Blogher 2009 - What it was for me

I've had a few days to recover from Blogher. Only, I haven't really recovered, since I'm on another trip now. Holy hell. My feet are still swollen.

Blogher was, without a doubt, amazing.

In the days leading up to my departure for Chicago, I have to admit I was a little nervous, and even more intimidated by all that Blogher promised to be. I mean, the official program was 50 pages long. I knew I would be hanging out with my girls, but would anyone else even know me or care to meet me? Would I really get anything out of the conference? Would I be able to keep up with the rigorous schedule of parties?

The answer across the board is YES! Mostly. I met so many wonderful people. I finally go to me April. Of course, it felt like I'd known her for ages, but we finally got to hug and it was great! Rooming with her and Lisa was the best experience ever. No one even snored!


I met Heather, who is so soft spoken and angelic (her halo is under that paper bag), but don't let that fool y'all. That girl can do some pretty amazing things with a cheeseburger, yo.

I met Midwest Mommy, who was not soft spoken, but had the best mid-western accent EVER. OMG, I wanted to pack her in bag and bring her home like a fine piece of swag.

Elaine, who was all that I thought she'd be and more-so warm and friendly like only a Texan could be.

Kim was so special. Just like I thought she'd be. Funny and sweet, and she had such a wonderful smile. Libby was so cute and happy.

I got to ride in the Wienermobile. Can you tell I had a hot doggin' good time?


And right up there with riding in the Wienermobile was meeting Deb and Lee. If you haven't read Lee's post about Blogher, it's a must read. I had never even heard of these ladies before Blogher, but I feel so fortunate to have met them. Even if they didn't remember who I was 30 seconds after meeting me.

To answer your question, yes, they always looked that HAWT.

Attending Bowlher was definitely a highlight as well! I got to walk the red carpet with some of my best hookers.

See Brooke White perform.

Watch Ivy and Libby dance and clap.

And holy hell, I met the Pioneer Woman. Ree was so kind and friendly. Totally what I expected. She was even nice enough to pose for a picture with Lisa, April and I. I was just about to grab her and shove her into my pocket when the Marlboro Man pulled her up on to his horse and they rode off into the sunset.

The best part of the whole trip was hanging out with old friends and new. Party hopping, bar hopping, sightseeing. It was so much fun rolled into a nice long weekend. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Well, after my feet recover.




To see the rest of my wonderful memories from Blogher, you can check out my Flickr set.

You Capture - Photographer's Choice

This week Beth let us pick our subjects for You Capture, and to be honest, I had no idea what to capture.

One afternoon, my camera and I were sitting on the front porch enjoying the view, when I realized my subject for this week, was right there. Do you remember those little baby birds living on my front porch? The swallows I posted a great shot of a few weeks back, for Family? Okay, click here to refresh your memory. I'll wait, don't worry. Okay, so those baby birds grew so fast and before I knew it, they were venturing out on their first flights. This week.

I spent lots of time outside capturing the 5 baby birds sitting on the power line, stretching their wings and fluttering around. Then entire time, two of the baby birds always stayed together. Always. They practically sat on top of each other on the line, and always dove and glided together. The whole time, all I could think about were James and Jake, Beth's sweet angels. It made me happy, but it also made me so sad, because I know how much my dear friend Beth aches for her boys. Every.single.day. That ache will never go away, not ever, and there's nothing I can do, but remember them and honor them as often as I can.

So today, my You Capture post is dedicated to James and Jake. I love you, Beth.

Please be sure to stop by Beth's blog and check out what everyone else captured this week. And give her a little extra love while you're there, k. I'll punch you if you don't.

Print Shop Winner!!

The winner of the print from Beth's fabulous Etsy shop is:

Thea @ I'm a Drama Mama!!

Thank you to everyone who entered, tweeted, donated, and visited Beth's new shop! Even if you didn't win, if you purchase a print between now and April 30th, your purchase will benefit Beth's March for Babies team - Team James & Jake.

Take a moment today to think about Beth and her family as they walk and remember James & Jake and so many other special babies.

I Should Be Folding Laundry Print Shop - Giveaway!

Did you hear? Surely you did! Beth @ I Should Be Folding Laundry has opened an Etsy shop and is selling prints of some of her most amazing shots inspired by James and Jake, her identical twin sons whom she lost at 19 weeks gestation. It's so wonderful and beautiful. But you wanna know the best thing about it? All of the proceeds from now until April 30th will be donated to Team James and Jake March for Babies team.

So head on over to Beth's Print Shop and look around. I'm 100% positive you'll find something you can't live without!

And because Beth is such a wonderful, amazing, unbelievable photographer (and friend), who inspires me to pick up my camera and take better shots every single day, I am going to give away one of her prints to one lucky reader. My hope is that her prints will inspire you to slow down and appreciate the beauty that is all around you each and every day.

Here's what you have to do to enter!

1. Go to Beth's Etsy shop and come back here and tell me which of her prints is your absolute favorite!


2. For an additional entry, Twitter about this giveaway! Be sure to come back here and leave an additional comment about your Tweet!


3. You can also blog about this giveaway and Beth's Etsy shop for a third chance to win. Just come back and leave the link to your post in another comment!


4. And finally, if you make a donation to Team James & Jake (any amount), you will earn another entry for a fabulous print. Again, just make sure to leave a comment letting me know you donated!

So you have 4 fantabulous chances to win! Winner can select any single 8x10 print from Beth's Etsy shop. Contest will be open until Saturday, April 25th @ 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. Contest open to US residents only.

Good luck!!!!

One year

One year ago today, the lives of my dear friends Beth & Brian changed forever. They delivered identical twin boys, James & Jake, whom they had lost a couple of days before. She was almost 20 weeks along in her pregnancy. It was an incomprehensible loss.

Beth and I have known each other for about 4.5 years. Maybe a little longer. To me it seems like we've known each other forever. In the beginning we were constantly in contact because we volunteered together. And then we went our separate ways but always kept up with each other's blogs. When she and Brian lost their boys, I was devastated for them. I didn't know what to do or what to say. I was so scared I'd say the wrong things and make it worse. So I just sent Beth gerbera daisies, because I knew they were her favorite. And I donated to their March of Dimes March for Babies walk. Then she emailed me, and sent me a thank you card, which blew my mind. I mean, who thinks of niceties at a time like that. But that's just Beth.

Ever since then, our friendship has grown beyond measure. I am proud to call her one of my best friends. I no longer feel scared about saying the wrong things, because I learned fast that I should just say what's on my mind. I've learned that trying to avoid saying the wrong things just makes things awkward. And it's just wrong. We often talk about her loss. About James & Jake.

Over the past year, I've seen Beth in low places, but I've also seen her emerge. It's almost the same old Beth, but not quite. She's different, but she's so much the same. She's still saucy and smart and just about the funniest person I've ever met. She still loves nachos and ice cream and graham crackers. She's humble and graceful and so, so very kind. She's a beautiful mother, wife, friend. She cares so much about everyone around.

She is amazing. I am so lucky to have her in my life. I love her.

Beth and Brian, I am thinking about you today. My heart aches for your loss, but I will never forget James & Jake. Never. I promise.

Beth & Brian are participating in the March of Dimes March for Babies again this year. They have formed Team James & Jake and are also honoring several other babies. Will you help honor and remember Beth & Brian's babies by making a donation. I know it would mean the world to them.

And if you have some extra time, stop by Beth's blog and give her some love and support. I know she can use it today.

**Updated to add: Thea is generously offering to make a $1 donation for every comment she receives on this post to Team James & Jake. Please go over and make some magic happen!**

Weightloss, trip recap, and illness

As I type this, I'm laying on the couch. Flat. It's hard to type, but I'll manage a few words :)

Today is weigh-in at the Sisterhood! I stayed the same as last week: 154. That's truly amazing to me since I was in Indiana visiting Beth and I ate and drank a few things I shouldn't have!!

Mia was struck by a nasty stomach virus on Sunday. N-A-S-T-Y! We boarded our flight home on Monday, and by the time we arrived in San Antonio 2.5 hours later, I was covered in puke. COVERED. It wasn't pretty.at.all.

I managed to wrangle both kids and our luggage into the truck and then BJ start screaming that he needs to go potty. Thank goodness is was only #1! So I totally let him pee in the parking garage. Don't worry, he was in between vehicles with the doors opened creating a privacy screen. He was very exciting though and also careful not to pee on the neighboring car or on himself. Boys can be very silly with their pee. Just sayin'.

So after a two hour drive, we arrived home at 11:30 p.m. I was still covered in puke and the smell was starting to get pretty rank. I grabbed both kids from the truck, tossed them in bed, and changed clothes. And then I went to bed.

Mia continued to puke and whatnot yesterday and I was getting worried because she had not eaten since Sunday a.m., so I took her to the doctor. He basically told me to continue nursing her even if she promptly puked it up. She would get something from it and it would keep her hydrated. She's getting better and only puked twice today. I, on the other hand, woke up with the funny feeling in my tummy, and I'll spare you the details, but there's been lots of running today. LOTS.

Keep your fingers crossed that BJ doesn't get it. Or Brian when he's home this weekend.

So I had a wonderful trip to Indiana. The snow was amazing. Hanging out with Beth and Brian was so much fun. The kids got along great. Everyone slept when they were supposed to. I got to hang out with several of my favorite blogger friends and even meet a new friend, Erin, who is so cool with her Bobbi Brown makeup in her hot little train case. And I drank a little too much that night and made snow angels, that's a story for another time! Luckily there were no witnesses....

Snow nice

Beth and I escaped for a little photography time today. We headed to Indiana Dunes State Park. Same place we took these pictures last summer. It looks a little different in the winter, y'all.

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Back at the house, it was finally warm enough (ABOVE ZERO!) to take the kids out to play in the snow. Ariel and BJ were the only takers.

It's cold, but it's so warm

I arrived in Indiana yesterday! When we landed at the airport in Chicago, the temperature was -5. MINUS FIVE. That's damn cold, in case you're wondering. And right now, it's -19. It's so cold I can't even talk about it.


As soon as I walked in Beth's door, it was warm and cozy and smelling like brownies and lunch. But mostly brownies. DE-VINE.


The rest of this post is going to be a bulleted list because I just can't focus long enough to put together paragraphs.

• Now let me tell you about Leroy's Hot Stuff. We ate there last night after I insisted on a local eatery as opposed to a chain joint. It was interesting. And smokey. And apparently we should have ordered Mexican food. Overall not a bad experience.
• Target. With Beth. A dream come true.
• All BJ wants to do is play in the snow. But it's too damn cold.
• While Beth and I are in the same room, we're still Twittering and emailing each other. It's strange, but it just feels right.
• We're heading out to meet Sarah and Asher for lunch. I cannot wait. To pinch Asher, mostly.
• The rest of the girls are coming over tonight. Unbelievable.

More later. I promise. We're running out the door now. To freeze our butts off.

Wednesday Weigh-In

It's weigh-in Wednesday over at the Sisterhood! I'm proud to say that I'm down this week! Woohooo!

Last Wednesday: 158.4

Challenge Start (last Thurs.): 155.8

Today: 154

So I'm down 4.4 since last Wednesday and 1.8 for the Challenge! Those are good numbers for me, y'all!

I'm going to face some challenges over the next 7 days. Today I'm leaving to go out of town! We're actually flying to Chicago (hopefully! Have you seen the weather there?) tomorrow and staying in Indiana with Beth until Monday.

Well shoot. I just watched the weather channel and it's not cute at all. Phrases like, "coldest winter in 8 years for Chicago" and "40 cancelled flights in and out of O'Hare" and "4-5 hour delays" are not exactly what I want to hear.

Please bear with me while I throw a little fit here. THIS IS MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT. Going to see Beth is what I want to do and I want to do what I want to do NOW. Stupidassweather. I mean, I wanted snow, but this is a little ridiculous. Shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot. UGH.

Okay, I'm better now. But I'd better make it to Chicago tomorrow. Or else!

Hit the road

I've spent the better part of the evening GLADLY addressing Christmas cards for my hubby's business. My hand is very tired, but that's okay. He has lots of clients, and that's a good thing.

Earlier today he asked me what I wanted for Christmas. Yeah, we're real romantic like that. I told him I wanted to go to Indiana to see Beth. He said, "done!" I was all like, "FOR REAL?"

Of course I was already sitting on the couch with my laptop, ruby, so I jumped online and emailed Beth. I told her that all I wanted for Christmas was her. Isn't that so goofy and cheesy? But it's true! So we agreed on a weekend and I found a flight and was giddy with the price, until I got to the page where I have to pay and realized that the price I'd seen was for ONE WAY. And then my heart skipped a couple of beats. Because I'm actually buying 2 tickets, one for me and one for BJ (thank God Mia doesn't need a seat yet!) So the price I thought was so awesome, was actually only half of the actual price. No wonder it was such a good stinking deal. Sheesh.

So then I looked over the monitor at Brian, the husband who had gladly handed me his credit card 5 minutes earlier to book the awesome deal of a flight, and said, um, honey......it's actually twice as much as I thought. (fingers crossed) He looked at me and I must have looked wildly insane completely heartbroken because he said, "if it's what you really want for Christmas, then go ahead." Wow. He's really, really good to me, don'tchathink?

Right then and there I decided that for the next year month week, I'd gladly do anything he asks. (It's a good thing he's only home on the weekends, right!) Plunge the toilet that BJ just clogged with poop and TP? No problem! Address a gagillion Christmas cards? Sure! Wipe Mia's snotty nose AGAIN? Love to! Clean the grout with a toothbrush? I'm on it!

A little bit later I was on the phone with Lisa planning and scheming our next trip to Austin, the week between Christmas and New Years. We were trying to decide if we might actually be able to sneak out of the house for a dinner sans kids for the first time in oh, forever. Seriously, I don't think Lisa and I have ever dined without kids. EVER. Okay, maybe once, but I don't really remember it because we were probably both drunk. With JOY, y'all. Drunk with joy. Gosh, get your minds out of the gutter.

Our conversation moved along to the girls trip we hope to take in 2009. The trip that hinges on both of us being done breastfeeding our kids and NOT being pregnant. My goodness. One of us has been breastfeeding or pregnant for the past 2 years and it's really cramped our ability to do anything without a kid(s) attached to us in some way. So, of course, we have no idea when this trip will take place, but girls can plan and dream right? Sometimes it just helps you get through the day when you know that the big, bright lights of Las Vegas are at the end of the tunnel. Did I say Las Vegas? Mmmmm-hmmmm. At least that's the plan for now. Moms in Vegas. Dangerous. We've already decided while we're there to pretend like no one's ever called us Mommy.

And that leads me to Blogher. Which happens to be in Chicago. Very near to Beth. So not only will I get to see Beth, and hopefully Crooked Eyebrow and Stephanie, and Sarah and Arianne in January (SQUEAL!), I'll also get to see them in July. Ohmygosh. Just pop me now. And with any luck, Lisa will join us in July, and probably even Amanda and Melissa. Seriously, in the words of Beth, I just might DIE. I'm feeling pretty McDreamy.

So, 2009 is shaping up to be the best year ever for me. I seriously don't think I need to make any resolutions except to have fun, enjoy my friends, and travel safely! Oh, and kiss my husband alot.

Amazon.com Thanks You!

I love that I got that message from good ole Amazon after buying my new camera, and coffee maker!! Beth, dear, sweet, wonderful, Beth. She surprised me with an Amazon gift card and told me I MUST buy a Bunn coffee maker with it. Because that's what she has, and it's wonderful and fast and makes the most delicious coffee. I know, because when I was at her house, we drank like 5 pots of wonderful coffee each day. No lie! No one in her family uses anything less! Thank you so much, Beth-i-kins. I love you!

I was planning to buy the Nikon D40x, but found an even better deal on the newer model, D60. Score one for mama!!!

So now, my camera and my Bunn are on their way to their new home. In a few short days I'll be hopped up on way too much caffeine chasing my kids around with my brand new camera. It's a damn good thing my awesome lenses have vibration reduction, because you know I'm going to have a serious case of the caffeine shakes!!!

Woooohoooo. I can hardly wait.

Back in the saddle again...

Beth and I joined Weight Watchers online today! Almost 2.5 years ago, we both lost a whole bunch of weight together, so I'm certain we can do it again. That girl is a motivator!!

I'm sure I'll be posting lots about our journey, and I might even start a separate blog for it. Just having trouble thinking of a fun and catchy name for it. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

Home again, home again...

We arrived home from our whirlwind trip to Austin and Indiana on Tuesday night. It's taken me this long to gather my thoughts about our trip. Plus, I think I might be going through a little post-vacation depression. I'm so happy to be home, but I'm so sad that it's all over. So quick.

Before we left, I remember sitting on my front porch thinking about all that was in store for us. I specifically remember having the thought that it would all be over before I knew it and I'd be back on my front porch wondering how the time had gone so quickly.

The first leg of our trip took us to Austin for my dear friend Lisa's baby shower. Brian met us there and we had a nice family weekend. On Sunday, when Brian left, we headed to Lisa's and spent the next few days hanging at our second home. Being with Lisa is always fun and comfortable and relaxing. There's always good food, scrapbooking, and so much fun for our kids.

(Thank you Lisa for having us. I know you've been so busy and have so many things coming up. We had a great time, and I miss you as always. Luckily, I'll get to see you tomorrow!!!!)

Wednesday we boarded a plane and were met by Brian, Beth's husband, at Chicago O'Hare. I hadn't seen him in years, but it felt like we were old friends as we chatted it up on the 2 hour drive to their home in Indiana. Once we arrived, it felt like home, again. I love it when I get that feeling. So comfortable and casual. It was almost like Beth and I had seen each other everyday for the past 3 years. Even though she was sick as a dog, she welcomed us and showed us such a good time. We had so much fun, we extended our trip by 2 days because we just couldn't bear the thought of it coming to an end. Those last 2 days were truly a gift. Beth was feeling better and we crammed so much fun in to them.

(Beth, I couldn't have had a better time. It was magical, and I can't wait for our next visit. I'm longing for it. So is BJ.)

Coming home felt good. There is so much to do, after all. Soccer is starting today. Brian will be home tomorrow. BJ will begin pre-school on Monday. Where did August go?

So a new chapter begins. Less travel, more activities close to home, and birthdays are coming up.

Last day in Indiana was a good one

Right now I'm too tired to write a bunch. And I'm sad that tonight is my last night here. In case you're wondering, I decided to extend my trip by 2 days. We were supposed to leave on Sunday and by Saturday both Beth and I were certain that I needed to stay longer. She'd been sick for most of my stay (even though she was an unbelievable trooper!) and we hadn't been able to really hang out.

Yesterday we went to a beautiful park near Beth's house and she took some amazing photos. AMAZING.

Today we went to Indiana Dunes State Park, which is on Lake Michigan. It was SOOOOOOOOO beautiful. So much different than our beaches in Texas. After that we went to eat at Redamak's AGAIN. Yes, it really was that good.

















You can see the rest of the photos I took during my visit here, here, and here!

Best burger I've ever had in my life

Ever since I started planning my trip to visit Beth, she's been talking about Redamak's like she owns stock in the place. She's blogged about it, repeatedly sent me links to the website, and just talked about it, basically non-stop. It's sort of like she was trying to push me into buying into Amway or something. Gah!

So last night, the Folding Laundry family and the Real Life family ventured across the Indiana/Michigan border to the quaint little town of New Buffalo, MI, to eat at Redamak's. Was it any good? No, not at all. It sucked. Totally. Okay, so I'm totally kidding and y'all know that because the title of my post is: "Best burger I've ever had in my life." It was, without a doubt, the best burger I've ever had in my life. I almost ordered a second one, but I didn't want to look like a total freak, even though Beth said she would completely understand and even gave me lots of encouragement. Because it was that good. And you know what sucks about it? It's in Michigan and I live in Texas. Not really a convenient arrangement. Can you mail burgers, I wonder? Oprah always gets food from all over the country for her audience, so there's got to be a way.

So, if you're ever in New Buffalo, MI, go to Redamak's. That's an order. And if you're not in New Buffalo, get there ASAP, because they close for the season on October 26th.

Today we're heading into Chicago for the day! I'm so excited I can't see straight. AND, Beth is finally starting to get over her throat ailment. Which is a good thing, because it was starting to get pretty old. *wink*

As an added bonus, BJ wants to guest joke blog for me. Here's his submission:

BJ: Knock, knock

Me: Who's there?

BJ: Mashed potato!

Me: Mashed potato, who?

BJ: Mashed potato with gravy! Is that funny?

Me: *laughing histerically* You know it!!!