It’s been a strange week of feeling calm at hectic times, and then having to be talked down from fright after accidentally walking into someone using the bathroom in an office building. She didn’t lock the door. I was spooked for 15 minutes after.
I meant today to post about a million other things. I meant today to have been caught up on two professional photo shoots, as well as a just-for-fun one. And still, my time is consumed by watching Des cruise from chair to couch to table. And listening to his soft and rich (and adorable!) voice say my name..well, that’s a story for another day. Friday, to be exact. Stay tuned.
I’m one of those people who never wore sweat pants (or flannel pants or yoga pants) to my early morning college classes. I never put my hair into a ponytail either. I think of this every morning during the morning rush to feed both kids breakfast, make Scarlet’s lunch, take a shower, and get both kids dressed and in the car and on the way to school. I think about how in the middle of winter, I may show up at preschool with a pajama shirt on under my coat. No one knows, because I pair it with jeans and boots. No one can see the hot mess that lives under that fashionable coat and those slouchy boots. She’s there, though.
** Edited to add that I don’t own cute yoga pants of sweats or workout gear. I wear flannel pajama pants to bed – printed with candy canes or moose. Or hearts.
We all feel like the hot mess sometimes, or like we’re the only or the worst one. I think it all equals out.
(This is a hot mess in dire need of a haircut. Not unlike today!)
Perhaps we should say to one another, “I see your hot messiness today on this painfully rainy and gloomy morning, and I raise you one missed alarm clock, one fruit snack bunnies for breakfast for the four-year-old, and one pair of yesterday’s pants.”
Hot mess? I salute you!
Yesterday, Scarlet went to school with her shoes on the wrong feet. The teachers were endeared by this, because they thought it meant that Scarlet put her shoes on herself that morning. And she usually does but we were in such a hurry that I did it. “No,” I said. “That was all me.” “Perhaps it would have gone better if she had done it all herself.” Or at least produce equal results.
We’re nearly late nearly every day. Still we skate in, in the nick of time – Des clutched in one arm, Scarlet clinging to the other arm, and a lunchbox smushed somewhere in there. We’re always just there, and no one can tell just how difficult it was to get there. It’s like a triathalon every morning. And still, we run on. We race on. We reach the finish lines every time. Just nearly.
Speaking of hot messes – Des, an unbuttoned shirt and an (EMPTY!) bottle of beer provides much amusement.
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On a completely unrelated note, (nothing hot mess about it!) I’m part of Raising Reagan’s sponsors this month. I’m honored and humbled! I nearly made a twitter speech about it. Lanaya is my girl. If we didn’t have the pesky 3,000 miles apart problem, we’d be hanging out. Daily. Check out her giveaway here:
Enjoy your day, all you hot messes and non hot messes. I’ll be catching up in the meantime.
I actually did have a pajama shirt under my coat a few times. And we were always just barely on time. Back then, I read some advice about how to make mornings more "efficient," and it suggested putting the kids to bed at night with their next day school clothes on to save time in the morning. I seriously considered it! Catching up on blog reading today and looking forward to reading your recent posts.
haha! What a funny idea! It would definitely backfire with my son because he always needs a diaper change and he usually wears his breakfast on his pajamas. With my daughter…tempting, but I’m sure that would backfire.
Nice to see you here!
You are the most beautiful hot mess on the entire planet and put the rest of us to shame! Trust me, I'm a hot mess pretty much every single day. The difference – I don't care if I'm sportin' sweat pants and flip flops at day care drop-off…and sometimes at daycare pick-up!
I wish I cared less! I think it's less about care and more about the kinds of pajama pants I have. I don't have cute workout gear or sweats. I have Christmas Candy Cane pajamas!! And moose. Lots of moose.
Will someone please explain to me why I find it so hilarious to see a baby with an empty beer bottle? Because I hate to admit it, but it totally cracks me up. That picture of Des made my day!
haha! I almost didn't put it there because of judgy people. However, it was empty and he had two spotters by his side. Clearly it was taken quickly because of the poor image quality!
No haircuts needed, and I didn't see any hot messiness going on in those fabulous photos! I will tell you one thing…I freaking LOVE your dress!!
Thank you! I wish I could remember where I got it. Probably eBay a few years ago.
I love this idea of salute to the hot mess. Aren't we all a bowl of hot mess from time to time? I feel like a hot mess at this very moment! We're allowed a few days of hot messiness. Great post Tam!
Right! I'm generally all or nothing. This week, all hot mess.
I throw on workout clothes before I take my daughter to school – I am scared of having to get out of the car for some reason and be in my pj's! And your son? He has good taste in beer 🙂
Yes, my son only buys the best.
We don't have a car line at our school – you have to park at the next building and walk your kids over. Maybe when they're older, I'll stay in my pajamas!
Hot mess, I salute you!! I am almost ALWAYS a hot mess at drop off—except I don't hide it under anything cute. I just pray that I don't have to get out of the car. If I get out, I'm totally busted!! –Lisa
We need some sort of salute or handshake! I’ll have to think of one. I have some funny gestures in my head that might work.
We have to get out of the car for preschool. Maybe elementary school will allow the pajamas..
Couldn’t love you more with this admission. Trust me I, too, am a hot mess most days. Getting two little girls to pre-school mid-days shouldn’t make me so frazzled, but when they don’t help in getting out the door, god I swear I feel my anxiety levels through the roof. So, yes I totally do get this Tamara and you so aren’t alone!
I remember once saying to a fellow preschooler parent, “I think I might be the hot mess mom here.” And he said, “Oh no! I don’t think that at all.” I wanted to hug him – I think hot messiness is in the eye of the beholder. Or something.
xoxo!
So true! all mamas are a hot mess from time to time – in the outside or on the inside or both! We have to cut ourselves some slack and n=know we are doing our best!
Definitely both on the inside and outside! Sometimes people can't tell..sometimes they certainly can!
I say embrace your hot messiness!! (although you are the most gorgeous hot mess I've ever seen!) I used to have long hair in college – ponytail every day all the time (it was a bow clip though!). And sweats were my go-to in the winter!!! These days unless I have a meeting or showing, I'm pretty much always in workout clothes (I did update last year to at least some cute workout outfits!).
And, I always love your pictures but that picture of Des is far and away my favorite ever!!! That one will make an incredible graduation/wedding/big day picture years from now!!!
Oh, I am totally a hot mess these days! Trying to get out of the house for work, do preschool drop-off then take the baby to a different babysitter AND get to work on time? Impossible. I’ve just accepted the fact that this will be the year that I have baby spit up or drool on my work clothes every day.
That was me all last year. Now he's too old to spit up, but I still walk away with waffle remnants after holding him every morning.
I’m always a hot mess! And I have driven kids to school in my pjs! (All the while praying I don’t get pulled over!)
haha! I have left the house in pajama shirts and with no wallet. A terrible time to get pulled over!
In my opinion, you are not in need of a haircuit. You actually have wonderful long hair!
Why, thank you! I only need a trim and to update the layers. It will probably not even be noticeable.
I often feel like a hot mess…and despite the fact that I have been up for 5 hours I am sitting here writing this in my (noncute) sweatpants and t-shirt that I slept in, hair unbrushed, no makeup on. I may have stepped out onto my front porch in this getup and a pair of slippers to take a picture. Let’s hope no one driving by noticed 😉 And I have definitely gone out to run an errand with my pajama top and no bra under my coat, paired with a pair of jeans so I at least appear put together!
No bra! Yes, that is a good one for the winter. I bet you look pregnantly fabulous, though!
That last picture of Des is simply hilarious. I see that one in a future high school year book.
I got in from NYC at around 1am this morning and was up at 6am with the kids this morning. Hot mess is my theme today!
He’s such a rockstar, right?
Hot mess is your theme. I like that! On a scale of 1 to Hot Mess, I’m only a four today. Not bad!
I never feel comfortable leaving the house in sweat pants unless I'm working out. which is rare. However. I'm usually without makeup and my hair is generally all over the place.
haha, that describes me mostly. It's just as if the sweat pants are that step down a slippery slope. No makeup and messy hair is ok. Sweat pants? Bad, bad.
Hot mess? Yep. I show up most every day of the three that my kids go to preschool without having showered and in my running or biking gear. I'm sure there's plenty of chatter that goes on about me after I leave but those are my three glorious hours to sweat as much as possible. At pick-up time I've showered and changed and look more like a "normal" person. It's magic.
haha! I know! When I pick up my daughter, I'm always in other clothes because..well…I've "woken up" since then. I wonder if anyone notices how different I am from dropoff to pickup.
Funny pictures, I love your hair and your style to dress <3
Thank you! I love sundresses more than anything else.
So I read this post earlier but my headache was so bad that I decided to wait and comment until I was somewhat coherent and could handle staring at a computer screen.
First and foremost — we need to get you some awesome yoga pants!
Second — it is AWESOME that we can be hot messes together!
THIRD — and most important; you are still a rockstar and you've accepted my dating invitation!
Mwah <3
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(¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
Raising-Reagan.com
I really want yoga pants now. I never knew they were such a thing. My head is so far up in the clouds that I don't notice with the other parents wear to preschool dropoff. So maybe none of them notice me either. (this is good)
We can be hot messes together! (this is great)
We're dating now! (this is greater)
Hot mess here, checking in! I have stopped walking my DD to the bus stop and just watching her from the front stoop because I so don’t have myself together! The other mom’s there work in the corporate world so they are all dressed, brushed and made up. I feel like such a slouch! LOL! I’m sure on some level we are envious of each other. Definitely invest in a pair of yoga pants and cute sweatshirt, they work wonders!
I know! That's the problem with me. I only own dresses and skirts, jeans and flannel pants. Even buying some leggings was a stretch for me. It's almost like I have to be taught how to dress casually. It's bad! I'm either all dressed up, or all messed up. There is no in between.
Hot mess I salute you<<<<FUNNY! You look fine! I didn't wear pjs to class either in college. Is all that gonna change with kiddos? Ah well, it'll be worth it!
Maybe/maybe not! I still haven't been able to do it with the pajamas in public – other than the shirts under coats. No one knows about that, though!
Yup– I come in and out of messiness. Depends on so many factors and it's pretty rare that everything is nice and neat (in my house and in my head).
Meanwhile, I need a pair of moose pjs ASAP.
Hatley! They make wonderful moose pants, if they're still in business.
If left to my own devices, I would wear yoga pants every day. But unfortunately it's against the dress code at work, except during lunch time yoga. I never wore pjs to class though, so I might have been more vain back then. I can't believe Scarlet let you put her shoes on wrong! That's pretty cute though. I mean, at least she had shoes, right?
That's true – it's a start, right? She had shoes on, and a coat and I remembered to pack her lunch!
I go to Walmart exactly the way you described showing up to school. I also throw my hair in a messy bun with a headband. People compliment me on the style. I really just overslept and didn’t have time to fix my hair.
But please get some yoga pants. It will change you. 🙂
I am so intrigued now. Must..get yoga pants. I have one pair but they have pink moose on them. So…maybe something in solid colors.
You look beautiful in those pics- hot mess- ha! And I always feel shaken after walking in on someone too- just lock the doors ladies!
Right? It was a kid and of course I didn't want to have to face her again, and I did, and I stupidly said, "Sorry about that!" Poor kid. She seemed cool about it, though.
when i first started working for a consulting firm after college, i dressed so nice every single day. i wore makeup and perfume and heels. fast-forward to now, i work for a conservative bank. i put on zero makeup, flats, don't even dry my hair. yup, i'm good to go 😉
If I’m dressed up here, I can tell people it’s because I’m from Jersey. If I’m dressed down there, I can tell people it’s because I live in western Mass. Full of excuses, I am.
I am pretty sure we have the same flannel candy cane pants…old navy? 🙂 Des is starting Early!! I see an early naptime in his future 🙂 I did the wrong feet thing on the weekend as well. Oops?
Yes! Old Navy makes the BEST Christmas pants ever. Should I wear them to school?
Key word is “hot” – you rock it girl! Mess or not! I would bet that there is not one mother or woman out there who hasn’t felt so messy and worn their PJ’s under their coat!!!
Thanks, girl! I was just telling Lanaya that I never even notice what other parents wear so maybe they don't notice me at all either!
You hide your hot messes well, Tamara! LOL! It sure makes me think about my parents and how they must have hid their hot messes. I salute all parents for doing those daily triathalons that kept us in one piece.
Right? That's what a lot of parenting is anyway. A triathalon. A weekly one. That you get less than a year to train for!
LOL I thought I was the only one who did that. I used to do in NY all the time, get up to take the kids to school but because it was hectic I would just throw my coat over my pajamas. I still do it here in CO as well. I guess I'll be a hot mess right along with you. I want to say you've been nominated for an award but you would have found out anyway. 🙂
I would have! I was actually there before here. Thank you so much!
Im in yoga pants all the time. Dont worry, I have fancy ones that I wear out. Your hair was beautiful, btw!
Thanks! I usually get very modest haircuts because I like it all long and messy.
Fancy yoga pants – on my wishlist.
I salute you for not wearing ponytails! You always look so put together in your posts. I, on the other hand, have fallen into the long, slow shameful habit of going to work in ill-fitting clothes, no makeup and barely done hair. (Truly, ponytails and top knots are my best friends at 5am!) You’re probably right…most of us are a hot mess underneath the glossy exterior.
I think it's just because I look terrible in ponytails!
I love that so many of us are hot messes.
I so knew you were a flannel hearts PJ gal. So knew. And yeah, I’ve gone to Target without a bra under a coat. So I’m way more hot mess than you. Just to make you feel better. Also? My favorite sweats? Have a hole. In the crotch. I wear them anyway. Mostly only at home.
You make me want to be better. I think that might be a good thing.
haha! My favorite moose pants have a hole in the thigh. Maybe I should wear tights under them to really spice up my mornings.
I think one of the best decisions I ever made was to stop trying to keep it all together – so I 100% salute the hot mess. And it’s an excellent look on you I may add.
Why, thank you! I like the idea of surrendering to the hot mess.
I groomed my eyebrows today! Such an accomplishment.
For the record, I can't picture you as a hot mess. You're just…. hot. 😉
hah, thank you! The hot mess is mostly on the inside, I think. Mostly. Some of it creeps out. Grooming eyebrows is BIG!
I am a hot mess more often than not. I don't have to get out of the car for morning drop-offs this year (I will next year – help!) so I often do nothing except brush my teeth and throw some clothes on. We are racing every day, too.
I think brushing your teeth is a huge accomplishment! I’d love to say I always do that before I leave the house..
Getting out the door with little ones is chaotic, surprising, challenging and sometimes amusing. Great post!
Great way to describe it!! Chaotic and surprising and challenging and amusing. That about covers it!
I can admit that not only have I driven Kayden to school in pajamas, but I have also driven her to school having on NO shoes at all! Since I have a garage, I sometimes just get straight in the car from the house and drop her off in the carpool line…barefooted! I can totally relate to life being a hot mess at times!
Barefoot! That is fabulous. I've never even tried that.
OMG! That picture of Des!! Please save it for when he gets married…or joins a frat or something! Also, I think we're all a bunch of hot messes, some people are just more open about it!
haha, future frat boy, right?
I think I'm a hot mess more than I'm not. I showed up at work one day in my slippers. No joke. I was so late and scrambling so much that I walked right out the door in them. I've also driven my kids to school barefoot and in pj's. I need help – or to go to bed earlier. Or get up earlier. Probably all three!
My mother-in-law did that once! Showed up somewhere in her slippers. It was a reason I told my husband for why I didn't feel comfortable with her watching my newborn. It wasn't valid, of course. I wasn't comfortable with anyone watching my newborn. I was fumbling for a good excuse! Now I'm full of my own hot messes!
For the record, I take your "hot mess" over my hot messiness anytime! =) I'm super duper in LOVE with Des' hot mess. TOO CUTE!
hahaha..right? He looks like such a rockstar.
If you're a hot mess, then I'm scared what I am. You are beautiful 🙂
I remember when my daughter was little, we put her shoes on wrong, and it was me who usually did it.
Aw, thank you! The hot messiness is often on the inside..or half hidden.
Ah, my sister in another state by another momma, hot mess nothing… I put on one of the Hubs big ole sweatshirts in 85 degree weather so I don't have to put a bra on, thank goodness my child rolls out of bed grabs a pop tart, gets clothes on, brushes hair & teeth by herself, I don't get moving really good (Hubs is an AWFUL snorer… Lol, he's gonna buy me a chase long, he just doesn't know it, yet) , we barely make it to school before the tardy bell rings, I'm not a morning person at all, and now the Dr. took away caffeine so it is 10,000 times worse in the mornings…. LOL. Could we really be two lost souls swimmin' in a fish bowl? Ah… Happy Friday eve, darlin'! Sorry for the book..
I love your books. And oh no – why no caffeine?! You can do pumpkin spice lattes in decaf, right? I do. It helps.
Stupid migraines so DR took away my cigs too in March, I’m OK there, haven’t had an asthma attack since I quit, who knew??? LOL! I cheat with #PSL, it’s just simpler, but, I reckon I could go decaf, probably should, I will go decaf tomorrow, see, what would I do without you? Ah, so grateful for you. XOXO.
Oh honey, we've all been there. Who hasn't worn a pajama top without a bra under a winter coat to run a child somewhere fast? I do throw my hair up in ponytails or clips. I'm guilty of such hot-messyness that I am not able to remember most of it because hey, it's just a fact of daily life.
True that. Preschool dropoff…well..it’s not just a carline or a fast thing. It’s a time investment of going to put out her snack and lunch and then see her off on the playground. Every. Single. Time.
p.s. Des is going to be such a charmer, such a gorgeous heartbreaker. 🙂
I think so too. He just oozes charisma, goofiness and charm.
Look at me commenting! You have totally sucked me in! So you hide your hot mess SO well. You always look very put together and you always seem so calm. And to raise the hot mess ante, you don't want to know the last time I showered. It is my goal today and it will happen.
Amy! Now you know the truth! Don't tell the other parents at dropoff that I'm wearing pajamas under my coat. Usually when I see you by pickup time, I'm a new person.
I love that you commented!!
I feel like I'm a constant state of hot messiness. I bring my kids to school and forget their lunch or E's sheet/blanket for nap or a million other things. I've become the flighty flighty mother who I swore I would never become. I wear my yoga pants to drop-off all.the.time. plus a sweatshirt over my PJ top which means that I don't have to put on a bra. ha! PS Des? He is too cute!
I know – I totally said I'd never be "that mom." There are some things that are sacred, though. I wear nice clothes on a date with my husband. haha..small miracles.
I'm always the 100th commenter or so! That irks me. You are usually top 3 on my posts. I can always read from bloglovin' but until I get my laptop back it's been tough to comment on some blogs from the iPad. Now that is a hot mess! lol. I can only imagine how hard it must be getting 2 kids ready every morning. By you still being able to get in on time even by only a little is way better than me. I have one child and I feel like if I ever have to be somewhere I'm always fashionably late! I entered the giveaway! I love both you and Lanaya! xoxo
Oh no! How can we remedy this? I got a mobile app to help with commenting too. I’ll ask my designer.
Anyway, thanks for always making it! 1st or 100th? It’s all awesome to me. Comments are like Christmas.
xoxo
I'm such a hot mess, too. Sometimes it's pajamas all day long, and fashion the least of my problems… 🙂
Well you certainly have a knack for fashion!
I usually run around in workout clothes covered in snot, sweat and dog hair. I think I win hot mess.
haha! I have snot too, but it's the snot from two kids. Lovely, right?
Please don't. You already make me look bad.
Never. You make me want to be better too.
Scrolling…scrolling…. oh how I love all these comments on such an INCREDIBLE post!!!
I am ALWAYS a hot mess!!! I don’t even conceal it anymore- that’s how low the bar is now. 😉
I find that it’s the ‘new me’- refreshingly raw, honorably honest, and oh so real. And the most important people look past the pjs and the unkempt hair and see what matters most anyway. Amen?
I always take consolation in that there will always be someone later to school than me. And a hat covers many, many things.
I'll never be one of those "put together" and glamorous mums. I've been glamorous exactly once and that was my wedding day. I think that's plenty for me 🙂
Right – we’re in preschool and I’m never the last one. Never.
I took the chance to join! Thanks for sharing. I used initials FV for my facebook name for inet privacy…I hope it will be considered? If I win, I am giving the paypal cash to my aunt who became my mother for a short time and now became so ill. Crossing my fingers!
LOL I'm dying over here, love those photos of Des at the end!
Hot mess over too, and I love when other moms share their hot mess confessions with me, like this one. Makes me feel not quite as alone. Every day I feel like I'm barely keeping up, but us moms keep on keepin on. At least its a beautiful hot mess 🙂
Beautiful hot mess. I love that!
I wish I had the energy to care so much! I always feel like the hot mess mom at our play groups. Maybe once a week I will get dressed nicely and I feel great. I honestly envy you and wish I could venture away from being a "hot mess."
Yeah, I know a few guys who dig the hot mess look anyway. Hot messes unite!
Oohhh! I hope you win!!
Maybe we all feel like the hot mess mom, and no one really is..
I do that too. My grandma always told me that no matter how crappy I felt, you never know if you’re going to run into a doctor. What a lady. So, yes, even on my worst days, I’m wearing make up.
And so…did you see the co-workers bits and pieces…don’t answer that. Really. Don’t answer that.
Hey, kids like things weird. You might just have started a trend. I’d be checking out the other kids feet in the next few weeks.
Ok, I won't answer!
And you will always find kids with shoes on the wrong feet.