Front Porch August 13 2012

If you send two moms to BlogHer, they are going to be inspired, awe-struck, overwhelmed and happily tired. They are also going to have unpack their suitcases, which have done more to build up their upper arm strength than all the work at the gym and the carrying around of children has ever accomplished.

As they unpack their suitcases, they are going to come across the thousands of business cards they collected.

When they go through the cards, they are going to remember the shared conversations, all the great women they met and all the awesome shoes and purses they saw.

As they think of all the shoes they spotted on all the wonderful women they met, they are going to be reminded of their own feet, which are sore, blistered, and swollen from the New York heat and humidity.

When they remember their sore feet and the New York heat, they are going to be reminded of the laughs they shared with women on the elevators, and in line for the lunches where they got to hear Martha Stewart and Katie Couric speak.

As they think of the two powerhouses and all the information the two great speakers shared with the 5000 women in the Hilton Ballroom, memories are going to come flooding back.

Opportunities to meet some of the very women whose work is in this and other issues of Bonbon Break. Bonding with other bloggers who came from other countries, other states and just down city blocks, over great desserts, lines to the ladies room, and frizzy hair due to the humid New York weather.

When these and other memories of the 3 days at the conference start to unwind in their overloaded and very exhausted minds, it is going to occur to them that…

they are two moms who met on a parenting network less than a year ago while building their own websites.This is going to remind them of the hours upon hours of phone conversations, planning sessions and emails that have gone on between them.

As they ponder the sheer amount of time and work that they have shared together, it is going to occur to them that in only four short months they have had the opportunity to read, edit and work through hundreds of posts and have met so many amazing and creative bloggers who, just like themselves, have started on a journey that began with one word on a computer screen and grew into a site that connected them to thousands of other women who have done the same thing.

When they think of the site that they have created and now are continuing to grow and nourish, they are going to remember that although the two women have spent countless hours working together, the weekend they shared in a very hot city, was the first and only time they actually were in the same room together.

As they think of getting to talk in person and help each other pick out the right jewelry to wear and what shoes will go with what outfit, they are going to think of the issues to come and the adventure that they have just begun to take together.

When they do this they are going to look down at their unpacked suitcases and realize that the three days they spent at BlogHer has left them inspired, awestruck, overwhelmed and happily tired.

Val and I had a great time and now are excited about everything we learned and can bring to you in the upcoming issues of Bonbon Break.

But now we are thrilled to bring you our fourth issue of Bonbon Break. Since it’s smack in the middle of August, we decided to really turn up the heat.  From campfire puzzles to hot-topic issues like teens and Facebook, this week’s contributors really make this issue sizzle!

Enjoy!

Kathy Radigan
Co-Editor of Bonbon Break

 

A little something special for this week. As we were combing through the numerous posts from the bloggers we met, we couldn’t pick just one post to share the experiences of BlogHer ’12 with you. So, when all else fails, do a LINKY, right? Share a link to your BlogHer ’12 story so we can all enjoy this conference from your POV.