The logistics of having children

So currently, mostly through habit, we signed up Jaan and Aisha to both Soccer and Baseball this year. That’s not normally a bad thing, as baseball tends to be done around mid-June and Soccer is usually just getting going by then, so there’s been little overlap for the kids, historically. For baseball they’re both in [...]

My son

Maria recently asked Jaan where his favorite place was. He surprised and amused with his response. “I don’t know, I haven’t been everywhere yet.”

Ottawa airshow’s rules

So, I wanted to take my kids to the Ottawa Airshow this year, and I was all set to buy the tickets. Then I read the rules and regulations, item number two. No coolers, food stuffs or beverages (except for baby foods & formulas) No food stuffs?? Are they nuts? What is this, a movie [...]

Back to Gatineau

We made it to Gatineau Park for the first time this year today. It was nice to get back, and the kids had a great time. It’s as beautiful as ever. I think we’re all out of shape though. The kids were complaining about being tired way too early. I think we’ll all have to [...]

Putting corn back on the stick

A little while ago at the grocery store, as we passed the frozen corn, Jaan decided to ask a profound question. Daddy, how do they get the corn on the stick? He of course was asking how people put corn on the cob, labouring under the false assumption that corn comes in bags and they [...]

Feeding the birds

We were down by the stony swamp area on the weekend, as it was perfect for some winter hiking. An added bonus is that the local chickadees are looking for food, and they’re very used to humans. So, we borrowed some seed from some friendly hikers, and with some help, they were eating out of [...]

Damn, the kid learns fast

I just played Jaan in a chess game, as we play often since I got him interested in the game. He has yet to beat me, but that’s hardly surprising; he’s five. Still, he learns quickly. Lately he’s been playing against the computer on Maria’s computer using my copy of Chessmaster 9000. I’ve set him [...]

Look-out, it’s Spider-Jaan

Jaan picked-out his costume for Halloween this year, and just got finished wearing it to a birthday party for one of his friends, where they had a Halloween theme. He picked Spiderman. Now to teach him to say, “My spider-sense is tingling…”

The boy plays chess now

So, Jaan has seen my chess boards around the house, and he’s very interested in learning how to play, since I like it. He’s been playing checkers for a while now, one of the older kids at daycare taught him how and we’ve been playing with him since, but chess is a lot more complicated [...]

Lusk Falls and Mulvihill Lake

The last few days, we’ve been doing a variety of things. We continued our ventures into Gatineau Park for the first couple of days, starting with Lusk Falls. It’s a beautiful spot, especially when you actually use the recommended trail, instead of ending up at a climbing path for real climbers, something that I wouldn’t [...]