested that I go in the pageant, and Rilee seemed to think so too. That’s where I got the confidence to go online and fill out an application form. Rilee had told me about her experience at Nationals and how it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and that really got me excited. Let’s fast forward from when I got accepted to the weekend of the pageant (March 16th and 17th). From August until March I was slowly starting to prepare for the pageant. I am very thankful to have had Rilee to help me along the way, from teaching me how to strut my stuff in heels to helping me improve my interview skills. My favorite part of getting ready for the pageant was dress shopping! I tried on about every dress in Promises Bridals to make the most of the experience. When the pageant weekend came around I was all nerves and excitement. What if the girls don’t like me? What if I don’t fit in? What if I fall off the stage? Upon arriving I realized very quickly that it was just a bunch of normal girls like me who were all equally nervous and we all became friends right away. At the end of the night, after performing in front of a room full of people I was ecstatic to receive a crown (that’s something my trophy case hasn’t seen before!) and the title Miss Teen Central Manitoba-World 2013! It is very exciting to receive the same title as Rilee and I have big shoes to fill!

The highlight of my evening: being crowned by Devon Shewchuk, Miss Teen Southern Manitoba-World 2012!

Until next time,

Taylor :)

 

 

Written by: Taylor Boehlig Tagged with:, , ,
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Posted On:April 5, 2013 Categories:About Me

The Miss Teen Legacy Lives On

Written by: The Miss Teen Blog Team
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Posted On:March 28, 2013 Categories:About Me

Mentor Night

Mentor night was held on my second day (July 15th) of the Miss Teen Canada World Pageant in Toronto. It was a great way to end an eventful day filled with photo shoots, video shoots and interviews! The night was truely inspirational. It consisted of 4 speakers:

Dr ArcherDr. Natalie Archer is a dynamic Toronto dentist who began her dental career in 2001. She has managed to have a career and a family while building a career as a hospital dentist. Natalie is passionate about giving back. She believed that women should earn their education. Women should join the 38% of breadwinners. She taught me to make my negitives positive and be completely honest with myself, my education and others. One key point that Natalie stessed was that even in your determination to reach a goal do not forget about having a family!
Melani Chong

Melani Chong in fashion and beauty for over 15 years, Canadian Ford Model and mother of two children, Melani Chong developed a personalized skin care line called Soya Boutique. These organic products are a natural skin care collection that is useful for the whole family. Melani taught me that confidence comes in the most relaxed placement. This is something I struggle with sometimes. I try so hard to look my best, act my best and be the best that I can be that I forget to let things just be natural. Her words really helped me realize that I do not have to pretend to act confident, I just have to breath and let confidence be. Meloni jumped from her career as a model to a stylist to a skincare designer. In this she told us that we should embrace the moments that happen. She had never once dreamed her life would turn out like this when she was a sporty teen. But, she let it happen. Meloni really inspired me to take life one step at a time and to never stop learning and growing as a person.

Katrina Hadden is a health and wellness specialist, size 12 model, life coach, motivational speaker and the author of the best-selling self-help book, Making It In High Heels.

Known for her positive energy and contagious smile, she helps her clients get better focused to achieve their goals and dreams . Katrina Hadden Life Coaching for Athletes has been a life coach for over eight years, specializing in Stress Management, Personal Development, Work-Life Balance and Health and Wellness. Katrina was never the most liked girl in school, she was constantly bullied with jokes regarding her height. She tried to ignore her bullies by emerging herself into basketball. Due to an injury she was unable to continue to a university level. So she created a new dream and a new goal. She began modelling. Katrina developed an eating disorder because of the constant need to feel skinnier. Even though this was a very hard time for her she made it through by surrounding herself with nutrition. Katrina eventually found her big break through an agency that embraced diversity. They accepted her as a size 12 model and she became known for her uniqueness. Katrina truely showed me that even if you go through one hard time after another, never give up your goal or dream! Everyone is unique in their own way, and everyone has a place in this world. Showing Katrina’s true character, she read each one of the 62 delegate’s bios and wrote a personalized letter to each of us. That showed me that Katrina is beautiful outside and inside!!

Alexandra Orlanmdo, Olympic athleteAlexandra Orlando is a highly decorated world-class Rhythmic Gymnast. Her wisdom can be found inside the pages of an award winning book called In Pursuit of Victory.

Alexandra has just published her second motivational book, Breaking Through My Limits: An Olympian Uncovered. She first tried to qualify for the Olympics when she was 15 years old but failed by 1/10th of a point. Before that day all she did was eat, sleep and breathe gymnastics and she had never failed. She felt as if she had hit rock bottom, this influenced her to take a break from gymnastics. When her mom asked her why she loved gymnastics so much she went on and on passionately speaking about her sport. It was then that she realized the reason why she loved gymnastics had nothing to do with the Olympics, it was because she genuinely loved it. Alexandra threw herself back into her old world, learning quickly that her body had changed alot because of puberty. When Alexandea took one step forward with her dream everyone was constantly pushing her back 3 steps more. She quickly learned that rejection made her stronger. She learned how strong her passion was because she was willing to fight for the thing she loved! Alexandra owned her craft and qualified for the Olympics in 2008. She realized it wasn’t all about winning. Standing on the poteum was only a fraction of the Olympics, what really counts is what has happens before. Alexandra followed up the Olympics by gaining a business degree to open more doors for herself. Alexandra taught me to take huge risks, love what you do and to not be afraid of weakness.

All of these ladies showed us prime examples of drive, motivation and success. They know what it is like to fail but taught us to never forget to pick yourself up again. Life doesnt always throw you exactly what you are looking for, but true self discovery and knowledge comes from the fight. I came into this pageant to try and win Miss Teen Canada World, I didn’t know that I would learn so much about myself along the way. This pageant isn’t about a title anymore it is about meeting new friends, discovering your stengths (and weaknesses) and finding a way to be the only you there is. I can not thank these mentors enough. If I walk away from this pageant with or without a crown, I know for sure I still will be walking away a little taller and a little stonger.

Written by: Rilee-anne Lloyd
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Posted On:July 19, 2012 Categories:About Me