Behind the Lens

Dress: c/o Amelia James; Moccasins: c/o Oliberte (if you’re between sizes- size up!); Clutch: c/o Thacker NYC (so you only got a tiny peek at this one but it’s my favorite crossbody/clutch bag currently)

There’s a lot of talk going around about social media and how damaging it is for all sorts of reasons. One of the main ones being that it promotes a vision of idealized life. It’s easy to seem happy and put together and perfect on Facebook when you’re really falling apart (I should know) in your real world.

A couple weeks ago, I was supposed to go out with friends to discuss a book I mostly enjoyed (it was about Hemingway and he was a jerk so there was that but it was well written). I’d been looking forward to it for a while…hypothetically. The day came and i just couldn’t do any more socialization (we had a surprise visit with out of town family the days leading up and that was fun but exhausting). Sitting in my office staring at my Amelia James dress and Oliberte wedge Mocs, I couldn’t quite just lay there anymore either. So, I curled my hair, threw on some mascara, and plastered on a smile for the camera.

This looks like the perfect moment by a beautiful creek, right? It’s someone’s driveway one street off main in our little itty bitty two traffic light town. In the We had four kids with us, safely watching a video while we took about 15 minutes of pictures. I went home and peeled off my dress (oh so soft, comfy, perfect dress- seriously you have got to check out AJ if you haven’t yet). Kicked off my ethically made Oliberte shoes. Wiped off my lipstick and collapsed into a carryout dish of chicken fajitas.

It’s not that it was a horrible day by any stretch. I was tired, but for good reason- lots of quality time with people I love (including a good friend who stopped by to check up on me:). It’s just that sometimes, a picture doesn’t tell the whole story. The stuff going on in the background. That’s real life.

Cat Bulldozer: c/o Kid Trax 

These pictures may look perfect and lighthearted and full of nature. What you don’t see behind the lens is the man next door waving and smiling as we snapped away and he mowed his lawn. You can’t see the four kiddos bickering as we try to usher them out the door. You can’t see the sleepless nights that sometimes leave me lethargic and cranky and a less than stellar mom. You don’t see the baby squeals and toddler giggles while we play outside until twilight (you also don’t see the six year old trying to mow me down with her Land Rover but we won’t talk about that). You can’t see the pain and sorrow that weaves its way through everyday life. All you get is a little slice of life: a glimpse of a happy girl in a pretty dress and a really comfy pair of shoes.