Moments of Musing

Happy Love Week!

Filed Under: life, love //

This post is sponsored by Pink Blush but all opinions are my own. Also, an affiliate link, purchases from which I benefit, is present. 

This weekend was a great one. We relaxed, celebrated my beautiful little cousin‘s 18th birthday and relaxed some more. Next weekend is a busy one with family coming in for my Baby Sprinkle so I was happy to get some relaxation in. 


I feel like I’d be remiss without mentioning that its Love Week… because Valentine’s Day, duh 😉

So in honor of that, I’m sharing some things I’m loving:

• A letter to moms, love Joanna Gaines. No explanation is needed as to why… I think it speaks for itself. 

• This olive oil hair serum. If any of you have complimented or wondered about my curls/waves, this is basically my go-to product. I just put some in my wet hair after washing it and voila! 

• Watching the Olympics — admittedly, I’ve only caught glimpses but Adam Rippon’s and Mirai Ngasu’s performances were so good!

• My new top from Pink Blush (pictured below). It is so soft and the sleeves each have a cute little stylish ruffle. It’s a perfect top for brunch …or any day outing, really. I plan to find a blue striped top the same pattern as the sleeves to put my boys in so we can be triplets (or quadruplets if I can find one for my husband, too). 

• As always, I’m loving my boys, family, friends, and readers + followers! I saved the best for last 🖤

As for Valentine’s Day, my hubs and I don’t really have anything planned… I am not sure if we’ll do anything besides love on our babe after work (#adulting). Do you have anything special planned?  xoxo



Did You Know? 4 FTC Influencer Guidelines

Filed Under: social media //

Note: This is not legal advice. The contents of this post are for informational purposes only. No attorney-client relationship is created by accessing this post.

I oftentimes see influencers’ posts and wonder whether they are posting ads or not. If I, a fellow influencer, am confused, I can only imagine that their readers and/or followers might not know either.

It might very well be the attorney in me but I do my own research regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) laws and guidelines regarding social media influencers and ads. The last thing I want to be is deceptive to readers and/or (technically) breaking the law.

As I did my research recently, four tips seemed like popular mistakes I’ve seen made among influencers. I figured I would share them to spread the knowledge:

1. Avoid ambiguous disclosures like #thanks, #collab, #sp, #spon, or #ambassador.
Use the words sponsored, advertisement or ad instead. The general public knows what those mean. Disclosures are required when promoting something (i.e. via Instagram post) for which you received a benefit (free merchandise or pay).

2. Disclose that your post is an advertisement before the “more” link.
People might not click on “more” but they still need to know that they are viewing an ad. Even if they do click on “more,” the disclosure will be more visible prior to that button.

3. Tagging a brand you are wearing is an endorsement of the brand and, just like any other endorsement, could require a disclosure if you have a relationship with that brand. 
If you are tagging a brand in a photo of clothing you at one time received for free or compensation,
you should disclose that relationship via a disclosure to your followers/readers.

4.  Each new endorsement (mention) of a product made without a disclosure could be deceptive because readers might not see the original blog post where you said you got the product free from the manufacturer.
This guideline provides the reasoning behind #3. 

So, there you have it. Have you seen or made these mistakes on social media? Do any of the guidelines surprise you? 

Sources:
1, 2, 4: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking
3: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking




Life’s “Little” Moments

Filed Under: life //

This weekend, I looked over and saw them laying like this. 
It was a seemingly normal moment that made me think that the older I get the more I’ve come to realize that the little moments like this really can be some of life’s big moments. And the little things, big things. 

Like weekend brunch full of Mickey pancakes and a free cookie for our kiddo. 

The biggest baby bear hugs that make me feel on top of the world. 

Family kitchen dance parties. 

Basketballin’ time in our first floor play area. 

Crawling under a play room fort to hide in the teepee. 

Bedtime routines full of classical music, book reading and snuggles.  

Relaxation on the couch with no hurry in the world. 

Everyday life and moments with these loves of mine… for me, nothing can be bigger than that.

To Have a Baby Sprinkle or Not…

Filed Under: baby #2, pregnancy //

This post is sponsored by Pink Blush. All opinions are my own.

That was the question.

When we found out we were pregnant again, we had so much going on that having a big baby shower like I did last pregnancy was the last thing on my mind. Plus, it’s another boy. I toyed with the idea of a baby sprinkle but because we were so busy, I kept putting off making a decision about whether to have one or not.

When my best friend (who’s also my cousin and S’ godmom) kept asking whether I wanted a sprinkle, I spoke to my husband about it because I wasn’t sure and I was stressed with the move. He thought we should celebrate this pregnancy and Baby #2. I agreed but I did/do not have the time nor energy to plan anything. So, I took my cousin up on her offer to plan it. I sent her some of my pins from my Pinterest board and I was done with the planning on my end.

I also made the decision not to make a public registry like I did for S. Since this baby is another boy, we have much of what we will need (clothing, strollers, car seat, etc.) so it did not seem necessary to register for baby items. Even if it were a girl, we’d still have basically everything but girly clothes. I mean, we already have four diaper bags, three strollers, two car seats, and countless clothes!

What more do we need? Diapers. So that’s what I’ve asked for in lieu of traditional presents. If people are feeling extra generous, they are also able to contribute to the baby’s Cord Blood Registry fund. The sprinkle will be at our home so it will be more low key and intimate than my baby shower.

When it came to figure out what to wear, this pretty floral wrap dress was a front-runner. It is bright multi-colored, flattering and so comfortable. Plus, like much of Pink Blush’s clothing, it seems like it can be worn as non-maternity, too. If you’re in the market for maternity clothing that is chic, trendy and not frumpy, I can’t recommend Pink Blush enough.

Do Authentic Mom Blogs Still Exist?

Filed Under: mom blog, mom internet, motherhood, social media //

If you’ve followed me for at least a little while, then you know I try to keep it real on here. That means posting about the not-so-good, the really good and everything in between. And while I’ve touched on iffy topics (i.e. my sobriety, the lowest point in my life, the baby blues, and mom guilt, etc.) you will still sense a hint of positivity in each post. 
I include it not to sugar coat anything, though. I do so because being an optimist, albeit a cautious one, is a choice I make. The silver lining, the rainbow … I choose to believe those exist every time. It’s just a part of who I am. 

A recent Washington Post article by Sarah Pulliam Bailey discussed how “the mom internet” has evolved into a less authentic one. She wrote, “During the tough moments, I wanted a mommy blogger’s reassurance: ‘I’ve been there. It’s awful. You will survive.’” 

I believe that the version of the mom internet that she was yearning for still exists. Actually, I know it does because I follow bloggers who give that reassurance and I try to do the same. While I will agree that a lot of social media and blog land is now staged, I think it is important to (1) realize photos are staged because blogs are a business for many bloggers and (2) be conscious about who you are following so that you are still getting glimpses into real life, if that’s what you want/need. I also think it’s important to note that many mom blogs also cover a bunch of other topics (fashion, travel, home decor, etc.)… I think that’s because we can all agree while being a mother is a huge part of one’s identity, it’s not anyone’s sole identity.


I choose to follow those who share some of the nitty gritty not-so-pretty real mom life experiences that make me feel better and connected — a few of my favorite Instagram accounts are @fearless.in.motherhood, @samantha_show_ & @mother.ly — and I try to do the same for my readers and followers. 

That being said, it is never my intention to make others feel lesser than or worse about themselves or their situations. With much talk on Instagram recently about the comparison game and how it’s led to depression and even suicide, I think it’s essential to keep in mind that all aspects of anyone’s life are not portrayed on the internet. (It might seem like we have it all together on the internet but does anyone really??)

I don’t bare it all on the internet or social media and I don’t expect other bloggers to, either. Isn’t that pretty normal, to remain a bit private? Isn’t it also normal to not want to complain all the time? I mean, sure, life and motherhood, especially, has its tough moments but those are so much fewer and far between (for me, at least) than the great, precious, love-filled moments.


Do you agree with the author of the article or do you think mom bloggers still authentically share experiences? Who are some of your favorite mom bloggers?