A Totally Tech-Ruled World

I try not to live in a totally tech-ruled world. One of the ways I keep some balance is by not reaching for my phone first thing in the morning. When I wake up to take Henry to football, I’m usually busy flipping on lights, grabbing water bottles, and making sure he has both breakfast and lunch. For as much as that kid loves to eat, he seems to forget those regularly. Most mornings, I don’t even take my own phone with me. I grab the kids’ spare “just-in-case” phone that makes calls and that’s enough.

But let me tell you, over the past three days that little system has failed me twice.

Saturday morning was soccer. Practice at 8:30, game at 9:00, both on the same field just five minutes away, or so I thought. We were moving slow, babies not dressed, me still walking around in my bra from pumping. Around an hour after we’d all gotten up, I finally glanced at my phone… only to see they’d moved the games to the other field, 20 minutes away. Cue the chaos.

I’m frantically calling my parents, who thankfully always show up for the games. My dad happened to be nearby, so I had him scoop up Alexander and Emily to buy us time. We technically had 15 minutes to spare, but you wouldn’t have known it from the panic—bags flying, water bottles forgotten, me opening the door to my dad in just a bra. He just shook his head and said, “You’re behind,” and he wasn’t wrong.

This morning was football again. I grabbed the kids’ phone, tossed it in the car, and didn’t check my own until around 9:00. That’s when I saw a message from the coach: “It’s going to rain, make sure the kids have tennis shoes and cleats.” Luckily, this one didn’t sting, my son keeps cleats in his locker and always wears tennis shoes, but it could’ve.

So here’s what I keep asking myself: does everyone else wake up and check their phone immediately? Because that has never been me, and it feels even less natural now that I’m actively trying to create space away from tech.

But at the same time, with kids in sports and schools communicating by text, sometimes it feels like if I’m not plugged in 24/7, I’m setting myself up to miss something important.

So what do you think? Must we all be glued to our phones in the mornings just to survive parenting and school schedules?

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Mama, I know how easy it is to get lost in the swirl of kids, work, and life. That’s why I love creating space for moms to pause, breathe, and be reminded of their beauty. At Kristian Hutchings Portraits, you’ll be cared for from start to finish, and you’ll leave with images that show you the grace and strength your family already sees every day.

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Kristian is a mom of six, Program Manager by day, active Professional Photographer by trade, and a big believer in finding beauty in the everyday chaos.

Life in our house is loud, messy and full of literally everything. Love, noise, laundry, laughter, and definitely could use a bit more grace. I'm happily married to my best friend, grounded in my Catholic faith, and fueled by five to six hours of sleep per night and adrenaline.

I try to find joy in the everyday — even when it's wild, because without the little bit of joy, this life would be unbearable. This space is for the moms in the middle of it all: the ones juggling family, faith, work, and wonder. The ones that need someone else's messy life to make their own seem better or somewhat normal. You're not alone, and you're doing better than you think.

Welcome to Six Sweet Smiles — where we celebrate the mess, the miracles, and everything in between.