Week in the Life : Monday Photos + Words

Here's a peek at some of the photos I took today:


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Still have dinner and evening routine to go here on the west coast.


I also wanted to share the things I jotted down on my Word document today. Because I didn't leave the house I decided to do my story in a list format that literally followed my actions over the course of the day. Tomorrow my journaling will probably be different - and that will be just fine. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to approach this project!


9/29/08
MORNING ROUTINE

1.    Alarm off at 6am. One snooze.
2.    Simon comes into our room + snuggles for just a minute.
3.    I get up, let Lily outside, give her two scoops of food, turn on NPR and some lights in the living + dining rooms, and put Simon’s bagel in the toaster.
4.    Take medicine.
5.    Start coffee. Pour OJ. Bagels pop-up. Spread the cream cheese. Vitamins on plate.
6.    Simon comes running out of our bedroom (I cheer inside for a happy wake-up).
7.    He tells me about something he saw on Elmo yesterday.
8.    Bagel with cream cheese and OJ are on the table.
9.    Simon sits down at the table and asks to be wrapped in a blanket.
10.    Chris pours cereal, gets paper, and sits down at the table.
11.    Simon giggles about Mr. Noodle licking his hand and wiping his hair like a dog.
12.    I grab clothes out of his closet and put them on the couch. Pants, short sleeve t-shirt, long sleeve t-shirt, underwear, socks.
13.     Simon finishes breakfast and puts on his clothes in the living room.
14.    Brushes teeth. Puts on shoes and stripped sweatshirt.
15.    We all go outside to wait for the bus. Simon is still giggling about Mr. Noodle’s dog act.
16.    It’s still dark when we get outside but over the five minutes we wait for the bus it gets light.
17.    Lily the dog is insane with her ball. I think she is the most excited member of the family in the morning. She gets the routine.
18.    Bus arrives. Simon climbs on and does the dog routine for Shelia the bus driver.
19.    Chris and I wave as they drive off and wave as they come back around after going through the cul-de-sac. We go back inside to start our days.

MY ROUTINE AFTER SIMON IS OFF TO SCHOOL
-    Check email.
-    Take shower. Make bed.
-    More email + start work. Establish to-do list.
-    Breakfast: yogurt with oatmeal cereal
-    Talk to Cathy on the phone.
-    Chris leaves for meetings in Salem.
-    Work on blog posts for the week.
-    Feeling the little girl move around in my tummy as I work away on the computer.
-    Turn off local NPR affiliate and change to OPB (more talk, less music).
-    Start working on TT sample.
-    Start load of cloth diapers. This is their first washing and they need to be prepped before the baby comes. Wash, wash, dry, repeat.
-    Work a bit. Check the internet. Work a bit. Check the internet. Wait for paint to dry on TT project.
-    Snack time: apple + string cheese.
-    More work. Finish second TT sample.
-    Lunch: chicken + tomato + cucumber sandwich. I usually read the paper or surf the internet during lunch. Today the paper felt “old” as the news of the day (failure to sign a bailout bill) had been happening so fast. Turned on CNN in the background.
-    Moved the laundry around. Piled some to fold onto our bed.
-    Back to work.
-    Feel like I have to go to the bathroom all the time. Thank you baby.
-    Mid-afternoon. This is the time of day I just want to take a nap.
-    Uploaded some of my photos so far to Flickr.
-    Thinking about how I am going to put this album together.  Doing a write-up for my blog about the project for tomorrow.
-    Waiting for Simon to get home from school.
-    Feeling the baby move some more.
-    Hear the bus coming down the street and go outside to welcome Simon home.
-    Fix peanut butter cracker snack. Watch a bit of Elmo with Simon.
-    Take a little nap on the couch.
-    Simon finishes Elmo and is ready to go outside to play with the neighbors: light sabers + bike riding.
-    Chris comes home.
-    The evening routine begins.


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That's all for today. So many awesome ideas in the comments section. Look for a post tomorrow morning that begins talking about possible ways to bring this together.


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A complete list of posts related to the week in the life project can be found here.

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63 thoughts

  1. Joy says…
    09/29/2008

    I haven't got all mine uploaded to flickr yet, but I find it fascinating that we both took pictures of the failed bill on our mac computer screens- the similarity is eerie, yet obviously different. Just that we both felt like it was important documentation today.
    Loving the one of Simon and the light sabers. Ben is jealous.

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. Stacy says…
    09/29/2008

    Hi Ali,
    I started this this a.m...then failed to take pictures the rest of the day...oops...keep trying to tell myself I didn't fail and there's always tomorrow. Also, forgot to write anything today. Yes, where was my mind? There is tomorrow right? And I can catch up then? I love the idea of this project though and am excited to be doing it, thank you for your blog posts and the inspiration. Your photography is inspiring and it was helpful to see what kind of things you wrote down.
    Thanks.
    Stacy

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. Katie Squires says…
    09/29/2008

    i really enjoyed taking pics today and it made me think of how the little things make me really really happy. thank-you

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. Suzanne says…
    09/29/2008

    I like the concept of a spotlight on you day, what an amazing memory this will be even in 1 year let alone another 15-20 which will pass in the blink of an eye.
    Thank you for sharing some more of yourself.

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Leah says…
    09/29/2008

    Okay, I'm in. I was lazy about the whole thing. I couldn't figure out what I'd take pictures of during the week. I work in a secure office (they seriously frown on cameras) all day. But your comment about the comment from your friend Carrie got me thinking. So we'll see what I come up with. Thanks for sharing this idea.
    Leah

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  6. jennyg says…
    09/29/2008

    Did good today....finishing up my journaling. Thanks for the frequent updates!

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Danielle says…
    09/29/2008

    Can't wait to see your thoughts on putting this together that's what I'm afraid of the most!

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. Christina B says…
    09/29/2008

    Ali
    Thank you so much for sharing what you put in your word document. I have been struggling with how best to document my days activities and seeing your list really helped me. It is simple and complete. By listing it like that I think you get a lot more information down vs. me writing in journal form what I did for the day. Plus I tend to get tired of typing in journal form and skip stuff or never finish. I look forward to following along this week and seeing all your great ideas and photos!

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. jenn shurkus says…
    09/29/2008

    hey ali ;) every fall i itch to do this again.. ever since cku-a in ct.. back in 04 ;) this week is not a good week on soo many levels.. but thank you for inspiring me to put it more near the top of the to do list :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. gardenymph says…
    09/29/2008

    Those look great, Ali. I particularly like your journaling. A great run down of your day.
    I'm a little (okay, a lot) bummed right now. Somehow, I don't know how, I lost all of the pictures that I took this morning. I only have shots from the afternoon, and I was so bummed that didn't take any shots of the evening routine. I had some good ones that I was very excited about. Well, I guess I've learned my lesson. I'm going to start downloading my pics a couple of times throughout the day. Better luck tomorrow. :~)
    Jennifer

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  11. HeatherC says…
    09/29/2008

    YOur pics are great -- I definately need to work on my photos for tomorrow! I took a photo of the computer with the bailout bill going down too -- should have taken a photo of the stock market close -- oh well --
    I really did not have any artifacts from today other than my photos -- is that ok?? I guess I did shop a little and could include a sales receipt. I am a little rusty on what to include here -- any advice?

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Ali says…
    09/29/2008

    Heather - I really didn't have much either (still need to check the mail - there is usually something in there that can be added). Not a huge deal at all.

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  13. tracey says…
    09/29/2008

    god, i love the shot of the clean laundry!

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. Kirsten says…
    09/29/2008

    This has been a real eye-opener for me. I'm enjoying following everyone's progress and thoughts - glad today was just the start, as I see so much opportunity. On a side note, I made a simple 4th of July mini album about my 8 year old's day this summer. So the other night, I shared it with a girlfriend, and I got...choked up. So simple, my daughter thinks it's like a Picasso or something, lol, but I was explaining to my friend how much I would treasure something like that, breakfast to fireworks from MY 4th of July, 1969. How priceless would that be?!?!?

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  15. Chris says…
    09/29/2008

    Thanks for sharing Ali. Great photos. I put my kids clothes out on the couch in the morning too :) Can't wait to see how you pull this all together.

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Annette says…
    09/29/2008

    Love Simon in the "breakfast blanket" thats what we call it in our house. :) great photos.

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. Jerrie says…
    09/29/2008

    Thanks for sharing your photos and journaling. Love the photos and the list style journaling.
    My family (well my husband, my 13 year old is still unsure) has gotten on board with the week of documentation. My husband, who rarely picks up the camera except for ebay stuff, asked for the camera to take pics of me...Very cool.
    Lovin' this!

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Secret Agent Mama says…
    09/29/2008

    I love this so much. My Monday is up! I can't wait for tomorrow. :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. Margie says…
    09/29/2008

    I was just over at the Flickr group - playing the photos on slideshow as I do other work and it is reminding me of those photo essay books by Life magazine - A Day in the Life... Very cool. I hope to add my photos too. I wasn't going to participate, but found myself drawn in. I have a lot going on this week and felt it would be overwhelming, but at the very least I will take photos and collect stuff. Margie

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. stacie says…
    09/29/2008

    girl...you eat good! :) your food looks like it belongs on the food channel! :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. Jennifer Stewart says…
    09/29/2008

    Look at your growing tummy!! You look precious! :)
    Jennifer

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. tara says…
    09/29/2008

    I have a question - what about repeat things in your routine? Would you take a new picture every day? Or just the different things each day? I'm realizing that I took a lot of pics of things that I see everyday, but what about tomorrow?

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. gardenymph says…
    09/29/2008

    Ali, Do you always orient your camera so that your pictures are horizontal, or do you crop as needed in photoshop to make all horizontal pictures? I tend to mix it up with horizontal and vertical shots, but then when I want to make a gathering, they look disjointed and there is not a good flow. Do you have any recommendations on how I can make horizontal and vertical shots work together in a layout, or do you avoid that type of layout?
    Thanks!
    Jennifer

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  24. Kristin says…
    09/29/2008

    For those of you who missed taking computer shots of the bailout bill/stock market - there is always tomorrow's newspaper as an artifact.
    I don't know how you find time to write down such a good rundown of the day - this is the first chance I have had to sit down all day. I also don't know how you get up the guts to take a picture of the groceries on the belt at the grocery store. I couldn't bring myself to do it :( I took a picture of them in the car to escape the embarassment of the store. *must remember to set aside the grocery receipt as an artifact.
    Other artifacts I've saved so far - tags from new clothes (with kids sizes - we are just starting to wear fall clothes here), kids artwork, mail (logos off envelopes/stamps), empty food boxes (cereal, crackers), to do lists, gas receipt, activity list from the YMCA, preschool handout about the kids weekly activities.
    Thanks for the ideas, Ali. I am going to CKC-Hartford this weekend and taking "Peek into my Week" so this should be perfect preparation!

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  25. Cara says…
    09/29/2008

    Thanks for the inspiration Ali! I'm having fun doing this. Although, I feel the need to explain to others why I'm taking pictures of ordinary things, ha! Here's my Monday
    http://allaboutthelittlethings.blogspot.com/2008/09/monday.html

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