Ali Edwards's Blog, page 192

Shop Updates

While I work on my Week In The Life™ album this week I wanted to share a general Shop Product update with you. 

Over the last couple of months we've been adding AE branded physical products to my shop in addition to the digital products we often add weekly. Sometimes these products are designed for a specific project or workshop and other times they are just things I use a lot and would like to have available for anyone else to use as well. 

My goal is to offer you intentional, versatile (you'll hear me say that quite a bit in the video below) products that can be used in a variety of memory keeping projects. 

Here's a look at recent updates to my shop:

Here are direct images to the products mentioned in the video above: 

Stamp SetsPensChipboard SetsOversized AlphasLabel Stickers

Thank you again for the support! 

Let's tell stories together. 

Week In The Life™ 2015 | Sunday Words & Photos

I want to begin today with a giant thank you to everyone that has participated, supported and followed along this week. 

My plan is to begin printing photos today or tomorrow (just to give myself a bit of a break) and bringing it all together into my album over this next week. The current idea I have in my head is to use type directly on my photos before printing in Photoshop in the same manner that I did last year because I really, really liked how that turned out. That said, once I start working on it today I might go an entirely different route. 

Please remember as you start the process of putting your own album together that there is not a right or wrong way to do it. Many people will put their album together without any typed journaling and there will be lots of wonderful examples shared both in the message board of the 
WITL community, in the WITL Facebook group, Instagram (#weekinthelife), and other places around the web. 

Again, thank you. I hope this process of collecting photos and words was meaningful to you. 

Here's a look at our Sunday: 

Today began with Anna waking up in the sleeper couch I have in my bedroom. The chest is a family piece, currently holding my record player. Ikea frames are waiting for photos. In the hallway an empty shelf I took out of Anna's room is waiting to get moved in to the garage. 

Today included Simon waking up way too early again, me telling him he couldn't have screen time (since he woke up and immediately started watching it) and then him going back to sleep in his own bed. 

Today I used a blow dryer on my hair for the first time all week. Most often during the summer I just let it air dry. 

Today Anna and I ventured out to Costco first thing to gather up supplies for our late-afternoon party with friends. 

Toady we also stopped at the grocery store for additional supplies. 

Today I noticed that these flowers in front of my house were blooming again for the second time this summer. What a gift. 

Today Sam tried to escape a million and one times. He will eventually be an indoor/outdoor cat like George (he was in his previous homes as well) but I want him to have a little more indoor time to get used to us and that this is his new home first. 

Today the sprinklers came on in the morning and I started to clean up the back patio for the party.

We don't have a lot of parties here, but it's so great to get together with friends. It's been a priority for me the last few years to make these kinds of things (or just getting together with friends outside of any of our houses) more of a priority. I love the community, the shared history, the laughter of the kids, etc. 

Today Simon emptied the dishwasher while I made the marinade for the flank steak. 

Today I picked up two new tables at Costco to make the seating area that much longer. I also sprayed the cob webs from the side of the house. 

Today I filled the cooler full of beer and San Pellegrino. 

Today I bought some flowers to have on the table in the backyard. 

Today I found these three in my backyard. One random Sweat Pea, one small white Dahlia, and one sprig of Queen Anne's Lace - all either volunteers or growing up through cracks in the ground. 

This made me think of my parents again - my Mom always seems to have one or more little vases of flowers she's brought in from the yard. He little collections are always so great and often fragrant and just such a reminder of how much beauty exists in the world. 

Today I used two white flat sheets to create a table cloth to cover my tables before friends showed up. 

Today friends showed up. 

Today Katie's husband Peter ended up in charge of the grill. 

Today I loved seeing my friends inhabiting this space. I loved hearing the kids laugh and run and chase and dance. 

Today we shared a meal with each other - all contributing something to the table. 

Today I ate in my backyard with friends. 

Today we laughed as Simon made his famous face for Katie as she took this photo. He can't do it without laughing now. 

Today the yard was full of kids. 

Tonight we reminisced, listened to music (thanks John), watched our kids put on a dance show, made plans for future get togethers, and said thank you.

Tonight we left the dishes for tomorrow. 

31 MORE THINGS | BEGINS SEPTEMBER 1

Enrollment is now open for 
31 More Things. This workshop includes a collection of 31 new prompts, presented over the course of 31 days, that invite you to tell stories about your life via a single word as a jumping off point. Emphasis in this class is on simply practicing your storytelling skills using some of my favorite techniques and getting over your fears of putting words on the page. Some of the single-word prompts include: home, passion, color, cook, paper, mess, etc. Full details here - class begins September 1. 

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.

Week In The Life™ 2015 | Saturday Words & Photos

You are almost there. 
One more day. 

As usual, I'm ready to wrap this one up. I love the project and there's still much to do in terms of putting it all together but by this time in the week, I'm ready to not have the little self-reminder to capture more (even though I'm so thankful to myself for making the effort because there are some gems). 

I took less photos today (right around 48 with my DSLR which includes doubles and triples where I was trying to get the settings right), as is customary with this project generally as I work my way through the week. Really the main thing I'm missing today is me sleeping on the couch, making lunch to take to the pool, and then watching The Wizard Of Oz once we got home. It was all very calm and wonderfully ordinary. 

Here's a look at our Saturday: 

Saturdays are for sleeping in late (or waking up early and then going back to sleep). 

Saturdays are for messy top knots. 

Saturdays are for leisurely breakfasts and sometimes ones that come from a cookbook. My Mom sent this 
Garfield cookbook to Simon (arrived in the mail this week) and he was so, so excited. It's called Garfield: Recipes With Catittude and today he decided he wanted to make the waffles.  

More than once he said, "I'm really inspired."

This is so what it's all about with him - finding a link to connect, a way in through stories and characters. He loves Garfield. Garfield loves food. It's natural that he'd be interested in this. My Mom is so smart. 

Saturdays are taking a photo and sending an email to Grandma to show her what he made (he told me he had already called her when he was waking up today to say thank you for the book). 

Saturdays are for activities like this. Even though this is about as far as I got. I've been wanting to work on 
this puzzle for so long but then I got distracted by removing my gel polish and then reading more of the Uniquely Human: A Different Way Of Seeing Autism book (which is awesome and now I'm about halfway through and I'd definitely recommend it to other parents and people who work with people on the spectrum. 

Saturdays are for making messes and cleaning them up. Actually there's still quite a pile as I type this at 8pm.

Saturdays are for taking long naps on the couch. No photo for that one. 

Saturdays are for being all in. I told the kids on the way over to the pool that I wanted to take this photo with them and they were willing. I took one test shot and then set the timer and jumped in - this was the first one with me in it and I did one more. The focus isn't perfect but I'll totally take it. 

Saturdays are for looking for the little things. 

Saturdays in the summer are often for getting outside. I had thought we might head to a river today but decided to just relax closer to home. There are forest fires blazing in Washington and Oregon right now and the haze was super thick here today. 

Saturdays are for just hanging out. For reading what I want. For disconnecting from work. For being together. For re-charging and taking long naps. 

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.

Give Sunday | 33

This year, in honor of my 2015
One Little Word® "give," I'm sharing a hand-drawn quote each Sunday here on my blog.

Katie picked this quote from Jacqueline Kennedy and I think it is so fitting as we wrap up Week In The Life™ this week. 

Click here to read my initial post and download the #givesunday word art title and checklist for helping you to give a little something today. You can also view all the past #givesunday quotes via the archives. 

Click here to download the #givesunday 33 quote. Please note: If you are reading this post via email you need to click through to the actual blog post to download the file. 

You're invited to join me. What will you
give today?

Have a wonderful Sunday. 

Week In The Life™ 2015 | Friday Words & Photos

Ah, Friday. 

If you've made it this far, awesome. If you stopped earlier, awesome - I bet you captured some photos and words that can be made into something that's just as meaningful (
make an album, add to Project Life®, do some traditional layouts). Do the best you can with what you have. 

Again, thank you for being a part of this journey this week. 

Here's a look at our Friday using the prompt "the story of this photo:"

The story of this photo | I have a bad habit currently of reaching for my phone first thing. I'd like to change that habit. Maybe next week. 

The story of this photo | Coloring before breakfast. And I love when she has her hair in a pony tail. 

The story of this photo | I told them to go outside after a morning that included a lot of me getting frustrated at the messes they had left in most rooms around the house and and challenges getting them all picked up. They got it done. Anna is really in a play and drop and on-to-the-next phase. It's not my favorite. 

The story of this photo | After kids and messes and clean ups and food and coffee and getting Aaron & the kids out the door and and and. Finally sitting down at my desk for some design work (and quiet).

The story of this photo | My single tomato plant that's a volunteer from last year (means I didn't plant it this year, rather it sprouted from a decomposed plant from last year). My friend Ali told me I should cut off the branches that aren't producing to help the green ones that are growing to ripen quicker. Might embark on that project tomorrow. 

The story of this photo | Taking care of business. 

The story of this photo | Anna was playing Jenga on the floor in my office near Katie's side of the table. Katie took this shot. The Jenga pieces are all over the floor in this same spot as I type up my words for the day. 

The story of this photo | Exactly where he's supposed to be. He loves, loves, loves this basket. He got in their the first day we brought him home and it's definitely become his space. 

The story of this photo | Laundry on the counter. Fridge open. Drying dishes on the other counter.

The story of this photo | Not a single complaint about leftover cold pizza. Pineapple for her. Cantaloupe for him. Pepperoni for me. 

The story of this photo | An afternoon break for BoxTrolls and lounging on the couch. Simon's feet are almost as big as mine. 

The story of this photo | Anna was sitting next to me on the couch playing games on the iPad. I asked her if we could take a photo together and she was willing. Love. It was about 3pm and she was still in her PJ's. Thank you summer. 

The story of this photo | A light afternoon workload meant that Katie got to go home early so Anna kept me company while I worked on a few things in the afternoon. 

The story of this photo | We stopped for dinner at one of our local favorites (
Cafe Yumm - Anna had a small Yumm bowl and Simon had a chicken skewer & a quesadilla and I had soup) and Simon humored me with this shot while Anna was in the bathroom. Around here we would notice that he is not wearing his usual hat (a white Nike hat that he wears all the time that is "the" hat). His level of flexibility has increased so much over the last few years - definitely something to celebrate. 

The story of this photo | Our friend Kim invited us out to her family's farm for an evening of water gun battles and smores. We made a quick stop at Target on the way for some water guns and ended up getting Simon another pair of swim trunks and another swim shirt because I didn't think it all the way through that he was not going to love getting his regular clothes wet (at least I thought about it before we got to the farm). Anna, no problem. Simon, big problem. 

The story of this photo | Kim had set up buckets with water and hoses and the kids loved it. Anna got soaked. Simon played for maybe 15 minutes and then retired to a chair. These kinds of activities can be hard for him - the chaos, getting squirted by random people, lack of control, etc. I totally get it. 

The story of this photo | Anna, on the other hand, was totally into it. 

The story of this photo | She might have met her match in this one. 

The story of this photo | Yeah, I'm not sure where he gets that face. Love you Simon. My friend Kim grabbed my camera and took this shot of Simon and me. Love friends that get it. Love friends that invite us. Love friends who take an interest in getting to know Simon. 

Love Fridays. 

LOVE YOU BECAUSE MINI CLASS

Want to make an album that documents the reasons you love someone in particular or a group of people? Check out my new Mini Class that walks you through the steps of creating a 6x8 album: 
Love You Because (now available with immediate access). Workshop includes a 50-minute step by step video that walks you through the process of making the album, a 15-minute presentation that includes a focus on the reason why and an overview, a full color PDF handout with a how-to and images of my album, a printable set, message board and gallery for sharing your work. There is a bundle option available as well if you are wanting to take all three of my mini-classes - details on that are here. 

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.

Week In The Life™ 2015 | Thursday Words & Photos

Today's message: Keep going and find a rhythm that works for you. 

Your rhythm might be photos just a few times throughout the day. Your rhythm might be more in the morning and less in the evening or vice versa. This project isn't meant to be photos of every single moment of your life over the course of the week. Remember that you are telling the story of one week in your life that includes a whole lot of little moments along the way. Those seven days come together to tell one bigger story of what your life is like right now. Stretching it out over seven days allows you to capture bits and pieces here and there and miss some things along the way and still tell a fairly complete story. 

I like doing this project at different times of the year. The last time I did it during the summer months was a few years ago. My family's life does look different in the summer months - there's a different rhythm and flow and flexibility. We've made it to the pool quite a few late afternoons and evenings this summer and I'm so happy to be able to create that space for my kids. 

Here's to keepin on keepin on and having fun along the way. 

Here's what I want to remember from our Thursday: 

I want to remember that it's worth it to take the time to plant flowers. This year I didn't plant anything new in my garden knowing that I would be traveling on and off. I love bringing the outside in and these hydrangeas are the main thing blooming out there right now. I also have one huge volunteer tomato plant that came back after being planted a previous year. I'm missing having the dahlias I've had in years past and need to make time to get new ones in the ground for next summer. 

 I want to remember the first time Sam made his way downstairs on his own. He and George checked each other out and no major fights ensued. He wasn't down there for too long before he headed back upstairs. 

I want to remember that I'm a morning person and he's a night person. I'm a quick moving multi-tasker and he's a very patient single-focuser.   

I want to remember mornings at the table, with and without technology. Cereal, bagels & cream cheese, nectarines. Lots of "keep eating" reminders came out of my mouth.

I want to remember how much I appreciate Katie and her input and suggestions and memory and hardwork and follow through. 

I want to remember how much I enjoy a hot shower, even if it's not first thing in the morning. 

I want to remember her in this space, in this time, full of might and love. 

 I want to remember that it's okay to not have it all planned out. 

I want to remember that listening to him is the most important thing. 

I want to remember that I like wearing dresses, even when there are no special plans for the day. 

I want to remember how awesome it is to get an avocado that looks like this. Seriously. How awesome. 

I want to remember that a lunch like this of little bits of stuff works out just fine. And the watermelon right now is so, so awesome. 

I want to remember how much he loves the smell and taste of sourdough bread. 

I want to remember that many of our days do look very much the same. It's one of the reasons I've taken this exact same photo multiple times throughout the week. This week has been a lot of computer work and less standing-at-my-table crafting work. 

I want to remember his awesome memory, his passion for characters, and his tender heart. 

My other recent Week In The Life™ projects are usually full of car photos because that's a much bigger part of our lives outside of summer. 

I want to remember how sometimes when we get to the pool he just decides to take a nap. 

I want to remember how great the pool is for everyone's attitude and energy level. 

I want to remember that I am a fan of the quiet moments. Today I read through Anna's back-to-school packet while we waited for pizza delivery after returning home from the pool. 

I want to remember the growth that has happened around this table. Aaron and I were looking at photos of kids from a few years ago and it struck both of us that we can literally see the length of our relationship in the physical growth of each of these kids. The girls were both almost 4 when we first started dating - now they are close to 7. 

Tonight I stopped taking photos a bit earlier because I was ready for a little break and ready to get to bed a little earlier than the last few nights (remember I'm the morning person). I think it's important in this project to give yourself permission to not put pressure on yourself to get every single detail of every single day - it's just sustainable. So capture what you can. Look for stories through your lens and enjoy the process.  

Hoping you have a really awesome Friday. 

NEW DIGITAL RELEASES

Grab them here: Everyday Line Sentiments // Say Hello // Say Hello No. 2

SHARE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG

I'd love to have you share a link to your THURSDAY 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™ 2015 | Wednesday Words & Photos

First, thank you. 

Second, today I was thinking a lot about the concept of "some days" and in "most days" - as in some days/most days our day looks like this and some days/most days our day looks like that. There's also a little bit of "someday" mixed in - as in, someday this might be even more of my everyday life or someday this could/will all be so different. 

Third, today might be a good day to think about the things you haven't captured yet. What's missing from the photos/words you've collected so far? I know I'm missing some evening routine stuff which I think is partly because I'm working on these posts and our normal bedtime routine is a little out of sorts. 

Fourth, if you are looking for the titles I'm using on my main photos each day, you can find those 
here. 

Again, thank you for being here and for sharing your stories. 

Here's a look at my Wednesday: 

Some days I wake up with a cat in my bed. Today it was Sam, who I'm slowly working out of the office.

An unsteady hand is partially responsible for the grain in that photo + a lack of light in the early morning hours. 

Some days, especially in the late summer, both kids sleep in late (late around here = 9am). Generally they are pretty good early risers. In fact I don't think I have a lot of photos of them in their beds in the mornings because they are often up and doing stuff.

Some days I do laundry. I don't have a set schedule for this and I'm generally someone who doesn't mind doing the laundry. I just try to keep it going. Sort and wash and dry and fold. 

Most days I look at this print from 
Hatch Show Print (from the Haley Gallery) as I make my way down the hall into my office. I usually think about my Mom as I glance at it - sometimes reading just a line and sometimes reading the whole thing. I think about my Mom because she had positive messages like this framed in our home growing up. There is one particular one I remember that she hung in our bathroom about the power of attitude (I think it was something written by Norman Vincent Peale). Hoping my kids read these messages as they are growing up too.

Most weeks days I end up in this spot. During the summer it's usually earlier vs. in the school year when I have more "get them to school" responsibilities. I'm an early riser so I can usually get in some work before they wake up. 

On Wednesdays Katie works from home so it's a little quieter here in the office. We're creating some flexible work routines for when her baby comes later this year (!!!!!). Super thankful that she is a part of my life and so excited for this next chapter to begin for her.

Some days I eat oatmeal + almonds + strawberries + blueberries for breakfast. 

Some days Anna is really into what she will be for Halloween. The current front runner is this colorful witch costume. 

Some days this space is really messy. Currently it's holding Simon's new backpack and his old backpack that has carried him through quite a number of years now. This was the first year in many that he's had an interest in a new one. It's also holding a swim towel - a sign that it's summer. 

Those of you who follow me on Instagram might recognize these lockers that I posted a photo of last month. I went back for them. 

Some days he's frustrated that I didn't cut the strawberry in half. Some days he's super happy when we happen to have leftover pizza that he can eat for breakfast. 

Some days she hangs out with my in the office. Today she made drawings of her and Audrey's names using Stickles. 

She made this sign while I was recording a video for the Love You Because workshop and held it up and mouthed it to me at the same time. 

Snake = snack. 

Yep. I'm much better with snacks than snakes. 

Most days he's got something happening with his legos. Today I told him he could earn money by sorting through bins that currently hold lego messes (aka the ones that just have a bunch of random pieces all thrown in together that makes it impossible to find anything). He's super motivated by money right now since there's a new Lego game coming out called 
Lego Dimensions next month (ps - it looks totally cool of course). 

Most days he gets the concept that it's way easier to locate the random pieces if they are sorted by color (at least). 

Some days she chooses to come read in my office. This couch really is getting a lot of use. Today it was a Dora book. 

Some days she wants to come to the store with me. Most days I go when the kids are either at school or otherwise occupied to just make the whole thing simpler. Today was a quick stop on the way to pick Audrey up from camp for an afternoon playdate. 

Most days you can find me here multiple times over the course of the day. 

Some days I don't take a shower and I wear workout clothes all day and don't workout. 

Some days, rare days, I make cupcakes. It's even more rare that they would be chocolate. If I'm in charge I pick white cake or vanilla or lemon. I let Anna choose today at the store and she chose chocolate cake and pink cherry frosting. 

Some days the boys are here. Today Elliot and Simon played video games. 

Some days Audrey comes over for a playdate. They like to play store, listen to music, watch videos, play with Playmobil people, play with Barbies or other dolls. 

Some days I make a sandwich for lunch. Most times I choose salt and vinegar chips. 

Fun pink wrappers for the cupcakes that I brought home from Merci in Paris on our last trip. No day like today to use them. 

Kids decorating cupcakes. Embracing their creative use of every sprinkle available in the house.

Most days I can't believe how tall he has gotten. 

Most days I'm ready for a nap in the late afternoon. Today I started a new book that I 
read an excerpt from earlier in the week called Uniquely Human: A Different Way Of Seeing Autism. 

Some days we get out the 
Playmobil pool set and put actual water in there. They loved it. 

Some days Chris picks them up for outings or activities. Today he and Tiffany took the girls to the pool for a bit before dinner. 

Some days I/we have wine with dinner. Tonight was teriyaki drumsticks, broccoli, roasted new potatoes and corn on the cob. 

Some days all of us around the table is really crazy. 

Most days the personality of these two is off the charts. 

Some days there are tired kids and arguments and crying at bedtime. 

Some days they are so happy to just be in each other's company. 

Most days you can find me right here, saying the exact same prayer I've said to him since he was a baby. Tonight he also wanted to have a long talk about ways he could make money to be able to buy the Lego Dimensions game when it comes out. 

Some days he's here in the evening. Sometimes it's just him and sometimes it's him + one or more of the kids. Tonight after everyone was settled he had a little one on one time with Sam. He told me "this cat was made for me."

SHARE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG

I'd love to have you share a link to your WEDNESDAY 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™ 2015 | Tuesday Words & Photos

Today I'm going to start my journaling with either "she" or "he" or "I" in an attempt to capture/write more about who each of us is right now (in alignment with my 2015 intentions). 

Please remember, as I share these photos with you, that this is
my life. These are my moments and my stories and my real emotions and feelings. Please remember that we all have pain and we all have great joy. Please remember that I'm not pushing anything other than advocating for you to document and celebrate your own life. Please remember that real life is just that, it's real - which is often messy and most of the time doesn't fit into a simple little box that is easily photographed. 

My goal is sharing my real life with you is to encourage you in your own memory keeping. We probably lead different lives. You might not know what it's like to go through a divorce. I don't have a lot of experience with death. You might not know what it's like to have a child who deals with a very real disability that will impact the rest of his life in various ways. I don't know what it's like to have all boys. You might not know what it's like to see the possibility of a new relationship after divorce and you might not understand that the "normal" path you have always thought you'd follow might just not be the way it ends up. There are so many things I don't know about what it's like to live your life. 

A few years ago when I originally ran 
31 Things, someone complained that I should not be teaching a workshop like that (writing about my life) when I was going through very hard times. It was too depresing for them. They didn't like the stories I was telling. They didn't like the sadness in my voice or the grey tint to my perspective on my own life at that time even as I tried to focus on the good. I will never forget that person's comments because for me, writing stories - even the ones that aren't always sunshine and rainbows - was part of the way I survived during that time. Maybe you are there right now. Maybe you are in a time in your life where it's really hard. Maybe this project or taking photos or writing about your life experiences becomes a lifeline for you as well. 

My point today, let's be kind and compassionate and encouraging to each other as we share our stories. Let's be the ones who lift each other up instead of tearing each other down. Let's remember that there isn't one path we all walk down throughout our lives. 

Here's a look at my Tuesday: 

I am thankful for his kind heart. 

I believe in the ebb and flow of life. 

Those of you who have followed along with this project for a number of years might remember other shower photos I've taken during Week In The Life™. The first one was taken during a time when it had become very evident that Chris was going to leave and my hands were over my eyes (
2011) and I think I've taken others as well but I couldn't locate them on a quick search last night. 

These shower shots have become for me a story in and of themselves. 

Some people think it's crazy that I'd take my camera into the shower. For this one I turned on the water and then stepped inside with my camera in hand, knowing that I would take one or two shots right as the water was beginning to come over my face. This was the third shot. As soon as I took it I put it back outside the shower. 

I try to pay attention to the things I see all the time in new ways, or at least attempt to appreciate their beauty. And lines, always there are lines. 

She asks, "Mom, how do I get to that place where I can type the words?"

He sleeps. When we first brought Sam home he found this basket and it's been his spot ever since here in the office. 

She brought me a non-fat latte. We work.

The challenge to myself, when documenting starts to feel mundane (during Week In The Life™ and in life generally), is how can I see this scene differently? How can I see us sitting in the office differently? What happens if I shoot from above or below or on the ground rather than straight on? What happens if I go to the other side of the room vs. in the doorway. I'm conscious of these things as I'm shooting and I enjoy the creative challenge of attempting to see differently through the lens. This is one of the techniques I recommend to people who say their life is boring or their story uninteresting or that they do exactly the same thing everyday - my challenge to you is the creative task of seeing your life, your surroundings, your routines in a new light. It's one of the beautiful ways we are invited to grow through the process of this project - regardless of whether you have kids or a spouse or no two days that look the same. 

And in the very same breath, I still love the repetition. I love seeing the same shot in the same location over and over again - it might look like nothing has changed.
Look again. 

What is a typical week in the summer for us? We don't really have one. Sometimes the kids are gone with Chris. Sometimes we are all gone on an adventure together. Sometimes they have camp. Sometimes they are with my parents. This week there is no camp so there's a lot of lounging and just hanging out. This is the first summer that camps felt less mandatory in terms of my ability to get the work done I need to do. My kids are getting older - they are able to occupy themselves and/or we have a friend or two come over for a playdate/hang out time. During the day while I'm working they do a combination of reading time, screen time, outside time, and general just play in your room time (usually that's legos for Simon and barbies or other people/animal toys for Anna). They don't play together much - the seven year age difference and the cognitive differences are both part of that. They do watch movies or shows together and have gotten pretty good at agreeing on what they are going to watch. Sometimes they will play a game together but most of the time they are doing their own things. Having some weeks that are definitely unscheduled is really nice - as well as having scheduled weeks with more activities. I like having both as a part of our summer lives. 

He sleeps. A lot. 

I fix a quick breakfast/snack for myself and both kids. 

She has pineapple, bacon and a hard-boiled egg. He has cantaloupe, bacon, and an english muffin. 

He was done with the photos early today. Both wear robes in the mornings. She has two pink ones - one that is almost beyond too small. He has a navy blue one and two Star Wars robes in his rotation. He needs a belt. 

I have cantaloupe, bacon and a hard-boiled egg. 

I'm having a hard time focusing. Might be that I know it's a transitional time as summer winds down. Might just be that I'm restless. Sometimes when I don't have immediate deadlines I have a harder time focusing (even though there are always deadlines) - it wasn't always that way but now that I'm overall producing more work it seems to be the case - almost like I don't know what to do when there's not something very specific to be done. It's always in flux. I mentioned on a podcast recently (
this one) that one of the things Katie and I are doing in the office is that when we get our tasks done for the day then we need to be done - as in leave the office, go do something else, live our lives. The kind of work I do can be consuming and my personality tends towards being all-in. In order for it to be sustainable, I have to take breaks and step away (mentally and physically) and have other hobbies and fill myself up in other ways. 

He watched way too many Scooby Doo episodes today. But he did go on a walk. A few weeks ago I implemented a 30-minute walk task for each day. He's got the Nike app on his phone and he walks for 15 minutes around the neighborhood and then turns around and walks 15 minutes back. He listens to movie scores (Star Wars and Indiana Jones) and classical music while he walks. He has been really open to this suggestion and I'm so thankful. 

She and I have caprese for lunch. 

He sleeps. Again. 

We work. My posture isn't usually that straight. 

She found this in a basket of things from her birthday party a few months back (remember how it was a later-in-the-year-friend-party?). It was wrapped. She shared it with each of us. 

He has an hour of reading to do each day. He often falls asleep. Today it was on the couch in my office. 

After Katie leaves for the day around 4pm I usually start dinner or do a pick-up around the house. Today I picked up just a bit before we took Sam to his first vet appointment. 

She had a meltdown in the care on the way to the vet. She'd like to be able to stay home with Simon or by herself, but it's not time for that yet. 

I had a meltdown because I forgot the paperwork from the Humane Society that had Sam's medical records. 

He ate three tostadas tonight and cut his own strawberries. 

I cooked artichokes for myself and Anna. 

He had horse lessons. Chris and I take turns getting him there and supporting him through his ups and downs. He's currently frustrated because they are intentionally switching horses to help him develop his skills communicating with the horses. He, as you might imagine, would rather ride just one. It's a lesson in sticking with it, in practicing things that are hard, in communicating and in not giving up. It's always been a fine line for us as we make activity choices for him - easy or hard, stick with it or let it go.

After all that, he actually got to ride his favorite horse tonight.

She and I ate dinner and then headed over to the pool for her to get some sillies out.

After we were there I wished I'd brought my suit. 

As we drove back home she requested Taylor Swift. She always requests something from her playlist now. 

By 8:30pm we were all back at the house for popcorn and a show before bed and working on this post. 

Thank you for sharing your stories with me. They fill me up. They give me hope. They teach me. 

Let's keep telling stories together. 

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I'd love to have you share a link to your TUESDAY 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™ 2015 | Monday Words & Photos

Just a couple of details before we dive in to my Monday words and photos:

I'm shooting with a 
Canon 5DMKII with a 24-70 lens and an iPhone 6+. Any editing done to the photos is done in Photoshop using Curves and/or Levels or using RadLab. 

The themes I noticed today with my own photos as I went back through them tonight: hands (
photos of things in hands as well as hands doing things), shots looking down, people sitting around the table, and embracing the dark and light.

In sharing my photos today I'm going to share different things I might have been thinking related to taking the shot or the story that lead me there or another observation. 

Here's a look at my Monday, starting with the ceiling fan in the photo above which is pretty much the first thing I see each morning: 

So hard to get up today. I'm a morning person and it was harder than usual. My kids don't go back to school until after Labor Day so we are still on a summer schedule (which means very little schedule) but I still have to get up to work. This shot is with my iPhone using the lesser of the two cameras (hence the grain).

I love this bedding - sheets from Target and stripped duvet from Ikea. 

Dressing in my closet. Self-timer with camera sitting on my bed looking into the closet. 

Yeah, there's a window in my closet. 

As I mentioned above, I'm continuing to work on seeing light and letting the dark be dark and the light be light. This is one of my favorite shots from today.

My Dave's bread was moldy, much to Aaron's dismay, so we went with smoothies instead. 

Daily dose. Thyroid. Birth control. Vitamin D. Allergies. Omega 3.

Aaron and Audrey and me at the table. In and out. Here and there. It's part of our lives right now. Sometimes it's just me here in this house and sometimes there are seven of us. We talk about taking the leap. Fear is currently holding me back; love keeps me moving forward. 

It was not lost on me when I uploaded this photo that the main headline in my local paper read "room to grow."

Aaron and Audrey move on with their day and Katie arrives. 

We head upstairs. Email. Facebook. Conversations. Laying out the plan for the day. Chatting. 

I always seem to have more stuff on my side of the table.

Waiting for the kids to return home after being gone on a camping adventure with Chris. 

Welcoming Anna (Woody, Aaron's dog, was helping).

Chris giving Simon a big hug before leaving. 

Hugging and loving and them giving me the gift of a photo of the three of us. 

This is what we do. 

A major favorite shot of the day for me. I moved her room around last week and did some re-organizing in there when she was gone this past weekend so that when she came home she'd get to see things new again (mainly toys separated into baskets with like things: ponies in one basket, other animals in another, Playmobil people in another). It worked.

Today when she came home she grabbed the iPad and chilled out in her bed for awhile. 

I'm conscious of what re-entry might feel like for Anna and Simon. I don't know exactly what it feels like because having more than one house was not part of my growing up experience, but I do know what it's like to be gone from the house for awhile and to come home and just want to chill. So I give space for that to both of them. 

And then we usually have popcorn for dinner. 

Simon had lots to chat about. He's pretty much either totally into us or totally not and today he had stuff to share. Mostly it was about how he had saved up enough money from odd jobs at Chris' house to be able to buy a couple new lego sets. He and Katie did some research and we both laughed when he mentioned something about the spinning "wheel of death" while they looked up where 
the new Scooby Doo lego sets were available locally on the computer. 

And he was awesome for me in front of the camera today.

Meet Sam-I-Am - our newly adopted 5-year-old cat. He came home with us from our local Humane Society last week officially as Anna's cat. Currently he's living in the office as he acclimates to our house. He hasn't met George yet but he and Woody are getting along just fine when Woody is visiting.

Hanging out. Watching Scooby Doo to get ready for his new lego sets.

Sleeping in one of his favorite spots around the table. 

This one plays and plays and plays. Today I saw her carting this baby doll around (one that I moved to the top of the toy crib pile when cleaning out her room) with the bag and happily engaging in some sort of imaginary play. 

She's one that would almost always prefer a playdate. <

I did a major Costco/farmers market run on Sunday to stock the fridge with food. It has been awhile. I also chopped up a lot of the fruit to make it easier to access. 

Simon likes cantaloupe and watermelon and strawberries. No raspberries or blueberries. 

Anna likes it all but was disappointed that I didn't give her any pineapple. 

Lunch plate. 

Back to work upstairs. 

An order of embroidery floss arrived for a workshop I'm teaching in France next month (the class is called Book Of Joy and we'll be doing a tiny bit of hand-stitching). Katie and I picked out our favorites - hers had a lot more pink than mine. 

Chris took Simon to Toys R Us to pick up the lego sets. He sent me a few photos of the process. He also told me that when they pulled up to my house Simon told him, "I think I'm going to enjoy this."

Books for Anna. Legos for Simon. 

I remind her regularly to please not stand on the couch. She is usually in motion. 

She also loves this corner spot for reading and watching. 

While working during the afternoon I would get up and walk out and see what was happening. 

I love looking into both the kids rooms and capturing them with the door as a frame doing whatever it is they are doing at the time. The whole concept of "looking in" is one of my favorites. 

I also took a few other shots to show you as examples of different angles. 

Here's a shot that is straight down on her head. This one shows more of what she's actually playing with vs. the overall scene. 

And one more where I laid on her bed and held the camera down to be able to include her face.

I like all three - each tell a piece of the story of her play. 

Legos at the table. He almost always builds the sets here and then eventually moves them up to his room (or I move them up to his room when I need the table cleared). 

Snack. 

During the afternoon I filmed a video for the next mini-class release called
Love You Because. You can read a bit about it on the mini-class bundle page here. 

I often put my hand down on my project before filming to make sure the focal point is correct. 

She was ready for a little more interaction by this point in the day. And ready to go to the pool. 

But first George had a vet appointment (Sam has one tomorrow). 

On late-summer afternoons after I've finished up work we often head to our local swimming pool. It was near 6pm when we got there today and it was basically empty. 

Simon often brings a book and does a bit of reading before jumping in. He always looks for the shade. 

We don't stay too long - maybe about an hour. I love that it's so close that we can jump in the car (or bike) and be there in just a few minutes. It's a relaxing place for all of us and seems to help as we transition to evening. 

This is a good example of an imperfect self-timer shot. My focus point was off (on the towel) but I went with it anyway. Reading 
Essentialism, which is awesome by the way. 

And no, I didn't get in today.

Sigh. 

I'm telling you, every time I do this project there are a few shots that stand out over all the others. This one + the one of Anna in her bed up above are two of those I absolutely adore. 

Man feet. With flip flop tan lines. 

The story here is that this is the first summer Simon has ever worn flip flops. Before this summer he never liked the way they felt on his feet/between his toes and for whatever reason this season I bought him another pair (as I've done every year even when he wouldn't wear them because I guessed/hoped that one day he might like them) and he has worn them just about every day. 

Cleaning up a bit while making dinner. Frozen pizza and fruit. 

Sometimes we eat with legos and books and flowers all over the table. 

Reading out loud to me in my office while I work on this post. Reading = win. 

Playing one more game before bed in the red Pottery Barn over-stuffed chair with his name on it that he's had since he was two or three. 

Uploading, editing, writing this post. Ready for bed. 

Dated word on the top image in this post available here. I just added "words and photos" using the font Mrs. Eaves. 

SHARE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG

I'd love to have you share a link to your MONDAY 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™ 2015 | Let's Do This

Hands in the air. 

That's how I feel on Monday morning of Week In The Life™. Okay maybe not that excited, but pretty darn close. Let's do this thing. 

This thing, this week of documentation, is an awesome opportunity to capture life right now. 

And if you are reading this and it's Monday night and you forget to take photos this morning, no sweat. Start now. Start tonight or tomorrow morning. 

Here are a few other things to remember this week: 

1. Go with the flow. Don't panic if you don't get photos of every single detail. Remember this is not a sprint, but a longer distance spread out over the course of seven days. If you miss a morning or two or an evening, no sweat. Keep going.

2. Focus on the words and photos this week. There's no need to try to do everything - taking photos and writing things down is enough. 

3. Have fun seeing your life through the lens of your camera. 

And here are a few things I mentioned in my Ready Set Go post last year which is absolutely still applicable today: 

Look for the stories. Read this post for inspiration. As you go about your day, think to yourself about how you can capture those stories with your lens. How do all these different stories weave together to create the life you are living right now?
Answer the question, "what is the truth of my day?" As you walk around your house, your office, your kids school, think about and document the truths that make up your day.
Remember that it's NOT about the products. It never has been and it never will be. Yes, they are fun and I love working with them to bring an album together, but the products are not the point. If they help get you going in the right direction then that's awesome - but don't let them detract from your experience.
Remember that the best camera is the one you have with you.
Get yourself in the photos - by whatever means necessary - at the very least once per day.
Without a doubt, this project often mirrors back to me many different things about my life. It is often a catalyst for change as I see things in front of me that really can't be ignored much longer. I challenge you to think about those things this week.
Or skip all that intentional stuff and just have fun taking a whole lot of photos of your daily life.
Join the free Week In The Life™ community message board and gallery here.

Bottom line, I challenge you to take this opportunity to celebrate and to write and to photograph your life as you are living it right now. No one can tell this story but you.

I'll be back tomorrow sharing my Monday words and photos. I'll also share a few photos along the way on Instagram using the hashtag #weekinthelife. 

And PS, yes, there's a whole story about that photo and how I love that it's grainy and dark and at Margaritaville in Las Vegas and that Aaron took it and about how much I love dancing and live music and how I need to bring a little more of that Ali into my everyday. 

I also wanted to take a minute today to announce and introduce you to a new camera bag collaboration with Epiphanie. I partnered with them to come up with a classic, clean-lined everyday camera bag and it's now available in three colors. 

Here's a short promo video with more details: 

I love how these turned out and have been carrying around the cream bag for the last few weeks (with and without my DSLR).

SPECIAL PROMO DURING WEEK IN THE LIFE™ | Use code ALI20 for $20 off until August 21st. 

Happy documenting!