Archive for 2009
Game On!
Between marathon hours at work and chasing hyperactive toddlers around, I’ve gotten a little bit of gaming in the past couple months (usually in that elusive midnight to 3am time slot). It’s been a while since I’ve posted (and even longer since I’ve posted something other than photos), so I figured I’d throw something out here. (=
Torchlight — This is a great action RPG (think Diablo II) by an indie company out of Seattle. $20 gives you a great holdover until Diablo III comes out and is a great game in its own right. I’ve put quite a few hours into this and even done some light modding. Check it out, it’s a ton of fun if this is a genre you like.
Plants vs. Zombies — I’ve had this for a while, and even gotten Bekki into it. (We actually splurged on the whole PopCap collection on Steam.) This is a fantastic game, potentially my Game of the Year. It’s sort of a tower defense style game, but very accessible and a lot of fun. PopCap does it once again. (=
Gyromancer — I picked this up a few weeks ago, it’s not bad. It’s similar to Puzzle Quest (which is a fantastic light RPG type game with a Bejeweled-like match 3 battle system), but it uses a Bejeweled Twist system instead, and is much lighter on the RPG side. It’s no Puzzle Quest, but it’s been amusing for the cheap price via Steam.
Carcassonne — I got this board game for my birthday, and have actually only played it with Bekki once, but I think it’s a lot of fun. Hopefully it’ll get some more attention over Christmas…
Poker — If you happen to follow me on Twitter, you already know that I randomly decided to download the FullTiltPoker app last night and ended up in a freeroll (tournament that is free to enter) for an eventual spot in the National Heads-Up Championship ($20,000 buy-in event). Somehow I ended up beating 359 other people to win an entry into a round 2 tournament on Thursday. I am not having any delusions of getting into the top 27 there (or winning the round 3 tournament), but I thought it was interesting nonetheless, especially since I’ve only played poker once or twice since moving up here and leaving behind a semi-regular home game.
There’s been a smattering of Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero Van Halen, The Beatles Rock Band and Rock Band 2 here and there.
Oh yeah, and toilet solitaire.
Awesome, Not Awesome
(Title is a tribute to one of my favorite radio shows, which was sadly canceled.)
The boys are officially 13 months old today, and here’s a little rundown of what is awesome….and not awesome.
Awesome: Walking, running, walking and eating, walking and drinking…these are some mobile kids.
Not Awesome: Still so unstable, they cannot be trusted anywhere. I joked with a friend that I will be shocked if we manage to get a picture without some sort of facial injury. Their little heads are magnets for corners and edges.
Awesome: The understand so much. I ask if they want dinner, and they come a running. If I ask if they want to go upstairs, they beeline for the door.
Not Awesome: It comes in waves, and I have to remind myself they won’t compute every little thing I ask.
Awesome: They’re figuring out how to play. We have this ball popper thing that shoots little balls up using a puff of air, and they now know to put the ball back in the tube. Or hammering little wooden balls into the box. Or even being able to play peek-a-boo back with you.
Not Awesome: The toy stealing is out of control. There’s a reason I never wanted to referee water polo games, it’s the least fun job. It’s lame to have to ref all day long, especially when the boys really don’t get it yet.
Awesome: There’s actual communication going on. Lots of pointing and babbling. They will both point at the dog and say “daw.” Will just started saying car and making a sign when he wants more of something. It’s so cool.
Not Awesome: At this point, it’s still pretty unhelpful They don’t really say mama or dada in the right context and they’re certainly not asking for what they really want, so there’s still a lot of frustration.
Here’s a video from the last month. Somewhere in the middle, they show off their most adorable move–the head rubbing to show affection. And make sure your sound is up, because the last 15 seconds are so fun.
Halloween Photo Bonanza
29 new Halloween photos are up in the usual spot! We got a bunch more shots of the boys in their costumes, and also a visit from the Stevensons.
First Birthday Photos!
31 birthday photos have been uploaded for your viewing pleasure. In addition to the cake ravaging seen in the previously posted video, there’s also some shots of the boys in their Halloween costumes.
Disneyworld Photo Wrapup
67 new photos have been posted from our Disneyworld trip earlier this month. Lots of family made the trip: Grandma Kathy, Aunt Jessie, Grandma Deb, Grandpa Steve, Great-Grandma Joan and Great-Grandpa Jack. The boys rode their first rides, took their first dips in a pool and encountered their first furries. And maybe had a beer that weighed more than they did.
Contact us directly if you want print versions of any of these. They’re huge — uncropped, there are 1.4 billion pixels across these 67 photos!
Birthday Cakes!
The first birthday party went well, and the boys dug into their cakes… literally. (Andy moreso than Will, which will be further shown in upcoming photos.)
And a Month Later….
They’re actually walking walking, not just stepping! Loads of stories from the past month, including a grand tour of the most magical place in the world, but to keep it short today, two videos:
I Think This Means They’re Really Identical
Both Andrew and William had their first step(s) today. Andrew first, with one (but he pivoted 90 degrees while doing it, so that was cool). Then he did it again. And I guess Adam thought Will might feel left out, and was able to cajole him into taking three on his own. And then I realized maybe it was important to get it on video. Cue 15 different 4 second clips of the boys falling down. Awesome.
We did finally get Will to take about a step and half. It’s silly, but important to share.
Great Scott–School Already?!
Well, Adam and I are hotly debating whether our new toddler group can actually be called “school,” but it’s at least pretty close.
Today was our first day at Lake Washington Toddler Group and it went about as well as one could hope for. We were able to move A&W’s morning nap a little later, so the boys were very pleasant even though the class meets during their usual nap time. Lucky for me, no meltdowns until we were getting ready to leave. Class will usually include ample playtime in their HUGE play area (the “Circle of Fun” was an instant hit), some songs and snack time. Friends—the sight of 15 tiny babies (about 8-13 months) in little chairs was just about the cutest thing I have ever seen. I brought a messy snack, so I wasn’t able to snag a picture, but I will, I promise.
I was able to get a little video of A&W having a blast:
And also, just for kicks, here’s Will telling a story that amuses Andy quite a bit.
And while toddler group went well, I’m currently dealing with the fallout of having a short nap in the car. Not fun. I think it’s time to escape to the grocery store.
Photos — 10 Months!
28 new photos of the 10 month olds are up here. There are the usual shots and some from the front yard.
