On Saturday, I woke up early and headed to HomeGoods to meet up with Rhoda from Southern Hospitality for a party she was hosting there for her fellow bloggers and readers.

Let me start with this.  Meeting big-time bloggers that you follow is kinda weird.  You feel like you are friends since you get updates from them every day or two, but they have no idea who you are…  Other than the comments you leave on their blog.  Assuming you even leave comments on their blog.  So, it’s kinda like meeting a celebrity, only that they are down to earth and normal people.  So, with that in mind…

I wasn’t so much nervous (I mean, I shop at HomeGoods all the time, so at least the setting was one I was very at-home with) as I was just trying not to say anything too crazy - since again, I know plenty about her and her home from her blog, and well, she may have read my name a few times in her comments, at best.  So, it’s no wonder when she came around the store chatting with everyone while we shopped that I went completely mute.  She mentioned that it looked like I’d found a bunch of good things (since my cart was already filled up at this point) — and all I could say was “yeah, I can’t come in this store without finding a bunch of good things” and then nothing else.  Not “I love your blog” or “you’ve been doing such a great job with all of the renovations that I can’t wait to come to your open house next weekend and see it in person” or even a simple “hi, I’m Katie”.  What is wrong with me?!

Luckily, she must have encountered crazies like me before, so she immediately made it un-awkward.  She just asked to take a picture of me with my cart and carried on like I was completely normal.  (You can read Rhoda’s post-party rundown here.  Luckily, she didn’t mention any weirdos at the party.  Shew.  She did post the picture she took of me and my cart, though :))

(photo from Rhoda at Southern Hospitality)

It was a lot of fun – getting to see lots of faces I recognize from blogs and getting a HomeGoods trip in before my husband and son even started their days.  O, and they gave us all $10 gift cards — woohoo!  Victory all around.

I got a few sets of new pillows (you can never have enough pillows!), a fun springy flower arrangement, and a cute little silver ceramic rhino.  All before 9 am.  Not too shabby.

(You can’t really see the rhino in the picture above, so here he is in his natural habitat on the shelf before I helped him into my cart.)

As with most shopping trips, there were a ton of items that I wanted to take with me but couldn’t fit in my cart – on that day, anyway…

Here’s to hoping I’m less awkward when I meet Rhoda again at her open house this weekend (and actually introduce myself?), or John and Sherry Petersik (Young House Love blog) at their book signing in a few weeks, or Jen Lancaster (funniest author on earth) at her book signing in a few weeks…  Well, Rhoda, John/Sherry, and Jen — you’ve all been warned — I’m a huge fan of your blogs/books, I’m undeniably awkward when meeting bloggers/celebrities (who am I kidding? I’m pretty awkward in general!), and I’m coming to meet you.  Get excited.  I am.

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