Violating your Instagram feed {like a boss}


I thought that having my email hacked last summer was the worst thing that could happen in my blogging life. I was certainly wrong as today, Thursday May 23rd, my Instagram account @absolutemommy officially died.  I was just scrolling along, checking out outfits of the day, paleo recipes, and every ones adorable children when BAM.  My screen flashed and took me to the log in screen.  I couldn't log in.  

And then I almost died.

Ok, not really.  First I tried in vain to log in from every available piece of technology I own. By doing so I started to get the following message "Your account has been deleted because you have violated the terms of use policy", or BS similar to that.  So I did what every blogger would do, I cried.  For like 10 minutes and then called a bunch of people to share this personal tragedy.  My mom, because I was devastated, was devastated.  My husband said that I should calm down and then told me that it had to be a fluke and to wait it out.  My best friend asked me how on earth I could have violated a social networking site that allowed me to post photos of my elf on the shelf doing lines and getting drunk in bed with Mereda.  True story.

And that's the moment this blog post was written.

Now as I write this I know that I wasn't the only one.  But it sure felt like it.  Looks like there is a lucky few that got their accounts deleted today for no reason.  And yes, I have read and tried every recovery effort known to Twitter, Facebook, and Google, and none of them work.  Which has convinced me that I have indeed committed some infraction, some violation, on Instagram.  The question is did I violate my feed, or did I violate your feed?  Do you in fact feel violated?

The sad thing is, Instagram is my family's photo album.  It's Mackenzie's baby book.  Literally.  It's a place to connect with so many of my friends, in real life, and in virtual life.  I use Instagram pics for all my blog posts.  Instagram is a HUGE part of my life.  And for a moment I thought it was all gone...

I get it.  I make so many violations on Instagram daily.  Perhaps I'm in violation of posting too many outfit of the day pictures.  Maybe it's too many self indulgent selfies that are the issue.  Could it be all the pictures I post of my kids eating junk food at unheard of hours?  I'm sure I'm in violation of posting too many pictures of my food, or my Starbucks cup.  Could it be the sarcastic and sometimes rated R e-cards that get posted?

Whatever the reason, as of this moment, my original Instagram account is still dead.  
Can I get a moment of silence?

Before the night was over, I had to start a new account.  The idea that I couldn't post pictures at a birthday party tonight just about killed me.  They had a Jurassic Park cake that my neighbor made, people!!  Plus I need to post upcoming outfits of the day, pictures of my kids not sleeping at midnight, and my sink full of dishes.  Because that's what I do.  I'm a blogger, I'm an over share-er.  I'm @absolute_mommy (that's absolute underscore mommy).

And I promise, I don't violate.  Any one.



Every story has a silver lining.  Tonight's silver lining is all of my Instagram friends that have re-followed the new account and have shared on their feed to follow me.  I'm blessed friends.  Tonight I'm thankful for people like Lacey (@lilmissnerdgirl) and @BoldButterBaby.  Who talked me off the ledge via Twitter.  For all the shares and re-tweets I'm so grateful.

Again, when these things happen in my life... What else am I going to do?  These posts write themselves.  Happy Friday dear readers.  Go Instagram something.  Preferably your lunch.



ps: this wasn't the post that was supposed to be published today.
Originally it was an Instagram recap of the last couple of weeks.
Irony is so poetic, am I right?