Week In The Life™ 2022 | Ali's Monday

One of my favorite Dave Matthews Band lyrics is from the song Two Step: Celebrate we will because life is short but sweet for certain.

It's a song that went around + around in my head today as I documented the first day of my Week In The Life project for 2022. 

Around here it's the first official week of summer for the kids + the first full week with our new puppy Betty. It's also the last Week In The Life that all seven of us will be here for sure as Isaac heads to college and Simon will be moving into an independent living program in the fall.

Celebrate we will because life is short but sweet for certain. 

Here's a look at my Monday: 

We brought Betty home last week on Wednesday. She's an 8-week old white lab and she's awesome. She's also a baby puppy who requires early wake ups and lots of attention. I was up for the first time today at 3am (top photo) and then again at 5:30am. 

Celebrating watching the sun come up. 

Celebrating quick + easy shoes that I can put on before Betty and I head outside. 

Celebrating the hand that reaches out to hold mine when Betty and I head back to the bedroom after her breakfast, training, and play time. 

Celebrating the sun on my face and watching the sun rise - even sweeter because we've had so much rain this month. 

Celebrating this sweet addition to our family who loves to simply sit and sniff and listen and watch. 

Celerbrating the daisies. 

Celebrating the moment I'm able to make my first cup of coffee. 

Celebrating having a house full of kids. Anna, Audrey, and Elliott were all up fairly early considering it's now summer. So far they are either be hanging out on the couch or hanging outside with friends (definitely evident in today's photos). I love that they hang out in the living room when they are on their phones.  

Betty is at the stage where she's up for 30 min to an hour and then needs a rest. We are crate training so she naps in her crate in my office while I get some work done. 

Making some word art for next month's One Little Word prompt from Felicitas. Celebrating that this is my job. 

Celebrating these amazing David Austin rose blooms. 

Celebrating a more relaxed summer routine. Since today's the first day we haven't really established any rhythms yet but we did have a conversation with the girls about trying to plan ahead a bit about what kinds of hangouts they are doing and what kind of rides they'll need. 

Celebrating just chilling out. 

Celebrating crossing another design project off my list. Today I finished up the fourth Scrapbook Kit for 2023. 

Celebrating all the times I get to go outside with Betty. Seriously, I've been outside more the last week than I have in a very long time. In and out and in and out and in and out. 

Celebrating Simon saying to me “I’m having a good day.” After coffee this morning with friends + then getting to see Grandma and Grandpa. He also said “It can be exhausting having a good day."

Celebrating shared responsibilities and a calm + kind partner. 

Celebrating the simplicity of water filling up a dog bowl. 

Celebrating a couple of stolen minutes sitting on the couch with Aaron while Betty naps. 

Celebrating kids doing jobs before heading off to hang out with friends. 

Celebrating kids who value moving their bodies. 

Celebrating hugs with my girl who is getting closer and closer to being my height. 

Celebrating the quiet moments of puppyhood. 

Celebrating these two. Always. 

Celebrating how they are growing into good humans. 

Celebrating putting away the sheets as I walk by them sitting on the floor for the twentieth time. 

Celebrating Mom + Dad stopping by for a visit before heading to a doctor's appointment in town. 

Celebrating how like myself I feel in this moment. 

Celebrating this. 

Celebrating confidence + athleticism + sunshine. 

Celebrating catching up + conversation. Simon was filling Grandma in on our Star Wars Celebration adventure and Aaron and Dad were chatting about dogs. 

Celebrating the making of plans and the organizing of schedules and carpooling to one of the local trampoline parks. 

Celebrating deliveries. 

Celebrating a bean salad I made up last weekend and will be making on repeat. Cucumbers + snap peas + feta (mine's dairy free) + white beans + fresh mint + oil + rice vinegar + salt + pepper and today I added celery too. 

Celebrating us. Commiserating on our lack of sleep and making plans. Always making plans. 

Celebrating simply having him here. 

Celebrating him always. 

Lisa came up with a fun set of photo prompts for each day this week and today's ways #aeinthemirror. Loved capturing this one of my Simon and I as we said goodbye to my parents after their short visit.

One of the things I'm trying to do this week is capture some of the super basic things that are part of my life right now (like my Birkenstocks above). Sparkling water is the drink of choice around here. 

Celebrating Anna and her friends deciding to come over here for a hangout after the trampoline park. I love that they've reached the stage where it's a fun mix of kids. 

Celebrating the mess and the extra dishes and the constant need to restock stuff and knowing that it won't always be this way. 

Celebrating team work and Anna's first boyfriend. 

Celebrating how much Issac loves Betty and how into getting her he was from the very beginning (he's a major cat dude). 

Celebrating being the house where they hang out. 

Celebrating making dinner (carne asada from Trader Joes and taco stuff) for anyone who wants it with Dave Matthews playing on the speaker. 

Celebrating a warm weather local favorite. 

Celebrating team work again as they work to get the volleyball out of the tree. 

Celebrating Issac and his set up and how much time he's been spending with friends recently. We are super excited for head up the road to Corvallis (Oregon State) this fall. I can't wait for his stories. 

Celebrating this. Seriously. 

Celebrating the sunshine. 

Celebrating more conversation. 

Part of what made today awesome was simply having everyone around for so much of the day. A bunch of Elliott's friends + girl friend are out of town and it was awesome simply having his presence in the house. 

Celebrating all the things that make each kid unique. 

Celebrating these kind of moments. 

One word for today: complete. 

That's how I feel at the end of today: there was a little bit of everything and a whole lot of goodness. I'll take it. 

Celebrate we will because life is short but sweet for certain.

I'm adding my photos to this post at 8:30pm on Monday evening so there will likely be a few more evening photos that make it into my actual project. 

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17 thoughts

  1. sim1 says…
    06/21/2022

    Wow -these photos and words are so moving. Thank you as always for sharing so honestly.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. murraymckay says…
      12/19/2022

      I also find these images https://madalinstuntcars.co amazing. The puppies are so cute.

  2. HollyK says…
    06/21/2022

    Awesome as always! Totally loved Simon's comment it can be so exhausting having a good day. That made me totally lol. Yep Simon you are so right too! Yay for the kids being around for you sounds like the perfect start to summer.

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. totteacher says…
    06/21/2022

    Loved this photos of your day! I admit I giggled out loud when the volleyballl was stuck in the tree... 😆

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. yin100 says…
    06/21/2022

    Love your photos and words, they are simply and such great - life story telling. And the lyrics of that song! Thank you!

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Untiedt says…
    06/21/2022

    Your Monday photos are awesome. I love your mom with Betty. I love the outside photos. I love the photos of things. I love most of all are all the photos with Betty. She stole the show. Loving the inspiration. I need to mix up my photo angles to keep it more interesting.

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. cabonebr says…
    06/21/2022

    Ali, these photos & words are so amazing and inspiring. I love all the joy and the little moments you've captured. I'm so happy you're sharing your storytelling / memory keeping passion and talents with the world and encourage others to take their own journeys along with you. Thanks for all you do!
    BTW, King Estate Pinot Gris (well, practically everything King Estate!) is a favorite around our house too. (I belong to their wine club so I can get their wines here in Iowa!)

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. AliEdwards says…
      06/21/2022

      Oh I love that! It's a beautiful winery!!!

  7. fannyathome says…
    06/21/2022

    Thanks for sharing Ali! I'm in for my 13th year! Betty is just adorable! We are thinking about getting a dog... still not sure about it. And... I have exactly the same shoes for working in the garden!

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. Mlkohl says…
    06/21/2022

    Good days can be tiring… so perceptive!

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. mrsmahersbar says…
    06/21/2022

    Beautiful! Just beautiful. All of it.

    Also I LOVE your sweater - the one that’s orange and blue. Wondering if it’s a recent purchase?

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. AliEdwards says…
      06/21/2022

      Hi! Yes - it's from Pendleton (just got it).

  10. jstock17 says…
    06/21/2022

    Such wonderful inspiration in this post, Ali! I can’t wait to see how this all comes together. I love the “celebrating” prompt as well as the photo in the mirror. And those photos of your people - just perfect! Life as it is!

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. geordie281 says…
    06/21/2022

    Well, I've nearly stopped crying... beautiful post, such a lovely way of approaching the day. The quote resonates with me as my husband died quickly and completely unexpectedly in mid December. Life IS short. My WITL is going to look utterly different this year. We always say everything is the same until it isn't, and I've learned that the hard way. So many in the community talk about their husbands not wanting their photo taken, but PLEASE try and get them in the shots, from the back, from in a doorway, whatever. I would love to have captured my husband walking up the lane with our bin from behind, because that's now my job. I would love to have captured him sweeping up the fallen limes and oranges because that's now my job. Yes to the view of the fridge. When he was here I would sometimes struggle to find a spot for real food in our fridge because he had so many pickles, relishes, sauces etc. Now the fridge is almost empty.Life is short.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. sim1 says…
      06/22/2022

      Much love to you

  12. elli says…
    06/23/2022

    I was curious if some of your photos are captured from the videos or if you're taking photos and video at the same time.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. AliEdwards says…
      06/23/2022

      I'm actually doing them one after the other. I know I could use the "live" photo option but sometimes I want longer videos.

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