Grateful for the Journey....

While pulling together some photos for an upcoming ad, I stumbled across this picture. It literally stopped me and my heart in its tracks! It's a photo of me and my husband (although not at the time!) six years ago, building our first-ever dance studio! I can't believe how YOUNG we both look...babies! It makes me smile to look at our faces and think what the "me" today would tell those two.... The up's and down's, struggles and successes that will occur within those walls and in our lives. That this little space and school will become an empire. It will become two schools (and eventually more), one of which is a two-story, mega-complex of dance and fitness in the heart of a downtown. That 100's of amateurs and pro's lives will be changed. That we will spend nights on-end pacing and frustrated. that we will experience utter joy, pride, and happiness beyond our wildest dreams. That while we will meet 100s upon 100s of people, we will also be blessed to encounter a few who will become more than just staff and students, but part of our very hearts and lives. There is so much I would tell these two "kids". And yet, I guess I wouldn't. Life's gifts to us are the unexpected moments of laughter, friendships that we never see coming, and the struggles that stregnthen and define us. And if we are truly lucky, photos like this that cause us to pause and reflect, and just be so incredibly grateful for the journey....



Fall is Flying By!

Yesterday was  my big "Avatar" video shoot and it went even better than I could have hoped!! I got to see a few unedited clips and am SO excited to see the final product!

                                             (A sneak peek behind the scenes at my avatar shoot!)

                                      (My sweet husband came with me for my morning-long shoot!)

Up next on my agenda for this month is a "Pajamas, Hot Chocolate, and Spooky Stories Night" at the Charlotte Ronald McDonald House! No better way to celebrate this fall season than with a group of little angels, curled up by the fire in jammies, drinking hot chocolate and reading Halloween stories!

                            (My husband and me last time we were able to serve dinner at the Charlotte House)

And on Halloween Night I will be joining Planet Ballroom in cooking and serving dinner to all the families residing at the Charlotte RMDH. I can't wait to get all dressed up in my costume and spend an evening with some of the most inspiring families and people you could ever hope to meet!

(Team Planet Ballroom at RMDH Charlotte!)

I am still putting together my team for the South Carolina St. Jude's Walk on November 19th!! I can't wait! A while I can't say much, I am in the middle of a HUGE project with Mrs. International 2011 that I am so SO excited about! Hopefully there will be news to share soon!

                                                             (Me and Mrs International!)

Don't forget that for up-to-the-minute updates, you can follow me on twitter: MrsSCIntl2011. :)

Blessings and happiness,

Elizabeth Malvasia - Mrs South Carolina International 2011



Mrs South Carolina to be an "Avatar"!

And the opportunities keep coming!! Next week, our own Mrs South Carolina International, Elizabeth Malvasia, will shoot the first of a series of  spokesmodeling videos for a national brand and website. The company is Planet Ballroom and Elizabeth will be the company's official, on-line spokes-model!! We are so proud of our Mrs South Carolina 2011! Good luck Elizabeth...we know you will be amazing!!



I Will Be True to the Promise I Have Made....

I have received SO MANY well-wishes and congrats for our two-year wedding anniversary and I wanted to take a moment to say a huge: THANK YOU!! Truly, it means so much! This year's celebration was simpler than year's past, but every bit as wonderful. Between being in the midst of the biggest construction project we've ever undertaken and all the amazing opportunities and growth of our careers, not to mention my busy schedule of appearances and charity work, a simple weekend getaway to the beautiful coastal town of Wilmington seemed to be the perfect fit!!

Getting ready to board the USS North Carolina!

                     When you are on a beautiful beach with the one you love, even the rain seems perfect! :)

And as for the actual "day" itself, we celebrated with our annual tradition. I bake us a special cake (this year it was a cookie cake with my famous and secret cookie recipe!) and then wear my wedding dress while we dance our "first dance" again, make a wish, and blow out the candle! Cheesy-yes! But in life, how many opportunities do we get to really celebrate our lives and the ones we love? Or even to create a fun and photo-worthy memory?



Wishing everyone a lifetime of precious moments and special memories,

Your Mrs South Carolina International,

Elizabeth

Walk for St.Jude!!

Lace up your sneakers and let's get walking!! I am the Grand Marshall of the 2011 South Carolina St.Jude's Walk and I have decided to do more than simply host and do press for the event. I want to bring the event's BIGGEST TEAM!!!  And I need serious help!! My goal is a team of 100 people to walk with me on Saturday November 14th. If you want to be part of this important event, or (even better!) want to help grow our team, email me at elizabeth@dancesportcarolina.com!

Sunday Sum-up!!

The Southern Paradise Ball Newcomer's Challenge was a such a fun day! It was filled with all things sparkly, glamorous, and over-the-top...definitely my kind of event to host! It was also a loooong day! Starting at 5:30am and ending sometime after 12am THE NEXT DAY!! Fortuntately we are all having way too much fun to realize we are EXHUASTED! :)

Ready to go check on the ladies' dressing room bright and early...wish me luck!!

Whenever I am hosting an event, modeling, or dancing, I always use any breaks as a chance to run to my room and slip into my "cozies"...even if its only for 30 minutes!!

Taking a quick time-out to hug my husband! It always amazes me how in the chaos of an event, we can be in the same place all day and yet not see one another at all!

The live-music Salsa party got more than a touch wild! Here's is Planet Ballroom Matthews' manager, and one of my dearest friends (second husband really!), Bradley, "worming" acrosss the dance floor!

              Fun with the crown!                                            One of the event's top pros!

Somehow, I ALWAYS end up on stage.....

The band was FABULOUS!! "Manny and sus Trubacos"!

A tradition....

Happy Fall Y'all!!

Hoping this new and beautiful season finds you well and you all are enjoying pulling out your space-bags of fleecy socks, cozy hoodies, and coats with faux-fur collars as much as I am!! And of course, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin spice muffins, pumpkin spice coffee cakes....pumpkin spice EVERYTHING! In case you didn't catch the sublety, I love the Fall!! I am origininally from New England (shhh....we don't really talk about that!) and have the  most amazing memories of this time of year. New England truly is paradise in September and October. Well worth a trip if you have never been.

Last night was the first night of one of my personal favorite Fall/Winter traditions....fireside picnics!! These have become a favorite "date-night" of my hubby's (and mine!) and so I thought I would share as it is such an easy well to enjoy the season and each other!

Spread a picnic blanket out on your living room floor in front of the fire, fill your room (or entire downstairs) with only the light of dozens of yummy, fall-scented candles, and prepare a "picnic friendly" dinner. Some of our favorite are a tray with crackers and cheese, grapes and apples, veggies and hummus; a mix of chicken tenders (buffalo, terriaki, jack daniels, etc) with veggies and dip; homemade panninis and chips; homemade chinese stir-fry; and of course, pizza! Unfortunately for my diet (especially on the nights we go for pizza instead of veggies and dip), these evenings ALWAYS include a pint of Ben&Jerry's (Well, technically two. One for each of us. But we'll keep that quiet too!). There's just something about being cozied up on a picnice blanket by the fire and eating it right out of the carton. That's when I KNOW Fall has truly arrived!

Another favorite Fall tradition of mine is "Baking Dance Parties", but we'll save that for another post! In the meantime...

Happy Fall Y'All!!