Week In The Life™ 2016 | Monday Words & Photos

As I made my way through Monday I kept thinking that I wasn't taking enough photos. When I uploaded them all I had more than enough to tell the story of this day. After doing this project for so many years I've loosened up a bit with my own personal intensity but I still want to make sure I'm getting a good bunch to choose from. One of the things I'm going for this time is a healthy mix of shots I've taken before (I love comparing from year to year) and some new ones even in the familiar spaces of my home. 

Today's soundtrack: Justin Timberlake's new song Can't Stop The Feeling

General thoughts: My people are growing. Things are good around here. I love my yard. I'm so thankful to be done with April. I still love how this project invites/forces me to capture more. 

Below I'm sharing my photos from the day and my thoughts/reflections to go along with them. Some reflections are emotional. Some are factual. Some include a bit of both. Some photos I'm just letting stand on their own and others are a gateway to other stories of life right now. 

Remember, as with most of these kinds of projects, it's the sum of all the parts vs. any one particular day that is most magical. Keep going. If you missed something today try to capture it in some way tomorrow. 

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 date circle I used on my main image above can be found here (either filled or outline):  Week In The Life™ Messy Circles

Here's a look at my Monday: 

I started the shower and then looked out the window and saw the top blooms of my Japanese Snowbell tree. It's a window I look out probably every day but I rarely take photos out it. Soon there will be a blanket of white blooms in my backyard under this tree. I like how I can very faintly see my reflection in this photo. 

The places we step. The textures. The painted toes. The things that need to be cleaned. The floors I've become used to. 

Loving that light happens earlier at this time of year. 

Do you see what I see? Anna under the table, not thrilled that I set up the camera this Monday morning to capture the two of us at breakfast. I said nothing, just took the shot and then went back to the business of breakfast and our morning routine. 

Can't go wrong with a friend who shares your taste in pink + cheetah prints. 

After he eats breakfast and gets himself ready he can play video games until I get back from taking Anna to school. This morning he was playing Lego Harry Potter. 

He is taller than me now. 

Waiting in line at Walgreens to pick up my prescriptions after dropping kids off and going through the car wash. 

Someone on Instagram asked me if my eyes and body were sad when they saw this photo. My response was this "Always - but not in a bad way! All good here. I'm thankful for both the ups and the downs." 

I think this is probably one of the reasons why people hesitate in taking photos of themselves and sharing them. It's a vulnerable thing. As human beings we are so rooted in stories that we immediately create stories about what we see and that can be scary/uncomfortable for people who don't want to be judged one way or the other. I was actually super happy while I was sitting here at Walgreens waiting for my prescription because I was the only one in line and the person working was quick and efficient and it was a good morning. 

Just because someone isn't smiling into the camera doesn't mean that they are sad or melancholy. And I firmly believe that it's okay to be sad and melancholy and to show it and document it when you are. It is a part of all our lives and I've come to know that there is beauty in the sadness when it rises it. That's what is real - it's just as real as the joy. 

George's new favorite spot. 

The business of business includes check writing to my accountant and attorney. 

Katie's here two days a week now and she works from home the other days. We do a lot of chatting and planning on Mondays. Today I was working on my 24th Story Kit™ designs. 

Katie goes home for lunch and I go downstairs to see what I can eat. Leftover pizza for the win. 

This year I planted something new: allium. I planted both a white and a purple variety. They were awesome. Loved having them in my yard for some contrast with my other plants. 

Here come the peonies. So close to bursting wide open. 

Paolo was here last weekend and helped me set up my new outdoor couch. This is my happy place. This and the pool. I sat out here to eat my lunch and read the paper. 

Katie returns and we both work through our to-do lists. I leave at 3pm to go get Simon and attend a high-school transition meeting. 

I did't take any specific photos during the meeting itself. To be honest I didn't even think about it. The process of getting to today's high-school transition meeting has been intense (much of March and April was consumed with this issue). We are so happy with the high school Simon will be attending and the program he will be in but it really took a lot to get to this point. Today he got to meet his case manager/teacher/program director (he had lots of questions for her about her movie knowledge) and ask some questions about what will happen during freshman year. We got to talk about his schedule and what classes he would start out in during the fall term. We are hoping for a smooth transition and a soft-landing for him as he begins the next phase of his education. 

While I was at the meeting Katie picked up Anna and headed over to her parents who were hanging out with baby Graham. They happened to be wearing matching sweaters of course. 

Home again about 5:45pm. 

One of my personal goals this summer is to get really comfortable with grilling a variety of things. 

Tonight it was flank steak and zucchini. Simon complained about it and then ate all of it + the roasted beets. He has come so, so far in his eating habits. 

Math homework after dinner. It included me googling stuff to remember certain things or to get some vocabulary to walk him through the steps with the least amount of words. And lots of reminders to slow down and read the problem and make sure his answer passes a common sense test. 

Dishes. Always. 

While I edited and uploaded photos tonight Simon asked if he could read to me from  Goblet Of Fire. He twirls his hair when he reads. I've been encouraging him to read the books when he asks me questions about Harry Potter storylines telling him that he will learn so much more if he reads the books (he's read the first two all the way through and has picked up the others now and again). Anna hung out on the pink couch until it was time for her to get in bed. 

A first around here for the few minutes that both cats sat next to each other on my desk. It was short-lived but lovely while it lasted. 

I stopped taking photos at this point while the kids were here in the office and I was working on this post. My week will even out with evening shots on the coming days. 

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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.