As you have probably read I”m trying to get to Blissdom, a bloggers conference in Nashville next month. I went last year had a wonderful experience and want to repeat. There are various contests online and one is a writing contest. As I am a writer this one appealed me. Today, my post is up at Skimbaco. Can you do me a favor and go comment? Thanks!

I am hoppin‘ to it and getting my “I’m not at BlogHer post” up, though I’m not tearful about NOT being at BlogHer, because I am on vacation with my family and family comes first. We’re here in Chattanooga, TN the great hometown of the creator of this bloggy party, Robin from Pensieve. She’s hosting BlogHop09 for those of us NOT at BlogHer. So, let the party begin and my family and I will continue our vacationing.

I am excited to spend some time reading all of your blogs and getting to know you as my late night “net fix” since I’m too much of a nerd to get away and disconnect completely even on vacation. So, here’s a little about me to help you get to know me in 5 min. or less.

WHO IS ALYSSA:

1. Hands down a total unashamed, Christian, which means I have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
2. My occupation is three-fold, ok maybe four-fold, Christian writer and speaker, full-time wife and mom.
3. Starting Monday, I am the new Inspired Bliss editor over at Blissfully Domestic.
4. I attended my first blogging conference in February 09, Blissdom and plan to attend my second Type A Mom in September 09.
5. I am addicted to Coca Cola Classic.  I am a red can gal.

But, that’s enough about me, what about you leave me your link in my comments and I’ll come visit you.  Let me know what we have in common, because if there is one thing I know about the world of blogging is we all seem to have at least one thing in common and that’s why I love being a blogger.

If you want to know more about me just click around my blog here I”m sure you’ll learn a thing or two.  So, get hoppin’ and I’ll see you around!  Be sure to follow me on Twitter.

All the buzz around the blogosphere right now is over BlogHer, a massive bloggers conference in Chicago. I am not attending blog her and amazingly enough though 1500 bloggers are going to be in attendance there are plenty others of us who aren’t. In fact, I will be on vacation during BlogHer, which I am super excited about. I might even get to see one of my favorite bloggers, Robin, as I am visiting her hometown and she’s well, going to be there, as she isn’t attending BlogHer either.

She’s also going to be helping us bloggers who will still be home, blogging about normal, everyday life, or in my case, family vacation to have our own little party. Blog Hop 09′ and it is going to be a blast. I’m super excited about it, because it has some great prizes, including a $150 scholarship to Type A Mom Conference in September, which I’m already planning to attend, but boy would I love some help getting there.

So, you going to BlogHer? Or are you going Blog Hopping with me and Robin and some other gals? Let me know in the comments below.

The Type A Mom Conference is coming up in September in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina.  According to their website, the Type A Mom Conference is:

” a unique mom blogging conference designed to help you take it to the next level. The conference will feature some of the most influential, admired and insightful mom bloggers talking about topics like power social networking, branding, blogging, finding your voice, and turning your passion for blogging into a real paycheck.”

I am a mom blogger and I desire to attend this conference for many reasons. One of which is the opportunity to network with and learn from other like-minded bloggers. I believe in taking steps of faith when there is value in doing something. I believe there is value in attending this conference. Therefore, today I began searching for a sponsor or sponsors for the conference. I have obtained my first sponsor. Though she was not able to contribute the full amount needed for the conference, I feel like this is a positive step in the right direction. Tonight I will be securing my Super Early Bird Registration so that I can save both myself and my sponsor’s $$ and will continue to search for sponsors.

To make it easier on everyone I thought I”d blog about possible sponsorship options. My goal is to raise $700 for the trip. The following are the sponsorship options:

• $50 – For your $50 sponsorship donation I will hand out your business cards at the event.
• $100 - For your $100 sponsorship donation I will hand out your business cards at the event and submit a blog post to your website about the event as it relates to your business or blog.
• $250 – For your $250 sponsorship donation I will hand out your business cards at the event, submit a blog post to your website after the event as well as a live blog post from the event.
• $500 – For your $500 sponsorship donation I will hand out your business cards at the event, submit a blog post to your website after the event, a live blog post from the event and tweet about your company from the event.
• $700 – For your $700 sponsorship donation I will hand out your business cards at the event, submit a blog post to your website after the event, a live blog post from the event, tweet about your company from the event, post a button on my website from now until the event that you are sponsoring my trip, and share a sponsor ad for your company on my Live MomTV show “Faith Inspires” LIVE from the Type A Mom Conference, on Thursday, September 24th at 10 pm EST / 9 pm CST.
  

To become my sponsor for the Type A Mom Conference, please contact me today via email.

I am writing this post because I promised it.  I dreaded writing it a bit because I met so many incredible ladies that I am desperately afraid of leaving one of you out.  I exchanged business cards with most of the ladies that I met, however a few of you did NOT have a business card.  Gotta get one for next year, (you know who you are).  Just kidding!  I do like having them though it is a great way to be sure I visit your blog.

Nonetheless, let me try to recap. I won’t promise that I won’t leave someone out.  By the way, what I looked forward to most about Blissdom was definitely meeting people.  There were so a many of you that I know online that I longed to meet in person.  I had met a few bloggers at She Speaks, and some of which I saw again this weekend.  That was super sweet to have a “reunion”, but what was cooler was others who knew me from Twitter or my blog and immediately recognized me.

In fact, I didn’t get through the door at the Hotel Preston before Jendi of Jendi’s Journal was at my side, with her perky smile and friendly hello.  She is a doll I tell you!  After getting checked in I deposited my son, my hubs and my stuff in the hotel room and go to register where I met Kate of Moms in the Right, as well as Tanna C.

There were certain ladies I was anxious to meet including Carrie Lee who was representing my sponsor’s other business, Mom Masterminds whom I have known for 2 years plus as a member there and had done work with.  She is as real and amazing in person as online.  We hit it off so well!

Over the weekend I also met

• Stephanie and baby Ivy of Adventures in Babywearing (whose blog is one of my absolute favs),
• Janine of Two Fer the Price of One,
• the infamous Megan Jordan of Velveteen Mind and Blog Nosh Mag,
• Jill Anderson of The Diaper Diaries,
• the Classy Mommy ~ Colleen,
• the beautiful Danielle Smith of Extraordinary Mommy.com,
• Mom it Forward stars Carissa and Jyl, (who had a rocking after party #gno style)
• The Cool Mom Guide Mom- Julie,
• Sarah of Real Life Blog (super excited she and I used to partner together),
• Sarah and Mary Ellen of Mom’s Marbles (who gave me some awesome Smashies),
• The Cutie Booty Cakes diva Renee, Joy from Five js,
• Amy of Resourceful Mommy,
• Amy Clark of MomAdvice (who gave me a sweet Peek, I love it thanks Amy)
• Alyson of 3 P’s in a Pod,
• Christine Young of From Dates to Diapers,
• Lori of A Cowboy’s Wife,
• the amazing Jessica Knows,
• Amanda and her precious baby Asa of OhAmanda.com and
• the Peggy Reeves whom took the longest to find!

I know I left way too many people out but ladies ALL of you were and ARE amazing!

A super thanks to teh rocking Ali @MrsFussyPants and @BarbaraJones for putting this amazing conference together.  The networking and friend meeting was my favorite part.  You ladies are friends for life!

She Speaks, was a conference for Christian Writers, Speakers and Bloggers, oh my! The worst part, feeling torn between all three. I have for a long time called myself a Christian speaker, for a shorter time however I have began to dub myself a Christian writer and blogger. Though, I have had a love for writing a long time and been a faithful blogger as well, I just didn’t realize that I really WAS ONE! Does that even make sense? But now, looking back on the conference I realize, I am …. really… ALL 3. Which is awesome, but challenging at the same time.

As I chose for the conference to go as a speaker, I chose to take the Speaker’s Track and mostly take speaker related workshops with a few exceptions here were my choices: Blogging: What Works and What Doesn’t, The Power of a Story, Marketing for More Bookings, Teaching By The Book and Balancing Marriage & Ministry.

I feel like God placed me in each of those specifically for a reason. The blogging one helped me, in addition to Friday’s blogging reception to connect with those ladies online who I only knew by face and words. It was amazing to meet someone whose blog you’ve read and pictures you’ve seen 1000 times. I told my husband it felt so weird because I felt like I knew them already in “real life” though I really did not, but now can say that I do.

The other workshops were amazing, I learned too much to even possibly post. And, in addition I participated in Shari Braendel’s Speaker Evaluation Group which was the most nerve racking of all the things I did this weekend. You see, I’ve been a “speaker” for 3 whole years. I have had no shortage of speaking opportunities, no matter how small to me, I felt I was prepared. So, why did I suddenly become nervous when I strangely never got nervous before about speaking?

Well, normally the 11 other ladies in the room aren’t “evaluating” me. I think that was the key. However, these sweet sisters, were very honest, yet critical, but just what I needed and Sunday afternoon I walked away with an even greater confirmation that I am a “Christian speaker”. I can do this with God’s Grace!!! Ironically one of the themes of the weekend was “grace, grace, grace”, the other, “Setting my agenda aside, for God’s Will to be done.” Something I want, now, more than ever, “for God’s will to be done in my life”.

I was blown away when Shari shared with me during my speaker evaluation session that I should write my “speech” into an article and submit it for publication in a Christian teen magazine. This confirming that I am a “Christian writer”.

And, as I sit her “blogging” this morning, I know, I am a “Christian blogger”. So, I guess God has only confirmed in me what I thought I knew, but now know for sure! Amazing, and as I said yesterday I am truly BLESSED!

Though I know for many of my readers it seems like I am going on on and on….there is more… so stay tuned.

Today is the day and we are on our way.  I pre-posted this post to let everyone know I’m on my way to She Speaks.  We fly out at 1 pm.  I hope to find time to blog at the event and let everyone in on the excitement, but if I do not have a chance you know I’ll fill you in when we get home.

This opportunity has been one I’ve been looking forward to for a LONG time.  I know it is God appointed and that he has much in store.  I covet your prayers not only for my husband and I as we travel but for all the Proverbs 31 Ministry team and the other ladies attending this conference.  Thank you!

If you’ve read my blog lately or for any length of time you’ll see I”m normally rather long-winded. I am a chatty Cathy as one might call it and I do love to talk. In just 8 days now I am going to She Speaks in Charlotte, NC a speaker and writer’s conference put on by Proverbs 31 Ministries. I am super excited!

One of the things we have to do in preparation for the conference is to create a 3 minute speech to introduce ourselves, tell our story or testimony to the group we are in, if you signed up for a speaker’s group that is. I, of course, did and I’m looking so forward to the feedback. I have been doing public speaking now for quite some time. I have been speaking in churches and at clubs and other organizations as a part of my ministry to girls, Beauty by Design Ministries, since I founded it in January 2005. But I have NEVER, yes you read that right, NEVER, been to a speaker’s conference, had any training, other than speech class in college and the school of hard knocks called life and teaching youth and children Sunday School and etc. This I often I prepared for more than once per week for 5 years, I taught Sunday School, Wednesday night Bible studies and more a part of my position as youth /children’s minister.  Needless to say, I am not one of those ladies who this is my first time, so I don’t have the right to be trembling in my shoes.

In fact, I am not nervous, I am one of the few strange people in the world who does not have the fear of public speaking. This is even more odd because I was such a shy child! My fear does not lie in the arena of public speaking. In fact, I am just the opposite and energized by it. My adrenaline is flowing when I am up in front of others speaking, especially if it is an opportunity to speak about something I am passionate about. So, my dilemma is a little different. My dilemma is “How the heck do I introduce myself and tell my story or testimony in ONLY 3 minutes?” Can’t they give a girl 5?

So, any tips or advice on “shortening” my speech? Any thoughts on what you’d want to hear about me if you were in a group of ladies who are meeting me for the first time?

I am excited though and look forward to some “constructive” criticism as I have NEVER been evaluated and know that this can only help me to grow!

Leave me your thoughts folks!