Report Cards

In the last week of the school term, we received report cards for R and J.

This surprised us.

It seemed strange not to provide input into the written assessment of their academic performance. We were their main teachers for about 40% of the year to date.

I know at work, if I have to do a performance review for a new team member, I will seek feedback from their previous supervisor.

So here are my comments nobody asked for...

Review: Messenger Kids

Messenger Kids is a new app that is like Facebook messenger, but for kids. Duh.

Now let's forget about our troubles with a big cone of soft serve ice cream

I was working from home this afternoon, appropriately social distanced.

I hear the familiar tune of Greensleeves, which can only mean one thing:

MR. WHIPPY VAN~!

Not Listening to the Hottest 100

At midday on Saturday I realised, hey isn't the Hottest 100 on now?

J J J

A quick online search confirmed that 25 January was the #changethedate. Then I decided to go ahead and listen to a bunch of music I've never heard before.

Maybe later, I could even come to the conclusion that all new music is shit because as a middle-aged man I don't like what a youth radio station is playing.

Of course, it was different when my parents did that. They were wrong about new music. This time, I'd be right...

Grammar Rodeo

GRAMMAR RODEO

A Real Conversation with Twin J

Pool Party

POOL PARTY

A Real Conversation with Twin R

Injuries

You can't just have a boring accident in my house.

One week ago, it started with a suspected poisoning...

Music Appreciation

We were doing a road trip and in conversation with the six-year-olds it somehow came up that the voice of Bluey's dad was once the lead singer in a popular band, and that Dad really, really liked this band.

This was all A Long Time Ago.

A Long Time Ago in our house is defined by circumstances such as:

• only having five TV channels, and not being able to pause any of them;
• telephones being attached to your house by a cord, except for the ones in a box on the street that need coins to work; and 
• watching movies on something called a VCR, or even a DVD.

The six-year-olds ask to hear Bluey's dad. I was happy to oblige.

Soccer

What a week for the round ball game. Liverpool! Spurs! Marrickville Red Devils U6's Navy!

Yes, we have recently entered the world of Saturday morning sport.

Review: A Day at Taronga Western Plains Zoo

Years ago, I wrote a review of one of my twins earliest visits to Taronga Zoo. They have been to the zoo dozens of times since, and have seen all of the animals there.

So last November, we took a road trip to Dubbo to visit Taronga Western Plains. The following is a review of some of the experiences from the trip!

My Christmas Wish Is Good Health For All

Or: how I injured myself at the last holiday celebration in the most ridiculous way imaginable.

BIG NEWS~!

I'm so excited to announce that on the weekend we bought an eight-seat Kia Carnival...

And also, the reason we did that is because we are having a fourth child due in late-February 2019.

Climbing Mt. Midoriyama

I already shared this photo to my personal Facebook page, and now here's the story behind the iconic image...

Tuck

A granfalloon is a proud and meaningless association of human beings - Kurt Vonnegut

I was checking out the news a few weeks ago, when I saw this headline:

"Hey, that's my last name!", my internal monologue cried.

And although I don't know Wendy, and I'm not aware of any blood relationship between us, I was irrationally pleased that someone I shared a surname with had achieved something newsworthy.

It was really stupid.

Maybe if my last name was Smith or Jones, I wouldn't have felt the same way?

Anyway in tribute to Wendy and her boat thing, here is a definitive list of the 10 most notable Tuck's ever.

It's a very proud and meaningless association of human beings. Credit to Wikipedia for most of the information and images.

Review: NRL Family Membership

This Saturday, the St. George-ILLAWARRA Dragons play the New Zealand Warriors in Wollongong, in a match for the rugby league championship belt.

It is the also the final NRL match this season in our three-game family membership, where we take the twins R and J to the footy (O has been deemed too young at this stage). 

Here are some of the highlights from the first two matches we attended...

Review: Seven Station Swing Set

You know what's fun for kids? A seven station swing set!

Seven Station Swing Set: It's fun AND alliterative!
Photo: KMart website

You know what's not fun for adults?

That time I slept in a park because I was sick and have children

Let me explain.

I Own Nine Books

We fixed up our home study recently. It was a nice improvement. I can now dial into work video conferences from home, without having to push boxes we never unpacked and unfolded baskets of clean clothes out of camera view.

There was some collateral damage though.

To create space, I got rid of almost all my books. These nine are the only ones I still possess...

Review: Cost-Co

This is the blog that reviewed family trips to Taronga Zoo, the Easter Show, Big Bash cricket, and the Footy. Yet nothing prepared me for the toughest and most ambitious adventure yet.

On a Saturday afternoon, just before Christmas. Pray for me.

Review: Going to the Footy

A few weeks ago I took the twins to a blockbuster match between a team in blue jerseys starting with 'New' and a team wearing a shade of red.

New South Wales also played Queensland in State of Origin the following week. We went to Newtown Jets versus Illawarra (not) Steelers at Henson Park instead.