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Halloween 2011: Trick or Treating!

Luke — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:07:37 +0000

Carved watermelons and artificial pumpkins are the name of the game around here. Watch out for the gorilla and the monster eyeball in the window too!

LR made a terrific witch!

RJ dressed as a vampire bat... along with a bat sidekick attached to his wrist.

Off they go to collect their candy. Mom even made caramel apples to give to our neighbours!

Dem bones... RJ created a new species of skeleton creature for our front yard.

These melons are way to scary for our neighbourhood. Nice work kids!

Spider, spied her

Luke — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 03:07:56 +0000

RJ: (pointing to a Halloween decoration) That one’s broken, Dad.

Dad: It’s probably okay. Spiders have so many legs, they can probably afford to lose one every so often.

RJ: No! They can’t!

Dad: What do you mean? They have eight to start with, right?

RJ: Yes, but after they lose a leg, they can’t be a spider any more… They have to be a pider.

He is the lizard king

Luke — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 03:07:41 +0000

RJ: Watch out, Dad. They’re all robots now.

Dad: Who’s that?

RJ: The spiders and insects… Even the scorpions. They’ve all been replaced by robots.

Dad: Let me guess. The bad guys have a plan to take over the world?

RJ: Yes, and it starts by replacing all the venomous creatures with robots.

RJ: … but not the lizards. They’re still on our side.

The wonders of modern manufacturing

Luke — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 03:07:09 +0000

(a discussion after school)

RJ: Did you know that bad robots need bad batteries and bad switches?

Dad: No. I didn’t know that. So the bad batteries have bad power in them?

RJ: Yep. It’s what makes them so evil.

Dad: So… What if I put bad power in a good robot?

RJ: Not a good idea. He would just pull out his gun and shoot you.

Dad: Okay. I wont try that then. What if I put bad power into something safe, like a TV?

RJ: That’s the worst idea EVER.

Dad: Why? TV’s don’t have guns in them.

RJ: If you do that, the TV will explode… and then hundreds of tiny spider droids will come out and attack you. They’re really little.

Dad: Like microbots, or even smaller, like nanobots?

RJ: Nanobots. They try to get into your ears then your brain to kill you.

Dad: Can I just stomp on them?

RJ: Nope. They’re too tough — they’re made of metal!

Dad: What if I use a super strong magnet? Then they’ll be stuck to it.

RJ: Nope. They’re not made of iron. They use a different kind of metal.

Dad: Titanium or something?

RJ: Yep.

Dad: What if I sprayed them with acid?

RJ: Wont work.

Dad: Why not?

RJ: Because they have little sucker hoses that will clean it all up… then they empty it into the rubbish.

Dad: (thinking) Hmm…

Dad: … Got it! I’ve got electric shoes! When they try to crawl up my feet, they’ll get zapped and stop working!

RJ: …

RJ: … (thinking) …

RJ: (looks around) … But you’re not wearing shoes!!! You’re DEAD!

Melbourne and the Cousins, 2010: Part 1

Luke — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 03:07:21 +0000

The trip to Melbourne wasn’t only for Thanksgiving dinner with our friends. We also spent a bunch of time with our cousins!

Even though it was nearly summer, the weather was typical Melbourne: cool and rainy. The day we arrived, we stopped by a great cafe for a terrific brunch followed by a trip to the Melbourne Museum. They have a great permanent dinosaur exhibit and while we were there, they had a fantastic arthropod exhibit with a huge collection of LIVE tarantulas and dangerous spiders as well as some insects. RJ was in heaven — a museum full of dinosaurs and bugs!

Off to a cafe for breakfast, where LR tells Mi. all the latest news. Surprise of the morning: both LR and RJ like kippers!

After a great breakfast, we set off together to the Melbourne Museum. At one of the exploring tables, Pa. shows off a deinonychus claw.

LR and Mi. check out an interactive panel about velociraptors.

RJ had a great time identifying the skeletons and was amazed when he spotted the huge pterodactyl hanging at the very top of the room.

Mi, LR and RJ pop their heads up in the middle of an ant's nest!

Auntie Bron and the girls check out the deadly funnel web spiders. Luckily we don't have them where we live.

Mi. considers adopting a Venezualan Sun Tiger for a pet.

Careful LR, I think they've seen you!

Just for fun, RJ crashes an asteroid into Northern Australia.

Mi. and LR check out the near reaches of space in the 360 degree 3d movie.

Mum takes a break under a long-legged friend.

RJ sticks his entire head in the "Clever" tube.

Time for a 3d movie about African animals!

Mi. is doing great at quoits; she only missed a couple of pegs!

LR practices with the hoops, controlling them with her magic powers from across the courtyard.

RJ built himself a new robot body.

The kids line up on the concrete blocks for a quick round of statues!

Mum and Auntie Bron take a supervisory role at the museum playground.

LR loved these enhanced monkey bars -- the arch made it easy for her to practice some of her gymnastics bar routine.

RJ sat at the top of the slide declaring to anyone who approached, '' I'm managing my business. You can do whatever you like, and it wont bother me! ''

We were all ready to go when Pa. ran into a small problem... her legs disappeared! It took ages to find where they had run off to.

Halloween 2010 – The Preparation!

Luke — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 03:07:51 +0000

The days before Halloween were filled with sorting through decorations and preparing for the party. This year we made our own piñata and carved our “jack-o-melons” ahead of time.

We’ll have pictures from the massive party coming in the next couple of days, so definitely check back in!

RJ was planning on being a witch for Halloween... but ended up changing his mind later.

Mum and the kids work through the huge piles of Halloween decorations to get ready for the party.

LR and Dad fill the piñata... It's very heavy. Will it be strong enough to survive the onslaught of thirty children?

RJ had to make five birthday cards for a birthday party on Halloween morning. Who has their birthday party on Halloween anyway?

This year, LR carved her own watermelon for Halloween!

RJ drew his jack-o-lantern face on paper, which Dad attempted to reproduce, but couldn't quite get right. RJ had to fix it up himself.

LR sprays the spiderwebs and redbacks off the apple bobbing pool. We don't want anything getting bitten in there, except the apples.

The party's starting soon Dad, we've got to get this piñata up in the tree RIGHT NOW!

Compromise is a dish best served cold

Luke — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 03:07:34 +0000

(while playing together)

LR: Let’s play, “Mums and Dads.”

RJ: No! I want to play, “Trapdoor Spiders!”

A minute later the kids were playing mummy and daddy trapdoor spiders.

August, 2010 Photo Wrap-Up

Luke — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 03:07:40 +0000

It was a huge August and the kids have only gotten more busy, not less. We’ve had birthday parties, sleep-overs, soccer finals, dress-up days at school, ~~martial arts~~ Jedi training and more. Here are some of the highlights!

Dad took LR and RJ on the train into the city to look for a present for Mum's birthday.

RJ brought his pet spider along. He just loves skidding around the department store floors.

Haaaapppyyy birthday to youuuuuuuuu!

RJ and Dad worked together to build this little robot. Mum loves the screeching electronic noises it makes, as well as the fact that it responds to voice commands, but only when shouted at THE TOP OF YOUR LUNGS.

LR goes for a super kick at her soccer finals!

Go the mighty Jets!!!

RJ continued bouncing and bouncing and bouncing.

RJ and his favorite trampoline coach. He made her a very special thank you card.

RJ went for his first sleep-over at a friend's place. We got a call from him at 8:30pm saying he was bored and wanted to come home now.

LR and T. spent an afternoon climbing the walls, and discovering magic seeds growing on our tree.

M., C., and RJ enjoyed some killer cupcakes at M.'s birthday party.

RJ (as Cecil the Compsognathus) and LR (as Rapunzel) dressed up as their favorite characters for book day.

Rapunzel considers letting down her hair, before heading off to her ivory tower.

RJ explains to one of his classmates how a compsognathus can escape a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

RJ and C. have taken up jedi training (martial arts) once a week.

Poppa points out some of the finer details of the Iris Award second place winner to Dad's cousin Judith. Dad didn't win, but it was a fantastic exhibition regardless.

Mum had a big surprise when she ordered a margarita for our post-exhibition dinner... It was bigger than her head!

Click go the chelicerae, Click Click Click!

Luke — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 03:07:58 +0000

(while eating breakfast)

RJ: Scarlet’s feet are clicking… Click click click.

Dad: Is that a problem?

RJ: Yes. It reminds me of giant spiders walking around the house… Giant spiders that eat people.

Dad: Maybe we could train one. We could have it as a pet!

RJ: No. That’s not a good idea.

Dad: Why not?

RJ: Because Grammy doesn’t mind little spiders, but she would be scared of a giant spider and she would freak out.

Dad: Fair enough. Can’t say I’d blame her.

My spidey sense is tingling…

Luke — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 03:07:20 +0000

RJ: (yelling from adjoining room) Hey! I’ve got a spider in here… It’s a redback. It’s a really big one.

Dad: (yelling back) Be careful, RJ. I don’t want to see him wandering around the house!

RJ: (peeking head around doorway) It’s okay! It’s okay! I have a leash for him! (holds up skipping rope)

Dad: Be afraid… Be very afraid…