I win! I win!

Ahhhh, I am SO excited! A few weeks ago when I entered the SEEDS of Inspiration contest, I was SO hopeful that I would win. Not just because I needed the money (I mean who doesn't), but because I really got excited about this cool company. The contest was for 3 sponsorships, and they ended up giving out 5! How awesome is that!?

I got an honorable mention with a partial sponsorship to BlogHer and I am totally stoked to meet this crew! There were some really great entries and the contest was so much fun. I have really enjoyed meeting some new bloggers and I can't wait til August. For real.

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More thoughts on Starting Small...

A couple of weeks ago I posted about a contest I entered to win a partial sponsorship to Blogher 2010, from Seed Power Body Care and Hip As I Wanna Be. I focused on small beginnings and why this is particularly inspiring to me. There is just something about seeing things through from beginning to end. It's not all about success either. There are sure to be plenty of wrong turns. I think there is something about me that is drawn to trial and error. I love that Rebecca's journey to co-founding Seed was just that. She researched, she did her homework, she made personal decisions that worked for her family  and I am sure, plenty that didn't!

I like to think that we do that as well. Especially now that I am a mother, I am far more diligent about what comes into our house and especially what goes into my son's body. I feel that it is trickling UP to Jerry and I as well. We have continued our garden endeavors for the 3rd year in a row and are using cloth diapers at least part of the time with Oscar. We try to make little changes here and there so that over time, we can look back and see that we really made a difference. It is about small beginnings. I get that. I love that about my life and I appreciate the honesty that Rebecca and Benjamin have shown through their mission statement and their company as a whole. It's a good feeling to know what you are doing matters. Whether it is only for your family or for others, we can all do our part to make our our lives safer.

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We All Have to Start Somewhere

You might have noticed that little button over in my sidebar that says I'm Going to the BlogHer 2010 conference. (yay!) I posted about how I won the opportunity to attend the conference for free provided I volunteer for BlogHer (double yay!). And I am so beyond excited about going that I have been thinking of every way I could get there. I still need to cover travel/lodging expenses and I don't want it to cause any stress on my family or our budget, so I am trying to get creative.

I am actively seeking Sponsors for the conference and came across a contest hosted by the blog Hip As I Wanna Be and Seed! This post is an entry into that contest.

Seed is a natural products company that uses sustainable processes to create soaps and lotion from grape seeds! This is a business that is getting it right. While I am not writing a review of the company, I have to say that just in poking around their site, I really like what I see! The shampoo bar looks awesome and ever since having Oscar, I am on serious chemical patrol. Their philosophy is even better.

Everything begins with a seed.

Basically, we can't do it all, but we can do our part. That idea is SO resonating with me right now. As a wife and mother, I just want to do it all. And on top of that, I would like to be thin and pretty and popular and also have a really successful blog, thank you very much. I mean really? Who needs that kind of pressure?!? What I need to do is my part and do it well. And that's what a seed does. It does its own little share. That seed doesn't know that one day it will be a beautiful grapevine. It just knows it is supposed to go down into the ground and absorb all the health the earth can give. Then it splits open and goes forth. The outcome is an amazing fruit!

One of the reasons I love BlogHer and all these businesses and blogs, is that it reminds me that everyone is getting there, one idea at a time. We all have our role to play in business, family, relationships, parenting....the list goes on. I would love to partner with Seed at BlogHer this year. Not only because they are offering a sponsorship, but also because they represent small beginnings.

And we all have to start somewhere.

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Lil-Kid-Things is Going to BlogHer 2010!

And that might mean nothing to you! That's ok. I am just so excited!

A little back story. Last year when I really kicked my blog into gear and started advertising and networking, I unearthed a goldmine of information about blog conferences. They are everywhere, and from what I can tell, they are loads of fun and crucial to building your brand. So I set my sights on BlogHer 2010 for a few reasons.

1) It isn't until August whereas some of the others (Blissdom, Mom 2.0) were this month.
2) It's in NYC (hooray for the East Coast!)
3) It's one of the best known and respected conferences that sells out every year!

I applied for one of their Conference Volunteer Blogherships and I was accepted! What this means is that for a couple hours out of each conference day, I will be helping out at the registration desk. In exchange? Free conference registration! Yay! Honestly, without this opportunity I really don't think I could have pulled it off. I am so thankful that I got picked! And humbled.
(sidenote - if you are a blogger and want to attend, register before the 28th for early-bird pricing!)

I only found out about the Volunteering opportunity a week or so before it ended and I am SO glad I applied! Thanks Beth! You rule!  So with registration fees out of the way, I am left to focus on my travel/lodging expenses. I am looking for part time work and have put resumes out, so hopefully that will do some good. I am also looking into the idea special advertising packages for partial sponsorships. That prospect is very exciting to me. Well honestly, the whole thing is exciting. I am just SO excited! Did I mention that I scared the *youknowwhat* out of Jerry yesterday morning when I squealed upon opening the email?

Yeah, that happened.

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