one more day...

Wow--we're almost done!!! I spent the day at rehearsals and let me tell you, you're going to LOVE the show!! The set is phenomenal, they're addressing the issues surrounding Tara's reign from the top of the show, Nancy O'dell is perfect as usual, and we'll finally get to see Courtney in action! One more twist for the TV viewers; when the Top 15 and Top 10 compete, you will get to see each girl's composite score on screen!!! We won't see it in the theatre, but YOU will know who is advancing to the next level! There will also be a lot of backstage segments. An INCREDIBLE show!

If you haven't yet voted for Miss Photogenic, please do so immediately! Go to www.nbc.com and vote for Courtney! One of the message boards, United States of Beauty, www.voy.com/191501/ voted Courtney Miss Photogenic! (photo above) Yea! Let's hope she gets that award tomorrow night as well.

I'm off to the girls' hotel to give Courtney one more pep talk. She doesn't need it, it's really more for me! Thanks to everyone for keeping up with this blog, for your AWESOME comments, and for keeping Courtney in your prayers. This is all in God's hands!

Don't forget to tune into NBC and watch the pageant! Molly got us AWESOME tickets, so we'll be just a few rows from the front. I'll be wearing a white sparkly cocktail dress; hopefully you'll see us because that will mean Courtney got the call and we'll be cheering our heads off!!!!! And for those of you coming to town for the pageant, I'll be in the lobby of the Kodak between 5 and 5:15, so please be sure to say hi! Arizona will have about 50 people in the audience, and most of use will have signs or flags. It'll be FANTASTIC!

God Bless each of you!!

Britt

Rehearsals and a surprise visitor!

Hi Everyone! Sorry for the delay in this post; I was in State Director meetings all day.

Yesterday, the contestants taped their intros/fashion show at the Kodak Theatre. This went from 10a - 3p. They had a break for lunch, could change clothes, then continued rehearsals. A little bit later, they were told that Donald Trump would be stopping by! Each contestant got to meet Mr. Trump, and he watched rehearsals for a little bit. Now remember, the Miss Universe Organization chooses 6 of the Top 15 semi-finalists, so everyone wanted to make a favorable impression! Here are some photos of that taping, as well as more Prelim photos.

All photos in this post copyright Miss Universe, LP, LLLP.

They rehearsed until 10pm, then back to the hotel.

This morning it was back to the Kodak for rehearsals. Courtney said she also had a followup TV interview scheduled. Speaking of TV, has Channel 12 been running Courtney's promo for the MISS USA Pageant in Phoenix yet? If you see it, please post your thoughts!

Tomorrow I'll be at rehearsals all day. I can't believe that we're less than 48 hours from the pageant!!!! Courtney will be looking for your posts, so we're running out of time to post good luck messages to our girl!

I have to say how incredibly proud I am that Courtney is representing our state. She has truly done a phenomenal job. And while I know she should win this thing, we are dealing with judges, and there's always a possibility that things won't go the way we think they should on Friday. Let me publicly state that NO MATTER the outcome, I am indescribably proud of and happy with Courtney. She is a phenomenal titleholder, a wonderful person with a genuinely kind and sweet spirit, and I am proud to be in her life and thankful that God has put her in my life.

God Bless,

Britt

***SPECIAL UPDATE!!!***

www.nbc.com

While I was finishing the post below, I got an email from Gina letting me know that COURTNEY IS FEATURED ON THE HOME PAGE OF NBC!!!!!!! My goodness!!!! Please don't forget to vote, and cajole everyone you know and many that you don't know to vote for Courtney as Miss Photogenic at www.nbc.com! Since it's purely based off of internet votes, I want to make sure that a truly photogenic and deserving young lady wins this--Courtney absolutely fits the bill!! Thanks, Gina, for the tip!

You can also watch videos of Courtney's Swimsuit and Evening Gown Competition! To see Swimsuit, please click here.

To watch Evening Gown, please click here.

Britt

Into the home stretch!

Intro
1st group - Intro
Swimsuit!
...and GORGEOUS woman in a GORGEOUS gown!

all photos copyright Miss Universe, LP, LLLP

Wow--I'm still recovering from Prelims! Courtney did SO WELL and looked SO GOOD but the contestants' schedule is SO BUSY and security is SO TIGHT we did not get to talk with her after Prelims. :( Her family (who had flown in from FL that morning) only got a "drive by" hug before security ripped her out of their arms. Quite a bummer, but at least they got to see each other for a few seconds! Prelims are typically held at night and there is scheduled time to visit with the contestants, but not this year.

After Courtney was whisked away to eat, they all got on the bus and went to the Kodak for the first time. Did I share with you the reason Prelims was in the hotel ballroom was because My Little Pony was closing out Sunday at the Kodak? Yes, we were trumped (no pun intended) by My Little Pony. No matter; now the girls are at the Kodak! Last night they had rehearsal until 10pm and Courtney called me on the bus back to the hotel.

This morning they are filming the intro, so they've had to be at breakfast at 6:30 am (yes, 6:30), then on the bus to the Kodak to get in hair & makeup for the filming. Then it's regular rehearsals for the rest of the day.

I'm heading home for the day (need to see my family, too!) so I won't see Courtney @ rehearsals but her family will be there. THANK YOU FOR POSTING ALL YOUR COMMENTS!!! While Courtney & I were on the phone last night, she got into her room and said "where did you get the photos of Prelims already?" so she had promptly checked this blog. Your comments are so encouraging, I know they mean a lot to her, so keep 'em coming!

The next several days will be long and tiring; please keep Courtney in your thoughts and prayers.

More tomorrow!

God Bless,

Britt

PRELIMS!!!

photos AP/Danny Moloshok

Well, the scores are in. And I have to say that COURTNEY LOOKED AMAZING!!!!!! Even with a lo-key hotel ballroom setting, she really did a great job. They made a change on me; instead of interview outfits, the girls wore a cocktail dress for the introductions. There was no "opening number" per se; just a 3-ramp runway thingy each girl did after she introduced herself. They did this in groups of 6, lined up, walked off and started with the next group. Courtney wore her gorgeous lavender cocktail dress. WOW!

She was on fire for swimsuit (as you can see by the photos!)!!!!! And looked elegant and just plain GORGEOUS for evening gown. I am so proud of her!!!!!

Courtney's parents, her brother, grandma, boyfriend, fitness trainer & friends were at prelims, cheering her on. What an awesome support group, and it's only going to get bigger come Friday! I believe there are going to be about 50 or more people coming to the Kodak to cheer for ARIZONA!!!

THANK YOU for all your posts, emails for Courtney and especially your prayers. The next few days will be very tiring; they start rehearsals at the Kodak this afternoon, then it's all rehearsals, all the time. This is a 2-hour live broadcast, so NBC will make sure that absolutely everything's perfect, the girls all know their patterns, where the cameras are, have the right speed, etc. This is going to be a phenomenal telecast--especially because I'm sure Courtney will be right up there!!!! She really can win this thing. Please pray for strength and endurance for Courtney (AND her family!) and for good health and her continued fantastic attitude.

COURTNEY--WE LOVE YOU!!!

Britt

I'm in LA!!

Courtney's interview outfit!

Hi Everyone! It's Sunday night and I'm finally settled in my hotel room in LA. I won't be able to see Courtney tonight, as rehearsals are closed, but I'll see her first thing in the morning. The Preliminary dress rehearsal is at 8am!

I have some updates! Courtney said Preview was just what I told her it would be--quick, but important. She said some of the judges kept straight faces and some smiled. She felt really good about how she presented herself, which is all that matters.

Then she had her Preliminary Interview. This went very quickly -- 3 minutes with each panel. Yep, 3 whole minutes (!) and she said the judges were fun and the questions were lighthearted and mostly based off of her bio. She said she had a great time; her interview was very relaxed, fun and she made them laugh a few times! For those of you interested in her Interview outfit....she wore a gorgeous navy blue dress with a great tailored satin bustier top with shoulder straps, and a skirt that hit her just above the knees with a very cool steel blue flower pattern at the bottom half. Paired with navy platform peep-toes, she looked amazing and ready for Regis & Kelly! Those of you attending Prelims will get to see Courtney in this dress, as the contestants are wearing their Interview Outfits for the Opening Number (I think the Tadashis are still being finished)!

**New 3/19--photo above! Some of you may be a little surprised that it's a dress, but the Interview portion of Miss USA and our state pageant truly is a personality interview, so suits are not necessary. Contestants can express their personal style in fashion-forward outfits; something you might see on a celebrity when they appear on a talk show. I am very glad they are encouraged to wear something other than a suit!

Tonight is a long rehearsal in the hotel ballroom, and it was closed, even to state directors :( so I didn't get to give Courtney a hug from all of you. She has been checking this blog daily and reading the posts you are so kind to make. THANK YOU!!!

And don't forget to vote for Courtney for Miss Photogenic at www.nbc.com. Get all your friends, family, acquaintances, you name 'em, to vote for Courtney! This is purely an internet vote, and I personally would love to see our truly beautiful and photogenic girl win this award!

Here are some photos from the Best Buddies event yesterday. Yes, that's Courtney, rippin' up the basketball court!

Photos copyright Miss Universe, LP, LLLP.

Vote for Miss Photogenic!

Hi Everyone! We are getting closer to the telecast and now it's time for you to get behind our Miss Arizona USA and vote her Miss Photogenic! Simply click here and cast your vote for Courtney! Tell ALL your friends and get those votes in. The winner will be announced during the pageant on Friday night.

Today the contestants had an event with Best Buddies, which is an organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employement. For more information, please visit www.bestbuddies.org. Here is a picture of Courtney with her best buddie, Stephen!

She was also able to meet the President and Founder of YMI Jeans, David Vered. The new MISS USA will be featured in a national and international YMI Jeans campaign! I bet Mr. Vered would love for Courtney to be in that campaign!!

Tomorrow is Preview, then the Interview competition. I will arrive in LA around 4pm and will finally get to see Courtney and tell her in person how proud we all are of her. Please keep those posts coming; Courtney reads them every day. It is so critical that we really ramp up the support!

Love,

Britt

Tonight Show photos!

above photo copyright Miss Universe, LP, LLLP

Hi Everyone! I had a great conversation with Courtney today. She sent me these photos from the Tonight Show!
Last night Courtney attended her first hockey game, at the home of the LA Kings. They pulled some contestants to go down to the ice and try to shoot hockey pucks into the net for charity. Courtney was not chosen for that activity, which was just fine for the desert girl!

Yesterday (Thursday) was her roomie's birthday. Our thoughtful Courtney sent Rebecca flowers and helped her celebrate. Happy birthday, Miss Alabama USA!

Today there was no rehearsal and the girls did some touring. They toured the Walt Disney Concert Hall (top photo), had a bus tour of Hollywood, then they were dropped off at Rodeo Drive for a little window shopping.

Tonight they all go to an LA Lakers game, so if you're watching NBA instead of NCAA, look for Courtney! She's really looking forward to tomorrow's activity, which is with the Best Buddies organization. After that, COMPETITION!

Previews are Sunday morning, Preliminary Interviews Sunday at noon, dress rehearsal Monday morning, and Preliminary show (swimsuit and evening gown) Monday at noon. Then it will be over to the Kodak Theatre for hours upon hours of television production rehearsals until we get to see Courtney crowned MISS USA on Friday night!

For those of you wondering what Previews are--this when the judges first see all the contestants. Each contestant will walk and pose for the judges in their evening gowns, then their swimsuits, so the judges can see all 51 contestants before they start any scoring. And this year, the Preliminary judges will choose 9 ladies to go to the semifinals, then the Miss Universe Organization will choose 6 more to complete the Top 15. No, I do not know who does the choosing for the MUO! That information is not released to me! I do know that the Preliminary judges work on a mention system. That means that they will circle the names of their 9 favorites in Interview, then circle their 9 for Swimsuit, then their 9 for Evening Gown. The 9 with the highest # of mentions go to the Semifinals and are announced live during the Telecast (Friday night).

Whew--lots of stuff in that paragraph, and probably more than you're really interested in knowing! Oh, you might be interested in this--I know that some of the contestants are wearing different evening gowns than what you've seen in the photos. Reasons for this vary; some girls' gowns weren't finished yet, some girls change their minds, and some might just plan to wear one for photos and another for competition. Not Arizona. Courtney chose her gown, LOVES it (as do I), and that's what you'll see for competition! I believe in that game plan.

Anyone going to the pageant and still need tickets? Courtney's mom has 3 for sale. If you are interested, please email me at info@missarizonausa.net.

Thanks for visiting, and especially thank you for keeping Courtney in your prayers. It's nearly "go" time, and she will really need her rest and the energy to focus on doing her best in the next couple of days.

Blessings,


Britt

More videos and photos!

Hi Everyone! I just got off the phone with Courtney. They just finished a taping of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno! They're in the audience; watch for Courtney--she's wearing a black dress!

Courtney's in the 2nd to the last row toward the right with her hair pulled back

There are more videos up of the contestants at www.missusa.com. If you want to see those that feature Courtney, click here.

screen shot of one of the videos

They're headed for a Hollywood event tonight and Courtney will call me when they're done. She is still having a GREAT time!

On another note, one of the message boards we have linked to the right (Pageant Central, www.voy.com/208387/) had a contest; "The Face of MISS USA 2007". Posters submitted their 5 favorites, then a top 5 was announced, then the final votes. The Pageant Central Face of MISS USA 2007 is...drumroll...COURTNEY BARNAS! But of course we knew she has the most beautiful face of the pageant!!!

Here are some more photos of Courtney in her swimsuit!

All photos in this post are copyright Miss Universe, LP, LLLP.

More photos!

I found some more photos of Universal Studios and Hard Rock Cafe!

All photos are copyright Miss Universe, LP, LLLP.

Back to rehearsals!

Good morning! I spoke with Courtney this morning, and she wants to tell you all how much she appreciates all your comments on this blog. She's been in LA almost a week, we're 6 days from the start of the Preliminary Competition, and all the love and support means a lot to her.

Last night the contestants went to the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal Studios, where they were met with a red carpet, autograph sessions and - of course - Hard Rock T-shirts! Danny Bonaduci was there with his wife and her band. The ladies had dinner, then stayed for part of the band's set. Courtney has several fans in LA--she said a lot of people around the restaurant called out "Arizona!" Courtney honey, trust me, you have fans EVERYWHERE!

This morning she was one of a handful of girls who had to get up early and do some press interviews. Courtney was chosen to be interviewed by the TV Guide channel. No news on when that will air, though. Today they have rehearsals from 10-5, and tonight it's out to the Santa Monica Pier for a sunset dinner.

She sent me these photos--enjoy!

Love,

Britt

Universal Studios

Today was all about fun, film, photos and bathrobes! The contestants went to Universal Studios, where they had the photo shoot for their 2007 Pageant Swimsuit poster, some contestants were pulled to film some TV segments, and the girls got to have some fun! Our thrill seeker got to ride a bunch of rides and had a great time! She said the press was heavy at this event; she saw Entertainment Tonight, E and even CNN. Yes, CNN!

Tonight they're back at Universal Studios at the Hard Rock Cafe. I got to speak with Courtney this afternoon, and she's having such a great time. One of the best things is the friendship she and Rebecca (Miss AL USA) have developed. Courtney says they're so much alike, really enjoy each other's company and are getting along famously. You can imagine how crowded their hotel rooms are with clothes, shoes, and everything that TWO women need for 2 1/2 weeks. Even with the cramped conditions, they're getting along well! Grandma, you'll be happy to hear that Courtney straightened up all her stuff on her side of the room today! :)

And speaking of STUFF, Courtney just loves all the sponsor gifts! She's gotten a bunch of jeans, and a HUGE bag filled with products from Farouk systems--they're the folks who make Chi and BioSilk. Hmmmm...maybe I'll have to take some of that stuff out of her room for her when I get to LA...

Here are some photos from their dinner last night at El Paseo Restaurant on historic Olvera Street and from the Tadashi event. All photos in this post copyright Miss Universe, LP, LLLP.

More tomorrow!

Love & blessings,

Britt