Doe a Deery Lives Without Pretending

by Rachel W.

The day after we launched Doe a Deery, I started looking into possible avenues to promote the blog. The first place I started was Studio 5, a local morning show in Utah that a number of local bloggers have been featured on. When I pulled up Studio 5's Web site and saw that their theme for the month was "Live Without Pretending," I pulled out my Jazz hands and the excitement started dancing out of my fingers.

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You see, for the whole month of February, they would be talking about being real; they would be challenging that "perfect picture" that is so often presented online--and I just KNEW Doe a Deery would be on Studio 5 this month as our catch phrase is, "Where home and self meet real!" I had just written the following as part of our first post for crying out loud!

"...a blog that doesn't pretend to be fabulous, but can be fabulous because it is real. Everything that we read or look at online has been edited (purposefully or not) to convey a certain feeling, image or thought. One problem is, that we do not pause to realize that there is more to the story or picture like: It's been arranged, or this is the best of 50, or just out of the frame is a terribly messy kitchen...[So we are here] to remind you that there is more to the story than what you see online."

Thus began my campaign to get on the show. First, Erica and I exchanged a flurry of text messages about the serendipity of it all, and we decided it was meant to be--or that we would make it be. Right then and there, I let my husband James know that I would be appearing on Studio 5. Immediately I went to work and submitted the "contact us form" and then followed up with an e-mail to the generic Studio 5 e-mail address. Next, I used my Web hunting skills and found, or deduced, the e-mail addresses and numbers of some of the producers at KSL. Quick aside, when I was a production assistant I did stuff like this ALL THE TIME, you have to be crafty (not creepy) to find the people you need to talk to, okay? So, I sent multiple e-mails, I even called and left a message.

Since I am not one to sit and twiddle my thumbs while waiting to hear back, I also tried to get Studio 5 to notice Doe a Deery by participating in their #livewithoutpretending Instagram challenge. All of us "deers" (or regular contributors if you're new here) posted our own  #livewithoutpretending instagram pics and tagged @doeadeery.

And then, I heard back...

Although the producer said she loved the premise of the blog, (maybe they tell that to everyone?) she gently let me down by writing that they plan the content for the show two months in advance, so I should submit content ideas for after April.

And poof, there it went. The serendipity. The happenstance. The destiny. The inevitable. But, in its place, I came to love our Doe a Deery contributors even more for being open and honest about the real in their life, and judging from the comments everyone got on their pictures, others experienced the same affect. Friends and followers either commented with related stories, words of encouragement or humor. It is cheesy, but we all got a little closer because we exposed the imperfections that make us human. One of the most common comments that was left was something like, "I needed this today." So, without further ado, here are our #livewithoutpretending moments, from top to bottom and left to right...

@alisiaessig Totally ripped a hole in my pants as I put them on today. And yes they were even maternity Jeans... #ifeelfat#thejoyofpregnancy#livewithoutpretending

@catherine_ethington This is what my hair REALLY looks like. air dry baby. @doeadeery #livewithoutpretending

@ericaengland I am loving @brookewalker 's #livewithoutpretending movement. Comparing yourself to everyone's perfect pictures is not fair to yourself. It's not real life. Here is my live without pretending moment and a scary pic to prove it! I've worn this hat for six days straight now, had skin cancerous spots removed from my face, (eighteen stitches. wear sunscreen) no makeup for seven days, been changing diarrhea diapers every few hours all week long, the only wardrobe my bod has seen is sweatpants and tjs shirts, for some reason a big chunk of my eye lashes are missing?, and the only reason my house is clean is because I have a cleaning lady. No pretending here. We've seen better days. #livewithoutpretending

@chaychepix Dedicating this gram to @brookewalker and her movement #livewithoutpretending which just so happens to be right in line with the thinking behind doeadeery.blogspot.com - a blog I'm contributing to. Among several other things I could have posted, my baby will be 7 months old tomorrow, and I am still a slave to the hair elastic to keep my pants buttoned. #insanityfail #doeadeery #irefusetobuybiggerpants #iWILLlosethebabyweight #nopretendinghere!

@andi_alba So I texted this picture to my friend@rachelcwatson tonight after she put up a picture of her own postpartum baby bangs. She told me to be brave and challenged me to put it up. I am super embarrassed by my #babybangsand #baldspots but being real is what our new blog @doeadeery is all about, so I figured why not? #livewithoutpretending

@ladysmith10 Loving what @studio5 is doing with the#livewithoutpretending trend, which is what @doeadeery is all about: where home and self meet real. This is a normal view of our house on a normal day, what it looks like before we make the mad dash cleanup for visitors. Toys everywhere, furniture out of place, mail on the stairs to sort, random boxes to get rid of, a house project on the side, and a couple kids camouflaged in there somewhere. #youshouldseethekitchen #weinvitepeopleovertomakeourselvescleanup #nopretendinghere Check out @doeadeery  for which I'm so excited to be a contributor!

@julibrady I wear crocs sometimes when I take the dog out :) #livewithoutpretending

@rachelcwatson Just saw that the Studio 5 theme for the month is live without pretending -- totally inline with what @doeadeery is all about! So post a REAL picture with the hashtag #livewithoutpretending and include @doeadeery ... be brave, I am really embarrassed by these post baby bangs!

Just for fun, here is the realtime #livewithoutpretending Instagram feed:

Link Without Pretending...

Check out these other like minded bloggers...

• Diapers & Daisies: The Masks of Motherhood
• Blue Cricket Design: Do We Pretend Online?
• The House of Smiths: Creating Your Own Awesome
• Pretty Life Annonymous: Fashion Blogger's Change of Mind--and Outfit
• Studio 5 Live Without Pretending Features

Participate Without Pretending...

So, let's get your thoughts... Do you believe everything you see online? Do you ever pretend? Why?

Bonus: Post your own #livewithoutpretending moment on Instagram and tag @doeadeery

As always, thank you so much for taking the time to visit. We are having such a fun time reading your comments and corresponding with all of you! 

P.S. See if you won our J.CREW giveaway!