Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Keeping It Real

This morning we took our first outing as a family of 8.
To the grocery store to get diapers.

Before we left the house, I got over heated blow drying my hair, I had too many layers of clothing on yet when I tried to change, nothing fit.  I have to make sure my shirt can work for nursing.  My maternity clothes are too big but my regular clothes are too small.  

Cait was dropping little pieces of Playmobil all over the house, a toy that I really like to try to keep together and not lose the pieces.  Caleb was running wild and I could see that Maddie was wearing summer clothes on this cold day.

I knew we still had to put the car set together and the baby needed to be changed, nursed, burped...

Not to mention I had no list and we were headed to the grocery store.

It was all too much and I gave myself a time out in the closet...which turned into a meltdown complete with tears.

We still went.
I still changed my Facebok status to "First outing as a family of 8"

 I did't get a picture of my girl on her first outing.  I forgot.  It wasn't the Norman Rockwell image I had in my head of this occasion.  Kinda disappointing.  But pretty much reality for the moment.

When I got home, someone had written "you are like a modern day miracle" under my status.  Super nice {and very clever and funny} comment, I was completely flattered but felt a teeny bit guilty that perhaps I sweep the mess to the side and just show the good stuff a little too often.

It's good to keep it real every once in a while.
We should all be able to admit when life is hard or disappointing.
None of us live up all the time:)

So here's my current reality.


Let's tour my house in it's current state.




 Kitchen


Pretty sure this mess is from more than one meal.


Living Room
{here are two of my kids...there are two more playing downstairs, one at Grandma's house and one on Lego.com}


Kid Bedroom


My Bedroom


9 comments:

Christa said...

These are some of my favorite posts from you, Colleen. These are the ones that remind me we are all the same. As if to prove my point, I started this comment just before reheating dinner, which I thought would take a few seconds. In the meantime, one kid kicked another, one got in trouble for climbing on the couch, and now dinner will be later than expected and we'll probably rush out the door tonight. Ah well. Thanks for being like me :)

Jessanna said...

Oh Colleen, you've still failed to fall of the pedestal.. hahah- seriously, your amazing... even more so for being real with the world- LOVE YOU!!! Seriously. I do. Keep being you, and shining bright!! x0

Valerie said...

Colleen, thank you for being vulnerable! It's tempting to want to only show the perfect side, but when we are real it's so reassuring to everyone else! I remember when my kids were little I had to make the choice to let the house be messy and relax about it. And I have half the amount of kids as you! Now that my kids are all teenagers, they remember a fun happy childhood and a mom who wasn't uptight, at least not all the time! Keep on keepin real.

Crystal said...

looks like a life well lived. :) thanks for finding the time to stop by friend. :)

Obwald Family said...

lol, love you just the same and I was just commenting to myself that my house is so darn messy right now! Tomorrow for recess we are cleaning the house :)

Grandpa Russ said...

Kids are only little for a short while, then they're up and gone.

Those precious moments with the little ones are all too fleeting.

Keep it in perspective - dust doesn't spoil.

Love,
Dad

Ann-Marie said...

I love this post. Looks like my house with two children. Thank you for the encouragement. :)

The Hayes Family said...

I second what everyone said! It's encouraging to read from you and then everyone else's comments that all houses with kids are messy and not super clean and not perfect! What a relief! LOVE YOU and wish I could sit with you in the middle of the kids and mess. I don't post pictures of my dirty bathrooms, however, I did admit (not thinking beforehand) to someone that I had not cleaned my bathrooms in the longest time. I DO clean the toilets, but the dust.. it's been there for awhile! After the shock from them, I decided to leave that detail unmentioned. Glad to know there are other dusty homes!

Anonymous said...

I could not refrain from commenting. Exceptionally well written!


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