So now that I am back on the horse and enjoying my summer vacation I thought I would do a little catch up blog on what I have been up to since Miss MN. This is the first and probably last summer that I do not have a full time job so I have been making the most of it. I spend most of my time with my family relaxing by our pool. My niece who is a little over a year has become a little fish and loves to swim. The only regular schedule I have had all summer is volunteering on Sundays at Gillette, cheering on my boyfriend at his softball games on Monday nights, and volunteering at Tubman on Thursday nights.
The second weekend after Miss MN we celebrated my parent’s 25th wedding anniversary. This was the highlight of my summer and it will be hard to beat. All of our family and friends came to celebrate with my parents and they even had the band that played at their wedding, 2nd Generation, perform for this party. My aunt and cousin came in from Pennsylvania to be there with my parents and my aunt wore the dress she wore as a bridesmaid in their wedding; it was hilarious. I am very proud of my parents. They are wonderful role models for all married couples and I hope to one day celebrate a 25th anniversary with the love of my life too.
I started the month of July by attending my best friend and our Miss Minnesota United States, Mary Petersen, Miss United States sendoff party. Mary is the whole package; gorgeous, fit, dedicated, smart, and funny. She was a great representative of our state and she will always be Miss United States to me!
For the 4th of July I spent the whole day with my family on the lake. I have a large fun family that I truly love spending time with. We have a family saying that really describes us and that is, “we put the fun in dysfunctional.” I have 19 cousins on our Salmela side and we have many fun dysfunctional memories together. 4th of July is always a great time because one, we are a family of great cooks and two, because there is so much to do on the lake. The highlight of my 4th was the boat war my family participates in every year, we kicked butt and I had bruises to prove it.
On July 7th, I attended a farewell party for Paul Finocchiaro. Paul is the man who got me involved in pageants. I will always remember four years ago when he approached me a matter of weeks before the Miss Mankato pageant and told me he was going to make me the next Miss Mankato… The rest is history. Paul was my professor, director, friend, and will always be a part of my family. He taught me the importance of paying it forward, which I live my life by to this day. Paul is the most amazing, talented, caring, giving, and simply fabulous man I have ever met and I am proud to say that I am the woman I am today because of his influence and guidance in my life! A huge thank you to Shelly Bartlett who hosted this wonderful farewell party; you always throw such great get togethers.
Yesterday I attended my Uncle Jimmy’s Air Force retirement party. Jimmy has been my dad’s best friend since grade school and he has always been a second dad to my sister and me. I am so proud of all that he has done and love him very much.
I have been having the best summer ever and I am really enjoying what is truly important in life; my family, friends, and the times I am blessed to share with them. I look forward to the rest of my summer spending this last half the same way I spent the first.
Until next time,
Samantha Phillippi
The second weekend after Miss MN we celebrated my parent’s 25th wedding anniversary. This was the highlight of my summer and it will be hard to beat. All of our family and friends came to celebrate with my parents and they even had the band that played at their wedding, 2nd Generation, perform for this party. My aunt and cousin came in from Pennsylvania to be there with my parents and my aunt wore the dress she wore as a bridesmaid in their wedding; it was hilarious. I am very proud of my parents. They are wonderful role models for all married couples and I hope to one day celebrate a 25th anniversary with the love of my life too.
I started the month of July by attending my best friend and our Miss Minnesota United States, Mary Petersen, Miss United States sendoff party. Mary is the whole package; gorgeous, fit, dedicated, smart, and funny. She was a great representative of our state and she will always be Miss United States to me!
For the 4th of July I spent the whole day with my family on the lake. I have a large fun family that I truly love spending time with. We have a family saying that really describes us and that is, “we put the fun in dysfunctional.” I have 19 cousins on our Salmela side and we have many fun dysfunctional memories together. 4th of July is always a great time because one, we are a family of great cooks and two, because there is so much to do on the lake. The highlight of my 4th was the boat war my family participates in every year, we kicked butt and I had bruises to prove it.
On July 7th, I attended a farewell party for Paul Finocchiaro. Paul is the man who got me involved in pageants. I will always remember four years ago when he approached me a matter of weeks before the Miss Mankato pageant and told me he was going to make me the next Miss Mankato… The rest is history. Paul was my professor, director, friend, and will always be a part of my family. He taught me the importance of paying it forward, which I live my life by to this day. Paul is the most amazing, talented, caring, giving, and simply fabulous man I have ever met and I am proud to say that I am the woman I am today because of his influence and guidance in my life! A huge thank you to Shelly Bartlett who hosted this wonderful farewell party; you always throw such great get togethers.
Yesterday I attended my Uncle Jimmy’s Air Force retirement party. Jimmy has been my dad’s best friend since grade school and he has always been a second dad to my sister and me. I am so proud of all that he has done and love him very much.
I have been having the best summer ever and I am really enjoying what is truly important in life; my family, friends, and the times I am blessed to share with them. I look forward to the rest of my summer spending this last half the same way I spent the first.
Until next time,
Samantha Phillippi