Haven Is Here and a Winner

I didn't sign up for the Haven conference here in Atlanta, but sure wish I had. I was lucky enough to meet with some of my fave blogging friends for dinner last night. You know I had to since they are only here for a couple of days.

Let me back track for a second and tell you I was wondering if I would make it there because there seemed to be a little black cloud hanging over me yesterday. I thought I would get my car cleaned at the car wash earlier in the day so I drove to the one I go to right down the street from me and got in the line. Next thing I know I am looking up at back up tail lights coming at me on a big pick up truck. I could not get my car in reverse fast enough and BAM! He backed right into me. Great! My car is only a few months old and had just turned three thousand miles and now it is damaged.

The hitch on his truck went through my parking light. Thanks goodness he has Allstate insurance.

After this happened I was kind of shook up for awhile. I had told my sister earlier that I would go out of the way and pick her up and we would ride to the dinner together. I left the house later than I wanted because we were talking to the insurance company. So of course when you are in a hurry you are going to run into problems. I had to take a detour around road construction that took me a little out of the way and then I am getting ready to cross a railroad, but NO. The gates come down and a train is coming. Really? Now? This train is way down the tracks and moving at a snail's pace. I am fussing and saying why are you crawling? I'm on a mission here. Well fifteen minutes later after waiting for this two mile long train to go by at ten miles an hour I am finally able to go. I pick up my sister and then of course we hit rush hour traffic in Atlanta. We finally make it there.I didn't get to take a lot of pictures because we were so busy talking, laughing and having fun.  Here are a few shots I grabbed.

We met a the Cheesecake Factory and had a blast. This is Barbara from The Everyday Home and Debbie of Confessions of a Plate Addict. Debbie lives very close to me and was not attending Haven either, but came to dinner. I told her I didn't know she was coming and we could have ridden together. She and Barb have been friends for years so they were catching up.

The girls attending the conference had brought business cards to hand out and Shirley from Housepitality Designs attached hers to packs of Oreos because they are made in Chapel Hill, NC where she lives. Very clever.

Look who I got to meet in person! Heather and Vanessa from At the Picket Fence. Yippee. This was after dinner when we went out to get a group shot and I was practicing getting my camera set right.

That is Lisa from Budget Design Girl looking at her phone. I wish I had gotten a better picture.

And the group shot I took. I will be in the other group shots the other ladies will be sharing soon.

Left to right: Shirley of Housepitality Designs, Barb of The Everyday Home, Debbie of Confessions of a Plate Addict, Lisa of Budget Design Girl, Heather and Vanessa from At the Picket Fence, up behind them is crazy girl KariAnne of Thistlewood Farm, next is Gretchen of Bird Nest Cottage, and last, but not least my sister, Kelly of The Essence of Home. There were a few other bloggers at the dinner, too, but they left early to get back to the hotel for a meet and greet.

We talked and laughed so much that I woke up today with a scratchy throat. Oh, how I wish I lived closer to these gals. I know they will have a great time at the conference.

So after a stressful start I had the best time ever!! It was just what I needed.

So much fun meeting with other bloggers with like interests. If you ever get to do it, DO!

The winner of the House of Belonging giveaway is #11 The Blue Farmhouse.
Congrats!!

Here is a peek at what I have been busy working on in between keeping Leila, crashing cars and meeting fabulous bloggers.