Relevant Reflections

I had such a wonderful time at the Relevant Conference this past weekend, and there is so much to share.  Now that I'm back to the daily craziness it's hard to remember everything I heard and learned and thought, but I really want to get something out there.

It was a wonderful weekend of fellowship with other Christian women who also blog.  The topics of these women's blogs range from saving money to homeschooling to home decorating to many other topics, but we were all united by our faith.
Much of the time was spent discussing balancing blogging with your "real life," especially not neglecting God and your family for your blogging.  While of course I know I have fallen into this sometimes (see: checking the computer every time I go by), it's actually not been the main problem I have been struggling with.  (Three children under five have a way of grabbing your attention whether you plan it or not!)  Instead, I have more been looking to find enough time for blogging!

However, I think these talks were still something I needed to hear.  I return greatly inspired to reorganize my life with my priorities in their proper order.  Crystal used the old analogy of "putting in the big rocks first."  If you start out with the unimportant things, you have no time for the important ones.  However, if you put the truly important things ahead of everything else, there often turns out to be time for the lesser ones too.

I think that focusing on my true priorities will ultimately give me the time that I need for blogging, but in the end that is not the most important thing.  In the end, the conference was truly more about life than about blogging, and that's okay.  After all, life is what makes blogging interesting and makes people want to read blogs.

I also returned with lots of ideas how to improve this blog, both for you readers and as a way to earn some extra income for my family.  I'm hoping that some of the time management strategies I learned will help me give you a greater number of deals and money saving tips.  I plan to ask for your feedback in the coming weeks about what you would like to see here as well!

Finally, I return from Relevant '10 with everything refocused on the God for whom I ultimately do everything.  In the midst of one of the most physically challenging times in my life (i.e. learning to care for three little children and keep my sanity), God is leading me back to Him.

Relevant Conference Pics!

I am so excited to share my pictures from the Relevant Conference with you all!  Here are my beautiful roommates, who drove up from Northern Virginia with me, Lacy from Catholic Icing and Laura from Frugal Friends in Northern VA.  We had so much fun together!

Here is some of the "baby brigade" - there were about 8 or so babies there and many, many pregnant mommies.  Several ladies got asked if it was a baby or a mommy convention!  This is Lacy and I with Christen from Joyful Mothering  - our babies were born just days apart!

Here is a group picture of some of the amazing speakers and organizers, in order L to R:

Courtney from Women Living Well, Kristin from We Are That Family, Kimba from A Soft Place to Land, Alyssa from Keeping the Kingdom First, Jess from Muthering Heights, Dana from Mrs. Moneysaver, Melissa from The Inspired Room, Angie from Bring the Rain, Crystal from Money Saving Mom, Sarah from Real Life Sarah, and Jen from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

And yes, the above is me chatting with Crystal from Money Saving Mom!!!  Meeting her was a dream come true for me, as I have read her blog nearly every day for over two years!  She was just as genuine and sweet as she comes off in her writing. 

I was also so excited to finally meet Dana from Mrs. Moneysaver.  I have corresponded by email with her for a while, and she is the one who first published my Wegmans deals.  She is also one of the organizers of the conference, who made such an incredible weekend happen.

Here are me, Dana, and Laura - hooray for Virginia frugal bloggers!

These should give you a taste of what an amazing weekend it was for me and I think for everyone.  I'll be sharing just a few reflections on the conference in a separate post.

Thanks to Lacy for taking and sending the pics!!!

Relevant Sponsor Profile: "What's the Deal?" Local Deal Site

I am very excited to introduce to you a partial sponsor of my trip to the Relevant Conference: a great DC-area deal site called What's the Deal. 

What's the Deal is a daily deal/group coupon site, but the difference is that What's the Deal is DC-based and features only local DC metro area deals.  They offer at least five new fun deals per week, including at least one live event (usually happy hours around the city or in NOVA).  They also just started a weekly list of free happy hour events, which you can choose to receive by email when you sign up for their regular deal emails.

It strikes me from following their deals that they often go beyond just mainstream events and destinations, so the site would be a great way to find new places to go in the metro area.  I got several ideas for places for my husband to take the guys for a bachelor party he is planning for a friend.  Some recent deals (that are still available) included everything from 50% off at any location of Firehook Bakery to 50% off wine packages from First Vine to 40% off tickets to a National Geographic Live Musical.

I like the fact that the deals on the site are usually available for one to two weeks, as opposed to just one day.  That would give you time to check your weekend schedule or to make plans with a friend before buying.

I also like that the website is attractive and easy to navigate, and it has plenty of information to make you feel comfortable purchasing from them.  It even shows pictures of the team behind the site.  And don't miss their rap video here - it's hilarious!

What's the Deal also has an exclusive partnership with Washingtonian Magazine, and all of their business partners get featured on washingtonian.com

What's the Deal is offering Frugally Blonde readers an exclusive coupon code for trying out their site!  Simply use code FRUGALB when placing your first order or click this link to receive $3 in credit towards your first deal!

And be sure to sign up for their daily emails, so that you get the newest great deal every day!

Disclaimer: What's the Deal is a partial sponsor of my trip to Relevant, and as such I was compensated for writing this post.  However, I accepted their sponsorship because I thought that their site would be of real interest to my local readers.  The opinions in this post are honest and my own.

Relevant Blogging Conference

I am so excited!!!  Next weekend, Oct. 21-24, I will be attending my first blogging conference, The Relevant Conference in Hershey, PA!

When I first heard about this conference, it appealed to me because it was small (limited to 200 attendees), Christian-based, and an easy drive from my home.  However, attending the conference seemed like a pipe dream for a relatively small blogger like me. 

I decided to simply put the issue in God's hands.  I asked that if he wanted me to go, He would make it happen.  Very quickly after I first prayed, he did just that, enabling me to get a ticket.  Since then he also provided me with two wonderful bloggers as roommates and carpool buddies and even a partial sponsor for my hotel and transportation costs!

So next Thursday, baby Gem and I will load up our minivan with Lacy and her little one and Laura and we'll be heading to Hershey!  I won't be blogging during the conference, but I'm sure I'll have much to share when I get back.  My hope for the conference is that it will improve this blog as a service to my readers and  help me to use my blogging as a blessing for myself and my family.