Parenting

Left it pretty late to do my taxes this year, but it has now been checked off the todo list. Pity the tax return has effectively already been spent on the kids…

Today has been a real struggle. Combo of work challenges and the kids going back to school this week. Feel ready to collapse…

Love having to explain what a vasectomy is to the kids after watching an episode of Malcolm in the Middle together…

Took the kids to play some laser tag today. It’s one of the few things we do that’s just for dad and the kids.

Good to know I’ve still got it - I was the yellow team and the kids were the blue team 😂🎯🔫

How is it that teenagers know exactly what buttons to push? What should have been a fun night of Star Wars has descended into everyone being upset. Ugh.

The kids have been at Nanna’s overnight, so we played The Lord of the Rings board game for the first time today.

Loved it. Made quite a few mistakes, and our tactics were all over the place. We got a few spots along Shelob’s Lair before Sauron reclaimed the One Ring…

Might try to play again tonight.

Classic! Introduced it to the kids last night. They loved it, though a scene or two caused some uncomfortable questions…

Unbelievably, my baby girl is having her high school taster day today.

Where did the last decade go?

Played against Lauren while the kids played video games. Ended up getting lots of spells that forced her to discard cards from her hand, so she couldn’t get enough tokens to gain new cards. Her defeat came quickly, in the end.

Won #HarryPotterHogwartsBattle–DefenceAgainsttheDarkArts on 2023-02-19 with 2 players, winning score: 3

Last week was a pretty good week for BTTR with a couple of good milestones achieved.

Over 500 pageviews in the week, an obvious record for me given the site is so new. Also managed to achieve my first $100 in revenue.

There is still a really long way to go, but it’s good to hit some milestones to help you stay inspired.

Last week’s highlights

• These are Australia’s best robot vacuum cleaners
• The list of best phones in Australia got an update for February. I expect big changes next month as the Galaxy S23 Ultra starts appearing in more best guides.
• Similarly, the best Android phones got an update. No real movements though.
• I looked into the best earphones in Australia and was somewhat surprised that they were all true wireless.
• If you’ve been looking for a 2-in-1 laptop, then these are some of the best in Australia
• I also reviewed the Ecovacs Deebot X1 Plus. Side note - my house has rarely been cleaner.

Deal alert

• Spend $100 on Lego, get a $10 Amazon gift card. Given I spend five times that (at least) for the kids at Christmas, it’s a good chance to get in early and get a little something for myself

Now that the kids are back at school, I’ve been more focused on trying to work.

And now that I’m more focused on trying to work, I’m less focused on writing stuff here.

I need to consciously remember to write here.

What a great family day.

We took the kids bowling. It has been a long time since any of us has been bowling. We were all pretty terrible, but it didn’t matter. We had fun.

We had Yum Cha for lunch and burgers for dinner. We played air hockey and pool and ate Churros for dessert.

It was just a really nice, fun day.

Looking forward to the kids going back to school next week, though.

Cracked open The Hobbit: An Unexpected Party board game from the Christmas gift haul today with my daughter.

It is stunning.

The art is simply gorgeous. From the characters to the cards to the board itself, it is both The Hobbit you know and love, and something new as well.

The gameplay has just enough challenge to keep it interesting, but simple enough for the kids to enjoy.

Will definitely be pulling this game out regularly.

Won #TheHobbitAnUnexpectedParty on 2023-01-24 with 2 players, winning score: 27

🎲

It’s still school holidays, and today my daughter has pulled out Disney Infinity.

I’ve watched her play through both the Inside Out game and the Star Wars Clone Wars missions.

She is having the time of her life.

I know the toys to life games were such a ridiculous money grab, but I still love the variety of Disney Infinity.

It was such a fantastic implementation of Disney’s many, many IPs. Not just from the characters themselves, but also the story-mission games they launched. Plus there were consolidated games, like the racer and the Marvel brawler game!

I’m still disappointed they cancelled it.

I can’t help but wonder what they could have introduced over the years since it was scrapped.

Combining all the Marvel characters to take on Thanos and the Infinity stones?

Rescuing Grogu as The Mandalorian?

Branching into all the Fox franchises? Imagine a Simpsons game! Even better, being able to play in the Toy Box with Homer and Luke Skywalker.

I guess I should still be thankful for the games we did get in the series.

But I can’t help but wonder what could have been…

Finally had a night without the kids last night and managed to watch this. All I can say is: “Holy crap”. It was insane, intense, beautiful and disgusting in the best possible ways. Wow.

Haven’t watched it for ages, and introduced it to the kids tonight. They both loved it, savvy.

Today my son and I raced up a hill. It was a decent hill; a dirt track with loose rocks, tufts of grass and scattered leaves.

We started together, and he immediately pulled ahead. I watched him accelerate as my body slowed. I pushed harder and made minuscule gains, before he stretched his legs and left me panting in his dust.

Hours later, I’m still feeling it. He hasn’t let me forget he beat me, either.

Challenged the kids to some handball today, and despite my increasing age, it’s good to know I can still show them their place — which is down in the Dunce square, looking up at their King.

Today I pulled out the Rock Band instruments and rocked out with the kids all day. My fingers ache, my shoulder is sore and I regret nothing.

It was worth every single second.

I don’t know if it’s just the relief of getting through the school year and mentally switching off, but both the kids have been terrors today. Absolutely exhausting. I’m completely shattered from dealing with them.