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Nate, "Did God make wasps?"

Nate, "Did God make wasps?"
"Yes, Nate, God made wasps."
"But the people down here want to kill the wasps."

Had a block yard sale today.

Had a block yard sale today. Our family was hanging out casually on the front lawn and a lady was striking up a casual conversation with us. Eventually she turned to the boys and began asking them questions,
"Hey there, it looks like you're having a lot of fun, did you have fun today?"
Nate, "We're making a pretend fire." Points to a pile of sticks he's been collecting.
"Oh, that sounds fun, are you going roast pretend marshmallows over the fire?"
"No, I'm going to burn James."
"...ummm, I'm not sure I understood that."

Saw Lego being sold out of the back of a truck in an abandoned parking lot yesterday.

An interesting article and glimpse into Sara's former life.

An interesting article and glimpse into Sara's former life.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/7/3287515/robocup-2012-robots-soccer-broken-necks-baby-steps

We were getting the boys ready for bed and Nate was dawdling at the bathroom sink, leaning completely over the edge,...

We were getting the boys ready for bed and Nate was dawdling at the bathroom sink, leaning completely over the edge, with his face deep in the sink.

I'm getting frustrated because he's continually stalling, "Nate, come on, wash your hands, let's go."

I hear him trying to tell me something, but it's muffled because his head's so far in the sink.

Time for the tactile approach, I put my hand on his shoulder and lean in closer, "Nate, wash your hands."

But he's still trying to tell me something, and he's getting frustrated that I can't hear him. Finally, I make it out, "Why does the water go down the sink, Daddy?"

(sigh)

"Because of gravity, Nate. It's what makes everything go down when you let go. Like, when you're jumping, gravity makes you go down to the ground instead of flying into the air?"

Sara jumps in, "It's what makes things fall down."

Nate immediately, "Like apples?"

Nate in the "driver's seat" of his "ship".

Nate in the "driver's seat" of his "ship". Note the piano bench at the end, which he placed there as his diving board.

Family fish and chips at the forks.

Family fish and chips at the forks.

The English Gardens with Oma Epp

The English Gardens with Oma Epp

Nate, "My eyes are very tired, can you rub them for me?"

We had friends over yesterday and Nate had done a really good job playing with their son, who is even younger than...

We had friends over yesterday and Nate had done a really good job playing with their son, who is even younger than James. They had gone home, Nate was contentedly colouring on the dining room table, and I sensed a great parenting moment in the making.

I walked quietly up to Nate, gently placed a hand on his shoulder, and said in my most fatherly encouraging voice, "Nate, I was really proud of the way you played with Rudy today, that was very good."

Nate looked deep in thought. Maybe he didn't quite understand. So I began to elaborate on how he had done a good job playing at Rudy's level, how that had probably made Rudy very happy, that it made me very happy, and perhaps that made Nate feel good too. I paused to see if this had sunk in.

Without skipping a beat, Nate goes, "Daddy.... I think I should get a treat for playing so nicely with Rudy."

I'll just leave this here....

I'll just leave this here....
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1239438--u-s-tourist-s-pro-gun-letter-sparks-social-media-storm#.UCltgIMBHnU.facebook

Obvious bonus points for playing "Insane in the Membrane" through an actual membrane, but it got me thinking, how...

Obvious bonus points for playing "Insane in the Membrane" through an actual membrane, but it got me thinking, how long before somebody puts out clothing that hooks into your audio feed and looks like this. I've seen equalizers done before, but how awesome would a pulsating polka dot shirt be?
http://kottke.org/12/08/squids-membrane-goes-insane-while-listening-to-cypress-hill

At the English Gardens.

At the English Gardens. It's great to see Nate sharing an enthusiasm for flowers with Sara. He walks around the gardens asking Sara what the names of all the flowers are, and gets excited when he sees certain flowers he likes.

This is kind of fun.

This is kind of fun.
http://kottke.org/12/08/traditional-style-woodblock-prints-of-video-game-characters

When I mowed the lawn, Nate used to faithfully follow me around with a toy lawn mower.

When I mowed the lawn, Nate used to faithfully follow me around with a toy lawn mower. He was quite dedicated and would follow me for a good portion of the time I mowed. I thought it was cute. Now he follows me with a stick and pretends to chase me... hopefully the neighbours weren't watching.

Trying out Windows 8, so thought I'd give Internet Explorer (and therefore Bing) over Chrome a try, as it has a...

Trying out Windows 8, so thought I'd give Internet Explorer (and therefore Bing) over Chrome a try, as it has a native Metro UI. Sad times, I was searching for "Office 2013" and Bing doesn't even show Microsoft's own site in the first page of search results, which is what I was looking for, works much better with a Google search.

One of the interesting things about living with kids is finding unexpected things in unexpected places, like toys in...

One of the interesting things about living with kids is finding unexpected things in unexpected places, like toys in my work bag, or cheerios in my suit jacket, or, as was the case today, a grappling hook hanging out the back of my car.

Five years of marriage!

Five years of marriage!

We were taking a long car ride as a family to avoid the rain while camping, and I guess Nate was getting bored,...

We were taking a long car ride as a family to avoid the rain while camping, and I guess Nate was getting bored, because he tried to engage us in some conversation (which I thought was cute).

"Mom, what's your favourite farm animal?"

"Ummmm, a goat."

"Why?"

"Well, because goats are fun and like to play and bounce around."

(pause)

"Daddy, what's your favourite farm animal?"

"...farm dogs. Dad likes farm dogs."

(pause)

"James, what's your favourite farm animal? Pigs. James likes pigs!"

After a library run. Great to see both our boys so into books.

After a library run. Great to see both our boys so into books.

True Story #231. Story by Dan Telfer.

http://www.mikeholmesdraws.com/post/28495057941

Nate was full of unexpected kindness this weekend.

Nate was full of unexpected kindness this weekend.

Friday, we were enjoying time with the neighbours on their patio. I told Nate it was time to leave and started gathering our stuff. When I looked up, Nate was nowhere to be seen. We eventually found him inside the neighbours house cleaning up the toy he had been playing with. He told us later he had trouble finding the room (he had never been upstairs in their house, but he did manage to find the right place to put the toy by finding the spot for similar toys).

Saturday, I was working in the basement with my Dad and Nate, and I cut myself. As I was upstairs (2nd floor) putting on a bandaid when I heard somebody coming up the stairs. Then a small voice, "Dad are you okay?"

"Yes, Nate, I'm fine."

"I was just checking if you were alright. It's good to check on people when they get hurt."

"Thanks, Nate."

Sunday, Sara's helping Nate with something in the kitchen. Meanwhile, James starts running from the living room, runs right through the dining room, comes to a quick stop in the kitchen doorway and throws a toy with all his might at Nate and Sara and takes off. James gets admonished. Once Nate's done in the kitchen he starts searching around the house until he finds a ball and gives it to James. "Here you go, James. Here is something you can throw."

Fun at the beach.

Fun at the beach.

Just because post.

Just because post.

Brilliant. The commentary is great.

Brilliant. The commentary is great.
http://kottke.org/12/07/what-cricket-looks-like-to-americans

Nate was having a night snack.

Nate was having a night snack.
"Nate, I put a surprise in your yogurt."
"Is it milk?"
"No, it's round and purple."
Nate now excited, "Is it olives?"
"No, it's grapes."
Dissapointed, "oh."

Brothers in a box.

Brothers in a box.

MoCAT: the Musuem of Contemporary Art Trash

http://kottke.org/12/07/mocat-the-musuem-of-contemporary-art-trash

Sara and I were sitting in our room waiting for the kids to fall asleep, when I hear Nate singing all the way from...

Sara and I were sitting in our room waiting for the kids to fall asleep, when I hear Nate singing all the way from in the boys' room. I'm about to go in and tell him to be quiet when I finally make out what he's singing, "I need to be quiet, sooooooo verrrrrry quiiiiiet, so my brother can fall asleeeeeeep, and doesn't waaaaaake uuuuup......"

Me, "Nate, I'm telling you to go to your room right now!"

Me, "Nate, I'm telling you to go to your room right now!"
Nate, "No, I'm going to go to James' room!"
(it's the same room)

Impromptu picnic at the forks.

Impromptu picnic at the forks.

Brothers

Brothers

Always fun when Winnipeg gets a random mention in my regular internet wanderings.

Always fun when Winnipeg gets a random mention in my regular internet wanderings.
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/06/cowboys-must-be-deranged.html

This morning:

This morning:
Sara, "Nate do you want cereal for breakfast?"
Nate, "No, I want ... [pause while trying to think of something clever] ... broccoli!"

It's a shame we didn't have any on hand, or we could have called his bluff.

Kites in the park.

Kites in the park. 

Went out with good friends, had a couple drinks.

Went out with good friends, had a couple drinks... discovered something fundamentally new about the way the universe works. 

(Picture taken at the newly reopened Basil's on Osbourne. Fantastic restaurant by the way.)

I'm not quite sure how this is physically possible.

I'm not quite sure how this is physically possible. I understand that our boys eat a lot of cheerios and that they drop quite a few of them, but what I don't understand is how you amass a pile that big directly underneath you without crushing it into cheerio dust.

(Striped car seat is James, check is Nate)

Note to self: Do not use the term "We need to jet" around a three year old.

Note to self: Do not use the term "We need to jet" around a three year old.

The next ten minutes included repeated requests to fly in a jet, an explanation of why "We need to jet" implied we need to go fast, explanation of why jets are considered fast relative to other modes of transporation, explanation of what physically makes a jet go fast, more requests to fly in a jet, explanation of why travelling by jet isn't an efficient means of travelling within the same city...

Posted purely because of the name of the game.

Posted purely because of the name of the game.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/17/3091922/play-this-snakes-on-a-cartesian-plane