Guess Who I Met At The California Kindergarten Conference?

No blogging this weekend. This Orange County teacher ripped out of work on Friday night to catch a plane for San Francisco to fill her brain with important TK information at the California Kindergarten Conference. It is held every year in Santa Clara California.

I did this all last minute since I told myself I wasn't going this year since I had left the classroom. Baloney! I could not resist being around a billion TK, Kindergarten and First Grade teachers who might give me one more idea that I could nail in someone's classroom. 

I finally get to the hotel, check in on my iphone (loving that convenience) and grab some sleep before the weekend begins. 

I get up early and head for some coffee and fruit, ready to fill my brain with information and hoping I see a familiar face. I do what any teacher worth her salt would do... head for the vendors! I cruise around and say hello to lots of familiar faces, including Kaye Espinoza and the ladies at Kinderlit. There is nothing to buy cause I own all of their stuff. However, I forced it down the throats of innocent, young teachers standing by

( poor things). I need to learn to contain my enthusiasm! 

I grab my registration packet and put all my tickets inside my badge and head for the keynote speaker who I adore. Her name is Peggy Campbell Rush and I laughed until I cried. She is smart, hilarious, and very familiar with the world of kindergarten. I have lots of her books but I bought 2 more to take back to my teachers.

As I am racing to the next class I run into a blogger friend that I love, Camille. It feels so good to see a familiar face and she has her whole team with her! If you do not not know this teacher check out her blog right here. Camille is a real love and I adore spending time with her. She is teaching a K-1 combination this year and she should be receiving an award for this.What a challenge! We forgot to take a picture but please go over and say hello because she is that teacher who knows how to listen and build your confidence. It was a joy to spend time with her and catch up on our crazy lives.Thanks Camille for hanging with me!

I go back to the vendors the next day and stop to give Heidi a quick hug because she is so darn busy that she has no time to talk to me. I force her too... I swear. We chat for a few seconds and she tells me that she has a new blending CD that teachers are loving. OMG. I would grab this if it is anything like her other stuff! She is awesome and the answer to a kindergarten teacher's prayers.Her blog is Heidi Songs. Look around at her products and see what she has to offer. 

From there I walk over to Ron and Nancy Brown who I have seen many times throughout the years when this cutie jumps out from behind the table and introduces herself to me as Kelley Dolling. Once she tells me her name I slowly realize ( keep quiet- you will be old one day too) that she is the blogger who owns one of my favorite sites, Teacher Idea Factory. I know I stared at her like I was insane but I could not get past the fact that her parents were Ron and Nancy Brown. I stuttered, I mumbled, and I had to clarify it 100 times. Seriously? So this young teacher is like the daughter of James Taylor and Carly Simon? Seriously? Is this a joke? Nope. I love her parents to pieces and this is their daughter! OMG. We became instant friends and I fell in love with this energetic, fun-loving, smart first grade teacher. We got in everyone's way as we talked about blogging, teaching and all the California bloggers we hung out with. It was the best part of my day! Here is a picture of Kelley with her parents. How cute is this family!

Now you know who I am talking about.Yup, I am the only stupid person in the room. Ron has a song for absolutely everything you can imagine.Check out his work right here.Okay I know I am babbling on this post but stick with me for a little longer. So... I go to some classes and it is the end of the day and I know I signed up for Kelley's class but did I check to see if I got it? That would be a big, fat no. I realize I am assigned to a TK class and I freak out. I go over to the "change your ticket lady" and tell her I will die without this class and give her this long, irrational reason why I am going in no matter what. She looks at me with her kind, friendly smile and tells me to calm down and here is the right ticket. Whew... I stopped babbling, ripped it out of her hands and head for my blogger friend's room.  Here is a sample of what went on:

She was amazing. Honestly peeps, she has parents that are very present in her life but at the end of this session I felt like a proud Mama to see another talented blogger knock it out of the park. She had a fantastic presentation, full of useful content, and lots of freebies from her blogging friends. She gave away  tons of CDs from her dad and created packets filled with ideas. FANTASTIC. I love you Kelley! 

Who is going with me next year? Who wants to present?