So, for those of you who were wondering whether I actually made it to CyberMummy without turning tail and fleeing back home: Yes, I did! And I feel so proud of myself for doing it – so if I sound smug, well, tough. I make no apology. It was a psychological barrier that has been there for…oh…probably about ten years! And I broke it down!

So, for those of you who didn’t make it to CyberMummy and are curious as to what the event was like, here’s a little description for you…

Recipe for a successful CyberMummy conference:

• 3 Amazing Ladies to Organise the Event
• Lots of happy, smiling sponsors
• Excellent Speakers
• Lovely Venue
• 180 of the Funniest, Smartest Mummy (and Daddy!) Bloggers on the Internet
• Cupcakes. Lots and Lots of Cupcakes.

Picture Credit: Cosmic Girlie

• Mix Well.

The end result? A room full of laughter, tears, joy, friendship and love…plus goodie bags aplenty, lots of awesome information on improving our blogging (that was, after all, kind of what the conference was about!) and some rather hammered drunk pleasantly tipsy ladies In short, the perfect day.

I could not have overcome my crippling shyness on my own. In fact, if it hadn’t been for these two special women I would either have sat in silence all day or run screaming out the door immediately…

• @KerrysAvon from And Then All I Thought About Was You – we met just before registration and she allowed me to stalk tag along with her most of the day. She is an awesome lady – who also happens to live really close to me, which is fab!
• @emmylouvic from Adventures of an English Mum – I love this lady. She was my Secret Post Club recipient last time (which reminds me, I have to post this month’s one: mental note) and we’ve been tweeting ever since. She promised to hold my hand and melt into the wall with me – in the end, we didn’t need to, we were having too much fun!

Special mention also to my wonderful lunch companions:

• @businessmum – Time Management Mum
• @mumstheboss (Sam and Helen) – Mum’s the Boss
• Everyone else at our table.

There was far more laughing than eating – in fact, everyone else wanted to know what on earth was going on at our table!

Not that we were loud or anything.

*Ahem*

We must have had something special going on, because we all won a prize in the various competitions that were being held throughout the day! I won a £250 clothes voucher – thanks again, Glam!

And to my companions for the pub quiz. Which we failed miserably at. But we did it with much hysteria hilarity, so that was ok!

• @emmylouvic, @KerrysAvon, @MaisonCupcake (Maison Cupcake) and the hilarious @cookingkt (Feeding boys and a firefighter)
• Mustn’t forget the quiz host, the fabulous @LindaSJones from Ready For Ten. If you need a quiz host, she’s your lady!

I got to meet Josie a.k.a. @porridgebrain (Sleep Is For The Weak)!! And no, we didn’t hide under the buffet table! She spoke, and she was great

Picture Credit: Cosmic Girlie

And lovely Jay (@CosmicGirlie and Mocha Beanie Mummy) and Tara (@tara_cain and Sticky Fingers)- thanks so much for letting me use your pics.

Picture Credit: Tara Lara

There are plenty more from the day to be found on our CyberMummy Flickr Stream.

Luckily I managed to avoid being in any of the pictures so far – except the group one, where I am hardly visible!

The Keynote speakers – bloggers reading samples of their work – were outstanding. They made us laugh, and reduced everyone in the room to floods of tears. Wonderful, beautiful, amazing ladies. All of them.

And finally, a great big huge enormous thank you to the ladies responsible for this amazing day:

• Sian @mummytips (Mummy Tips)
• Susanna @amodernmother (A Modern Mother)
• Jennifer @alphamummy (Alpha Mummy)

Picture Credit: Cosmic Girlie

It wouldn’t have happened without you – you ladies rock!

It just goes to show that you can get a group of women together for a whole day, without it turning into a bitch-fest. In fact, it was the most wonderful day I have had for a long time. Nothing but empathy, support and a whole lot of fun. I can’t wait for next year

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