#creatingmemories or #livinglife?

If I see one more hashtag of #makingmemories, #summerofalifetime, #memoriesthatlastforever or anything of the sort I feel like I’m going to scream. Is it possible to make memories just by chance, or only if their hashtagged?

While it seems like everyone I know and don’t know is #creatingmemories at pristine beaches and remote destinations, I’m merely #livinglife.

I wake up at 7 and hear much noise going on in the kitchen below. I remember it’s Monday, the day my husband leaves at 6:30am…that means I’m on duty. I listen for the familiar sounds…chair scratching across the kitchen floor – that’s the toddler heading over to get something…some musical toy playing, that must be my 3 year old. An UNO game going on somewhere…sounds ok for now. I know I’ll pay for this, but I decide to sleep a bit more.

Sure enough, when I head down at 8:30, I see what my extra hour of sleep cost me. Half a container of milk and a box of cheerios, both spread across the kitchen floor. And the full carton of strawberries, that the toddler and 3 year old divided and took a bite from each one (while sitting on the counter, where I found them). I do a quick calculation…Yes, the $8 or so is worth my hour of sleep. I make it through my breakfast and coffee and although I’m too tired to shlep out to the park, I gather everyone together and usher them out to the van. I know the kids need to get out. It’s not exotic, it’s not pristine, it’s just #gettingthroughanothersummerday.

We get to the park in time for everyone to want snack. And anyways, they all hate this park, why did we choose this one. I tell them what time snack will be and they sit on the benches near me. #boringestouttingindeed. Eventually they drift away and my 11 year old makes up some sort of chasing-hiding-finding game that works for awhile. They almost miss snack time, but thankfully my daughter set her watch so they all show up on time. And it’s barbecue chips. #notsuchaboringouttingafterall.

We head home in time for lunch, and they all get to work. I feel a mixture of pride and exhaustion as I watch the 5 big kids make their lunches…at the cost of the pop up toaster, the oven, the panini maker, the frying pan, crumbs, eggs shells, cucumbers, tomatoes, cutting boards, tuna cans and a few other stuff strewn across the counter. Oh the good old days where I just made the same sandwich for everyone…at least I can still do that with the two little ones. Lunch time takes more than an hour and after a touch of cleanup, the troops head out to play with the hose in the backyard. #hesprayedmeintheface, #hesbotheringme and #tellhimtostop would describe the next hour, as I attempt to put together supper.

Smoothies for everyone, a great quick and even slightly healthy (berries and milk, that’s good stuff, right?) snack that they all like, except for the ones who haaaaate it. #worstsnackever. Computer time fills the last part of our day, twenty minutes each. And so while it seems everyone is smiling in picture perfect summer fun, #creatingmemoriesthatlastalifetime and #bestfamilyever pictures haunt me (why am I on Facebook again?!) we – well, #boringestdayever, #justanotherday.

I sit on the couch after everyone is tucked in and hear the happy chatter coming from the bedrooms upstairs as the kids discuss the various things they did and plan to do. And I can’t help but wonder; is it possible for my kids to be making #memoriesthatlastalifetime and spending time with #bestfamilyever even if that wasn’t our intention?

Perhaps #livinglife as is, is a good enough way to make memories after all.