Goodmorning-

Well the pageant is over but I had a great time. I am so excited for Jamie Converse Estrada, a former Miss Florida USA for winning the title. She will make us all proud at Mrs.America.

Here are the results:

Top 10

Amy Bast
Jaimie Estrada
Monique McCall
Alana Fones
Vanessa Glover
Somaly Barquet
Amy Landis
Misty Jarrett
Deanna Linz
Alexandra Coe

Top 5
1. Monique Mcall
2. Somaly Barquet
3. Jaime Estrada
4. Alana Fones
5. Misty Jarret


Winners

4th - Misty Jarret
3rd - Somaly Barquet
2nd - Alana Fones
1st - Monique McCall
Winner: Jaimie Estrada


Fitness - Amy Bast

Photogenic - Christina Murphy

As far as my pageant future, who knows. Thank you to all that supported me and helping me to feel like a queen!

God bless-

Deanna

To family & friends-

I spoke with Lois last night and she had her last Chemo treatment yesterday! Yeah! Her spirits are good and in Lois fashion is coming to the pageant. Nothing holds her back. Radiation is next but she has some time off in between. Susan G Komen for a cure is a great website that I was able to learn a lot from. For those that don't know, Lois found her tumor before her doctor. Self exam is key. www.komen.org

Warning Signs of Breast Cancer (This was copied from the Komen.org website)
A change in the look or feel of the breast.

A change in the size or shape of the breast.
A lump or thickening in the breast, the area surrounding the breast or the underarm.
A warm sensation in the breast.
A change in the look or feel of the nipple.

A nipple turned inward or sunken into the breast.
The shape of the nipple becomes irregular.
A rash on the nipple or areola.
Nipple tenderness, increased sensitivity or pain.
Nipple discharge.

Blood or fluid other than breast milk secreted from the nipple.
A change in the look or feel of the skin on the breast, nipple or areola.

Dimpling of the skin on the breast (appears like the skin on an orange).
The appearance of irritated, red, scaly, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola.
Breast pain.

Although breast pain is usually associated with benign breast disease rather than breast cancer, it can be a symptom of either condition.



Lois Lane, you are an inspiration to me. I love you and so proud to be your sister!

Andy joins me tonight at the hotel. I can't wait for my family to arrive! I have Halo with me. My furry baby! She is excited to see Daddy also.

Off to work out!

Love to all!

Deanna

Hello!

I have checked into the hotel and enjoying a night of Ugly Betty, working out and reading. On a funny side of things, I was "sprayed" this morning or as I call it being hosed down by the self tanner. I love the salon in Tampa that I go too so this is not a reflection on them! You are not suppose to shower for 10 hours. Unfortunately, I was greeted by a few Orlando showers and my skin color went running off (the bronzer).I started laughing and found myself saying...I AM MELTING...:))))))

Thank you to all of the wonderful well wishes I have gotten. Suzy Bootz, Bea Gill, Angela Smith, Trinity Ingram, Tracey Grossbauer, Jervaun Trier, Nicole Massey, Connie Sharp....you all are AMAZING and thank you for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers! This weekend is in God's hand and I hope to make everyone proud. I know this may sound "staged" but these ladies I am competing with are incredible. What a group. I am excited!

I will update through the weekend and include pictures after the pageant.Win or loose...I am enjoying the journey!

Good luck to all of the ladies!

Much love-

Deanna

Congratulations to Diane Tucker, Mrs. America 2007 for winning Mrs. World!

Check out www.mrsworld.com for pictures and details!

Preparation is going well! I have a beautiful new wardrobe thanks to my sponsor and the Competitive Image. I am beyond blessed for this opportunity and everything life has given me this last year. My husband coming home from a year in Iraq was the greatest blessing of all!

Andy, Lois, Benjamin and I went to Disney so I know dreams do come true! The pageant is a week away. Wow, time flies.

We recieved a list of our judges and they are a VERY impressive group. We have 3 ladies and 2 gentlemen. I am excited to meet them all. The calibur is humbling. We have a lawyer, a former Mrs Florida, a talent agent (from a premier agency!), a national judge from Mrs.America, Mrs. World and the National Anthem Project and a very successful Real Estate Broker! All extremely successful!!!! What an amazing panel.

Love to all and I hope to see everyone there.

Deanna & Andy

Mrs. Hillsborough County Florida America 2007 (and Mr:)))
www.mrsfloridaamerica.com


Mrs. Florida America 2007

Saturday March 17, 2007
Chapin Theater, Orlando Florida
www.occc.net
Doors open at 2:30, show is 3pm promptly

The countdown has begun! Don't forget to check out www.mrsfloridaamerica.com for pageant details!

Also, since it is OSCAR DAY....my sponsor, ELizabeth Grant International is once again part of the festivities! Check out www.elizabethgrant.com and the Torricelumn Girl blog spot for updates. I am sure you will find some pictures of your favorite celebrities there!

Much love to all-

Deanna

Our last stop was Ireland. I am hoping for a little luck of the Irish on March 17th! We spent a few days in Dublin. We saw the Dublin Castle, St.Patrick's Cathedral and the Guiness Brewery. A common theme throughout Europe are castles and beers! The weather was great and Mom & Dad Linz need a vacation from vacation!

Hello family & friends-

It's been crazy lately but all in a good way. Andy and I have been taking advantage of some travel opportunities and spending time with family and friends. After a short stint in Amsterdam with Christine and our military ball, my in laws came over for a holiday. The journey started in Bavaria. This is the location of one of the Ludwig Castles...aka...Neuswanstein Castle. This is the castle the Disney Castle was modeled after. It was beautiful and the day could not have been better. The story goes King Ludwig broke Bavaria in the building of this castle. Not all rooms were completed and he mysteriously died after only living in the palace for 172 days. I have attached some pictures of the outside. We were not allowed to take pictures inside. http://www.neuschwanstein.com/english/castle/ludwig/index.htm

The next stop was Prague. What a beautiful city. The Architecture was beautiful. We visited the Prague Castle and Charles Bridge. There is a tower standing on each end of the bridge. Both the Staroměstská věž on the Old Town end and the Malostranská věž on the Malá Strana end can be climbed for a view of Prague and the bridge from above.

Baroque statues (a total of 30) began to be placed on either side of Charles Bridge in the 17th century. Now many of them are copies and the originals can be seen in the Lapidarium. The most popular statue is probably the one of St. John of Nepomuk, a Czech martyr saint who was executed during the reign of Wenceslas IV by being thrown into the Vltava from the bridge. The plaque on the statue has been polished to a shine by countless people having touched it over the centuries. Touching the statue is supposed to bring good luck and ensure your return to Prague. I rubbed the stature a lot!;))))))

We then decided to take in a little German Fasching. This is Germany's Marti Gras. This was nothing like I expected. There were people young and old dressed in costume. This is actually a national holiday in Germany!

Hello-

As some may know, my sister is going through chemo for breast cancer. Her spirits are great. I wanted to extend a special thanks to I Love My Attitudes Studios in Dunedin, Fl. The owner, Sheila, also works with the Look Good, Feel Better organization. They have been wonderful in helping my sister in both her spiritual recovery and also have a great selection of wigs. The seminar was an amazing inspiration for her.

Thank You!

Hello-

I wanted to do a quick update. We had our first mandatory rehearsal this past Saturday in Orlando. This is the first time I have gotten to meet all of the contestants. WOW! What a group of ladies. ALL beautiful and ALL thin! As I said to my husband, swimsuit is anyone's game. I can tell a lot of us worked really hard and it showed! There were some amazing women ranging in all ages and all heights. I think we run from about 5'1-6'0. The production is going to be amazing. Linnea and her team have done a fabulous job with the Choreography. Leeanne Bishop, Mrs. Florida America 2000 was there also as was Evie. Leeanne is BEAUTIFUL and really funny. I can definately see how she won. If it is possible, she is even prettier today than she was 7 years ago!

There are 22 of us and I did get to speak to a few of the ladies. Mrs. Lutz is a doll.Her husband plays for the Devil Rays. Jamie is just as beautiful on the inside as out. Also, funny. Monique, well Barbie could have been modeled after her. Really, there is not a single lady that would not wear the crown with pride and represent the sunshine state well and I could go on and on about each and every one of them! All I can say is that pictures do not do ANY of the ladies justice.

There are quite a few returnees which speaks volumes of just what a wonderful experience this is!

My nerves are building and hope to make my family and friends proud. I will do my best! Even to be there is an honor!

Deanna

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam


Royal Palace, Amsterdam


Christine arrives in Germany!


Happy Monday family & friends!

YEAH COLTS!!!!! SUPERBOWL CHAMPS! Once a Dungy fan, always a Dungy fan! He did build the Tampa Bay Bucs Superbowl team ;)

Just a few updates...

This past week has been busy. The next few weeks will also hold the same excitement. The 40th Engineer Brigade Ball, Baumholder Germany was held last weekend. This was the first event since the the soldiers return home from Iraq. It was a very nice event as they also took the time to recognize the soldiers we lost serving in the War on Terror. The most moving part of the event was the single table set up in the corner with a single candle lit and the glassware turned upside down. This is set up to recognize the fallen soldier who is no longer with us. I continue to feel blessed to be amoung the military community and incredible humbled by the strength,service, courage and intergrity of those who serve. God Bless America....

We toured Amsterdam the following day. The architect was beautiful. This was my first visit and I have to say, I was at times left speechless. Yes, I have led a very sheltered and clean life and I found myself wanted to tell the ladies to close the blinds...WE CAN SEE YOU or start a group to "SAVE THE WOMEN IN THE REDLIGHT DISTRICT" You can be so much more! Ok...wasn't well recieved;) We toured the Heinken Brewery and Anne Frank House (photos were not allowed). The Van Gogh museum is also located in Amsterdam.I have attached a few pics.

I am excited that this Saturday I get to meet all of the beautiful ladies who are competing for the title of Mrs. Florida America 2007!!!!!! It is hard to believe the pageant is a month away! It is on St. Patty's Day!!!!!!!

In closing, a VERY big THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE to 1SG Fredrick Whitehead who retired after 24 years of service. Andy's command would not have been the same without you. Good luck to you and your beautiful family! God speed!

Deanna

Hello-

The Golden Globe Awards are among up. My sponsor Elizabeth Grant International is among celebrities! Check out: http://torricelumngirl.blogspot.com/index.html

It is the most amazing product and what a wonderful company!

www.elizabethgrant.com

Here's to looking beautiful at any age!

Deanna Linz
Mrs. Hillsborough County Florida America 2007
www.mrsfloridaamerica.com

MAJOR Jason Kirk & Major Christopher Linz

Today was a wonderful day as we were surrouded by those we respect and admire so much. Andy's "official" ceremony was today as he was promoted to Major. I cannot share enough my pride and love as we progressed onto another phase of our lives.

I continue to encourage the support of our military men, women and families. Log on to www.americasupportsyou.com and show your support.

May this be a blessed year for ALL!



Here's to 2007!

Deanna M Linz
Mrs Hillsborough County Florida America 2007
www deannamlinz com
www mrrsfloridaamerica com

CHEF ANDY!



Future Miss America Katie Kirk








Amy Kirk and I- Santa's Elfs :)

Hello and HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Andy and I had a wonderful New Years. What a blessed year we had and we are truly looking forward to 2007. Not only is pageant season gearing up but Andy was promoted to Major. I am very excited and extremely proud. I will update after the ceremony with additional shots.

I also wanted to say a special thanks to my sponsor Elizabeth Grant International. This year would not have been possible without you and I thank you for your continued support and GREAT PRODUCT...not to mention the fabulous wardrobe for Mrs. International!!!! I felt like a winner all week!

I encourage everyone to check out www.elizabethgrant.com and the Torricelumn Girl Blog spot!

Happy New Years to all. I have attached some pictures from the holidays. Family and friends are what matters most....many blessing to you all!

With much love and many blessings-

Deanna Maria Linz
Mrs. Hillsborough County Florida America 2007
www.mrsfloridaamerica.com
http://www.myspace.com/deannalinz

MERRY DAY BEFORE THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS! OK its nighttime for me as I am in Germany. Today was a great day. We went to visit the wounded soldiers at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and were treated to a German Christmas this evening. (Santa Clause come on Christmas Eve for them) Today was truly a day that made me realize how blessed we are. The majority of the soldiers were not remorseful but thankful for the visit and anxious to get back to duty and to see family. I made about 100 cookies which didn't go far!

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah too all!

Many prayers and blessings for a WONDERFUL, HEALTHY and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Fröhliche Weihnachten!

Deanna

Hello all and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Andy and I visited another Christmas market yesterday in Strasbourg, France. I wish we had these events in the states because it truly does embrace the spirit of the holidays. I had no idea before being over here but it is really a festival for kids and adults that sells holiday items (ornaments, candles, dolls & toys) along with A LOT of food. We had a lot of bratwurst and waffles in Germany and in France it is more about chocolate and croissants. The UNIVERSAL item is Gluwhein. It is a hot malted wine in Red, White or Orange. Those from the North are probably familiar with this. I am a Florida girl so coffee was my only hot drink of choice:) It was really beautiful...a little chilly but beautiful!



We are going to visit soldiers at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center on Saturday.
Landstuhl is the largest medical facility in Europe for wounded military personel in the war on terror and stationed abroad. To learn more please check out: http://www.landstuhl.healthcare.hqusareur.army.mil/

I am always humbled to be in this military community and I ask for prayers this time of year for our military personel and their families. Although we are unable to be home with family this year we are blessed to have each other. I realize each day how special that is and in light of all of the holiday travels and festivities, one can never forget how truly blessed we are.

Happy Holiday and many blessings.

Deanna and Andy Linz (and Halo & Josie)

Hello and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

It has been another eventful week. I want to once again wish CPT Brian, Bethany & Rowan Luti much success in your new duty station. YOU WILL BE MISSED!

Andy and I also visited my first "REAL" Christmas market in Trier, Germany. We get "THE VIEW" on Armed Forces Network and it was said last week that the German's think they invented Christmas. (This was all said in good light) Well, I have to say, they earned a bit of recognition as it was truly amazing and a piece of Santa's workshop...that is if I ever had the pleasure of meeting the Jolly Ole Man myself:)

God bless-

Deanna, Andy, Halo & Josie!