Finally got time to review the photos from the birthday party. We got lucky because we took a bet that the weather wouldn’t be too cold to have an outdoor birthday party at the park. Everything worked out and the weather was great! Sam and Stella were still a little too young to enjoy the park, but the older kids had a blast. Dina did a great job with their birthday cakes, recreating the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in fondant. Overall, Sam and Stella behaved really well - not trying to smash the cake or anything - and it was fun all around.

For now, my music listening continues to be in decline relative to earlier in my life. Because the babies are often napping, I don’t have music playing throughout the day. And if I’m playing video games I’m usually not listening to music so I can stream. That said, when I do listen to Spotify at work, it usually Scrobbles and that has increased the number a bit higher than it would have otherwise been.

https://youtu.be/Z4ba48jOSBs

What a year for gaming. I tried to take advantage whenever I could to get a chance to game and I was able to do a nice mix of newer and older games. I also made a bit of a dent in the list of games I got as part of a Humble Bundle. Well, let’s get into it.

Civilization VI (27 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEJrELYLxNgWZ4TsugA53ODOuSvnraSVu

Another five years passed and so and so another entry in the civilization franchise was released. This time they made what is probably the biggest change in the series thus far, they exploded the cities out onto multiple tiles. That really revamped the planning and for once I couldn’t just make every city make all the same improvements. I’ve enjoyed it and hope to get more time with it in 2017.

[caption id=“attachment_12341” align=“aligncenter” width=“840”] Sam’s First Carousel Ride[/caption]

Why do kids enjoy carousel rides so much? Shoot, why do we have so much nostalgia for them as adults? I have no idea. I could probably put together some BS about a cultural memory of horseback riding, but frankly I think it’s just the first amusement park ride a kid is able to go on. This is Disney before your tiny brain can even comprehend the existence of such a place. And, unlike a car, I think it’s pretty evident even to the kids that there is no utilitarian function here - you end up roughly where you started.

[caption id=“attachment_12338” align=“aligncenter” width=“768”] Up in the jungle gym at Centennial[/caption]

One day in October I wanted to get some exercise and it was just perfect timing with the kids up from their naps. So I took them for their first ride on the bike carriage. I wasn’t sure how they’d take it, given how randomly they seemed to take stroller rides. But they both actually enjoyed it and didn’t cry one tear. We’ll see what happens in the spring when they’re 1.5ish.