If you’re looking for this week’s link-up, you can find it here!

Several variations of articles of this nature have been circulating the web these days and I have to say I somewhat agree… 

Let’s start sharing more mess! There is glory in the mess. There has to be. 

The jist of it is simple. On Monday’s I’ll be hosting a link-up here. Wherein other blogging moms/dads can share in the everyday realness, rather than the seemingly constant push and sharing of our constantly beautifully perfect lives.

Not everything about life as a parent is dappled with sunshine, rosy cheeks, wide-toothy grins, stacks of spelt pancakes dripping with syrup, or perfectly styled/hipster dressed toddlers bouncing through fields of buttercups. The thing I want to emphasize with this entire thing is not so much venting all the time (which we all need) but also just sharing the real, un-staged moments in our everyday life as moms, with our kids. Not just all the retro filtered Sundays walking through wide open path of fallen cherry blossoms to catch faeries after a sun-dappled breakfast of non-food-throwing, angelic eating toddlers; whilst listening to some really cool indie band.

I mean, I love skinny jeans on toddlers as much as anyone – because that shit is over-the-top adorable. And anyone who knows me knows I love me some Instagram and the use of iPhoneography to capture the beauty of my everyday family life. It’s just that I’ve gotten so caught up in the overwhelming amount of over-styled, never-ending staging of life. Not my own, perse – becasue I’m just not into fronting like that all the time.

And yes – I’m saying it’s a front if that is all we are seeing of a person/families life.

I’m a nester. I like to putter. I love fresh flowers in my home. I like to keep things tidy – so sure, often this is the backdrop in the photos I choose to share. The keyword here being, choose. There are also plenty of days that my house is turned upside down, I’ve not showered yet that day, my toddlers are throwing fits and/or food, their hair is a giants rats nest and the never ending streams of boogers just won’t quit.

Why am I refraining from sharing those moments? If I’m such a fan of candid photography as I say I am…

I’m starting to ask myself just what are the pretty, or sweet moments anyways? If my daughters hair hasn’t been brushed yet in when she dashes off to give her big brother a bone-crushing hug – does that mean the moment is less worthy of capturing?

Twenty years from now (or even tomorrow), I want to look back on all of these photographic memories and have a good laugh too. I’m starting to think that all of this staging, for all of it’s intent to inspire (questionably) and wax some sort of visual poetry…we are somehow failing each-other (and annoying the crap out of other moms), and the soon-to-be memories of our children’s’ childhoods. The memories we choose to cultivate are so very important.

I want it ours to be real. To inspire the notion that these, perhaps, are the best and most beautiful/hilarious moments of all.

Again. There is glory (and beauty) in the every-day madness/mess of it all. There has to be.

However you wish to participate, whether on your blogs, on Instagram or Twitter or Facebook, or the photos you choose to fill your home with…I’m not just talking iPhoneography either. Pull out the out the big guns! Your P&S or your SLR should be getting used more everyday. I’m all about candid epic nose booger shots for example, instead of perfectly groomed toddlers; with a rockin’ blurred background of laundry piles or something – rather than a meadow of lilacs. Ya feel me? Work that aperture like a BOSS even when your house is a bomb and the kids are climbing the walls.

You can share 1 to as many photos as you’d like on your own blog accompanied by wordy /not-so-wordy story or a straight up pictorial. Then come on back here and post your url blog entry at the bottom of my #RealMamaLife post. It can be a wordless, picture(s) only post (makes it easy!) or you can pen for days…as you wish. Of course you don’t have to participate in the link-up every week to take-part, and you can post photos on Twitter/Instagram with the hastagtag:

#RealMamaLife 

‘Where we embrace the glory and humour in the chaos. Un-staged and imperfectly beautiful.’

If you dig buttons, grab this one to wrap up your post when you join in!

<a href=”http://theyroar.com/category/real-mama-life/”><img border=”0″  src=”http://theyroar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/button.jpg” /></a>

Every Monday we share our less-than perfect pictures that tell a story. Like this one:

No! Stay Naked! NAAAAAAKED! Mom, you are SO MEAN.

Breakfast & TV. At least they’re watching/listening to music?

Just Dance. Forget the Kitchen Mess.

Epic Face Scrunch

This Dress Will Be Pants As I see Fit.

Yo. This is FRUSTRATING. Dumb Dress.

Success!

After Wresting Match

Fine. I’ll Brush Them.

Willing Participant(ish)

Another Day, Another Mess in The Making. All is as  it Should Be…

We’re linking up our #RealMamaLife stories every Monday…check it out or join in!

Find this weeks edition here.

Until the next. xo