Everyone can use a little makeover {personal}

A few months back Taylor was home from school sick. It was another rainy, wet and cold day, that I spent strapped to my computer, and almost obsessively checking and re-checking my Facebook -page.

I am a fan of one of the local parenting magazines, and happened to notice an online makeover contest they were offering. Taylor walked by as I voiced the fact that I need a makeover and would love to win that. I also want to be on the show "What NOT to wear" and we jokingly say we need to enter my Mom as well.

Before....not so bad.

Everyone woman in her "rut" of normal life could use a good pick-me-up at one time or another, but I never have had much luck and winning is usually not something I do very often. Taylor asked me to forward the notice to her...I had a slight inkling she was up to something and I thought it was cute for her efforts. Never once did I think I really would win. I actually had forgotten very quickly about the whole thing.

Here is a copy of the letter written by my girl. Unedited in all it's glory, she was sweet to be sure to mention that I DON"T feel pretty and could totally use on of these....

My name is Taylor Alderin, I am entering this contest for my mom because my mom means so much to me and she spends so much time taking care of me and my little sister and making sure we are happy or that we are in good schools getting good grades. I think you should pick my mom for this contest because she is a great person and she never feels like she is beautiful on the outside my mom does feel pretty on the inside but her raising 2 kids on her own has been getting very hard for our family and i feel like if you were to choose her to get the makeover then maybe she would be more confident in raising me and my sister she never has time for herself.

another great reason is that she works very hard but she never has the money to buy new clothes for her or new makeup so she is always unhappy with how she looks but if she were to get this she would look in the mirror and say"wow today i look beautiful" and that would make me smile every time she says it.

the last reason you should pick my mom is because its so hard for me and my sister to every morning have to tell my mom over and over again that she looks great and she never believes us so i think if you guys would give her this chance to be happy for along time then our family might run a little smoother.

A few weeks later, I was in appointments, being asked to try on outfits that were slightly "out of my comfort zone" and meeting some amazing women who just wanted to spoil us. Leah, the other winner and I became instant friends. We cried together, laughed, and drank mimosa's in the hotel bathroom together.

There are so many wonderful sponsors, who without, the experience would not have been manageable. One of the many reasons I love Bend, all the support in our community.

I spend so much time with work and the kids, taking care of other people, I forget what it's like to be pampered. I had a great time, and am so blessed to have been able to participate. Day one of the makeover was hard. I loved the manicure, and I had great visions of video taping the trying on of clothes like you see in all the movies...trying on hats, and crazy outfits and in the end making a funny, entertaining movie. This isn't exactly how that day went down.

I have to remind you...this was AWESOME! As I tell the next part, remember that....I had SO much fun. I was nervous, and excited. Kaci and I met Leah and our stylist Astacia down at one of the consignment shops in town, a funky store in the Old Mill. There had been outfits in my size pulled out for me to try on, with accessories to accompany the pretty new clothes. A huge pile of clothes lines the dressing room walls, and for a control freak like myself, I was pleasantly surprised at the selection. I know my body, I know what looks good on me and I know how hard it is to find pants long enough for my 5'10" frame.

I watch all those makeover shows on TV and always roll my eyes as they all cry about their clothes or the cutting of the hair. It's just clothes people...hair grows back. What I didn't expect is that in actuality when you loose all control over such simple things, there is bound to be some kind of emotion. The same is true for me. I didn't' expect to get so emotional, and I think I hid it well, but I am not too proud to admit I broke down. I had my moment of weakness in the dressing room, among the piles and piles of clothes, dresses, pants, shirts, all too small, too short, and too tight. The "not working" pile was now larger than the almost non-existent "kinda working pile. Before I knew it I was knee deep in tears and the fun movie montage of our experience was not happening.

When I think I had tried on everything possible outfit and separate in my size, it was time to move on to the next store. Frustrated and feeling overwhelmed by the possibility that this photo shoot would be much less than perfect, I ventured to the next store with our stylist. Leah came along for support, she of course being nothing over 5 feet and absolutely adorable, had found her first outfit to work out for her. Everyone was patient with me, and while I'm sure I hid things perfectly, I doubt most of them even noticed :)

The second shop was a find for me. The whole time my perfect fitting outfit awaited me on the hangers of this particular store. It fit like a glove and soon enough the smile was back on my face and I anxiously awaited the hair portion of my makeover. As I am constantly changing my hair, this is one area that did not scare me. Until I found out that I didn't get a say in cut, color, or ANYTHING!

I was in good hands, and in the end realized that hair grows back...in the end, I wish that weren't the case. I love the cut and want it to stay forever!

The rest is a blur, mimosas in the bathroom, flashes going on off in every direction and I have to admit, I felt like royalty. While I still feel absolutely gigantic next to the tiny little 5 foot nothing Leah, I'm pleased with the pictures. This is another area difficult for me. I'm used to being behind the camera, making decisions on lighting, posing, and anything else that comes along. I don't like being photographed, and as much as I try to convince all of the gorgeous women I photograph, that EVERYONE is beautiful ( I do truly believe this) There is something that happens in my head where I, Tambi Lane, am the exception to this rule.

What I did learn that day, is I'm loved. I had a great friend of mine Kimberly Teichrow taking the pictures, she of course wants me to look my best and will do her job to make sure I do. To not be able to throw out "the bad one's" was hard, to let someone else choose my photo was excruciatingly painful. But in the end...I look great.

I don't' regret a minute of the experience. Not even the part in the dressing room where I wanted to crawl out the back door and straight to the gym in hopes that 10 minutes on the treadmill would take care of those few extra pounds I've been stashing away.

Everyone wants to feel like a princess and we should all have our five minutes of fame. I got to have mine documented on video and in print for the people of Bend to stare at for the next two months. Thank you so much to everyone who made this possible. In the end, I actually did feel pretty on the inside...and out.

Thanks to my girl, for loving me and wanting me to be happy. I guess maybe I am doing something right with her.

getting my color done.

One of the MANY "afters"

And the final product that will be in various locations ALL over town....