Fun with Editing Software, Part II

The girls have upgraded their efforts from public access infomercials to music videos.

This is entirely kid-produced. No help or interference from any adult. Computers are cool. And you gotta love the toilet metaphor.

Our Nation’s Future

Here’s what happens when my two daughters and Abby’s friend Marisa figure out how to use the video function on my camera, Windows MovieMaker, and YouTube.

They make commercials.

They came up with the idea, wrote it, filmed, directed, acted, voiced-over, video-edited, wrote and typed in the subtitles, all on their own. My only function was to be totally impressed when they showed me the finished product.

I love it when they get all creative.

Way to go, girls!

I’m dialing right now.

Hannah Unplugged

From Hannah’s Goofus and Gallant files (even though I was more of a Hidden Pictures kind of kid, myself:)

And it’s not even TV Turnoff Week!

Those three little kids on the couch on the left… anyone care to guess who’s who?

Duh

Here’s a handy tip for parents who are sick to death of Disney’s High School Musical:

Do not, under any circumstances, purchase for your children a game in which the entire purpose is for the players to repeatedly sing, at high volume, all of the songs from High School Musicals I and II and every dang-blasted, happy, happy Disney Channel movie and/or TV show ever made.

Also, do NOT purchase a microphone.

What terrible, insensitive, unthinking person bought this game for my darling children? Why… it was me, of course!

So, I’m just sitting here innocently typing away

… while Abby and Hannah discuss their American Idol predictions for the evening, based on today’s schoolbus buzz. They remark, for perhaps the 17th time this week, how very glad they are that Sanjaya is no longer a contestant. Oh, and that Jordin Sparks is fabulous, but she was kinda pitchy last night.

I attempt to stifle my laughter. It doesn’t work.

Abby: (hands on hips; looking at me in accusatory, school teacher fashion) “Mom, you type everything we say, don’t you?

Hannah: Duh, Abby, we’re her children.

Abby: So? That doesn’t mean she can put our lives on the internet.

Me: Har!

Abby: (again with the hands on the hips) You’re gonna write that down aren’t you?

An In-Depth Movie Review

We went to see Charlotte’s Web today. I have been looking forward to this movie since I first saw the trailer many months ago, as I vividly remember Charlotte’s Web as the first book that ever made me cry. It appeals intensely to my inner sap. And how can you beat a family movie that casts Steve Buscemi as Templeton, The Rat?

We all loved the movie. And, yes, Charlotte and Wilbur made me cry.

This was the conversation we had in the car on the way home.

Hannah: “SOME PIG” was my favorite thing that Charlotte wrote. I don’t know what “RADIANT” means.

Sam: That’s because you’re stupid.

Me: Sam, what does “RADIANT” mean?

Sam: Next Christmas, I want a dirt bike.

Me: Hannah, “RADIANT” means “especially beautiful.”

Hannah: What about that other word? “HUMBLE”? I don’t know what that means, either.

Me: Someone is “HUMBLE” when they are beautiful or smart or radiant or terrific, but they don’t brag about it. And when people compliment them, they just quietly say “thank you.”

Hannah: I say “thank you” to the lunch lady when she gives me my lunch. And I gave her one of the cookies we made for our holiday party. Nobody ever remembers to give the lunch lady anything!

Me: Hannah, that was incredibly thoughtful. That makes me feel proud of you.

Hannah: I know.

Sam: I liked Templeton. In the commercial, he said he was the star of the movie.

Hannah: That’s not humble. Which one of the baby spiders did you like best?

Sam: None of them. They were all girls.

Hannah: Can we get Happy Meals, now?

I think I’ll cook bacon tomorrow morning, just to see what happens.