Highlights of Cybermummy and The Most Surreal Experience of My Life

Ok, now that I have moaned about the one glitch in my day at Cybermummy, I really must tell you about all the lovely things that happened while I was there.

I started out my day by rushing around my house at 5:30 in the morning like a loon in order to get out the door on time. I know this isn't really news to you, seeing as I regularly post, tweet, and update my Facebook status to let the world know that my children were once again almost late to school, but on Saturday I really did almost miss my train. I actually left my house and returned 3 times before I actually left my house properly to head down to London. The first time I forgot a bag, the second time I returned because I forgot to take the chain lock off the front door so that my friend could let the dog out a couple of times while I was out of town, and the third time I was afraid that I hadn't relocked the back door on the way out of the house the second time I left. By the time I actually got on the road to Ely where I was catching my 7:26am train, it was 6:55...and it takes 15 minutes to get to the Ely train station from my house. I might have sped to get there on time.

I did make it to Ely on time to meet my amazing friend Liz (VioletPosy) for the train down to London. At the Cambridge stop, Karen (The Rubbish Diet) joined us for the remainder of our journey. I must have however been destined to be late to Cybermummy because our train broke down just north of Stevenage. We ended up getting to the conference just as the first of the opening speeches started. Only an hour after we had actually planned to get there.

I was so busy tweeting that I missed the entirety of Lord Facebook's speech. I did however manage to spot several of my friends and wave hello (priorities in order don't you think?) I then listened quite intently to Sarah Brown speech (while tweeting to find my friend Amy, who was sitting at the front of the room). In case you don't know who Sarah Brown is, she's the wife of Gordon Brown, yes THE Gordon Brown...as in the former PM of the UK. She was fantastic and down to earth.

After my first disaster of a session, I went to the Recharge Room that was hosted by Proctor and Gamble and got my hair done by one of the stylists there. Little did I know, apparently he is a celeb stylist. He was worth his weight in GOLD I tell you. He made my hair look fantastic. If anyone has a picture of me with my fantastic hair, please email it to me.

My second session with with Jay. I really cannot say enough about Jay. The session was about photography and getting the most out of your subject matter. Her passion and enthusiasm for photography and well taken photos could not be contained. I was actually impressed that she did not swear the entire time..probably because Sian was monitoring the session. This was my favorite session of the day. Not only was Jay extremely knowledgable about the subject (obviously as she is a professional photographer) but she was FUN.

My day of sessions ended with the Blogger to Blogger session where I was excited to hear Tara Cain speak about The Gallery. I might have a huge crush on her. I might have a really huge crush on her. She was one of my first readers and we have "known" each other for nearly 3 years. I feel like we have built our blogging chops together and I am so happy that she is "the UK's #1 blogger". She deserves the title. She is amazing and I really could sit here and GUSH about her.

I didn't go to the last session of the day because by the end of Cybermummy I was more interested in socializing than learning. At least I admit it. I actually met a girl that went to the same middle school as me at CyberMummy. Mind you, I went to school in the United States, not the UK. We didn't attend the school at the same time, she left the year before I got there, but it was still awesome to meet someone who had roamed the same halls as me.

My American posse was StayAtHomeBabe, Mommy_grrl, Michelloui, VeryBusyMama, TransAtlanticBlonde, and theBitchinWife. I love all these girls. They are amazing. My roomie Amy (theBitchinWife) completely made my Cybermummy. She and I were hooked at the hip after hours. We ended up going to a party together (I really don't want to say what sort because my Granny reads this and I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet....), then we went to the uber trendy Hoxton hotel and had a few glasses of wine (well she had tequila..) and then back to the Travelodge where we were staying.

At this point I must tell you about the most surreal experience of my adult life. It really was like a bad bar joke...you know "6 bloggers and a dwarf walk into a bar..." only there really was a dwarf there and it wasn't me hallucinating after a few glasses of wine. Apparently, Bakersgirl, Nickie, Amanda, Kate, InsomniacMummy had attracted the attentions of some choice cuts of Prime Grade A Bon Jovi loving men...one of which happened to be a dwarf. A really drunk dwarf. Amy and I ordered a pizza, because that's what you do when you leave an uber trendy bar and then head to your crappy hotel...and then joined the other bloggers who were at the bar...and the dwarf...and his buddy. Now, at one point the dwarf asked if I was Australian...which I'm not. But I could see why he was confused because my accent is a bit muddled. Then in the most surreal moment of my life, while we were talking to Kate, the dwarf started singing. Loudly. I think he was singing Bon Jovi, because he had apparently seen the Bon Jovi concert that had happened in London that night. It was epically funny. I actually can't put into words how bizarre the whole situation was. It actually felt like I was on acid...only I have never been on acid...Only in London.

By the time I had shared a cab back to Kings Cross with Michelle and Karen and then met MostlyYummy at Kings Cross I felt I was finally ready to leave Cybermummy...until next year...of course.

* I have just been corrected by Kate...the dwarf was singing Rod Stewart songs...(cause that makes it any less surreal)

Things I Learned Over Christmas

I had a wonderful Christmas and here is a list of things I have learned over this holiday...with pictures (of course).

1) It is impossible to keep the kids away from their stocking while their dad is in the loo.



2) Santa is goooooood.



3) Zhu-Zhu pets look like prey to Sam Kitty.



4) Bags are good hiding places.



5) Cooking for 16 people isn't all that bad. I might moan about it, but I secretly loved every minute of it PLUS it got me out of most of the house cleaning.



6) Ethan does smile every once in a while.



7) Kevin might be a pirate.



8) Friends are the family you choose.



(That's Robin and Debbie. They're pretty damn awesome.)