I have to start by saying thank you. THANK YOU. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all of your texts, tweets, phone calls, comments, and just tidal wave of love and support for my last post about my vitiligo. I cannot tell you how much I needed it. In fact, I didn’t even know how much until I received it. So many of you thanked me for my honesty and courage but it is all of you who let me be honest and courageous because you have made this a safe place, where I can be my authentic self, and you keep lifting me up and coming back for more. I truly cannot thank you all enough!

Since that whole thing was entirely too serious, I figured we could all use a good laugh around here, and who better to laugh at then myself?

Pull up a Bloody Mary and laugh with me!

Pull up a Bloody Mary and laugh with me!

Ok, so this is not funny in any way, but stay with me here:

You may recall the horribly tragic suicide of Madison Holleran, a college student and track star whose Instagram feed was called into question after the incident occurred. ESPN titled their article about her “Split Screen” and talked about the opposition of social media and reality. Am I the only one who wanted to yell “Well duh?” Don’t we all only post the good, funny, happy pictures, where we angle the camera just right or capture just the right moment? Isn’t that what Facebook and Instagram are for? Not only that, but what do we do when someone airs their dirty laundry on social media? You know the answer. Unfriend!

Obviously Madison was suffering from depression. I haven’t a clue what her everyday life was like but I know her Instagram feed looked like 99% of the population, minus her stunning beauty.

In honor of all that is fake, I want to take you behind the scenes of some of my Instagram posts, so you know exactly what was happening with the click of the camera:

VAUGHN – CRAZY HAIR DAY

My kids hate (HATE!) when I put gel in their hair. They look infinitely more adorable and stylish when I do but they always protest. On this day, it was “crazy hair day” at school and they almost didn’t want to even participate because they knew the dreaded gel was going to be applied! I finally got them to agree to do it and then, I wanted to take a picture. Miles absolutely refused to be in the picture and Vaughn only agreed because I told him I wanted to show it to a very special friend of his. Oh the joy! Even his expression looks like he’s in pain.

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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY HUSBAND!

This picture was taken on a beach in Key West on May 6, 2006. I reposted it to Instagram on our 9 year anniversary this year. Gorgeous isn’t it? What you can’t possibly see is the level of frustration and anger my new husband felt at being pulled away from his food, and whisked over to snap this shot, in order to capture the sunset. I will never forget how mad he was at being taken from his hot food so we could take a dozen photos on top of the five dozen we already had. Ah weddings. So blissful!

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MY ONE AND ONLY RAGNAR RELAY RACE

I’m pretty sure the only reason I’m smiling is because my amazing friend Melissa Burton is taking this picture. It was cold, I was dirty and tired from sleeping in a van, I went searching for a port-o-potty (and unfortunately found one) and it was the middle of the night. Oh and I had to run 9 miles in the dark up huge hills. WTF?

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In my defense, I also take plenty of pictures where you know exactly what’s going on. #NoFilter

WELCOME TO CRAZY TOWN AND THE NOISE OF BOYS!

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NO SWEARING ALLOWED! I gave up swearing for one day during my 40 Days of Less leading up to my 40th birthday. I almost had to take this drastic a measure because I have such a dirty mouth.

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SNOW SUCKS AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT! This winter was brutal and I have the Insta feed to prove it. #ThumbsDown

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Sharing on social media is a snapshot of life. You are showing people only what you want to, and that’s ok. It’s probably more then they even want to see anyway.  My post about my vitiligo proves that this virtual world can also be super supportive and can connect people in ways that didn’t seem possible just ten years ago. Use your social media powers for good and “LIKE” on!

What are some “behind the scenes” from your pictures?

What do you think about social media vs reality?

 

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