day in the life

The Ordinary

"Joy comes to us in ordinary moments. We risk missing out when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary." -Brene Brown

I'm taking a photography class with one of my favorite photographers, Ginger Unzueta over at Bloom, and one of the assignments for this week is to capture 10 photos of our day.  It has been a while since I purposefully documented the "ordinary" of our day, so I didn't hesitate to pick up my camera and start snapping away.

If you have never purposefully documented the routine and ins and outs of your day, I couldn't recommend it more. There's something about looking at the "ordinary" through the lens that makes it extraordinary. It's these little moments that I never want to forget....

5 Reasons to Document a Day In Your Life

Need a reason to document a day in your life?? I've got FIVE good ones for you today and I bet you will be charging your cameras and cleaning off your memory cards in about 2 seconds flat if you make it all the way to the end of this post! 

If you've been wanting to record a day in the life, now is the time! Ali Edwards' will be completing her second DITL of 2016 this Saturday and I totally encourage you to check it and play along! I've captured and recorded a single day for the past five years along with Ali (and on my own a few times) and the photos and memories are some of my very favorite. But the pictures....oh.my.gosh. They make me cry the ugly cry every.single.time. As much as I would like to think I remember everything, I just don't. Waaahh. I hate it, but it's true. We just can't remember it all, so thank heavens for cameras and notes and the stuff of life.

So here ya go, friends! My five awesome reasons for picking up your camera and being the crazy lady in Target snapping photos as your kids run down the aisles! 

Number one: Life goes so quickly.

Oh man does it ever. You know that saying "the days are long, but the years are short"? So flippin' true. I swear it was just yesterday that my son was in his crib sucking on his 400 pacifiers. I miss those cute little cheeks and chubby fingers and how he always had at least three pacifiers on him at any time. One in the mouth, two in the hand. Sigh. My ovaries kind of hurt now. Ok, sorry, I digress…

But seriously, though. Life is too short. The things that you think you'll remember this year will be soon replaced with memories from next year and the year after and the year after. Taking a moment to record the here and now is incredibly priceless. Just scroll back through your photos on your phone… You'll see what I'm talking about! 

Number two: You can view your world from a different perspective.

Fun fact. At least once a day I yell and scream at my kids under my breath (obviously...I'm not THAT mean). Yep… At least once a day. Spilled milk, skidmarks in underwear, and messes everywhere are enough to make me batty most days. Looking at your life through the lens, however, gives you a new perspective on things. It gives you a minute just sit back, observe, and laugh about these moments that will soon be long gone and long forgotten. I'm not saying that it's any less obnoxious when that second glass of milk spills on the floor, but at least my camera gives me a reason to enjoy that moment and record it!

Number three: You become a part of the picture.

If you're snap happy like me, you are usually behind the camera, not in front of it. I'll be the first one to raise my hand and admit that I don't like being in front of the camera. I feel awkward and weird and ugh... It's just bad y'all.

But… I know that my kids could care less, and down the road these will be photos that we will cherish, so I make a conscious effort to stick my happy face in some photos (and snap pics of my husband too, because he hates the camera maybe more than I do). Most of the shots with me have been taken around these day in the life or week in the life projects. And I'm totally fine with that! These are great opportunities for us to remember to let our hair down, and get crazy with our kids. This is real life, people. Record it!!

Number four: Things stay the same, but different at the same time.

It always surprises me every year I complete this project that many things stayed the same, but with a new life. Anna has been an avid book lover since she was a teeny, tiny, cute, little, skinny baby. Her love for books has never changed. Every year I take part in this project I snap a picture of Anna reading some type of book. I love how that one aspect of our lives has stayed the same, but has evolved in so many different ways. 

This project is a great way to celebrate those little things of life. The things that are the same. The things that make us who we are.

Number five: You create a time capsule of your story.

Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone. Good, bad, ugly, silly… You have a story to tell! So tell it. Grab your camera, snap away, and document the memories of your days. Then do it again the next year! I promise you won't regret it. Ever ever ever. 

Recording your everyday? Sounds a little scary right? I mean, the house isn't clean and there's laundry on the floor! But that's a-ok! That's the beauty of YOUR life and your day! This project can be whatever you want to make it. The most important thing is to tell your story and record those fleeting moments of life. So are you in? Hope so! 

Day In The Life








A glimpse of a day in our life...as well as our highs and lows.

Highs: sleeping in until 7:30, pretty morning light, couch conversations with the kids, yard landscaping underway, pep talks with best friends and awesome neighbors, playground meet up with an old college friend, the smell of library books, target run by.my.self., birthday excitement, relaxing on the couch with scott at the end of the day.

Lows: overall grumpy mood, being pulled by Chase all of the park, little messes everywhere, pollen, pollen and more pollen, crazy color issues with my computer.




Making Merry

We are well into December and I'm still having a hard time believing that Christmas will be here in just a few weeks. So far December has been full of the typical school schedules, activities, birthday parties and more, but I'm determined to make the rest of this month MERRY and fun! I think I often get too caught up in the everyday and forget to slow down and appreciate the moment.  Working hard these next few weeks to do just that. To slow down. To sit and enjoy. To let the laundry and house cleaning wait. To color with my kids and make Christmas crafts. To read a book by the fire. To just be.  It sounds so simple, but really, it's so darn hard.  

Hoping your days are slow and merry-ful. 

xoxo

September in Photos

These are the rest of my images from the September photo a day challenge.  It was a fun challenge and I'm so glad I carried my camera around with me throughout the month.  And while I take at least one photo a day (usually), I found this project kind of stressed me out a little.  I've seen where some people completed this project by ONLY taking one photo each day.  That's a lot of pressure.  I'm more of a snap and delete kind of gal, so I took a whole bunch, kept my favorite and deleted the rest. Of all the photo projects I've completed, I think Day in the Life or Week in the Life is a more accurate representation of our life.  But playing around with my camera, trying out new things and learning as I go is always a good time, so no complaints here!

Goodbye September!!!  

Week In The Life: Sunday Photos

I'll be sharing the highs and lows from each day throughout the week:

Sunday highs:

Scott cooking breakfast, getting organized for the week, soccer in the backyard, morning family walk, finding Anna reading Drew books, the sound of kids laughing and playing, washing, folding and putting away all of our laundry (high five for that), the best watermelon ever, family that lives close by, day date with Scott, walking around downtown, The Pit, Rye, outdoor concerts, sneaking closer to the stage, singing at the top of our lungs on the drive home

Sunday lows: looming deadlines, no creative motivation, most of the places being closed downtown, staying up too late

Week In The Life: Saturday Photos

I'll be sharing the highs and lows from each day throughout the week:

Saturday highs:

family breakfast, yummy Americano, Anna's outfits and her love of boots, morning walk down to the farmer's market, cool breezes, Lara Bars, drawing and coloring, Coconut Charlies, the kids changing back into their pajamas after we got home from a walk, homebodies, hanging with friends, walking downtown Wake Forest, Lafayette Village for dinner, kids running around, umbrella lights and fire pits, camp outs on the floor, happy kids

Saturday lows:

farmer's market closing early, 

showing up for a birthday party that is next weekend (womp womp), having to work on the weekend, chasing Chase around the backyard when it was time to leave, lines at the food truck festival

Week In The Life: Friday Photos

I'll be sharing the highs and lows from each day throughout the week:

Friday highs:

it's Fri-yay | 

no line at morning carpool | quiet work time in my office | morning shower | finding all of our names spelled out in scrabble tiles on the couch (by Drew) | lunch date at Gonza's with my boyfriend | chips and salsa | Jumpin' Beans | Anna's first soccer practice | dinner at a new restaurant | hangman | Christmas pajamas | potty dance for Anna | jumping on the bed

Friday lows: sub-par meal at Gonza's | no cash for the photo booth | craziness at dinner | kids acting like crazy kids | running out of printer ink | forgetting Anna's shinguards for soccer practice

Week In The Life: Thursday Photos

I'll be sharing the highs and lows from each day throughout the week:

Thursday highs:

running with Chrissy | yummy salad | lunch duty | Scott home | afternoon coffee and chat with Chrissy | hydrangeas | 

family "fancy dinner night" | chicken tacos | 

evening lake trip | finding "fools gold" and magic rocks | walking sticks | Blue Jay Point Park | summer sunsets on the drive home | awesome neighbors | preseason football | quiet time reading my book

Thursday lows:

carpool lines | heat and humidity (it's getting ridiculous here in NC) | Anna crying when I left school after lunch duty | sandy kids and dog and sand all in my car | piles and piles of laundry that need to be done | deadlines

Week In The Life: Wednesday Photos

I'll be sharing the highs and lows from each day throughout the week:

Wednesday highs:

half way to the weekend | 

iced coffee | no line at Target | new make-up | 

taking Chase to doggie daycare | playing with paper | more texts with Marcy |

 legos, legos and more legos | my staple lunch: sausage, eggs and avocados | sweet comments on Instagram | watercolors | 

being 15 minutes early to pick Anna up | monster drawing from Anna | swinging at the playground | quick trip to the library | 

dinner with Mimi & Poppy (high five for not having to cook) | forehead kisses from Drew | tired pup after doggie day care | hot baths | Scott coming home today

Wednesday lows:

Chase running after the neighbor's dog bright and early | the rush of the morning (even if I feel prepared and ready, it's always, always hectic) | Scott being gone | trash day | hitting my knee on the side of the chair | live chat problems | work craziness | black watercolor paint everywhere | messy craft room | out of this world humidity (so much for drying my hair) 

Week In The Life: Tuesday Photos

I'll be sharing the highs and lows from each day throughout the week:

Tuesday highs:

pretty morning light | Anna super excited and easy to wake up this morning | a great workout with my neighbors | taking a shower before work | playdate for Drew during my work call | productive morning | carpool line by myself | loud music | instagram break | iced coffee at the gym | texts from Marcy | Drew getting so excited over legos | power kale salad from Panera | Drew holding my hand | evening bike ride with the kids | bubble baths | Drew coming in and singing to me after I tucked him into bed "I've been loving you, you've been loving me, in my sweet heart" | a quiet house | making dinner plans with the bestie 

Tuesday lows:

creative drought | Drew getting sick when he wasn't with me | back pains | camera focus issues | Chase pulling on the walk like a crazy dog | pouring rain on the way to gymnastics | no umbrella | white pants and mud puddles | traffic on the way to pick up Anna | stinky trash | Chase stealing all of our socks | Drew's boo boo | Scott gone for the night | drying my hair | humidity 

Week In The Life: Monday Photos

I totally didn't plan on doing Week in the Life this year, but...

I have loved every single photo, detail and memory I've captured in my previous WITL books (

2014

,

2013

,

2013 Project Life

,

2011

), but I'm not sure I've got a whole week in me this go 'round. 

I think there is a lot of pressure when it comes to documenting AN ENTIRE week of your life (at least there is for me).  I get all stressed out....like I might miss something, or forget my camera, or maybe the photo won't tell the story like I pictured it in my mind.  I talked myself out of recording our days this year because I just wasn't sure I would get it "right".  But somehow today, I found myself reaching for my camera trying to capture our moments.  I originally told myself I would try to do ONE photo of the day - that can't be that hard for a picture-taker like myself, right.  I obviously couldn't stop at just one, though.  How do you choose just one?  So I gave myself the freedom to snap away without the worry of what kind of album I would create, or even if I would print these photos. 

I challenged myself to just see our life through the lens.  And like always, I am so glad and so grateful that I decided to pick up the camera.  I don't think I will ever tire of documenting and recording our days.  I do it all the time anyway.  There shouldn't be any pressure or expectation or comparison.  You shouldn't have to worry about albums or pockets or filler cards.  It should be just as it sounds - a week in your life....documented.

I'll be sharing the highs and lows from each day throughout the week:

Monday highs:

TCX | sunny skies | Drew excited to go to the gym | tea parties | Anna starting a diary | Chase's ollies in the yard | crepe myrtles and their bright flowers | brussels sprouts. lots and lots of brussels sprouts | grilled chicken salad | reading Me Before You | Drew's naked belly | playing vet doctor with the kids | giggles | evening walk with just Scott and Chase | photo editing

Monday lows:

leftover homework | carpool line | Drew's messy room | potty accidents | Anna's meltdown during dinner | unloading the dishes | Drew's ouchie 

Around Here

We are trying our best to enjoy every single minute of every single day.  Life gets busy, but making time to be together and laugh and giggle is what feeds our soul.  The weather has cooled down, just barely, really - but enough for us to want to go and hang outside.  Our favorite is taking the pup down to the lake to splash and swim.  We usually always end up with two wet kiddos too (oops, mom, I don't know how that happened...).  We've enjoyed a few summer concerts lately and have a few more on our schedule.  Live music + outside = amazing.

Hope your week has been awesome.

xoxo