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Real Life vs. Blog Life

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October 28, 2013

I thought I would take you all on a journey today…a journey of the craziness that has consumed our world and taken over to turn our world upside down. I post pictures on my Instagram account regularly, but then when I look back I realize it looks like it’s “easy peasy” over in these parts. I am here to insert a caviat that low and behold, I assure you, I don’t have everything all together tied perfectly in a little bow all the time…most of the time, it’s pure and utter chaos and I am barely hanging on by a thread. Today I am going to give you a little snapshot into blog life vs. real life. The blog life is what you envision when you see someone post a picture, whereas the real life is what the truth is…you’ll definitely notice a big difference.

I made dinner one night and posted the yumminess on Instagram when I received some feedback from friends saying they couldn’t believe I was managing two kids under two, keeping a house together, and finding time to cook dinner. 
A. It was a crockpot recipe…a damn good AND EASY recipe at that, but let’s be honest…my crockpot did all the work. All I did was drop in a few ingredients and switch the knob on. It wasn’t anything fancy. And recently I made a sweet potato casserole which was conveniently taken from a recipe found on the back of the can of sweet potatoes…not sneaky, just smart :). 
blog life: gourmet dinner prepared at home
real life: frozen pizza + salad or something from the crock pot

blog life: hair/makeup paired with a cute outfit

real life: workout wear, hair in a pony, loads of caffeine,
and concealer to mask dark under eye circles

blog life: clean house with all sorts of crafty DIY projects complete

real life: 2012 photobook project still left unfinished :/

blog life: adorable babe dressed up, 2 hour nap,
eating veggie crudite, playing independently

real life: no nap, chips for a snack, temper tantrum, timeout, and crying mommy 

I’m just being honest. Maybe I am throwing some of you under the bus with this post, but let’s all out our big girl panties on and show the not-so-glam part of mommyhood every once in awhile. I am totally guilty of this, but definitely like showing off my circus show sometimes, as well. 

  1. Yep, so easy to think everyone has it together from one pretty photo. I posted a picture on Instagram this weekend of a tray with veggies to roast (butternut squash, apples, and sweet potatoes), but what I didn't post is that half of them were burned and inedible when I took them out. 🙁 Sad truth, I'm not a whiz in the kitchen 100% of the time.

  2. Love this! So true!!! Even though I think life still sounds pretty great in your "real" life!! 😉

  3. this is great!! so often everything looks perfect on a blog when real life is verrry messy 🙂

  4. Meredith says:

    Love this!! I so wish I could master hiding the toys as well as your pics do and I only have one. Hahaha you rock at cleanliness. Happy Monday! 🙂

  5. Ha! I love this. It's so true and we all need to remember that before we compare ourselves with other bloggers lives! 🙂

    Thanks for this post

    Enjoy your crazy day!! 😉

  6. I totally agree! I use my blog post as a sort of therapy for myself. I try to spin the event or activity with my boys in a positive way and leave out the tears and screaming part of the activity. Usually my tears and me screaming. :/
    Focusing on the positive part of the activity . . . the pumpkins painted, the cookies decorated . . . instead of the fighting over this thing or that thing that occured . . . helps me remember the good time part of it. Does that make sense? I guess blogging the pretty reality and not always the total reality of the situation helps me remember it that way. Like I said, it's therapy for me.

  7. Jess Norden says:

    You do always look like you have it all (and look good while doing it), but it's nice to see that life isn't always rainbows and butterflies!! I am in yoga pants/hat 90% of the time when I am not at work, and that's ok with me!! When I do get "dressed up" now, it's such a treat!! Haha 🙂 Have a great week!

  8. Yep, I think lots of us are guilty of showing our best on social media, but it's only human to want to put your best foot forward!

  9. Amy says:

    Yes! I love this. Such a nice reminder that not everyone has it 100% together all of the time. I cheat in the kitchen on the regular: crock pot, frozen pizza, breakfast for dinner – you name it. Microwaved rice and frozen mixed veggies stirfried in bottled curry sauce totally counts as a 'fancy' dinner during the week!

  10. Alexa says:

    It's all so true my friend. I am there every single day. It's always a balance to do both real life and blog life.

  11. I love this!! It's a friendly reminder that REAL life is AMAZING and, in fact, it's okay when everything isn't perfectly in place and "blog worthy"! It's these frozen pizza nights, sometimes, that we cherish most with our little families!!!! We don't always have to be perfect!

    And FYI, I'm so the mommy rocking the leggings as pants, hoodie, TOMS and a pony!!! 😉

    Thanks for sharing!

  12. So very true. I am in the midst of a huge transition in our life. Part of me wants to share it and the other half says no one wants to see that crazy mess!!

  13. Tess says:

    I dig this.

    I was just having a conversation with some friends last week at how dull and fake so many blogs are becoming. My most favorite blogs are the ones that show whats really going on – with obvious internet filters. Blogs that talk about life, the trails, tribulations, and simple sweet moments. The glam photoshoots and photoshopped life just do not do it for me!

  14. Mrs. W says:

    Love it! Great post idea, thanks for sharing.

  15. Shana says:

    AMEN! a thousand times AMEN! Thank you for outing us all, I have been feeling like a bit of a blog fraud of late, it's time to start sharing the real as well as the pretty!

  16. Kathleen says:

    I loved this post! i'm a newly SAHM and i read mom blogs and all the time and always feel what are they doing that i need to step up my game on so i'm like that mom.. its good to know that we are all dealing with the same battles at home with our little ones while keeping up on the home and everything else!

  17. Natasha, I LOVE this. Sometimes it feels like all the blogs I follow are written by beautiful women (inside and out) who do really awesome things all the time! Love the honesty!

    -Katelyn

  18. Erica says:

    this made me laugh. Good post!

  19. Megan says:

    Your real life rocks, girl! Great post, made me LOL! 🙂

    xo
    Megan
    IG: megawat
    Hello Newlywed Life Blog

  20. This is so true!! Sometime we forget to show the failed attempts or the two hours it takes to get that one perfect shot!! Liek the time my dog jumped up and at the food I was trying to take a picture of! Ooof!

  21. Sara says:

    ahh how refreshing and true! Loved this! 🙂
    Sara
    Life with Baby Sophia

  22. emily says:

    thank you for posting this! as a new mom i am reading mommy blogs to see what other moms & babes are up to and when they talk about sleeping through the night, perfect 2 hour naps & getting to shower/put make up on i feel like i'm doing something wrong! most of the time, we have it all together & we're out and about doing something fun, but there are days where it's much more "real life" than "blog life" and that glass bottle? of wine is calling my name after bedtime! so thanks for the real life post!!
    little-baby-g.blogspot.com

  23. love this!! it's totally true. I have a hard time believe everyone who blogs has their hair/makeup/clothes perfect all.the.time. I look like crap half the time. No makeup other than mascara too look at least 1/2 awake lol
    keeping it real posts are my favorite! 😉 Thanks girl!

  24. love this post! been reading your blog (and many others) for years – so refreshing to see a post showing both the good and the not so good!

  25. Kelly-Belly says:

    Little mama is still so stinkin' cute…even with a frowny…then again, I don't think it's possible for you not to look cute! : ) Love this post!

  26. Meghan says:

    It's normal to post the good things. I know I don't even like having my picture taken if I haven't gotten ready, but in reality I often have my glasses on, sweats, and no bra (if we are being honest). Just not gonna take a picture of that… Who wants to see that!?!

  27. Jessica M says:

    Great post! There is a fine line between glamorizing everything to the point of being fake (and boring) and not showing the nitty gritty of everything. I'm probably too real sometimes, haha, but oh well. I'd rather be real than fake any day! P.S. You still look great in 'real life'!

  28. Maura says:

    This is a great post, Natasha! It's such a good reminder that we don't show all aspects of our lives on social media and that's OK! thanks for posting!

  29. i love this! i once heard the social media analogy of…"it's like a piece of the pie." once small piece of life you're seeing. and so much you're not seeing!

    go girl! way to show more than just one kind of pie slice 😉

    xx
    elise

  30. oh my, so trueeee. I keep thinking one day I will take a picture of an outfit {i will eventually}- I haven't done that since I was pregnant! I just don't feel up for it, but I also feel like I'd be giving off an impression that I actually get dressed most days in something other than yoga pants :))) this life is far from perfect but its mine!

  31. LOVE you, friend! And LOVE CC's chips and crying 🙂 THAT. IS. REAL. LIFE!!!! xoxoxooxoxoxoxooxoxox can't see you soon enough!

  32. Lauren says:

    great post! so much of the blog world is all rainbows and butterfiles…but LIFE is not that way! And keep on serving those frozen pizzas and throwing your hair up in a ponytail…sometimes you just need a break!

  33. Emily says:

    hahaha love this post!! The crying baby may be the best! How does everyone get such amazing shots of their babies sitting so still! I have the feeling motherhood may have a few more bumps in the road (and on the heads) than sometime perceived!

  34. Kelly Sue says:

    LOL!! Those realities are so true…But sharing the moments when we are at out best is what makes the blogs interesting. 🙂 Hence why I had girls night last night and there will be NO pics of such an event…because mommy was out all day, grocery store, Target, costume arranging, soccer practice, endless breasteeding, local taco shop…the list goes on! AND I didn't get a chance to get much more than a ponytail, jeans, loose shirt, and flip flops on. I couldn't miss my much needed girls night though. 🙂 They understood! http://www.coastalKel.com

  35. Sara says:

    AMEN. I like to call my blog our "highlight reel" because really it's just focusing on the best. Things ain't always pretty here either. Thanks for keeping it real, as always!

  36. kellyhicks says:

    Love it! Keeping it real! That last pic made me giggle not because of your and Caroline's pain but because I KNOW that feeling all too well! I did a similar post awhile back: http://kellyhicksdesign.com/2013/04/in-real-life/

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colorful life + style blogger | native nashvillian | wife and mom to two darling little ladies | bringing you all the happy you can handle

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