The morning coffee.
The morning screech.
The morning blooms that are just about done.
The morning's second breakfast (yogurt).
The morning goodbyes.
The morning's third breakfast for her and first for me.
The morning unloading of the dishwasher before the morning work-out.
The morning pick-up.
The morning/mid-day work.
The all day bed.
The mid-day outfit.
The afternoon pick-up.
The afternoon drive.
The afternoon capture.
The afternoon swim.
The afternoon swim wrinkled toes.
The afternoon peonies.
The evening bath.
The evening playtime.
And, the evening snack.
My overwhelming thought about this project today: I love photos.
I definitely recovered from the frustrations of yesterday. Thanks for all the nice comments and I'm so glad that so many of us are familiar with the event known as "waking up in the morning to a kitchen full of dirty dishes from the night before."
Thursdays around here follow a similar progression as Tuesdays – with Simon's swimming lessons in the afternoon. His swimming lessons have become a treasured Mom & Simon time. Rather than the bus bringing him home, I pick him up from school and take him to the athletic club for swimming lessons. Because of the time of the lesson we are able to not be in a hurry – I bring him a snack, we sit in the lobby together, and then we make our way downstairs to the pool. He really loves being in the water (definitely takes after his mama) and is making really great progress. It's a great part of our weekly routine right now.
And for today, one of my most favorite quotes from Mary Jean Iron that I recite to myself often:
Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.
I wish you a wonderfully normal, ordinary day.
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![Two Peas](http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10513/24901/21775/26723/image.jpg"width="120"height="240"style="border:0px;"alt=)
yay for the all-day bed! …although ours often ends up with nothing but the fitted sheet if my girls get the chance to turf the doona off when i’m not watching…
Love “first breakfast, second breakfast, third breakfast” — my daughter does exactly the same, and that’s *exactly* what we call it!
)
I think the chaos is what’s ordinary
.
Hi Jenny – the original (unedited) photo of the bath is much more yellow/orange (taken without a flash but with a higher ISO…probably 1000). In Photoshop I adjusted the levels to get it that much nicer (and more true-to-life) white.
I was wondering what I was going to put on the last page of my week and your quote today is perfect. What a great way to remember that every day is important. Could you share some sources for finding great quotes like the ones you’ve posted this week? Thanks for sharing this project and your life with us.
Hi Miss Niki – yes, definitely using the timer
.
Hi Patty – sorry I missed that question
. That shower curtain is from Anthropologie…purchased a couple years ago now.
Thank you for the reminder that I really need to appreciate the normal in my day and that one day I won’t have it and will desperately want it back.
love the pic of anna’s bath time, so cute! I’m also loving your bedding and it has inspired me to add more pattern to ours…I painted our wall blue because I have a large “Starry Night” Van Gogh print but I’m obsessed with new bedding and already want to change it after only lived there for 6 months! am I crazy?! haha
I am truly finding inspiration in the “normal-ness” of daily routine through this project. Thanks for the inspiration!
Absolutely LOVE that quote!!
I am learning to really embrace & love this project. Thank you!
I love what you captured in photos on Thursday.
I am having so much fun with the photos this week! (and the project in general) I am going to try and repeat it in a few weeks because hubby was out of town for 1/2 of this week, and I’d love to do a week where he is here for the entirety. It’s a lot of work- i feel like I have taken on a 2nd job this week, but i think the results will be so worth it!
p.s. thank you for the awesome quotes!
You make me appreciate the routine of everyday life. That isn’t always easy. Thank you!
My “week in the life” is, unfortunately, not the typical one for me and my family, cause both me and kids are sick… So I can capture really BASIC, everyday things.
http://saudada.blogspot.com/2010/04/week-in-life-pometek-nietypowy-tydzien.html
Ali,
I love your peonies and am sooo jealous you live in an area that they can grow in. In Texas, it is too hot and doesn’t get cold enough for long periods. My grandmother tried her hand at growing them one year, and only succeeded in growing a big, green plant.
Enjoy them!
Alisa
I just love this day. I’ve watched your other days and been a bit overwhelmed, so many words, so much intention, so much I guess. Your Thursday seems do-able, and wonderful. Wonderful in its ordinary-ness. I love that you’re recording your story and sharing your story all at one time. It’s so great. Also love the quote. Had a rough day with my 2 year old yesterday and love him so much more because of it. Sometimes he reminds me what I can be like sometimes! Ah, stubbornness. Hope you have a great Friday Ali.
Hi Ali,
Thanks so much for welcoming us into your home and family life. It is incredibly inspiring to capture the simple (and “normal”) moments of everyday life. We really cannot take anything for granted, can we?
Have a wonderful Friday!
My favorite quote yet!
Love this! What a great way to capture a day. And I absolutely love that quote! So glad you shared it.
I love your yellow bedding! Where’s it from? I am having my living room wall painted a similar color this weekend!
Ali,
I just love this quote. You have used it before somewhere and it struck me then as well…I needed to hear it today! Thanks for all you inspire….
Hi – it’s from Pottery Barn (a couple years back I think).
Hi Alie, My daughter talked me into following you and her in the week in the life.. She did it with you back in 2008, and loved the whole thing. I’m having trouble with the daily picture taking. But thanks to your blog and my daughters you are helping me along. And i’m learning to use my camera. Thanks for the inspiration.
These photos made me smile. Thanks again for sharing your journey with us this week.
I love the all day bed picture. My bed has only been made one day this week. I love this project! I am a first timer and I am so glad that I took it on. The thing that i have noticed the most is that my dog is such a huge part of our day to day routine. He has ended up in almost all of the pictures. I love it. I am feeling greatful that i am teaching my kids to love animals as much as I do. Thanks so much for doing this!
Thanks so much for your post! I tend to forget to record the “everyday” in photos and only record the “big” things. A wonderful reminder that everyday is a big day! I just printed out the quote and hung it above my computer desk
ahhh I finally can post hope i’m not too late…had problems being able to leave you a comment for the really big give away…I love your blog, and find awesome ideas! Your awesome!
I am unable to participate this week but am planning on doing a week in the life project at m summer camp this summer. I think it would be interesting to depict a week in that ‘life’ as my days are so ordinary there but very different from my everyday ‘school-year life’.
I must say that some of your photos are extraordinary! You amaze me everyday with your ability to capture feeling and life in almost every picture! Thank you for sharing!
I took my notes and pictures last week because I just couldn’t wait to get started. I’m putting things together this week. I really love this project and I know it’s going to be one of my favourite albums. Thanks for the inspiration and guidance.
LOVE that quote. Thanks!
Happy Friday Ali,
I’m glad your day was more easier for you yesterday. I love that photo of you and Anna after the bath. That was a cool idea to take picture of your outfit, which I love by the way. You look great, do you workout everyday? Simon is getting so big love his beautiful eyes they always seem to sparkle. That’s a great one of you two in the mirror together. I took a picture of my dishes in the sink this morning.
Thank you so much for inspiring me to do this album. It’s been a whole family thing. My son came home yesterday and said I want crackers with pb then I want to take a picture of them. He thinks of things all day long, my husband who never touches the camera is taking pictures now too. It’s so much fun to do this with them. They even help with the journaling. Thank you so very much you are an amazing woman!!
I’m going to go practice with my timer now. Enjoy the day!!
popcorn and real simple
perfect!
Glad Thursday was a better day (emotions-wise). Every day is different and we must embrace each day, no matter what it brings. You do that so well! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Ali,I love to read your week in the life. It seems to know more about your life as a normal mama life. After reading your journal, I feel i am not alone to do it. It is great to share it and encouraging me to enjoy my life everyday. But, it’s pretty hard to take a shot everytime for me. It seems a little bit pressure to take a pic. I am trying to take it… thanks.. :>
I have loved all of your pictures this week. After viewing your pics on Monday — I was inspired to take pictures of things that I thought were too mundane to bother with before. THANKS. I haven’t put anything in an album yet — but am looking forward to it with journaling.
Love that quote. It hangs in my work room! It is a daily reminder of how grateful I am for the “normal day.”
I’m so excited. I just figured out how to use the timer on my daughter’s camera without the manual, still can’t figure out on mine. So happy, took a couple of myself. They didn’t come out to bad, going to try more. It figures today I can do it, now the kids are home all weekend and they could be doing it but oh well. Maybe we will try some group photos when everyone’s home tonight. Thanks for idea Ali, makes a big difference in my pictures now.
Love all your photos Ali. I am having fun taking pics but am struggling with journaling. OK- to be honest- I have none:( I know I will be able to come up with some things because everyday was almost the same routine. I just feel that my journaling is always boring. Does anyone else have the same problem and if so, how do you tackle the issue?
thanks for visual reminder to take photos of pick-up, drop-off of the kids- caught that moment this a.m. loving this project- and my whole family has embraced the spirit of it too (getting harder to get good candid shots by weeks end- they are hamming it up for the ever present camera!)
Once again you amaze and inspire me! Thank you for sharing your day. I love your photos and the quote is perfect!
What a quote. I have had that “not a normal” day and really don’t ever ever ever want it again. Thank you for that.
Thanks for the quote.
Thansk for keeping us all on track!
I was so thrilled to have a frind who is a fellow Week in the Life participant in my yoga class last night. We could stay late and take some self timer photos. Wonder if you have any other week in the life friends you are working with in person–or just over the net?
Really neat quote–always nice to have an “ordinary” day.
Hi Kimberly,
I thought it would be hard to journal also. Finding that it’s easier everyday. I write down the facts, weather, meals, wakeup time, chores,etc…but then I started writing about what we were talking about during our meals, the kids talking to each other, jokes, what they said about school, and now they love this part too. The other day Sam was chewing on some gum and when he was done he said mom “DO YOU WANT TO SAVE THIS FOR THE ALBUM” he was half serious and joking. So I wrote that down to not forget, it was so funny. I wrote that my dauhgter likes to save energy and that she brushes her teeth with no lights on and takes a shower without a light on. I also wrote down where we went and what we saw, what we are all reading. It seems so unimportant now but I know in 20 years they will be glad I did it and we can all laugh at this. Hope this helps.
I can’t believe I’ve made it to Friday! I almost didn’t participate in this project, but at the last minute jumped on board. And, while it is a heck of a lot of work, I must admit I have really enjoyed it. My co-workers and others who are “in my week” are also excited about it and keep telling me they want to see my album when it’s finished. Thanks for the terrific idea, Ali!
I love this peek into your “normal day” and I love, love that quote. It made my normal day.
Ahh… gotta love Photoshop! Still, the photo is nice and clear. I really struggle with that. A bunch of my Week in the Life pics are blurry. I’ll just say that life doesn’t stand still, and my photos definitely capture that. Ha!
Thanks so much for the reply and for inspiring me to do this project! I have two boys (5 and 14 mos.), and I know I will look back at this album and be so thankful I took the time to document our daily life for a week.
I think I’m too late for the drawing, but the quotes from yesterday and today really struck a chord with me. Since the passing of my father, my mother, and my husband (in a span of less than two years), I know what it’s like to wish for normal days…I wish for the routine of coming in from school, talking to my husband (he was retired), and then going over to my mom’s (next door) to have a cup of coffee, a cookie, and a laugh–usually at my father’s or husband’s expense.
We are a family of photographers, going back at least two generations, so there will always be pictures to share with future generations, and I’m trying to write down as many of the stories as I can remember…thank you for reminding us that our books are a reflection of us, so they don’t have to be perfect!