With the numerous social media platforms out there beckoning for our attention, it can be easy to get lost pretty quickly. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has clicked over to "check Facebook real quick" only to come up for air an hour later and wonder what the heck just happened. Wherever my brain goes during that time must be the same setting that kicks in when I see pretty nail polish at Target. Next thing you know I'm snapping back to attention in the checkout lane where I realize I have bug spray, a clearance purse, a candle, mascara, a throw pillow and a pack of pens in my cart and I have zero recollection of the previous hour of my life. Is it possible that Target secretly pumps some sort of hallucinogen through their air ducts?
If my friend who is basically in charge of a Target store is reading this, please know that I am totally joking. Except about the mystery items in my purse - that happens all the time.
What I love about Instagram is that it is a platform that allows for such variety of material - cute photos of my online friends' families, incredible shots of nature at its finest, perfectly lit photographs of food made to look like art, and more selfies than you can shake a Selfie Stick at. Choose who you follow wisely and flipping your thumb across the surface of your phone screen can be a way to cultivate a community, get inspired and be challenged.
Today I'm sharing five Instagram folks who I have come to ADORE. Their photo streams are always lovely in their own unique ways. None of these people have any clue I'm writing this post, so I promise you that my endorsement of them is not coerced in any way.
1. To Find Your Next Favorite Book....
Friends, I can't even tell you how many books I have put on my library hold list simply because Stephanie Howell posted them on Instagram. First of all, I'm becoming more and more convinced that Stephanie is secretly some sort of robot or angel because it should not be physically possible to read as many book as she does while also being Mama to FOUR little girls.....and pregnant with a fifth child....while stationed in Italy with her Ranger husband who also travels all the time. It's amazeballs. Second, she has impeccable taste in books. If she doesn't like it within the first couple chapters, she ditches it and moves on quickly. I've both chosen and avoided books specifically because I trust Stephanie's' judgment. Finally, I have yet to encounter anyone else who makes books look this sexy. Stephanie created this Instagram specifically for books because those posts were so popular on her personal feed (which is also GORGEOUS, by the way). She's only posted 26 photos and already has over a thousand followers! Girlfriend knows how to take a beautiful photo. I could gush all day.
That's two for the price of one, for those of you keeping track at home.
2. Make a Smoothie that Looks as Good as it Tastes....
Crissy Page is one of those bloggers that apparently everyone but me already knew about. I don't remember how I stumbled across her page, but it has been her Instagram feed that has me hooked. Crissy is working hard at eating clean and while trendy food stuff would usually turn me off, her beautiful photos of her smoothies.....yes, smoothies....have me coming back again and again. She really inspired me to try to get back into eating better and I'm started with smoothies. I pull up her photos nearly every day to see what kind of smoothie I should make for breakfast.
3. Experience the Wonders of the World....
How did it take me this long to start following National Geographic? There is so much here to enjoy - portraits of humanity, striking images of creation, and accidental photos of the inside of an elephant seal's mouth as he prepares to bite the head off the photographer. No, I'm not kidding.
Now, go change your pants and follow this account immediately. This Instagram feed is a can't miss.
4. Revisit our History in a Whole New Way
This is one of those feeds that is known for being like a box of chocolates - you never really know what you're going to get. As I'm writing this post, the most recent post shows a waitress from 1950 giving a bear a bowl of honey at the counter of a cafe. From cinema icons like Charlie Chaplin and Audrey Hepburn and sports legends like Muhammad Ali to pop culture figures like Will Smith and Britney Spears, this quirky account loves to share the shots that make you look at history through a whole new lens.
Recent photos include a bikini-clad young woman in Iran prior to the revolution, the original design for Mount Rushmore before the funding ran out and a couple kissing under the mistletoe in 1940....wearing gas masks. WARNING: you're not going to want to stop scrolling!
5. For the Days When You are Just DONE and Want to Sell Your Kids to the Circus
There are just some days when you have already HAD IT before your cup of coffee is even halfway gone. Thrive Moms gets it. When I need reassurance that I can totally survive this whole parenthood thing, I come here. When I need to be reminded that I am not defined by the moment when I lost my temper over the LEGO crammed into the DVD player, I bust out the secret chocolate stash. Then I come here while I eat it.....hiding in my closet. This community is encouraging, honest, and unapologetic in they way they always point mothers back to the perfect grace of Christ. LOVE IT.
What are your favorite Instagram destinations? I would love to hear all about them!
While you're scrolling through all this these new lovely photos, be sure to follow me on Instagram and we can bond over photos of my three-year-old working his game at the public pool or name the dinosaur who came to our camp-out. Good times.
