Cupcake '10!!!

Wow, what a weekend! Thursday, I found out about this little retreat that Heather, Stephanie and Allison were planning. Unfortunately, it was sold out:(

A Blogging retreat in the Midwest...I'm all over that! I commented on Heather's blog that if anyone canceled, that I was only three hours away...and I'd LOVE to go. Well, sure enough...she had some cancellations. Since Mr. Wicked Weather did not descend upon Chicago, I drove up to the cold Wisconsin tundra...

Can I just tell you right now, that I should not be let out alone. It's like my brain can't function if it's not constantly monitoring two toddlers.

I kid you not...we are talking almost locking my keys in my car at the gas station, not being able to find my wallet to pay for soda for the gathering (said wallet was under my arm), and of course getting lost once I left the expressway:(

Luckily for me, (as I'm pulled off to the side of a remote Wisconsin road pouring over three pages of Mapquest nonsense and wishing the lovely Garmin woman would just beam into my car and tell me which way to go) a wonderful farmer actually stopped, got out of his car, and said..."You look like you might need some help?"

"Why yes...I really shouldn't be allowed to leave the city. I need to get here, and I don't have a Garmin, and Mapquest was obviously playing a cruel joke on me when they gave me these directions...please tell me you know where this street is."

"I'll do you one better...follow me, and I'll drive you in."

Not only did wonderful white truck driving farmer man drive me in...he actually chased me down when I turned the wrong way on the right street. I wanted badly to take his picture...but I think he already thought I was nuts. Explaining how I needed his picture for the blog did NOT seem like the appropriate way to thank him:/

What a wonderful time I had! Really, the lodge was AMAZING (well done Heather for finding such a lovely place). Everyone brought unbelievable food. We talked, we ate, we drank. Lee and I bopped down the road to a local bar and picked up more booze. (the bar where "an arm and a leg" was $10) There were bloggers I knew and got to spend time with, and bloggers I didn't know that I got to spend time with. They were all great bloggers with stories to tell about why they blog, and what they do. I was so honored to have the opportunity to hang with all of them. I'm telling you, I could go on and on about how great this idea was. (seriously, in my mind I'm already planning Cupcake Chicago)

We all sat up and talked until I caved at about midnight...the hard core girls stayed up WAY into the morning. Then morning came...after more talk and food...I was reminded again, why I should not be let out on my own:P

Yep...I left my headlights in the car on:( Holy frozen with a dead, dead, deadsky battery, Batman:O I gotta give my props to Heather. Sister Soldier put her boots on, marched out, hooked up the jumper cables and made a valiant effort to start my car. Alas...it was not to be:( Seriously...who leaves the dad-gum lights on? I felt like such an IDIOT:P

VERY long story short...Esther's Husband is a saint, and moved Heaven and earth to get my stubborn car to start. YAY!!!

I drove my frozen car out of the tundra and back to the happy wind breaking skyscrapers of Chicago...vowing never to leave the city alone again...until I go to Blissdom Feb 4.

On the upside, there's no hope of me leaving the headlights on in the airplane...right;)