Ali Edwards's Blog, page 177

Week In The Life™ 2016 | Wednesday In Album

One of the reasons I've loved this project and continue to invest time and energy into it is because we really never know when something in our lives will change. Big change, little change, easy change, hard change, change for the better, etc. I have no clue what my life will look like at this time next year. It may look very much the same or it might look very different - by my choice or via things outside my control. This project helps me celebrate what is right now.

I hope it does that for you too. 

LAST CALL | A quick friendly reminder that today (5/27/16) is the last day to grab any of the past Story Kits™, Story Stamps™, or Digital Story Kits™ that are still available via the   Stories Revisited sale . Don't forget to check out  the bundle of the first five Story Theme classrooms as well - that will also go away when the sale ends.  Sale ends tonight at 11:59PM EST (or while supplies last). 

 Here's a look at my Wednesday: 

Pieces of life brought together into one album. 

When I take photos during this project I try to include a variety of angles and subjects - including tabletops and camera-on-the-floor angles. I like seeing that variety represented in the final album. 

Today on the back of the chipboard divider I just wrote a few random things about the day - not as focused as the use of "loving" yesterday. I do like the mix of the thick and thin pens to add a bit of contrast. 

Simple word/phrase stickers from the kit + a bit of handwriting punctuate the stories told by the photos. 

Small rubber camera was included with the Craft Story Kit™ (available via the Stories Revisited sale while supplies last or tonight 5/27/16 at 11:59PM EST). 

I like writing on my photos - it becomes a bit of a game to locate spaces to hold my words. 

You can see my Wednesday Words + Photos (copied and pasted onto the journaling page) post here. 

This one had enough journaling that I didn't need a photo for the back. 

Letting the photos tell the story - the bits and pieces of my life right now. Some days crazy. Some days super slow and relaxed. The mix of it all. Super thankful to have my parents visit during this week - I don't think I've ever included them in this project before because they don't live in my town. They are fun. And my Dad makes good drinks. 

I know I talk about this quite a bit but I really do value the fact that I get to see myself living my life in these projects via my photos. Taking the time to set up my camera to get the shot of myself watering flowers on my front porch took all of 2 minutes. 

I think one of my favorite things this week was the photos I took of me on the couch with my people: me + the kids on Tuesday, me + my parents today, and then there will be one of me + Aaron on Saturday. 

SUPPLIES
Week In The Life™ 2016 Kit + AlbumWeek In The Life™ 6x8 Layered Templates Vol. 3Days Of The Week Chipboard DividersDays Of The Week Stamp SetAvery Index TabsRed Line Tape 1/4 InchTiny AttacherAED SlickWriter PenGold Chipboard ShapesPast Story Kit™ Word/Phrase Stickers (some are currently available for a limited time/while supplies last via the Stories Revisited sale )1.5 inch Circle PunchCrop-A-Dile

Week In The Life™ 2016 | Tuesday In Album

Welcome back to my series of posts detailing how I finished up my Week In The Life™ album earlier this week. 

I had meant to share the photo below in my post yesterday so you could see what my desktop looked like as I was wrapping up this project: 

You can see the pieces I cut up from the journal cards, the word/phrase stickers from both the kit and past Story Kits™, and other stuff on my desk (including a sneak peek at new inks we have coming soon). 

Here's a look at my completed Tuesday words and photos in my album: 

Repetition for the win. As you can see from yesterday to today (and for most of the other days) I follow the same basic formula - elements in the same place from day to day. This choice simplifies a big project and makes it so much easier to put together when you don't have to re-invent the wheel each time you add a photo. 

And I love see-through stuff. I love that I was able to get those chipboard circles to hang out in the pocket by themselves (using the adhesive on the back + a smaller punched circle - details in previous posts this week about that). 

On the back of the chipboard divider for Tuesday I ended up writing LOVING in bold capitals - when I did that I wished that I had done that on each day using prompts like "loving," "eating," "listening," etc. Something to keep in mind for next year. As you'll see I did find something to add to these cards each day but that would have been a fun approach. 

PS - there have been a couple of questions about the chipboard dividers. These were included as a bonus item for preordering your album/kit during the preorder box period. If you ordered the kit after the preorder period and are interesting in purchasing those dividers you can do so here. 

On the back of the chipboard circle I added one of the small rubber speech bubbles that was included with the Cheer Story Kit™. 

I liked the idea of grouping my feet photos - tells a story in and of itself. 

The journaling page follows the same format from previous days. Journaling can be found in my Tuesday Words + Photos post.

On the back of the journaling page I added a photo of Simon to fill in the empty space. Happy dude. Small word/phrase stickers add a few sentiments to the story. 

Rubber banner added directly to the photo on the back of the daily card. "This afternoon" was cut from one of the journaling cards. Sometimes when I do stuff like that I get new ideas for products - like a pack of word-based die cuts in long rectangle shapes. I'd use that. 

The last part of Tuesday features a spread that includes a photo of the three of us on the couch + two photos of the kids in their own beds. These are some of my favorite kinds of photos. I used the time stamp from the sold out Day In The Life™ kit on the top photo. I was able to check the time via the metadata from when I took the photo. We do have plans to reorder that time stamp. 

Again, like I mentioned yesterday, I really like the mix of the organic handwritten sentiments + the typed journaling. 

SUPPLIES Week In The Life™ 2016 Kit + AlbumWeek In The Life™ 6x8 Layered Templates Vol. 3Days Of The Week Chipboard DividersDays Of The Week Stamp SetAvery Index TabsRed Line Tape 1/4 InchTiny AttacherAED SlickWriter PenGold Chipboard ShapesPast Story Kit™ Word/Phrase Stickers (some are currently available for a limited time/while supplies last via the Stories Revisited sale )1.5 inch Circle PunchCrop-A-Dile

Week In The Life™ 2016 | Monday In Album

Yesterday I took time to wrap up my 2016 Week In The Life™ album and I'm excited to share it with you over the next few days. 

One of the things I want you to remember as you look through my album is that these projects come together one step at a time. You can read my other posts I've shared for my 2016 album to get a sense of how I broke the different steps down into manageable chunks: (1) Getting Started & Working With Digital Layered Templates // (2) Progress Update + Video Overview

All my photos are printed at home using an Epson PictureMate PM400 (for anything 5x7 and smaller) and an Epson SureColor P400 for anything larger. 

The last phase for me in the process of building my album included the following tasks: 

Adding embellishments. These included the rubber banners, cutting up some of the 3x4 cards to create embellishments, the word/phrase stickers from the main Week In The Life™ kit. I also included some embellishments from my stash - mostly pieces from past Story Kits™ (word/phrase stickers, rubber banners, chipboard pieces, etc). Many of those are included in the Stories Revisited sale that's happening this week (ends Friday, May 27th at 11:59pm EST).Handwriting a few more thoughts directly onto my photos. Some of these were more reflective and came together after looking at the day as a whole and some words were more factual about whatever it was happening in the photo itself. I like the mix of those two. I used my AED SlickWriter pen for writing directly on my photos. Handwriting onto the 3x4 morning/afternoon/evening cards that were adhering to the chipboard dividers. Completing the title page and creating some kind of a reason why/intention statement about this year's project (I wrote about this on my blog here). 

Here's a look at my title page and "because" (also known as "reason why"). Unless otherwise noted most products used in my album came from this year's Week In The Life™ kit: 

This year I decided to write out my "reason why/intention" onto one of the journal cards that simply said "because" (I cut off the top portion of the card from the kit). 

This is simply adhered inside the cover of the album. 

For my title photo I used one of the shots of me cutting peonies from my yard. On top of the photo I added the following: 

I cut up the "This Morning" card so that I had the days of the week along the bottom and the same amount of space above the line. Above the line I used a rolling date stamp to add the start and end of the project using StazOn ink. I used scissors to cut out the Week In The Life™ black and white circle which was used for some of the packaging. I tucked it under the date stamp section. Overlapping a portion of the black and white circle I adhere the "life is full of adventure" chipboard circle.  "Loved this" black and white rubber speech bubble from the Cheer Story Kit™.

Here's a look at my Monday: 

"This Was Monday" is from my Week In The Life™ 6x8 Layered Template Vol.3 set. Click here for a video tutorial on how to use the layered template set in Photoshop.

As you can see above, I ended up cutting up the chipboard dividers. On the front I adhered the wood veneer numbers (1 through 7). I did this same thing for each day of the week because I love repetition throughout the album. 

On the backs of each of the chipboard dividers I stamped "currently" using a stamp included with the kit and adhered the "morning/afternoon/evening" card. I wrote different things on different days starting with three things I was thankful for on Monday. I really like the opportunity to add some handwriting in here to contrast with the large printed journaling blocks. 

On top of my photos my embellishments of choice included simple handwritten statements and word/phrase stickers (both the cream set from the kit + older Story Kit™ sets).

As you might have seen in my "in-progress" video overview yesterday, I used a 1.5 inch circle punch to punch out random text (came from "mistake" prints of my journaling) and adhered that to the back of the daily chipboard circle. Because the 1.5 inch punched circle is smaller than the chipboard circle I was able to use the adhesive ring to adhere the circle inside the pocket. On top of this circle I added a chipboard circle from the last Day In The Life™ kit. I had considered using the white acrylic hearts on top of these chipboard circles but it was getting too bulky. I will use those hearts in a different project. Instead I looked in the box on my desk for some small extra embellishments from past projects/packages. A great way to use some of those extras (I did something different each day as you'll see in the coming days). 

My journaling pages are 5 inches wide x 8.25 inches tall. Details about those journaling pages can be found in my post yesterday. I used the font Garamond at 10pt size for my typed text. 

In the Week In The Life™ Facebook group a couple of people (Miranda & Annette) shared how they were including the gold foil daily cards directly into their album. I loved that idea and ended up doing that for most of my days.  

On the back of the gold foil daily cards I added a photo (glued back to back) + one of the rubber banners. I use red line tape to adhere these rubber banners (which is what I used in my December Daily® album for these banners last year too). Some adhesives have been known to have a strange chemical reaction with these rubber pieces so I'd stay away from glue dots for those. Stapling or stitching them in place is also an option. 

Photos in the 4x6 pockets opposite feature word/phrase stickers on the bottom (from the Gatherings Story Kit™, the WITL kit, and the Little Things Story Kit™) and on the top photo I added a paper strip that was cut from a journaling card (for each day of the week). 

The last spread fro Monday includes two, 4x6 pockets + the large 6x8 pocket. 

When I have extra photos I want to add to my story I often glue two photos back to back and punch holes using a Crop A Dile to add to the album. I usually lay a page protector over top of the photo to get the holes just right. I did that for two photos here and added an Avery Index tab along the edge. 

I hand-wrote a bit of journaling on both of the 4x6 photos in the pockets on the left. I look for spaces in my photo to add just a thought or a phrase - again I like the contrast of the handwriting with the big blocks of typed journaling. To create the partial circle "today" I punched the circle from one of the journal cards and trimmed along the top edge. 

On the front side of the inserted 4x6 photo I added a gold chipboard shape + word/phrase sticker + some handwriting. 

On the back side I paired black chipboard letters from the kit with an ampersand from the gold chipboard shape set. The "G" is for George and the "S" is for Sam. I used a SlickWriter pen to add a little more detail below. 

The final page, a 6x8 photo, rounds out the day. This isn't necessarily the last picture from my day, it's just one I like. Some of them I printed in black and white and some in color as you'll see as I share the rest of my week. On top of the photo I added a bit more story + the large day of the week white plastic initial + word/phrase sticker + gold chipboard shape. 

Please let me know if you have any questions about anything you see above. I'm happy to address them in the comments below this post. 

Thank you for letting me create the album I want to create for me in my life right now. One of the beautiful things for me about memory keeping is that it isn't always the same. Some years this project might have less content and some years it has more and sometimes it might be more reflective and sometimes more fact-based. Sometimes I add a lot of embellishments and sometimes less. As always, there is no prescription for how to document your life. It's all good. 

SUPPLIES
Week In The Life™ 2016 Kit + AlbumWeek In The Life™ 6x8 Layered Templates Vol. 3Days Of The Week Chipboard DividersDays Of The Week Stamp SetAvery Index TabsRed Line Tape 1/4 InchTiny AttacherAED SlickWriter PenGold Chipboard ShapesPast Story Kit™ Word/Phrase Stickers (some are currently available for a limited time/while supplies last via the  Stories Revisited sale )Rolling Date Stamp1.5 inch Circle PunchCrop-A-Dile

Week In The Life™ 2016 | Progress Update + Video Overview

Today I finished up getting all my photos into my Week In The Life™ album and I wanted to give you a video overview of my progress so far as I get closer to completing this project for 2016. Most of the products I'm using can be found in the Week In The Life™ kit.

As you might remember from my previous post, I started the process of bringing my words and photos together with the title and end pages for each day using the Week In The Life™ 6x8 Layered Templates Vol. 3 for the title pages: 

The end pages ended up all being full-page 6x8 photos with journaling + a white plastic letter (stapled in place) + word/phrase sticker + a gold chipboard embellishment: 

Next up I tackled my journaling. This year, rather than adding text to every single photo like I did last year, I decided to copy and paste all the text from my blog posts during the week and print them onto white cardstock pages (journaling on both the front + back). 

For Monday through Friday, where I had enough journaling for the front and part of the back of each day, I added one of the black chipboard letters to the top of the printed pieces. I created text boxes in Illustrator but you can do something similar in Word or Photoshop as well. Each journaling page measures 5 inches wide x 8.25 inches tall with a 1 inch margin along the edge for the holes (punched using a Crop-A-Dile). Along the edge of each journal block I attached an Avery Index Tab (more of these are coming to the shop soon) with stamped sentiments from my Days Of The Week Stamp Set inside: 

Here's a look at the backs of the journaling pages before adding any photos to the white space areas: 

For Saturday and Sunday I ended up adding my story to 4 inch x 6 inch white pieces of carsick. I had less journaling and less photos for both these days so it made sense to fill the pockets with the story: 

Along the top of each journal card I stamped "The Story" from The Story Stamp Set with Black StazOn ink. 

As you'll see in the video below, my next steps are to add embellishments and some writing directly onto my photos to wrap up my album:  

In the video I mention using a 1.5 inch circle punch to punch circles to be placed behind the chipboard circle. I love how this keeps a small border of adhesive on the outside of the chipboard circle allowing it to be adhered inside the pocket. 

Hope that's helpful as you start/continue building your own album. Questions about how this is coming together? I'm happy to answer them for you below. 

Remember, it can be whatever you want/need it to be - more pages, less pages, more words, more embellishments, etc. Make it meaningful to you. I'll be back later this week to share my completed pages. 

Past Story Kits™, Story Stamps™ & Digital Story Kits™ On Sale Now

Happy Monday! 

Today signals the start of a 5-day past Story Kit™, Story Stamp™, and Digital Story Kit™ sale (or while supplies last). All kits are $14.99. This twice-a-year sale is your chance to pick up past themes you might have missed or double-up on one's you might have loved most. Check out what is available here. *Please note that purchasing these kits does not include the classroom component of the regular subscription. 

In addition, for the first time we are offering the first five Story Classrooms for sale as a bundle for $40. Upon purchase you should have access to the following classrooms: Prompts, Daily, Get Real, Firsts, and Gatherings. *Please note that no physical products/kits are included in this classroom bundle. If you love these classrooms and want more similar content, we invite you to consider subscribing to any of our current subscriptions which provide access to new content each month, here.

The past kit sale will expire on Friday, May 27 at 11:59pm EST.

Thank you so much for your support and have an awesome week!

Week In The Life™ 2016 | Getting Started With The Album + Working With The Layered Templates

So you took a whole bunch of photos and wrote down some stories last week - now what? 

First off, pat yourself on the back for even documenting your week. It's a big task but totally worth the effort both during the week and after the week has ended. 

The next step, if you haven't started already, is to create a plan for yourself to get the project into an album and on a shelf or in the hands of your family sooner rather than later. 

You can do this. 

Here's what I know to be true followed by the steps I'm taking to get started: 

Sometimes it takes me awhile to get going on this portion of the project. Breaking it down into tasks helps me get through all the different parts vs. feeling like I have to do everything all at once. I usually focus on printing my photos (often with my words on them) first and then move on to the cards/embellishments from the kit. I'm not after perfection, I'm after completion. Repeat: I'm not after perfection, I'm after completion.I work with what I have (photos, stories, products, etc) and don't worry about what I might not have. It feels AWESOME to get this project done. That in and of itself is a major motivator for me to get it done. But I also remember that it isn't a race. I always run out of ink and/or paper during this project so I ordered more before starting knowing that I don't want that to be a barrier (especially if I get really into it and don't want to stop my mojo). Make this album work for you. There is no prescription that says you must follow how I do it - use what you have in front of you to make it happen. 

STEP ONE | Open up the kit if you haven't already and get your page protectors in order. Here's the order I'm using (at least initially, I might move the two "content" divided pages around on different days): 

STEP TWO | Next I placed all the day of the week cards from the kit into either the top or bottom 4x6 pocket. I also punched out all the chipboard circles and put them in the 3x4 pockets (one for each day). I like to have a general sense where things might go, even if I end up chaining my mind after dealing with my photos.

STEP THREE | Print out the full-page 6x8 daily photo. I'm a major fan of full-page photos and always include one or two each day (the second one is often the last photo within the content for the day - sometimes I'll use the collage pages that come with the layered templates and sometimes I just use a full page photo). This year I'm using these layered templates in Photoshop. I print here at home using an Epson SureColor 400 printer for anything larger than 5 inches x 7 inches. 

Here's a tutorial that shows you how to work with these layered templates in Photoshop: 

Feel free to ask any questions you might have about the steps in the video in the comments below. 

STEP FOUR | After doing the title page for each day I do the end page. This page is either a full page photo (which I think is what I'm doing again) or I use a collage template that's included in the layered template package (and I talk about it in the video above). 

STEP FIVE | Next I go day by day through my photos with my album sitting next to me at my desk. I assess and print photos to fit the pockets available to me and if I have extras I usually print them and adhere them back to back and punch holes and add them directly to my album. I'll share what this looks like if I use that technique again when I get to this part of the process. Many of those photos will have the story added to them in Photoshop before printing. I also often have the cards from the kit on my desk so I can place/assign them spots based on the number of photos I have and the stories I'm telling. 

STEP SIX | After getting each days photos into my album I'll start playing around with the other stuff from the kit (embellishments, etc). 

Those are the basic steps I follow to get this project completed. Right now I'm working on the last page for each day. I'll share more as I get farther along in the process. 

Again, thanks for joining me for this adventure! There has been lots of awesome sharing in the Week In The Life™ Facebook group if you'd like to see what other people are creating with the photos, words and kits. You are more than welcome to join if you are interested. 

Week In The Life™ 2016 | Sunday Words & Photos

We have reached the end of another Week In The Life™ documentation period. 

Thank you so much for being a part of the journey this year. I'm getting excited about collecting all my content and bringing it together with a kit into my album. My plan is to start working on it later this week. 

Please remember that there is no right or wrong way to put your own album together. 

Sunday's are almost always my lightest photo days and this year was no exception. All the photos taken today were with my iPhone. I'm cool with that as a way to wind down the week of intense photo taking. I know for sure that I will wake up on Monday morning and feel like I should be doing something because now I'm just in the habit of taking photos more often once again. 

Here's a look at my Sunday:

This almost never happens: coffee + paper in bed. 

Aaron was here and he was still sleeping so I went downstairs and fed the animals and made myself a cup of coffee and got the paper and got back in bed. I loved that. While we were sitting there we created a plan for our day which included Costco, exercise and then dinner out. 

We don't usually get this much uninterrupted time alone together, especially on a weekend, so it was savored. 

For me Sundays when the kids are with Chris are usually the day where I get ready for the week ahead. That might include meal planning, grocery shopping, finishing up the laundry, etc. I like how it sets me up for  a calm week. 

We stopped at Jamba Juice on the way to Costco where we leisurely went up and down each and every aisle seeing what there was to see. Today there was a lot of people watching to be done as it was packed. I don't usually go to Costco on the weekends but it worked out with our schedule today and my need to stock up before the kids get home after school tomorrow. 

After Costco I unpacked all the stuff into the kitchen and panty, moved laundry around and then stared a new workout program using the Sweat With Kayla app. 

It was rough. 

I am super out of shape and this needs to happen so I'm going to make it happen. After that I went for a 3-mile walk along my normal neighborhood route. 

What in the heck is this you might be asking? This is how I take off my gel manicure if I'm not getting it done again right away. It kinda worked. My nails need a break again. Aaron helped me do the last three fingers. 

We decided to have an early dinner of happy hour sushi at one of our local favorites (Izumi). 

And then we hit the grocery store for a couple more things I need for the week before the kids get back. The rest of the evening was spent lounging and movie watching. 

I actually love this kind of low-key, get ready for the week Sunday. 

SHARE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG

I'd love to have you share a link to your SUNDAY words and photos below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link. In addition you're invited to come over to the free Week In The Life™ Community Gallery & Message Board.

New Story Theme Now Available | Read

Today I'm excited to introduce you to the next story theme: Read.

Because we all read - whether for joy or work or to learn or to simply drive from here to there. Because the act of reading helps us understand who we are and it takes us to places we might never go otherwise. Because we read all kinds of things other than words on a page. 

If you are already a subscriber to you can now access the content in the classroom (make sure you are logged in to your account).

If you are new to the Story Subscription program, check out all the details here. 

Here's a look at the Story Kit™ contents for Read:

And the Read Story Stamp™:

We also have a Digital Story Kit™ subscription available that includes access to the classroom content. Here's a look at what's included for Read (which also shows all the designs for the journal cards included in the printed version of the kit): 

Here's a video overview of the products included in the kits this month: 

And a couple peeks at the layouts I created with the kits this month (
full details, including process videos and how-to handout, are included with subscription):

Again, thanks so much for subscribing and/or considering my Story Subscription program!

Week In The Life™ 2016 | Saturday Words & Photos

As I started writing up my post for today I thought about this awesome quote from Mary Jean Irion:

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.”

I was thinking about this quote again as I contemplated what "normal" is around here. 

Sometimes Saturdays are filled with just hanging out on the couch with the kids and movie marathons. Sometimes Saturdays are full work-days for me so that I have more time when the kids are here to be flexible with their schedules. Sometimes Saturdays are for working in the yard or going to the pool or lighting a fire or hanging out with friends. Sometimes Saturday's are for getting out of dodge with Aaron or traveling for work. 

Today was a pretty normal, easy Saturday. 

Here's a look at my Saturday: 

Today started with pounding rain on skylights. 

It rained most of the day - which is why it is so green here - which made it really easy for me to get my work done vs. wishing to be outside the whole time. 

I stopped at Starbucks on the way here and picked up a latte and a breakfast sandwich. I ate it while reading the paper. I moved a couple of loads of laundry around. I fed the cats. 

I spent a good portion of the day right here as I finished up content for the Story classroom. I've been trying to not have to work on weekends if possible - when the new kit release happens to fall on the weekend I usually have a few things at least to get done. 

Soundtack | The Killers and Prince

The light pink ones are ready for me to bring a few inside now. And those raindrops. So cool.

Today's lunch as the same as yesterday's lunch. Super simple: tomato soup + goldfish + garlic bread. I usually read the rest of the paper that I might have missed from breakfast. 

 After lunch I took a shower and set out to finish up the rest of my work by 4pm when Aaron would become available. 

Yesterday was in the 80's. Today was in the 50's.

After I was done working for the day Aaron and I went out to dinner and then came back to my house to watch The Revenant. 

I specifically asked him if we could take a few photos on the couch to go along with the other photos I took on the couch earlier in the week. 

He was game of course. 

Hope you had a nice Saturday and a restful Sunday!

SHARE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG

I'd love to have you share a link to your SATURDAY words and photos below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link. In addition you're invited to come over to the free Week In The Life™ Community Gallery & Message Board.

Week In The Life™ 2016 | Friday Words & Photos

Ah, Friday. I am a fan. 

I'm hoping you've been enjoying your Week In The Life™ experience regardless of the ups and the downs of life or motivation or technical issues. They've all existed for me at one time or another. Keep going - only two more days. 

What's the story of your weekend? What do you normally do on Saturdays and Sundays and what's happening this weekend? What's different about the weekends vs. the weekdays? Tell those stories. 

After traveling for two long weekends last month I'm so happy to just be home for awhile. 

Here' s a look at my Friday: 

Woke up at Aaron's this morning after a super fun night with friends. 

When the kids are away I sometimes stay there for one or more nights depending on scheduling and what's happening. Sometimes his kids are there and sometimes they are with their Mom. It's how things roll around here. Imperfect and awesome. 

After making a smoothie for us to share Aaron had a little morning treat for Woody.

I drive back to my house - we live about 10 minutes apart. I walk around the yard and check out the peonies and cut some to bring inside. I really do love sunny mornings out in the yard just walking around, often with a cup of coffee and clippers in hand, checking things out. What's blooming, what's dead, what needs to be pruned, and always dreaming of other things to add.  

My white hydrangea is also starting to bloom. 

This is my other section of peonies - these are the light pink ones that are super close to bursting open. I can't wait to cut a few of these to bring inside too. 

Yes, it's time for some caulk work around the sink and/or a new sink. Into large mason jars go the blooms. 

When I walk upstairs I peek in the kids room. I think about how I like to take photos of their "stuff of life" right now. American Girl dolls, Barbies, Shopkins, clothes, and things that are pink. 

I also have a tradition of taking a photo of Anna's closet during this project. I love seeing the evolution of the clothes in her closet from year to year. 

Looks like it might also be time to go through her clothes again. My kids have a month left until school gets out for the summer. 

I love seeing that one of the cats, most likely George, slept on Simon's bed last night. 

After taking those shots of the kids rooms I head into my office. I think about how I'd really like to clean it all up today (piles, piles, everywhere) but I had some design deadlines I needed to meet (working on new products for One Little Word® next year). 

One coffee cup from yesterday and one from today. And the peonies that came inside. Piles. 

As I was working on new products I was flipping through my OLW album this year and loved re-reading this quote again. 

Lunch (tomato soup + bread) and laundry and reading the paper. I took this one with the timer on my iPhone because the other camera was still upstairs. I set it on the opposite counter and propped it up against a bottle of hand soap. 

After a bit more work I head over to the pool to hang out with Aaron and kids. It's been awesome weather here again recently (80's) but the clouds and rain are coming back again tomorrow. I love this pool. So many friends hang out here - it's a great social community with lots of parents and kids and beer on tap. 

The view from our chairs. 

Even though the focus wasn't right on this one I went with it anyway. 

A bigger kid who still wants to hang out with Dad. 

Audrey's missing something. She totally wished Anna was at the pool today too. 

After swimming we did Taco Bell drive-through for a quick & easy dinner and headed back over to Aaron's. Kids finished watching Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (a Simon favorite) while eating and then I finished up this post and then they wanted to look at what I was doing and then they all decided that they wanted to have their own blogs. 

I'm signing off for today but looking forward to watching a movie tonight (no idea what just yet) after the kids go to bed. 

SHARE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG

I'd love to have you share a link to your FRIDAY words and photos below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link. In addition you're invited to come over to the free Week In The Life™ Community Gallery & Message Board.