Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide No escape from reality

I read a lot of blogs...I enjoy it, this glimpse into other people's lives.  Some blogs are funny, some are informative, some are beautifully written, and some have amazing photographs.  Some of them strike such a chord with me that I feel I already know the author!  


I have noticed lately that so many people write about their lives in such a way that their lives sound, well - perfect.  Or, if not perfect, pretty darn close!  You know what I'm talking about - the blog equivalent of the Christmas letter.  I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I find that being a mother is HARD WORK!!  This doesn't mean that I don't love it.  I do.  I love my family, and I love all our pets that shed and make my house a fuzzy mess, and I love the plants that are dumping pollen all over everything and making it hard to breathe...but.   Just but.  My life isn't perfect.  My kids aren't perfect.  My husband isn't perfect.  And I'm not perfect.


So why would I pretend that I am?  The truth is that as much as I love my children, they drive me crazy at times!  And those times usually turn out to be pretty funny, at least in hindsight.  Don't misunderstand - when I write about our family's little foibles, I'm not complaining (at least, not much!)...I'm just sharing.  Because I believe that most of you actually lead pretty similar lives.  

Or maybe not.  Maybe I'm kidding myself, and everyone else really DOES have perfect children who get straight A's, never misbehave, never squabble with their siblings, clean their rooms without asking and pick up after themselves...Maybe everyone else really DOES have perfect husbands who always remember their birthday and anniversary and always get the perfect gift and put the toothpaste cap back on the toothpaste, and NEVER squeeze the toothpaste from the middle of the tube, and NEVER leave their shoes lying in a pile by the door.  Just as a random example.  Not that Tim ever does that...I'm just saying.  Maybe I am the only one out there who ever loses her temper with her family, or turns into a bitch once a month suffers from PMS, or puts off going to the grocery store until there is nary a bread crumb or drop of milk left in the house, who procrastinates cleaning until there are dust bunnies large enough to frighten small children....again, just a random example - I'm not saying I would ever do any of those things!  


So, yes, I admit it - we're not perfect.  


We're silly, and messy, and sometimes temperamental...The kids will tell you that Tim and I are horribly old fashioned and very strict, which is all true.  But we all laugh together, and we love each other.  Isn't that what being a family is really all about?