though one could argue that this whole blog is simply one continuous excavation of my own personal motherhood mess, i am feeling the need to contribute a scene from my own life to the reality project. but first, i want to send out a big thank you to those who have shared images with me in the name of truth-telling. keep ’em coming!

today’s still life was mindlessly constructed for purely practical reasons. last wednesday, instead of packing a bag to send with the bird to my mother’s house, i stuck the day’s necessities in her large clear salad bowl — an item i had borrowed and needed to return.

did i mention that last wednesday was day two of the bird’s potty training regimen? i filled the bowl with the kid’s “chew toy,” a handful of big-boy-pants, and a quarter of a homemade chocolate cake (to make me seem less mean for putting my mom through potty training hell). i was on my way to the car with this collection when it occurred to me how funny it was!

possible titles:

• foreshadowing (the bird pooped in his pants at my mom’s)
• silly salad (my mom’s grandmother name is silly sally)
• life is just a bowl of big-boy-pants

my friend maryann has expanded the scope of the reality project on her blog, the blue room. check out her version of truth-telling, complete with this hilarious last line:

and anyone commenting that they have it all together, or recoiling in self-righteous horror, will be pelted by the alphabet magnets on my fridge that go with a leapfrog game that disappeared five years ago.