Some Things You Probably Didn’t Know

This weekend was a pretty laid back one and I had a lot of free time on my hands (a rarity), so I took the time to update a few of the pages on this blog – namely adding a press page.

It was kind of a weird thing for me, because it made me stop and realize just how far this blog has come since those early days when I first started blogging (4 years ago? I lose track…) and I didn’t even really know that blogs were a “thing” and I had no expectation that anyone other than my mom would ever read mine.

What started out as a hobby has become a career that I love. I write for Disney and Babble…I’ve been on Good Morning America and the Huffington Post…and even my tiny toddler  has become a bit of a tiny fashion icon – featured on BuzzFeed. I’ve partnered with some really amazing brands like Levis and Target and even Honda and it kind of blows my mind. I’m not saying this as a brag or anything…promise. I’m just saying it’s crazy to stop and think about how far this little blog has come and how much blogging has changed.

Overall I am so incredibly thankful for all of the amazing opportunities that blogging has afforded my family. The fact that I get to be at home and spend time with my daughter is the most amazing gift. I will say that sometimes I do miss the old days though…

The days when we all did weekly link-ups and actually left comments on each other’s blogs when we read them, because there weren’t as many and we had the time. The days when blog posts weren’t editorial productions with art directors and beautifully crisp photos (OK, mine still aren’t like that, but you know what I mean) and everything felt new. I miss getting deeper into one another’s lives and developing those friendships. Maybe part of the change has been becoming a mom and simply having less time, but I think part of it is just that the landscape of blogging has changed. I know things can’t stay the same forever and it would be silly to expect them too, but sometimes you still get nostalgic.

So, today I’m making one of those “25 Things About Me” lists that everyone used to do when we were all small timers, because who doesn’t like writing silly, little lists? And since I completely forgot how to create a link-up system, you should totally leave some facts about yourselves in the comment section (25…or really just however many you feel like sharing!).

Some Things You Probably Didn't Know // @The Little Things We Do

{random photo of me at a shoot taken by Margaret Jacobsen}

So, here goes…

1. I was born in California and lived there until I was six years old, but I consider myself an Oregonian through and through. I’m so not cut out for SoCal. Northern California though? Now that I could do.

2. I met my husband in the 4th grade. He was the super annoying friend of my brother who would come stay the night sometimes and I’d hide out in my bedroom because I couldn’t stand him. We became friends in high school and then started dating my senior year and the rest is history. Our friends literally placed bets on how long we would last…guess we won that bet.

3. Speaking of high school…Craig and I were two grades apart. He’s 28 and I’m 29 and our birthdays are August 12th (mine) and August 19th (his) respectively, so we’re exactly a year and a week apart. Technically if my parents had waited to put me in school for another year and his had put him in on time we would’ve been in the same grade. But in the end I ended up getting quite a bit of crap for dating a guy “two years younger than me”, but it was worth it.

4. I used to sing a lot – like in front of church and stuff, mostly during high school. Sometimes I miss it, but I always got major stage fright. I liked having an excuse to sing though and with Fern’s love of singing I’m hoping that one day she’ll share my love and I’ll get to watch her singing performances full-circle style.

5. I’m super claustrophobic, but not like you would typically think. One day I looked up the definition of claustrophobia and the definition was “fear of not having a way out”. Describes me to a T. I get panicked when I’m in a large group or event and I don’t have a quick escape and I hate any type of wrestling or being constricted. Craig used to play around and try to pin me down, but I pretty much have a panic attack and I super hate it so he doesn’t do it anymore. I think Fern might be the same one day because she does the same – totally freaks out when she’s confined.

6. Before I was ever pregnant, the names I had picked out for my future children were: Harper James for a girl and Holden Grey for a boy. I had the name Harper (for Harper Lee of To Kill a Mockingbird) picked out for years, but by the time I was pregnant it had gotten popular so I scrapped it. I also ended up knowing a Holden, so I didn’t want to seem like I’d poached the name. I’m glad the names didn’t work out though because, I like Fern and Clive better for us though.

7. Before I was pregnant with Fern I was a total western medicine type of girl. I didn’t think twice about medications or a whole lot about the kinds of foods I ate and I totally wasn’t into anything homeopathic or natural. After getting pregnant I’ve definitely developed a bit of a “crunchy” side, which I think is good. Bring on the homeopathic tinctures and waterbirth! Who am I?

8. The best sandwich I’ve ever eaten in my entire life was the fried chicken sandwich from Bakesale Betty in Oakland. I literally dream about this sandwich. If you live anywhere even remotely near there you need to get one. Stat. Also, best burger I’ve ever had? The Juicy Lucy from Lucy’s Original – a food cart here in Portland that is sadly closed now. Basically I like unattainable food.

9. I didn’t have a cellphone until my junior year of college (2004 I think?). Everyone had them by then so I was totally behind the curve, but I actually kind of miss not having one. My first phone was the metallic pink Motorola Razer. So cool…

10. I am ridiculously temperature sensitive. I don’t like when it gets too hot and I don’t like when it gets too cold. 70 – 72 degrees is pretty much my ideal temperature, so as you can imagine I have a ton of fun being pregnant…always too cold or too hot. I’m sure I’m such a joy to be around.

11. I have always struggled with my weight. I was a chubby kid until junior high…then I just got taller. Then I gained weight in high school…then lost a bunch (40 lbs) in college. Now I’m somewhere in between…well…when I’m not pregnant anyway. We’re not even going to talk about weight for another 6 months or so.

12. I had dogs named cat named Cupcake and dogs name Ruffles and Beauty as a kid. Obviously I was SUPER girly and SUPER good at naming pets.

13. I’m the only girl that Craig has ever kissed.

14. I have a serious weakness for donuts. I was a year-and-a-half old when my brother was born and I was super upset about it. To console me my aunt bought me some of those mini chocolate donuts and I felt better. Totally eating my feelings…good call. But I feel like the love stems back to that…they will forever be my ultimate comfort food. Also, I’m really glad donuts are “a thing” now, because I’ve always loved them…so glad cupcakes are over because I’ve never been a fan.

15. I have a pretty terrible memory. I often forget I’ve seen a movie until about halfway through it. I’ve even rented movies from RedBox and gotten them home only to have Craig remind me that we’d already seen it. Sometimes I can’t be convinced and then we watch it anyway and I realize quite a ways in that I have actually seen it.

16. I will forever love the 90’s as a musical genre. All the great alternative, rap, R&B…and even the cheesy pop stuff. Totally the best music for a road trip and I literally know all the songs.

17. I cook almost every day of the week, but I really hate cooking. I couldn’t cook to save my life until I got married and then I put myself through the ringer learning how. I had this vision that a wife was supposed to be like Martha Stewart incarnate, so I spent the first three months of marriage making something different every night. It took like 3-4 hours to make anything because I had no clue what I was doing. I literally had to look up what it meant to dice something…it was bad. Eventually I learned though…and simultaneously had a bit of a meltdown where Craig told me it was OK to ease up on the cooking. Now I can cook, but I just dread it. Craig is a way better cook than I am and pretty particular about eating good food so it usually just stresses me out. The man will “whip up” fresh pasta on a whim. He’s crazy. Also…I HATE baking even more than cooking. BUT…I love baked goods.

18. I didn’t know a think about “mommy blogs” or Babble until I was actually e-mailing my boss about a job there. I didn’t really know it was a “thing”, which is maybe why I was just dumb enough to think I was qualified. I’ve definitely learned a lot in the last two years!

19. If I were going to get married again I would do it pretty differently. I loved our wedding, but we had like 300 people there and it was a big to-do. If I got married now, I’d wear a beautiful Elizabeth Dye dress and have a small ceremony on top of Mt. Hood. Then I’d invite all of our closest friends and family to join us for dinner at a brewery nearby and we’d dance to a live band and there would definitely be alcohol this time. We didn’t have any at our wedding which = no one dancing. Lame.

20. I hate that 90’s fashion is coming back around. Some of it is tolerable, but for the most part I just can’t get into it. The mom jean jorts and crop tops just look awful on pretty much most people. I’m all for 90’s inspired, but the stuff that’s literally from the 90’s just ends up mostly being unflattering.

21. I’m not a dog person…even though we have one. As much as I love our dog, I’d be petless if it weren’t for my husband. I hate sweeping up dog hair and German Shepherds shed like you wouldn’t believe.

22. I am an introverted extrovert. Most people think I’m an extrovert (depending on the situation we meet in), but I’m really not. Large groups exhaust me and I need alone time to recharge.

23. I’m half Mexican, but my husband teases me often that I’m “the whitest Mexican” he knows. It’s kind of true. I’m so not in touch with my roots, though I wish I were. My mom even speaks Spanish fluently, but not I. I know…total culture fail.

24. I don’t like camping. I know it’s pretty much blasphemous to say that living here in the Pacific Northwest, but it’s true. It seems like a cheap vacation, but all the packing and prep work and meals end up being more work and more cost than you anticipated and once you’re there it feels like all you ever do is cook and clean up. It never feels all that relaxing to me and I’d rather spend a bit more and stay in a cabin…in a bed. Don’t get me wrong…I like the outdoors and being in nature, but I just don’t really want to sleep or eat there (unless it’s a quick picnic lunch).

25. I love being a mom. Before it happened I worried that it would change my life and I wouldn’t get to do a lot of the stuff I did before…well…that did happen for the most part. I don’t think I lost myself or anything, but my life is definitely different. That said? I wouldn’t change it for the world. All the other stuff didn’t matter nearly as much as I thought it did and there is nothing better than doing life with my husband and our sweet little Fern. I love having her be part of our adventures!

OK…your turn…tell me about YOU!

Love and random lists,

Lauren

Comments

  1. I love these! So fun to see an inside peak–also, I totally married my HS sweetheart and I thought I was the only person on earth to dislike cupcakes. 🙂 And my husband is a better cook than me and I am SO temperature sensitive. I am dreading this summer pregnancy, ugh!

    • @Chaunie – Did you ever do these in your early blogging days? I started blogging before I had Fern, so obviously I had way less material. Haha! And I’m SO glad I’m not the only cupcake disliker. It was such a trend for so long, but I just never got into it. What is your due date by the way? I totally lucked out with both of my pregnancies…Fern was born in January and this little guy is due June 4th before the warm weather really hits which I’m so thankful for since it wasn’t super planned. I’m such a grump when I’m hot!

  2. NUMBER 20!! I couldn’t agree more! If Kelly Kapowski didn’t look good in high-waisted, acid-washed jorts then no one will!! Why are THESE styles coming back???? Le sigh…

  3. Alisa Fairbanks says:

    Funny, I got my first cell phone my junior year of college too. It just so happened to be a Motorola Razer as well, but the gray one, not pink. I thought it was so sleek.

  4. So I live in the Bay Area and my husband LOVES Bakesale Betty! He grew up in Berkeley so he would go there all the time, and still does if he is working in the area. I have yet to try it because the line is always out the door but I’m hoping it’s in my near future!

  5. I love this list since I haven’t been around since the early days of this blog it’s fun to hear random facts about you. And FTR I love that your posts aren’t big productions with an art director. I think iPhone photos totally suffice most of the time and your writing is what brings me back rather than staged photos. <3

  6. I had no idea you were in the first two issues of Kinfolk?! So cool!

    • @Kelsey – I was actually only “in” the first issue. I was styling the shoot and the model called an hour before and cancelled. We already had everything ready, so the prop stylist and photographer asked if I’d be willing to just play model. I was nearly 4 months pregnant and feeling a bit bloated which meant almost nothing I brought fit, but thankfully that one dress did! In the second issue I did wardrobe styling for one of the articles, so technically I was “in” it…but alas, my name wasn’t in the mag since I wasn’t an “official” contributor. Nonetheless, I got credit for it on the interwebs, so I’ll take it :).

  7. Hey Lauren! How did you start out blogging as a job? It is something I think I would love to do although I would need to get way better at photography! Ha! I found your blog around the same time I became a mama to our little girl and I love it! I always look forward to your posts. Totally relate to the introverted extrovert thing, by the way! Unite!

    • @Emily – Here’s a link to a post I wrote about how I got my blogging gigs: laurenhartmann.com/2013/11/how-did-you-get-that-blogging-gig.html I get asked that question a lot, so hopefully the post is helpful! And glad I’m not the only intro-extro out there ;).

  8. I enjoyed your list! I also had the razor and thought I was hot stuff as I tucked it in my turquoise Vera Bradley bag…wall of shame, I know. I’ve since traded that bag for a cute diaper bag. 🙂 I have 4 amazing babies-3 boys and a girl who just turned 5 months today!

  9. This is so fun! I remember doing one of these on my blog way back in the day. 🙂

  10. Great list. I had a razor too – back in 2003-2006, when I didn’t even text with it. I was clueless about all the great smartphones until 2008 or 2009.

  11. We’ll make you a burger any time. 😉

  12. Ha! My daughter’s name is Harper Elliott (tribute to Elliott Smith ha!) and if she would have been a boy we were going to name her Holden Dean.
    Loved reading this list!

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