I hate to throw the word “amazing” around too much (because I know I do) so the word I’ll use to describe our experience at Mom 2.0 Summit is “spectacular”. And I’ll also add on “life-changing”. Because I believe the after-effects of this conderence are going to change Emily’s and my lives.
It was just…so well done. Simple words that carry a lot of weight. So. Well. Done. The content was excellent, and effectively communicated! The people were fun, open, friendly, supportive. The venue was breathtaking!
We cannot think our generous sponsor, Lands’ End enough for sending us to represent them at this epic conference! We will have a whole Lands’ End fashion recap for you this week. We hope you enjoyed the photos of all our outfits over the weekend on our Facebook page!
A highlight of Mom 2.0 was making some new friends, Jenny and Rachel. They are AMAZING and deserve a whole post just about themselves, which we will deliver later in the week! But in the meantime click on their names and check out their blogs!
But let me talk a little about the content. Right off the bat, in Brene Brown’s keynote the first day, we were reminded to be vulnerable. There is power in being vulnerable! I have said before that we need to share each other’s hard stories. Those are the stories that we learn from, and that we benefit by sharing. I haven’t been sharing those with you for awhile. But I’m no longer afraid to or ashamed to. I do my best, I do – but I fail. And I’m tired of pretending that I don’t.
The first session Emily and I attended also had some brilliant and inspiring content. I was so excited because it was led by Kat Gordon of Maternal Instinct. I first connected with Kat a couple of weeks ago after my rant about the over-“mommifying” of us by marketers. Kat asked me to guest post on her businesses blog, (and I’d love for you to read it here if you haven’t already), so I was THRILLED to meet her at Mom 2.0!
Kat and her co-presenters did a great job at their session – it was all on how you can use social media to effect change. You guys saw Emily and I do that last year when we asked you – and you SO DELIVERED!!! – to help our friend E cover her cancer care expenses. (You guys, I got teary-eyed just typing that. YOU are so generous and amazing!) Emily and I want to to more of that – of using this blog and all the other media that go with it to support local businesses, non-profits, and women in business. So look for that, and thank Kat, Shelly, Kathlene, and Kami for inspiring us!
Speaking of inspiration – we got to see so many successful women speak at this conference! Raise your hand if you were CLOAKED in Liz Lange during your pregnancies!! We got to hear Liz speak along with Pilar Guzman of Martha Stewart Living, and Lee of GlassyBaby, and they were (there’s that word again!) AMAZING!
You know who else is amazing? Amy Clark of MomAdvice (she is also a human kitten. Meow!) We knew this already, but we LOVED the face time we got with her this weekend!
Mom 2.0 also had some generous and wonderful sponsors. Thanks SO MUCH to companies like Dove, Intel, ALDI, and LG for taking such amazing care of us, and for speaking frankly with us about how we can work together.
Ok, so – we learned A LOT! And we also had some FUN! The parties were a blast, and the company was superb! Here we are enjoying the white party with our new BFFs, Jenny and Rachel:
The party at Gianni Versace’s mansion sponsored by the spectacular INTEL was OFF THE HOOK! You guys would not believe this place! Here Emily and I are just chillin’ in Versace’s shower – like we do!
The “shower” was a circular, ornately-tiled room with several gold shower heads – nowhere near a sink or a toilet. I really do not want to know what actually went on there but it made for a great photo-opp!
Here are some other breathtaking sites from the mansion.
As great at allllllllllllll this was, let me tell you what my true *favorite* moment was. It was Emily, my buttoned-up cuz, getting goofy and silly over the Bloggess. If you don’t know who the Bloggess is, please smack yourself in the face, then go read her blog and buy her #1 New York Times best-selling book! She is the funniest, ever. The end. AND as we were heading out to Versace, there she was standing right outside the hotel! OHEMGEE!! So, in the spirit of celebrity awe, Emily PHOTOBOMBED her!
Seriously, THIS is my favorite picture EVER in the history of the world. I love it MORE than my children’s newborn photos. Feel free to judge. I can’t help it! I am going to frame it and put it on my desk for inspiration!!
Despite the fact that we are HUGE nerds, the Bloggess graciously agreed to have her photo take with us and Rachel in our red dresses (if you know the Bloggess, you know why the Red Dress is important to her!) If not, GO READ HER!
You guys. Mom 2.0 was the BEST conference we have ever been to! We can’t wait to share more about it with you, starting of course with our GORGEOUS outfits from Lands’ End. (Seriously, I cannot TELL you how confident I felt in those clothes!!) We also want to share with you ALL the wonderful women who attended the conference. So I am leaving a linky below for them to post THEIR Mom 2.0 recap posts, so you can all get to know them to.
More to come this week…leave us a comment about what you want to hear about, or what you enjoyed about this recap so far. We’re back and we LOVE you! We’re excited to make this here blog even better for you!
Best recap ever!!!! You girls ROCKED those Lands End Frocks and made me want to buy out their catalog. But more importantly, you made me want to live closer to Ohio, ok, not really, but you made me wish you lived closer to Florida. LOVE LOVE LOVED our time together! My new sista/cousin/inbred friends.
You KNOW you want to move to the place that brings a new meaning to the words “farmer’s tan” – right!?? xoxo
xoxoxoxo
Loved the recap – it was such a fab time!
thanks for linking up Loukia! It was great to meet you!
Sounds like fun, I’m jealous. No one sends me anywhere and no one gives me squat. I guess it’s either because I’m just not pretty enough, don’t have long flowing hair, of am vajayjay free!
UP
I’m so bummed I didn’t go to this one now! Ya’ll looked fab and I was living vicariously through your tweets!
Well, I am pretty sure that it goes without saying that I absolutely love you girls to pieces! I had a wonderful time with you and agree that Lands End outdid themselves with the wardrobe. You both looked absolutely beautiful. Kisses and a meow! xoxo
We love you too! It was great to see you – just wish we had been able to spend more time together! I can understand you wanting to stay away from Jenny and her petting, though 🙂
So great meeting you in Miami and loved your outfits.
The most important thing I take away from this post is: I have photographed someone who has met the Bloggess. I’m pretty sure this means my life is officially complete.
I love the photobomb pic more than is probably rational.
Glad you girls had fun! 🙂
Lindsey I KNOW RIGHT? It’s the best photograph ever taken. And even though I took it I can claim no credit! It’s all Em & the REAL Jenny!
Too funny, Lindsey!
Great post as usual. I so agree about the vulnerability, I have been trying to add that to mine. My efforts to reduce the stigma things like anxiety and depression and posting my children’s poems stories. Its very hard to put myself out there like that, but I think it is important to do so.
Loved getting to know you a bit this past weekend. I’m not gonna lie. I think differently about Lands End. Your outfits were AMAZING!
I love reading about your relationship with Emily. My cousin is my closest friend in the world and you two seem the same. Love it!
Hope to get to know you better at future conferences. In the meantime, I look forward to reading more of your recaps from the weekend!
xoxo
Thanks Jyl! So glad you share the cousin love 🙂
What a fab recount – now I don’t have to write one.
The pictures are fabulous and the details amazing AND yes – our lives will continue to be altered after the experience.
Thanks for all the mentions and you 2 are the most adorable Lands End promoters there are …EVER
thanks Rachel! I made up a new song for us, “the heels on the bus go click click click” – I was telling my husband about your “I’m on a bus! In Heels!” revelation…love you girl!
Those are some fantastic photos there, especially the shots from the Versace Mansion. What a rocking weekend, huh? We had a blast, due in large part to meeting such awesome people like you! Heading to any other conferences this year? Maybe we’ll see you there. 🙂
You gals are so fun, and you looked amazing all the time. It was so great to meet you.
I have the exact same tile in my house too! Weird. Must be a thing.
I only wish I had more time to meet you ladies… next year in CA! Great post.
Seriously, ladies. I am a HUGE Land’s End freak. And when I saw your gorgeous spring dresses I was jealous. Incredibly jealous of your partnership. Totally going to make a pitch to join the Land’s End Glamour Squad. Cheers!
Hi lovelies!
Those outfits from LandsEnd are smokin’! WOW!
Yes, this conference was UH-MAY-ZING!!!!! Thanks for letting us link up! 🙂
xo,
Vanessa
Thanks Vanessa! Loved your wrap-up too!
What an awesome wrap-up. And what a great weekend. Is it next year yet?
PS Loved ALL of your Land’s End outfits!
thanks Jennifer! I know, I cannot wait for Mom 2.013! This is going to be my one “must” conference for sure each year!
I want cousins like you two. Thanks for the laughs ladies!