I am very new to the blogging world. As I mentioned in a previous post, I have read them for years but they are all so good. There are so many of you out there that have such an amazing talent and you make me laugh and cry so easily. I am not worthy of your talents, but like a baby learns to walk, I am hoping to learn to blog. I am hoping that tonight was the beginning of a great weekend adventure that will take me further into my blogging skills, see I am attending BlogHer '09.

Funny story of how I got there: Many months ago I received an email from one of my fellow Disney World Moms, Heather of Hopelesslyflawed asking me if I was going to blogher? Huh??? My response was am I going to blog who? After I am sure she laughed out loud at my ignorance, she was kind enough to send back a reply with the website for this great event going on in my own backyard. Then to make things even better I found out that Disney Mom Jodi of Multitaskingmommy was going to be there so I was sold. I bought a ticket for Saturday's events, since I had to work Friday, and went on my merry way.

Then strange things in the universe kept pulling me back to the blogging world. Little things i would read in an article, reports on the expanding world of social media, twitter, facebook and blogs, I was invited to come to Disney World as a representative of the Moms Panel for a Mommy Blogger event they were hosting (I promise to recap that weekend soon). I was reading more and more blogs and even better meeting amazing mommy bloggers who had such great stories to tell. I was thrilled that this opportunity to go to BlogHer fell into my lap.

Then the days started to creep closer and my anxiety level began to skyrocket. After all I know so few of the moms and there would be so many. Most of which blog to thousands if not hundred of thousands daily. Seriously? Who was I to think I even deserved to be within ten blocks of them. I pushed through my fears and self-doubt, if for no other reason then to visit with the moms I met at Disney (aka MagicalMoms) and of course JODI!

At 3:45 today I strolled the few blocks from my office downtown to the Hyatt where the first gathering was scheduled. SocialLuxe was hosting the kick-off party. I was so happy to immediately run into Emily from Momminitup and Andrea from Mommysnacks and there cheery hellos and big hugs were enough to make me push on. I found Jodi and clung to her in fear, poor Jodi. Everyone was so friendly and nice and the party was incredible. Everything from the decorations to the food to the entertainment was classy and beautiful and it is easy to see why all of these ladies have been pulled into this network. It is a great place to learn, complain, laugh and turn to for advice and an acknowledgement that our work as moms is the most important thing in the world.

I hated when it was time to go. there were still so many people I had yet to meet and the evening was just starting, but I needed to head home to my three boys. I will be back tomorrow after work for some more great parties, including one hosted by my FAVORITE place Disney!!! Then of course Saturday, I will be attending the sessions and speakers and can't wait.

Stay tuned.......

Looking Back

Ok so a quick whirlwind tour of where my time on the Disney Mom's Panel has taken me. A lot of amazing things have happened so this may take a few posts but I will attempt to go in order.

American Idol Experience Opening:

So I knew there was a reason or two that I married my husband. Turns out this year the reason is because of when he was born. Disney World's big promotion this year is "What Will You Celebrate" and as part of this promotion, guests can get into one Disney park free on his/her birthday. Mark's birthday is February 11th and he has family in the Orlando area, so as a birthday treat, we decided that we would hop off to Disney World for a few days just him and I. Well as luck would have it, the American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios, was opening that same week. A few of the Disney Moms were going to be in town to attend the medai events that week and I could not wait to see them again.

The American Idol event was amazing. The afternoon started with a motorcar parade featuring numerous Idol winners and runner-ups. Following the parade, those of us with media credentials were able to attend a special American Idol preview show. All of the Idols in Disney were in attendance as well as Paula Abdul and Ryan Secrest. David Cook and Carrie Underwood preformed and the seven previous Idol winners received a special trophy. This attraction is going to be amazing and I love the energy in the room and the special effects and detailing Disney has put in.

Following the show, we were led into a now empty Hollywood Studios for a private reception party with glowing blue drinks, amazing food, blue carpet and flashing lights. The Moms quickly caught up with some of our Disney social media faves like Laura, Leanne and Brewer. We got a huge kick out of sitting at a table next to Meg Crofton. We looked everywhere for our Disney BFF Gary but he was hard at work, or maybe hiding from us???

After dinner we started spotting some of the Idols roaming the party so of course we had to do what any middle-aged, calm and collected mom would do....ran screaming and pushing people out of the way. Ok maybe no screaming but some running and pushing. We got to meet and chat with a number of Idols like Bo Bice, Sanjaya and Ruben Stoddard. Disney had left Rock 'n Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror open so we had to take a few spins on the attractions. Diane C and I headed over to Tower of Terror at one point and walked into a loading area that had only the Cast Member, the two of us, the MC from Idol and Sanjaya. Was so funny as he had never rode before and was a little freaked out.

All in all it was an amazing evening hanging with my Mom BFFs Jackie, Diane C., Jennifer and Karen, our Disney Cast Member friends and the American Idols.

Thank you Disney for a perfect night, and thank you Mark for a properly scheduled birthday.

Where does time go?

Back in late 2008 an amazing thing happened, I was selected to serve as one of sixteen panelists with the 2009 Disney World Moms Panel. Prior to being selected, I would have to say I was comfortable on the computer. I was able to type, upload files and pictures, email and save documents-funny how little I really knew.

One of my new Disney BFFs suggested after our selection to the panel that we blog. It is a great way to journal what is going on and look back at our adventures. I thought that was a fantastic idea and so this blog was born. I went to Borders and spent almost one hundred dollars on Blogging for dummy books, rushed home and read all of two pages. I was now an expert for sure right? I mean come on...I read blogs before I get it. Well it is amazing how simplistic my thoughts are compared to the real world of blogging. I have been blessed to meet and befriend a number of amazing bloggers thru my work with the Disney World Moms Panel, and these new friends have taught me a number of things-most importantly, how much I still have to learn. I would also think at the top of what I need to learn is that I need to blog more than once every three months.

I wonder if there is a statute of limitations on blog posts? If so I am so busted. I have in the last six months met the most amazing people, had once in a lifetime trips to Disney, met American Idol stars, cruised Chicago sight-seeing with my new BFFs, shot videos and so much more. Most importantly I have had the most unbelievable and unforgetable time! I need to recap-to attempt to put in words how great this experience has been and so I will...not tonight but I promise before three months is up for sure.