It was just my imagination

I always think I want to be one of 'those' moms You know, the ones who seem to be able to whip up a homemade costume, that actually looks like what it's supposed to be (not a sock on a string) . Or they always seem to have time to make the cupcakes with the fancy decorations, and dye the Easter eggs in perfect pastel colors.

But, every time I try to be one of 'those' moms no one has any fun. Because, all that stuff seems to be too precious and perfect for me to accomplish. And at some point I had to decide whether we were going to have fun or perfection. So, far I am trying to opt for fun. Thus we have elephant costumes that are made out of an old headband, construction paper and and a ratty old sock.

When it comes to Green Eggs and Ham for breakfast do I slave over adding spinach or kale at the precise measurements for a nutritious and color balance? No way, I just add a couple of drops of food coloring and chop up whatever lunch meat I have on had and call it ham (today it was smoked turkey). And if the green is more minty then grassy, well that's okay too.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that there are days when I wake up possessed by the urge to be one of 'those' moms. It seems to occur mostly around the holidays. My own mother went nuts around the holidays. We had heart shaped cookies for valentines day, homemade costumes and jack-o-lanterns for Halloween, and Christmas came with a tree, a nativity scene and jingle bells on the door. While I have fond memories of all this stuff, I don't really have any memories of these things bringing my mother joy. I remember that she made the cookies late at night after we went to bed, and I think she felt she had to do it. While I want to pass on some of these wonderful memories to my own children, I am striving to let go of the stress part. (I am not always successful) I am hoping to include the kids in the process, and if we don't have perfect heart shaped cookies - oh well.

I am so blessed to have kids with their own wonderful imaginations. So, in a way they are helping me save myself from me. I mean when you have a 3 year old who puts his clothes on backwards, because he can, it's easy to dream up "backwards day" and the fun just creates itself. No magazines or Assembly required.