Behind the scenes

In this day and age of social media with its tweeting, pinning, texting, posting, blogging, Instagramming, Snapchatting and more, it can be tempting to view all these things and conclude that life is perfect for other people.   

We see pictures of perfect food in restaurants without paying the bill. We see perfect meals made for dinners at home without the mess to clean up. We see perfect crafts not knowing it will cost us triple the amount they said in dollars and time. We see vacation scenery that makes us all wish we were there! But the truth is that that life is staged. Sometimes my own life on my blog is staged! I pick the best pictures, the most flattering pose, the most vivid sunsets. But in seeing the "perfect" we might begin think that that is the "norm" rather than the exception. Not every picture is flattering, not every shot is in focus, not every sunset is photo worthy.

With that said, I couldn't help but laugh out loud at some of the "behind the scenes" pictures that were taken during our 2 week long trip west to Arizona and California. They made me laugh and I wanted to post them on the blog but it was hard to slip the imperfect pictures in with all the ones that came out a little more "perfect". So the solution to my desire to post the imperfect was to dedicate a post to just that -- the imperfect, the out-takes, the behind-the-scenes pictures. Maybe we should celebrate the imperfect just a little bit more. :)

 Trying to smile looking into the sun!

Wait, how's my hair?

Anything for a good picture!

Just a little impromptu Scottish dance by Lisa!

Nobody got the memo on this one that a picture was about to be taken.

A little cotton candy love.

And a little deviled egg love.

Ummm, no words...

I swear this wasn't anyone we knew!

What else would you do in a Walmart checkout lane?

Do they know their side panel is sticking out?

She wants an orange *really* bad!

Partners in crime...Jeff stealing oranges for Annah 

(They looked sooo good but they were the worst tasting oranges we have ever had! Perhaps they were only ornamental for a reason.)

Sorry Lisa....Sooo funny, bad lighting and all!

What better to ruin a perfect wedding day than to have the San Diego Fire & Rescue drive up to the temple with sirens blaring? :)

And Sue (McKenna's mom) couldn't find a parking place 
so she had to unload people and stuff and let 
someone else go park her car 
so she could get to the wedding on time!
(All was well...never did know why they were there.)

Step on the crack, break a donkey's back.

Picture perfect except for Jordan's fly away hair!

Long hair on a windy day is apparently a problem for both the 

bride and the groom!

Try as we night we could not get a picture in front of the temple -- the shade of the trees and the bright white were not friends!

You make a good foot rest, Abigail!

Gotta love Annah and Abigail!

Don't ask him to explain what he's doing with his sister's dress!

Somebody wasn't ready for the picture! :) 
(Do you recognize this pillow, Joan? We were at Tim and Lisa's 
when I saw it on the couch and I knew who made it!)

 This girl (who shall remain nameless) needs a fashion intervention. She claims it's her traveling attire! :) We still love her.

Notice anything funny about this picture?

The baby Jesus is tie-wrapped!

1-2-3 Jump!...or not.

Our perfect lunch fail....

Sometimes there are no words or understanding to be found...

Was it that ornamental orange she tasted?

Okay, so we all have a weird streak!

But that is our imperfect life. Next time we each see the fabulous photos our friends and loved ones are posting just remember there are always "behind the scenes" things that nobody wants you to see...unless you're the Valentas! :P