paint on the face.

it's {embrace} the camera day!

we all had such a grand time at the museum.

it's so rare that we go somewhere as a family of five

without an agenda.

in the kids' area of the museum,

they had high chairs for the little painters 

and benches for the big painters. 

my favorite part 

was that the workers brought everything all set up to each table

and cleaned up everything once we were finished.

if only they would come to my house to do the same. 

L enjoys painting, but not as much as 

trying to put the paintbrush in his mouth.

that must mean that he is just really 

used to brushing his teeth, right?

quite possibly one of my absolute newest favorite photos.

ever.

p.s. rabbit, rabbit!

931. little old ladies who come to dinner

932. making something new for dinner 

and not having it be a complete disaster

933. the kids playing outside after dinner

934. not making one or two 

but three batches of zucchini muffins

935. a night with B

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picture me {im}perfectly.the hokey pokey

i have yet another thing to admit.

way too often, i focus on the big things.

i've been realizing that life is not about the big things. 

the big memories with our kids.

you know,

the birthday parties, 

the Christmases,

the Easter celebrations.

no, it's about all of the little moments in-between

that really are remembered. 

all of those little mundane moments

that are squeezed and squished in-between

coming in and leaving the house

 and in-between brushing their teeth and

having them use the bathroom and 

getting the shoes on and off 

and on again and 

running here and 

running there. 

those simple everyday moments.

that's what it's all about.

that's really what it's all about.

(well, that and the hokey pokey.)

those real memories that frequent your mind 

are not from traditions or forced fun or plans.

those good memories are way beyond anything that can be planned.

because let's be honest here, 

you can plan a fabulous party 

but you can't plan a fabulous memory.

those just happen. 

out of nowhere. 

and they hit you on the side of your head and

jolt you awake.

like a few nights ago, 

when i hugged D goodnight 

after a particularly exhausting and draining day

where there was not one moment of peace.

and do you know what he said to me? 

of course you don't, that's why i'm about to tell you. 

he said, "mommy hugs are the best."

i will always remember that.

i am so blessed 
and some days, 

if i don't stop,
and i mean really, really stop 
in the moments in-between all the other stuff, 
i miss life. 
it blows right on past me.

so here's to slowing down. 
to actually stopping.

to not focusing on just the really big things 
but all those little things in-between.

Mary treasured up all these things 
and pondered them in her heart.
Luke 2:19

and thanks to Jackie

who linked up last week.

be sure to check out her inspiring and honest post.

picture me {im}perfectly

is a weekly project to reveal that we don't have it all together.

i will post a 

picture me {im}perfectly

blog post every wednesday 

where you will be able to link up to your blog

revealing that:

you are not picture perfect,

your kids are not picture perfect,

your house is not picture perfect,

your crafts are not always picture perfect,

let's 

encourage, 

inspire and 

remind 

other women 

that none of us have it all together.  

<a border="0" href="http://capturingmotherhood.blogspot.com/search/label/picture%20me%20%7Bim%7Dperfectly" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_TEajznl6Lw4/TTTZOgmZkqI/AAAAAAAAHAw/NH8EssqyeZc/s144/pictureme8.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />

add my button to your blog post

until next wednesday

and link up to your direct posting

and feel encouraged. 

926. the pink and blue striped sunset

927. the hokey pokey

928. squeezing life into life

929. rainy days spent at the museum

930. getting nothing checked off the to do list

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twirling + whirling.

K has been taking ballet 

and she just had her 

very first ballet recital.

on the day of the performance, 

there was a lot of waiting.

she went off to practice with her class,

so the boys took full advantage of the empty basketball court.

after that, there was a tad bit more waiting.

and then it started!

(i felt like we were the bravermans.)

and then it ended!

it was wonderful.

all 3.5 minutes of it.

yep.

i'm serious.

her performance was one song.

total.

for the entire class.

but, we did absolutely devour that one song.

and watching our little twirler was 

simply put, lovely.

moments like this hit me over and over again.

i have a little girl.

a little girl who loves to dance.

i think that someone wanted it to be about him for a whole second.

cake and lemonade followed.

but you know and i know 

that we don't need an excuse 

to enjoy both of those things.

our plates were licked clean,

hugs were given to Uncle S

and a beautiful bouquet of 

hand-made flower 

colored pencils

were received.

i'm sure asking B if i can volunteer 

at the local rec center 

to teach ballet to little ones 

is out of the question.

am i right, hon?

maybe someday.

921. completing the massage class i took with L

922. the joy that taking photos gives me

923. watching Indy with B

924. ballet shoes

925. pink tutus

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