I had 2 goals for the week.

1. Write 4,000 words
2. Score tickets to the Kris Allen studio performance put on by 92.9 The Mountain

I’m nearing my first goal.  Hopefully by week’s end I’ll have it in the bag.

My second goal though?  Check.

I was the lucky 11th caller on the radio this morning and I won myself a space on the guest list.  Nevermind that Jeff was the 1st and 7th caller.  And I may or may not have been number 4, too.

You might remember how I saw Taylor Hicks in Studio C last year.  This was the same thing.  Only better.  Because, um, well, Kris Allen.

My thoughts were consumed by the Twilight books when his season of  American Idol was airing.  And every time he came on screen all I could think was that Edward (Rob Pattinson) had been miscast in the movies.  Because, um, well, Kris Allen.  Kris Allen.

He’s got the Edward vibe going on if you ask me.  And if you’ve not read the books then you wouldn’t know what I’m talking about.  But if you have, can’t you see it?  It’s there.  I swear it is.  I mean, clearly, the producers really missed the boat by not beating down my door and paying my Mister millions of dollars to play the part.  Not that I’d have let them have him.  Wouldn’t want all those crazed teeny boppers fawning over him and all that.  But Kris Allen?  He totally should have been Edward.  He’s plenty accustomed to the fawning already.

Speaking of fawning.  Kris Allen was gracious enough to take pictures with each and every one of the guests at Studio C this afternoon.  Jeff and I included.  I’m fairly certain I had some star struck, goofy look on my face so don’t count on me posting it.  But know it exists.

Anyway, I’m busy getting dolled up for a midweek date night.  As part of my prize I won two tickets to tonight’s concert as well.  And since Jeff is as big a fan as I (minus the Edward part) he’s pretty excited too.  It’s not every year night we get to go on a concert date.

Especially to, um, Kris Allen. {insert dreamy sigh here}.

*Yes I am aware that Kris Allen was born in 1985.  Shh.  Just let me enjoy the moment, m’kay? ;)

Remember this?  The possibility of us packing up and moving on?  It’s been resolved.

Long story short: the resolution is that we’re staying put, which is both a good and bad thing.

Good because we’re comfortable here.

Good because we don’t have to mess with selling the house and hiring a mover and house-hunting all over again.

Good because we’re West coast, laid-back lifestyle kinda peeps, and we come from western states.  While our family isn’t here here, they’re within a day’s drive.  And more than anything else I would have missed spending every Thanksgiving and Christmas with my Grams and Gramps.

Good because we have our favorites here: favorite restaurants, favorite movie theater.  Favorite place to sit and sip a glass of wine while we watch the monsoon roll in from the mountains.

Good because we know the schools.  We know our neighbors.  We know not to expect the mail to be delivered before 2 pm.  Ever.

Good because we built this home and made it just so.  Oh and the desert sunsets.  Here in Arizona we’ve got the market cornered on sunsets.

The resolution, though, isn’t all good.  Good and bad, remember?

Bad because I was craving a new adventure.

Bad because we ohsoverybadly wanted to be close to the ocean again.

Bad because had the move worked out we’d have freed up vacation time and money to go somewhere other than Orlando.

Did I mention the potential move was to Orlando?

I don’t have to tell you how I feel about Orlando.  Well, not Orlando exactly.  It’s what’s in Orlando.

But alas.  There is no Orlando.

Here we are.  Here we stay.

{For now}.

The last time she came she brought a Disney Cars themed version of Dominos and taught Jayce to play.  And then she proceeded to play with him as often as he asked.

She reads to them.  Watches them race up and down the back patio on their scooters.  Will listen as they describe each and every pin in their Disney collection.

She’s bathed them–bending over the bathtub to scrub behind their ears.

She wipes the table after lunch and folds the kitchen towels I leave wadded on the counter.

She brings goodies–a portable cooler full of ‘em.

She mails clippings from the kids activity section of her church bulletin.

And forwards me the anti-Obama emails she gets from friends in her church circle {she knows I’ll usually appreciate them just as much as she does}.

She’s a gem.  A gift to me.  To all of us.

And she’s coming for the weekend–one last time before her and Gramps head back to Boise for the summer.

She called today to work out the details.  Just when I thought this Monday was as mundane as any.

A warm ray of sun.  A penny, lucky side up.  A little bird outside my window.

Suddenly, the week is looking up.

Without a doubt, the best part of Blissdom–for me, anyway–was the socializing. And not just during the cocktail parties; there were plenty of opportunities to get real with fellow attendees.  Among them?  One of the highlights of my Blissdom experience was having dinner with a small group of great girls (hopefully my ordering from the kids menu–so as to avoid the sushi–didn’t bug them too badly).

Over the course of the weekend, I had the pleasure of hanging out–once again–with the two bloggers who inspired and mentored me as I brought Such The Spot to life.  As if that weren’t enough, though, I also got to meet new friends—some with blogs I’ve stalked read for quite some time, and others whose blogs are like new-found treasures for my Google Reader.  Come with me; I’ll introduce you.

Steph

Stephanie is one of my two blog heroes.  She’s a superstar in the blogging world, and for good reason: she has the sweetest, most genuine of hearts.  I met her for the first time in April of 2008 at a Disney World blogging event and I instantly discovered that she is every bit as shiny and happy in real life as her posts would suggest.  Her blog is chock full of beautiful photography, heartfelt sentiments, and prose that practically pirouettes off the page.  She blogs at Adventures in Babywearing and she’s @babysteph on Twitter.  I {big, puffy heart} love her and I know you will too, if you don’t already.

Jo-Lynne

Jo-Lynne is the other superstar blogger who inspired me.  I met her, too, for the first time at a Disney blogging event and we clicked instantly.  In spite of the popularity of her site, she is one of the most down-to-earth bloggers I know.  She’s the kind of friend who meets you with an excited SQUEE! Because she’s sincerely happy to see you.  Her advice on all things fashion and food have influenced me to improve both my wardrobe and waistline.  She blogs at Musings of A Housewife and she’s @dcrmom on Twitter.  LOVE HER!

Michelle

Michelle is a blogger I’ve admired from afar as starstruck fans often do.  Not anymore though, because after having met her in person this weekend, I realized that she is about as genuinely unassuming as can be; blogging superstardom clearly hasn’t gone to her head.  While both quiet and confident, Michelle was ever-present in her conversations with me, rather than distracted by the opportunity to network with the “big bloggers” who may have been close by.  She is just as eloquent and intriguing in living color as she comes off on the pages of her blog.  See for yourself at Scribbit or @scribbit on Twitter.

Sarah

Sarah is Stepanie’s best friend, but this was the first time I’d had the pleasure to meet her.  I can see why Stephanie loves her so  – she’s awesome, not to mention talented.  Sarah designed all the logos and signs and media for Blissdom.  You might say she’s a web designer extroidinaire.  Not that you’d know it by her demeanor.  She is quiet – very much so.  And thoughtful.  And encouraging.  And gracious.  And so very friendly.  I felt comfortable with Sarah instantly and I am so grateful to have had the chance to meet her.  She’s most active on Twitter @sarahviola but she has a blog too.

Ashleigh

Ashleigh impressed me with her friendly smile and engaging conversation when I bumped into her in between sessions at Blissdom.  Where I have a bad habit of being heinously shy and introverted, Ashleigh was outgoing without being obnoxious.  In striking up a conversation I was flattered that she seemed to want to get to know me for me, rather than from a self-promotion standpoint.  She has the friendliest of smiles, flawless skin, and really great shoes.  I’ve not read Ashleigh’s blog before, but after taking a brief look this weekend, her wholesome topics and sweet voice entice me to dive into her posts and keep going back for more.  I wish I could have spent more time getting to know her over the weekend!  She blogs at Heart and Home and she’s @heartandhome on Twitter.

Jodi

Jodi is a mom like me, literally; she’s on the Disney Moms Panel.  Though I’ve hung out with Jodi several times during various Disney-centered events, this was the first time we had the chance to spend a significant amount of time getting to know each other.  And—as I suspected I might—I really liked what I found.  Jodi is hilarious.  She’s also a great friend, always helping to promote the posts and plights of her friends rather than pushing her own interests.  Oh yeah, and she’s ambitious.  Jodi is training to run a half-marathon next month.  Something tells me she’ll do just fine.  Jodi blogs at Multitasking Mommy and is @jodigrundig on Twitter.

Nicole

Nicole was my Blissdom roomie, and just so happens to be neighbor, sort of; we’re both from Tucson.  I knew Nicole prior to Blissdom, but we hadn’t spent a ton of time together.  Now I’m wondering why.  The more I learned about Nicole, the more I discovered that we are like two peas in a pod.  Every time she told me another little nugget of information about herself I found myself saying, “hey, me too!”.  Whether we were discussing our personality quirks, political views, or homebody habits I found that the two of us have a lot more in common than just where we live.  It was awesome rooming with Nicole and getting to know her a bit better.  And lucky me – our proximity makes hanging out more often a likely possibility!  Nicole blogs at Pixel Boutique and she’s @myaprongstrings on Twitter.

This is, by no means, an exhaustive list of Blissdom’s most fabulous bloggers.  Because if it were, it would also include Amanda, Christine, Esther, and so many more.  I did, though, want to give a special shout out to the gals who went out of their way to make a Blissdom newbie {yours truly} feel right at home.  These are genuinely warm and welcoming friends–the real deal.  I hope you’ll take a minute to get to know them, if you don’t already.

How’d all ya’ll get along without me? (Like that verbiage I picked up in Nashville?)

My Blissdom weekend was jam-packed.  Full of great things—no doubt.  But jam-packed nonetheless.  I thought I’d give you a quick run-down of the good, and the not-so-good.

The Good:

• The opening keynote from Kevin Carrol was amazing.  He is an engaging speaker with an inspirational story that tugged at the heartstrings and opened my eyes to a perspective that these “adult eyes” of mine seemed to have been blind to before.  I’m absolutely going to be ordering his book from Amazon: Rules of the Red Rubber Ball: Find and Sustain Your Life’s Work Perhaps you should see if it’s worth your while as well.
• Blissdom offered the unique opportunity to network with other bloggers from every corner of the US—and everywhere in between.  Pokems were bumped, business cards were passed, and twitter lists grew.
• The Gaylord Opryland is a gorgeous small country resort.  Nicole and I did not step foot outside a single time after checking in on Thursday evening until checking out on Sunday morning.  Yet, we saw waterfalls, basked in the natural daylight, and ate to our bellies’ content.  One could live within its biodome.  Literally.
• Harry Connick Jr.  Did I mention that?
• Swag.  There was plenty of it.  And I’ve got pictures to prove it.

The Bad:

• The sessions weren’t all that informative.  I’d hoped to pick up some little gems of blogging knowledge along the way, but as it turned out I ended up mining for more copper than diamonds.  Not that copper is bad—of course—but I already had a piggybank full of pennies at home.
• It was tough to squeeze into some of the conference rooms, what with the egos taking up so much space.  Just sayin’.

Clearly, the good outweighed the not-so-good.  But if I’m being honest then I have to admit that there was a bit of each.

Oh.  And I have pictures, on the off chance you’re interested.

Photo credit: Pixel Boutique.

I’m packed.

Checked in online.

I’ve got bloggish business cards.

And my camera battery is charged.

My pokem is all set up.  {I think.}

I’ve accessorized.

Made sure to grab my power cords.

And touch bases with my roomie.

I know precisely which sessions I want to attend.

And my outfits are prepped for the cocktail parties.

There are meals in the freezer.  Clean clothes in closets and drawers.

I think I’m ready.

Ready to meet up with my bloggy buddies.

Ready to learn a thing or two about the business side of blogging.

Ready to live it up.

And break it down.

So ready to get my bliss on.

And I will.

At Blissdom.

Where else?

I’ll keep you updated via Twitter and Facebook.

And here on the blog as often as I can.

Make way Music City.

I’m headed back.

You may remember that I lost my wedding ring.

Which was really a lousy thing.

Cuz’ it was treasured bling.

Made my heart sing.

Now, all it does is sting.

When I think of that ring.

Not quite the emotion it was meant to bring.

A problem no doubt:  A finger with no ring.

A left hand all naked, without any bling.

What kind of loser loses her ring?

The losingest kind: a true ding-aling.

And to replace it?  Oh my.  ChaCha – ching.

I searched high and low, but no success did it bring.

I was still a sad girl with a lost, lonely ring.

But then one day, my husband did bring

an itty bitty pouch, all wrapped in string.

When I looked inside, my heart grew wings.

It was the shiniest, sparkliest, most beautiful thing.

Oh and bling.  Did I mention the bling?

Needless to say, I’m no longer a girl without any ring.

And to this ring, my friends, I’m sure to cling.

Here ends my tale.  Badda boom badda bling.

Just under two years ago we loaded up our motley crew and headed east for spring break (because we like to go against the grain like that).  We spent just over a week touring our nation’s capital and a few select touristy spots in New York City.  Since Jeff went to college in New York, seeing Times Square wasn’t that big a deal to him.  He’d been there, done that.  The rest of us though?  We were in awe.

We stayed smack dab in the middle of Times Square–which was no cheap expenditure, let me assure you.  It was, however, easier than trying to maneuver and find transportation to and fro with our four kids in tow.  Oh.  And we didn’t travel light.

This is a picture of us and our assorted belongings–standing just outside our hotel–waiting for Jeff to pull up with the car.  Inconspicuous tourists, right?

You may notice the advertisements for Legally Blonde (as in the Broadway version) just behind the kids.  They noticed.  Oh yes.  They noticed.  During the trip I took the older two girls to see Wicked and they were instantly hooked.  So when we came and went from our hotel throughout the remainder of the trip, those signs for Legally Blonde left them begging.  Pleading.  Salivating to go see just one more show before we left.

Considering that the Big Apple pretty much left us scraping our pockets for scraps, it wasn’t happening.

You can imagine, then, how THRILLED I was when I heard that the Broadway version of the show was coming to Tucson.  Because nothing says quality mother/daughter time quite like a plethora of pink and a lap dog named Bruiser.

Torri, Kennedy and I saw the show last night.  Them, all decked out in their pink shirts and pink earrings and pink bangles.  Me, dressed in brown from head to toe.  And don’t think they didn’t give me flack for it.  But I just don’t own pink.  Unlike Elle Woods, its not my signature color.

Apparently I’m not the only one because very few audience members donned pink.  Not that the pinklessness cut down on the fun; there was plenty of that!

If you like the movies, you’ll love the show.  And I like the movies, so yes, I loved the show.  Of all the shows I’ve seen, this one had more music and less speaking than any other.  The songs were catchy, if not downright addicting.  Which would normally be a good thing, right?  My problem was that one of the songs repeated the phrase, “Oh my God” countless times and I’m not really big on throwing that phrase around so I really could have done without having the lyrics stuck in my head.  But other than that the songs were great.

There were some mature themes (including mild language), so I’d caution against taking the youngest of kids, but the show is great for mature tweens/teens.  In fact, some of the humor (sexual innuendo wise) was lost on my fifteen-year-old.  For that I was thankful.  She did, though, have her fair share of laughs as did twelve-year-old Kennedy.

If you have the opportunity and the desire, this is one show I highly recommend.  It’s hilarious.  Great for a mother/daughter event or for a girlfriend’s night out.  Leave the guys at home; there was a man literally snoring in front of us.  No snores from our row though – we were, like, totally into it.

*This post is sponsored by Broadway in Tucson.  They were kind enough to offer me tickets to the show.  Their generosity, however, did not influence my opinions! *

OK, so I am sure that you all know that Darcie has been spending her past couple of days at Disney World (yes, again…). That leaves her blog open and available for me to hijack.  And hijack it I will. I am going to hijack it because, well, because sharing is caring.  And something like this must be seen to be believed.

I was driving home with all the kids, minding my own business and talking to the girls about something wholesome…when all of a sudden, I noticed a large RV on the side of the highway.  My mouth flew open and I immediately knew I had to turn around.  Not just did I turn around, but I ordered the girls to pull out their phones for a quick picture.  The first pass was unsuccessful, as the image didn’t come out clearly on a camera phone.  Fortunately…there was a camera in the car.  This obviously required another pass and the picture was captured.  Score!

Unfortunately, in the midst of all of this, I neglected to consider the follow-on question that was sure to arise.  Take a look at the picture, and then I think you’ll understand.

See, I take full advantage of being a man as the girls are growing up.  I can defer the birds and bees, the monthly visitor, and other uncomfortable topics to her with a clear conscience.  I know that one day this will come back and haunt me as Jayce grows up and she plays the gender card with me.  But today…I set myself up without Darcie blissfully in Disney World as opposed to sitting by my side ready for me to pass this topic on to.  So the girls, quietly humoring me all this time, turn and ask the question as I am still gloating about nailing the picture of the year – ‘uh…what is sodomy?’  Wow.  Yea, so I give the Webster definition (even using the word Anal as opposed to Butt).  Fortunately, this was obviously not a topic that the girls wanted to discuss any further with me and they let it go.  I have no idea what I would have said if they asked why…

It’s official.

I did it.

NaBloPoMo that is.

I posted every single day, all month long.

So what if not every single post was worthy of a writing award.

So what if a photo may have been passed off as a post once or twice.

Want to make something of it?

I thought not.

:)

It wasn’t easy.

I certainly didn’t always have something to say.

But I kept on keeping on.

And it feels good to have accomplished that which I set out to do.

In fact…

This little goal of mine helped me to decide something.

Something big.

I’ve decided that my book will be published next year.

I’ve decided it in much the same way as I decided that I would post something on my blog every single day for all of November.

And I did that.

The book is next.

You’ll see.