2013 June Royalty Update

Royal Greetings to everyone!

We have been keeping busy since our last update, we hope you enjoy our recap of the latest events we have taken part in!

May 19, 2013 - We all attended the Westby Syttende Mai Parade & Tea.  The tea/reception was fun, we met a lot of new people and exchanged our 41st buttons with many different royalty.  The parade was so fun and we had a blast, waving from our beautiful float!  When we were finished we walked around their festival and looked at all the different things they had to offer their guests.

May 27, 2013 - Princesses Mackenzie and Shaina attended the Memorial Day Services at the Warren Mills Cemetery.  We laid the wreath and participated in the ceremony.  We went to the Warrens Lions Log Building afterward for their ooooh soooo good chicken lunch!  It was delicious!  From there, we headed to the Pine Grove Cemetery in Mather for their Memorial Day Service.  We each gave a reading and enjoyed listening to the other readings given by Nodji Van Wychen and her grandchildren.  It was a touching day and were honored to be part of something so meaningful.

   
June 1, 2013 - We all had a busy day, starting with the Monroe County Dairy Breakfast.  We served cranberry juice and interacted with the guests.  We ran into friends, teachers, and neighbors that were attending, so that was fun to see familiar faces and meet some new people as well.  The food was so good and enjoyed by all!  When that finished we all headed to the June Dairy Days celebration in West Salem.  We had fun seeing our royalty friends and the weather was beautiful and we all had a great time riding in the parade.  The evening ended with the Miss Sparta Pageant.  The entire event was so well planned and their farewell speeches were very touching.  The current Miss Wisconsin, Kate Gorman was one of the emcees so that was cool to see her as well.  Autumn Freeman was crowned the 2013 Miss Sparta.  What a day, filled with great memories we will have forever!

June 5, 2013 - Nodji, Shana and Jenna, our Royalty Committee, took us shopping for our sports outfits.  We found the perfect outfits, including sun dresses!  We are very appreciative for this attire and will enjoy wearing them to our many events and activities this summer.

We are super excited for all the things that ahead on our schedule this summer and can't wait to share it all with you.  Thanks for following our blog.

Yours Truly,
2012-2013 Warrens Cranberry Festival Royalty
Queen-Ashley Mutka & Princesses-Shaina Ducklow and Mackenzie Myers

2013 May Royalty Update

Greetings everyone!

We have two very special events we are excited to share with all of you!

On May 11th, we all attended the Princess for a Day event, organized by the Carmichael & Quartemont Law Firm, in Tomah.  The proceeds from this event go to the American Cancer Society and it is a fundraiser for their Relay for Life Team.  The event was so much fun!  Sixty-one little girls between the ages of 4-10 showed up in their beautiful princess gowns.  The girls were treated to a lunch, crafts, hair, makeup and nail beauty treatments.  Mackenzie was at the makeup station, giving little girls a complete beauty treatment, while Shaina and Ashley did manicures painting and applying nail art to all those little fingers.  We had a great time and really enjoyed all those little adorable princesses.

On May 17th, we all attended the Tomah Area Cancer Support Event.  We had a great time serving Culver's Frozen Custard topped with cranberries and syrup to everyone.  We even got to see a few of the Green Bay Packers, who were guests of the event.  We had a great time and enjoyed meeting and greeting all the people who attended such a nice event. 

We will have another update for you soon. 

We hope you all have a very safe Memorial Day Weekend!

Yours Truly,

2012-2013 Warrens Cranberry Festival Royalty
Queen-Ashley Mutka & Princesses-Shaina Ducklow and Mackenzie Myers

Princess Mackenzie giving 'royal' beauty treatments at the makeup station

Queen Ashley painting nails at the 'royal' nail station

Princess Shaina - helps a little princess choose her 'royal' nail art design

Princess Shaina, Queen Ashley and Princess Mackenzie at Princess For a Day !

2012-2013 Royalty at the grand finale 'fashion show' - Princess for a Day!

Princess Shaina, Queen Ashley & Princess Mackenzie serving Culver's Frozen Custard and Cranberry topping at the Tomah Area Cancer Support Event

Princess Mackenzie at the TACS event

Princess Shaina at the TACS event

Queen Ashley at the TACS Event

Royalty Update

A "Berry" Happy May to everyone!

We have been especially busy since the last time we blogged and super excited to share our latest experiences with you.

February 14th - Princesses Mackenzie and Shaina went to the Tomah VA to serve cake to the Veterans and staff.  We had such a blast, it was very touching and such a great experience to talk and interact with everyone.  They were so excited to see us and it was rewarding to be able to make the smile.

March 2nd - We all took part in the Make, Bake and Take Class at the WI Cranberry Discovery Center.  We made Cranberry Scones and had a lot of fun.  Some of our scones turned out and others didn't :) but they all tasted great and we plan to try and make them again someday!

March 6th - We all attended the Wisconsin Women in Ag Legislation event at the State Capitol in Madison.  We spent the day passing out cranberry cookies and promoting our Festival and our state fruit at our booth.  We met Jill Billings, Assembly District 95 and she even let us take a few pictures in her office, while sitting at her desk!  Afterward we had more pictures taken in the snow, on the steps of the Capitol Building.  It was a very education trip and we learned a lot.  We also want to share that the official photographer for the Capitol took pictures of us while we were there that day as well!  That was a super cool surprise!

March 30th - We all attended the Warrens Community Easter Breakfast and it was so fun!  We enjoyed a pancake breakfast, served ice cream sundaes with all the toppings and had a photo op with the Easter Bunny! 

April 6th - Princesses Shaina and Mackenzie attended another Make, Bake and Take Class at the WI Cranberry Discovery Center.  This time we made Cranberry Kringles and it was a blast!  Some of our creations turned out better looking than others :) but they all tasted amazing!

April 26th - We all attended the Sparta Butterfest Festmasters Coronation with Nodji, Royalty Chairperson and Shana, Royalty Committee.  We had a delicious meal and ate dinner with the 2010 Festmaster "Ben Bikin" and Lady Butterfest.  They were really fun to talk to.  We watched the award ceremony and Michael Bonello gave a cheerful farewell speech.  The 2013 Festmaster, Gary Zimmerman gave a speech about a promising future as the new Festmaster.  This was a fun event to go to and it was a reminder that being part of a community event is a great opportunity and privilege. 

We eagerly anticipate spring and all the things ahead.  Here is sneak peek of our future schedule:  Princess for a Day and the Westby Syttende Mai Coronation and Parade.

Yours Truly,

2012-2013 Warrens Cranberry Festival Royalty
Queen-Ashley Mutka & Princesses-Shaina Ducklow and Mackenzie Myers

Princess Mackenzie & Shaina serving cake to the Veterans at the Tomah VA on Valentine's Day

Princess Mackenzie, Princess Shaina and Queen Ashley at the Make, Bake & Take "Cranberry Scone" Class

2012-2013 Royalty serving cookies at the WI Women in AG Day

2012-2013 Royalty with Jill Billings, Assembly District 95 - WI Women in AG Day

2012-2013 Royalty serving ice cream sundaes at the Warrens Community Easter Breakfast

2012-2013 Royalty with the Easter Bunny - Warrens Community Easter Breakfast

Princess Shaina & Mackenzie at the Make, Bake & Take "Cranberry Kringle" Class

The Princesses with their finished Cranberry Kringles!

2012-2013 Royalty at the Sparta Butterfest Festmasters Coronation

2012-2013 Royalty with Nodji and Shana (Royalty Committee) at the Sparta Butterfest Festmasters Coronation

February Royalty Blog

Happy February Everyone!  We have three really special events we are excited to share with you this month.

January 9th - We kicked off the new year with the Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs Coronation, at the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells.  We began the evening with a delicious meal and during the program we saw how many people donate their time to the many fairs in Wisconsin.  40 women competed for the title of Fairest of the Fairs and Steffani Koch, from Dodge County was crowned at the end of the evening!  It was a fun experience and we all had a great time.

January 22nd - Princesses Mackenzie and Shaina attended the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association Winter Meeting in Stevens Point.  We walked around meeting many new people and learning about their companies.  We enjoyed a great meal and we spoke to the group after the luncheon.   We took a lot of pictures, in fact one of the companies even asked if they could use our photo on their website.  That was pretty cool!  It was a fun day and we learned a lot about the cranberry industry.

February 2nd - Queen Ashley and Princess Mackenzie attended the Westby Snowflake Ski Club Annual Ski Jump.  What a fun event this was.  We kept warm by the big bonfire, while meeting and talking with other visiting royalty and we rang those cowbells super loud!  We got to meet some of the skiers, who come from all over the world to compete, including Norway! 

We wish you all a Happy Valentines Day and appreciate you taking the time to read about all of our fun experiences.  We'll have another update for you next month.

2012-2013 Warrens Cranberry Festival Royalty
Queen:  Ashley Mutka & Princesses: Shaina Ducklow & Mackenzie Myers

Queen Ashley, Princess Shaina, Princess Mackenzie at the Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs Coronation

Princesses Shaina & Mackenzie at the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association Winter Meeting

Princesses Shaina & Mackenzie with Nodji Van Wychen, WCF Royalty Chairperson at the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association Winter Meeting

Princesses Shaina & Mackenzie with June Potter, WCF Special Guest Chairperson at the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association Winter Meeting

Princess Mackenzie & Queen Ashley at the Westby Snowflake Ski Club Annual Ski Jump

Watching jumpers from around the world compete at the Westby Snowflake Ski Club Annual Ski Jump

December Royalty Blog

December Greetings!  We have a lot to share this month!  

First off, we worked very hard last month preparing our "royal" float for the holiday parades.  It was fun decorating and we want to thank our families for their hard work and creativity, we certainly are proud to show it off!

Nov. 23 - we rode in the Tomah Holiday Parade.  It was our first winter parade and it was a little chilly, but our royal robes kept us warm and toasty.  It was fun to see all the other floats and their decorations.

Dec. 1 - we had a busy day, starting at the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center for their Holiday Open House, we helped out there and enjoyed meeting lots of new people and promoting the Festival.  We ended our day at the Black River Falls Holiday Parade.  The weather was warmer so that was nice and we had fun talking and sharing stories with the Black River Falls Royalty and all other visiting royalty.  We made some new friends and had a great time.

Dec. 4 - Nodji Van Wychen, the Royalty Chairperson, took us shopping for our business attire.  That was super fun trying on dresses, shoes and finding purses to match.  We are so grateful for all the pretty things and we are excited to wear them to special events.

Dec. 7 - we rode in the Sparta Holiday Parade and we had a great time.  It was a cold night but those robes keep us so warm. :)  We are excited to share that our float won "Santa's Favorite" ...all of our hard work on the float really paid off!  We visited the Sparta Rotary Lights after the parade was finished and visited Santa too!  That same day we sang Christmas Carols and served juice and coffee at the Senior Citizen Center.  Nothing warms the heart more than being able to help out and spend time with the residents.  It is such a rewarding feeling and we all enjoyed ourselves a lot!

Dec. 8 - we attended the Warrens Community Christmas Party.  We had such a good time!  We helped the little ones decorate cookies, make ornaments and chatted with them about what they wanted for Christmas and what they were most excited about.  We had a group picture taken with Santa and ate a delicious meal.  It was a lot of fun!

Dec. 15 - we and our families were guests at the Governor's Mansion for the Holiday Tea.  We toured the beautifully decorated rooms, including the Robin Room, Snow Man Room and Nutcracker Room.  We brought along non-perishable food items for a donation to the local food pantry.  It was a fun day, a little rainy but we didn't complain because we had the Cranfest umbrellas to keep us dry! :)  After the tour, we and our families went to Ella's Deli (the place with the huge carousel) and enjoyed some yummy treats!  It was a good bonding experience for ourselves and families to get to know one another.  

Black River Falls Holiday Parade

Warrens Community Christmas Party

Decorating our "royal" float for the holiday season!

Waiting outside the Governor's Mansion for the Holiday Tea

Holiday Tea at the Governor's Mansion

Tomah Holiday Parade

Our Santa's Favorite award from the Sparta Holiday Parade

Holiday Open House at the WI Cranberry Discovery Center

Shopping for our business attire!

Sparta Holiday Parade

Our royal float - decorated for the holidays!

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  We look forward to blogging in January and appreciate you taking the time read about our experiences!

2012-2013 Warrens Cranberry Festival Royalty
Queen:  Ashley Mutka & Princesses: Shaina Ducklow & Mackenzie Myers  

November Royalty Update

Happy November!

This month the Princesses participated in a fun event.  Princess Shaina and Mackenzie attended the Fun Day Event at the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center, in Warrens, WI. This event was free to all Warrens area residents.  We helped the children make crafts, like the "cran-man" and helped to educate the visitors on the cranberry.  We sampled different flavors of cranberry juice and sweetened dried cranberries (the orange was the most popular flavor) :) and enjoyed some fantastic cranberry ice cream!  It was a really fun day and we had a great time.

Thanks again for letting us share our experiences with you.  

2012-2013 Warrens Cranberry Festival Royalty
Queen:  Ashley Mutka & Princesses: Shaina Ducklow and Mackenzie Myers

2012-2013 Cranberry Princesses: Mackenzie & Shaina helping set up the games for the Fun Day Event

2012-2013 Cranberry Princess Mackenzie helping some little ones make their crafts

2012-2013 Cranberry Princesses:  Mackenzie & Shaina at the Fun Day Event

2012-2013 Cranberry Princesses:  Mackenzie & Shaina taking a break and enjoying some yummy cranberry ice cream at the WI Cranberry Discover Center Fun Day Event

October Royalty Update - 2012

Greetings and Happy October!

We are excited to share another fun event with all of you!  On Sunday, October 21st, we attended the Westby Ski Jump Snowflake Coronation.  It was a super fun night.  We began the evening with a delicious dinner and met all the other visiting Royalty from the surrounding area.  We also met the 2012 past royalty and we got our picture taken with the 2013 Royalty, they are all a fun group of girls and we enjoyed meeting them.  The 2012 outgoing royalty's farewell speeches were special and heartfelt, you could tell they were proud to represent their organization and it was fun to have the opportunity to be a part of such a nice event and we congratulate all the winners!

Thanks for letting us share our experiences with you!

2012-2013 Warrens Cranberry Festival Royalty
Queen:  Ashley Mutka & Princesses: Shaina Ducklow and Mackenzie Myers

Princess-Shaina, Queen-Ashley, Princess Mackenzie Myers at the Westby Ski Jump Snowflake Coronation

Visiting royalty at the Westby Ski Jump Snowflake Royalty Coronation 

Warrens Cranberry Festival Royalty with the newly crowned 2013 Westby Ski Jump Snowflake Royalty!