I made it…to 132 consecutive days posting. Yay for me!

So I didn’t quite achieve my New Year’s Resolution to write a tip every day for the entire year. I guess I should feel like a failure, but the truth is that I don’t. I feel free, and inspired, and proud that I actually made it to 132. So let’s have a party? I’ll bring my famous cocktail meatballs.

I did learn that if I want to do something I have to do it every day. It’s just the way I work. And I continue to write every day…just not here alone. Which is what was happening — and that’s not good.

So expect a little less posting here, and a lot more in other places. Which makes me happy, and isn’t that the point to all this?

(A little plug: If you want to keep up with me on Facebook you can like my page here: http://www.facebook.com/EverydayTreats I have decided to simplify things and link to all my writing — from everywhere, not just my blogs — there . If you only want to keep up with Everyday Treats, you can still subscribe to the Monday email. It’s easy peasy.)

Also, I’m making it much easier for you to stalk me on the internet. You’re welcome. Just go the the page and like it there. And I will never ask you to do this ever again. (Until the next one. Maybe.)

Oh, and that picture…It’s from Mother’s Day. One of my boys made me a portrait, and I think it’s excellent. Right?

I like to day dream.

I don’t really remember my dreams at night — maybe it’s because I’m chronically sleep deprived, who knows — but I’m an active day dreamer. It’s both relaxing and purposeful for me. I know this is going to sound crazy, but most of the amazing things that I’ve accomplished or have happened to me I’ve daydreamed about before they happened. And then they do.

I don’t believe that there’s some The Secret magic going on; I actually think it’s quite simple. Daydreaming is like rehearsing for when the real thing happens. It’s relaxing, because don’t you feel better when you’re prepared? Of course you do.

When I was little I was ashamed of my daydreams, but now that I’m all grown up I indulge in daydreaming as often as I can.

What about you? Are you a daydreamer?

This post was inspired by my friend Whitney Johnson who has a new book out titled Dare, Dream, Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare to Dream, I just started reading it and it’s like talking to an old friend. It’s available at bookstores nationwide, as we as on all major online retailers, including Amazon, B&N, Indiebound and others. Pivot Boston 2 was based on her new book. Congrats, Whitney! 

Guys. Mom 2.0 in Miami was amazing.

Miami is my hometown. It’s a place where I belong. From the bellhop who could tell I was a local the second I walked into the hotel to all the memories I had left behind and that hit me from every corner of Key Biscayne, I was in my comfort zone.

But there is another reason I felt so comfortable.

I was comfortable because I was surrounded by fakes.

Of course, I don’t mean that I think that my fellow writers and entrepreneurs are a bunch of phonies — they were all super intimidating and obviously amazing women of the highest caliber — but the theme of this conference for me was that we all suffer from Impostor Syndrome.

I heard it from the newer bloggers I met, the ones who shyly told me about their reasons for blogging or their new business they were working so hard to get off the ground.

I heard it from old friends who are superstars in their own right, who have succeed at this blogging thing for years, yet confessed that they felt like impostors.

I heard it on stage, from fabulously successful women like Liz Lange, and Brene Brown and Pilar Guzmán; yes, even these women admitted to feeling like someone is going to find out they’re not really as impressive as they really are.

And of course, I heard it from myself as I prepared for the conference and for my panel and I couldn’t relax because who cares about what I have to say anyway?

Turns out that some people do. And some don’t. But what matters is that I keep putting it out there, because chances are that that person that intimidates the hell out of me is feeling like an impostor themselves.

I wish that wasn’t the case. I wish I had a solution for it. (I don’t.) But if I’m going to feel like a fake, I might as well aim high. What good does sitting at home feeling like a fraud do?

It helps no one. So it’s best to ignore those feelings and keep going.

I love going to blogging conferences; nothing beats talking and hugging people face-to-face (actually, it’s pretty hard to hug someone on-screen but you know what I mean).

Here are some pictures I stole off other people’s cameras. (I need to be better about taking pictures!)

Regan, who is taking me to Jamaica with her (she thinks I’m kidding) and Erin (and Stella!)

I finally got to meet Ana and she’s like a sister now. 

Speaking of sisters, here I am with some of the latina contingent at the Versace mansion. Thanks for the photo, Blanca!

And here’s my picture with Jenny. She’s as nice as she sounds on her blog.

UPDATED! (I can’t believe I forgot this one) Friends at the back of the bus: Karen, Helen Jane, Sarah and poor Jenny who looks like she wants to get the hell out of there. (Sorry!) — Thanks for the picture, Kami!

So of course I did a lot of hugging and a lot of listening and a lot of laughing at this conference. The end.

No, not really.

I also got to speak. I was on the “From Mom Blogger to Mom Who Blogs” panel with my girls Susan, Pam, Sarah and Danielle. The fabulous Leslie liveblogged it for us, so you can read what we talked about on the Mom 2 blog if you missed it. (Thanks, Leslie!)

Thank you, ladies of Mom 2.0. You know who you are. Thank you for your honesty, for the conversations, the meals, the cab rides and the booze. For featuring my bath robed leg in your outfit shots, roommate. For the laughs. The encouragement. For listening. For telling me you read my blog, and for being nice even when you had no idea who I was. For inspiring me to take new adventures.

For the opportunities — yay, for the opportunities!

And for telling me, twice, that you think I look like Penelope Cruz. (You probably need glasses, but I love you anyway.)

Tonight was Pivot Boston – we work really hard to put the event together, but I’m always amazed at how much the people that attend are the biggest part of the event. I always learn more from the attendees than I expect.

When you have permission to talk and get help from other women who are nothing like you but yet are just like you (you know?) magic happens. Between tonight and this weekend my brain is about to explode from all the possibilities.

But first, to bed. Good night, friends.

One of the many, many things that have stuck with me from my Mom 2.0 weekend (I will tell you more…later…I still haven’t recuperated!) was Meredith Sinclair’s 7 minute talk on Play.

Basically, she just encouraged us to get out there and play. And to use our kids as an excuse to have fun.

She’s right, you know. Play — just for fun play, not “supervising” or “brain-building” play — unleashes your creativity.

And as much as I love my screens, physical play is better than virtual. Your body has to get into it!

So as soon as I got off the plane, I had some lunch and we took the kids to park. Where I tried to teach the boys hopscotch. They weren’t interested, but I was, so I played.

It was fun. I need to do that more often.

How often do you play?

Thank you for a wonderful time…but now it’s time to go home and kiss some boys.

Guys, first of all I’m writing this on May 4 — not the 5th — because I was too busy having fun and talking to people at Mom 2.0.

I did think about this post on the 4th, but I just didn’t make it to the computer during the day. Oh well…

One of the best things about going to conferences like this is that you finally connect (which is just a fancy way of saying “talk”) in person with people you either work with or admire from afar. You have conversations in hallways and bathrooms and beaches.

The worst part is not having the time to process (which is just a fancy way of saying “think about”) all the things you are talking about.

I’m having a great time in Miami, though it’s super confusing to hang out in places you used to a dozen years ago with people you’ve worked with for years, on the internet.

It’s strange, this social media world. More on that when I’m back in Boston. But I’m having a wonderful time!

Today I got to spend the day with my family and pretend I was just another Miami girl.

We had brunch in the Gables, because of course we did.

We went to Kennedy Park, where we played with my adorable nephew and let the dogs tire themselves out in the park.

It was hot (because it always is) so we picked up an A.C.’s Icees. When I got to my hotel, the bellman was all like, “you’re local, aren’t you?” I asked him why — maybe my Miami vibe was extra strong after my day running around town?

“The A.C.’s cup gives you away,” he said. Guilty as charged.

(My brother picked this up for me and he got into a conversation with some crew from The Wire – sorry internet, it was Burn Notice. They were filming at the park, of course, because only on TV does everything in Miami happen on the waterfront. You’d think the city was in the shape of Chile.)

And as I walk to my room to deliver my bags I find a life-size replica of Empress Sisi‘s portrait, right there in the hotel lobby. Why she hangs in a Ritz on Key Biscayne is beyond me, but of course I had to send a picture of it to my husband. It’s like coming to my old home to reminders of my current home. All I need is a Dunkin’ Donuts and the circle is complete.