Want to know which city has the BEST bloggers?
I can tell you.
It’s a smallish (well, not really small…there are a million people that live here, last I heard..) city in southern Arizona.
Yep, Tucson.
But I didn’t have to tell you that, right?
I spent National Mom’s Nite Out with two incredible ladies.
In case you don’t know them, let me introduce you:
Darcie of Such the Spot (pictured left). Every time I meet with her, I think, “hey, we could be great friends.” She’s intelligent and opinionated and funny and gorgeous. And then, I think, “wait a minute, I guess we are friends. Blog friends. And real life friends too, consequently.” We need to hang out more.
Nicole of Apron Strings Aflutter (pictured right). She’s a mom. She’s a graphic/blog designer. She’s a runner. She’s a scrapbooker. She’s SuperMom. Seriously. She does so much and yet she has this super easygoing and warm way. I am so very happy that we’re friends.
There was food. There was fun. There was LOTS of conversation. About blogging and twittering and facebooking and marketing and money-making…and about how much we enjoy connecting with other moms via the blogosphere.
Here’s a glimpse into our evening.
Nicole had everything decorated beautifully:
And I ate one too many coconut cupcakes (yes, I actually ate two of those massive cupcakes…excuse me while I go do 75 sit-ups now…I really did go do 75 sit-ups…okay, I’m back).
Meanwhile, my sweet little almost-2-month-old slept soundly through the evening buzz (my 2-year-old was at home with her daddy). Does that photo just melt your heart or what? No wonder I’m not as productive as I could be these days…I just want to stare at her and soak in every small detail from the top of her head to her tiny toes.
Overall, it was a fantastic evening. I can’t wait to do it again…hopefully BEFORE 2010 rolls around.
Thanks for hosting, Nicole!
P.S. Are there any other AZ bloggers in the house? Be sure to leave a comment and your blog link below. We really need to plan more blogger “meet-ups” in the future…
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My Favorite Commenters…And Why You Should Comment Too {HINT: free ice cream}
I currently subscribe to over 70 blogs (31 of which are my “Favorites“) and I stop in at quite a few others as well…and I am consistently amazed at the talented writers that exist throughout the blogosphere. As I read, I laugh. I cry. I sigh. I smile. AND THEN I COMMENT. Or at least I try to.
Comments make the blogosphere go round. They are the way you join the community – the way you catch up with old friends and make new friends, the way to totally make a blogger’s day.
It may seem like a small thing. A little drop in the bucket. To leave your little “hello” or “I think your daughter is so cute in those cowboy boots” or “I agree that dark chocolate is superior to milk chocolate” or “My 2-year-old is grumpy in the mornings too.”
Today, I’m happy to “surprise” 4 of my readers with a small token of my gratitude. So many of you leave incredible comments and I’ll be highlighting more of you in the future. But for now, I’ll stick to 4 (because money doesn’t grow on trees around here…otherwise, I’d be outside with a basket on my hip, “harvesting” the crops…).
These four women are loyal commenters that I can always count on to leave insightful, funny, frequent comments:
Miss Erica {blogless…but not for long if I have anything to do with it} – She’s funny. She’s pretty. She has two little girls. She lives in my neighborhood. And she REALLY needs to start a blog.
Nell {Casual Friday Everyday} – Oh, Nell. Sweet, Thoughtful, Fun-To-Be-Around Nell. If you don’t know her, you should. One day we’ll meet in real life and go to dinner and laugh our heads off together. I just know it.
Blessed {A Blessed Crazy Life} – She’s a positive lady with diverse interests (hunting, scrapbooking, cooking, hiking, etc.), a 2-year-old little girl, and a baby on the way. And I am *blessed* to know her.
Sarah T. {She has a personal blog, but I won’t link to it here because I’m not sure she’s looking to promote it} - She’s the warmest person with a heart of gold and three adorable little boys. She lives in the mountains and she is a home birthing, breastfeeding, babywearing mama.
These 4 women will each receive their choice of a $5 gift card to either Dairy Queen or Baskin Robbins. I wish I could give them a vacation getaway to Honolulu or a $5,000 clothing shopping spree, but – for now – ice cream will have to do. Ladies, leave a comment with your “pick” between the two ice cream shops and I’ll get in touch with you!
I’ll continue to surprise other active commenters in the coming months with prizes – both large and small. So please do comment. Say something important or sentimental or creative or ordinary. Or just say something. Please?
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P.S. Are you unsure about what to say when you comment? Are you afraid you’ll sound silly or bland? Read my guest column over @ Musings of a Housewife: How to Write Blog Comments That Will Get You Noticed.
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