{photo taken by Crooked Eyebrow}

I had never been to Wisconsin before.  I never thought that was a big deal until I told my friends “I had never been to Wisconsin before.”  Apparently Wisconsin is a big deal…I had no idea.

That’s where Cupcake 10 was held.  What’s Cupcake 10?  Cupcake 10 is the brain child of Heather of the EO (the one almost kissing mah belly up top there) and Stephanie.  They wanted a blog get together that wasn’t a blog conference, there was no talk of SEO and very little talk of advertising and HOW DO I SELL MY BLOG?  HOW DO I INCREASE READERSHIP?  It was more like “hey, tell me your story.”  or “I love your blog and I’m so happy to finally meet you.”  or “can I kiss your belly?” or “Who made the oreo truffles?”  (the answer to the oreo truffle question would be Kim.)

That sort of thing.

{this is Allison of O My Family with her son.  HIS EYES?  OHMYGOD.}

It was so laid back and beautiful and inexpensive.  We all brought food for a potluck, we woke up in the morning, in a beautiful cabin in the country, in our pajamas, we drank coffee, ate fruit and bagels and cookies (and okay, cupcakes) and we had no make-up on, no laptops to shield us from everyone around us.  It was just us.

And it was just so good.

{this is Brianne.  Brianne = amazing.  No lie.}

I have a feeling there will be more Cupcakes to come, not just in our area but in all parts of the country and that is a very, very good thing.

Oh and why is Cupcake 10 called Cupcake 10?

Because I named it, that’s why.

{Crooked Eyebrow & Eden.}

Check out all of the amazing people, my new friends, who attended:

Kim at I Want a Minivan
Katie at A List Maker’s Life
Crooked Eyebrow
Sara at Joel Lives
Allison at O My Family
Heather at The Extraordinary Ordinary
Erin at School Teacher by Day, Superhero by Night
Stephanie at Adventures in Babywearing
Sarah Viola
Brianne at Little Green Pastures
Elizabeth at Boy Crazy
Haley at Love, Life, Family and then some
Hyacinth of The Scoop on Poop
Anti-Supermom
Maggie of Okay, Fine, Dammit
Lee at Moms without Blogs
Amanda at Life Long Playdate {private blog, yo.}
Stephanie at The Hanes Family Chronicles
Julie at Spot on your Pants
Esther at Faint Star Lite
Tara at Capitol Mommy
The Nap Warden
Becky of Tales of Princess Mikkimoto
Samara of Simplicity in the Suburbs
Ann of Ann’s Rants
Mama Bear of 4 the Love of Family
Kristina Joy of The Joy Walk

Oh and this girl?  Erin?  Is the best roomie ever.

Update: A caringbridge site has been created for updates on Anissa.  You can also donate directly to her family via paypal by clicking here.

Last night, my dear friend Anissa had a stroke.  We met through blogging, she lives in Georgia and through my darkest days after losing James and Jake…Anissa was with me, leaving me comments and sending me emails.  I often marveled at the fact that Anissa always said just the thing I needed to hear on that day.

And here I sit…speechless.

This isn’t her first struggle in her life, she’s so strong.  In 2005, she suffered her first stroke, she recovered and then her daughter, Petyon, was diagnosed with cancer.

Anissa is strength.

And Anissa is hilarious.  Truly one of the funniest people, one of the best writers in the blogosphere, probably one of the best huggers I have ever encountered and certainly one of the brightest lights in life for so many of us.

Anissa needs your prayers.  Please close your eyes and send a prayer to God for Anissa and her health, for the team of doctors working on her as she lies in the ICU, I need you to pray for strength for her husband and her three beautiful children.

If you’d like to contribute to her family in the form of gift cards for food, gas, etc. a P.O. Box has been set up, please, if you can…contribute.

She’s a Mom…just.like.YOU.

860 Johnson Ferry Road 140-184
Atlanta, GA 30342

Romans 12:12  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

And so I shall.