I slept over with a bunch of bloggers and it was only a little weird

Back when I first started blogging I had the idea to go to a blogger get together.  I had seen it on some person's blog who lived in my area.  I had never met another blogger in real life.  I did not consider myself a blogger in real life.  But I wanted to go to this little blogger party (hosted by Elisabeth and Brooke who are both good friends of mine now) but I was totally terrified.

Well.  I went.  And I hid in a corner all night.  I mean, not literally.  Okay, fine.  Literally.  I LITERALLY HID OUT IN THE CORNER acting like there was something very important on my phone because I felt so awkward/stupid/weird.  I felt like a big fat fake which is a weird thing because anyone in the world can be a blogger but then in the same breath it somehow feels like this culture that is very exclusive.  OH BLOGGING.

The point is I felt like a true idiot and vowed to never go to another blogger get together.  It didn't help that I didn't win any prizes.  I mean, maybe if I won something it would have been some weird validation from the cosmos that I was destined to become a blogging superstar.  When I left I didn't think I'd ever go to another blogging get together again because obviously I was a blogging poser and the whole universe knew it.

Luckily I got over that.  Or I became desperate enough for friends to try again showing up alone to meet a bunch of strangers who I've only seen on the internet.  Yep.  It was that one.  Desperate for friends.

Last weekend I took the blogging get together thing to a whole new level and went to a BLOGGING SLEEPOVER.  Yes, such things exist, and yes such things are so awesome.  My internet/blogging friend turned real life friend, Aubrey Zaruba, hosted the event and she is detail oriented and thoughtful and a hard worker and everything that it takes to pull something off like a blogging sleepover.  I could never pull something like that off.  But I'm grateful that Aubrey could.

The night consisted of eating. Taking pictures. Talking blog. Getting blog/social media/small business advice. Eating. Laughing.  YOU KNOW.  There was unstructured/ chill time and then Aubrey had planned a couple of sessions of "blog talk" where we brought problems we were having or advice that we needed with our blogs/instagrams/ small businesses.  I confessed my undying hatred for Instagram loop giveaways and they said it's okay, Bonnie, calm down, and I did.  It was great.  Blog therapy, if you will.

No, but really.  It was blog therapy.  I left feeling so inspired and motivated with my blog.  My blog is like this totally sweet, hip boyfriend who I am totally crazy about until he hints that some other girl is prettier than me or delivers anonymous notes to me that the world hates me or won't leave me alone when I just want to lock myself in the bathroom.  Yep.  That's my blog.  We've all had boyfriends like that haven't we? (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, PAST BOYFRIENDS).  Sometimes I need breaks from my blog/ high maintenance boyfriend, but mostly I'm enormously grateful for it and the opportunities it has afforded me.  Lately I've been very grateful that I can earn a small income and cover our expenses through blogging campaigns while Greg is without work.  Last weekend I was grateful for my blog because of the great friends it introduced me to and the way it validated me and encouraged me.  Actually, my blog friends were doing that, but blog friends came because of blog, so thank you blog.

Friday night I stayed up late late late talking to Aubrey and Sarah.  I knew somewhere in the back of my head that we were probably slipping past the 2:00 hour and then past 3:00.  When we looked at the clock it was 5:30 am and I about peed my pants!  I thought "I can't be up until 5:30 am!  I have a baby!  That baby is going to wake up in an hour!" Nothing like motherhood to buzzkill your all nighters hard and quick.

BUT the important thing is that I WANTED to stay up that late talking to Sarah and Aubrey.  I felt such a closeness with them and a bonding that I've been missing since all my college besties took off and moved to different states.  The older I get the more I realize how important good girlfriends are in your life.  I am becoming a wise old guru, guys.

Saturday morning after an invigorating two hours of sleep, we had one last little blogger chat before we all had to take off.  We talked about goals moving forward with our blogs and things we will take with us from this sleepover.  I think all would agree that it took on almost a spiritual feel.  There was an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and motivation.  I think whatever you believe in religiously you can agree that there are things that speak to your soul and inspire you to be better, kinder, more forgiving.  This blogger sleepover did that for me.  I left feeling happier + lighter + more unburdened + motivated + grateful.

Be proud of me, people.  I've come away since hiding in corners.

And now.  Pictures.

Agnes and Dora hooked us up with these sweet leggings.  They are softer and more comfortable than I knew possible for leggings.  You can follow them on instagram @agnesanddora.

Sarah, Tayler, Yo.

Jordan, Jen, Aubrey, Sarah, Tayler, Yo, Kaylynn.  Kaylnn is great with child and walks around in a constant state of glow/bliss.  I'm jealous.

I HAD DIET COKE ALL NIGHT LONG AND IT WAS MAGIC.

This is when Jen was telling us about spending a year and a half in Russia.  These girls are so bad A.  Jen was our hostess with the mostest.  The house was decked out head to toes in Halloween gear and she had sent her husband + two sons away on adventures so we girls could have the house all to ourselves.  It was such a beautiful home.  You know when you walk into a home and you can feel right away that someone very kind and purposeful about her life lives there with family whom she really cares about and works hard to take care of and protect?  That is how I felt when I was in that home.

Look at that diet coke with extra ice and lemons.  It was my nectar all night long.

Aubrey is so pretty and so great.  Thanks a million times for planning this, Aubrey.

We all slept in that bed together.

Kidding.

Or am I?

All pictures were taken by Jordan who is a ninja wizard behind a camera.  Follow her on insta @jordanbreephotography