Author: Suz

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Travel

BlogHer packing

I just couldn’t help doing one more BlogHer post. My first post was becoming a book, so I split it up. Since it’s just five days away {eeek!}, this is what I can’t stop thinking about, so I thought I’d share. Maybe someone else is having packing issues?!

Like I said before, I don’t feel nervous about clothes. I’m sticking with what I know & love & probably too much of it. But a girl {especially a sweaty one like myself} needs options. I’m planning for khaki &jean skirts as well as casual dresses {like my pink Loft & RueLaLa Janet Lilly ones} for day sessions & exploring SD Thurs & the flight home. Then I’ll change to fancier/more fun/yet still comfortable dresses for the night time parties. I’m thinking a beaded Lilly one & a Target LBD glammed up with jewelry for sparklecorn.

I’ve read over & over about not wasting your time {or suitcase space} with super tall, uncomfortable shoes. I’d planned on two or three pairs of shoes max: gold “gladiatorish” flats & short wedge heeled Jack Rogers in gold. Since I just couldn’t resist them, I’ll also be Miranda’s shoeicorn twin with my brown Target wedges.

For accessories, I’m sticking with gold jewelry along with 25 Design & Gussy Sews headbands &  my two Allora Handmade necklaces {& my Allora Handmade rose from her giveaway if it arrives in time!}.

Add in makeup, hair drier, pjs, laptop & Gussy laptop bag, my business cards & case, notebook & pens in case laptop becomes too big/annoying for sessions & I’m fully loaded. I’m packing all this in my biggest suitcase & putting a Vera Bradley duffle in a pocket for swag for the way home.

Speaking of coming home, I promise to share stories when I get back about the location, the people, the fun times, the parties & the swag {maybe even try a vlog about it all}.

But I’m also planning on returning inspired by the awesome bloggers I meet & connect with, by the companies I network with, & especially by the speakers who’s tips I will hopefully asbsorb. There might even be a few changes to Suz’s Treats upon my return. Less fluff & deeper posts maybe? Vlogging? Better product reviews? More correct use of sentence structure, tenses & spelling?! I guess we’ll see!

Please leave a comment & your twitter name if you’ll be in San Diego next week. I’m compiling a list of everyone I hope to me & want to make sure you’re on it!

Categories
Travel

Going to BlogHer part 6 {guest post}

I’m finishing the Going to BlogHer, now what? guest post series today. Thanks to the posts by Suzanne, Suzanne, Alena, & Miranda, I’m feeling pretty good & prepared. BlogHer must have thought we’ve had good advice because they linked back here in their Nine Tips for BlogHer newbies post!

Today, I’m so happy to welcome my third roomie, Diana from Hormonal Imbalances, for her take on our upcoming trip. With just ONE WEEK until BlogHer, as usual she has great advice to give for those of us going through last minute packing rushes.

BlogHer on a budget

When I think of BlogHer this year, I think of SHINY. I think of new and things that smell new and light up and make everyone around me ooh and aah over what latest piece of technology I have. I think of people saying, “ZOMG look what an amazing (fill in the blank) she has.”

Sure. Fill that blank in with “rack”. I’m ok with that too.

Because I am a mom in a one income household on a budget, wanting all the latest everything is a very unrealistic, often dangerous, little dream.

So many times these past months I’ve had to talk myself off the shopping spree cliff. Would I like to have a new laptop to take to BlogHer? Yes. Do I need one? Yes No.

Would it be great to have name brand dresses and clothes to pack? Yes. In a Louis Vuitton suitcase? Yes. With a small white poodle?

No.

But the point is, these things aren’t necessary for why I’m going. I’m going to learn. To create. To be inspired and to come back a better writer. A Kate Spade bag might look KILLER next to my chair at the sessions, but it will only serve as a reminder of what I need to pay off once I come home. And it won’t make me any smarter or a better blogger. Because if it did? I would own them all.

Then I stress about what to wear. I will be buying a few new things, because as a SAHM I own lots of jeans and t-shirts. And sandals. So I need to do some upgrading. From snotty to hottie. (Ya like that?)

I did allow myself a few fun things – my birthday is right before BlogHer so everything nice I bought had the birthday excuse attached to it. I bought a Gussy bag. A pair of killer sparkly heels for Sparklecorn.

What is important to remember is this: 3,000 of us? Feel the same way as you. We all want to look nice. We want to wear designer clothes and carry show stopping bags and have perfect hair and makeup. We want to make sure that we hug everyone just tight enough to say, “Oh, you’re the best” but not “OMG I JUST ATE A PIECE OF YOUR HAIR SO I CAN HAVE A PART OF YOU WITH ME FOREVER.”

But we’re going to be so worried about us, we won’t notice that your top is one you wore on a blog pic. We won’t smirk because those shoes are so last year. We won’t care. And if someone does, that’s their problem. If they give you the evil sad eye because your hair isn’t done by a stylist from your private hotel room, they aren’t worth idolizing anyway.

Thank you Diana! Remind me of this as I’m pulling on shopped-from-my-closet outfits, k?! Can’t wait to give you an IRL hug next week! Read more from Diana at her blog, Hormonal Imbalances, & follow along with Diana’s BlogHer weekend on twitter as @LifeasaSAHM.

Don’t think this is my last BlogHer post. 😛 I’ve got one more up my sleeve as I do final preparations before next week. Did you stick with your budget? How’s your packing & schedule coming together?!

Categories
Everything Else Reading

The Hunger Games

Different friends & family have been recommending The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins to be for years. You know I love Suzannes {:)} & enjoy a young adult series {hello, I’m looking at you Twilight & Harry Potter}. I’d requested & received it from the library a couple times & then wish listed & received it from paperbackswap {I got tired of paying the library overdue fees for it}. But the premise for The Hunger Games kept holding me back. Futuristic North America that’s a dictatorship other country. That this dictatorship punishes the 12 districts every year by forcing them to send in two teenagers in a fight-to-the-death match televised nationwide then celebrate the one of murdered/outlasted everyone else? Sounded too much for me.

I needed a break though from thought-filled book club books & TTC stress, so a couple weeks ago I took off to the pool by myself on a sunny Sunday.  Four hours & almost 200 pages later, I was hooked. Suzanne does such a great job with the story & characters that Katniss felt like a friend. I’d suspended all my disbeliefs and felt like I was part of Penam feeling the struggle & the highs along with Prim & Gale & Peeta & Haymitch.

You might’ve seen my FB message asking for the second in the series, Catching Fire. I finished The Hunger Games by Tuesday night & wanted needed to know what happens next. Thankfully my brother & sister-in-law-to-be own all three & brought the book to my parents’ house so that it was waiting for me when I arrived Friday night. Yep, you guessed it. I’m already 150 pages in & you’ll get a Catching Fire review soon. Put aside your doubts & go read The Hunger Games now.

Categories
Everything Else

Bloggy Shopping Night

As I’d mentioned in my project 365 post, last Thursday I met up with some other Raleigh bloggers for a night of after-hours shopping {& chatting & a lil wine drinking} at Clothes Hound. It was great to reconnect with Erin & Melissa. I really enjoyed meeting Elizabeth, Molly, & Malise. [flickr id=”5976630144″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”true” size=”medium” group=”” align=”center”]

Clothes Hound {which just moved from online only to a boutique in N Raleigh} stayed open late just for us & even rolled out the pink carpet. It’s such a cute shop with so many fun party clothes & accessories. We all tried on a few things. My favorites {& what I brought home with me} were this $18 owl ring & the big center gold earrings which were only $12! [flickr id=”5976629942″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”true” size=”medium” group=”” align=”center”]

Thanks Erin for inviting me. So much fun! Looking forward to hopefully seeing everyone again soon.

Categories
Trying To Conceive

Expect the Unexpected

That should be the theme for the last twenty TTC cycles: expect the unexpected {yes, I’m borrowing Big Brother’s theme & don’t hate, there’s not much on TV in the summer}.

I’m not trying to sound pretentious when I say that things have typically come pretty easy for me. When I’ve wanted something, with a little hard work, I usually have gotten it. Of course I’ve had ups & downs & the usual drama of life, but over all I know {& appreciate} that I’ve had it good. HS, sports, college, husband, work, friends; yep, all there.  Based on that & our genetic history, I went into TTC thinking this would follow the trend & be fun & quick & easy with just a little work. Not so much. If I’ve learned anything in these twenty cycles it’s that I’m not in charge, I’ve gotta be patient, & I’ve gotta throw my expectations out the window.

I like being in charge. I like knowing what’s next. I hate surprises {take note bc the big 3-0 is coming soon}. I love making plans & lists & filling in a calendar. All of these things do not go well with TTC & infertility. Infertility means never being in charge. Your body & God are making all the moves. I’m just trying to keep up.

Within the last couple of weeks, I’ve found myself getting snappy at work. Annoyed with any interruptions; even the normal this-is-part-of-my-job interruptions have made me lose patience & get frustrated. I know this has nothing to do with the agents that are calling me or the coworkers talking about their children. It’s me. Wanting what I don’t have & losing patience that it’s not ours right.now. I’ve been going to God recently for patience. {I promise I’m not trying to turn this into an annoyingly religious rant} but just a quick {inside my head} shout out for patience calms me. That & a glass of wine once I’m home at night.

I expected we’d have a baby by now. Hell, I even though we’d have a toddler by now. Instead this morning, after a weekend of follistim injections, I had my cycle day 10 ultrasound. Last cycle, at this same day’s ultrasound, I had six visible follicles, did one more night of follistim along with antagon then ovidrel the following night. I was expecting something similar. Instead this morning’s US found I had one really big follicle {22.5} as well as one smaller one {14} on my right side & nothing on my left. The tech said ovridrel tonight & ovulation Wednesday morning. The antagon I spent $50 on last week is not being used. The extra 600 IUs of follistim I expected to need {& that cost $100} sit unopened in my frig. I don’t need them for this cycle, but I’m holding on to both for now. Thinking, hoping, praying I won’t need them next month but who knows. I’m learning to expect the unexpected.