Nate, "'T' is the first letter of the alphabet."

Nate, "'T' is the first letter of the alphabet."
Sara, "Um, no."
Me, "Well technically it is the first letter of '*The* alphabet'"
Glares from Sara.

Nate, pointing at his middle finger, "This is my god finger."

Nate, pointing at his middle finger, "This is my god finger."
Sara, "Why?"
Nate, "because it's the biggest..."

Just started auto-backing up some old photos to Google+.

Just started auto-backing up some old photos to Google+. Found this old set of Nate eating an ice cream cone... #nostalgia

Made mini-gingerbread houses as a family last night.

Made mini-gingerbread houses as a family last night.

Yay, Google+! Auto-Awesome Year Highlight Movie

Yay, Google+! Auto-Awesome Year Highlight Movie

We were explaining winter solstice to the boys this morning, and how the effect is exaggerated at the poles.

We were explaining winter solstice to the boys this morning, and how the effect is exaggerated at the poles. Nate goes, "When it's summer at the north pole you better get on a boat quick!" Which sparked a debate between Sara and myself about whether or not the ice was permanent at the north pole. As we're discussing and Sara is Google-ing the answer on her phone, Nate pipes up, "Adults sure aren't very smart. You forget a lot of things..."

Christmas Pyramid

Christmas Pyramid

Signs you may be a nerdy family:

Signs you may be a nerdy family:
James, "I want to be as old as Nate."
"Well, if you sent Nate into orbit... "

I don't usually post links that verge on the political, but I thought this was an extremely good read.

I don't usually post links that verge on the political, but I thought this was an extremely good read.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/08/david-simon-capitalism-marx-two-americas-wire

Put the tree up today.

Put the tree up today. Later we watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer together (Sara's tradition). As soon as the movie started and the FBI warning came up, Nate goes, "It's too scary, let's turn it off." James goes, "It's okay, I'm not scared, my Dad's right here."

Title

Signs you may be raising a megalomaniac: Your son yells "WITNESS HISTORY!

Signs you may be raising a megalomaniac: Your son yells "WITNESS HISTORY!" at the top of his lungs while attacking his younger brother.

From art show at church

From art show at church

Nate staged a small venue limited run performance art piece the other day.

Nate staged a small venue limited run performance art piece the other day. He spent most of the day preparing in the "quiet time" room. A photo of the sign he made for the show is attached. Visitors were required to press a green button he made to enter the show. Once in they were seated and the lighting adjusted (the hallway light needed to be off). He then placed his toy electric guitar on a small red box (his "guitar amp") and pressed a button on the guitar to play one of the pre-recorded songs. He then went inside a box he had prepared with a happy face drawn on it and a hat on top. He then stuck his hands out of two holes he had cut in the sides of the box and began waving his hands to the music (his rendering of it can be seen on the sign if you look closely). I have no idea where he gets these ideas from, but wherever it is, the supply appears to be endless.

Sara and I went to one of the major chain bookstores today.

Sara and I went to one of the major chain bookstores today. They had a series of children's board books based on famous literary classics, including a few of Jane Austen's works. Naturally, Sara needed to pick one up. As she was paying for it, she struck up a conversation with the clerk. They both started geeking out about how cool it was. The clerk, "Isn't it neat how they're making these kid's books based on famous movies?" Ummmm.....

Birthday Supper for Oma

Birthday Supper for Oma

In Focus: Always Awesome

In Focus: Always Awesome
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/10/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2013/100611/

Family morning at the zoo. Loving the way my new phone handles.

Family morning at the zoo. Loving the way my new phone handles.

Fall fun

Fall fun

Nate and James got a gold fish last night. This morning, Nate was excited about how he was going to train it.

Nate and James got a gold fish last night. This morning, Nate was excited about how he was going to train it.
"Well, Nate, that won't really work, because you can't talk to your fish."
Thinks for a bit, "I know! I'll use hand signals and moving my head to teach it what's good and bad."
"Unfortunately, you can't really train gold fish, they aren't that smart."
"Why? "
"Well, they have really small brains."
"James has a small head... "

Testing out the slow mo mode on my new Moto X. (Wait till the end)

Testing out the slow mo mode on my new Moto X. (Wait till the end)

Making the most out of Autumn.

Making the most out of Autumn.

Our boys aren't ready to give up summer yet, so we've hit a compromise, they wear shorts under their pants.

I love Rdio for things like this. Our two year old requested "duck party" music this morning.

I love Rdio for things like this. Our two year old requested "duck party" music this morning.

Wishing I was in Seattle, with my good friends the Iflands.

Wishing I was in Seattle, with my good friends the Iflands.
http://www.brothers-brick.com/2013/10/03/brickcon-2013-starts-today/

Sara encouraged me to make a "perogy pizza" for Friday pizza night.

Sara encouraged me to make a "perogy pizza" for Friday pizza night. I was skeptical that it would work, but it turned out even better than the Boston Pizza version we were emulating. For those interested in replicating. I mixed some sour cream, ranch dressing, and hot sauce together for the sauce; covered the sauce with a layer of finely sliced baked potato; then sprinkled with sausage and bacon bits; threw some cheddar in with our regular pizza cheese; and topped it with green onion once it was out of the oven.

Nate spilled milk down the front of his shirt yesterday at the dinner table.

Nate spilled milk down the front of his shirt yesterday at the dinner table. I look at him and give him my disappointed voice, "Nate, what happened?"
Nate glum, "The Pink Panther confuses me."
Sara found a DVD of the original Pink Panther animated shorts at a garage sale. The boys love them, they will watch Pink Panther over pretty much anything, including full length movies. One of their favourites is called "Pink Pajamas" and in it two of the characters swig milk (see screen grab), which was what Nate was trying to emulate. Thankfully, as far as cartoon physics misrepresentations goes, this one is fairly benign.

Sara Epp went garage sale-ing (sailing?

Sara Epp went garage sale-ing (sailing?) with the boys and got a new Duplo base plate. So naturally we built a castle. Sometimes it's more fun building with the bulky multi-coloured Duplo blocks than their more refined Lego brethren, because you can build quicker, it's easier for the boys to collaborate, and you need to rely on your imagination just a little more. I'm particularly fond of my knight with the pot on his head and shovel for a sword, and Nate had some great additions too, using a fishing rod for a drawbridge rope and lion guarding the princess to be rescued.