Back To The Very Beginning 8 Years Ago, When It All Started



Yesterday was T-mobile Tuesday and I've been anxiously awaiting this day,  as part of the thank you for being a customer we got Vudu credit. Which means that I finally got to rent the movie Motherhood in which Uma Thurman stars. Now you must be thinking ok, so this post is going to be about a movie and you are 50% right and 50% wrong. This post does have to do with a movie, not just any movie, the movie that jump started this little blog which was created March 8, 2010 and 8 years later I'm still here on this little corner of the internet.
You might think I'm a little crazy but every time I talk about how my blogging journey began I laugh  a little bit, because I never thought that i'd still be here and have so many amazing memories thanks to my blog. I've always loved writing and reading, at one point during my high school years this girl
 really thought she'd be in the journalism field but I didn't go past being a reporter for my school newspaper, it was a lot of fun and it's always great when my dad gets to dig out my old high school papers and read what I wrote about. My parents always supported my many interests that had to do with writing. From buying me tons of journals in which i'd write to buying books in which my poems were published. or listening to the songs that I'd write in songwriting class. So many writings to rummage through, one I hope to find is an old book I started writing when I was in my early teens, it had a cover and everything, lost somewhere in storage. By now you can see that writing has always been something near to my heart.


The Movie That Started It All
Miguel was 7 years old and it was movie night. Motherhood it was, i'd rent movies from the library and the picture on the cover just called out to me. After reading the synopsis I knew it was a must watch for me. This movie made me cry, laugh and cry again. If you are a mom you can definitly relate to it, in so many levels. Miguel was already 7 years old and I was still lost and trying to find me again as a person and not a mom, please don't take it the wrong way but after forgetting about myself and focusing on my son, my identity was lost for a while. Motherhood, helped remind me that I wasn't alone and that I'd find myself again. This movie introduced me to blogging, the main character has a blog in which she documents her everyday ramblings, adventures and misadventures as a mom. I wanted that, I missed writing in a journal, having a space where my thoughts could go onto. So two or three days after watching the movie,  I searched for blogger, which is the platform that she uses and when searching for "how to start a blog" that was the first one that popped up, thus began the process of becoming a blogger.

How my blog name came about?
The process began, but first to pick a name, that part was the hardest for me, ha! I've gone through 2 blogger names with C'est La Vie being the third and final one (I hope - ha) this title says it all by itself, after all "Life is what you make it". This little blogs first name was "Ramblings of A Simple Girl" but it was too simple for my taste, not going to lie but as time has passed, it came to me that this one I really liked and wish I'd stuck with but alas it was time to change and why not try something that included all of my favorite things, so then it was "Peace, Love, Cupcakes, Happiness" becuase all those were stuff I believed and loved. This title stuck around for a year or so, it got boring and too long for me. During this time my blog started growing and it was time to go to what would be one of many blogger events, more on that in a second. That meant that blogger cards had to be made and after making a few with that very long title and seeing it on a card, it was a no-no. My head was spinning with different blog names, I was changing and so was the way of my blog. That's when I started looking up quotes, everyone knows they can be very long, too long for a blog name but one in particular stood out to me. C'est La Vie whch means that's life: such is life. Which can be a little contraire to what I say which is "life is what you make it". It took me a few days to decide on making that change and to actually buy my first domain. If you look at my link it says "cestlaviekarina" and that's because "cestlavie" by itself was already taken, my heart was already set on this concept on this idea that C'est La Vie, life is what you make it, so Karina was added to my domain name.

How my blog evolved throughout the years?
We already know that when I started blogging it was a way for me to be able to write again and have some memories saved at the same time. If you you go back to the first two years of my blog, you will find a lot of quotes, snapshots and special posts where I've shared personal stories from losing my father in law to everyday goals and dreams. In 2012 I was reading Fitness magazine, as I was trying to find me again that also meant losing some extra baby weight that was still left around, 9 years after Miguel was born. Skimming through the pages a special square caught my eye, it was an announcement/invitation of some sort. Fitness magazine would have it's first ever Blogger, Meet and Tweet event and it would be held in NYC. We had to sign up online and wait to see if we'd get an official invite. I almost didn't sign up but you know what, I went for it, the worst that could happen was that an official invite wouldn't be sent. A few weeks later the email with the official invite arrived. To say that I was a nervous wreck is an understatement, i've always been sort of an anti social butterfly, very shy at times but I was ready to overcome that as the days to the event got closer the anxiety also grew more and more. The day for my first ever blogger conference arrived and to this day it still brings the biggest of smiles to my face. That day not only did I get to meet some amazing brands, and an amazing friend that is my soul sister, but I was introduced to what would be an amazing organization and play one of the biggest parts in my life. Kelly Olexa from Fitfluential was one of the key speakers and to hear her speak about what being fit was, made me cry and reminded me once again that everyone had their own fitness journey. Being fit is not a size or a look, it's a feeling of achievement that you got up on your feet and moved. Being fit comes in all sizes! 
So, started my fitness journey and my first blog evolution. I'd blog about my running journey, how I trained for a race, about how i'd feel on days when I just felt down about not moving around the way I'd really want to, and also sharing how Miguel kept on growing and all the fun adventures we'd go on. 2012 flew by because after signing up for a few networks that i'd found by googling, some comapnies had reached out to send me products for review and so began the product review posts. 2013 came and it started with us running as a family and me training for my first half marathon which i'd run in May of 2013, planning for baby #2 was also in full effect. Everything happened really fast, before I knew it I was running my first half marathon with the flu and a baby that was being formed and waiting for me to find out. 2014 came and Valentina would be born, that was also the year I'd get into the mom blogger group. This is really a mystery, one day after searching for something on instagram, a picture saying that Blogger Bash would be coming up came up. It was a blogger conference that featured some amazing brands taht were a great way to introduce me into the mom blogger group. After that invites started happening and companies would send me products to review.
My blogger was now more lifestyle then just personal, and as the years have gone by I can officially call it a Lifestyle Blog, that features a little bit about everything from reviews, fitness journey, favorite foods, city adventures, to everyday ramblings.

Blog Has Evolved, How Has That Changed My Little Space And Me?
But as it's evolved, it's also lacking what was the heart of this little space of mine, a few more personal posts. Sponsored posts have seemed to take over for a little bit and with Instagram out there, picture telling has also become very popular. It feels very different from when I started blogging, there was a little more interaction and more of a homie feeling. But as with everyting else, you just have to keep up and keep doing you and what you love. 
Back to sponsored posts, a little extra income doesn't hurt, especially when my husband is the only one that works so that I can be a stay at home mom. The change came after Valentina was born, not blaming anyone but being a mom of two truly does change your life, that means my time has be focused on two kids and not only one. One child who is a teenager and one who thinks she's a little teenager herslef, when in fact she's only 4 years old. I've been blessed with a lot of support from my parents and husband as well. It helps a lot to have a supportive husband who gets home from working 12 hour shifts and then stays keeping the kids busy, especially the little one while mom tries to write in her blog. Yes, I can write with the kids here but it's not easy, especially when you are in your writing mojo and your little one keeps asking you for something, inspiration goes flying out the window. That's when blogging early morning or into the wee hours of the night comes in. There have been times when I've gone to sleep until 5am, like today for example.
It's easy to see the fun part of blogging like the pictures of events, amazing opportunites that happen, and all the fun products that are sent. But the thing that's never noticed is the work that goes behind it. Before I continue, I am NOT complaining I have been blessed with this job but I am also putting out there what happens behind the fun, which is hard work. The ediitng pictures, writing and planning out what to write about next is what happens behind the cameras. As I run for time to be able to keep up with my little space, ideas also pop up. Ideas that have remained just that, of topics that I've been meaning to write about and I just haven't. But after re-watching Motherhood all over again, it's reminded me of why I started this blog and how much it means to me.

What Now?
Hope you've made it this far and if you just skipped through to this part, thank you anyways :)
I'm hoping to bring this blog back to a little bit of what it was, some more personal posts. Not going to overshare becuase it's not only my life that I share, it's also my families and there's always a thin line between what to share and what needs to stay offline. Especially with a teen son who's mom can easily be googled and wouldn't want to embaraas him with something in particular. But there will be more rambling and life stories as I continue in this little space of ours.
With that being said I truly hope you stick around and follow us through this journey called life.

Also make sure to follow us on other social media platforms, where I'm @Runchiquitarun and on our Youtube channel - AFewMomentsWithKary

How did you start?


Love,
Kary xoxo



14 comments

  1. Awe what a great post! I've actually never seen that movie, might have to look into it!

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  2. Thank you for getting so personal!I'm Italian, 34, still not mother. I feel we have a lot in common here though,I always loved writing, I wanted to be a journalist too, but I was sidetracked, and that's great! Who knows who's controlling media? We're sharing our truth, blogging :) I started one and half year ago,I was invited many times to start a blog by friends who wanted to know about my travels and life as an expat. I find it super inspiring that you've been on this journey for 8 years, I think of quitting often, but how can I quit when there are moms (moms are the busiest beings on this planet!!) who strive to get their wisdom out there on the web!! What a great example... I didn't know about the movie anyway, but I'm a big fan of Uma, how could I skip that?!

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  3. It's always so interesting hearing how and why people started their blogs!!

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  4. I have T-mobile so I need to check into the Tuesday freebies. I always forget to check this.

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  5. I get what you mean about blogging, IG, etc becoming less personal and more sponsored content. Way to go with focusing more on personal posts!
    xoxo
    Annie

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  6. First I need to check out this movie Motherhood, I love movies that talk about the underdogs, bloggers! Second I think true blogger all in their spirit all had journalistic tendencies and we all started from being serious journalers when we were teens...also blogging is super hard work I am up at 4am finishing a post now so thanks for sharing the truth that many do not understand!

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  7. Nancy at Whispered InspirationsApril 27, 2018 at 8:19 AM

    I am totally going to have to check out that movie! I totally understand what you mean about blogging though. It can be so difficult.

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  8. This is really fantastic and quite truthful. Blogging is super hard work!

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  9. I love to go back and read some of my old journals and diaries, and I'm glad I'm not the only who does that! It's always fun to see how a blog evolves over the years as our life journeys change.

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  10. What a great post! I remember when I first started, our blogs evolve and that's great too. . I am definitively going to watch the movie.

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  11. I loved reading about how your blog was born and has evolved over the years! I am going on six years next month!

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  12. I am so happy to hear how far along you have come as a blogger. The journey is always a long and exciting one!

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  13. Blogging is a TON of hard work. It's one of those jobs where you could sit all day and blog and still have things you could do.

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  14. Wow, time sure does fly! I'm excited to see how far you've come. Can't wait to see you continue to grow and reach your goals.

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