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Monica Swanson

the grommom

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My first VLOG–w/ home and country updates.

by Monica 14 Comments

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Aloha!

Today I am trying out my first “vlog!”  eeks!  It only took six tries, and it’s still pretty silly, but I thought it was worth throwing out as our experiment.
Obviously there is a different sort of pressure when you are doing a video as opposed to writing.  A phone ringing mid-video can actually mess up the whole thing. (three times.)  When I talk too fast, or look stupid, or the dog decides to stand there and distract me, I can’t just cut and paste.   I had fun trying though—so here is my little minute and half intro of the day.

(Thanks Josiah!  Didn’t he do a nice job adding the music and closing scenes?)

As for photos, here are a few more back yard updates.

A lot of the groundwork for planting grass has been just removing weeds, old plants, and trees.  Levi loves to work along-side his daddy.  Dave found a shovel just the right size for a two-year old.

dad and levi

And a glove…that isn’t exactly his size.  Or on the right hand for that matter.  
levi work

The whole family has been out there working.
Well, almost the whole family (wink wink.  I make smoothies.)
lukeywork

levi squat

Our massive bamboo tree was getting out of control.  Bamboo is bossy like that.  Dave decided that as pretty as it is, he’d rather grow fruits and veggies.  So, he chopped it all down.  Every bit of it.  (He assured me that if i really miss it, we can grow more.  It grows very fast.)

This meant yet another PILE in the back yard.  It never ends I tell ya.
bambooEli brought over his wood chipper to chop up all of the bamboo.  And now we’ve used it to fertilize all of the plants on our property.
We’re getting so green.  (;))

eli chipper

Then Eli tackled the coconut tree.  Those coconuts are WAY up there.  I don’t want Eli’s job.

tree

Here’s a little piece of trivia:  Falling coconuts kill 150 people worldwide each year, 15 times the number of fatalities attributable to sharks.
Seriously? Here I am worried about my boys surfing, while our own backyard may be the true danger zone. 

IMG_1411

Since I couldn’t do it in my vlog, here’s Eli’s on-the-scene demo of cutting open a mature coconut.  The more mature they are, the less water they have, but the more nice meat.  (The white part.)

cut coco

We love to toast the meat and snack on it!  Yum.
Next time I hope to learn how to make coconut MILK out of the meat too.  Any of you ever done that?

coconut

 

Dave has found another type of coconut to plant.  This variety is supposed to stay short, and produce a lot of coconuts.  Yay for that.  We’ll keep you posted on these cute little things.

growing a coconut
Then the happy clean-up crew did their thing.  Everyone helps.
Well, almost everyone. (wink wink.  I make dinner.)
Oscar seems to be finding his way into everything today, isn’t he?  

yard fun

Of course there will be many more updates ahead!

(In case you missed it, I published another post earlier today which you’ll find below.  It is by the request of many, and it is about Weight Issues and Mind Games.  Enter at your own risk. 🙂 )

XOXOXOXO  Have a great weekend!
Grommom

Aloha, Monica
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Comments

  1. Kirsten/Comfortably Domestic says

    April 9, 2013 at 5:27 pm

    What a sweet video! Nice that you have your own personal videographer/techie in the house. I hope that you get to do the coconut video at some point in the future–it sounds fascinating and so different that what my boys experience here Up North.

    Reply
  2. Bidda says

    April 8, 2013 at 4:03 pm

    Awesome Monica what great helper Dave and you have,can not wait to see all you have done on tour property. We are heading on the Disney cruze Thursday so lexiting time for us all,Hugs to you all.

    Reply
  3. Natalie says

    April 8, 2013 at 9:19 am

    I loved it too. Great to hear you and really enjoyed seeing more of your place. Looking forward to more! I love seeing Levi getting involved with helping and family activities too. He is so cute and he seems into really similar things to my son Ollie who is also a real boy boy and into everything! He is 19 months old. Helping his daddy in the garden is one of his favourite activities. And tractors/power tools! Great post as always. Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Lucy K says

    April 7, 2013 at 7:44 pm

    Love the video, you’re a natural on front of the camera! Hola from Mexico!

    Reply
  5. Melissa Kootsikas says

    April 7, 2013 at 11:48 am

    I loved seeing you!! More please. That was fun.

    XOXO

    Reply
  6. Jehan Valiente says

    April 7, 2013 at 1:25 am

    More Vlogs in your blogs! loved it!
    xo

    Reply
  7. Monica Parker says

    April 7, 2013 at 1:13 am

    Great job on the Vlog!!!! The music was perfect, keep doing it 🙂 And “aloha Eli!” I love him, he moved my avocado tree 🙂
    Aloha!

    Reply
  8. Sandy says

    April 6, 2013 at 8:09 am

    I love the idea of a vlog. Mostly cause I miss your face and I miss hearing you. And I miss seeing the wind blow through the trees, I have wind and trees, but as you know, it moves differently.

    Reply
  9. Heather @ Heather's Dish says

    April 6, 2013 at 2:54 am

    Aw, loved getting to hear your voice! And I’d LOVE to see the coconut thing if you get another chance!!!

    Reply
  10. Kendall says

    April 6, 2013 at 2:52 am

    Great Job Monica!! The music really made the video fun to watch in addition to the star performer. Great job Josiah on the production end.

    Reply
  11. Shanna@ pineapple and coconut says

    April 6, 2013 at 12:59 am

    I LOVE love love the video and am so excited to see more – your property in Hawaii is awesome!! You are a natural on camera too. Love the editing and the music! And of course I love that you have so many coconut trees – just don’t stand under them! Happy Aloha Friday!!!

    Reply
  12. greg lake says

    April 5, 2013 at 11:28 pm

    GREAT Vlog! Love it. And nice work Josiah on the end credits – love that one of the sunset coming into focus!

    Looks like a big job on the backyard. Dave looks as happy as a pig in mud! 🙂

    g

    Reply
    • grommom says

      April 5, 2013 at 11:31 pm

      bahaha…a pig in mud. That sounds a little too appropriate! 🙂
      LOVED meeting Marika BTW–what a sweet girl. I could hang with her a whole lot more! 🙂 aloha

      Reply
      • greg lake says

        April 8, 2013 at 8:30 am

        I meant it in the nicest possible way, of course. 🙂

        Reply

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