Keepin' it Real -- June 2015

I first thought I'd make a Facebook post out of this. Then I thought again, and decided that the blog was a better place for it. It's not the first time I (or others) have brought up this subject. But it bears repeating. Even if it's only a self-reminder. And I didn't want my Facebook friends to get upset at me, assuming that I was referring to them -- when I'm not.

A couple of days ago, I was clicking through Pinterest, and got to one of those "Summer Home Tours", where bloggers post gorgeous photos of perfect summer homes, with current colors and furnishings, decorated to the hilt, non-existent clutter, or even any evidence of real, actual people living there. Sometimes, there's a token pet, looking lovingly at the camera. After about 4 of the homes on the "tour", I closed it out. It was making me ill.

Nobody lives like that. Nobody.

And if you live like that ---- I don't know you. I don't even know your friends. And you probably already don't like me. Because I don't live like that.

Then the train of thought moved down the tracks to the Facebook Station, and I thought about all the amazing photos that I see on my timeline from friends who are vacationing and visiting wonderful destinations. Fun is the name of that game. And those that aren't traveling? Well, they're on there showing beautiful parties, lovely children, days spent on the river, and other great home-scenes.

And I get it -- we want to share our good times. And we want photos of us from our "good side". I have very FEW friends who are down, depressed, sarcastic, or negative. At least, they generally don't show it on Facebook. So everything on the timeline is all happy-happy-joy-joy --------- and Perfect.

I know my friends and family don't really live like that, either. They are not Perfect. They are REAL.

I thought about my own Facebook (and blog) posts. Yes -- it's my "good side" that shows, too. But there's also the OTHER side. The side that doesn't get shown to the public. But it's just as real. In fact, it's even MORE real than what I show.

In the interest of still Keepin' In Real --- here's a few REAL moments from our lives lately .......

•  Emma finished out t-ball. Sure, she had fun. What's REAL? The other night, she totally tripped and fell on her face, while running from first to second base.
  
•  The yard looks good? Well yes, it does right how -- it's a direct result of prepping it to look nice for a wedding. And it's a good thing, because we're kind of out of time for working on it right now. But what's REAL? Real is: Todd digging out the leaking sprinkler head [in the dark, in a hole fully of muddy water] to fix it. REAL is also the layer of tiny red weeds that is overtaking the garden. It reminds me of, "War of the Worlds".
• Darcie mowed that cool pattern in the lawn? Yes, she did. REAL? She got an interesting sunburn on the top of her knees from it. **Just** the tops of her knees. Sitting in the sunshine at the kiosk at her new job is probably not helping that.
  
• Sleeping out on the trampoline? Yes. I'm actually kind of surprised that it's not killing my back to sleep out there. Been out there 3-4 times now this summer. What's REAL? Trying to sleep out to catch the Aurora Borealis, and discovering at 12:18 am that one of the sprinklers did *not* get turned off for the night. Oh, yes, .... it hit us, and by 12:30, we were camped out in the family room. Never did get to see (or get photos) of the Northern Lights.
• REAL is being behind on the blog, And being SO behind, that you don't know where to start. Or what to include. Or how to even get caught up.
• REAL is knowing that you're living proof that acne doesn't stop at age 20. Or age 30. Or even age 40.
• REAL is bread and buns that go moldy before we can eat the whole package.
• REAL is suicidal trees or flowers in the yard that are determined to die.
• REAL is the six-year-old that manages to chop off a potted plant at soil level, simply by "watering" it. (What??? No witnesses on that!)
• REAL is piles of outgrown or worn out clothes on the floor. For DAYS.
• REAL is dried out play-doh -- not just on the counter, but all over the dining room floor.  
• REAL is gallons of fresh cherries and raspberries -- that you give away to other people, because you don't have time to deal with them. (Remind me why we're growing these if WE don't get any of the benefits?)
• REAL is the phrase, "I'm bored! There's nothing to do!"  You may also hear that phrase. But this isn't coming after a dull morning at home -- this is less than TWO minutes into a five-minute-long car ride. Gimme a break!!
• REAL is the entire cup of lemonade hitting the garage floor.  And late-night hose-downs to eliminate the stickiness.
• REAL is a really big project that lands at your feet, and supercedes all other pending projects.
• REAL is un-made beds, un-washed dishes, floors that need swept and laundry that needs done. It's aches and pains, sore knees and sore backs and toenails that get removed.

REAL is other things, also.

REAL is sleeping in -- but not exactly, as we head outdoors for peaceful, cool, early-morning walks.
REAL is penny-wishes at the fountain outside the library.
REAL is watering and weeding and spraying (and spraying some more!), and feeding, and mowing (and mowing some more!).
REAL is making homemade ice cream with the ball-style maker.
REAL is reading one of your favorite book series to your six-year-old, and she loves it, too.
REAL is your sweetheart surprising you with a new book that you love.
REAL is really, really big Father's Day gifts that the whole family can share in. (more on that later)
REAL is beautiful blossoms on the shrubbery.
REAL is fancy lettering on sidewalks and envelopes -- because, hey! It's a cheap hobby!!
REAL is starting piano lessons, the Tooth Fairy, and learning to ride a bike. (Well, sort of.)
REAL is late-night runs for slushies and milkshakes.
REAL is snuggling with people we love at the end of the day, and counting our blessings.

Life happens.

We take what we're dealt, the good with the bad, and thank our Heavenly Father for all our blessings. We try not to compare ourselves with others. We don't lead jet-setting, fabulous lives. We don't get to travel that much. But we do live comfortably. And we do appreciate what we have. And we have each other -- which is a lot.