Week In The Life™ 2014 | Saturday Words & Photos

Words matter. 

They add context and personalize our overall memory keeping experience. They also answer the reason why like I mentioned on Thursday's photos - the why adds so much. Thanks for playing along with my reminder yesterday and I appreciate those of you who are taking it to heart for your own words and stories. I hope it encourages you to tell more. 

Today I'm going to share what Saturdays are for around here. 

My weekends aren't always the same. Chris and I share weekend time with the kids so there are many weekends I'm on my own. This weekend the kids are here with me (last year when I did this project they were with Chris). Most weekends with the kids are really low key - hanging out, recharging, relaxing. Today was a little outside the norm, but it was awesome.

As I know many of you are, I'm looking forward to being done with the intensity of the documentation. I let up quite a bit by this time in the week and I'm totally okay with that. Take some time today to see what images you might be missing or what photos would make good fill-ins if you haven't taken as many as you'd like over the course of the week. 

I'll be back tomorrow to share my final day of words and photos and then later next week I'll share my process for getting all the content into an album. 

SATURDAY PHOTOS & WORDS

About 130 DSLR photos + 28 iphone.

Saturdays are for waking up later than the usual 5:30am or 6am alarm for kids and school during the week. 

Of course, everyday is for coffee. 

Saturdays are for all kinds of imaginative play. This is especially more fun when your cousin is in town and you are both wearing pink bathrobes. 

Saturdays are for computer games in your robe at Mom's desk. 

Saturdays are for baths in the middle of the day. 

Saturdays are for trips to Home Depot for new exterior door hardware. 

Saturdays are for lounging on the couch. Or in the case of this story, Anna needing some quiet time away from her cousin. 

Saturdays are for these kinds of looks. 

Sometimes Saturdays are for staying home all day and sometimes Saturdays are for adventures. This particular Saturday included a big adventure for my sister, Aaron, Simon and I as Jessica got tickets to the University of Oregon football game against Stanford. 

We took a cab from my house over to the Stadium and Simon jumped right in the front seat. 

Many of you know that I went to Oregon State and I'm definitely a Beaver fan. I will always be a Beaver fan. But man it was fun to go to Autzen and watch the Ducks. 

And I loved having my sister be the one to take me. 

Saturdays are for meeting up with friends who know just how to engage Simon. 

Saturdays are for laughing. 

Saturdays are for capturing life in whole new environments. 

This is right up there as a favorite photo for the whole week. This is precisely why I carry that big camera around. 

Jessica and Simon sat together one row in front of us and a few seats down the aisle. At first he was completely disinterested and we'd brought along his headphones and phone on the likely chance the whole thing would be too much for him. He ended up doing awesome and so much of it had to do with Jessica's support and encouragement and teaching him different aspects of the game. 

The moment I saw him engaged and interested I was so, so happy. 

Saturdays are for getting out of the house. 

Saturdays are for doing things together. 

Saturdays are for moments. 

Jessica took this shot of Simon and shared the following on Instagram, "That moment - when your sweet little nephew - who really wasn't interested in going to the game - embraces his first football experience, learns some of the rules of the game, and totally gets into the excitement of it all."

Now that is absolutely what Saturday's are for. Love you Jessica. 

SHARE YOUR SATURDAY

I'd love to have you share a link to your SATURDAY 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.

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27 thoughts

  1. Esk74 says…
    11/02/2014

    Yes, the words make all the difference. All the difference. Wow.
    Not me looking at details of the photos, but me seeing the whole story.
    Thanks for illustrating how important the words are, and how important it is to tell our stories.
    What you wrote about the footballgame and Simon is so powerful. Such a beautiful story, with priceless photos. To see him enjoy it so much really touched my heart, such an awesome boy!
    (And also a good reminder to tell more stories of my eldest daughter... I usually shy away from writing stories about her. I take the pictures, but don't tell the stories... Of how it makes me feel, and what my thoughts are.... And they tell so much more: about what an amazing girl she is, the hurdles she has to overcome, how much she already has grown, how incredibly happy it makes me to see her happy when people understand her special needs and approach, to see how she absolutely radiates and can then show how what an incredible talent she has. Thank you Ali. Thank you.

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  2. hgauvin says…
    11/02/2014

    That last picture? Priceless!

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  3. Evi13 says…
    11/02/2014

    Thank you Ali for sharing all your stories !! And thank you for keeping us motivated to go through this Week In The Life project, even if it could be a little bit boring some days !!!!
    I'm so in this project, can't thank you enough for this !!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. alicegourdon says…
    11/02/2014

    I don't do week in the life... I tried a few years back and couldn't commit to do it, but i love the concept, and i love that you keep doing it every year. I love reading your daily thoughts. The reason you do WITL is why i love taking pictures.
    Today i'm moved by the photo of your hands (yours and Aaron ?) almost touching and your feet close to each others. It makes me think of a scene in a French movie (Les Poupées Russes by Cédric Klapish http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=55984.html) where he shows the 2 characters are in love by filming their hands touching and getting together. Love the suggestivness (i don't even know if that's a word !).
    I also love what you tell about Simon at the game. So awesome to document such an eclosion of your son.
    Love your work Ali. Keep doing it and inspiring us. Thank you.

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  5. Jana_NJ says…
    11/02/2014

    The story of today was very emotional for me, because I understand how important this is for a Autistic person, and how overwhelming this environment can be.
    My son is much younger than Simon but Simon reflects maybe my future and what my son can be.
    People don't get how the environment sometimes can be overwhelming to to them. To go to a restaurant he has to have his phone because otherwise all the noise, music, lights makes he wants to run from there. So I take it so we can have a moment out but I see many eyes that judge me as a bad mother because I'm not coloring or doing other stuff you suppose to do in a restaurant, because they don't know the STORY. You never know the story.

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  6. YolandaL says…
    11/02/2014

    Simon will never know how many people root and cheer--and yes, shed big, sappy tears--when he learns something new. I love this post and the story. I can't wait to see the way you capture it in your album and future pages.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Esk74 says…
      11/02/2014

      Yep, I'm definitely one of those: got all emotional reading this post. Go Simon!

  7. mtercha says…
    11/02/2014

    Looked like a real special, awesome day. Michelle t

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  8. Senovia says…
    11/02/2014

    I'm a little tears at Simon's success! Go Jessica!

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  9. wendyg says…
    11/02/2014

    I am so glad to see I'm not the only one who got teary eyed about Simon:), great stories Ali! And I love how Anna wears pink lipstick, so sweet!

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. anandi says…
    11/02/2014

    Love that you recognized that Anna needed a bit of quiet time away from her cousin :) I would have done a lot better with friend overnight visits as a kid if someone would have helped me recognize that!

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  11. jeannine says…
    11/02/2014

    All I can say is what super photos!!!

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  12. Jeannew says…
    11/02/2014

    The words really do matter! That's my favorite part of memory keeping-the words. Love the last picture. Got goose bumps seeing his reaction and reading your story.

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  13. Maxpuppy says…
    11/02/2014

    I totally teared up when I read that last bit ~ Simon rocks! My 7 year old boy (who has HFA) went to his second ever football match (soccer) yesterday and is rapidly becoming a fan. He also had headphones and the distraction of a big cousin's iPhone, but all told, he did brilliantly!
    Don't you love how the Internet (when used for good) brings us all closer and helps in sharing the incredible milestones that SEN children (and all children, I'm thinking) overcome and conquer?
    Thanks for sharing so much of your lives. You'll never know just how much it means.

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. cliebel says…
    11/02/2014

    the stadium shots are great and good for Simon for having a fantastic "live" football experience.

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. cathyzielske says…
    11/02/2014

    Ali, that shot of Simon, in the crowd? Damn. You really do wield that thing with a purpose. Amazing.

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. jessiw says…
    11/02/2014

    I love your photos, and I'm so glad I've participated in A Week in the Life this year. It really makes you realize things on both life and documenting!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. desilei says…
    11/02/2014

    Oh Ali, you do this so beautifully. I read this "The moment I saw him engaged and interested I was so, so happy." and I nearly started crying. Maybe it's because I miss my kids this weekend (they'll be home in a few short hours now after being with their Dad). You have helped me in so many ways that you don't even understand. You give me hope and you give me the strength to get through things because you are doing it too. Can't wait to see your Sunday post. --Desiree

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  18. soonermama says…
    11/02/2014

    Great story and photos too!

    Here is my link for Saturday: http://athomewiththerichardsfamily.blogspot.com/2014/11/week-in-life-2014-saturday.html

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  19. ScrappinMyHeartOut says…
    11/02/2014

    Another crier of happy tears for Simon. That last photo WOW WOW WOW. Beautiful.

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. N_lewis says…
    11/02/2014

    Goosebumps right here. I thought my favourite picture was the one of Jessica and Simon and then I got to the end .... Wow!

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. Yin_ says…
    11/03/2014

    Wow. Jessica's words on that moment brought tears to my eyes. Yes, those moments are worth more than anything and why we capture them in images and words. Thank you Ali

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  22. Bellaa75 says…
    11/03/2014

    Oh, I'm getting choked up reading that lovely story about Simon. Adore that photo of him and your sister laughing, it's magic.

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  23. crecia27 says…
    11/03/2014

    Both of the shots of Simon at the game brought tears! What an amazing experience to capture! Makes me want to pull out my big camera more often too!

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  24. tishey says…
    11/04/2014

    Hi Ali. Beautiful photos and stories, as always. Just wondering - what kind of camera strap do you have?

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. gabriellec says…
    11/05/2014

    I love that photo of you Ali, it is a treasure.

    Reply 0 Replies

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