It's insane to see how blogging has evolved. 10 years ago I used Instagram solely as a way to edit my photos with the vintage filters and then upload them to my blog. I bought a DSLR Nikon camera which I still use today, and my friend Casey made my blog header which I also still use! My blog posts have taken many different directions, such as taking photos of my friends to sharing upcoming estate sales. I would have never considered myself a writer, but over time I've learned I write the way I speak....from the heart. I don't use perfect grammar or punctuation, but this is my space so I can do what I want 😉. 

I'm thankful for this platform to express myself, thankful for the connections and friends I've made along the way, thankful for the opportunities and revenue I've made that has provided for my family. One of my favorite moments in the past 10 years was founding the ATX Blogger Mixer. 7 years ago there weren't influencer events, but I knew there were other bloggers in Austin I had never met. I wanted a way to connect with like-minded people so that's how the event was born. It evolved and my friend Erica helped run it with me for a few years. I met SO many amazing women through it, but over time I got busy with work/kids and decided to stop. It also helped that brands and restaurants began to host their own events, so I was seeing my blogging friends anyway! 

I am proud that I have consistently written here for 10 years, and that is solely because I LOVE it. Every night after I put the kids to bet I get excited about the creative work. There is no doubt this is a part-time job, but it's been the best experience. It's also helped me in my professional career, which I never saw coming. I've been able to show my future employers my experience with influencer marketing and it has helped me land many roles! Another reason to never put anything on the internet you would be ashamed of your employer or co-worker seeing.