Category: week in review

Big week. We’re getting to the end of the school year, and so we are seeing the end-of-year events start to crop up. Here are the kids on the way to the carols night. It turns out that Huff – whose outfit Dad decorated with some battery-powered Christmas lights – was involved in a dance item first up, and there were some problems with the battery pack coming away, but Huff’s teacher stepped in to save the day.

On Saturday, Dad took the kids down to visit Grandragon in Wollongong. We listened to an audiobook on the way down (the Railway Children and some of the Hunting of the Snark), and stopped for some food.

After a visit, we headed back and stopped for Japanese food on the way home. Puff tried some ginger, and some wasabi, but his main course was too big, so we took some away for dinner another night.

Sunday we had Puff’s recorder recital, so while he was at rehearsal, Mum, Dad and Huff went for lunch.

Then today it was swimming lessons – Dad has finished 7am lectures for the moment, so was able to see the massive improvement in their technique.

Also today, Puff’s speech day – he received a medal for a technology competition he’d entered. We were very proud.

Mum took him out to lunch to celebrate while Dad did some more work. They had a great time together.

Lots of time over the weekend visiting Grandragon, so Dad and the kids had a chance to spend some time together.

We drew Mr Squiggle pictures in a cafe. 

We practiced our urban navigation skills, and as a reward the kids were allowed to have Slurpees.

The kids had a chance to play video games

The next day, we went to church in the morning and then the kids had another urban navigation practice – this time to the frozen yoghurt store.

Back to the cousins’ house for some water games. Puff was struggling to fit his feet into the buckets but he managed it.

On the way home we stopped at Cronulla. Huff was proud of still being able to use this swing, even though it’s mostly for little kids (who would have to sit, not stand, on it).

Puff was excited to have some gelato on the trip home.

We are continuing to pray for Grandragon at the moment. The kids have new advent calendars to help them count down to Christmas, but we have yet to put the tree up. Listening to Huff, comparisons have started – she knows how many people in her class already have their tree up. 

Puff is happy to be moving into his final year of primary school: his school does a great job helping people move from one year to the next. The years are flying by now: the latest challenge as a parent for Dad is to switch from one responsibility to the next – enjoying the fun times, still providing the structure and discipline.

The kids have noticed when Dad is happy or unhappy, and the overall trend lines there.

Not many photos this week. Dad had been fairly flat out with work and study, but there was a bit of a break in the clouds. Dad spent the day with the kids, though there was a lot of screen time.

This was a rare break, doing some craft together. Actually Dad and Huff are doing craft. Puff is opening up the multimeter, which has a flat battery, to fix it.

Sunday was a walk to church with Puff. This was the stop for a milkshake / coffee.

Dad surprised the kids by interrupting a work-from-home day by doing the school run, and grabbing gelato on the way home. The kids had so many other ideas about where we could be going and what we could be doing – playgrounds, Christmas shopping, restaurants, mini golf – it would be good to revisit some day and fill in some of the blanks.

It’s been a sad week. On Thursday, in the middle of the school day, Puff’s bird (Twitter) suddenly took ill, and didn’t live to see the evening. We went to Bunnings and bought a pot, some plants and some soil, and the bird is now buried in our backyard. The kids were very sad and are still trying to stabilise their emotions now and again. He was a good bird, and will be missed.

Other things in the week were more enjoyable.

Puff’s school had a colour run, so Puff had his first colour run. He wanted to be covered in colour, and he was pretty close to having is wish.

Huff lost another two teeth. Puff lost a tooth.

On the weekend, Dad and Puff had a weekend away camping. Dad did more study, and then they spent some time together over meals. Puff did his first cave, and his first abseil.

And then Puff had a night of laser siege to which Huff could go. Here they are playing air hockey in between games.

It’s the middle of a very busy two weeks for Dad, and the trade-off between spending time in meetings, and being able to see the kids and spend time with them.

Another visit from the tooth fairy for Puff, who has now lost one of his “eye teeth”.

And Huff, who has lost another tooth from the bottom row, and continues to be full of joy.

Dad and Huff went on a 3km walk up a pretty steep hill, taking her pretend dogs along for some of the walk, with their elaborate hover devices and eccentric inter-dog relationships.

It was some long overdue Dad-Huff time after a busy season (and a chance for Mum to have a bit of a sleep-in).

Not to be outdone, Dad and Puff walked to church on Sunday together.

Puff had a school fundraiser this week that was a colour run. He enjoyed it a lot, and was thoroughly covered in colour.

We also had Grandragon visit Huff’s school for grandparents day, where Huff even had the chance to interview her grandmother for a worksheet they were pairing up on.

It’s hard knowing that we are in the midst of a busy season to choose which important opportunity to be involved in. Huff was feeling like her Dad is working all the time, and it’s not an unfair read of this current season, and the time with the kids over the weekend was designed to offset that, at least a little.

That’s it for another week.

Mum was experimenting with some photo techniques, but Huff couldn’t help but contribute.

Saturday was sculpture by the sea 

We went with the usual family yet again, and had a great (if slightly rushed) time.

Monday night we had Huff’s dance performance. The kids had dinner at the club beforehand.

Here’s Huff’s dance outfit – she enjoyed it and did a great job! Dad was very proud.

Sunday was church. Huff was in good mood that morning.

Oh, and Puff let his bird out of its cage for a while, to help him with his chess game.

 

Not many photos this week. Dad was away in Brisbane and the Gold Coast over the weekend to catch up with family, friends, and even a little bit of work. The kids (and Mum) dropped him at the airport early on Saturday morning, and then picked him up at the gate on return Sunday evening. Packed, but good to reconnect with everyone and make some progress on the uni work that always looms overhead at present.

Here are a couple of photos from tonight’s swag drop-off. Huff was in fine form wanting to climb on things and laugh and play. Puff was looking forward to seeing his friends.

Here he is solo, looking forward to an evening of making balloon animals and folding origami among other things.

The kids continue to get along well on a fairly regular basis, interspersed with driving each other a little mad. It’s encouraging that even now that they’re attending different schools that they are still keen to interact with each other.

The kids are also asking some more spiritual questions, which can be difficult to phrase in a way that will resonate with their understanding of the world. Dad’s theological study and Mum’s quick wits come in handy as various curve balls are thrown our way, but that’s the parenting life!

It was Mum’s birthday this week. Puff made Mum a video game from scratch, and Huff had the idea of giving her a box of Chomp chocolate bars.

On Saturday, Dad had to work, and Mum and the kids went to Ulladulla for Uncle G and Aunty A’s 60th wedding anniversary party.

Dad managed to get home slightly before the kids, then hid in the kitchen to surprise them. Puff was keen to debrief his day.

Sunday we had a church meeting, then had lunch out (including these dips) and gelato together as a family.

We’re all very grateful for Mum’s hard work, as Puff keeps saying.

Last week of the holidays. On the final Friday Puff was invited to a friend’s ice skating party, and Huff was invited to go along too. 

Huff was confident with her penguin, but fell down 8 times (her count) while trying to figure out her way on the ice.

Puff had a bit more success after years of wheelie shoes.

It’s been encouraging over the holidays to watch and listen to them relating well together, giggling together over shared jokes, and encouraging each other.

There have been other times when they haven’t been getting along, and they seem to be trying to drive each other crazy, but that’s – perhaps – the joy of having siblings.

And then, as if it’s just been a brief snapping of the fingers, two weeks is over, and it’s back to school again. At least Dad had a chance to do the drop-off for Puff.

It’s been a busy school holiday week. After last week’s epic road trip, this week was a bit quieter, or was it?

Tuesday, the kids (and their cousins) helped Grandragon move into her new place, and then to unpack some boxes and be settled in.

Then on the weekend, Mum and Aunty C were busy for the day, leaving Dad watching the four kids. We managed an outing at some point to a nearby cafe featuring some outdoor play areas, and some birds that were only too happy to help clear other tables!

Then, back home on Sunday, Dad and Huff enjoyed a spot of gardening, harvesting some of the vegetables from the backyard.

The kids are holding up quite well despite the myriad trips up and down the coast, but everyone is pretty keen for a pyjama day sometime soon. And then, we’ll blink for a moment, and we will be back at school again for term 4.