Blogapalooza 2008!!!

Blogapalooza was everything I had hoped it would be. I think I still had my ticket out checking the room numbers, when an exuberant Celia bounded out the door with a hello and an embrace like we were long lost sisters. (I'd love to say that she did this just for me, but she hugged everyone and made them all feel like they'd just arrived home.) I felt I like I was passed hug to hug as I then saw my real-life friend, Angie and met her famous sister, Denae and their cousin Julie.

The gals in charge did a bang up job of keeping us busy and helping us to get to know one another. We started with a game that had a funny fact about each of us. Mine was, "I came with a male escort." When I told everyone I had an escort their eyebrows went up until they figured it out and said, "Ohh..." I'm glad Celia gave me such a funny line.

The dinner was great, but I wolfed mine down so I could hurry and feed Beck before I started missing out on things. Annemarie was a sweetie to hold Beck during dinner and when I was trying to button my shirt up which just didn't go the way I pictured it. (I truly suck at public nursing. Pun intended.)

Then we did the give away. I brought an O magazine because of the trauma I had when Wendell ordered it. Next year, though...I think I'm bringing chocolate. Everybody likes chocolate. Except Denae, who shockingly doesn't like raisinets. Weird. It's probably why she had such a cute figure.

My most embarrassing moment, beside massacring Gabi and Andrea's names, happened when we were split for a Sunday School type activity to discuss various elements of blogging. Paige suggested that I start our group off. So I said, straight-faced, "I started my blog to gossip and now too many people read my blog so I can't gossip anymore."

Paige looked concerned, "So what goal do you have for your blog now?"

She doesn't get, I thought. So I went farther extreme, "Oh. Um, goals. I guess I need one," I said with a shrug.

The look on Paige's face was like...You are the devil. I am never reading your blog. I'm going to see if we can exclude you somehow from Blogapalooza next year.

Then we all got called up to take a group picture.

I felt so dumb. I should have blurted out, "I'm kidding!!!!" But I didn't. Later I did confide in Shally and Ashli that the real reason I started my blog was to record the cute things my kids say that I would otherwise forget. They smiled and were nice. I really should learn to think before I talk.

Nancy and I hit it off like we were BFF's. It struck me a little funny. She's younger than I am; married only 5 years; no kids yet; works. I've been married almost 11 years, I have 5 kids 8 and under and I'm a PTA lady.

"Sounds like your sister," Wendell observed. "You like your sister, right?"

"It's true," I admitted. "I even told her she reminded me of my sister. Just the way she is funny and smart."

Amazingly, 4 hours wasn't enough time to talk to and meet all 40 plus people there.

Other fun conversations I had:

1. Shally and I had discussed how we both need tummy tucks. (She has twins and I've had 5 C-sections.)

2. Ashli and Anne (pronounced Annie) both brought their babies, too, so we had some good baby chats. Anne also brought her Blurb book which was uber cool.

3. Diane admitted that she was a La Lache League-er so she was really rah-rah about nursing moms. (Which is good 'cause I had MAJOR trouble with my blanket and nearly flashed everyone.) Diane is a also shoe expert and she said she like the picture I use to represent me (I think she was lying) and she said she likes the shoes I was wearing (I think she was telling the truth). I never did get to tell her the whole saga of how-I-have-arthritis-so-I-can't-wear-cute-shoes bit, which I'm sure she is happy about.

4. I talked with Susan and Ilene about their upcoming additions, having JUST gone through that I'm extra sympathetic.

I have to admit that I have been very shy about posting pictures of myself on my blog. I am losing weight v e r y s l o w l y since having Beck, although it is coming off. But who really wants to post pictures of themselves at their personal heaviest? But most of these ladies do post pictures of themselves so I was braced for a room full of Mormon Mommy Models.

"Wendell," I said as I was summing up Blogapalooza for him, "these women all looked normal. I mean, they're real people!"

Wendell laughed heartily at me. "What were you expecting?"

"I don't know, but I feel less afraid of posting pictures of me."

Thank you all for being real. This was so fun. I can't wait for next year. No, seriously, I literally can't wait. I think we may have to have Mini Blogapalooza Utah Chapter get together's in the near future.

Celebrity Photos

Me and Celia (and Beck)

Holly, what the heck was so funny?

Denae and me