Ultimate Blog Party 2011! We're Partying Once Again!

Hold the phone, did someone say party? Ultimate Blog Party?

Oh, we're so there. We've been excited for this big ol' bloggy bash to roll around since... well, since last year. The excitement over it finally being time is pretty hard to contain and we're quite literally jumping for joy that it is time once again.

But I have had a special request this year to ask you if you've brought cake. Because we loved all of our visitors in 2010 and the chance to get to know you all... but, really, we needed some cake.

Cake makes every party better, doesn't it?

If you aren't here for the Ultimate Blog Party and just happen to be reading this post wondering if I've lost my mind, please rest assured that I haven't (at least not completely). 5 Minutes for Mom throws an annual bash that takes the vast hugeness of the blogosphere and somehow makes it seem... personal.

The whole concept is to form new online friendships and have the chance to meet and visit with bloggers from all ends of the spectrum. As I mentioned, we jumped in headfirst last year for the first time and... wow. Just, wow. There are some pretty amazing blogs out there that I didn't know about and some pretty cool bloggers that came by and brightened our week with their comments. So...

If you are here for the Ultimate Blog Party, welcome to Thanks, Mail Carrier! Those crazy girls up there and I are glad that you stopped by and we hope that you're having a great time at this unique event. If you feel like entering a giveaway or two or two dozen while you're here, please feel free! We do like to give stuff away around here, there's something so satisfying about telling someone that they're a winner. Who doesn't like to hear that?

But even if you don't enter, please do leave a comment! We're actually on vacation right now and I will be slowly but surely making my way around to every single visitor's party as soon as I can and I want to know that you stopped by! Also, if you follow or subscribe, let me know so that I can return the favor!

What's up with calling your blog Thanks, Mail Carrier?

What can I say? We love the mail! My daughters might have a slightly skewed view as to what is "normal" for a mail carrier to deliver on any given day, but that's okay. As soon as we hear the vrooom of a vehicle coming down our block, you can find the girls and I peering out the window to try to catch a first glimpse at what the USPS, UPS, or FedEx truck might be bringing.

Tell me more about your kids.

Well, certainly. I don't think you have to ask too many moms more than once to do that.

My 4-year-old, Big Sister E, is caring, creative, inventive, beautiful, stubborn, and acts completely shy when meeting new people (she won't even make eye contact) even though she talks nonstop when we're at home. She loves books, games, arts & crafts, being adored by her sister, preschool, swim lessons, and trying to charm her mother into giving her sweets "because I was good. Right? I was good? I have something special now, Mama? Huh? Can I?"

Then there's my 2-year-old, Little Sister B. She's a crazy one, that girl. She is sweet, happy, independent, loud, bull-headed, and my funny little comedienne. She likes giving her sister big hugs, pretending with play food, singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat, and jumping. Lots of jumping.

Together, the three of us (and Daddy too, every now and again) have been reviewing products and sites from all across the spectrum since 2009. From apparel to jewelry to food to household items to music to shoes to toys to gear to technology... to everything in between - we've worked hard but have also enjoyed doing it more than I ever would have guessed.

Blogging has opened my eyes to an entire world that I didn't know existed and has brought me opportunities that I never would have thought possible when I first started writing. I've been flown across the country more than once, attended amazing events, actually succeeded at a weight loss program, and opened my door to find pretty incredible products on the other side. Do I consider myself lucky? Absolutely.

However, none of it compares to the people I've met and the friendships that I've made through blogging. This community may be bigger than I can imagine and growing by the day, but I am so grateful and glad to be a part of it with all of you. I just hope that the friends that I talk to that help keep me going know just how important they are.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Don't be a stranger, come back and visit anytime, we're always happy to have people stop over. Now, go enjoy the rest of the party! We'd really like to give you a big hug before you go, but since that's not possible, we'll just have to stick with the little lovefest that we're having here instead.

Now, really. When is someone going to pass the cake?