Casual Blogger Conference

This space reserved to blog about the awesome conference (after I've had time to get hazmat here to clean up after the tornado that hit inside my house while I was gone).


For the past several months, I have watched my best friend, Elisa, stressing, eating, sleeping, and breathing this major endeavor she has taken on. I've listened to her ideas, and stood in absolute awe, watching her take on, and excel at this ginourmous task. She is seriously one of the most amazing people I've ever known. And all of her hard work paid off.

Here are Caroline and Elisa, literally buried in swag.

The conference was amazing! Nay, AMAXING!


I learned so much--like how to make lip gloss---all by myself; and how to get google to find my blog on searches (although, I'm afraid that no matter what I do, people searching for me will always find my arch-nemesis--that other SherriE Shepherd--first. Boo.)

I also attended an amazing panel on blogging through depression, and was reinforced that I'm not alone.

I was taught that I really do actually have something to write about, even though I made sure that everyone in DeNae's storytelling class, and Annie's writing classes knows that I'm stupid and I can only think in pictures. (if I can ever figure out how to translate the pictures into words). Maybe by next year's conference they'll invent a way to plug a usb port from my brain to my computer and you can just see my thoughts.

Veronica, DeNae, Crash (Debbie) and Me

Annie, Becca and Me

I met some wonderful ladies, many of whom up until now only lived inside my computer. You are all so beautiful and awesome and funny in person!

(L-R) Veronica, Becca, Annie, Me, Kristina

I was offered a bed at Becca's home, even though we'd only met in real life just the day before. What an awesome lady she is! I was allowed to crash in Veronica's hotel room, (she is one of my favorite people, btw) and stayed up til 4 in the morning, stuffing swag bags and getting to know some of my favorite imaginary friends in real life. It was great to finally meet Caroline, and Tenille, and Tracy, and Julie. And so many more, I can't even list you all. Also got to hang out with some of the Sassy's (I feel so special, like I sat at the popular girl's table),

l-r, (I'm sorry, I can't remember your name!) Vanessa, Becca, Annie, Veronica, Me, Kristina, Quinn, Emily

and Shelle, who was "just the photographer" but who is absolutely amazing. (All pictures in this post are courtesy of her awesomeness, except the ones I took, and the ones I stole from some of your blogs. Thanks, btw)

Rachel, me, and V

I love these girls!

Me and V, I absolutely adore this girl!

I watched an awesome concert by Mindy Gledhill, and Cameron Rafati. They are both incredible musicians, and I am a believer!

I'd say my only regret was not playing at the conference. I had several people ask me if I was playing, and showed their disappointment when they found out I wasn't. Thanks, you guys, for showing me your support. I see it as a hugely missed opportunity.

But for those of you who got my CD in your swag bag, please, please, listen to it, and blog about how much you loved it. Tell your friends! And don't forget to use your coupon from your swag bag to download Solitude for only $7!

It was an awesome weekend, and I had a great time. Thanks everyone!

Running, Stilettos, and Filet Mignon

First off, no, I didn't run in stilettos. But it'd be pretty cool if I could!

No, no, but I did run the Thanksgiving Point Half Marathon this past Saturday. After overcoming a brutal bout with strep throat earlier in the week, this was no small feat, let me tell you.

In fact, I was so darn miserable, my whole life had to be put on hold. But, I'll be darned if I was going to skip out on my training runs, so I dragged my sick butt out of bed on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and ran anyway, sore throat, rain and all. Thank goodness my running partner and SIL was patient with me when I needed to walk and cry every 30 seconds.

I was stubborn. I thought I could kill the bug all by myself, until I was rebuked by a dozen people on my facebook wall, where I learned that not getting treated for strep could give me kidney disease and make me die. So, I decided, begrudgingly, to skip my Wednesday workout for a doctor's appointment instead. All Hail to my doctor! Him, and my wonderful friend and neighbor who peddles drugs essential oils and brought my over some Melaluca and Lemon oil for me to gargle. Oh. Wow! That stuff is awesome. I'm a believer!

And by Thursday afternoon, I was feeling so fantastic, I was ready to run around the moon!
I came down from that high before Saturday, but I was still feeling pretty good by race time.

Nothing like waking up at 4:30 in the morning, and joining 1500 other crazies to run around the block 1700 times!


Actually, I was truly impressed with TP's (not Toiler Paper--ironically--you'll know why in a minute) race planning skills. The course was awesome. If anyone knows me as a runner, you know that I love hills. Especially those of the rolling sort. I love the ups and downs. Long, flat and boring, I could do without. But this course had a lot of rolling hills, plenty of aid stations complete with water, Powerade, GU, and yummy oranges right when you needed them. And the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. My only complaint was that there just weren't enough bathrooms. (hence the TP jokes--ha. ha.)

Speaking of bathrooms, I will NEVER, EVER stop at mile 11 for a pit stop ever again. No matter how bad I need to go. Next time I'll just wet myself. Here's why. I am an immensely competitive person, by nature. I can't help it. And I'm perfectly ok with other, faster people I've never met beating me. But, this was Jessica's first race. I was, for lack of a better term, her trainer. And she beat me. By almost a full minute, she beat me. All because I couldn't control my darn bladder. Actually, I have to give her more credit than that. She has some seriously amazing natural ability. She has this uncanny knack for speeding up at the end of the race, like you're supposed to, instead of using my method, which is to run as fast as you can at the beginning, and make up for the fact that you'll be pooped and want to walk two miles from the finish line. Maybe she's got something there. I think I'll use her strategy next time!

Here we are at the finish.

Wait, you're not supposed to know how we really felt. Where's the posed pictures?

Yes, that's much better. See how happy we are to be done?

Way to go Jess! I'm so stinkin' proud of you!!

After the race, I raced over to my sister's house in Lehi to shower and primp, throw on some skinny jeans and some seriously impractical shoes, and headed out to UVU for the something or other Women's EXPO! I have fun hanging with my girls, networking, talking to uber-famous bloggers who looked like Marie Osmond and who bought my CD!! Have you seen the DIY Dish site? These girls are amazing! And even more awesome in person. It was great meeting them. And if you see this (ha, yeah right) thanks for humoring little old me and buying my CD! Not to mention, I got to hang out with some of my favorite women from MMB, CBC, and Sassy Scoops. (Totally name dropping here, but I feel so cool I can't help myself)

After hanging out, walking around in these suckers for 4 hours, my feet, ankles, shins, calves and quads were KILLING ME!

Well, I never professed to be a shoe model.

After the Expo, I enjoyed a wonderful steak dinner and a cherry Coke with my girls at Outback. !Que Delicioso!

Perfect ending to a long, but great day!

The Night I Ate Gelato

I went to that one shindig with those one people, and those other people.

I'll be honest, I was a little nervous, and star struck and all of that. Part of me didn't want to go, because I totally felt like the little girl at the big kid's table, but then we got there, and Oh boy, did I have a Blast!

I met some new people, some of which, I didn't get your blog addresses, so sorry, if I don't link you up....if you happen to see this, leave a comment, so I can find you!

I had way too much fun talking, networking, mingling, eating, and staying out waaay too late.

Kristina, Motherboard--holding the honorary DeNae, Amber, Annie and Me.

I love these girls with all of my heart.

Veronica, Me, Amber, Annie, Motherboard, Kristina, Shelle

Stephanie, Me, Vanessa, Elisa
Me, Shelle--I finally got to meet her after all these years. Love this girl! Me, Amber, Veronica.
Thanks girls for an awesome night.

I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough...and Doggone It, People Like Me!!

Do you ever feel so lonely, that you just sit down and wallow in self pity? Have you ever been so absorbed in your own selfish problems, that you don't even notice the people around you waiting and willing to help you?

I have.

And I have been humbled these past few weeks.

Not only has my amazing and wonderful husband been right there by my side, helping and supporting me (sometimes literally physically supporting me when I was too tired and depressed to even stand up by myself), and my incredibly supportive parents and in-laws, who have come over to help me clean my house, watch my kids, and offered tons of love and support, but I have friends. Amazing-wonderful-don't-know-what-I'd-do-without-you friends.

I have one friend in particular, who's entire existence makes me want to get out of bed in the morning. I'm convinced that we were guided to move to this neighborhood simply so I could meet this person. I love her with my whole soul. She has listened to me cry on the phone, talked me down from the ledge, held my hand, sat up and talked to me in the middle of the night, watched my kids, cleaned my house, made me dinner. She is truly the best friend I've ever had.

So, MB, I just want to say thank you, and I love you more than words can say!

Additionally, I have come to realize that I have a lot of friends. People have come out of the woodwork. There are people in my neighborhood, people whom I didn't even think knew my name, who have called, or come by with words of comfort. I have had so many people say how much they love me and pray for me to pull through this.

If it was weak before, I have gained a stronger testimony of the power of prayer. Dozens of people praying on my behalf, has blessed me, buoyed me up, and gave me the strength to get through this.

And in the end, after learning yesterday, that I don't have cancer, and that my disease is manageable, that I don't have to get my throat slit by a surgeon, I know, that even if it were the worst news imaginable, I could live through it because I have people who love me.

Amen.