Meeting Blogger Friends IRL

Adam is really good at his job.  Mostly he wins awesome things, like gift cards and iPads.  But last month for their incentive, Adam's team chose a day at Lagoon (an amusement park here in Utah).  Most of his team is single, I guess.  So yeah, I was a little T/O that he would be spending his day riding rides while I was at home with the kids by myself, just like every other day of my life.  I love my kids, but I live for Saturdays with Adam home.  I did not react well.

But I guess something good did come of it.  I decided that if Adam could leave me for a whole day, I could stop feeling guilty for leaving him with the kids for an evening.  And so I signed up for Bonnie's Blogger Round Table.  I've been wanting to go for SO LONG!  I finally decided Axel would be okay with a bottle (he wasn't, and cried a portion of the time, but Adam was cool about it) and I could meet some friends!

Suzzie, Me, Tayler, Aubrey and Bonnie front and center!

Of course I got to meet Bonnie.  I've been reading her blog for about a year and a half.  Even though we taught for the same school district we had never met!

And my new blog friend, Aubrey!!!  She did the 30x30 challenge with me and she also blogs the bachelorette with me!  It was so fun meeting her!

I also got to meet two new girls, Tayler and Suzzie.  It was so fun chatting with them!

I was worried I would be super nervous, but Axel was screaming when I left (everything I tried wasn't helping so I decided it didn't matter if I stayed or went, so I went) so I had him on my mind more than meeting four strangers.  When I walked into the room where they were sitting it was like, "Hey girls!  What's up?"  Like we had already met.

And as usual, I probably talked way too much.  And too loud.  The teacher in me will never die.

Keeping it Real

So many bloggers have been talking about our real selves vs our online blogging persona.  I don't feel like I hide much, but I don't have a lot of deep dark secrets.  I've posted about my ugly picture face, how I don't know what to do when it comes to Olivia and the pacifier, how I don't wear my wedding ring and how I almost failed a class because I didn't know what a blog was.  I'd say I was keeping it pretty real. 

But this month, it has sucked everything out of me, chewed me up and spit me out.  It could get worse, but my goodness I sure hope it doesn't! 

Things that are bad:

• I started January with a sinus infection
• Olivia got the flu
• We took three weeks to move into our new apartment and we're still not totally settled
• I got the flu
• I had to get non-stress tests done on my baby every week, something I didn't feel was necessary but I'm sure will cost us a pretty penny
• No internet or TV at my house until after the baby comes

Things that are good: (so we can end on a high note!)

• I lost two pounds!  (No I wasn't trying, yes I was still eating, just healthier and not as much thanks to my illness)
• My husband is amazing.  He's done so much work with our moving since I've been so sick and pregnant.
• Olivia loves the new house
• Olivia loves her new crib, which Adam was able to put together with out instructions!  
• I don't have to be alone with Olivia anymore for like a month (not that I don't like being alone with her, its just been hard since we've both been sick)
• Snuggling Olivia in bed while we watch Cinderella for like the millionth time

So its been bad, but can you imagine having the flu and having to give birth in a covered wagon on the trail?  These are the things I think about to help keep me grounded :)

Tomorrow is baby day!  Unless I went into labor naturally before this posts, I'm getting induced first thing tomorrow morning.

My history with blogs

I call it metablogging: Blogging about blogs.

Baby Blogger

It all started maybe seven or eight years ago.  I was required to take an education technology class.  My teacher was a kind man, but he kept talking about these things called "blogs" and "rss feeds" and I didn't understand a word of it.  He wasn't very good at explaining it.  It had nothing to do with the fact that my twinner friend Nicole was in the class and we love chatting.  Nothing at all.

(Nicole taught middle school and I taught high school.  She had most of my students before I did and several of them commented how I reminded them of her.  Best compliment ever!)

Anyway, one of our biggest assignments was to do a short weekly blog post on our class blog.  I didn't get it.  But instead of asking for help and/or trying to figure it out I just didn't do it.  And in turn I almost failed the class.  I almost failed a class because I didn't blog.  I seriously laugh about that now.  But like I said, he was a kind man and let me make up all my blog posts in one day after the semester was practically over.  I owe that man a lot!

Since then I've come along way with blogs.  I've had 6 blogs!

My first has like three posts.  They were all complainy.  I don't know why no one wanted to read it!

My second was the blog I had for three years.  I quit it because I didn't feel like it was going in the direction that I wanted my blog to go. . .

My third was a blog I started with my sister.  We both love to write and it was going to be a place to share our short stories.  I think we each posted once, maybe twice.

My fourth was a food blog, only I didn't understand the need for pictures with my recipes.  I shake my head at myself sometimes.

My fifth blog was my design blog, which I still do every Tuesday and Thursday here.

And this is my sixth blog!  I started it to replace my second blog when I realized I missed sharing stories and other silly things.  I try to post Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Try. 

How many blogs have you had?

And now, I leave you with an anecdote:
Me: I just got another follower on my blog!  Now I have 15!!
My dad: 15?  Aren't blogs supposed to have hundereds of followers?
Thanks for that, dad.  Thanks for that.