I am not June Cleaver ...

 ... and I don't mean this June Cleaver .

I MEAN this one ...  

This lovely TV mother who always had her hair just so.   

MINE is washed daily, but never styled beyond the quick blow dry with hair spray.  I feel like I have been stuck in the messy looking "do" for a while because it's easy.  When I don't spend a lot of time on my hair, I feel like it looks like that way on purpose.

This styling mother who wore dresses, aprons, and little pumps every day.  

This mommy, wears jeans, t-shirts, and slip on shoes (clog, flip flops) most days.  When the summer comes, I may don a skirt ... mAYBE.

June always had a lovely hot breakfast.  Each and every meal seemed to have all family members present.

In my house, you get cereal, frozen waffles, yogurt, or instant oatmeal for breakfast on weekdays.  You must shovel it down in 8 minutes and most of the time there is only one other family member sitting at the breakfast table with you.  For the evening, if planned well  ... and preferably made or partially made earlier in the day, you will get a hot dinner that 4/7 family members give a thumbs up to.  The others just complain.

Ward's wife didn't have a cluttered house.  It always looked vacuumed, dusted, and spic and span clean.  I'm fairly sure she did all of this with her pearls  and apron on.

I walk from room to room finding something new to do with each minute.  There is no sense of focus.  Seriously, I can be sitting on the toilet when I will happen to notice the brass toilet paper holder is really quite dusty.  Some days I will make it to the kitchen to grab the dusting supplies, but most days I pass by the living room only to find my cleaning and straightening up skills are needed there.  The toilet paper holder will likely stay dusty. *Maybe I should get off the computer and clean it now ** ALL DONE!  What this means, is my house never looks all the way clean. I really should just work room by room ... I used to do that before I lost all these brain cells. 

Mrs. Cleaver never looked hurried or sad.  She never lost her temper or felt the need to pop the cork on a bottle of wine late in the day.

 ... that pretty much describes me on a lot of days.  Yesterday was just one of those afternoons when 3 of my girls were home.  They didn't have an activity like swimming or basketball to go to.  I was thrilled to be able to prepare my dinner before the dinner hour and not at 1 pm like I am about to do today.  Can these children entertain themselves?  NO!  They argue with each other.  Someone cries.  Another asks to play with a friend.  I bet June would have just told Beaver to get out his crayons and make her a masterpiece.  My children don't know how to operate without a schedule ... either do I.  That's probably why I have moments and June did not ;)

Mrs. June Cleaver did  ...

• NOT have 5 children (like myself)
  
• NOT have to tote her children to various schools and activities (again like me)
  
• HAVE a husband that worked consistent hours and never traveled (that would not describe my husband)
  
• NOT have to clean up a crazy number of toys or clothes like I have to (with technology and time ... more things, ughhhhhh)
  

Sometimes I like to imagine that June ...

• really did have a cleaning lady like that other TV mom (Mrs. Brady)
  
• downed a shot or three while her children were off safely wandering the neighborhood (that smile couldn't be present all the time without just a little help)
  
• had sons that spoke back and misbehaved (at least when not seen by us millions of viewers)
  
• cursed those fancy clothes and shoes she had to wear ( all to project the perfect mom image)
  

MRS. JUNE CLEAVER, 

I AM NOT.

THANK GOODNESS!