#Typicalmomcrap365

I read a blog not too long ago (but long enough ago for me to forget which one) regarding how PERFECT Instagram can make our lives look.  While I'm sure this topic has been covered many times before, I am going to go as far to say that ALL Social Media sites Skew reality.....we know this right?

Even with us all knowing that what we see on out computer/phone/tablet screens is superficial crap we still feel the pangs of jealousy and longing for our lives to be just as perfect as everyone elses.  I see families of perfect children smiling in perfect outfits  in front of a perfect houses and cringe....why is that not us?

 Why, why, why?  Why are my kids messy?  Why are the kids defiant?  Why cant I manage to do my hair every day?  Why am I not baking some awesomeness for my family?  Why am I a short order cook?  Why is the highlight of my day peeing alone?  Why don't I have a bigger house? Why do I answer the phone like a nasty person?  Why am I overweight?  Why am I not into Crossfit?  Why do I really love savory foods that then land on my hips?  Why don't I home school?  Why didn't I go back to school?   Why WHY does everyone elses life look better then Mine?

Why?  because its not reality.  Because a lot of it is showing off.  I'm not sure if we are looking for acceptance when we post how friggen awesome we are or some sort of validation.  I'm lead to believe is a little of both, but we never realize how crappy we can make others feel....because no one is perfect. 

   I could go on forever on this but let me zoom in on the perfect family photo Phenomena.  I actually do have a few beautiful family photos of the five of us frolicking in the sand.  I don't know how people perceive us because I don't bother to ask and most of the time I don't care.  Its possible that someone may be jealous of these gorgeous photos of us and our children, they look so perfect but let me break it down for you......

On this July day I put all my kids in the car...dressed in friggen WHITE.  I then had to convince my husband it would be fun since on his only day off he had to now have a photo shoot and he thought he needed a hair cut.

Get to the beach to meet our beautiful and talented photographer Kimberly Jean.   My oldest is now off the wall hyper and excited to see her.  Walk 10 miles to the beach site (ok not really) with 3 reluctant children who want Cheetos (they are wearing WHITE).  Take pictures of the baby who is always pretty compliant as the two older children are running through beach grass and picking up tics I'm sure.  Just as we are getting ok with the set up Mosquitos pop up.  Because the photographer is smarter then me, she has bug spray on hand....now spray reluctant kids with bug spray, screaming ensues.  Move to dunes....kids are rolling in dunes, I am having an anxiety attack at the thought of Lyme disease.

Oh look they are hugging..... five seconds later someones being pushed down a sand dune.  As for us getting a group photo, those 2 above were picked out of several shots.  The standing one was achieved by letting Frankie run from the top of the dune down the mountain where I screamed that I was FULL of Helium and he needed to hold on to my leg so I wouldn't float away.....yes that's 100% true.  While the second was us and three very hyper kids,  convulsing and squirming to get out of our arms as we both laughed in disbelief because this is too crazy.  Please God make it stop and pray that this photo shoot comes out ok.

There are so many others that came out perfect through all that and I posted every single one of them to portray My perfect Family.  I mean seriously, we look like some  family models or something.  Then Christmas came and I posted this one....

Right before my son went running through a tree farm demanding we find some treasure....after my youngest threw himself off the box and all during the time my daughter was making these horrible faces.

All of the above are split seconds of what looks like perfection.....in reality its just chaos, real life, honest to God chaos.  Something we all live with and should embrace instead of trying to hide.

I stopped trying to be perfect on social media a long time ago.  Some people think I'm nuts, I think its funny.  I love to show off my messy life, maybe I'm looking for someone to tell me I'm not alone but maybe I'm helping someone realize They are not alone.  I guess its another form of validation. 

So yesterday I started #typicalmomcrap356 on FB, instagram, or whatever.  At least one photo a day of my imperfect, mundane, typical, non pintersty mom life.  I don't like feeling inadequate or imperfect and I don't want to ever make someone else feel like that.

So every day....the good, the bad, the ugly #nofilter

Find some awesome imperfection below!