Crumpled Home

While mum was away, dad kept the kids busy and tried to completely wear them out during the day. On Saturday, we went to the zoo. On Sunday, we went to a Wild Fairyland Festival.

We’ll be going back to the zoo again sometime.

LR goes for a close-up of a snake.

At 5 metres long (16feet), he's not a giant, but he is still impressively large.

RJ and LR get face to face with the salt-water croc.

LR takes a moment to record some observations while RJ wolfs down a sandwich.

RJ and LR stop for a moment to let Trisha get past.

They're quick, but dad's pretty fast with the shutter.

Gotcha!

The kids thought this kangaroo needed some exercise.

LR was careful to take pictures of each animal.

The wildflowers are still blooming everywhere.

On Sunday, we went to the Fairy Festival. Just look at the delight on the kids’ faces! They eventually cheered up, but it took most of the day.

Her face painted, LR is ready to have her nails done!

We tortured LR by leaving her in the middle of a tent full of fairy-obsessed 4-7 year old girls. How could we be so cruel?

On the other hand, the Drippy the Dragon puppet show was a huge hit.

RJ was pleased to have cake provided for him.

See? Sparkly nails AND face paint!

A fairy delivers some magic dust to LR so she can make a wish.

(while watching a documentary on Antarctica)

(Fuzzy baby penguin comes on screen)

LR: Awww.. So cute!

Dad: Yeah, fuzzy.

Mum: Cute!

RJ: Cute baby penguin!

(Penguin mother taking care of baby)

LR: They’re really cute.

Dad: Yeah, they really are cute!

Mum: Awww…. cute.RJ: What a cute family.

(Penguin staggers to shore, covered in blood after being attacked by a leopard seal)

LR: The poor thing!

Mum & Dad: Awww… That poor little guy.

RJ: (yelling) ZOMBIE PENGUIN! IT’S A ZOMBIE PENGUIN!!! AAAAAA!!!!

Mum went away last weekend, so it was up to Dad to keep things under control. On Friday night we went to the beach for a quick play, then picked up fish & chips for dinner.

Dad: This single-parent thing is a piece of cake!

LR was desperate to get up onto the monkeybars on her own.

... And after many attempts she made it!

We don't get a lot of snow around here. We just make do with what we've got.

RJ was not impressed when he realised his toy was broken.

RJ cheered up again pretty quickly, in time to play airplanes on the swing.

(at the dinner table)

RJ: I’m drinking fly blood. Arrgggllugluglugluglugllugl. (starts gargling milk)

Dad & Mum: RJ! Stop that! No gargling at the dinner table!

RJ: (craftily) I love drinking fly blood. I’m a spider. (starts making motions to begin gargling again)

Dad: Watch it spider, or I’ll turn your fly blood into…  moo juice.

RJ: (angry, yelling) THERE IS NO SUCH THING! THERE IS NO MOO JUICE!

More fly blood please!

(phone rings, it’s T, one of LR’s friends from school)

T: I’m going to go to the movies with LR.

Dad: She and her mum aren’t here right now. Do you know which movie you’re going to see?

T: Yes. Coraline in 3D, but you can’t come.

Dad: Not fair T. You’re always so mean to me!

T: (laughs)

T: We’re trying to pick a good time to go.

Dad: Okay. I’ll tell LR and her mum when they get home.

T: Okay. (pauses)

T: I think maybe we shouldn’t go right now though. My mum is asleep.

(when about to get RJ out of the shower)

RJ: (carefully adjusting something on the shower drain) Careful daddy.

Dad: Why?

RJ: I’m making a trap.

Dad: A trap? For who?

RJ: The animals. It’s going to catch all the animals.

Dad: I didn’t realise there was such a wildlife problem in here.

RJ: Yes. This will stop the cats and the turtles.

Dad: That’s a relief. They’ve been keeping me up at night.

RJ: (looking annoyed) Don’t be silly. This is serious!

It’s September and the wildflowers have gone crazy. We took a quick trip up to Gingin to wish Grammy a happy birthday and spent an afternoon with Poppa helping him with his electronics and designing our own robots.

RJ and LR work on a birthday present for Grammy.

LR admires a huge bunch of daisies.

The almond and other fruit trees in the garden are all flowering.

The field is filled with a carpet of yellow flowers.

LR performs her amazing disappearing stick trick.

Please put down the camera. We want to do something fun.

It's either from a dragon... or a cow.

LR solders a resistor for Poppa.

RJ clips some leads for Poppa.

LR shows off her latest masterpiece - now hanging prominently in her room.

Dad and RJ worked together on cutting, gluing and colouring his robot.

RJ made himself a pair of "mad scientist glasses" -- out of some plastic packaging.

LR and RJ keep each other company during the scary bits of a movie.

LR had a big presentation in front of the whole school last Friday, reciting a poem that she wrote (from memory). She dressed up in her swimming gear; quite tough considering that Winter has only just finished. Thanks to one of the other parents for getting pictures for us!

The Waterslide

by LR

I like going down the waterslide.
It is swirling and swishing.
Wow! It looks fast!
Down, down we go.
WHEEEEE!

The Year 1 class on stage.

LR recites her Waterslide poem for the whole school.

On the weekend, we took a trip to a nearby farm school, known to the kids as “The Farm Zoo.”

LR and RJ check the laying boxes for eggs and chickens.

LR feeds the bossiest pony some carrot.

RJ decided to eat some of the carrots instead of feeding the animals.

RJ and Mum have a turn feeding the ponies.

Nanny goat loves broccoli!

RJ thought the goats were safer than the ponies.

LR and RJ wait for a ride on the 'tractor'.

Choc-milk and carrots for lunch? Does Mum know about this????

And icecream? Did Mum fall off the planet or something?

LR is willing to share with the cockatoos... Not!

(at the dinner table)

Dad: Anyone else want some moo juice?

LR: Moo juice? What’s that?

Dad: Just a silly name for milk.

Mum: You know. Like juice, from a moo cow.

RJ: (yelling) THERE IS NO MOO JUICE!

Mum & Dad: (surprised) It’s just a name for milk RJ.

RJ: IT’S NOT REAL. YOU’RE TRICKING.

LR: I would like some moo juice!

RJ: STOP TRICKING ME. YOU’RE LYING TO ME.

Dad: Okay RJ. How about some milk instead?

The Strange Properties of Moo Juice