What's better-- a memory or a real moment?

I often have this thought about memories. A thought which would more accurately be described as a question. An inquiry, if you will. What's more valuable- the memory or the real-life-time in which said memory was created?
Are we living to have moments that transform to satisfying, magical memories? Or are we living to extract satisfaction in real time?
I don't know what I think. I do know that that most times reflecting on memories created undoubtedly surpass the emotion in the moments when those memories were created. Are you following me? What are your thoughts?
Only somewhat awkwardly changing subjects, I wonder how both my kids and I will remember this amazing Hawaii trip that just came to an end. I can jot down some real time happenings:
-The big boys absolutely loved having friends around all the time -Porter loved catching lizards and dreaming of keeping them as a pet -Deeter did lots of swimming and loved wearing the snorkel mask and tube in the pool -Kaia is a swimming machine. Loves to have hr head under water and kick her little leggies. -Yosh and I still love Kauai. Kauai with friends is even better. -I loved sharing a vacation with my own mom. -Everyone came nose to nose with sea turtles while snorkeling. -Dallin thinks he's a bonafide surfer after one mere lesson. I secretly hope it's the truth. -I did a little surfing myself. As long as I have an instructor yelling, "Paddle paddle paddle. Stand stand stand!", all the while giving my board a solid push when the timing was right-- then I, too, am a bonafide surfer. -Yosh might take Kaia on a million more plane rides just to hear her say, "Daddy, I can't hear you," fearfully during the airplane's descent. {kind of mean, but oh so adorable!} -Along the same lines of child torture, Yosh anticipated each day the random places and positions where Deeter would fall asleep after a hard day's work. -Speaking of a hard day's work, we spent most days putting in a solid 9 to 5. Pool to beach to pool to food to pool to beach to hot tub. -Glow in the dark gadgets- i.e.: glasses and bracelets- are a guaranteed success. -Deeter has picked up on the use of "emergency" and peeing and is all of a sudden met with hundreds of emergencies a day. Will the child every itty in a toilet again??? TBD. -And we won't mention pooping.....

These individual moments were note-worthy and enjoyable. But the cumulative effect of all of them and the perspective to look back on the week as a whole blows any real-time emotion out of the water. I might even already {so zoo, I know} qualify Kauai 2013 as one of the best weeks ever. Loved it and am loving the memory of it 100 times over!