5 on the 5th | april 2014

Each month I wonder what could I possibly take photos of that tell our family's story. If you're like me, you think that you've taken all the photos that could possibly be taken.

Wrong.

For April's 5 on the 5th photo project, I focused on art projects that kids have created. I'm glad I did because I don't think that I've ever taken photos of all their creations and it's something I want to do and perhaps even create a mini album of the collection.

What is 5 on the 5th?

5 on the 5th is a project where I capture our family's extraordinarily ordinary everyday moments on the 5th day of each month. It's based on the infamous 12 on the 12th photo project we've all heard of., but I changed it up knowing that I wouldn't take the time or remember to take 12 photos each month,.

I chose the number 5, since we have 5 family members.

I use my iPhone to take my photos and post to Instagram throughout the day, tagging the photos with #5onthe5th. If you do a search, you'll see that there are other IG'ers documenting their everyday moments right along with me each 5th day of the month.

I then post our 5 photos here on the blog, but most people don't. I just like to because then I have a permanent record of what I've documented.

Why should you take on another photo project?

If you happen to be thinking, as I often do, that time is precious and you just don't know that you can add another to do item to your list, I perfectly understand. But let me share this, as I look back on all our 5 on the 5th blog posts I see that I've captured moments that I had already forgotten about, that would have been lost if not for the 10 seconds it took me to snap a quick photo.

But I'm single...newly married...we don't have kids...our kids are grown.

If you're single, or are newly married, or don't have any children and think it's not a project for you...you're wrong. Wrong. I would love to have more everyday, detail photos of my days as a single college student. And I know I want photos of Gordon and I when we're the only ones left at home, I pray we have new, never done before adventures of our own to capture and document.

April 2014

1 | We have a home full of art projects on display and I am in awe of their talents! They take after their DaDa in the artistic arena. I am creative, but couldn't paint a bowl of fruit if I tried. Just as with everything else, each of the kids has their own personal style.

2 | Doesn't everyone have a drawing of themselves hanging on the dryer? We have so many art projects and drawings and creations that Victoria just takes it upon herself to find new ways to display them all. This one has been hanging on the dryer for over a year...and it's still there.

The rug used to be in the Nursery and we've given it a new home in the laundry room, which used to also be my craft room. I had desks lined up on the wall under the window you see in the photo.

3 | The other side of our laundry room has a clay art peace sign made by Zach during a Summer art class and a drawing by Isabella drawn years ago of her most favorite sleep buddy, Princess Kitty. Princess Kitty is now about as flat as that piece of paper and she still sleeps with her. She does not like to think of the day when Kitty won't be part of her bedtime routine. 

4 | The girls didn't know that I was going with an art theme for #5onthe5th this month, but look at what I spied them doing this afternoon, creating more art! This time they're painting and that's why they're sitting on top of a plastic tablecloth.

5 | Mermaid and Weaving. Created by Victoria and Zach. Zach's weaving won an award in the county Art Show many years ago. And yes, more laundry room art...at least I am surrounded by beauty while I wash, dry, fold and iron.

Thanks to all of you that played along and used the #5onthe5th hashtag on Instagram so that I could drop in to peek at the everyday moments of your extraordinary lives you were documenting!

If you're new to the blog and want to know more about 5 on the 5th, read this blog post. If you post about your own #5onthe5th photos, leave a comment so I can drop by for a visit!

follow along on Instagram {monikawright_iloveitall} where I tag my photos with #5onthe5th

all photos made using my iPhone 5s

January | February | March | April

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around here

Around here, we've been doing some home improvement projects. If you knew us in real life, that would not seem at all out of the ordinary. We always have a project or two going on, or in the plans. 

We're that kind of family.

We began our life together strolling the aisles of home improvement stores as we began preparing our home {it's Gordon's grandparent's home, where Papa grew up} to live in as a family with Zach six months before we married. Almost 16 years later, and many renovation projects later, we still stroll the aisles together. And instead of little man Zach tagging along, we now have the girls with us.

And even though it seemed that Zach did not enjoy these trips, or even the whole home improvement life his Mommy and Dad enjoyed, he is his own mini-Gordon and creates furniture for his home and for the business he works for. 

Photo Credit: Isabella Wright

A lot of things going on here. 

1. Isabella asked to get a photo of our feet. 

2. I smiled because she asked for that photo. 

3. Gordon is rolling his eyes because she asked for the photo. 

4. He's smiling while grumbling about said photo but concedes to standing still for the photo. 

5. Victoria is cheerfully going along with Isabella's request. 

6. And this all in an aisle in the middle of Lowe's...that's a DaDa's love for his girl!

Choosing her favorite color to paint an accent wall in her room. In case you can't tell, it's boo, her baby word for blue.

Thinking that color-coded drinking cups might help the explosion of drinking glasses in the dishwasher that occurs every Spring and Summer. Can you guess which color belongs to each of us?

Checking on the progress of his Travelall. He says it's looking good. We say we're happy he's happy.

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happy easter

Enjoy more Sunday Photos.

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50 until 50 | mini album set-up

My #50until50 mini album set-up is underway!

I shared 50 facts about myself on Instagram {@monikawright_iloveitall} and most of them on Facebook as well. You can search #50until50 on Instagram and find them if you want to check them all out before I share them in my mini album. My intention with sharing them in that way was that I would be accountable for actually completing the #50thingsaboutme. There were many, many days that I skipped as we dealt, and are still dealing with, the passing of my beloved, and loved, Father-in-Law, whom we all called Papa. 

As you can see, I'm pulling out papers from my collection of Six By Six designer paper pads, stash left over from my stint as a My Mind's Eye Design Team member I do so dearly love their designs and color palettes. 

At this point, I'm in the hunting and gathering stage and still contemplating how to design the front cover of my chipboard cover. My simple scrapper side tells me just to stick with a simple 6x6 page, but my I-want-to-play-with-paper side tells me to mix it up with different page styles.

Which side do you think will win?

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simple gift card envelopes

Gift cards are a common gift idea for coaches and teachers, at least in our community, and then how do you present them? We recently attended the Basketball Banquet for Isabella's school team, and with all our collected funds, we elected to purchase gift cards for the four coaches. 

One Mom took the task of purchasing the gift cards and I volunteered for the packaging duties. A gift bag is too big and, in my opinion, kind of makes the gift card look puny. Hmmm.

With envelope, shipping tag, washi tape, a thank you stamp and ink, and my favorite baker's twine laid out, I got to crafting. I don't think the four envelopes took me longer than 5 minutes to make and I find it to be the perfect combination of practicality with a little cuteness, even for the male coaches who don't have to walk out with a tissue paper and bow explosion gift bag in their hands!

And the bonus was that for all us crafty peeps, it won't cost a thing, because we already have all of the supplies on hand. 

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