The Quick and Dirty Version...

Holy Moly...y'all are gonna flip out when you see how many pictures are in this post. It's kind of out of control, but I have two weeks worth of stuff to catch y'all up on. I figure I'll hit the high points and we'll consider ourselves "up to speed". No sense dragging my last 2 weeks out into multiple posts because let's face it, you don't really care!

So without further ado...

The highlight of my blog hiatus was my trip to LA. I attended a conference for work in downtown LA and the following photos tell the majority of the story....

My in-flight-cocktail courtesy of my co-worker...

We arrived at our hotel on Saturday and quickly changed clothes for the Dodger's game. We decided to have dinner at the restaurant in our hotel and boy was it a good idea! Our hotel was right next to the Staples Center and Nokia Theatre in LA Live. As we walked in to be seated I saw Emmy's...I had to get my head straight because I knew we were a week early for the Emmy's (I was there last weekend) but then realized they were doing the non-televised Emmy's. This table won for Dancing With the Stars.

These were taken with my phone, so notice 2 things: 1...the photo quality is terrible, but 2...how close they were to me (because there is no zoom on my phone). Literally right behind me. Proximity is an important detail because I'm busy taking pictures of these nobodies with Emmy's (I say that, but they have an emmy, I don't)...

...When OH-MY-MAD-MEN...in walks Don Draper. Be still my beating heart...

I kid you not this is what he looked like...

He was wearing a black suit just like this and he was smokin' hot just like this...Now scroll back up 2 pictures to the guy sitting in a chair with his back to me and the Emmy on the table. Jon Hamm was standing in between ME and that man! Literally I could have touched him by simply extending my hand, and my co-worker told me that at least 3 times. This is where I had total LA FAIL. I was sitting down in a booth with my co-workers. I was dressed in jeans for the Dodger's game. He was standing with people in evening gowns holding Emmy's. I felt very, very weird getting out of my booth and walking over to him with just my iPhone and asking for a picture. I don't have much shame in my game, but at that point I had fear of being "that girl". He walked outside with a group to smoke (ew, but if you saw how cute he was you'd be over it too) and I thought that this was my chance. He walked back in and I had my phone all up and in his face, no shame, he totally smiled at me, and my phone literally took the picture a second too late! I got his arm and the back of his head. #FAIL. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

On to the Dodger's game...Old stadium, gorgeous view, fun night...

On Sunday I had conference stuff all day. Sunday night there were parties put on by suppliers and they were all wonderful! I really enjoyed the rooftop party on top of my hotel. It was complete with fabulous desserts including this red velvet cupcake...

And the views of the city were stunning! I'm fairly proud of this picture I took from the rooftop!

Monday brought on more meetings, education sessions and general conference fun, but Monday night I ventured down to Hollywood Blvd. Next comes LA Fail #2...I left my zoom lens in the hotel room because I figured I wouldn't need it. I had barely stepped off the metro and limos were passing me. I look to my right (by the Chinese Theatre) and I see red carpet, people everywhere, and people stepping out of the limo that just passed me...

It was the Going the Distance Premier...Drew Barrymore and cute Justin Long...

The conference ended on Tuesday and Tuesday evening they threw a big bash. Cyndi Lauper was performing a private party for us at California Plaza so we got there early for the show. This is when my meeting planning heart started beating wildly. Y'all, this event was so fabulous and made me long for a budget like this! I could put on a heck of a party for my conference attendees! I digress...We had the best seats in the house and it was so fun!

Cirque Du Soleil was the opening act. It's pretty unreal how their bodies move...kind of freaks me out...

Then came Cyndi...y'all, she.was.awesome! I have acted like every other goofy girl and rushed to the dance floor a million times in my day to jump around to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, but I've never really though Cyndi Lauper was a really great singer. Sure, I drove around in my Maxima at 16 and played my TAPE of True Colors and Time After Time. So I was looking forward to 3 songs, but she sang a lot of her new blues stuff and it was SO good! Go download it on iTunes! You'll love it!

That about sums up LA! It was fun!

In the last couple of weeks I've also tried a few new recipes worth noting...Dave loved both of them and so did I! Both were pretty quick, very easy, and will definitely make a second appearance on our dinner menu.

First, are these mini meatball sandwiches from Pioneer Woman. Photo and recipe by the Pioneer Woman.

This Lemon Basil Pasta was so good! If you're cooking for 2, like me, it made enough for 2 full meals for us! And Dave has a very healthy appetite! Once again, Photo and recipe courtesy of Pioneer Woman.

Last but not least, did you see the Emmy's last night? Jimmy Fallon was so funny and some of the dresses were gorgeous!! My two favorites were Lea Michele and Claire Danes. Seriously, Claire Danes was stunning!

Source: Jason Merritt/WireImage- © 2010- Getty Images

Source: FayesVision/WENN.com- © 2010- WENN.com

Phew! That about sums it up, except for the very fun news that Blythe made her grand entrance! Lynch did awesome and mom and baby are both doing well, but I'm going to wait on pics until Lynch has done all of her good news spreading! I can't wait to show y'all how gorgeous she is! Hope you've had a great few weeks. I'm getting caught up on all of YOUR blogs now! Happy Monday....I can't believe it's almost September!