Viva Las Vegas!!! TPT Conference Adventures

True story: I got lost in the Venetian.

I stayed in a different hotel than the Teachers Pay Teachers conference, and after filling my brain to the brim on Thursday, I got lost. I had no idea how to get out of there. It was NOT my finest moment. (I didn't actually sit down in once place and cry and wait for someone to rescue me, but I was tempted.)

After I got in bed that night, I started getting really down. I kept thinking to myself, "What am I doing here???" I'm a really small seller on TPT and I just was not seeing how I could possibly live up to all the awesomeness I was seeing in the sessions! Once I got over my self-imposed pity party, I thought about what I might say to one of my students.

I think I would say something like, "You, my friend, are here to LEARN. That means you aren't supposed to know it all before you get here! The best you can do is try."

Once I could turn off that negative part of my brain, I reminded myself that some sellers are in a really different place, and that's ok! We all have to start somewhere. And all that matters is that I'm ready to start!

It was a lot easier for me to enjoy the rest of my trip once I got over myself and my own mental blocks about what I should be doing! It was better to take an open-minded learning stance and soak in every minute that I could. And then I started actually having a ton of fun!

If you managed to stick with my story, I'd love to share a few highlights of the trip with you! And no, getting lost in a giant resort hotel would not be considered a highlight!

Thanks to Jessica and Melissa from The Elementary Entourage, I'm linking up with the Viva Las Vegas Linky Party!

First: FRIENDS

I met so many amazing people in Vegas. I feel especially grateful that I got to hang out with Mercedes from Surfing to Success a TON! We really got to know each other and had a great time learning together. I also met Kristin from A Teeny Tiny Teacher, which was like meeting a celebrity for me. I tried not to sound like a goober when I talked to her. It was also great to meet Melissa from Wild About Fifth Grade, Deb from Crafting Connections, Emily from I Love My Classroom, and Stephanie from Falling Into First. I also met Chandra from Powerpoint Gaming and Kelly from An Apple for the Teacher. PLUS (I told you it was a great week!) I got to hang out with lots of my Colorado girls - Sara, Cecelia, and Kristen to name a few! I know there's more that I'm forgetting. I couldn't be happier to have met all of these awesome people that will no doubt make me a better teacher. :-)


Second: LEARNING

First and foremost, I learned that I have a lot of work to do!! I got tips on how to be a better blogger, how to create amazing resources for my buyers and how to be myself even when it's really, really hard. Watching Adam Freed during the keynote speech actually got me a little misty eyed! It is amazing to see what kind of a company TPT really is and what kind of a community it fosters.

Not to mention I attended amazing sessions with people like Erin from Lovin' Lit, Stephanie from Falling Into First and Lindsay from Beyond the Worksheet. It was so inspiring to hear from sellers and to think about how I can apply their ideas into my own blogging and creating.

Third: HAVING FUN

It was so fun to win an awesome t-shirt from Watson Works Edu (those girls are so funny and sweet!), a fabulous bunch of clip art from Glitter Meets Glue Designs AND I even got to do a little sightseeing when the conference was over, thanks to my hubby who flew out on Friday night. :-)

Fourth: GROWING

It is worth noting that I am a country mouse, through and through. I live in a rural area, and while Denver isn't THAT far away, I usually prefer to hang out in less city-like places. I don't catch cabs regularly, or walk through crowded streets. I like my wide open spaces. I live in a very quiet area and I like it that way!

But in Vegas? You need to be a city mouse, people. I know it's way out there in the desert, but I really had to dig deep and find my inner city girl. Once I did that? Things seemed to go more smoothly and I enjoyed myself!! In fact, I am REALLY glad I got to go.

I can't wait to see what's in store as I start collaborating with new friends, applying what I learned and remembering that sometimes you have to dig deep to find your inner strength!

Make sure you head over the The Elementary Entourage for the Viva Las Vegas linky party and see what else was going on in Vegas this past week!