Project 52 | FIFTEEN

Friday, April 13, 2012

Metadata: /2.8, 1/125, ISO 6400 & f/2.8, 1/125, ISO 6400

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It’s been an interesting week. All I can say, is never underestimate the power of pinterest.

I really have a love/hate relationship with it. It is an incredible source of inspiration for me. & I use it as just that. But it has also become a place plagued by copying, negativity & judgment. I’ve had a few posts of mine go viral & the most recent one came with a hefty dose of criticism towards me. So much criticism that I chose to close the comments section of that article because I was getting comment after comment that began to affect me negatively. My heart sank every time I opened one of these comments. My intention behind the article was good. My goal was to encourage. But some people didn’t feel that way. I can only control what I put out there, not how it was/is received & I will stand behind that article because I have received an abundance of positive feedback–women actually improving their health as a result of reading. & that was the goal. Nothing more. I am not special. I don’t have it easier than anyone else. I make choices every day that aren’t easy choices to make–even if I make it look easy.

& if there is any link that you follow today, let it be this one: YOUR CHILDREN WANT YOU! The best article I’ve read on the destructiveness of pinterest & a reminder of what is really important. It was so well written that it made me cry. :)

Now. Back to my chatty kiddos. There are a lot of voices around here. BOTH are talking incessantly these days. I love it. :)

Happy Friday!

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& Project 52 is off to a very collaborative start! If you’d like to join in–it’s not too late. Here’s everything you need to know about

my 2012 Project 52.

& those of you who are linking up (please let me know if you need to be edited/added!):

Adventures in Mommyhood • Aubrey My Love • Blossoms & Vintage • Bugs & Boo-Boos • Candice Craves • Caynay Photography • Christina’s Project 52 • Chronicles of KT • The Crain’s Nest • Dana Moran Photography • The Daulton Dabbler • Englexas • Everything Eatherton • Fairy Wings & Dinosaurs • Finding Joy • Firecracker Mama • Freckled Pink • From Stanwood to Seoul • Gin & Juice Boxes • Heather Marie Portraits • Ici & La • It’s a Graham Life • It’s a Strange & Lovely Ride • Kate L Photography • Keeping up with the Carters • Kim Percival Photography • Living for Love • Lizzi Photography • Mahina & Lucas • Mama Bethany • McLain Padilla Photography • Mist Moments • Memories by Mere • Moments & Impressions • The Mommyhood Memos • Moo with Me • Moxie Made • My Tot Travels • Navigating the Mothership • Nicole Dina Photography • Oh the Places We’ll Go • Our Baby Behr • Our Splendid Little Life • Phreckle Face Photography • Quiet Footsteps •Rachel Gray Photography • The Robersons • Shades of Bliss • Shutter Mama Blog • Side of the Table • Simply Us • Snaps of Our Life • Squamish Baby • The Todd’s • We Aren’t Scared of Sugar • We’re Better Together • Wicked Kate • Wokabout • Z as in Zebra

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Posted in 2012 Project 52 | I want them to know..., styleberryPHOTO

show hide 28 comments

Sarah - I loved your article. I think there are a lot of like-minded people (like myself) out there that really appreciate your words of wisdom. I really admire you for being so honest about your pregnancy. I feel as though people didn’t give your post a chance and maybe did not read the whole thing… If people read your post in its entirety, I doubt anyone would have anything negative to say. Thank you for the inspiration!

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Morgan @ A Bright Idea - I read that article and I loved it. Your postpartum weightloss was inspiring. I too get back to pre-prego status fast, but it doesn’t come without hard work and determination. I love your blog, keep doing what you’re doing – and you’re right, what matters is the people who are not on your computer screen :) xoxo

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Christina - It’s almost eerie how often I come here and feel as if I could have written the exact same posts I see! I thought it was a bit surprising I happened onto your P52 blog in the first place and we were both about to give birth to little blue-eyed boys (well, we didn’t know the color of their eyes at the time… haha). Now after a really hard 2 days from internet negativity (we’re talking being verbally beaten to a bloody pulp for absolutely no reason), I come here and see this one. Thanks for sharing your strength. Your opening words really lifted my spirits. It’s just funny how much I relate to your postings. From celebrating a 4 hr. stretch of sleep at night, to being strong when others tear you down.

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Beth - I always love reading your posts. So Inspirational!

http://www.snapsofourlife.com/2012/04/13/friday-favorites-2/

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Kimberly - If people can’t take everything and interpret it for themselves, they are crazy. I had a c-section, not by choice, and 30 days was not an acheivable amount of time to lose the weight for me, but I did it in less than 90, and luck had nothing to do with it. Although people seem to think it does. I want you to know that you have inspired me to make my own baby food, and I am also using a grovia hybrid as my swim diaper. Keep up the good posts and congrats on your sweet new little one.

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Ashley Kemper - As a *frequent*ish* reader, I’m proud of you for this post! And your kiddos are so super adorable — thanks for posting your journey and letting us tag along! You are certainly an inspiring woman! :o)

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Shalini - It is a great article! You should be VERY proud of yourself, I see this as an encouragement to women *postpartum or not*!

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Anna - You are SUCH an inspiration!! I do not have children yet; but, when I do I hope I’m an awesome mom like you are!!

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Lisa - Shawna – I can’t tell you what an inspiration you have been in more ways than one! And particularly as I take on this new role of mama! 6 weeks postpartum and I’m feeling great…on my way to losing my healthy 30 lbs of baby weight, our girl is loving her FuzziBunz, and, being someone who has historically been too shy to put herself out there, I’m even pushing myself to make new mama friends in my mom’s group!

These things (and several others) are concrete examples of the things you have inspired me to do! Keep your head up lady – you are doing good work and I for one am much appreciative!

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Abbi Z. Meadows - Sending love and hugs to you, sassy mama. It’s so hard to keep the negative comments from over-powering the positive ones, but we’ve all got to fight the good fight! Stupid people say stupid things, so count yourself blessed you aren’t one of them. ;) I’ve got two words for people like that: Screw ‘em.

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Brenda W. - just read your weight loss article and I want to ENCOURAGE you! It was fantastic, it is all about choice!!! No, very few of us, if any will ever have super model bodies – after all the super models don’t even look like their pictures. But we can and will be a healthy, looking good weight when we make the CHOICE to do so. We must chose to put healthy food in our bodies, we must chose to exercise, we must chose to put our health and that of our kids over the yummy chocolate cake or extra piece of bread and etc…

Our culture has everyone in a ‘victim’ mode – I am heavy because of genetics, I am heavy because it cost too much to eat well, I am heavy because I don’t have time to exercise or eat right, I am heavy because….. I understand it all to well, I am overweight – BUT I am making choices to eat healthy and to exercise for myself and for my kids and I have lost 20 pounds so far. I am no longer a ‘victim’ of I can’t because…. I now understand I have to make the choice and follow through with it each and every day.

Thank you – and keep it up!!!!

Brenda

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Jackie - Great post Shawna and O’ so true! xoxo

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Crystal - I just want to comment that I just read your blog post this week and I have been re-motivated to get healthy. The past 6 months have really thrown me off and I’ve fallen far away from where I was. You reminded me of what I had been doing before and so I’m starting again with getting healthy. Thank you!

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Kristen - wow I missed the whole article going viral thing! But good for you, closing comments and turning a blind eye to all that negativity! This is why I love coming to your blog.. you have an amazing gift of keeping it upbeat, while still remaining real. Keep on writing and insipiring all us mommies… even if I still remain craft-challenged after reading your tutorials. ha!
(I will spare you the picture of my failed tissue-paper-pom poms ;) :)

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Michelle - OMG, I just read that site you posted. *tears* and just what I needed to read. Thank you.

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Carrie - As many in the hip hop world have so eloquently stated, “haters gonna hate.” :) :) Keep being you because I rather like what you have to say. Almost everything has uses for good or evil, depending whose gets their hands on it…pinterest is another one of those things. I love it, but I don’t love how some people use it. As you said last week (well, along the lines of what you said last week!), you just have to act as you know is right and hope that others follow suit.

I can speak from my side and I see how you’ve been healthy and lost the baby weight both times as motivation. I am not someone who has an easy time losing weight, but you gave advice and helped me think about how to realistically deal with baby weight when the time comes. I didn’t see it as flaunting it or saying it was easy – just telling it like it is…like you always do!

Don’t let the people who hide behind internet anonymity try to bring you down. It’s easier said than done, but at least you have those two ADORABLE babes to distract you ;)

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donya - I agree with all the comments on this post so far. You are an inspiration and I find myself reading old blog posts, just like your most recent viral post, to re-inspire myself daily. Keep it up Shawna, and ignore those that took it the wrong way. They are the ones that need an attitude adjustment.

PS. I am so anxious to start using my Style Baby Log! 26 more weeks to go until baby #2 for me!
donya recently posted..Our days.

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Mahina - I’m so bummed that people were so negative towards you and that article. I took it as a inspiration to get up off the couch, put the computer down, turn off the tv and to get outside. You are an inspiration and I definitely agree that we all have to use pinterest for ideas and inspiration, not to make ourselves feel less of a person and mother.
Mahina recently posted..100 Foods to Eat Before You Die

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Kate - Shawna, you are such an inspiration.

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Sonja - I stumbled upon your blog a few months ago while searching for cloth diaper reviews. My husband and I don’t have children yet, but are planning for one, and I am so thankful for you and all of your advice/reviews/tutorials. You have given me answers to so many questions about becoming a mother. With cloth diapering, home-made baby food, baby supplies, etc. And one of the biggest impact is your loosing baby weight post. I am already a small person, but could afford to get in better shape and loose a few pounds before I get pregnant, and thanks to YOUR post, you have inspired me to get in the best shape before I do get pregnant. I have also started eating your “Get Skinny Salad” for my lunches! Thank you for all the inspiration you have given me and other women out there! You have made a huge impact on how I will be a mom, and I am so grateful for that.

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kaley - well said. just remember, people only put you down to make themselves feel better.

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Stef, uk - It’s really sad that people responded to your blog with negativity. I read that post while I was pregnant and it really inspired me to stay healthy and keep active. My baby is now 6 months old and I have lost all of my baby weight and more. I owe that to healthy eating, breast feeding and a hell of a lot of baby wearing. You are an inspiration Shawna, don’t let this get you down x

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Tara - Keep doing what you are doing. You are changing many lives for the positive just by being you
Tara recently posted..FuzziBunz Elite One Size Pocket Diaper – Statistical Review

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Amanda - I am so sorry to hear that your posts are getting negative comments and feedback. I stumbled upon your blog when a friend of mine was researching cloth diapering and posted a link to your blog. My life was changed finding your blog. You have become such an inspiration to me to become a better mother, wife and person in general. Thank you for posting so many wonderful things and being an inspriation to many of us out there and from what I have learned in life that you aren’t going to make everyone happy and in short “haters gonna hate”. Keep doing what your doing and let those haters go on being unhappy and hating on those of us who chose to be happy :)

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Kendall Stoy - Makes me sad you had negative reactions to that post! You have been nothing but a positive inspiration to me in so many different ways!

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Emily W. - It shocked me that you got negative comments about that post. I sometimes wonder if people even actually read it! You are an encouragement to me, have made it doable for me to work, cloth diaper, and make all my own babyfood! Thanks to you, the only time my son had store-bought babyfood was on an airplane. Keep the information and perspective coming!

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Cristin - This is a great one! they are getting so big! I hope you are doing well…I had a hard week of mean people too, but a great photo shoot with a friend to let my creativity out again : ) It gave me perspective, I can only change me but still influence others and I hope it will always be for the good. I need to constantly observe my own actions, specially with growing little ones around!

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Lisa - Great post and a great thing to teach kids! Keep your head up! Your blog has inspired me in so many ways! I cloth diaper and make my babies food because of you and that is SO important to me!!! I just wanted you to know that while I may not agree with everything you write, I have learned so many things from you and I am really grateful for your blog.

And the pictures in this post are so beautiful! Love them!

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