It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful

So what if you're crying right along with your kids by the time the traffic breaks. You should still count it as a victory that you're OUT of your house.

Got covered in kid slime with your favorite shirt on despite your best attempts to look nice? You're past the "I don't care what I look like" phase. Good for you!

Everyone eating frozen pizza for dinner? You probably played more today instead of cooking and that's okay. In fact, playing is highly underrated.

Didn't get to writing thank-you notes until weeks after the kids' party? Add a thank-you for the recipient's grace and for the friendship they give you that's worth more than any gift. They will understand!

Got the Dora theme song running through your head at all hours of the night? Look at the bright side: you're watching it enough that your kids are probably bilingual.

Can't find your keys? Oh there they are in the play kitchen. At least the kids are figuring out how to tell you where they hide stuff. Progress is progress.

Aren't you bogged down with frustration sometimes? Set the frustration free! Compare your life to another moms' life and you're likely to feel better about your own. I mean at least it's YOUR OWN children you're dealing with. I don't know how preschool teachers do it!

Yesterday I picked Ty up from school in the pouring rain. From somewhere deep within the boring mommy came out in me and I got irritated that Ty kept jumping in the puddles. I mean, really, honey, let's just run to get out of the rain! He kept tugging. I kept frustrating. Yes I know it's not a word.

Stay with me.

As I was dealing with my inner battle I looked up to see another mom ahead of me. Jumping in every puddle with her son and having a great belly laugh with him.

Good for her.

Shame on me for being boring and missing the moment of dirty splashy fun! Luckily I had a little fun left in me and combining that with the realization that true fun with your kids is rarely planned, I got over it and followed her.

The mom I want to be.

So don't worry if things aren't clean or even remotely close. It doesn't have to be pretty. It doesn't have to be done. And thank God it doesn't have to be perfect.