I'd rather be mingling 7/12

Howdy Minglers and visitors of all types!  It's been a crazy around here - summer strikes again.  I can't really tick off a list of what all we have been up to, but nevertheless, it feels like I never have time to do much blogging.  I'm barely even on twitter these days.  But now I have a few weeks of reprieve as my girlies have a bunch of summer camps coming up.  Lucky me!  I'll probably still neglect my blog, in favor of my new obsession - prepping and reading about BlogHer 10!  (If you are going, please mention it in the comments, I'd love to say hi in person!)

But, since I had some free time (after my lesiurly stroll around the grocery store - in which I had the time to actually think/remember my old Monday routine of vlogging) I figured I'd jump back in the loop.

Also, about the whole plastic surgery thing - to clarify: I do not - in no way, shape, or form - feel as though I am perfect.  I'm not knocking it if you feel it's good for you.  It's your body, do what makes you feel good.  I just don't want to mess with genetics and come out looking like Heidi from the Hills or Michael Jackson.
Just Sayin'.

With out further rude comments on my behalf...

Thanks for stopping in.  As always, feel free to click on the button above and join in on the mingling.  It looks like Speedy is encouraging us to check in often, so it's never to late to add a vlog!  Plus, it's super easy.

Just do it.

I'd rather giveaway an awesome workout shirt

******
UPDATE!  Here's the winner:

Congrats Karla - but I have no way to contact you!  Reply again or email me (the addy is in my about me section) and then we'll get the t-shirt to you.  Thanks! 

******

A while back, you might have heard me mention Fitbloggin'.  It was an incredible conference, held in Baltimore aimed at

"those that blog or want to blog about fitness, wellness, good food and a healthy lifestyle no matter where they are in the journey."

I had such a great time there.  I met so many great bloggers, and got to speak with a lot of great companies as well.  Everyone I met was so friendly and willing to share and connect.

One such company was Thriv.  Thriv Natural Performance was one of the sponsors of Fitbloggin', so naturally they gave us all a look at their awesome line of active wear.

The clothing they make uses a patented technology that transforms bamboo and cotton into a material that provides SPF and anit-odor properties, wicks, is super breathable, and is beyond comfortable.

I know this all first hand, because they also gave each of the attendees a shirt to take home!  Seriously, it is the softest workout shirt I have ever worn.  The first time I put it on at Fitbloggin, I woke my husband up just so he could feel how soft the shirt was.  And it has really stood up to the test of time.  I wear it through some seriously hardcore workouts, and have washed it a dozen times, and it comes out perfect each and every time.

Are you wondering how to get one?  Well, they have a (ever expanding) line at www.thrivnp.com that you could check out.  And you could find out more by contacting them on Facebook or Twitter.

OR...

You could enter to win one right here!  (Can I get a woot-woot for my first ever giveaway?!)

Thriv will be giving one of my readers one of these - you'll get the pink one below (for women) or the blue one (for men.)

 To enter choose any one of the following methods and leave a comment at the bottom of this post.  The more methods you do, the higher your odds of winning.  Feel free to do as many methods as you like, but each method is only worth only one entry, with the exception of tweeting.

• Comment below telling me your favorite workout or when you might use the shirt.
• Subscribe to my RSS feed - it's the toast up there on the left.
• Become a google follower of my blog.
• Tweet  "Enter to win a @thrivnp performance crew shirt care of @LastMinuteMandy at http://bit.ly/ahO1Te" (This one method can count as one entry every day of the giveaway.)
• Sign up for the Thriv newsletter. (I really suggest you do this anyway, as they give away 50 shirts a month to the newsletter readers.)

I will choose a winner May 14th, using the random number generator.

Good luck!

I'd rather kick it up

It's time to fess up.  I've been slacking off on this weight-loosing gig.  More than slacking, really - more like going backward.

It mostly started when I found out my scale was lying to me, and it just kept going downhill from there.  I guess there are a lot of excuses, but none of them are any good.  I've been stuck in a "I couldn't care less" crazy spiral, and I want out.

Alarms started ringing the last time I stepped on my (new) scale.  Due to the huge error in the old scale, and the total lack of all things healthy, I've crept back up over 200 pounds.  In truth *gulp* I weighed in at 208 pounds.  Ugh, that sucks to write, but it's the truth.

UGH.

Thankfully, when I was at Fitbloggin, I was given a great opportunity to team up with LA Boxing.  These guys are letting me join their gym for 3 months and hooking me up with weekly personal training sessions as well.  They even gave me a some goodies to get me going - including gloves and wraps.

The gloves have already seen action (aside from my family walloping up on each other) at the local LA Boxing gym, here in Rockville, Maryland.  I had a personal training session Wednesday, and yesterday my friend was sweet enough to join me for a kickboxing class.  Both visits helped me understand why they call it a 1000-calorie workout.  It was intense - I really put my body to work, sweat like crazy, and woke up super sore.

Let me clarify --
By "sweat" I mean:  I exuded rivers of perspiration from the top of my head all the way to the bottom of my feet.
By "sore" I mean:  Each time I moved my limbs, I was reminded how hard I worked, mostly followed by an "owwwwww."
By "put my body to work" I mean:  I found muscles I didn't know existed, pushed myself farther than I thought possible, and opened up my lungs more than I ever have before.

And this is just the beginning.

This is shaping up to be my weekly regiment, for the next 3 months:

Monday - possible rest day, but more likely a walking day
Tuesdays - Yoga (at my yoga studio)
Wednesdays - Personal Training at LA Boxing with Donte (more on him to come)
Thursdays - Boxing class at LA Boxing
Fridays - training walks for my third Susan G. Komen 3-day for the Cure.
Saturday - another (longer) training walk
Sunday - Kickboxing at LA Boxing

Do you think that this is do-able?  Is it crazy?  Will I be able to get back to the 180's by June - maybe even back into the legwarmers for BlogHer in August?  Will I get strong enough to hold a downward dog for more than 10 seconds?  Do you think I will survive?

What do you think?



Disclosure: As a participant of #Fitbloggin', I was offered (by LA Boxing) three months free membership, free personal training, and merchandise - all in exchange for blogging my *honest* opinions once a week.

I'd rather end this relationship

That's it.  It's over.  This was the final straw.  I'm leaving you.

You heard me right, Mr. Scale.  It's over.

For years now, you've been keeping my secret.  You have been diligently reporting back to me the number I craved to have.  The number I needed to know so that I could tell just how well my weight loss was going.

You were cute - at first.  All shiny and white, with retro styling and a simplicity I adored.

But then things got fishy.  You were never set to the right number - never could seem to get back to zero.

Sure you didn't need batteries, but I could step on you 10 times and get 10 different results.  What kind of life is that, Mr. Scale?  It's just cruel!  Cruel, I tell you!

And now.... now I hear that you have been lying to me.  Out right, bold faced, over the top lying.

You padded your response.  By how much?  5 pounds? 7? TEN???

You hear that, Mr. Scale?  Those are my tears.  My tears are flowing knowing that I've really been seven to ten pounds heavier this whole time.

So, it's over.  I've found something new.  Something that won't lie to me.

You thought I was going away to Fitbloggin' just for fun - turns out I also brought back your replacement.  The EatSmart digital bathroom scale.

He's just as cute.  Not retro, but more sleek - more sophisticated.  He's transparent.  He's smart. He honest.  He's mine.  

His display is large, and easy to read.  Not like your puny little numbers.

His platform is larger than yours was - and is quite sturdy.

He self-calibrates.  Not like you, who I had to prod every time I wanted an answer.

He is reliable and accurate.  He'll give me the truth, every time, with out change.

So that's it.  You're going into the garbage tonight.

My EatSmart Digital Bathroom Scale and I will live happily every after. 

(And you can too - they are being sold on Amazon here, for a pretty good price!)

*Disclosure: I am not being paid for this post.  I did, however, relieve the product as a gift from EatSmart, as they were a vendor at Fitbloggin' - a conference I paid to attend.  The opinions in this article are completely mine - and I truly am throwing the old scale away!*

I'd rather live blog about monetizing

Monetizing

affiliate links- amazon

ad networks real girls media

site sponsorship – sheknows.com

paid posts

brand spokesperson

brand ambassador

direct/private ad

create content

create a new campaign idea

speaking

consultanting

What are your goals?

Your monetizing strategy needs to be tied in to your long term goal

• 
  
  
  write a book
• 
  
  
  sell product
• 
  
  
  become column
• 
  
  
  prof blog
• 
  
  
  become authority

What makes you marketable?

• 
  
  
  Being actively involved in comm
• 
  
  
  be accessible – are you a biz or not
• 
  
  
  know your stats and have media kit

Pick 5 people to measure to see if they are still interested. Need to keep adding, b/c you keep losing.

ROA return on relationship – evaluate the audience connection, that is more important than numbers. Must engage and interact – listen to feedback and make change based on that feedback. Do what they suggest.

What's the traffic – do readers comment, come back? Do they care? It's about relationships. Can you energize your community – move them to action? Even if there is not a lot, they are moving, that is good.

Need to include phone and address for marketing in biz card. Need site stats, info – what is your passion? If you don't include the contact info, then its too hard for them to contact you.

Breaking It Down, 4 categorizes according to Technorati:

• 
  
  
  Hobbyists – 72% of blog for fun and self expression
• 
  
  
  part timers 15% blog to supplement their income
• 
  
  
  Self employed 9% blog full-time for your own corp or biz
• 
  
  
  Corporate 4% blog for their company

Ad Network ex says:

$2 CPM (per 1000 impressions)

100,000 page views with 2 ads per page = 200,000 impressions

$400/month

(av 50 cents to 5$ a month)

big brands are coming to ad networks – and they make us look more professional too.

CPM for direct ad is lower – you can sell more, though, if you want (1$)

How much are bloggers making?

• 
  
  
  85% of hobbyists have less than 25,000 page views or 10,000 uniques
• 
  
  
  Only 1% have over 50,000 uv
• 
  
  
  68% of part timers have less than 25,000 page views or 10,000 uv
• 
  
  
  only 3 % have over 50,000 uv
• 
  
  
  average income for part-timers $14,000 from ad rev
• 
  
  
  Av across all bloggers is $42,000

Be honest with your stats. Transparent. (page views and unique visitors is the info you want. You don't want hits.)

Ads are not the only way to make money! They won't be your bread and butter.

Do use tools:

• 
  
  
  google analytics - traffic
• 
  
  
  QuantCast – compare stats
• 
  
  
  Check Alexa – rating
• 
  
  
  Compete – panel rating
• 
  
  
  Monitor your Page rank (prchecker.info)

Brand ambassador (linked w/ co – program/campaign – sometimes paid, sometimes just get review products) vs. brand advocates (unpaid) brands sponsor (sponsoring your content, direct relationship to speak for the company.)

Be Proactive

• 
  
  
  Pitch yourself to co that fit your niche
• 
  
  
  know the difference between PR and advertising
  • 
    
    
    pr folks usually don't have a budget they are in the biz of “earned” media through giveaways and reviews
  • 
    
    
    ad agencies have money for creative campaigns

Mock display ads, mock vid ads, survey for stats, pitch

OpenSky – You suggest merchandise to your followers, OpenSky handles product/customer service, then split profit 50-50.

Action items:

• 
  
  
  evaluate your goals – and if your audience will like the ad/ ad format
• 
  
  
  start running analytics if you're not
• 
  
  
  create a media kit
• 
  
  
  start following people who can help you
• 
  
  
  Identify brands you'd like to connect with

Don't forget to disclose.

You can reject certain ads from google ad sense.

Create a fan page for facebook, aside from your regular account.

Just starting out, don't know who to contact, or what to do?  Pitch ideas - don't be afraid to say no.  Join Mom Central, or other similar networks.  Ask friends for connections.  Attend events to get PR info.  

I'd rather live blog about Blogs and Body Image

Presenters:
Marsha Hudnall, Green Mountain at Fox Run - a women's retreat for healthy living founded 40 years ago (on the premise, diets don't work)
Melissa Henriquez "Lissa" - Tales of a (Recovering) Disordered Eater
Carla Birnberg "MizFit" - MizFitOnline.com
Josie Maurer "Yum Yucky" - YumYucky.com

"Young gils are more afraid of becoming FAT than they are of cancer, nuclear war, or losing their parents."

Eating Disorder Stats:  10 million females suffer from anorexia/ Bulimia, Millions more are struggling with binge eating.  Many cases are not reported b/c of shame and secretiveness.

Anorexia has DOUBLED each decade since 1930.

((Sorry, I lost a bunch here b/c of bad internet connection)

Focus on behavior, not size

Our readers read our blogs and internalize what we are saying about our selves and our attitude and carry that with them throughout the day.

We want our kids to get healthy behavior modeling from reading our blogs – we can be honest about the good and the bad, but not wallowing in the negative.

MizFit tells us about how her daughter mimics some of her behaviors, "I'm MizFit and I'm eating this brownie and I don't like it." :D

YumYucky tells us how her and her daughter support each other.  Just recently her son has used body image issues to attack her daughter.  They are working through that.  

Listener recalls a memory of her older brother taunting her about her weight when she was younger. Her mom did reprimand him, but not in front of her.  She suggests to nip that in the bud now.

YumYucky recalls a song "moose on the loose" - a song making fun of someone - that was sung to her friend.  Now that person is stuck in yo-yo dieting, etc.  The end result of that teasing has been very negative.

ALL kids can benefit from health improvement - not just the "obese" kids.

The kids are picking up on the little cues that others may not think they are okay the way they are - even if they are average, or even smaller.

Attendees tell stories of their youth (when they were healthy kids) of them being called bigger, or chunky, or needing diets - when they were too small to even be thinking about weight over health.

Where is the healthy line between eating healthy, and not being obsessed?  MizFit says lead by example.  Marsha says the parent is responsible for the environment, the kid is for wether they eat or not.

YumYucky tells us about her baby and how she eats with out stop - and she is called out on it frequently.  Marsha says to focus on intuitive eating.  Recognize the cues.

Mindless Eating - a book an attendee recommended - that highlights changing how we eat.

YumYucky encourages us to accept what we have - that certain genetics will always be a certain way.  There is very unrealistic FAKE images that we try to attain.

We need to be proactive, and point out that there is not a certain size to be - it is about health.  We need to be comfortable with where we are and where we come from with out comparing ourselves to others.

Our kids are seeing us journaling their food, tracking our points, taking food pics for blogs, etc etc.  Is that a healthy image for them to see?  Does that make them think too much about food?

As girls reach the teenage years they naturally fall into troubles with self esteem and self image.  We need to role model good behavior for them to see, but it may not be enough.

If our kids are seeing us say we are "fat" or "too big" they will compare themselves to how we look - "mom looks average but says she's big, and I look like mom, so...."

Paying the close attention to what we are eating takes the joy away from eating.

I'd rather live blog about Wordpress

Wordpress from .com to Self Hosted by @JimDoran
(slides can be found at: http://jimdoran.net/joy/wordpress/fitbloggin-10 )

"The road to hell is paved with NON-intentions."


Blogging Landscape

• Blogger
• TypePad
• LiveJournal
• Tumblr
• Wordpress.com

Wordpress.com

• Easy to set up
• 17th most popular webssite according to Alexa
• Sub domain of wordpress.com, ie http://jimdoran.wordpress.com - jimdoran is the subdomain
• They offer 82 themes - more than blogger
• Upgrades - pay to... get rid of adds, custom css, etc. $239.82 to buy all of them
• WordPress is open source software
• Akismet - catches spam before it get to your blog.
• Big Names are listed at wordpress.com: CNN, New York Tims, CIA etc

Register you kids names as domains for the future!  Post their art work for now.

Put your brand on your own server - stop putting content on other sites!  Build your own brand on your own site.

Wordpress self hosted:

• Can bring your blog over, from multiple sources too, ie - blogger and posterous, etc,
• Hosting - recommended via WordPress.org GoDaddy, Bluehost, Dreamhost, etc.
• Can install as many blogs as you want to.
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Wordpress is like playdough and no two themes are the same
• Themes and plug-ins make endless possibilities
• 1100+ free themes
• Premium themes you must pay for.
• Plugins
• 8700+ plugins available
• Favorites:
•  All-In-One-SEO pack
• Akismet (spam filter)
• WP-Commerce (if your are selling anything - intergrate with paypal, etc.)
• WP Super Cache (keeps your live if innundated with traffic) 
• BuddyPress (social network for your website)
• PollDaddy
• Google Analytics
• PODS CMS (build a website on your blog - posts AND pages)
• bbPress
• Some plugins are maintained - may need to go back and fix it later.
• Plugins use code, theme's use code – some clash so be careful - don't use too many
• You can't install plugins in dot.com
• Other features:
• Automatic Upgrades
• Community support via Codex, Hackers List and IRC
• WordCamps - self organized community events with user info and tech info 
• Semantic Code (SEO, find-ability, accessibility)
• Taxonomy - categories and tags (use different names for each, ie: Recipe tag, Recipes category) 
• Non-destructive 
• Change permalink directly
• Past from MS word and remove goofy formating
• Word Count
• Paste pain text
• Enhancements coming in June to Wordpress

"... pessimism robs ordinary people of their powers."  ~Colin Wilson

I'd rather know who's going to Fitbloggin'

I'm so flipping excited to meet all my fellow Fitbloggin' attendees!  BUT, I only "know" a few of you.  I decided to create a linky so that we could all stalk each other properly. Sign in and share a favorite post of yours, your about section, or any post that will let us get a peek at who you are.

Only a few more days!!!!






Don't forget to check back and see who all has linked up.  See you soon, with a Pomtini in my hand!

I'd rather focus on the positive

Happy Monday everyone!  I know a lot of people hate Mondays (and, I'm normally one of them) but this Monday is good.

Why?

Because I can breathe out of my nose again!!  Hallelujah!!

I was M.I.A. this whole past week with a killer cold.  It was doubly hard because I was on demand 24-7, as daddy was away on business.  I tell you, every time he leaves, I get another reminder of just how awesome all you single moms are.  It makes me want to send flowers and coffee to my bestie (she's a single mom to 3) because that is hard work, with no relief.

Anywho, as some of you may know, I was too darn sick to work out (steps made me winded) and I didn't have the ability to eat as well as I would have wanted.  Actually the eating was funny - at times I was fantastic (lots of fruits and veggies, water, soup, etc) then others I ... uhhh ... wasn't.  (It's really hard to cook for everyone when you have a box of tissues glued to your hand.) (Oh, and all those girl scout cookies sitting in my dinning room really didn't help matters!)

So, I stayed the same for my weight this week.  I'm a-okay with that, and I am still feeling very motivated.  My husband and I have fallen right back into our competition and there isn't an end for that in sight.  (Actually, that continues to be a really great motivator.  If you haven't tried it - you really should - especially if you all like to smack talk.  We obviously do, judging by his "anonymous" comment on my last mamavation post.  Silly man, doesn't he know he stands no chance?!)

Also, I went to a friends baby shower this weekend, and saw a bunch of people I hadn't seen in a looonnng time.  I got a lot of compliments - even a "you're looking thinner!"  So, I know I'm on the right track.

Here are a couple other random tidbits for you all:

• I met Roni, the organizer of Fitbloggin', while at Bloggy Boot Camp this weekend, and she is fantastic!!!  You really should check out her sites - they have so many great recipes and ideas.

• I triple dog dare you all to go try steamed artichokes.  Not the canned, mushy kind, but the kind where you have to scrape the meat off he leaves with your teeth.  It is a childhood favorite of mine, and I'm happy to say that my daughter has found the joys of it too!

• I attended a yoga for headache workshop a week or so ago, and I plan on writing a post about that soon!  They gave us lots of good info - and I've already been putting some of it to use.

That's it for this week.  I hope all of you are having a great week, and if not, then I hope you are picking your selves up and moving forward.  Because you are Maaaavelous, dalinks, simply maaaaavelous.

PS - Did you know I always link these posts back up to the blog carnival at Bookie Boo?  The support of the Mamavation ladies has been key to me.  If you are lacking that in your life, please consider joining us.  Plus, if nothing else motivates you, there are giveaways each week. ;)

I'd rather be at Disney Social Media Moms Celebration

I love Disney World.

I loved it when I went as a kid.  I loved it on my Honeymoon.  I loved it when I got to see it through my children's eyes.  I will always love it.  My husband and I joke about how we will grow old and retire to Disney World - wouldn't that be fantastic?

I didn't think I could love Disney any more.

Turns out, I can.

The Disney Social Media Moms conference has reinforced just how much I love Disney.  I could write a book on that week, but instead I'll try to condense it here.  (Try is the operative word.)

Pre-Conference

Before we even saw one sign for the conference, Disney was making magic.  They immediately credited back our money (via the Disney travel insurance) for the days that we missed due to the blizzard in MD.  They managed to combine our two reservations so that we could stay in the same room of the hotel for our whole stay.  They gave us our magical package of goodies, filled with credentials, park passes, gift certificate, lunch voucher, and the unbelievable media fast pass.  (This fast pass is better than the normal fast pass, as it lets you get in the past fast line immediately - that allowed us to virtually walk on several of the rides.)  All this happened well before I even parked my suitcase in my room.

We spent time riding all the great rides - Expedition Everest, Space Mountain, Tower of Terror, and so many more.  We had amazing meals at the California Grill (fireworks and sushi and dessert = heaven for all) and The Hollywood Brown Derby.  We got to meet Mickey and Minnie, and ride the Barnstormer 3 times in a row, thanks to rain and a sparsely populated Magic Kingdom.  We had lunch with princesses.  Princesses!

The conference hadn't even started!


Day One

The first day was set aside for attendees to check in and get their goodies, while the night was the official start of our event.  When I went back to the suite to make sure I had all the info I needed (I had already been hooked up with that great packet of stuff) I was given more swag - incredible gifts of watches, games, and more.

Later, we were transported to the new ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.  There, we watched a media press conference sneak peek at all of the great things coming to WDW.  (Princesses galore, a magical cruise ship, and amazing summer nights are all coming soon.)  We then met up with our families and had a dance party extravaganza.  My girls danced their hearts out up on that stage!

That night, as we left, we got two surprise gifts: a nice baseball hat for each of us, and new friends!  The friends came in the form of Janice (from 5 Minutes for Mom) and her family.  I said before how much my kids loved hers - but I neglected to say how much I liked them.  Janice and her husband were so nice to me and my family.  Even though 5 Minutes for Mom was one of the organizers, with a huge blog (and I, in comparison, am definitely on the low end of the bloggy popularity contest,) they were warm, and friendly, and helped settle my nerves.


Day Two

This day was started with an early breakfast (pre park opening) at the America Pavilion in Epcot.  The food was great, but listening to Guy Kawasaki was better.  Just a few things I got from him, particularly good for new bloggers like myself:

• Tell those people who don't like the way you tweet to "UFM."  (Un.Follow.Me)  
• Tweet your feed
• Retweet every 8 to 10 hours (four times) in order to reach your whole audience.
• Study new sources (like Guy's Alltop site) to figure out what your audience may find interesting.

After breakfast, we went over to the Family Volunteer Announcement at the World Showplace.  We heard more about the "Give a day, Get a day program."  We got to cheer for all the families who had gone above and beyond in volunteering.  Kermit and Ty Pennington were there to present the worlds largest (Guinness certified) sculpture made out of canned food. 

After playing in the parks, my family and I went back over to that location and got to participate in the volunteer activity.  While the canned goods project was too full of fellow bloggers and volunteers for us to jump in, we did get a chance to help plant trees.  That turned out perfectly, because my girls planted with Dan Curtis Lee (of "Zeke and Luther" on the Disney Channel) and Alyson Stoner (of the Disney movie Camp Rock!)  They took a quick break to grab some autographed photo's of Disney Channel stars, then came back just in time to see Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato!  It was a great treat for them.

Later that night, we were treated, once again, to a fantastic dinner.  Only this time, the chef was Robert Irivine, and the meal was a challenge for his show Dinner Impossible!  (I hear this episode will air in April, and I can attest that some of his food was quite yummy.)  After dinner, we got another special treat - Demi and Joe came on stage and sang songs from the "Friends For Change" spots and songs from Camp Rock.  An amazing night for young girls and parents alike.

Day Three

On this day we had breakfast (with some roving "characters" that cracked me up,) then two sessions, broke for lunch, had two more sessions, broke for for a quick mingle, then finally came back for happy hour.  While there, I won an adorable Ariel Build-A-Bear for my girls, a sweet Minnie Mouse, and received a comfy fleece jacket that really came in handy at the park.  I also got something even better - the chance to make friends with lots of other bloggers.  I sat at a table with lots of new faces, at every point of the day, and every one of those ladies were friendly and sweet.  In particular, I really want to thank Kim Tolander of Kimworld for being so nice and friendly.  She even snapped a picture for me (see below) when my little cellphone camera wasn't cutting it.

This day was the bulk of the conference sessions.  It was really just jammed packed with incredible information.  The speakers included Maxine Clark (Chief Executive Bear at Build-A-Bear); Tony Award winner, broadway mama Marissa Jaret Winokur; Model, Mom, and Entrepreneur Kathy Ireland; Social Media Guru and author (and very funny guy,) Chris Brogan; and Maryellen Hooper, comedienne extraordinaire. 

I did two very stupid things at this point: one was forgetting the battery to my good camera, and the other was not taking more notes.  But again, I did retain some great information:

• Maxine Clark taught me that you can teach your employees to work the register, but you can't teach them to care.  You (and your employees, really) must do what you love.  She also told us a bout a wonderful young girl that she has been in contact with for a while.  It taught me that you can learn and gain so much inspiration from children.
• Marissa Jaret Winokur taught me that mom's are strong! (Did you know she is also a breast cancer survivor?  I would have loved to interview her for The Pink Purpose.)  She makes things happen - always knocking on doors, putting herself out there.  She heard a lot of "no's" but never gave up and never turned down an opportunity for good PR. ;)
• Kathy Ireland taught me that even us girls with high, squeaky voices can do big things.  She knows that the job of motherhood is the most important job - but one we don't have to do alone.  She also, like Marissa, got a lot of "no's" but didn't give up, in modeling or in business.
• Chris Brogan taught me that no one turns away business.  If you go to a company (sponsor) with a way for them to sell more product, they won't turn you down.  He taught me to continue the conversation - and that is what social media is about, after all.
• Maryellen Hooper taught me that she is freaking hilarious.  She joked about motherhood, being a wife, and being a woman.  All of it was funny, and all of it was so true!

After a quick chance to recuperate at the hotel, we rallied and went back out to the final family dinner at the Hollywood Studios.  Again, we feasted and danced the night away.  This time, though, we got to meet back up with our buddies from night one!  It was so fun to watch them all dance together.  (Janice has great pictures of Olivia, Jackson, Sara, and Riley all breaking out fantastic moves!)  Later, we were all able to ride Toy Story Mania (and over and over again) as the park was shut down to all but the conference attendees. 

Believe me, we all slept very well that night!

I know this post is ridiculously long.  And I know that I didn't even scratch the surface of everything I did and learned.  You can find even more coverage from fellow attendees of the event over at the link-up hosted on 5 Minutes for Mom.  

Thank you so much to Walt Disney World, Resourceful Mommy Media, Mom Bloggers Club, Mom Select, and 5 Minutes for Mom for putting this all together.  

It was simply amazing. 

Please remember, FCC, that while I did pay for this conference, it might be also considered a sweetheart deal as I am getting tons of lovely perks at such a low price - the same as the rest 100 or so conference attendees.  Know that also, all statements I offer on this blog (or elsewhere) about this event are my own, forthright opinions. Got it? ;)

I'd rather be reminded why being a mom is SO important

Sometimes you need a reminder of why your are a mom.  Because the job is hard, and long, and unforgiving.

But it is also so beautiful.  So very, very beautiful.

I'm not at Mom 2.0 summit.  But this sure makes me wish I was:

I'd rather eat more disney food, but with out the weight gain.

Alright, I confess, I did HORRIBLY at policing myself at Disney World. They just made it so hard with all that fantastic food they gave us!  Breakfasts of quiche, croissants, sausage, etc. etc.  Lunches of italian comfort food, snacks of antipasti and cheeses.  Dinners of burgers, bbq, and hot dogs.  Not to mention the cheesecake, the adult "lemonade" and other goodies.

It was all really, really good.

And I really, really enjoyed eating it.

The upside, was all that walking.  Walking, walking, walking.

So I'm back now, hopping back on this wagon.  I gained a pound or two from the trip, but that's okay with me.  Tomorrow I start all the new exercises I recorded while I was gone, and attempting to get my gruve to green everyday (along with Jen and Trayce.)

The countdown to Fitbloggin' begins!  I'm racing to lose more to look even better when I get to meet so many of you! Woot!

I'd rather be wordless wednesday 2/10, Disney Social Media Edition

The excitement builds on the bus on our way to the first event for Disney Social Media Moms.

  

Right after a great sneak peek at what's to come at Disney (hello awesome cruise ship and fantastic summer nights,) we were treated to an incredible party at the ESPN Wide World of Sports, complete with food, dancing and FUN!

I didn't get a chance to snap any pictures of another favorite part of the night - watching my kids meet the sweet kids of Janice, from 5 Minutes for Mom on the way back from the party.  (Wow, how nice are her and her husband - loved that!)  My daughters fell immediately into a friendship with her kids (My eldest said to their eldest, "are we going to be friends?  I need an answer now." I was on the floor over that one.) And they were so happy to run into part of their clan later at the food joint.  I love meeting such nice new people, and the conference just started!

Please remember, FCC, that while I did pay for this conference, it might be also considered a sweetheart deal as I am getting tons of lovely perks at such a low price - the same as the rest 100 or so conference attendees.  Know that also, all statements I offer on this blog (or elsewhere) about this event are my own, forthright opinions. Got it? ;)

I'd rather be wordless wednesday 2/3

Since there are mere DAYS before we leave for Disney and the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, I thought I'd make my first (semi) wordless wednesday a few pictures from our last WDW trip, taken at the Polynesian!

The girls' favorite room pastime - bed jumping!

Where is my daughter?  Playing hide-n-seek in the night stand, of course!

The best spot to relax - on the beach, in a hammock, still in Disney.  Perfect.

We can't wait to do it all again!

I'd rather get excited!

I tend to get a little over excited about Disney.  This trip for the Disney Social Media Moms Conference is no different.  Actually, it's probably worse, seeing as how I've never felt the need to color code my attack plan.  Oy vey people, I need help:

My ical layout for the trip.

That is just the tip of the iceberg.  I have my favorite guidebooks (The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and Passporter's Walt Disney World book) all marked up with dog ears and highlighters.  I have all my dinner reservations (ADR's in Disney-speak) written out and stowed away in it's own little folder - along with my outgoing info for Disney's Magical Express pick up service.  It goes on and on, and it's out of control.

Being that their mother is obviously certifiable, my kids tend to get a little excited about Disney too.  It has been pretty manageable this time around - because they only found out 3 weeks before the trip.

( I should interject here that we always have the best intentions of surprising the kids with the trip.  We have done it successfully with smaller trips, but we can never hold in our excitement for Disney, so we always end up spilling the beans.  This can be hard for a kid if you let them know as far out as we have - over 2 months before our first family trip to WDW.)

The problem, then, was how do you keep your kids from going mad with anticipation?  Our solution is a countdown calendar.

The first year we made it a big deal and did a huge scavenger hunt.  We gave them clue cards and had them go searching around the house for the items that matched the clues; sunscreen, a bathing suit, a camera, a disney coloring book, etc.  They were to piece the clues together to figure out what we were doing.  (They were clueless.)  We even took the hunt on over to Grandma and Granddad's house.  (They were one of the clues because they were coming with us.)  To end the hunt, the girls found a personal note from Tinkerbell in my parents mailbox.  She told them how excited she was that they were coming, and gave them a cute little box with cards and stickers so they could make a countdown calendar.

My eldest getting a little cheesy.  We pulled off that day's card, and kept going til they were all gone.

I don't even remember how we told them about it last time, but we did make the calendar together again. This time, I wanted something to be left on the board to look at as we got closer, so we did it a bit differently.  We punched out circles that were glued onto the board and decorated them with stickers, drawings, and photo's of us on our last Disney trip.  Then we added a number that indicated how many more days til the trip.  On top of those circles, we stapled more circles - punched out of pretty scrap paper, with a matching date - and then attached it all to the board.

I don't have a good pic of the bottom circles, so just imagine their awesomeness.

This time we are going high-tech and have downloaded a countdown clock for the computer.  Mac users can try: The Disney Trip Countdown from Apple.  PC users can try one of the many countdown programs available via a google search - including the Intercot Countdown Timer.

These calendars have really thwarted the "Mommmmmmmy, is it time yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet?" questions.

It does not, however, stop them from saying, "Mommmmmmmmmy, I want to go to Disney NOWWWWWWWW!"

But, then again, it doesn't stop me either.

I'd rather be in swimsuit shape!

Hey guys...

Here is my weight loss update:

Food:  Been doing okay.  Was tracking, eating lots of fruits/veggies, and not drinking coke - but always have a step back on the weekend.  This weekend, however, I tried to be pretty good at my meals out.  Ate smaller portions, made sure to get veggies as my sides, only one bite of desert - if any.

Exercise:  Did a few great exercises this week - lots of yoga, and some Brazilian dance too!  I missed one day that I had planned, but I semi made up for it by sitting on the balance ball all night while playing with my kids.  I figure doing that is better than lying down, right?  And I finally charged up my Gruve and am currently rocking that too.  (As if to drive that point home, it just buzzed me. Ha!)

Nitty Gritty:  I am down 3 pounds!  Back to 193 - and only 4 more to go to get back to my leg warmers! Woot!  Feeling good too.  I'm really committed to getting down as much as I can in the next 3 weeks, when I get to meet all the other Disney Social Media Conference moms!  It really whoops you into gear knowing that there will be 100 other moms (whom you've never met before and who are also twit-pic pros) seeing you POOL-SIDE!  Ack!  So I'm off to work out!

I'd rather be going to Disney!!!

I'm so excited!  So stinking excited!

I am going to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration at Walt Disney World!

Well, I should say *WE* are going, because it's a family affair!  Of course it is, this is Disney!

This is coming at a great time - almost the 10 year anniversary of my honeymoon to my wonderful husband - that was (you guessed it) in Disney!

I am beyond excited, as this is my very first conference.  I am planning to attend Fit Bloggin' in March, but this one just popped onto my radar - and being such big Mickey fans, how could we say no?

So now I need help with two things:

1.  What should I expect?  What should I wear?  What should I bring for the sessions?  What have I gotten myself into!?  (See, I go back a bit with some of my Mamavation ladies who I'll see at Fit Bloggin', but I don't know the other Disney SM Mom bloggers as well.  I'm nervous!)

2.  Mamavation - I need a plan of attack!  How does one go to Disney, and not come back 3 sizes bigger?  Help!


So, can you help?  Give me some pointers!  It will help keep me from floating away in these Mickey shaped clouds!

I'd rather NOT be at blogher...

That may be a lie. But I'm not gonna tell. And I may have or may not have any idea what the parties sound like when I listen in on blog talk radio. And it may or may not make me a little green. And if I were, it would certainly be silly, as I have not been blogging for more than a minute or two and I am a virtual ant on the internet.

(An aside, for those of you who have NO idea what blogher is...it is a big...really big...conference of bloggers happening in Chicago this weekend. The bloggers will learn a lot about this blogging thing, and be able to socialize - and win swag - even more.)

I do, however, know this: there is a remedy for my insane, I mean *possible*, jealously. It is blogher@home. So, instead of reading the countless #blogher09 tweets, I will be finding new blogs (hopefully some with lots of crafty goodness) and chatting with like-minded internet-addicted folks.

And as a reward to the few of you that follow or read, I plan on linking to some of the super awesome stuff I find while blog trippin'. Let's do this BHAH!

PS...I have written a few posts, but not as many as I would like. But, please check out CristyNelson.net for a guest post I did about taking a nasty undershirt from your husband and turning it into a cute dress for you daughter. It will be up June 28th.

PPS...The other blog that has been taking my time lately is The Pink Purpose. This is my blog for all things related to the breast cancer 3 day walk. It has some really powerful interviews from those touched by cancer. And, yes, I plan on walking the 60 miles (or as many has my broke-down body will let me) this October.

PPSS...Wow, this is really annoying. Sorry 'bout that...but I am planning on doing a header. One day. Sorry for the lack of eye candy!