I want to introduce you all to Vissenger Video Messaging.  Some of my more regular readers (Mom, Dad, Grandparents, you know who you are) know about Vissenger and have used it a few times, which is great.  We should all be using it more!  I’m particularly proud to tell you about Vissenger because it’s a family business!  My sister-in-law is a tech entrepreneur doing great things for improving communication and lifestyle – Vissenger is her own.

So, what is Vissenger?  It’s a video messaging platform – make a video, e-mail it to someone special/cool/important.  Rinse and repeat.

Here’s why it’s different (and BETTER) than say… skype/youtube/facebook/etc:

• Vissenger is NOT a two way thing             
  • ​​Sometimes we Skype with Gigi, and I’d like to break it down into a play by play of skyping.  First we SCHEDULE a skype call, usually via regular old phone call or text.  “Let’s Skype – tomorrow around 2?  Ok, I’ll call you around 2 and we’ll get on Skype. 
    Next, we call AGAIN (tomorrow at 2) and say “Ok, I’m getting on Skype now, who’s going to call who?  OH You’re calling me, ok let me answer that” “Can you see me?  I can’t see you, I can hear you, but I can’t see you… oh there you are!  Can you see me?  You can?  Can you hear me?”….. Call lost.  Rinse and repeat.
    (Ok so finally we have a good connection)
    “Hi Preston!  Hi Luke” “Hi Gigi!” “Oh there’s Alyssa” “Gigi aksbteoiiuajkbn bemtoiuwera (unintelligible story about trains or sharks or dinosaur king)” “Oh really?” “amnwetiakebsemntblsdkuyatkjer” (more unintelligible talking).
    (Camera pans to ceiling)
    (In the background adult says) “Uh oh, Luke dropped the phone on the ground – You still there Gigi?”
    “Ok, we gotta go, the kids are nuts!  Let’s do this again soon"
    
    So as you probably know, Skyping with family isn’t always a great option for sharing special video moments
• Vissenger is private and personal
  • You can make a special message about anything – record and re-record until you are happy with it, and e-mail it directly to a recipient.  No YouTube or Facebook where you have to make sure that the settings are private
• Vissenger is VERY simple:
  • YOU can figure it out.  Log on www.vissenger.com – make an account – record a video – type in an e-mail address – send
• Vissenger is new!  And improving! 
  • You can send feedback and suggestions and I promise (remember I know the CEO) that your feedback is appreciated and considered.
• With Vissenger you can make a video anywhere on any device (ok, the device has to have a camera – minor detail).  It’s all web based (you don’t even need an app)

Have I conviced you to try it?  Here’s some incentive:  The next 5-10 people (give or take) who send me a Vissenger message (clknedick@gmail.com) will get… a VISSENGER message back from me and at least one of my adorable children.  I have one ready to go of me and Lukey singing the ABCs.  You know you want to see it!

And follow them:

​Today was Preston’s first day of Kindergarten, and he rocked it.  I am so proud of him and excited for him!  I didn’t think it would be like this.  I thought I would cry and get emotional and follow the school bus all the way to school.  I envisioned myself making sure that I personally handed him off to his teacher and then calling the school to check on him.  I had NOTHING to worry about.  He is SO ready for this, and that, to me, is amazing.  I know, every kid goes to Kindergarten, millions of them.  Somehow I couldn’t wrap my head around my little guy taking this big step.  He did it!  And he seemed to love it!   Enough emotional Mom stuff, here’s how the event went down.  We started last night with getting everything ready for the big day.  We packed his backpack together, we labeled everything, we set out clothes to put on in the morning, and we made a special sign for the bus stop.  Then we went to bed.  In the morning we got up, got ready, ate breakfast, and we ALL walked to the bus stop to see Preston off on his first day!  We were at the bus stop 15 minutes early!  So we waited.  Finally the bus came around the bend!  She stopped for Preston, and we took his picture.  And then they drove away.  Just like that.  I thought there were going to be a ton of kids at the bus stop, but there was only one other kid….   In a few years that will be totally different!  Lots of toddlers are appearing all over the neighborhood just WAITING to go to Kindergarten.  Luke cried and cried when Preston went on the bus without him.  He wanted to go, too. 

John and I both got home a few minutes earlier than usual, so we went over to pick him up from after school care together.  Again, I thought there would be a TON of kids after school, but there were only 4 – and we were early!  I hope it’s not too boring for Preston, but I guess we’ll see.  He was happy to see us, and had a great day!  He said he mostly did work, but he got to play 2 times, and they have really fun cars at Kindergarten.  He colored a picture of his name, learned some of the rules, ate lunch with his classmates, and had a great day!  He didn’t get to play outside today, but that’s ok. He had one project to do at home: put 3 special items that are important to him in his paper bag.  He chose his stuffed monster from his old school, his painted sea shell, and then he made us all pose in front of our house so that he could take a picture of his family and his house.  Then Daddy helped him print it out and put it in the bag.

Mommy and Daddy have lots of reading material from school, but that’s ok, too. 

​Luke wants to go to Kindergarten.  He had to have a back pack today just like his big brother, and then he had a rough day at school, maybe because Preston has been getting a lot more attention.  Tonight, when we were helping Preston collect items for his special bag, Luke was finding pictures, too.  He said “I take THIS picture to Kinnergarden.”  The poor guy has 3 more years!!  He wants to be just like his big brother. 

Luke DID catch his first fish this past weekend!  We were at the lake for Labor Day, and lots of exciting things happened.  As I said, Luke caught a fish, and Preston randomly decided he could paddle his kayak all over the lake, and Alyssa was the star of croquet with her Flamingo hat.  There were LOTS of kids to play with, because Liora and Talia, and Stella were all there.  Preston and Stella seemed to have a fun time together.  They are finally old enough that they can play like real kids.  Preston is a bit of a show-off, but Stella seemed to tolerate it.  He toned down after a little bit.  I think they established that they could actually be friends, and Preston didn’t need to try to be so impressive all the time.  

At one point we had 4 kids all together in the canoe for a treasure hunt, and even though it was starting to get a little cooler, the kids all swam.  We luckily had beautiful weather.   
Luke saw a picture of Poppop on the refrigerator and knew immediately who it was.  I always said that Luke and Poppop were kindred spirits.  I think they had a special bond even at 1 and a half and 89.  It was different to not have Poppop at the lake this year.  I keep learning new things about him, even though he is gone.  Every now and then you would find some garden fencing in the woods around a baby rhododendron.  I always thought that it was a bush that had grown there on it’s own, and the Poppop was just protecting it.  In fact, Poppop was trying to root them from cuttings, and it often worked!  I’m just now discovering the fun of cultivation, and I like to think that I got it from him.  I still have a pretty brown thumb, but I’m figuring it out.  I wish I had known what he was doing so that I could have apprenticed under him (or something).  I think next year I’ll continue the tradition of putting random rhodeys in the woods.

​Alyssa is still the easiest baby.  She is ALWAYS happy, and if there is something that she doesn’t want to do, she’ll let you know.  She’s 7 months old tomorrow!   She  can scoot and roll all around on her belly, and she LOVES animals still.  She’s working on using a sippy cup, and only like pureed foods (nothing chunky).