I have been reading a quiet little blog for the last year and savoring every morsel of it.
This blog has been a refuge and an inspiration to me personally
and I think it's high time I shared it with you!
The Daily Grapefruit
is a beautiful example of an uplifting mommy blog.
Becca posts about her life as mother of four, a photographer and a cook. If you become hooked to her blog, as I have, then soon you will be asking yourself,
"What would Grapefruit think of this?"
Continue on to read my interview with this inspiring blogger.
And click here to find my all time favorite post of hers.
is a beautiful example of an uplifting mommy blog.
Becca posts about her life as mother of four, a photographer and a cook. If you become hooked to her blog, as I have, then soon you will be asking yourself,
"What would Grapefruit think of this?"
Continue on to read my interview with this inspiring blogger.
And click here to find my all time favorite post of hers.
What inspired you to start blogging about your life as a mother? Have you set a goal for your blog? If so, what is it?
I was sort of an anti-blogger for a long time. I'm pretty private, so I'm not sure I understood the need to post my life for the entire world to see. My sister-in-law, who knew I loved journaling and photography, kept pressuring me to start one. So, in an effort to get her off my back and keep the in-law peace, I finally consented! Even though every post made me feel like I'd just flashed my stretch marks to the whole world, I was instantly hooked and couldn't believe I'd waited so long to start. It's such a great outlet for me as well as a connecting thread between me and my family. And, already, it has become a treasured record of my family's life.
My biggest goal for my blog is to record my thoughts as a mother for my kids to read at some point. I guess that also includes my thoughts as a wannabe chef, since that is such a huge part of my life. But, as my sister is constantly reminding me, my kids will never have the time to sit down and read all 5 million pages of my life. So. I also blog to connect with other women. Some posts are extremely personal for me, and are difficult to put out there. But I find other women really respond to my honesty and, in turn, validate me. And that makes my vulnerability worth the pain.
I was sort of an anti-blogger for a long time. I'm pretty private, so I'm not sure I understood the need to post my life for the entire world to see. My sister-in-law, who knew I loved journaling and photography, kept pressuring me to start one. So, in an effort to get her off my back and keep the in-law peace, I finally consented! Even though every post made me feel like I'd just flashed my stretch marks to the whole world, I was instantly hooked and couldn't believe I'd waited so long to start. It's such a great outlet for me as well as a connecting thread between me and my family. And, already, it has become a treasured record of my family's life.
My biggest goal for my blog is to record my thoughts as a mother for my kids to read at some point. I guess that also includes my thoughts as a wannabe chef, since that is such a huge part of my life. But, as my sister is constantly reminding me, my kids will never have the time to sit down and read all 5 million pages of my life. So. I also blog to connect with other women. Some posts are extremely personal for me, and are difficult to put out there. But I find other women really respond to my honesty and, in turn, validate me. And that makes my vulnerability worth the pain.
What mistakes do you think new mommy bloggers tend to make?I can't really speak for others, as I make plenty of mistakes myself. But I think the best advice is to have fun. Be real. Be yourself. Write about what inspires you. And, most importantly, master that pound-shedding feature in Photoshop. Honestly, so many women feel so insecure when it comes to blogging. I'm not a professional photographer. I'm a horrible writer. I have no idea what to say. I'm not funny. Or creative. Or, or, or... Just go for it. Decide who your audience is, which will help immensely. Don't copy someone else's style. Stick to your guts. Be authentic. You won't regret it and your kids will (hopefully) thank you, someday, after they've resurfaced from the teen years...
Have you ever regretted a post? If so, why? And what did you do about it after the fact?
Haven't we all experienced blogger's remorse? I hope I'm not the only blogger out there who's been embarrassed a time. Or two. Or three. Or four... After a post has settled in, sometimes I go back and realize that my kids might feel embarrassed, or ashamed, or singled out, by what I'd written. If so, I just remove it. That is not the point of my blog. I only want to post things that I feel sure won't cause any hard feelings at some point in the future.
Do you have certain guidelines for yourself about what you will and will not post?Definitely. I really try to focus on the positive moments of my daily life. I also want to be real so that my readers (and my children) can see that life is not a fairytale. Some days are a real struggle. But you can always find joy. Always. I want my blog to be a place that other women can come and feel validated, but also, encouraged to relish our great role as women. And cooks! (I know. Not really related. But trust me, womanhood and food are more connected than you think! At least, it sure felt like it last night when I was crying on the couch over a fight with my daughter while shoveling a bag of potato chips down my throat at the same time...)
Which bloggers have inspired you?Honestly, I don't have much time to read too many non-family, non-friend blogs. I know there are so many out there! One of my favorite food blogs is Orangette (http://www.orangette.blogspot.com/), by Molly Wizenberg. I really loved her book, A Homemade Life. I also wish I could take photos (and cook!) like La Tartine Gourmande (http://www.latartinegourmande.com/). And David Lebovitz (www.davidlebovitz.com/) is always a great read as well.
In what ways do you think your life has changed since you've started to blog?
I am more connected with my parents. My siblings. My friends. My husband. And women all over the country. Blogging heightens my awareness of the immense beauty found in ordinary life and helps to realign my perspective. And, most importantly, it (sometimes) gets me out of doing the dishes. Oh, honey, I'd love to help, you know I would, but I've really got to finish that post...
*all photos in this post come from dailygrapefruit.com *
