7 Quick Takes: what I did on summer vacation video diary!

Taking a tour of Great Sacandaga Lake last week with my Dad as the boat captain. Wish I'd had this picture for that poem I wrote him on Father's Day.

Here's 7 brief snapshots into our summer vacation. If you've followed this blog long enough you know that each year we spend a week camped out in some corner of the northeast with all 22 of my siblings and their families. Also, if you're reading this post in email, click through to the actual post and turn up your volume.

Enjoy!

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Vacation video #1: "In Three Words", edited by my sister.  During our family reunion/vacation we sneaked around behind the scenes to create a video recap/birthday card for my parents.  My mom's birthday was the Friday we were together, my dad's at the end of August.  (pardon us for a few inside jokes)

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Vacation video #2:  In which my 15-month-old nephew nabs the frog that my older nephews and niece were "babysitting" on the beach.  Just after I stopped recording, the kids try to revive the frog who seems to be in shock. Eight-year-old Griffin says "Someone breath air into his nose!"

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Vacation video #3:  Have I mentioned that our family likes to stage elaborate events during our week together?  This year included a Murder Mystery that my sons wrote and directed - Murder Mystery: 80's Prom Edition.  Part of the fun was shopping at Goodwill together for our costumes.  My mom found me this PERFECT retro-wear.  Also, my character Hazelnut Shines played the former child star who is tired of being known for her memorable gig as the "Sheri Shoeshine" Girl.  Here's me re-enacting my one line:

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Vacation video #4:  We celebrated our THIRTEENTH ANNUAL family vacation dance party -- in an air conditioned room for the first time ever, thanks be to God!  Here's a tiny -- and ridiculous -- clip:

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Vacation video #5: Our first weekend in New York we enjoyed watching our nephew (on the Murphy side) marry his long-time sweetheart Lindsay.  I'm not sure why I didn't get more video during the reception but here's a few seconds of the groom kicking it up during the reception:

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Vacation video #6:  A few months back my grandparents moved from their own home to an assisted living center.  They began giving away some of their belongings and my son Alex knew he wanted his great-grandfather's banjo.  When the kids were little (and even when they got big) Grandpa was always good for a few rounds of picking  out old tunes while the kids danced around the living room.  That's the backstory for this video and Alex's serenade our final night of family vacation:

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Vacation video #7: A beautiful finale for our week together, Alex and his 10 and 8 year-old cousins play and sing "Blessed Be Your Name".  Please notice the four-year-old cousin accompanying on his own air guitar:

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A beauty and grace-filled weekend for us all, dear ones.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!