Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Balance

As I peruse others blogs, I often allow myself to imagine the lives behind the photos and words I see.
In my mind these families are eternally happy:
 frolicking in the waves at the beach
 playing family games of catch on the lawn
 preparing organic dinners from scratch nightly
 dressing up for no apparent reason
 parenting immacuately clean and well behaved children
 tiding up well-styled and maintained homes
 all with a smile on their face.

I find myself overwhelmed (and frankly envious).
Of course, in my mind I know that these blog posts are only vignettes, mere snapshots of moments, not the daily grind that most follow. However, instead of celebrating these successes, I admit, I see my own shortcomings.
I feel a bit of failure with each children's art project we never complete, chicken dinnner I never cook, and homemade pillow that I couldn't sew.  With a click of a button, it's more of the same.
Perhaps I need a better hobby?
Or to learn how to sew or craft?
Cooking in a house without air conditioning is a crapshoot at best.
Maybe I just need to let it go.
So what if it's chicken nuggets for dinner (again)?
Who cares if my living room looks more like a college frat house then a PotteryBarn catalogue?
My physical appearance
I think that is something I can spend a little more time on, though I do not think I will be partaking in the what I wear posts that are popular elsewhere.
It is what it is until it's not.
I think the best thing for me to do to get over this hump, is to write.
I may not be too good in the kitchen or craft room, however I'm slowly finding my voice here:
wearing my pajamas, while my kids dance around the room, eating cereal bars.
And that's okay by me.
(At least until I start blog hopping again!)




7 comments:

  1. Oh girl, those posts or pics- are only capturing a moment. Not many post the pics of when their house is a mess or their kids are just watching tv or when they decide to order in pizza b/c they don't feel like cooking.

    We're all just doing the best we can.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are only seeing the best of that day on those posts. I certainly am not posting a photo when I'm still in pj's with the kids at noon and we've only eaten dry cereal watching cartoons.
    And if every photo and post that one blog might be posting is "perfect", it certainly cannot be. Chin up!

    ReplyDelete
  3. yeah nobody leads a perfect life. we're human after all. i know that some certainly are GREAT at portraying puppies and rainbows and perfectly homemade organic meals served in the sun's setting glare (perfectly captured on camera, of course) on their blog, but those are the ones with deeper, darker issues i bet. or so i tell myself. ;) :D

    ReplyDelete
  4. heh, I count myself lucky if I can get to the end of the day all in one piece, usually before bed I tally up the day: kids alive? check! in one piece? check! husband still coming home at night? check! then, all's good! Also, I'm pretty sure that if I had time to hand sew pillows or whatever you'd more likely find me lounging around in the yard with a cold drink and a good book, or a magazine!

    ReplyDelete
  5. If you could see my house right now...well, it looks like it threw up on itself, or exploded, or imploded...and tonight? I'm reading blogs because I know I can clean it up in the morning. And tonight for dinner we had pizza and chocolate chip cookies. You aren't alone, friend! I have "venting posts" now and again, about the mom-fails I have. So, I can totally relate! I hope you get over your "hump" soon :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Exactly! You only see a quick glimpse. Just know that everyone has their messy moments. Most last all day, I work all day to keep my house clean, and even with just 1 child, a 5 month old, my house is a disaster and hard to keep up with!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh my goodness, I'm pretty sure we all feel this way. I know I do. All. The. Time.

    For some people, blogs are their way of proving to the world (and often to themselves) that their lives are perfect, when they are far from it. For others, blogs are just about the way we live our lives. Even if it's messy.

    I prefer the latter ;)

    xoxo,
    Joelle

    ReplyDelete

Let me know what you think.