One of my most cherished experiences was being chosen the winner of the 2006 Mrs. Michigan United States Pageant, representing my state at the Mrs. United States® Pageant in Las Vegas, and spending my year making appearances throughout Michigan. Since 1989, many women have worn the crown but sadly, as the pageant’s directorship has changed
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Our one-year-old Labrador Retriever, Finnlee, had her first swim lessons this past spring at Sit, Stay, Swim in Garden City, Michigan and was already doing a perfect water retrieve at her second session. She then spent the summer at the lake perfecting her technique and becoming a remarkably strong swimmer. Finnlee is truly a natural
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After spending the 1990s pursuing a career in country music with my band Northern Lights, I decided to change my musical focus to include pop and rock. In 2001, I started the MissUnderstood Band (later the Kristina Austin Band). For the next several years, until I won the Mrs. Michigan United States Pageant in 2006,
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Since 1934, a Homecoming festival has taken place each summer in the small northwestern Ohio town of Wauseon. This year not only commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Wauseon, Ohio Homecoming, but it also marks the 30th anniversary of my year as Miss Wauseon Homecoming 1984. The Wauseon Homecoming Queen contest was my very first
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My husband and I have just returned from our Valentine’s Day adventure: we mushed a team of sled dogs! Check one item off the Bucket List! We’ve been trying to do this for a couple of winters now and something always seems to get in the way. But this was our year! Despite an early
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Tonight, I had the honor of performing in the 2009 Canton Salute to Service Veterans’ Day Show at the Village Theater at Cherry Hill in Canton, Michigan. Here’s a little information about the show from the official press release: Below are video clips of my performances. Thanks to everyone whose hard work makes this annual event possible!
My second fine art photography wall calendar is now available: a Glimpses of Gallantry American Civil War battlefield calendar. The Glimpses of Gallantry wall calendar features images from the Wilderness, Antietam, Bull Run / Manassas, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg American Civil War battlefields as well as Johnson’s Island Confederate Prison Stockade Cemetery. Please bookmark my
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This is probably my favorite graphic design project, inspired by the monuments on the Gettysburg battlefield after my visit there during the 145th anniversary of the battle on July 1 – 3, 2008. During the American Civil War, the Iron Brigade of the West, also known as the Black Hat Brigade for the dress Hardee
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Check out this 1987 release from the Brandos titled, “Gettysburg”. I LOVE this song! David Kincaid, lead singer and guitarist of the Brandos and the song’s co-writer, visited Gettysburg as a young man and discovered that his ancestor, James McCormack Kincaid of the 63rd Pennsylvania, fought and died there. He was so moved that he
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Three cheers for my alma mater. The University of Toledo Rockets beat the University of Michigan Wolverines in the Big House today 13 – 10. Hold your clichés. Those who have had the pleasure of spending a good deal of time in Toledo, Ohio (especially UT alumni) know better. This just gives me one more
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