Sick of hearing about BlogHer 2009? I hope not! Not yet anyway. Just once more from me. Then you can be sick of it.

If you missed my recaps you can go read about my first day at BlogHer and then read about the BlogHer 2009 sessions and events that I attended.

Today, I’m just going to share some more photos with you of me with some lovely ladies.

I did take three videos from the “Have You Found Your MommyBlogging Tribe?” session, the “Women of Color and Marketing” session, and the “Dying is Easy, ROTFLMAO Comedy is Hard: It’s two, two, two comedy panels in one!” session, but unfortunately my video skills are really crappy. I blame it on the fact that I’m short and it was hard to hold up my Flip steady enough and avoid other people’s heads in the shot. So, I won’t be sharing those here, but feel free to visit my Vimeo page to watch them. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though.

Now, on to the photos.

Amy Lupold Bair of Resourceful Mommy

Lindsay Ferrier of Suburban Turmoil

Shellie Ross of Blog 4 Mom

Kristin of Our Ordinary Life – Sheena Williams of Mommy Daddy Blog – Jennae Petersen of Green Your Decor

Jessica Smith of Jessica Knows – Photo Credit: crazedmommy

Jenny Lawson of The Bloggess

Wendy Piersall of Sparkplugging

Mrs. Potato Head

More photos of the trip on Flickr!

***Except for the one noted, all photos by Melanie Edwards (Modern Mami)***

After the madness the night before, my second day at BlogHer began with a newbie breakfast. I’ve been to other conferences that also have breakfasts for newcomers and they give you a brief presentation on the highlights of the conference and even tips for getting the most out of the conference. This one, however, was just a networking opportunity for you to connect with other BlogHer first-timers. I think this is something the BlogHer organizers should consider doing in the future. It might be helpful for newcomers.

Once the opening keynote by the BlogHer founders was over, it was time for the speed-dating session. I have to admit I was a little hesitant to do this, but it really turned out to be a great way to get the blood flowing and amp myself up for the day. Here’s how it goes. The entire room lines up shoulder to shoulder in two lines facing each other. You have about a minute to chat with the person in front of you before one line moves to the left and you start all over with the next person. Shook many hands in just a manner of minutes! Then… it was off to actually attend some sessions.

Friday Sessions I Attended:

• MommyBlogging: Have You Found Your MommyBlogging Tribe?
  • Megan Jordan – Velveteen Mind
  • Kelby Carr – Type-A Mom
  • Renee Ross – Cutie Booty Cakes
  • Briar Sauro – Unwellness
• Business of You: Brands and Bloggers
  • BlogHer co-founder Jory Des Jardins
  • Liz Gumbinner – Cool Mom Picks
  • Sarah Pasquinucci – public relations manager for Procter & Gamble Fabric Care
  • Jaden – Steamy Kitchen
  • Wheatley Marshall
• MommyBlogging: Is MicroBlogging the Path to MommyBlogging Bliss?
  • Erin Kotecki Vest (@QueenofSpain)
  • Lucretia Pruitt (@GeekMommy)
  • Alana Reynolds (@Momku)
  • Susan Kang Nam (@PinkOliveFamily)

In between sessions 1 & 2, was one of the highlights of the day. I signed myself up for the Women of Color Birds of a Feather lunch table. Basically, they have different topics assigned to tables and you just join up and have lunch with a group of ladies interested in the same topic. There was a great group of ladies at this table and some came and went, so I’m sure I’ll forget some that were there. But, I’m gonna give it a shot. Apologies in advance if I forget to mention you or get your name wrong – just drop me a line in the comments to jog my memory.

• Kelly (@mochamomma)
• Fourth Breakfast (Totally didn’t catch her real name.)
• Julie (@asianmommy)
• Justice Fergie (@justicefergie)
• Justice Jonesie (@justicejonesie)
• Bronx Bohemian (@bronxbohemian)
• Megan (@MeganSmith)
• Sandie (@urbanmama)

After the last session, I rushed to the MomSelect Swag Suite for the Disney Moms reunion. I love all my Disney #magicalmoms! Got to reunite with my Florida group (most of them anyway) and met some new ones I didn’t even know were involved with Disney. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay the whole time because I had to get ready for more parties that were happening that night.

Photo credit: crazedmommy

Party Like a Rockstar

First up was the official BlogHer Cocktail party. Did you know that they’ll make drinks out of just about anything? Yup, Sobe Life Water alcoholic drinks to be exact. The vendors give out drinks too.

Photo credit: avitable

Then it was off to the Nikon Night Out event, where we were treated to limo rides, more drinks, and a lovely view of Chicago from the Flatwater restaurant. Oh, and did I mention we met Carson Kressley and got tips on how to take good pictures? Except all he told me to do was pull my hair back from my shoulder.

Photo credit: crazedmommy

Back at the hotel, I made a quick run to the Type-A MOMfluence Party sponsored by HP and then headed to the big MamaPop party, which was GASP! an actual party! There was a DJ, dance floor, and PEOPLE DANCING! Just when I had lost all hope. And what is one of the first things I do? Shake my ass up on Yvonne‘s on the dance floor. Because that’s how I normally introduce myself to people. (I later shook her hand and properly introduced myself.)

The party was great. Lots of dancing and laughing. Apparently, I also managed to escape from the million cameras that were there, as I cannot find a picture. But, I promise…I was there.

Only One More Day

Somehow after all that, I managed to drag myself out of bed in time for Saturday’s breakfast. I skipped out on the keynote that morning to go talk with some vendors in the expo hall and hang out with Angel. Here is where I lovingly told the Quaker folks that the smoothie was in fact “not good!” as the guy had claimed it was. In my defense, I took a few more sips and then decided that it just needed a little more sugar. It wasn’t really all that bad.

There were many vendors and lots of goodies from companies like Playskool, PepsiCo, PBS Parents, Suave, and many many others. It’s hard not to pile up on stuff and then you remember you have to fly back home with all of it.

And then once again it was time for another round of sessions.

Saturday Sessions I Attended:

• Room of Your Own: Women of Color and Marketing
  • Kelly – Mocha Momma
  • Heather B – No Pasa Nada
  • Karen Walrond – Chookooloonks
  • Stefania – CityMama
• Room of Your Own: Sponsored v. Unsponsored – Blogging for $$ Where Do You Stand?
  • Anne-Marie Nichols – This Mama Cooks! Reviews
  • Lucretia Pruitt – GeekMommy
• Room of Your Own: Dying is Easy, ROTFLMAO Comedy is Hard: It’s two, two, two comedy panels in one!
  • Anna – Life Just Keeps Getting Weirder
  • Deb – Deb on the Rocks
  • Jenny – The Bloggess
  • Jessica – Bernthis
  • Kelcey – The Mama Bird Diaries
  • Wendi – Wendi Aarons

Once again, for lunch I signed up for one of the Birds of a Feather tables. But, apparently Work Ouside the Home moms (WOTH) aren’t as fun as the Women of Color ladies. There was nothing wrong with the group. We just didn’t have as lively a conversation is all.

Bowling and Cheeseburgers

Man. BlogHers sure do love to party! Which is just fine by me. Saturday night was full of another BlogHer Cocktail party, BowlHer, and the CheeseburgHer party. It was that night that I chatted with Miss Lori from PBS Kids after a mistaken identity crisis the night before. She had chatted with Carol of NYCity Mama at the Blogalicious party and was told she had talked with me. So, I’m definitely glad we actually got to meet after all that.

BowlHer was lots of fun. Bowling, music, lots of people, and great food. After that it was off to the infamous CheeseburgHer party for some…wait for it…cheeseburgers. There’s a picture of me with a bag on my head out there somewhere, and as soon as MommyMusings sends it to me, I’ll be sure to add here. And to finish the night off? We all got kicked out of the Presidential Suite by hotel security.

Saying Goodbye

After an extremely busy three days, I was definitely ready to come home and see my bebes. Both the tall guy and the short missus.

Even though it had a shaky start, BlogHer was very much full of excitement and fun. I love that I got to meet so many bloggers and that I took a step outside my comfort zone to meet others. I definitely wanted to make the most of it after working so hard to get there. I learned, networked, and had some great conversations. It was well worth it.

And, finally, a big thank you to Little Pim who provided me with some of their DVD demos to share with my fellow bloggers and moms interested in a Bilingual education for their children. If you got one of the DVDs from me while at BlogHer, be sure to let them know! And if you write about Little Pim on your blog, please do share the link. They’re looking for feedback.

I left the house late. Then the truck tires needed air. I had forgotten my checkbook. My very first BlogHer conference trip could have had a smoother start.

Thankfully the chocolate milk gods fixed it all after gulping down a nice bottle of NesQuik chocolate milk. (And no I didn’t get anything for saying that! I just love NesQuik. And how STUPID is it that I just had to interrupt my thought to disclaim that.) Frak. Where was I? Oh…milk. Right. Anyway, after my chocolate milk woke me up and calmed me down, I made it to the airport in time and flew to Chicago with my Orlando chicas Angie and Shari.

The Windy City

When we arrived in Chicago, we met up with Lotus of Sarcastic Mom and then ended up having to wait 45 minutes for the car Angie had reserved to pick us up. You’d think with a reservation, you wouldn’t have to wait. Right? So we ditched the reservation and picked up a cab instead.

Step off the cab and get immediately hugged by VDog (who I’ve never met before). Apparently, that is how folks roll at BlogHer. Run inside. Check in. Run upstairs. Drop luggage. Run back downstairs to meet with Jessica Braun of Edelman for a Quaker volunteer opportunity. Crap! Is this how the rest of the weekend will be?

Gotta Love Mango

Sarah, Devra, Vanessa, Anne-Marie, and I headed out to the Washburne Culinary Institute to volunteer with Common Threads, a non-profit organization which has partnered with Quaker. The Common Threads summer camp teaches 8-11 year old mini chefs about world cuisine and kitchen skills. We all helped the kids cook some Caribbean cuisine. Which means we used a lot of mango. The kids were awesome. They all payed attention when the chefs introduced the dishes they’d be preparing and they had great kitchen skills. What I loved the most is that the kids are getting introduced to different cultures from around the world through food. Because really, what better way to learn about a culture and its history than learning about their food? The second most awesome thing I loved? The kids were in the kitchen from the very beginning to the end: prep work, cutting, cooking, and cleaning up.  I can only hope they go home and help out the same way after camp. Top Chef Chicago winner Stephanie Izard also stopped by and hung out with the kids for a while. She was super sweet and gave the kids tips as they worked on their food.

Cows Must be Scarce in Chicago

After the Quaker event, it was back to the hotel and preparing for the onslaught of parties that were kicking off the conference. Because I hadn’t really eaten all day and was already feeling tired, I decided not to go to the SocialLuxe Lounge party and instead hung out at the hotel for a bit before dinner. I heard SocialLuxe had some great swag though.

Dinner was a $10 burger and $4 soda. Man! Chicago is expensive! Then off to the People’s Party hosted by The Bloggess, Velveteen Mind, Mrs. Fussypants, Izzy Mom, Motherbumper, and Playgroupie.

The Parties

Though the party started at 8:30, folks were lined up at the door well before that. It’s just like when you line up in front of the club waiting to get inside cause [insert artist-who-plays-at-club’s name here] is playing that night. Only 10 times worse because it’s like a thousand women (and one man) trying to get their hands on a swag bag. It’s a claustrophobic’s nightmare. Or a man’s. But not this man.

And then…when the club doors open – I mean the ballroom doors…it’s a mad dash inside. Grab your bag. Grab your free drink ticket. Spend the rest of the time saying, “Excuse me. Sorry. Did my bag just hit you?” Once you get past all that though, you mingle. And you talk to the sponsors. But you don’t dance. It’s not that type of party. Which boggles my mind because music was playing. And where I come from, you dance when music’s playing. I’m just saying.

Not two hours later though, it’s off to the next party. They really need to rethink calling these things parties. Again, I’m  just used to a different meaning of the word I guess. Anywho, it was time for the Room 704 party hosted by the Room 704 ladies.

And once again it was a mass amount of women all crowded together like a mosh pit waiting to get their swag bag and little bunnies. Except that this time we weren’t waiting to get inside a particular room, but rather were all crowded around in an open area of the hotel’s lobby floor. Once we got our bags, everyone pretty much went their own way. People were tired from having traveled that day, attending various parties/events, and all the commotion from the “parties.” Some mingling occurred, but you could see everyone was overwhelmed. I was overwhelmed. And left feeling “empty,” if I can use that word.

Was that it? Is this how the conference will be? It’s certainly not what I expected. This so far has not been fun.

Crashing

I went back to my room exhausted, confused, and disappointed. This was not what I had envisioned the conference would be like. Perhaps that was the problem. I had all these ideas of how things would be and had set myself up for disappointment when they didn’t turn out that way. A friend also reminded me that the conference itself had not actually begun yet and so we needed to keep that in perspective.

So, tomorrow would be another day. It would be the actual first day of the conference and I resolved to have a better time. I had to meet more people and have a good time. My way.

***Pictures to come later. Come back Wednesday for day two of my BlogHer 2009 trip.***

OH MY GOD! It’s finally here!

Blogher 2009 starts tomorrow. And though I leave in the morning, I still haven’t packed or prepared myself. I’ll be the one freaking out on twitter tonight as the excitement and nervousness hits me all at once. In the meantime, I sit down and write this post for you. See how much I love you all?

I’ve seen a few posts here and there from people introducing themselves in time for the conference. It seems like a good idea so that fellow BlogHer attendees can get to know you. Here’s my attempt.

Quick Facts

• I’m 29 years old. It hasn’t hit me yet that I’ll actually be turning 30 next year and will no longer be in my 20s. As far as BlogHer participants go, I think I’m on the younger side of the spectrum.
• I live in Orlando, Florida and no, I don’t go to Disney every day. But, I might start going more often now that I’m a part of the Disney Florida Magical Moms group.
• I’m originally from Puerto Rico. This is an important part of who I am.
• I’ve been married 6 years and have a 3 year old daughter.
• I love to dance. Love. In a future life, I would like to be a professional dancer. Until then, I’m happy to dance in my living room, car, and the upcoming BlogHer parties.
• I’m short. I know this. You don’t have to point it out when you meet me.
• I don’t like socks, coffee, or okra. The coffee bit shocks people the most.
• I’m shy most of the time. I may not come up to you and introduce myself, but if you start up a conversation with me, I’d be happy to talk.
• I’m attending BlogHer for the first time. Be easy on me.

Be sure to look for me at BlogHer. I’m looking forward to meeting as many people as I can. Find a picture on my about page.

Leave a comment so I can get to know you too!

Wow! The next month is going to be so super busy, yet super fun too! Actually, the next couple of months…but when is it NOT busy?

I’m gearing up for BlogHer 09 and getting ready to meet many wonderful bloggers. It’s my first time at BlogHer and I’m looking forward to it, even if a bit nervous. So many people, so much to do, and so much to learn, that it might get a bit overwhelming. And have you seen how many parties there are to attend? Just look on the right bar for a few of them; I know that’s not even all of them either.

I still have a lot to do to prepare for it too. Like buy a plane ticket. That’s important. But, I do have the conference ticket and found a roommate with a little help from Shari. I’ll be sharing a room with Tina of sendchocolatenow.com, who has attended BlogHer before.

But, I did get myself one of these pretty little things:

Dell Inspiron Mini

Annnd, it’s purple! It’s adorable and functional. Now it’ll be easier to travel with a laptop and I can take notes during BlogHer sessions. Or be on twitter. One of those.

Speaking of conferences, have you heard of the Type-A Mom Conference? It’ll be in Asheville, North Carolina this September. I am honored to have been invited to speak at this conference. I mean, have you seen the speaker line up? There’s some awesome women (and man!) speaking. And there I am too!

I’m looking forward to both conferences and meeting many of you that will be attending.

Drop a line in the comments and let me know if you’re attending either one of these. It would be nice to keep track of everyone in one place and hopefully meet up!

Photo from ubergizmo.com

I began blogging back in 2006 after I read one of those “here’s how you can make money working from home” e-books. This particular e-book introduced me to the blogger software and gave you some really basic steps for getting started.

I then began to search other blogs, first through blogger, then opened it more generally to non-blogspot blogs. As I read more and more blogs, I started to learn more about blogging and the direction I should take. I soon moved my blog from blogger to its own domain and eventually settled into my Modern Mami™ identity and home.

Yet, through all this, I had trouble connecting with other bloggers and other moms. It seemed like everyone had been blogging for so long and already knew each other. It was almost like being the new student in high school and trying to find your way into one of the “cliques”.

I soon found my way in with a few bloggers and have “met” some great people. That is, I’ve interacted and “talked” with them online, but have yet to actually meet them in real-life.

I have met a few bloggers, mostly local moms through tweetups and sponsored-events, but there are still many more I’d like to meet. And, I’d love the chance to continue to connect with those I’ve already met.

This is why I want to go to BlogHer this year. It will be my first time attending and I’m super excited about getting together with so many bloggers. (I’ve heard a few men brave the storm and attend as well.)

I went to BlogOrlando last September and it was really awesome to hear so many great speakers on so many different topics. I learned a lot, networked, and met some really nice people.

I know that BlogHer will be even greater, since so many more people attend AND from what I’ve seen/heard, many are moms. So, I know we’ll have lots in common.

So, please, can this latina hard-working mami, get a chance at BlogHer 09? How about it Extraordinary Mothers?