Food Fun Family

On the Road Again #PSF

Lolli — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 21:15:43 +0000

I’m sitting at LAX on a layover from San Jose to home in Maryland. My computer isn’t working, so I’m typing on my iPad while I eat a quesadilla with carne asada…hoping that this was an ok choice before heading on a 5 hour flight. Although I have so much I could say about my last 2 days in San Jose, that will have to wait. Until then…here is a glimpse at the fun I’ve had in San Jose.

I’m bare-bones today…but please link up your photo posts from this week! Until the next time.

An InLinkz Link-up

Blast Back to School with a Giveaway! #MyMemoryLane

Lolli — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 12:00:57 +0000

This blast back to school giveaway is sponsored by YesVideo. All thoughts are my own.

It’s hard to believe that in just a matter of a few days, my kids will be back in school for a brand new school year. Our summer has been a whirlwind of fun and adventure…and I’m not sure that any of us are quite ready to jump back in to school.

It’s amazing to me how fast my kids are growing up, and it’s particularly evident when I look back at the kids’ first day of school photos from each year.

I have to admit…when I take my kids back to school pictures I wonder if they (and their someday-kids) will laugh at the outfits and hairstyles that they wore “way back when.” I know I chuckle at my hair style and pink and white one-piece outfit that I loved enough to wear it on school picture day back in 1985.

Blast back to school giveaway!

I’m joining YesVideo and a group of fabulous bloggers to bring you this amazing back to school giveaway!

Prize Pack Includes {total value: $150}:
$75 worth of school supplies
$25 iTunes gift card
$50 YesVideo gift card

Enter on the Rafflecopter form below (but first…check out even more ways to win from YesVideo!).

More ways to win these prizes:

* Share your favorite old school photo for a chance to win big! YesVideo is giving away a $50 YesVideo gift card and a $50 Walmart gift card to one random winner selected from photo entries on their Facebook page.

* Love sharing photos on Instagram? YesVideo is providing another way to win a $25 Walmart gift card by sharing your old school photo. Tag @YesVideo on Instagram and hashtag your photo #MyMemoryLane to enter!

* Want more ways to win an iTunes gift card? For two weeks YesVideo is giving away TEN $10 iTunes gift cards! Watch their Facebook page for daily ways to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Favorite Summer Memories #MyMemoryLane

Lolli — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 18:02:29 +0000

This summer has already been full of amazing memories so far. From driving 3200 miles together to staying at Grandma and Grandpa’s house with 5 of their cousins (yes, that means that there are 16 of us in one house!)…this is the summer of memories.

This coming Thursday, I’ve been asked to participate in a twitter party with YesVideo and I’d love for you to join me! While I’m being paid for my time all thoughts expressed here on the blog and during the twitter party are my own.

Join us for a Throwback Thursday Twitter party!

WHEN: Thursday, July 31st at 8:00 PM CST (9pm ET)

How to join the party: First, RSVP on YesVideo’s page HERE (not on the blog). Then, come to twitter during the party hour and tweet using the hashtag #MyMemoryLane and follow @YesVideo on Twitter.

WHO: I’m excited to hang out with my fellow panelists (I know we’d all love for you to follow us, too):

WHAT: Throughout the twitter party, we’ll be chatting about our favorite summer memories: family vacations, summer fun, and simply reminiscing.

Must be in attendance of the Twitter Party using hashtag #MyMemoryLane to be eligible to win prizes.

YES….PRIZES!
Prizes include:

DOOR PRIZE – Apple TV {must fill out door prize form to be eligible}
Jelly Belly Ice Treats Party Pack plus $50 electronic YesVideo Gift Card for transfer service
Zoku Slush and Shake Maker plus $50 electronic YesVideo Gift Card for transfer service
Hamilton Beach Ice Cream Maker plus $50 electronic YesVideo Gift Card for transfer service
BELLA Milkshake Maker plus $50 electronic YesVideo Gift Card for transfer service
$100 electronic YesVideo Gift Card for transfer service
8-inch digital frame with 2 GB of internal memory, and external slots for SD memory cards and USB drives and 2 GB stainless steel USB drive.

NOTE: prizes will be given away randomly during the Twitter Party to people tweeting with the hashtag #MyMemoryLane.

Copy and paste any of these sample tweets and then make sure that you RSVP on YesVideo’s page HERE.

Join #ThrowbackThursday party with @YesVideo 7/31 @ 8PM CST #MyMemoryLane https://a.pgtb.me/XvKR7v RSVP to #win

Let’s share our #MyMemoryLane summer memories w/ @YesVideo 7/31 @ 8PM CST Win Gr8 Prizes RSVP today https://a.pgtb.me/XvKR7v #TBT

Join @YesVideo to chat about how you celebrate summer Thur 7/31 8PM CST RSVP https://a.pgtb.me/XvKR7v #TBT

How to Embed Video from Your YesVideo Library

Lolli — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 18:55:27 +0000

I have a long-standing friendship with YesVideo. I was a happy YesVideo customer before I was asked to be an ambassador, and I have maintained a friendly relationship with them even after my ambassadorship ended. While this post is sponsored by YesVideo, I want to stress that I am a loyal customer first. And as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Cute little toddlers with curly hair are also mine…just not so little anymore.

I can’t tell you how many times I have been away from the house, chatting with a friend about something that my kids said or did long ago. The conversation inevitably leads to one of the many old videos I’ve had transferred from video cassette to DVD and digital format through YesVideo. I pull out my iPad, open up the YesVideo app and literally bring my example to life.

Now that my oldest daughter is heading to college, we’ve been talking a lot about how adorable she used to be (she’s still pretty adorable!). When she was just two years old, she memorized one of her favorite stories, This is the Farmer, and we caught her reading it on video. Thank goodness! I love that we can relive this moment over and over again.

Now that I can embed my YesVideo clips onto my blog, the kids had better watch out. I’ve got plenty of blog fodder in the hours and hours of video footage I’ve converted from old formats. And black mail material. Oh, we can definitely provide hours and hours of embarrassment. The funniest thing for me is seeing the grown-up personality shining through in these videos from the toddler years.

How to embed videos from your YesVideo library

I am so thrilled that my YesVideo movies and clips can be shared anywhere now! It couldn’t be easier to embed a video from YesVideo.

1 – Log in to your YesVideo account.
2 – Browse through your library until you find the perfect video chapter to share.
3 – On the right side of your video, click “Create a link to this chapter” then click “Get embed code.”

4 – Copy the embed code that pops up and paste it on your blog.
5 – Share and enjoy!

Need more videos to full up your YesVideo library? Read about how easy it is to transfer your old home movies to DVD (and digital format)…and then be sure to share some of your cutest clips with me!

SPECIAL: Get one free VHS tape or film reel transferred to digital with YesVideo. Promo code: SAS1FREE

I’d love to hear about some of your favorite moments captured on video – old or new. What would YOU like to see in your YesVideo library?

Note: Links to YesVideo within this post are affiliate links. Thanks for the support!

Get Some Holiday Shopping Done; Win an iPad!

Lolli — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 13:57:35 +0000

This post contains affiliate links, but I am a loyal YesVideo customer and LOVE this deal, and I thought a few of my awesome readers might want to take advantage of the holiday specials.

I was on a friend’s blog yesterday when something dawned on me – one of the reasons I love Halloween so much is that it is officially the turning point – the point in time when Back-to-school season and Fall turn into the pre-Holiday season. Once we pack up our Halloween costumes, the holiday shopping begins (because, really? If I don’t start my holiday shopping by November 1, I will inevitably end up scrambling at the end of December to find those last few gifts).

I know first hand that the gift of YesVideo is one that family members will cherish for years to come. Do Grandma and Grandpa have boxes full of old home movies that no one can watch because nobody owns the right player anymore? Are your own childhood home videos lost and forgotten in a closet somewhere?

Imagine how much your own kids would FLIP OUT to see you or daddy when you were their age?

I should stop. I’ve already talked enough about how much I love YesVideo’s video transfer service (but if you haven’t read my previous posts, let me just stress – YesVideo takes your home movies (film reels, VHS, 8mm, slides, etc) and converts them to beautiful digital video which you can view online or on a mobile app. You can also order DVDs (one for you, one for the Grandparents!).

Place an order this week and win an iPad!

I could keep talking about YesVideo’s awesomeness, but the real reason for this post is to tell you about a special promotion happening NOW through November 1, 2013. Place any home video transfer order by 11/1/13 and use the Promo Code “ipad15” to get 15% off your order (regardless of order size) AND automatically get entered to win an iPad and get your entire order free.

It’s the perfect holiday shopping idea – give them the video transfer…keep the iPad prize for yourself. {Good luck!}

Start your order now!

A few rules: Open to individual household orders only; excludes corporate, business and group orders. Valid only for standard transfer orders placed by 11:59pm PT, November 1, 2013 — Videotape and film reel transfers. You may send in your media after this deadline, as long as your order is placed by November 1st, 2013. No minimum purchase required for your 15% discount. Multiple orders will be counted as one when determining prizes.

Introducing YesVideo’s New App #RememberWhen

Lolli — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 03:14:35 +0000

Note: This post is being sponsored by YesVideo, but I would use their services (and have used them!) on my own dime because I have that much faith in their company. All thoughts and opinions (and app snapshots) are my own.

A few months ago, my husband came home with a large box full of old Super 8 mm film reels. Most of them looked like the years had taken quite a toll on them. As much as HE was excited to see which childhood memories were hidden on those old film reels, I was possibly even more intrigued. I couldn’t wait to see a younger CandyMan, to see if my husband as a child reminded me of our kids.

We already had a huge collection of videos from our family’s history, and I was so excited to add some of CandyMan’s earlier history to our video library. I was disappointed to not find very many shots of CandyMan in those reels after they were converted to digital video…but I laughed my head off when I saw some silly videos of my brother in law from sometime in the 80s.

My kids could watch these video clips of their uncles (and all of those videos of the cats and dogs) and especially the videos of themselves over and over again.

Who wouldn’t love to watch dancing like this?

When we convert our old videos to digital format, we get DVDs that we can watch on the TV…but even better, we can watch our videos on my iPad with the YesVideo App (which just happened to get a brand new update this week!). The new app makes watching our old home videos fun and easy. We can pick up the iPad and watch a few clips whenever we’re in the mood for some entertainment.

Here are a few of the features of the YesVideo App

Video playback. You can watch all of the videos you’ve preserved with YesVideo (you’ll need an internet connection).
Online sharing. Did you find an amazing video? Share your favorite scenes or entire videos via Facebook or Email.
AirPlay compatible. Have Apple TV? You can play your preserved videos on your Apple TV wirelessly with AirPlay.
New Snapshot feature Capture individual frames from videos, save them in the app, or create 4×4 Snapshots from a scene in your video (see the adorable 4×4 snapshot from a video of KitKat when she was 2 1/2). Save the images to your iPad, or share them on Instagram or Facebook (you know that’s what I’ll be doing!).

The YesVideo iPhone/iPad app is available for free at the App Store. Click here to download the App today!

Join YesVideo’s #RememberWhen Twitter Party

To celebrate the launch of YesVideo’s new iPad app they are having a Twitter Party on Thursday, July 18th 8:00pm CT (plus on the blog they are giving away an iPad mini and $100 gift certificate to YesVideo for you to preserve your own home movies!!).

Join the Twitter Party and share your favorite childhood memories, learn about the new iPad app and witness live shares of snapshots directly from the app itself! Plus they are giving away more fun prizes including an Apple TV. More details on the YesVideo blog and follow #RememberWhen to join in!

Ready to transfer your old home movies? Get started today!

How often do YOU watch old family movies? Do you have any from when you (or your spouse) was a kid?

Shoot Video Like A Pro – 5 Basic Mistakes You Can Fix Instantly

Lolli — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:06:31 +0000

My husband is guest posting today with a few tips from his area of expertise – video!

When you think of home movies, do the terms “well framed,” “good content,” “excellent lighting” and “superb cinematography” come to your mind? No? Then you must be doing something wrong.

Not really. In my opinion, there is nothing quite as painful as watching somebody’s home movies (even my own can cause heartburn). What seemed like a special moment at the moment, doesn’t always carry the same sentimental value when viewed through the lens of time.

Hours of small children playing on the carpet, birthday parties, chorus concerts and holiday dinners just don’t make for the great cinematographic soliloquy that inspired you to hit the “record” button in the first place.

If you’re reading this, you probably know that Lolli, my wonderful wife, is an avid and constant photographer. You may not know that I am a videographer. When we met, neither of us even owned a camera. It was one of those lucky things that we grew in to as time went by.

I began making movies at the age of 9. My oldest brother got a Super 8 film camera for his 13th birthday, and I was an extra in many of his films. To this day, I often reflect on the many “shorts” we made. He’ll never know how much I enjoyed those times, even though he and his friends were usually trying to ditch me.

Fast forward 32 years (Ouch!). I love making videos. Most of my production time is spent on foreign language videos, but I occasionally escape and make something more artistic and fun. My kids are usually willing to act in a spur of the moment home movie. Our titles include “The Adventures of Super Timothy,” “Nikki’s Kitchen,” “Ghost Dad,” “The Thing with Two Heads,” “The Hunter and the Dinosaur” and many more. We usually film in the basement on a night when mom goes out. Every film is released under the name “A Girl’s Night Out Film.”

So the question frequently comes up in conversation “How can I shoot good video?” There are lots of things that make a video look good, but expensive equipment and great lighting are not what it takes.

Let’s take a look at a few things you can do without buying anything or taking any extra time to film. Home movies are usually spontaneous shots and these tips will work like a charm.

5 Home Movie Tips to help you shoot like a pro

Lead Room (Space in front of the subject)

The next time you watch a movie, notice how when the subject is moving, they will almost always show extra room in front of the person or object. This space will be in the direction that the person or object is moving.

Why Lead Room?

Lead room allows you to see what is going to happen. It creates a more comfortable visual because you can’t see from the eyes of the subject, so you need to be able to see what is happening in the direction the subject is moving. The ultimate effect is that there is no surprise and it is less choppy.

It also helps you tell the story of what is happening. Video making is story telling.

The next time you follow a child across the room, or follow a bird or plane outside, place the subject in the rear third of the frame and keep him or her there as you move the camera to follow the action.

Framing Close Ups (Cut off that head)

It is not uncommon for people to worry about getting the whole subject in the frame, but I am here to tell you that cutting the top of somebody’s head off can be one of the best things you can do.

Here is the deal.

When you get close in on a subject, you are telling the audience that the actual words that someone is saying is important. You are less and less worried about lighting, angle or anything else. The fact that you are getting close makes the statement “listen to this.”

So, when you film a close up, the best way to make that person the true center of attention is to exclude all the details that distract you from paying close attention. Think about when someone wants to whisper something to you. You never look at their clothes or hair. You turn your ear to hear what they have to say.

In film, you zoom in close and focus on the face, mouth and sometimes in extreme cases, focus just on part of the mouth. The closer and more cropped the zoom, the more serious or intimate the message. It mimics real life behavior.

Framing (The Rule of Thirds)

The rule of thirds is the most basic way to make a dry shot look 100% better. Basically, you picture your frame in 3 equal sections divided vertically and then 3 equal sections divided horizontally. So a frame would have a tic tac toe board drawn on it, stretched to make each section even.

You then place your subject close to the left side or right side vertical line. The ideal position in many cases is to have the eyes of your subject very close to the top horizontal line and close to the left side or right side vertical line.

This framing applies to the two previous tips (lead space and close ups). If you follow this, even a basic scene will look remarkably better.

Zooming (Stop Doing So Much)

Here is a really easy tip to follow. Get your finger off that zoom button. Don’t zoom in and out while you are filming.

What is zoom really used for?

Well, it’s not for changing the framing in and out and in and out. Zoom is best used when you are trying to change the amount of background in the shot or getting a closer view of your subjects. But, that is usually accomplished before the record button is pushed on.

Zoom used during a scene is best applied in cases when you are trying to draw specific attention to someone or something. For example, when someone is talking and the mood turns to something very solemn. Or, it could just be that you are trying to focus the attention on the person speaking. It could also be used to change the focus to something going on in the background that is not supposed to be the subject of the scene, but for some reason becomes the central theme.

Zooming Part 2 (Pull Up Luke!)

When filming something moving, be sure to zoom out as much as needed to make the scene look smooth. A moving zoom shot will almost always be very bouncy and make people sick watching it, while a moving wide shot will be more pleasing to the eye.

When Luke was trying to blow up the Death Star, you felt like you were in his ship with him. That was intentional. The bouncy effect is not quite as enjoyable when watching a kid open a birthday present, so keep the zoom wide when there’s action.

Next time you pull out the video camera to capture video of your family, keep these tips in mind. You may not be winning any Academy Awards, but you’ll notice a difference right away. After you’ve captured the perfect home movies, send them in to YesVideo to preserve them for years to come.

Note: I am a YesVideo Ambassador and receive compensation for my time, but all opinions expressed within this post are my own. Like I’ve said many times before, I highly recommend using YesVideo to transfer your video memories onto long-lasting digital format. All opinions remain my own. Also, as a disclaimer, I did own a camera when I met my husband but I hardly ever used it. And we didn’t own a video camera until long after we started having kids.

Take Your Vintage Home Movies With You On The Go

Lolli — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:32:28 +0000

We are a community that is constantly connected and on-the-go. I admit – I’ve got my smart phone and iPad with me just about all the time. But that doesn’t mean that connecting with my family is not important to me. In fact, I have been drawn to creating and preserving memories through taking and sharing photos and videos since long before I was a mom (and I’ve been a mom for a LONG time now). Instead of letting our connectedness detract from our memory sharing and creating, I believe that we can use technology to enhance our family relationships and create fantastic memories together.

Having a cell phone on hand everywhere I go not only allows me to capture everyday moments in images and videos, stay connected to my teens through texting, and chat with family members on the other side of the country without any extra charges, but now I can use my phone to watch our vintage home movies, too. I remember the day when it was SO difficult to watch our home videos (I mean, how many video formats have you used in the last 20 years?). Now I can watch videos of my 16 year old as an adorable, curly-haired 2 year old playing the piano with her great grandma or laugh at my wedding video with a friend at a blogging conference.

What makes sharing your vintage home movies so easy? YesVideo has a brand new iPhone/iPad app available in the Apple App Store. The new, free app allows you to view your entire library of old videos on-the-go, wherever you are.

What you need to know about the YesVideo app:

Transfer some videos. Before getting started with the app, send some old home movies to YesVideo to transfer them to DVD and digital media. All you need to know about transferring your movies to DVD is in my recent post.
Download the free iPhone app. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, as well as Apple TV. You can find it in iTunes.
Sign In to your YesVideo account using the app. Almost instantly, all your transferred memories will be ready for you to stream from your device. Watch your videos anywhere!
Jump to your favorite chapters instantly. Chapters and thumbnail images allow you to jump right to your favorite scenes instantly.

Enjoy your movies on the big screen with your Apple TV. The app is Apple AirPlay compatible which allows you to stream the videos playing on your phone to your Apple TV. Tap the Apple AirPlay icon while playing your video, and it will stream wirelessly through your Apple TV connected television. (Apple TV required. Learn more about Apple AirPlay at Apple.com).

Yes, that adorable baby girl is…me!

Share videos with family and friends via email or Facebook. In the app, click the share button to share your videos with your family and friends (they don’t need an account to view your shared videos). See the 3 easy steps below:

What videos would you love to be able to share on the go?

Step-by-Step Guide to Converting Home Movies into DVDs

Lolli — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:23:29 +0000

In the last 17 1/2 years since I got married and had kids, I’ve gathered up quite an extensive collection of home movies. I started out using one of those enormous camcorders recording on VHS, then moved to a smaller camcorder using smaller tapes. Eventually, we bought a video recorder that used mini DVDs, and it wasn’t very long afterwards that I got a Flip camera. I thought the Flip camera was so fancy…until all of my digital cameras (and even my phone) could take videos, too.

Over the years, we caught lots of priceless short videos like this

What was left after so many years and such a variety of recording methods was an overload of media that was incompatible. Some home videos lived on my computer. Others were in dusty old VHS tapes stacked in the entertainment center. And still more were stuck on mini DVDs that could not be read by my current computers.

Every once in a while, the kids would want to watch videos of past concerts – or the day they took their first steps – and it was always a hassle to pull out the appropriate outdated recording device to play back the video.

I knew that I needed to figure out how to put everything in order so that we could enjoy, standardize and preserve our home movies. Luckily, over a year ago, I discovered YesVideo and have since accrued a much more manageable home movie collection. I’ve been asked a few time about the process of preparing and sending your original movies off to YesVideo, and so I wrote up a step-by-step process to show everyone how easy it really is to convert your old photographs and home movies into DVDs.

Step-by-Step Guide to Converting Home Movies into DVDs With YesVideo

The first step goes without saying…but I’ll say it anyway. Gather all your home movies, whether they be on film reel, VHS, 8mm video, DVDs, memory cards, or CDs (did I miss anything?). YesVideo will also convert stacks of photos, photo albums, slides, etc into slide shows on DVD.
Decide how you would like to send your media in. You can order directly from YesVideo’s website and mail your movies straight to them, or you can chose from one of their 34,000+ retail locations throughout the US (retail partners include Costco, CVS, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, RiteAid and more).
1. If you’re mailing your videos yourself (I’ve done this and have been SO happy), prepare each separate media by labeling with a Post-It or sticker so that it’s clear which video is which. I always place my videos in a large zippered plastic bag to protect the movies from moisture and then package them in a box, ensuring that there is enough padding that they aren’t going to bump around during shipment.
2. If you would like to drop your videos off at a retail location, prepare your media similarly (minus the packaging–they’ll take care of that). Organize and label before you head out to the store.
Fill out the order form, either online or at the store. What they ask for is pretty basic: how many different types of original media you have, a title for each DVD (plus customized theme and background music if desired), and how many copies of each you would like made. Apply any discounts you may have, enter your shipping address and billing information, and you’re ready to send your originals off.
After you have sent your originals to YesVideo (either from home or from a retail location), they will travel to YesVideo’s Santa Clara, California headquarters (where I was able to tour last year) – the whole time protected by YesVideo’s Safety Guarantee. The transfer process is carefully orchestrated and awesome to watch….but all you need to do at this point is sit back and wait for your DVDs (and returned originals) to be sent back to you.

Along with your newly converted DVDs, you will also have access to your movies on YesVideo’s online sharing site, which I love.

See how easy that is? It’s so easy that I’ve converted DOZENS of home movies and old photos, and the result is more than I could have dreamed of. The kids pull the home movie DVDs off the shelf and watch them regularly. Reliving our past memories together strengthens our bonds and brings us closer together. We laugh together about how silly we used to be, and get nostalgic as we watch Great Grandma play the piano.

What old memories would you like to preserve onto digital media? Start here!

The Best Moments of 2012 #YesMemory

Lolli — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:29:29 +0000

I started a tradition when CandyMan and I were newly married. I bought a cheap, large frame with a collage matte and filled it with pictures from our first year together. That collage was a visual, daily reminder of all of the amazing things that we had done together during our first year of marriage. Wedding day, honeymoon, camping trip, first Christmas…

Through the years, I’ve made many other collages. Baby births, birthdays, family trips, first days of school… I love seeing my year pulled together and culminated in a collage like that.

During these first two weeks of January, I knew that I needed to go through the exercise of scanning through my pictures from 2012 to find the images that would best illustrate my amazing year. I finally got around to it last week:

2012 was a challenging year in many respects, but as I went through the thousands of pictures that I took through the year, I was reminded of the incredible opportunities I had and the fabulous memories that I made with friends and family. From a ton of press trips, 3 family trips, and 3 conferences, 2012 was a big travel year for me. There were birthdays, school events, music concerts, and so many more memories that I’d nearly forgotten about already.

Remembering and reliving our experiences through the photos we took made me appreciate this last year more than I realized.

Over the years, I’ve done a few different things with my end-of-year collage: framed photo collage, family calendar, scrapbooks, and video slide shows. Of course, YesVideo is perfect for taking your photos (whether in digital or printed format) and turning them into a wonderful year-in-review movie. And believe me when I say that a slide show of last year will be a family treasure 10 years from now.

I am a YesVideo Ambassador and receive compensation for my participation, but as always, thoughts expressed on this blog are my own.