Out of the Box Saturday

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday is now Out of the Box Saturday. It's 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. I'll cover something sing | songy one week, and artsy | fartsy the next.

This week I'm covering something songy. Ane Brun has a very big following on YouTube. I had never heard of her. Ane Brunvoll is the daughter of lawyer Knut Anker Brunvoll and jazz singer and pianist Inger Johanne Brunvoll. She grew up in a musical family. 

Ane Brun is a Norwegian international songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. Since 2003 she has recorded eight albums, six of which are studio albums and one live DVD. She writes, records, and runs her own label (Balloon Ranger Recordings).

 photo: Ane Brun
gangstersaysrelax.com 

Words

These Days


Do You Remember?

Visit Ane Brun's Website
Check out Ane Brun on FB
Check out Ane Brun on Twitter

Random Tid Bits

1. I like to think about where I'm at, at all times to figure out if I need anything in the area. I hate having to go back out to get this or that at the store. Especially since every major street in Omaha has construction going on right now.
   
   Travis isn't like that. He only gets what he's thinking at the moment.
   
   He called me at work to ask me, "Alissa I'm at the hardware store is there anything you or we need there?" I said, "Yep! Next door is the grocery store. We need eggs." He said, "I'm not going there."
   
   Are you a get everything you can, while you're out kind of person like me? OR Are you a get only what's on your mind kind of person like my husband is?


2. Over the summer I take a 1/2 hour lunch, so I can leave at 2:30 on Fridays. Woo hoo! It's less time to do things over lunch, but sweet on Fridays.


3. Mica still says, "Mom can we look this up on AmIison?" I capitalized the I because he pronounces that letter in the word stronger. What is he trying to say? Amazon. 


4. Last week the boys went to their first camp. They had to have cold lunches all week. I decided that I was going to cut up enough veggies for 3 days. Travis said, "Why are you wanting me to get out 6 sandwich bags? I said, "So we have enough for at least 3 days for them. I don't want to cut stuff up for any more days than that." He said, "You have 6 bags, not 3." I said, "3 x 2 = What?" He just didn't get that we have 2 kids. Finally it sunk into his brain. I had to chuckle because he's so much better with numbers and math than I am.


5. Speaking of sandwich bags...Have you ever seen these anti theft sandwich bags?

Source

All Week I've Been Out of Touch

All week I haven't remembered what day it is. Every day has felt like it's Friday. 

At the end of the day on Tuesday I realized that we had an all day Teacher In-Service and Potluck on Wednesday. Usually I'm a part of planning the In-Service. Somehow this year I was off the hook with that duty. I'm horrible about checking my work email in the summers! Usually I make something fun for the potluck. This year I bought things.  

Work is odd this year. I don't have summer school for once. Our Education Director wanted to be done with that job title. She still wanted to stay on with teaching, but to hire someone else they needed more work. She's gone. Then our web instructor has wanted to be closer to home (6 hours away), so he quit. Then the boss' brother is on the line for quitting. He's buying land in Missouri. All of this feels odd. We're small, we depend on each other, and it makes me sad. I was annoyed that I was asked to sign my contract, and the boss' brother got more time to sign his. Family dynamics are real in work, but families never like to admit it. I keep thinking that it could be a positive. What if I love the new people?  

It's still been rainy here. The office next to me is leaking. Flat roofs leak like crazy. Yes they've had someone out to fix the problem. The trouble is, is that it never gets fixed.

Travis insisted that the boys pick out their own clothes this week. Mica came out of his room wearing sporty shorts, a dressy shirt, white socks and tennis shoes Wednesday. Thursday Isaak looked like the picture above. Yes I made them change. They've had places to go. They are not walking out of the house dressed like that.

I've been picking berries every night this week, and got 3 Mosquito bites in one spot on my arm. More than it itching, it just feels weird. It's all bumpy, red and hot. It reminds me of getting allergy shots - that reaction I'd get. Anyhow because it's so weird I'm starting to worry about it. It's not like normal bites that I've had. Then I feel like I'm over reacting.

On Wednesday I I double booked myself on Saturday. One of the things I wanted to go to, but I can't now. Boo! :( I'll still go, just not on the opening night of an art show that my silly dogs are in. I painted 4 wooden dogs - I'll share the others later. I've shared 1 already.

My sister Terra fell on the curb, and broke her foot earlier this week. My parents only have our kids twice a week, but that day they had our 2 + my 4 nephews! I got on Mica for not helping with lunch. He's pretty helpful when you ask him, but only when asked. Then I got on my parents for not asking him to help. Really Mica and his Cousin Evan should have been on sandwich duty, Isaak and his Cousin Elijah should have been loading up the plates, and pouring drinks. My parents just let them watch TV. Then they let them choose what they want for lunch. I'm like, "You're eating what I give you." HA HA Maybe that's the difference between parents and grandparents. 

Not really a bad week, just an off one.

Midtown Crossing at Turner Park

One thing I really love is all the family friendly things that Omaha has.

I have a friend that I've had since I was in preschool that was in town. We contemplated on what to do. I didn't mind if they came to my house, but we have kids that like to run about. A few of our other friends were meeting up to. One suggested we meet up at Midtown Crossing at Turner Park.

Every Monday night (June 1 - July 27) Midtown Crossing at Turner Park has a free movie when the sun goes down. That's not all that's free. They have popcorn that's free, yoga for kids that is free, and a nonprofit organization was handing out bottled water that was free. I'm pretty sure they made their money off of cotton candy, and other food stands that were around. There's small eating places around the perimeter of the park.

We knew we wouldn't be able to stay that late. Here it doesn't start to get dark until 9. That's when they put the movie on.

We all brought a blanket, food, drink, and card games.
 
After we were done eating the 2 seven year olds danced in front of the big screen. I'm sure we weren't the only ones laughing at them.

Mica brought Family Talk cards geared towards stimulating conversation. I thought it was a great idea.  It was fun for the first 25 questions. After about the 200th question that Mica asked we were all done with the game.

Source

 

The boys did their free yoga. I had to give Mica the stare down Mom eyes to go over to do it. They're supposed to be lifting their tummies up, but it looks a little more like they were star gazing.

The adults played other card games, and just talked.

I was cracking up because my friend's son was super into Karate Kid. Isaak and Joey played Karate Kid. 

Mica must be too old for that because he sat out. He was more interested in talking to us about Johnny on the Spot Porta Potties.

Thank goodness my friend didn't mind that the 7 year olds were playing Karate Kid. I totally didn't care. You know how some parents are, "Oh no you'll get dirty!" or "Heavens sake you're going to get hurt!" Sure that can happen, but boys go through a stage where playing Karate Kid is the bomb. The kids set their own ground rules, and had a blast. Isaak said, "Ok you can kick me here, but don't kick me in the stomach ok?" For the record Joey didn't kick him in the stomach. I'm sure they have tons now.

When they were just about to start the movie we left. It was The Hunger Games Catching Fire anyhow. Not really kid friendly. Now if it was Karate Kid that was playing, we may have stayed.

We also had to get home because the boys are in summer school this week. They signed up to be in fun summer school with my nephew's school district. Mica's in two classes called: Mining for Ore and Animation/Claymation. Isaak's in two classes called: Big Top Art and Circus Routing Writing. 

 

Isaak sure did get a work out playing Karate Kid. He fell asleep in the car ride home.

It was 9:20 before we got home. Two sweaty boys needed a shower!

 

Do you have any free events where you live?

Compose Yourself By Think Fun Review

Become a composer with Think Fun's Compose Yourself. You can start writing original music in minutes!

You can purchase Compose Yourself on Amazon for $19.99, but it's on sale for $14.99!

How Compose Yourself Works: 

1. Open the box. There are 60 cards that can be flipped, and/or rotated, 1 mesh bag, and instructions. 

2. Arrange the cards to make a very cool pattern for your composition. 

3. Go online to make an account (an adult needs to help with this). Type in your individual code that you got with your cards. You will be prompted to make an account.

4. Enter each of the card codes that are on your music cards (found on the upper corner of each card). You have to enter 4 music cards. You can enter up to 16 music cards. This is where it gets fun! The cards can be rotated, flipped, or exchanged to get different music scores.

5. Title, and play your music. Mica was funny, and titled his Peaceful Aliens are Coming! You can play the music Marimba, Orchestra, or Both. You can flip cards, or exchange cards until you are happy with the your music score. 

6. You can print your music to play it on your instrument, download it as an MP3, or share it on a social media account. You can even email it out to impress your friends and family!

This has got to be one of the coolest things I've ever reviewed. I'm going to send some links on Compose Yourself to the boy's music teacher. I just love that there's so many ways to play the music you composed. You don't have to be a music genius to play with this, or you can be.

Mica said, "Mom can I keep this instead of put it away for a birthday or Christmas gift." He knows me too well. I'm letting Mica and Isaak keep this one out to use.

Like ThinkFun on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google +, Pinterest and Instagram. 

 

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

20 Bead Assortment Review

Isaak loves to make things for people. I got a 20 Bead Assortment to review.  I plan on giving him these beads in his stocking at Christmas time. He can make a bracelet for one of his friends, or family members.  

Travis makes high end jewlery, so it's only natural that Isaak would like making jewelery to. Like father like son.

Bead Assortment 

• Silver

• Murano Glass

• Charms

• Spacers Compatible with Pandora, Biagi, Chamillia, Zable, Kay Charmed Memories and Troll Chains

The Cornucopia Brands bead assortment provides the perfect quality and look to satisfy even the pickiest beaded bracelet fans. 
 
There is just so many to choose from! If you are looking a for a cost effective, fashionable, and great quality bead that is compatible with you favorite bead style bracelet. You can wear the beads when you're dressing up, or on a casual day.

Cost

Saving money is great, but it's also important to look good. For their 20 bead assortment you only have to pay $11.99! The beads shipped super fast. They can keep the shipping prices down due to the fact that they are so light weight.

I simply love all the bright colored glass bead mixed with the silver ones.

What kind of jewelery do you like?

 

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.

Picking Berries

Just about every day now there are more June berries ripe enough to pick a bowl full. 

I went out with the boys to have them help me pick the berries. 

This is how HELP pans out:

Isaak: "I want to be on the step ladder!" 

Mica: "No I want to be on the step ladder!"

They both somehow ended up on the step ladder. They were up there, and no berries were being picked. Danger was unfolding. 

I glanced over at them (remember I was picking berries), I could see one of them falling, so I demanded that they both get down.

Mica: "Fine I'm going in the middle of the tree to pick berries." 

That was fine and dandy until Isaak thought it was a great idea to go in the middle to. I looked over their way, and Isaak was climbing our June berry bush. It really is a bush, but looks more like an ornamental tree.

I said: "Absolutely not! Get down you little punk!" 

Isaak said, "But I was getting better berries up there."

I looked down at his bowl, and he had 8 tiny berries in it.

I said, "No climbing!"
  
Next the boys decided it would be fun to chase each other around the bush, which looks more like tree. At this point I was on the step ladder.

I'm pretty sure the neighbor's loved hearing me go off on my children. 

That's what it's like picking berries with 2 energetic boys.

My boys are helpful with some things, but berry picking is not one of them! They like multiple quicker tasks. Nether boy has the attention to do one task for a long period of time.

WW: Theater {Linky}

The boys were in an all day camp last week at the Omaha Community Playhouse. It's their favorite camp.

On Friday they performed for us. The theme was time travel. Each child wrote what they wanted to be in the skit. They incorporated all the writings all together.

Isaak started off the skit. He was going to use this owl finger puppet he made. Instead they used a real puppet, so everyone could see it. I thought it was pretty cool he started it off, since he was the youngest in the class. it was for ages 7-12, and he just turned 7.

If it were the movie Back to the Future Isaak was the character doc. Taking everyone back in time.

I love this shot of Isaak because he was smiling. I could tell he was having fun.

The boys had no shame in dancing with the girls, and acting things out.

The camp was mostly girls, with 4 boys. The boys didn't seem to mind. 

Mica really gets into character. He was Zeus, so he had to wear a white shirt because, "That's God like Mom." -Mica The trouble - was that he didn't tell me that he needed a white shirt until the night before their performance. His shirt is a bit on the small side. Mica also traveled back in time to meet George Washington.

Do you have your kid's in any camps this summer? If you don't have small children did you go to camps when you were younger?