Wooooo! The first business/personal/business trip of the year! As you can tell I don’t waste any time with my new found freedom ;) A new year, a new adventure, baby!
This is what the next 10 days will look like:
Part I: Milwaukee – The Prepping
Our journey starts in Milwaukee where I fly in and pick up Nate St. Pierre to get the party started. It’s quite possible that by the time you read this I’m already freezing my tail off and wondering why I didn’t pack long underwear like my dear mother asked of me. I don’t know what -3 degrees feels like yet, but Nate promises me it’ll be “fun.” I’m pretty sure he’ll get it on film and I’ll say something like “I hate you.” And then force him to buy me coffee :)
Why on film, you ask? Oh, cuz it’s time to do THE LOVE DROP!!!!
Part II: Chicago – The “Drop”
That’s right my blogger friends, the time has finally come to actually GIVE all that money and gifts we’ve been collecting over to our first month’s recipient. It’s crazy. Remember when I first hinted at this project over a year and a half ago?? It’s gone through a wild amount of revisions over the months, but we’re now rockin’ it and really got a good grasp of what we’ve set out to do.
The community has done an amazing job rounding stuff up for Jill and her beautiful family this month, and we’re about to show up on her doorstep and surprise her with everything we’ve done :) It’s gonna be a crazy experiment. And then we do it all over again come Feb 1st!
Part III: Columbus, OH – The Lauren
After chillin’ in Chicago and watching the Packers win (oops, spoiler alert!), we jump back in the car and head out to rosey Columbus, Ohio – home of the mysterious Lauren Lankford. We poke around for a couple of days and do some exploring (aka blogging/working in different coffee shops), and then we head on out and get ready for an awesome conference!!
Part IV: Nashville – The Blissdom
We regroup in Nashville with fellow coupon blogger Jennie from Bargain Blessings, and then we’re off to talk bloggin’ and tweetin’ at the popular (mostly women) Blissdom Conference! Smack down in the middle of Opryland – and one of my very first social-media like conventions. Unlike one of those “you have to go for work” type deals, I actually WANT to be there! I’ll def. be doing lots of networking and pimping of my budgets and love drops, but you better believe it won’t be against my will ;)
In fact, one of the coolest parts of the whole event will be watching Nate & Lauren speak at one of the last panels of the conference. Not only cuz they’re smooth and can pump up an audience pretty good, but because they’ll be leaking our final Love Drop video!! All our hard work, right up there on the screen for 600+ social medialites to see what we’ve been up to. It’s gonna be killer. And probably the time when everything finally sinks in and I GET it. That I’m meant to be own my own right now working on stuff I truly believe in. It’s all so surreal, and I hope it never ends!
So while I’m gone, be sure to hold down the fort for me. I’ve got a great lineup of guest posts on its way, and I’ll be doing my best to pop in here and there to spill some juicy gossip. Or to just ramble on after one too many long island iced teas — whatever comes first.
And if you’re AROUND any of these cities (Milwaukee, Chicago, Columbus, or Nashville), let me know! Our schedule is pretty tight, but I’d love to try and sneak in a way to meet some of y’all in Real Life. Shoot me an email and we’ll see if we can work it :)
‘Til then, God bless everyone. Here’s to following your dreams!
(Photo by Stas Kulesh)
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You should pack your long underwear – I was born and raised in Wisconsin and now live in Appleton. With Milwaukee being right on the lake it will be a little cooler. And, of course the Packers are going to beat the Bears, lol!
Enjoy your trip and I love your site!
And by a little cooler they are calling for a HIGH of 6 degrees:)
I used to live in Miwaukee – wear layers and make sure you have a scarf to cover your face as the wind makes it colder than it actually is.
And if you have time, go check out the Safe House downtown. It’s fun! =)
mil/chi is my neck of the woods! have a great time and stay warm. it’s going to be brutal! :)
I also used to live in MIlwaukee and agree with the layers and the scarf. Wind off the lake makes it super cold, but it’ssuch a pretty little city. Hit up water street for some bar hoping, or just go the to the Water Street Brewery for some yummy food and Beer! (and don’t pass up trying out some Sprecher or Leinenkugel beer!)
Great time of the year for a road trip! Brrrrrr.
Sounds AMAZING!! Hope you have a blast and tell us all about it when you return!
Columbus native and spent 10 years in the land of cheese. Give my regards to both. Kopp’s Frozen Custard in Milwaukee is a gotta have — even in the bitter cold.
Ooh, thanks guys – I think I *will* take him to the Safe House today for lunch! And Kopps is always good. Or Leon’s.
Have a great roadtrip! Can’t wait to see what happens with Love Drop.
And make sure to wear long johns under your jeans, or you’ll freeze.
I hope you have 4WD! :-)
Born and raised in Columbus, now living about an hour from there. You are just in time for a snowstorm :-)
Looking forward to reading about your trip, and especially about the Drop!
J$,
If you are going to be in Columbus (my most favorite city in Ohio, and my future home starting in June!) you’ll be about 2hrs from me. We just had some snow today and are expecting frigid temps, probably like what you are getting in WI right about now. What days are you going to be here? I would love to meet up with you if you are free.
I can’t wait to hear about the Love Drop!!
Jessica
What, no visit to Dollywood? I’m disappointed in you.
I am in Michigan and it is miserably cold here.
Have a great trip and enjoy your freedom! Keep us posted!
Stay warm in Chicago!
Go BEARS!!!!!! Send those Packers home packing. :)
Why is everybody scared with cold? I live in Quebec, let me tell you what cold means: -25 degrees!! That is cold! Six degrees is only cool! LOL Seriously, a road trip in cold places is a fun thing to do. I used to hate winter here and now I enjoy it as much as summer. Getting outside with a little snow and having a walk near a lake or in the woods is something everyone should do. I am sure you’ll have fun!
Look at you J. Money – living the life – following your bliss all the way to blissdom! You go on and show all those 9-5ers how life can be lived. An inspiration to us all :-)
Oh I wish I saw this a few day ago because I would have loved to meet you and Nate! I hope that the road trip here to Milwaukee went ok and that your nose hasn’t fallen off from the wind chill! LOL!
I can’t wait to hear about and see the results of the HARD work everyone has done and evrythig that has been done for Jills Family for the “Maiden voyage” of Love Drop!
I have a feeling our family will be meeting you and Nate in the near future! ;)
PS, my piece of cold weather advice…layers of course….and do not go outside right after a shower….wait till your hair is dry and your body has come back to room temp after a warm/hot shower otherwise…well….just don’t do it! Lol!
Go Pack! (sorry Jill!)
Drive safe and have a great time at the conference and rest of your trip!
Thanks for being inspiring and doing somethig you LOVE and something that is changing lives!!! Don’t worry about the $ as far as income because as the good Oprah says (and maybe others have too) because “if you do why you love and it truely makes you happy then the money will follow, never fails”…..if only MORE of us can live to Pay it Forward and have empathy for everyone them the world would be a much better place!!!
Thanks again!
Angie
Proud Mom to Ethan, Alex, and Megan
Sounds like an awesome road trip! Looking forward to doing my own.
I’m back! And already miss it after reading through all these comments ;) Sorry to those asking questions – had spotty coverage throughout. Here are some responses!
@Michelle – I got taken to the Safe House! And by that, I mean I was made fun of for a good 10 mins ;)
@Jessica, The Debt Princess – Sorry just now seeing this, that woulda been fun! It’s now my fave city in Ohio too – or actually in the surrounding areas! Loved it there – so quaint.
@KP – Sorry about your bad luck ;) Although you all put in my boy Todd Collins! Ex-Redskin, woo!
@DoNotWait – After -6 degrees I was okay in the 10-15 range. But -25? no wayyyy – wow.
@Chris – Thank you :) Just trying to live life to the fullest!
@Angie Mom to Ethan, Alex, and Megan – You are too sweet :) Thank you so much Angie – that means a lot.
@20 and Engaged – Where you gonna go?
Will be back writing again tomorrow – hope everyone had a great week or two!
@J. Money
Funny you mentioned, cause I thought about you a couple of days after reading your post when it got -35 WITHOUT the windshield factor (so that would be -40 or something) here! I must admit that we did not really get outside that day though!
what the heck – i have never heard of such a thing! man you guys have to be safe out in that craziness. bleh.