This morning we were scrambling to get out the door because the boys were going crazy and rain was predicted for the afternoon.

I packed all the usual stuff and then hesitantly decided to grab my camera. Summer is coming to an end and after three months of parks, playgrounds, dirt, sand, water, and fun there is barely any evidence to show that I was with them every single day for the three months!

Let me back track and explain why for a split second I thought I shouldn’t bring my camera. There’s a whole list of reasons. I didn’t shower yesterday or as of 9am today. Have you ever been in that boat? Last night, I came back from my child’s school meeting and my body ached. So much that I couldn’t move from the couch. I barely made it upstairs to bed. And I definitely didn’t shower. Ew, I know. So I slept off whatever germs were invading my body only to be awaken at 5am with my little one screaming “Mama!” He only has one volume, unfortunately. At 5am I jumped INTO his crib (yes, I fit comfortably) in hopes he would go back to sleep. It didn’t work but for an hour he proceeded to tell me that his teddy bear was sleeping. I finally got both of us out of his crib to come downstairs to a sink full of dishes. Remember, I went to bed sore hence the pile up in dishes. So now at 6am I’m washing dinner dishes and taking care of breakfast. Still haven’t showered. Remember that? Finally, we are all done with breakfast which really just means more dishes. Then the whining and fighting started. So it wasn’t a great start to the day. I wasn’t feeling glamourous or looking well dressed but it didn’t matter I grabbed my camera anyway. Because the reality is this is what my life looked like today.

We got a great parking spot and we were the first ones at the park! We shoveled and built things, enjoyed the slide, ate snacks and played for well over 2 hours.

As you can imagine, I was in a less than wonderful state of being at the park (look closely at my face above) but you know what… I got into those pictures anyway! Because the boys don’t know of any of the above mentioned exhaustion. But in a few months they will look at these pictures and remember that I took them AND played with them at the playground!

And this is why capturing my everyday moments is important. It’s not about always being dressed immaculately, or having the perfect day planned. It’s about remembering today.

Your beautiful, messy, everyday life is worth capturing! So, Mama’s please get in pictures.