waking up in vegas- tpt 2014

Teachers take over Las Vegas!!! It happens every year, but this year was a whole new level. When hundreds or teacher bloggers and Teachers Pay Teacher get together at the same time...it's the kind of experience you just need to re-live again when you get home. I promised I'd share some hilights with ya'll...so here we go! #vegasrecap

I flew in Wednesday and started the trip off having lunch with some of my fave girls. From there we headed up to the exhibitor booths and started running into lots of familiar friendly faces. :)

This was my third year attending the annual Blogger Bash hosted by What The Teacher Wants. Every year, it's just a little bit bigger than the last. Well this year surpassed "just a little"...cuz the room was BUZZING with over 500 teach bloggers and blog readers!!! Electric energy and conversations! It is always such a fun time meeting the faces you know and love from the internet. I had a blast catching up with old friends and meeting new ones!!! The majority of the people there just wanted to exchange gratitude for the things we've learned from each other via. blogs over the years. It was crazy to think about how much as a group all the people there (and those who couldn't be there) have added to the teaching community!!

 Thursday we got rained out of the pool, so we wandered around the Venetian for about an hour...lost...trying to find I Heart Burgers for lunch. For those who have never been the Ventian/Palazzo are like a city within a city. What do bloggers do when they don't know what to do? #takepictures.

  {I wanted that  sign for my classroom.}
 We eventually made it and met up with Hadar, Traci, and Annie for a delicious lunch.

If you ever have a chance to eat at I Heart Burgers...order all the fries and share. 

They.Are.To.Die.For.

 #thankyou

Keeping with the theme of losing your way around the Venetian/Palazzo, in attempting to wander back to my room myself that afternoon, I had a little celebrity sighting. Paul Edelman...walking straight towards me. So I stopped him and said. "I'm sorry but are you PAUL...from TPT!?" Luckily Paul couldn't have been nicer! He stopped to talk to me  listen to me babble at him for a few minutes. What can you say to the man who founded the thing that has blessed your world in so many ways other than, THANK YOU. He was so nice, he offered to take a selfie of us!!

That night the fabulous gals from GoNoodle hosted a little #Champyhour. It was awesome to meet Holly, the girl behind the screen that introduced me to the GoNoodle phenomenon, and  helped save my afternoons earlier this year!

Then it was out for a little fun on the strip with these two!!! At the top of the city on the newly built Highroller in Vegas - the world's tallest observation wheel. 

Then Friday we were up bright and early for the first ever TPT Conference. 

 The hilight of my day was the keynote from Amy, Paul, Deanna, and John. Amy got the crowd pumped up, John wowed us with the stats, Deanna made us laugh and tear up sharing her story, and Paul cried because he loves us so much. Which in turn I'm pretty sure had every other person shedding some waterworks too. I left feeling so blessed to be a part of this incredible organization.

My blogging bestie & roomie Kelley presenting at her session. She rocked it!!!

After a day full of sessions, we wrapped with the little Happy Hour...TPT style!!

I was EXHAUSTED.  It's a whirlwind three days...but I wouldn't have it any other way!

 {A little tribute to Paul & Team TPT from the sellers.}

Hands down the best part of this TPT jounrey has been the friendships I have made along the way. If you're just getting started, don't be afraid to reach out to fellow bloggers, collaborate, host giveaways together, guest blog for each other, join Facebook groups. These are where some of the strongest and most unexpected friendships can be born.

 #tptvegas15'....I'm already ready for you!!!!

 

This blog post is coming to you live from ocean side MAUI! I hopped home for just 24 hours in between Vegas and vacation with the hubs. Just enough time to throw in a load of laundry and jump right back on a plane. When I get home this time...Back to School prep will be in full force. I promise to dive into all of that with you...after I soak up just a little more fun and sun. ;)