ALY ALLEN | THE BLOG

one day on twitter, a bunch of us blog friends were lamenting how we feel like such great friends but we don't ever get to see each other in real life. what if there was a way we could meet up and spend a bunch of uninterrupted time together, just being friends? i was totally in, and we started exchanging emails... until about mid-way through the planning i realized that there was no possible way i could leave my family for an extended period of time during football season. i had to back out, and i was really bummed about it. sometimes being a grown-up isn't always fun. [i was so tempted to hashtag that, guys. it's amazing what social media has done to us. #beingagrownupisntalwaysfun] then this conference popped up called Influence . and it sounded so amazing, right up my alley, exactly the kind of thing i'd love to attend. not to mention, there would be plenty of friends going to this too. but it was the same october weekend as the little getaway i mentioned... f...

I thought I would write out my first impressions of the weekend. Or maybe, more accurately, my  lasting impressions. I met a few friends for the very first time, and a few that I'd met before and communicated with a lot through the past nine months or so. I hope they don't mind that I'm talking about them behind their backs and they don't even know it! Oops! What I learned about: Mindy She came out here, by herself, from Kansas. Are you kidding me? And then took a taxi from her hotel to meet us in Balboa Island for breakfast. You guys, she was so sweet. Like beyond sweet. Totally real, totally charming, totally warm. You felt like her best friend after like 30 minutes. Not afraid to just be herself, she was encouraging and fun. I felt so happy getting to meet her [since I wasn't expecting to]. And her kids have the coolest names: Wilder & Story? Are you kidding me? April She was immediately engaging. She wanted to chat and joke and get to know you. J...

hi friends! i'm new to virtual coffee world, but it looks like lots of fun. thanks for stopping by! if we were having coffee today, i'd be sipping my usual: a teaspoon of instant coffee [ralph's brand organic] with a few tablespoons of hot cocoa [trader joe's organic fair trade]. oh, and i'd be using my cute new mug that our small group pastor and his wife gave us the other night when they came over for dinner. such a  thou ghtful  gift! we'd probably take a seat at my new dining room table, and discuss my big plans for a much cuter and more colorful centerpiece. but for now, the candlesticks are fine. you would probably ask where i got my doily coasters, and i'd give you the link to buy them . and then i'd tell you that  this is why i've been M.I.A. the past couple days. not answering your phone calls and texts, or joining you on all those fun playdates. lots of flower making and lots and lots and lots of headband attaching...