Summer Vacation 2012

Their last day of school was on Friday.

I was up in Seattle and Josh didn't take any pictures, but from what I heard, they roasted hot dogs in the backyard and ate their weight in junk food while listening to 'School's Out For Summer.'

And being the Type A, anal-retentive, my-best-friend-is-a-label-maker kind of girl that I am, I had grand visions of how organized and how structured and how prepared I was going to be this summer (I decided not to teach a summer workshop, so I'm doing full-time mommy duty for the next three months.) but by the time the first official day of summer vacation was upon us (Monday), I found myself with no schedule, no plans and an empty fridge, not to mention the fact that even though my last photography workshop ended on Sunday, this is actually the busiest time of the class for me since all of the final Assignment and Photo Critique evaluations are due.

So my kids stayed in their pajamas until 1:00 p.m., ate peanut butter toast for breakfast, peanut butter sandwiches for lunch and entertained themselves on my laptop for more hours than I care to divulge.

So I'd say this mom-hosted Summer Vacation 2012 is off to a shaky start.

And at one point in the day, I actually caught myself singing this song, after Cole and Annie played it for like the 284th time in a row.

So I took that as my cue to put down the mouse and the keyboard and to grab my camera.

I even filmed part of it, which is something I've only done once before with my camera. (The SOS Alarm tech was at our house fixing the alarm while I was shooting this, which is why you can hear beeping noises in the video. When he left he said, "I'm kind of worried that Bomp, bomp, bomp, got any grapes? is going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day.")

It's kind of long and I can't figure out how to focus correctly in Video Mode, but I kind of love it anyhow...

 

Wish me luck.

I'm going to need it.

Comments

[jenny]

for so long you have sounded like me (in my head), and now, you finally have a voice. you don't sound like me anymore! haha! cute video ... i think it is time i learned how to use mine. happy summer vacation!

[Shannon L]

Our summer vacation starts next thursday after a 1/2 day which to me...what's the point of a 1/2 day but anywho...I say that we are going to do work so they won't forget, read lots of books, and have tons of playdates...by the end of the summer I feel lucky if I get 75% of that done. All I know is that I'm so happy my babies will be with me all summer :). They are 9,8,5.5, and 1 so I know before long my two older ones won't want anything to do with me so I'll eat up the time spent with them now. Have a great summer...whether it's organized and structured or crazy and you completely let lose...Enjoy! Can't wait to see your summer fun!

[Julie in Aust.]

Yeah...loving the sound Karen...kids giggles are always the sweetest of sounds...making me smile! Good to hear your voice too.
Annie sounds like the very typical giggly annoying little sister and Cole sounds like the perfect ever patient big brother. Your Summer is just starting...good luck keeping them occupied!!!!!! Here in Oz we are just settling into a rather chilly winter, watching our Maples turn red now and loving the chills in the air...but not so much all the rain!
Very sweet video Karen...

[Samantha]

We had a Duck Song season at our house last year...and I'm pretty sure that "Hey, want any grapes" is the stuck in your head part of a song ever written!

[Tracy]

Wow Cole is very patient. My girls would have been fighting 10 seconds into that.
The last 2 weekes of summer vacation throw me into a panic when I realize we were going to do all these fun, cool things...and we didn't do them. Good luck to both of us for at least having some fun, cool (organized, planned) days this summer. but I'm all for peanut butter toast and jammies!!

[Kelli]

How are you not freaking out that someone is going to land on the laptop?

[Denielle]

This might be one of my favorite blogs. It's weird hearing the actual voices of these people I read about. It's like reading a book and having an idea of what a character to look like and then to watch the movie and the character be completely different, but it turning out to be more perfect than what you had imagined. I see the beautiful pictures you take of your every day life and your family but to hear it and watch it is something totally different. It seems more real and like a deeper glimpse into your family. Needless to say, your family is even more precious! You are truly very blessed! I love your blog and seeing your family for what it is, on good days and bad, I def. look forward to your blog every day!

[april b]

I have to agree with the others - It's so fun putting a voice to these faces I've seen for so long.. I think you should start posting more videos :) As for The Duck Song, we stumbled across that same video last fall and my kids were addicted so much that my then 18month old even was singing parts. It's very catchy :) Happy Summer to you!

[Nicole]

love this so much!

[kat-in-texas]

My son recognized that song right off the bat. Oy! You Tube!

Love seeing the video--actually matching their faces to their voices. How funny for us!

Now take it to one of your family parties...:D

[janel]

Love that when we hear your voice...I can see the smile...it shines through. I think you are off to a wonderful beginning of summer...just the way it should be!

[Amy G]

Duck song in heavy rotation around here and completely stuck on a loop in my brain. I feel ya!

[Tracy]

love it!!!

[Merrie]

Oh my, that song is VERY annoying! The kids are cute though!

[Amy]

I bet your kids thought it was a pretty grand first day of summer, even if you didn't...

[Kristi]

Fantastic video. I loved watching them laugh and sing. I also had HUGE summer plans (I am a teacher) and so far, we are relaxing, winging it, watching too much TV and taking a few naps. I put stuff on a calendar to outline things better, but I sort of like the feeling of seeing where each day takes us! :) And, yeah, now that song is totally stuck in my head, THANKS!
Kristi (used to work at Cropper Hopper)

[krista resnick]

even though I am just like you karen-LOVE structure and having plans-THOSE are the days that your kiddos will remember...

[anne]

I think THAT looks just like what summer vacation is supposed to look like! As for ours, last week when I was cleaning out the fridge, my 5yo participated in a taste test of EVERY SINGLE condiment in the fridge door, and yesterday he decided it would be fun to try on every pair of underwear he owns at the SAME TIME! Things like that just don't come to be if you're too scheduled:) haha. Enjoy!

[Nancy Boothe]

IL'm not the first to say this, but that was the PERFECT start to summer vacation. They've had structure all school year, and you kind of have to go overboard on the freedom at first. So, IMHO, you started the mom-hosted summer vacation just perfectly.

[Marilou]

I love this video! But I'm exhausted watching Annie jump around! What a wiggle worm. Yes, Cole has the patience of the saint. And yes, that song will torture me for the rest of the day, so THANKS FOR THAT! :)

I hope this video thing becomes a trend for your blog. It's so fantastic to see a moving photo on here.

[Deneen]

Love the video Karen. I have to say Coley is a wonderful big brother to silly funny sweet little Annie! You definately will have to post more video's because this one just made me smile :) Thank you

[Lisa]

Loving how Annie pops in every once in a while with lyrics..."bom, bom, bom got any grapes?" Giggling kiddos are the best. Happy summer to all of you!

[karlalala]

awwwwwwwwwww!!!
their voices are as cute as they are!!!

[Becky T.]

Coley is so much nicer to Annie than mine are to each other. Thanks for a short "live" peek into your world. Enjoy your summer... with or without whatever it is you think or thought you were suppose to have ready. :-)

[Angel]

I had a "Harry Potter moment" with the moving pictures, all I can think about when I was watching it was "they're real people! like the rest of us", they don't live in pictures, they're real!

thank you Karen for sharing your lovely family with us. Hope all is well with everyone.

Enjoy the summer!!!

[sac chanel pas cher]

Blog de ​​Nice, je tiens à écrire des commentaires parce que ce que les écrivains apportent un plus grand engagement et une occasion d'apprendre les uns des autres pour obtenir

[new era gorras]

Det är verkligen en stor och hjälpsam upplysning. Jag är glad att ni delade denna nyttig information med oss. Vänligen informera oss så här. Tack för att dela.

[new era gorras]

Howdy bra blogg! Kräver att köra en blogg som denna en hel del arbete? Jag har praktiskt taget ingen kunskap om programmering men jag hade hoppats att starta min egen blogg inom en snar framtid. Hur som helst, om du har några idéer eller tekniker till nya blogg ägare gärna aktie. Jag vet att detta är av ämnet Men jag var bara tvungen att fråga. Tack!

[Teresa]

too cute Karen! I loved hearing the voices that go along with those sweet faces.
I know we use different cameras but what I finally figured out with video on mine is to switch to manual focus and then I can get better results that way. Otherwise I was always pushing a button on the back of the camera and it was in and out a lot.

[Janna]

I can so relate! I, too, have these grandiose plans in my head of how my kids and I will do all kinds of creative projects all summer. Somehow, each day never goes quite like I plan. I'm just trying to find my patience and roll with whatever happens, trying to remember to have fun along the way and give them reasons to smile as much as I can. Most of all, I want them to have pleasant memories of summer vacation as a kid when they are my age. Wishing you and your family the best summer ever!

[Elizabeth C,]

Cute video! I've never heard the song, but I imagine I'll be singing it all day now, too. :)

I haven't figured out the video on my 60D, either, and I've tried several times. Some of it just doesn't make sense. If you come up with some tips or tricks, I'd love to hear them. I've totally run out of luck when I've looked for user-friendly tutorials online.

[Melinda~]

Haha that video is so funny. Cole...you are a great big brother! If I lived closer (and we actually knew each other:) Id bring my daughter over to play with Annie-they are two of a kind! And you dont have to have a plan week 1 of summer. Maybe by week 3 though!

[Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita]

So cute! I am going to e-mail you a copy of the summer fun poster I made last year. It may help. Have a great summer!

[Megan]

Oh thats funny, my kids sang that song a couple of summers back for days, actually it was probably the whole summer!! I had completely forgotten about it, but it all came rolling back hearing it from your kids..especially the got any grapes bit!! I'm sure you will hear it all summer long! lol. And I like the rest loved to hear your voices "for real".

[Kim G]

Hmmmm.....did somebody get a new camera? Because I know that d700 doesn't have video!!!!

[Kim G]

So ignore my last comment! I totally forgot that you got a d7000 awhile back! LOL!