Ali Edwards's Blog, page 49

Week In The Life™ 2023 | Ali's Sunday

Welcome to Sunday in Week In The Life™ 2023. 

As I sit her and look back through the photos I did take on Sunday, I'm reminded that this is "my" Sunday story. I want to say things like "not all Sunday's look like this" but I could probably say that every Sunday even when I'm at home. Ebbs and flows and seasons and the stuff of life just keeps happening all around us. 

This is what it is. And I'm documenting + celebrating it for simply being that. 

Also, thank you for joining me on this adventure this year. I hope you enjoyed your experience of documenting your week! I'll be taking a couple days off and then start the process of bringing my photos and words in my album. I'll share more on that here once I get started. If you'd like a deeper dive into the processes related to Week In The Life™ make sure to check out our Storytelling With Week In The Life™ workshop here. 

Here's a look at my Sunday: 

Sunday started with an early wake up in our hotel room for Day Two of the volleyball tournament.

Club volleyball around here starts with try outs in November/December and then runs from January to May. It's a big commitment for kids + families and the higher level that you play the more commitment is required. It takes time for teams to gel together and it's been really cool watching Anna's team coming together. 

This tournament for her was similar to others this year: some awesome wins and some tough losses. 

The thing I loved the most watching Anna this weekend is simply how much she's improved her strength and stamina over the last year. It's a combination of getting older, hard work, and training. 

It's also a lot. 

A lot of noise. A lot of energy. A lot of emotions. A lot of expectations (self-imposed and whatever you think other's are expecting of you). A lot of fun. A lot of laughter. A lot of sitting around and waiting for the next match. There are 25 volleyball matches happening simultaneously in two giant rooms in an expo center. 

Audrey's team played in the afternoon wave so she and her Mom (who took this photo) came over to catch one of Anna's last matches. I braided her hair similar to how I did Anna's with half French braids.  

This photo is us: a blended family that all shows up for the kids when we can. Continually thankful for our relationships with one another. 

The girls are our only kids playing a competitive sport. I tend to get really into it. I love watching them play. I love seeing them make connections between their bodies and their mental fitness. I love seeing them cheer each other on through the highs + lows. 

I had so much fun bringing my Canon 6D with me. Most of the time recently I've just been taking photos with my phone for almost everything. I loved getting to play with my camera this past week and weekend, especially using the burst mode with these sports photos. 

I'm pretty sure I want to start using this camera again more for everyday life photos. 

So many thoughts about competition. So many thoughts about relationships. So many thoughts about the mental game that co-exists right alongside the physical game.

If you interact with teens in any way I'd love to invite you to take time to look them in the eye + tell them what you see they are good at in their life right now. Let them know, out loud, that you see them. You see them doing the thing. You see them showing up. You see them working hard. You see their creativity. You see how they are learning. You see them being a good friend. You see them saying a kindness. You see them put that dish in the dishwasher. You see them making a good choice. You see them not getting to do what they might want to do + still having a good attitude. You see them picking themself up and trying again. 

There's a lot of corrections in this season of life for these kids: some necessary + some that really needs to be said alongside things that build them up and acknowledge the pieces that are positive. Constantly correcting without acknowledging the good stuff (verbally telling them you see them doing the things) can easily lead to the creation of stories that don't reflect the totality of each individual person. We are all more than the mistakes we make or the things/skills we simply haven't learned yet. 

Let's help them write internal stories (the stories they tell themselves about themselves) that include that the things they do "right" and not just the things they might need to work on. 

My Mom was always really good at this. 

Everyone wants to be seen for the totality of who they are. 

I seriously feel so lucky that I get to overlap chapters of life with these two.

Anna and I hit the road after her team completed their matches. We were both pretty exhausted and ready to get home. 

THE PHOTOS I DIDN'T TAKE
Me being the hype person for Anna's team. 14 year old girls can be really hard on themselves and I'm on a mission to pump them up + remind them that they are out there because they actually like volleyball. Audrey got her first ace (her Mom got it on video) which we all celebrated. Pulling over on to get a coffee at 4pm on the drive home from Portland because I was getting so tired. Coming home and basically getting straight into the tub and then straight into bed (I did do a quick walk around the yard with Betty to see what was happening out there while I was away). I was exhausted with a raging sore throat (could be the cheering + could be the cold that the kids have started passing around). We watched the newest episode of Succession and then I was out. 

It's likely I'll fill in a few holes for Sunday with some general shots around the house. We'll see how I feel once I get to Sunday in my album. 

OTHER VOICES

Anna:

Simon: 

Week In The Life™ 2023 | Ali's Saturday

Welcome to Saturday in Week In The Life 2023. 

The story of today is that I was in Portland (a couple hours away from my house) with Anna and Audrey for a regional volleyball tournament. We don't travel for volleyball every weekend but it's very much a part of this season of life. As you might imagine, most of my photos from today were taken during the tournament and surrounding activities. 

Let's dive in to my photos and words: 

The story of today includes waking up at 6:15am in a hotel room in north Portland that is near the Civic Center in order to get Anna over there for the morning matches. Audrey's team was part of the afternoon wave so she got to sleep in and then connected with her teammates before coming over in the afternoon. 

The story of today is that Anna's first match of three was rough. It was simply one of those matches when everyone was off. 

The story of today is also that their second match was probably one of the best games I've seen her team play this season. I likely won't have any voice left tomorrow. 

The story of today includes being so proud of how Anna has developed as a player. Her serves were awesome today. 

The story of today is a lot about friendship and working together as a team. I loved being there to cheer them on loudly. 

The story of today includes high highs + some low lows in a very, very loud venue. Ah, competition. 

The story of today includes a lot of sitting and a lot of standing as we watched and waited and watched and waited some more. 

The story of today includes opportunities to catch up with old friends and meet new people too. I laughed a lot today and I try to not take that for granted.

The story of today includes getting to watch one of Audrey's matches. I also loved getting to spend time with her Mom and Grandparents while we watched her first match.

I'm so glad that she decided to play this year. She's built skills and put herself out there to do something new. 

The story of today includes me heading back to meet up with Anna and her crew after watching Audrey play.

The story of today included this super cute little scene across the way from one of the team hotels. 

The story of today includes dinner outside in the early evening sunshine surrounded by volleyball players and their families. 

The story of today includes a swim in a hotel pool which is still a very fun part of any travel.

The story of today includes this. It was a very full, very fun day. So thankful for these experiences with these people. 

OTHER VOICES

Simon: 

Elliott: 

Audrey: 

Anna: 

Week In The Life™ 2023 | Ali's Friday

Welcome to Friday in Week In The Life™ 2023. 

Today I took a deep breath in + let a big breath out for this project and life in this season. I've been feeling a lot of gratitude this week so I decided I'd use that lens to tell the story of my Friday. 

Let's dive in to the photos + words: 

Thankful that this kid has masted making his own coffee drinks (usually iced with a lot of oat milk) + does a darn good job with the clean up. 

Thankful for these guys opening up (this was the bouquet I picked up yesterday at a local flower farm). 

Thankful for this space. I originally was sitting out there but it was actually too hot so I moved to a chair across the yard. Sam seemed to like the sun under the couch. At 2pm today it was 81 degrees - that's very hot for pre-May (and it's going back down again after today). 

Thankful for a little fence I have to put up when I'm tending to the hanging baskets on the porch so Betty can come out there without and I don't have to worry about her bolting away. 

Thankful for all the ways he plays with her. 

Thankful for this space and the mess and the stories and the creativity and the colors and the photos and the community and that this is what I get to do everyday. 

While I was chatting with Jill + Jess on yesterday's Instagram live about this project I decided to go into the girls rooms and take a few photos. So yeah, thankful for the reminder to go in and capture what's real in their rooms. 

Love Audrey's little window collection. 

Thankful for a weekend adventure that starts today with Anna + Audrey and their regional volleyball tournament. 

Thankful for curiosity and new views. 

Thankful for the internet and all the cool stuff I can learn about things in my yard. 

I really like having mini-goals out there. Today my goal was to replant the daffodils I removed from the porch pots yesterday. Mission accomplished. 

Thankful for my constant companion who loves being outside. 

Thankful in advance for the lilac explosion coming soon. 

Thankful that she asks me to French braid her hair. The truth is that I'm not great at it (decent, yes) and I've never much been into doing hairstyles but some point along the way in my life I did learn how to French braid. When she was younger she was never really into braids but volleyball has made it cool. 

Thankful for simple packing for a couple days and nights of watching volleyball. Betty was not super excited that I was packing. 

Thankful for a car full of these beauties. We headed out of town after school and headed north, stopping at outlets in Woodburn. 

Thankful for a safe drive. We encountered a big slow down on the freeway and Anna decided it was a great time to stick her feet out the window. I actually learned a lot from the girls today about how no one in their generation likes to see bare feet. Lots of talk about their "dogs" being out. They proudly wear socks with their Birkenstocks (that's a no for me). 

Thankful for dressing room messaging that is empowering and inclusive. 

Thankful for their fun vibe. We don't go shopping like this very often any more (so much of our clothing is purchased online) but it was a good time going shopping all together today. I did more listening than talking and simply enjoyed observing and saying yes when possible. 

Thankful that we took a wrong turn on the way to the hotel and came across this scene. We stopped the car and all got out so we could take some photos. 

Thankful for these two. So much. They are just so fun and creative and full of life. 

Thankful that we made it safely to our hotel. Bring on the volleyball. 

OTHER VOICES

From Simon: 

From Isaac: 

From Elliott: 

From the girls: 

Week In The Life™ 2023 | Ali's Thursday

Welcome to Thursday of Week In The Life™ 2023. 

For today's story lens I'm using "Today I/you/we." It's another easy way to look back at your photos to write your story. 

PS: My posting schedule might be a bit different over the weekend as I'll be traveling with Anna + Anna for volleyball regionals. 

Let's dive in: 

Today I drove just Anna to school. Audrey got a ride from a friend and Elliott stayed home sick. Betty's in the back. We stopped by Chris' to pick up some shorts. We chatted about the day including a Jog-A-Thon + Colorblast at school and then she's going to cheer on friends at a track meet after school. 

Today I went through the car wash after dropping Anna off. 

Today I marveled at the two blooming trees in yard (one is in our yard and one is in our neighbors yard). I wait all year for this time when I get to look out and see the little explosions of pink and white. They take my breath away. How lucky are we that we get to experience such beauty. 

Today I saw Aaron come out on the porch with his smoothie. Sam followed him out and they were enjoying a little moment before he headed in to start his own work day. He is less of an outside person than I am but I think the fact that I'm out there so much brings him out too. 

Sammy loves coming outside with Betty. Ernie has his own program (including bringing us gifts of mice - three this past week) and does his own thing coming in and out as he wants. Sam is more of a people cat. I love that he loves coming out and hanging out with me + Betty in the yard. 

Today I did some work at my desk in the morning. I had planned to film some videos at my desk but our neighbors were having a bunch of yard work so I pivoted to one of the next things on my list. 

Today I picked up some flowers for a friend who is out of town and gets a local flower subscription. The best part is I get to take a little drive out of town into the farming areas and you know I love that. 

After picking up the flower bouquet I stopped at Johnson Brothers farm to get some hanging baskets for our front porch. I also grabbed a cucumber start and a delicata squash start and a new head for one of my hoses.

Two for the front porch and one for the back porch. 

Today I started pulling out the daffodil bulbs from my patio pots to make room for some tomatoes. 

I'll replant the daffodils out in the side yard. I did that last year and it worked really well and I loved having a bunch out in the yard.

Today I went and cheered Anna and friends on at their annual Jog-A-Thon and Colorblast event. It's her last one after many, many years. 

Today they had a ridiculously good time. 

Me too, of course. 

Today I heard "Love In An Elevator" by Aerosmith on the way home from Anna's school. This was the first CD I ever owned and I was immediately taken back to 1989 when I was in junior high. 

Today I tied up some sweet peas + some sugar snap peas after watching Anna's afternoon adventures. 

Today I poured myself a glass of Pinot Gris and sat in the tub researching cucumber trellis ideas. 

Today he let me take this photo. 

Today Betty was not super excited about us doing yoga. Many toys were removed from her basket and brought to ether me or Aaron. 

Today I watched Sammy gave himself a full bath after dinner. 

Today he cooked some Costco pizzas for him + Anna. Audrey and I had leftovers. 

Today I walked out into the grass after dark to watch Betty try to catch bugs. It was delightful. 

OTHER VOICES

Three from Simon today (who called me this morning because he was so excited at how sunny it was): 

His favorite local coffee shop opened up their garage door because it was so nice here today. 

Although he has a car + drives he's learning how to take the bus too. He's loving it because he doesn't have to spend money on gas. 

He texted this one and said, "Here's a little bonus: budgeting outside." (Part of the independent living program he's participating in includes teaching a wide variety of life skills such as budgeting.)

Anna: 

Audrey:

Elliott: 

In Case You Missed It | April 27

Happy Friday, friends! Welcome to the latest
In Case You Missed It. Just a reminder that this is a quick post that will happen every Friday afternoon with all the updates and links that have happened throughout the week. So, let's get to it:

WEEK IN THE LIFE™ COMMUNITY DOCUMENTING WEEK

This Monday kicked off the community documenting week for Week In The Life™. Consider yourself invited! All this week Ali has been sharing a daily words + photos post over on the blog. Be sure to check it out here. 

NEW CLASS FROM ALI: STORYTELLING WITH WEEK IN THE LIFE™ 

Be sure to check out Ali's newest class: Storytelling With Week In The Life™, available now. Storytelling with Week In The Life™ is designed to get you in the mood for documenting a seven day period in your life. This workshop is modeled after the popular Storytelling With December Daily® and Storytelling With Project Life® workshops and is designed to walk you through all the facets of the project in an way that encourages and empowers you to be the boss of your own storytelling experience. ⁠Register here.

2023 WEEK IN THE LIFE™ PRODUCTS AVAILABLE

The all new Week In The Life™ products for 2023 are now available! We have two new albums, our journal, a gorgeous main kit, an incredibly fun themed mini kit, and a collection of coordinating Week in the Life™ products. ⁠ ⁠All of the products are in the warehouse and ready to ship! ⁠

WEEK IN THE LIFE™ DIGITALS

Our collection digitals for Week In The Life™ (including layered templates) are available now! We have 10x8 and 6x8 layered templates again this year. Layered templates are .PSD files. Design note: we are no longer grouping layers in Photoshop as we have learned PSE users cannot use elements that have been grouped. Main kit journal cards and papers will be available as separate file. The kraft pages will be available with a white and transparent background and we will also have album art available. SVG files, which can more easily be manipulated in CANVA, will be included when possible, consistent with previous digital releases. Shop them here.

IMPORTANT SUBSCRIPTION UPDATES

Since January, we’ve seen incredible growth in our subscriptions! As always, we are extremely grateful for your support and thrilled by your enthusiastic response to the changes we’ve implemented. As a result, we are currently on a waitlist for both new Stories By The Month™ and Story Kit™ subscribers. Now is the time to subscribe or jump on the waitlist if you’ve been considering a subscription to either of these products. If you are interested in receiving one of these subscriptions when they become available, it’s important to sign-up for our waitlist now as it helps our team anticipate future quantities.

As always, we’re so grateful to have you all as members of this community! Thanks for joining me today and have a great weekend!

Week In The Life™ 2023 | Ali's Wednesday

Welcome to Wednesday in Week In The Life™ 2023. 

Today I'm going to use the story lens Some Days/Most Days/These Days. This is a great lens to telling the story of your everyday because there are always things we do most days and always things we do some days. Just this simple little guide can help bring the story of your day together. 

Here's a look at my Wednesday: 

These days the driving-kids-to-school adventure is shared between me, Aaron, and Elliott. Today was Aaron's turn. 

Most days from now through the summer I'll have lots of flowers to bring inside. These are some of the last of the daffodils that I brought in yesterday and added to my kitchen window (aren't they so cool - little minis with multiple bulbs).

These days the girls have been really into sourdough toast.

Here's a little story about this photo: it was just lucky. I had grabbed my camera without looking at the settings and took a test shot. This was it. I gasped when I looked at the back of my Canon because I loved it so much. It wasn't actually this dark in our kitchen but I love, love, love how this camera is able to do this kind of shot that essentially isolates the light. 

I took a step back, adjusted the settings just a bit and took another shot to get her whole body in there and make it just a tab lighter in order to see Betty a bit better. It's still overall dark with the lightest parts being light. 

Some days Betty has a playdate with her Mama (Cookie) + Brother (Stroop) over at our friend Kim's house. She will come home in need of a shower and will be exhausted from a full day of outside play with her family. 

Some days a kid might leave the gas tank on empty which requires driving straight to the gas station because who knows how long they have been driving it while it's said it was on empty. 

Most days you can find me here first thing. Checking in with my team. Uploading + editing + reading + planning + messaging + posting. This is a spot that I love. 

Some days I do a little art journaling as I come in and out of my office. Today I was going through and organizing the little rolling cart I got for some of my supplies. I've got my table set up for memory keeping on one side and art journaling on the other side. 

Some days when I need a little break from work I'll do an outdoor task. Today I filled up the hummingbird feeders that I had cleaned out yesterday. 

Most days I'm here with a variety of screens: computer, iPad, phone, etc. Today I was setting up the May One Little Word® prompt from Krystal and texting with our OLW team. 

Most days I eat leftovers for lunch. It makes me happy. Today I had some of the pasta we had for dinner last night. I sat outside for lunch today and it was awesome. 

Some days I do a little dinner prep at lunch. Today I chopped up some kale for a salad tonight. 

Most days in the spring + summer, I try really hard to get as much work done as I can early in the day in order to spend time outside in the afternoon. Some weeks this works and other weeks I'm still at my desk most of the day. 

Today I was dealing with my dahlia patch (one of my favorite spots in the yard). I dug up some ones that have been in the ground for awhile and plan to divide them if I can (researching that because I usually just leave them in the ground and they come back). I had some new ones I wanted to plan so I dug these up and dug a few more holes and got them in the ground. 

On the days when I pick Anna up from school I often get there a little early and read or chat with friends. Today I grabbed my mail when leaving home and had a new Better Homes + Gardens magazine. Inside I found this article + photo of a backyard that was super inspiring to me. Most days I dream of something like this in my own yard (I'm totally okay to lose some of our grass). 

Some days we make a pit stop after school. Today we headed to Barnes + Noble (Anna + her buddy Aune) between home + volleyball practice because Anna was wanting to pick up a few more books. I never say no to books and the kids know this. She picked up: It Starts With Us, The Love Hypothesis, and If He Had Been With Me. 

Most days I do not need any more books. Today I came home with two more myself: Saving Time by Jenny Odell and The Ransomeware Hunting Team by Renee Dudley + Daniel Golden (both nonfiction).

On the days when Betty has a play date with her Mom + Brother she always gets a shower when she comes back. She does pretty good just standing there (I started doing this with her when she was tiny) and then she goes bananas when she gets out and dried off. 

Some days I drive Anna + Aune to volleyball practice. Audrey gets a ride from her Mom after-school and then either us or Aune's parents bring them all home. Today we drove with the windows down. 

Some days I open the back window and let her feel the breeze as we drive along. She's going to be exhausted tonight after a full day playing. 

On rare days I open her door to see what's happening and most days it looks like this. 

Most days I look at my bedside table and laugh at my current pile. Some of these will get read and some will move to the bookshelf for a someday season. 

Some days you can find her here. I only lived her for twelve years before I got a cushion for that spot. 

Some rare days Aaron orders something new for himself. He's getting ready to take Elliott + Audrey on an adventure next week and decided it was time for some new kicks. I might have freaked out with excitement when I saw what he ordered. 

At some point in the last year we switched sides of the bed. This is his side now. 

Most days Aaron and I are trying to meet up for a Yoga With Adrienne flow in the late afternoon. We were in a great habit for awhile then got away from it and are now back into it again. The mental + physical release is so needed. 

Most days I'm cooking something for dinner (some days Aaron makes something + some days we order take out + some days we both make something). Tonight I was massaging kale for a kale salad with smoked salmon and oranges. Anna and I ate that and Aaron made some ravioli for Audrey + Elliott + his friend. 

Most days if there's a cool sunset someone around here will yell it out so we can all look outside. The girls ran out with their volleyball to hit a few more times while I was taking the photo. 

Most days I take a bath at the end of the day. It's my way to unwind and have a specific transition into the evening/bedtime. 

A couple weeks ago I posted a photo on Instagram with a caption about how I'm kinda loving getting older. Someone in the comments asked me what I liked about it and this was my response, "I love feeling more comfortable in my own skin (and really celebrating + encouraging other people to feel the same by being by the only person they can be: themselves). I love having older kids + what a different experience than when they were babies."

OTHER VOICES

Simon: 

Isaac: 

Elliott: 

Audrey: 

Anna: 

Aaron: 

And from my Mom: 

Week In The Life™ 2023 | Ali's Tuesday

Welcome to Tuesday of Week In The Life™ 2023. 

As I sat down to write up some reflections from my day I decided I wanted to use the Story Lens "I want to remember." I love that we don't always have to use a story lens when we are taking the photos themselves (I'm finding that I'm really enjoying just going with the flow with my photos) but can look back on our day and use the lens to tell the story. 

And man, do I love photos. I love them so much. 

Here's a look at my Tuesday photos + words: 

I want to remember that I've pretty much always been a morning person. I'm happy to get up at 6am and start my day before the rest of my people are up and around. That time in the morning has gotten longer as the kids have gotten older - especially when they are out of school. 

I read something recently that said something to the effect of "look at the sky before you look at a screen." I want to remember that. 

I want to remember how thankful I am to have a dog around again. This time is different because she really is "my" dog. Of course she gets lots of love from everyone else around here, but she's the first dog that has truly felt like she's mine. She's my shadow, my companion, and she loves being outside just as much as I do. 

I want to remember how much I love this guy's heart. It's really hard to be a teenager coming through + out of the havoc of covid. It was hard enough for teens navigating life without that and the effects seem to be lingering for some of our kids. It's also really hard when traditional school isn't necessarily the best fit for their creative spirit. 

We all feel the warmth of him when we get to witness a smile.

I want to remember how they really wanted me to take a photo of how different their toast was: same bread but but different doneness preferences. Anna's is the more burned one which makes me think of my Grandma Cathy who I'm pretty sure appreciated a more done slice too. 

I want to remember how she always wants to go. I can see her anxiety mount as people move around in the kitchen before school wondering whether or not she'll get to go for a ride. She's the best darn dog in the car: no barking and just sits quietly looking out the window or lays down on the seat for a nap. She wants to go where her people go.  

I want to remember the years and years of driving kids to school. 

These three are at three different schools (Anna + Audrey in 8th grade and Elliott is in 11th) and they will all be in different high schools next year. We are closing the chapter on the early school years (Anna's been at the same school for the last ten years - starting with pre-Kindergarten). I love that I have years of car photos like this one to look back on. 

I want to remember this. She sat on his lap the whole way to school. He's about 6'1 and she's probably between 60-70 pounds. And the dog hair. It's intense right now. 

I want to remember how Audrey and I often stop at the grocery store after dropping Anna and Elliott off because her school starts a bit later. We usually get a coffee or steamer and then check out our list and walk the aisles. She packs her lunch so she gets to pick out the kinds of things she wants (she's currently on a Ritz cracker, cheddar cheese, and ham kick). We grabbed a few things to supplement Aaron's Costco trip yesterday: gluten free pasta, raspberry lemonade, Mac + cheese, pork roast, bulk cashews, tofu. 

I want to remember how fun it is to bring my DSLR camera in the car with me and to be on the lookout for creative photo opportunities. Mirrors are always a fun one. Took this while I was picking up my prescription. On the mornings that I drive kids I try to pack in any other errands I might need to do (dropping off packages, picking up prescriptions) before heading back to my desk. 

I want to remember how she sits in the backseat just like a person. 

I want to remember how happy I am to finish up content for the Storytelling With Week In The Life™ workshop. If you'd like more information on my own personal process and flow for this project check out the workshop here. 

I want to remember how Anna pretty much always leaves stuff out on the bathroom counter. The reminders have been many. 

I want to remember how much joy I get from seeing these peonies come up year after year. I'm trying some new cages/grow-through plant supports for them this year on a few of the many plants I have in the yard. 

I'm also a major fan of bare feet outside. 

I want to remember how much joy I get from feeding the birds in our yard. It's one of those small tasks I can do when I need a break from my desk during the day. 

I want to remember how good it feels to finish a big project by noon and have space + time to head outside when the sun is shining. 

Also, yeah, that's a litter robot and I LOVE IT. 

I want to remember how I feel at the start of the warm weather season. So much hope and anticipation and excitement for what is to come in the yard. 

I want to remember the feel of the earth underneath me. 

I want to remember how much I enjoy the quiet times of the day. For working outside. For reading. For thinking. For imagining. 

I want to remember her smile and how when she got in the car today she said, "OMG Mom - I love your outfit." She's so cool. 

I want to remember that we are each other's people. 

I want to remember the work that's going into fixing this little space next to the street. I'm taking out all the weeds and going to plant something else. 

I want to remember how satisfying days like today are that include a mix of work at my computer, chores in the yard, kid driving, dinner making, and laughter. 

Tonight I made this recipe from The Natural Nurturer and it was well received by everyone who ate it. 

I want to remember the antics between the two. And how cool + creative Audrey is. 

So much of our lives are lived in this space. 

I want to remember that there are always part that are messy and always parts that are not. 

I want to remember that Wes Anderson is a complete genius and always inspires me. 

I want to remember that this project means so much to me each and every single time I embark on it. 

I want to remember that this is my real life. 

FROM THE KIDS

Audrey: 

Simon: 

Elliott: 

Anna: 

Isaac: 

Week In The Life™ 2023 | Ali's Monday

Happy Week In The Life™ documenting week! I'm so excited to be embarking on this project again. 

In this post I'm sharing my photos and some words from Monday. I didn't use a specific story lens today, rather I simply let myself take the photos that I felt like taking. After just my first few photos this morning I was really glad that I'd made the decision to take most of my photos this week with my DSLR. I am wholeheartedly welcoming the challenge to shoot in Manual mode as I capture my week. 

Last weekend I posted a message on my Instagram account about letting the week be what it is. That's my goal: simply capture what is real right now. 

Let's dive in. 

Pour over coffee first thing after getting up around 6:45am and feeding Betty. 

I harvested these from the pots in my yard last Sunday. They are the last of the daffodils for this season and they have been such a joy to look out at in my backyard this past month.

This is real life. 

And Betty waiting by the door. In and out and in and out. She loves being outside and she loves being inside with me. Hard choices. 

I always tell people not to clean up before diving into this project. It's not about having a clean house, it's about your season of life. This is my season: seed packets and gardening books on the table and bench and counter. Puffy coat on the chair. Dog waiting by the door. 

A messy Monday morning sink. A variety of glasses leftover from the night before when we had a bunch of teens here. Most days recently Aaron's been emptying the dishwasher and doing the dishes. Today I did them. 

Most mornings we sit together either here or outside when it's warm. She just turned one last week and she's a complete joy. 

Anna having some breakfast before riding with Elliott to school. He got his license recently and has been taking the girls to school on mornings when they are here. That's a big change in my routine and one that's given me a bit more space to start my day at a different pace. I still like to get up early and be around as they get ready for school. 

Anna and Audrey are almost done with 8th grade. 

Betty welcomes everyone. She loves Audrey and is often most excited to see her. 

She's also shedding like a maniac right now. Dog hair every where. 

Be Real for breakfast. I love the looking over the shoulder angle. 

Off to school. 

Seriously. They are huge and they are awesome. They both really like school and the still really like each other. 

That's what I saw (photo above) and this is what she saw (photo below): 

That pretty much sums me up right now. Barefoot. Dog on a leash. Camera in hand. 

The cardboard on that grassy spot is one of my many gardening projects in progress. 

After the kids are gone I go back inside and do the dishes and refill our dish soap container and take a deep breath for the next phase of the day. 

I've been trying to start my days with a little time outside - even 15-30 minutes can cross a few tasks off my list. Today I put a few more seeds in the ground (Brussels + broccoli). 

This year I'm growing more vegetables/food. My approach is super loose and I'm only direct sowing seeds (no seed starts). I'll probably pick up a couple pumpkin + tomato starts but the rest I'm experimenting with seeds. 

After a little time doing some tasks out in the yard (which Betty loves) I head up to my desk to begin my work day. 

Just that little bit of exercise running around outside in the back makes her a happy dog. 

On my wall. 

On my table. 

Saying hit to Aaron. He also works from home so we cross paths at certain times of the day. 

Putting on some mascara before doing a live this morning. 

Loved doing a live this morning with Lisa on the AED Instagram account talking about this project. 

When I needed to get up from my desk for a bit I ventured into Anna's room (Simon's old room) for a couple photos of what's real in there. 

And did the same thing in Audrey's room. 

Love letting the light parts of the photo be light and the dark parts be dark. 

I also hadn't seen Betty for a bit so I wandered downstairs and found her with Aaron while he ate breakfast. 

Peanut butter + jelly on GF toast for me. A little peanut butter for her. 

I take breaks during the day to let her outside. Today was the first day - in what feels like a very long time - that it was nice outside. While she gets a little fresh air and goes to the bathroom I do a task or two. 

And take a few photos of my lovely friends outside. 

One of the last daffodils. 

A tulip beginning to open. 

I got a little white rolling cart to hold some of my art journaling supplies so I put that together in the afternoon. 

Most of my day was spent editing video at my desk. 

She lets me know when it's time to be done for the day. Today that was around 4pm because the girls had rides after school to volleyball. 

Around 4pm today I transitioned from my computer back downstairs to doing a few errands, taking my meds and waiting for Aaron to get back from Costco so I could help unload.

We go to Costco every couple weeks for a variety of basics. Isaac was helping unload today. 

Aaron is really into bananas. He's hoping to freeze some of these for smoothies once they get more ripe. We go through a lot of these when the kids are here. 

Aaron unloads the car and I unload it all into the fridge and pantry. 

Isaac made the choice to come home after two terms in college and we support him investigating other options for this season of his life. He's currently devising the plan for his next chapter. 

He told me he downloaded a new game where you get to be the boss of a NBA team (and for someone who knows as much as he does about basketball it seems like a perfect match). 

Betty always wants someone to come outside with her to play or walk around. She likes the company. 

Sam loves coming outside when it's nice too. 

After putting the Costco stuff away I started dinner prep. We did a Korean ground beef with veggies and rice. I'm in a season where I'm enjoying cooking for the most part (more challenging on days I'm feeling overwhelmed of course). While prepping I listened to Led Zeppelin as I'm trying to listen to less news. 

Aaron picked the girls up from volleyball practice and they were back around 7:30pm. Everyone was in good spirits. 

The girls and I ate together on the couch and we all laughing about something here. 

Sometimes we eat on the couch. Sometimes we eat at the table. Sometimes we eat together. Sometimes we eat at separate tables. There are always a lot of moving pieces here during the week. 

Wrapping up the day doing the dishes and chatting and watching a show together. 

Overall Monday was a pretty typical day in this season of life. We've experienced a big shift with Simon moving out - I'm probably the one who is impacted the most by this. Things are simply different and I'm really thankful for this opportunity to document the basic rhythms.  

This year I've also asked the kids to share one photo a day with me. If I have them by the time I put this post together I'll include them. I told them they can send me anything they want from their day. 

From Simon: 

In case you missed it, Simon moved into an independent living program earlier this year. He's loving the experience and currently taking some classes at our local community college. 

From Audrey: 

She's a super fan of the .5 lens on the iPhone. 

From Anna: 

Anna and her friend Aune (she's basically the 6th kid around here and she's great). 

From Isaac: 

Ernie and Issac are the best kind of friends. 

Week In The Life™ 2023 | Community Tips

As part of our 2023 Week In The Life™ Prep Day, we had a fantastic community zoom chat. So many great ideas ranging from mentality, to preparation, to managing expectations were shared. The call was recorded and is available to view in the classroom. We wanted to bring at least a small sample of the community's collective wisdom together here on the blog. Thank you to everyone who participated! 

1. Be the Boss of this ProjectDon't attempt to tell every story and capture every moment this week. Take some of the photos, document some of the stories and know that the sum is greater than the parts.Acknowledge the ebbs and flows of the project. Monday you will likely take ALL the photos, Thursday you will have less.  And that's ok. This project is a marathon and not a sprint. Whatever you get done is better than nothing. You define what is enough. Establish a structure and format that works for you.
Many people are using a journal, some are documenting in a travelers notebook. Some are making a photo book. Don't forget that you are the main character of your story. Everyone else is a supporting character. 2. Preparation + PlanningRevisit old albums for a reminder of what you like and don't like, in terms of stories and photos.  Decide on an album size before starting the project. This may help guide your photo taking. But don't forget that cropping can work wonders. Play with the product beforehand and set aside your favorites. This may influence stories you want to tell or photos you want to take. Want to avoid feeling overwhelmed? Establish a formula beforehand. If you do, you will know exactly how many photos you "need" for each day.Check your stash of different sized page protectors. You have so many configurations available if you are willing to trim/cut your page protectors. Don't be afraid to pivot if things don't go according to plan. Your process may look different according to your season of life…from year to year or even to day. Lean into what you are most excited about. Photos? Words? Product? Spend the most time on the things that bring you joy. 3. Stories Think about the stories that matter to YOU. If it matters to you, it matters, period. There is value in reflective journalling, in stories noted in the moment, and journalling done at the end of each day. They each bring different layers to your story. Fun tip: use sticky notes to jot down details and just stick them in your album. What a fun and easy way to incorporate handwriting! Invite your people to participate in whatever way makes sense for them. Teenagers may text photos, parents can send emails, screenshot text messages with friends. Having a story plan can help when you're feeling uninspired or stuck. Here are just a few examples:

five thingsgratitudesletter to yourselfletter to your peoplearound herefive senses (I see, I hear, I smell)I want to rememberfocus on a different family member each day (you could include a family pet!)4. PhotosCreate an album on Pinterest or Instagram (wherever you find inspiration) dedicated to photo inspiration for Week In The Life™ and add to it all year. Consider repeating your favorite photos from previous years. Establish categories beforehand to narrow the scope of your picture taking and possibly make it feel less overwhelming.First time? Perhaps start with three photos: one in the morning, afternoon, and evening each day. Consider using "filler photos" or photos that are not tied to a specific day of the week. You can take these in the beginning of the week when you have the most motivation, or you can address gaps at teh end of your documenting week. Don't forget screenshots as stories: music, text messages, emails, daily calendars, memes, podcasts, etc. Repeated photos are great! Want to capture your coffee mug each morning? Your outfit at work? Everyone at the dinner table? Make that plan in advance. Progression photos! Whether you are watching flower bloom or completing puzzle, this could be a fun element to include in your album. Consider doing a daily delete or favorite your photos. This might cut down on overwhelm later in the process. Join in our Community Photo Share:

MONDAY | On my desk:  #aeonmydesk⁠TUESDAY | In the dark: #aeinthedark⁠ WEDNESDAY | On my plate: #aeonmyplate ⁠ THURSDAY | My stuff: #aemystuff⁠ FRIDAY |  Their stuff: #aetheirstuff⁠ SATURDAY | On the couch: #aeonthecouch⁠ SUNDAY | In the yard: #aeintheyard⁠5. Miscellaneous Friendly RemindersCertain things are best captured on a daily basis:Weather Front Pages (the Front Pages app does not keep a database, grab your front page of choice each day)Tracking numbers? Think about what you are tracking at the beginning of the week. Inspiration is a wonderful thing, comparison is not. Be aware of how much time you are scrolling for inspiration, versus the time you spend telling your story.

These tips and so many more were shared over in the classroom. We highly recommend you check at the recorded call. Bring on the stories! 

Week In The Life™ 2023 | Special Guest Stacy James

We're excited to have community member Stacy James sharing her tips and pdf plan today! Find her worksheet here. 

When I started doing my week in the life albums a few; years back I realized to me it was basically a time capsule of my life, and the project was huge now as a back story scrapbooking wasn't new to me, I had been doing this since high school in the 80's but the concept of putting everything together on the vast scale into one album in one week was new to me... so I needed a plan! My Type A personality couldn't just wing it nor could my hubby and his OCD haha.

So I knew I had to come up with a process that would allow me to not only enjoy it but finish it and not drive myself insane. With that I created a worksheet to put together the steps of my week of what the minimum requirements of the project was, and the lens of each story. But I also knew this worksheet had to have a place for me to "scribble on" so that as the week progressed I could do just that - mark all over it, with the crazy of the day and in real time, because if not I was doomed to miss the little details- the stuff I wanted to capture, by having everything in different places everywhere  that just wouldn't work  so this was my answer!
   At the end of each day then I could easily look - did I grab the must haves the things that wouldn't be available the next day such at the newspaper from the "front page app" or the weather so i could use it, if not i could at that point, but in a few hours those things would be gone. So, by having a daily checklist I didn't miss my must haves.

The project if you look at in a large format could be overwhelming- if you look at the all the pretty kits and albums it can give you FOMO... but for me it is about the stories and the photos... but in the end I can't get there if I don't finish, and I won't finish if it's not organized and fun for everyone in my world.   So last year I used the Ali Edwards Journal and it was a blast... I altered it to make it work for my process and used flat lays to capture my little details of life, this year I wanted to change what little details I grab for the 10x8 album I'm working with- so I created a new sheet to be able to make sure I capture those as the week progresses. But you can go to my Youtube Link and see the 2022 Journal and see the flat lays and the journal if you wanted to go that route or I have attached the worksheets and feel free to print them out and join me in the ideas for 2023, by using the worksheets and or scribble all over them and make them your own! The project has no rules or regulations Ali Edwards created a great thought process to help everyone capture the time capsules of our lives now we run with it ! Good luck!