#AWBU deserves hashtag overkill

Remember my post about the conference? Well, I spent the weekend in Mountain View with my mom and many other amazing women bloggers from our beautiful state. I had no idea there could be so much beauty and talent in one place. I was honored to be part of it.

The main reason I wanted to attend the conference was to learn. Though this humble blog of mine is less than a year old, I have been blogging for a few years, but only as an outlet for my thoughts and aspirations and creativity. I thought it was finally time to know more about the business of blogging -- the knitty gritty. Who doesn't want more options? And in no way was I disappointed by the conference, except for the fact that I don't own a laptop and couldn't whip it out to write and edit at my every whim.

Two of the biggest lessons I took from it were:

(1) Don't change your blog or delete posts every time you learn something new. Let your blog grow with you and you'll appreciate looking back on it someday. At least you'll be able to laugh at yourself later.

(2) As Kyran Pitmann said during her brilliantly well-spoken presentation: "Blogging mirrors the way we, as women, have always communicated... in a matrix of topics." I take this to mean that it's okay to be random.

Also, I had a good cry when Gina got engaged! There in front of us on the back porch of the Bois d'Arc building at the Ozark Folk Center as Gina told us her story about blogging, Tom walked up behind her (surprise!) and proposed. It was possibly the most romantic thing I've ever witnessed. I didn't get to know Gina personally, but she's adorable and I wish them all the happiness in the world.

Lela Davidson was a key speaker at the conference -- talk about local celebrity crush over here! -- and gave us all copies of her book, Blacklisted by the PTA. I have been eyeing her book ever since I learned of it and now I finally have it. (Thanks, Lela!) I read a few chapters during lunch today and laughed all the way through it.

And, as if that's not enough, I took these babies home with me:

Holy cow! I got free Justin Mustang Cowhide boots thanks to Country Outfitter. I've been dreaming of them for weeks and now they're mine. It felt like Christmas to see my name on them.

(I told my husband I was excited about my new boots. He thought I said boobs. Men!)

BUT WAIT! There's more! Country Outfitter is going to give YOU a chance to win a pair of boots too! You heard me right... stay tuned this week for my first ever giveaway right here on the blog. I am STOKED. In the meantime, visit their website and browse all their great products so you know what you might want, if you win. Even if you don't win, this is THE place to get boots. They have it ALL.

---------------

Have you ever attended a blogging conference? If so, what was your favorite part?

To hear more about the #AWBU conference, follow our hashtag on Twitter.

PS... Many thanks to my awesome Mom, who traveled with me and kept me company during conference breaks. It wouldn't have been the same without you and I hope you had as much fun as I did. You're the best mom ever!