Just your average mom...

I want to be the cool mom.

You know the ones...

Clean house decorated to look like the cover of a home magazine.

Kids in every activity or sport outside of school possible.

Travel places outside of my home state at least quarterly.

Wear fantastic heels everywhere I go.

My make-up perfect in every picture ever taken of me.

Perfect hair and accessories by 9am (after the kids are off to school) with the stylish clothes that I just bought at the department store—NOT on clearance.

Children in every "gifted" class there is.

Out to dinner on the nights I just "don't feel like cooking."

Parties that are themed from the party hats, the table cloths, to the games and cake.


But, I am the, more than you realize, average mom...

My house is rarely clean, it is not filthy but most of the time kid-cluttered and sometimes you may even find pee on the seat in the kids' bathroom... maybe even mine (smile). Our home is decorated with antiques from my dad, odds and ends picked up at yard sales and some home-made art and various things given to us.

I can't afford to put my kids in many outside activities and even when I have they seem to get to overwhelmed with more stuff to do after performing as students all day at school.

Traveling is few and far between around here but we sure try to make the most of it.

I actually used to wear heels a LOT before I acquired a bad back and faulty knee... ah, age, isn't it lovely.

Perfect make-up... in my life no one waits for you to look perfect before they take a picture of you... let face it, usually  my face is shiny or my mascara started migrating into raccoon shaped eyes.

It is a rare occasion anymore for me to be ready before 11am and I sure don't think my yard sale and hand-me-down clothes are anywhere near department store worthy but I do know when to get some mean and lean clearances.

Let's face it, my kids won't ever be in any "gifted" classes but they sure as heck are gifts!

On the nights I don't feel like cooking I open a can of chili and we have corn chips on the side and a raw carrot for our veggie. I have to save that kind of money for mine and Marc's date nights.

I get overwhelmed just thinking of how I am going to keep my kids from getting anxiety over the number of guests and in reality, I am just happy to have any kind of party so I am not going to spoil my happiness by going to so much work that I can't enjoy it.


But we're all moms, cool or average, and we are doing our best.

That's what matters.

And if you are not doing your best, or at least trying... well, get going.

(grin)