Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is all about me discovering something that is different. I don't want to post things that you and I have more than likely heard before. I want to find something different. It could be from another country, someone singing from the streets of NY, and more.

I ran across a neat video on Facebook. It's called Birds on The Wires. It was created by Jarbas Agnelli. He's a film director, musician, and founder of AD Studio.

Source

 He's a Brazilian multimedia artist who uses film, photo, illustration and music to communicate ideas.

His viral work "Birds on the Wires" was picked as one of the Top 25 best videos on Youtube by the first ever YouTube Play Guggenheim.

Birds on The Wires

About how the Soundtrack of The City of Samba was created.

 The City of Samba

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Last Camp

Mica had his last camp right when we got back from vacation.

He got just as dirty, and just as tired as the camp he went to before vacation. He had no rash this time around. :)

He enjoyed the fact that he got to ride to camp with his cousin Evan. They weren't in the same group. Evan is a year older than Mica in school. They talked to each other about Legos and Indiana Jones. Mica even rushed home one day to quickly draw a diagram of a Lego car he wanted to design to show Evan. Evan sent Mica a letter in the mail talking about Legos. I think it was good for those 2 to bond once again. They used to be with each other 4 or 5 days a week when they were babies; all the way through preschool years.

My co-worker told me that her daughter was in camp with Mica. I asked Mica about her, and he said, "Who?" I said, "The girl with the eye patch." He said, "Oh ya. I know who she is." I knew she had gotten bit by a mosquito, her eye had swollen shut, and her dad bought her an eye patch to wear for a day.

The next day at work my co-worker told me, "My daughter said she likes Mica." My co-worker told her, "That's nice." The daughter said, "No mom you don't understand, I really like Mica." My co-worker said, "You know there are no boyfriends in 3rd grade!" Her daughter said, "I know mom."

When we went to see Mica on the last day, we stopped in to see them give out their awards. This time Mica got the Nature Award. I found it funny because I have to force him to go out to play at home. Isaak's more our nature kid. Anyhow he got it because he knew so much about the camp for it being his 2nd time. He also found a snail on the first day and named him Turbo.

After the award ceremony my co-worker wasn't around. Her daughter looked all around for her. I said, "She's up with your sister I'm sure. Why don't you come, sit with your councilors? I'll take a picture to give to your mom." She said, "Mica you can come with me." I said, "Your mom will want it to be just you. It's ok I'll get Mica's picture in a minute." I knew fully well she wanted her photo with Mica because she had a crush on him. I played dumb.

Afterwards I said to Mica, "Did you know that girl has a crush on you?" He said, "I know Mom she told me that I was one of her most favorite crushes. Then there was another girl in camp that told the councilors I kissed her. I said, 'No I didn't!' and then she leaned into me. I backed away from her."

I said, "How did that make you feel?"

He said, "Odd I didn't even like them too much. I don't know why that girl said I kissed her!"

So my soon to be 9 year old has girl issues already. It's funny because he wore the same dirt stained clothes all week. I washed them every night. He was dirty, and sweaty when he came home each day. Those 2 girls must like dirty boys.

Random Tid Bits

1. I totally believe that when babies give a parent a cue for being ready for something, they should take it.
   
   
   •For instance if a baby starts throwing their binki out of their crib, take it away.
   
   
   •When a kid starts to climb out of their crib, then they might be ready for a toddler bed.
   
   
   •When a baby smacks their lips they may be ready to start eating baby food.
   
   
   •If a toddler knows when they wet their pants they may be ready for potty training.
   
   Babies can't talk. I always tried watching their cues for things. Did I miss their communication sometimes? Of course. If you have kids did you try and watch for your babies cues? Yes my kids aren't babies. I just feel like it's the start of communication from child to parent.


2. Daddy gets on me often for calling all girls "Lady". Even with little girls I say, "She's such a cute little lady". Daddy's like, "'Lady?' That's an insult to be called a 'Lady' when you're not old."
   
   Do you think it's an insult to be called a certain something? *Besides a cuss word? 
   
   I guess I'm used to being called a ton of things. I've always had nicknames since I was a little girl. Being a teacher I'm called, "Mrs Apel", "Apes", "Ape Dog", "Miss", "Mrs", and "Mam". Since I'm a college instructor, I just don't care if they have nicknames for me. Being a Mom I'm called, "Mom", and "Mommy". Being a wife I'm called, "Alissa". Being a daughter I'm called, "Liss", "Lissy", "Lissy Ann", "Alissa", and my off the wall nickname "Elsie".


3. School is so close to starting. I don't have to work as hard this year because I converted a ton of files from QuarkXPress to InDesign last year. It's the time of year where paper is used a lot. I printed all my syllabi already. Every year when it's a major printing time, a printer breaks. This time it's the staplers. They have internal staplers, and I can't get either of them to work. It seems like when you really need something it's broken. 


4. I've had 2 students tell me that they're pregnant since school got out. No matter what races through my mind I always say, "Congrats!" In this day and age it's hard being pregnant at their age. I don't think they need to hear a lecture from everyone they run across.


5. Both boys have decided that their sheets on their beds are worthless. They try to sleep on top of it. A Mother's pet peeve. What's a pet peeve that you have?

Retro custom Viewfinder with your pictures! Perfect for summer vacation keepsakes! Review

I am so excited to show you this next product I got to review! It's a retro custom Viewfinder with your pictures! Perfect for summer vacation keepsakes!

I created our very own reel with Image3D’s online Reel Builder!

Steps to Creating Your Own Reel:

1. Set up an account.

2. You click on Create a Reel.

3. You upload your photos. You can upload up to 14 images, but only 7 can be used to create the reel. You can adjust the scale of your image, rotate the image, adjust the brightness, adjust the contrast, choose back and white, sepia, or full color.

4. In this area where you edit your photo, you can add type to your photos as well. I did add type, so Mica and Isaak could look their reel's and know where we went on vacation. They have 18 fonts to choose from, 5 different sizes, and 14 colors to choose from.

5. Once you are done adding your 7 images to your reel, you can pick out a background for the center. They have 32 backgrounds to choose from. If you would rather, you can upload your own photo, or background. You can also add type on the center image, which has the same options as the reel images have.

Background Choices

I had plenty of photos from our trip, that I wanted to use an image in the center.

I went with full color:

 Here's back and white:

Here's sepia tones:

 

Before You Buy You Can Preview Everything Once Again:

The preview even spins the circle around as you view your images. The little sliver of white in the corners of the preview box threw me a little. I was hoping they wouldn't show up on the final images. They didn't.

 I fixed this sliver of black on the edge of this photo:

Here's My Final Custom Reel:

There's 2 images on each side, so both your eyes see it. It's 3D esque. 

You can just buy the Reel, or a Viewfinder to. I got 2 reels (1 for each child), and 1 Viewfinder. Mica already had a Viewfinder. It works in Mica's Viewfinder as well. Mica's is a little more sturdy than the one we got for Isaak.

They have 4 colors to choose from:

 

The Reel and Viewer Set is $29.95, and a Reel only is $19.95. It's kind of pricy. I'm willing to pay the price for something custom! I didn't let the boys in on the fact that I put their Reels together. They got them in the mail, and were amazed. I heard, "Hey that's me on that!" It's a keepsake for sure!

It's perfect to show case a vacation, cruise, wedding, party, school projects, or a self promotion portfolio.

I was amazed at how fast they shipped something so custom!

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Alpine Slides

On our way home we drove through Colorado. I just love that state's beauty!

We didn't have too much time to do anything. I did want the boys to have a fun stop. On my list for going back home was for us to go on Alpine Slides. I remembered going on them when I was a kid in Colorado. They are so much fun!

Have you been on Alpine Slides before?

What I like about them if that they are fun for everyone in the family. You first go on a ski lift up a mountain, or grassy hills. 

Our view from the ski lift:

Hi Daddy and Mica!

Hi Mommy and Isaak

 Isaak was so excited!

Every place has different rules about kids. Some places say kids have to go by themselves, while other places say kid have to sit in adult's laps. Isaak had to sit in an adult's lap. Any kid group car had to go in the slow lane. 

We should have planned his out better. Daddy, Mica and Isaak all like fast rides. I can go fast on Alpine Slides, but didn't mind if I had to go in the slow lane. Daddy and Mica should have gone in the fast lane. I should have taken Isaak with me down the slow lane. Mica and I went behind him.

Instead Daddy took Isaak, and he was disappointed that the people in front of him were too slow. It still was fun I thought.

This finally wraps up our trip of 2014. All the rest was driving, driving and more driving.

WW: Dead Horse Point State Park {Linky}

Dead Horse Point State Park is in Moab, Utah. It features a dramatic overlook of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park.

The park is so named because of its use as a natural corral by cowboys in the 19th century.

Opened to the public as a state park in 1959. The park's elevation is 5,900 feet.

There was this blue water below that was so perfect.

When we got to another spot there was green, murky water. The rock was so much darker in that area, in comparison to the other area.

 

Up where we were was pretty to! I saw an animal scurry past me. It was too fast to see what it was for sure. I know it's dry up in that spot, so there aren't a lot of animals.

Isaak- "Take a picture of me Mom!" Mica kept running all over.

The view was breathtaking!

The view is surreal. Daddy compared it to the Grand Canyon. I've never been to the Grand Canyon. For those of you that have been there, is it similar?

If you have a minute please enter my low entry giveaway: The Rockee Toothbrush by Violight - 8/1/14 US