Exciting first day back at school as the skies suddenly opened up and dropped huge, fat flakes of snow on the kids as they waited to go into their classrooms.

A snowy canal lock is flanked by buildings and trees on a wintry day.A narrow canal is flanked by trees and a path, with snow falling gently over the scene.

Little kid ate a leftover sausage and reheated chips.

Big kid had a bowl of rice and gravy followed by two taco shells with cheese and two soft tacos fried with melted cheese.

After which he asked, “What’s for dinner?”

Wife just rescued little kid who was hanging off the top bunk bed ladder.

The peace and quiet is great, but not entirely relaxing. When the kids are quiet it usually means they are up to no good, or something is wrong.

Making chilli sans carne this morning. Kids are back at school tomorrow, so they are hanging out in the bedroom away from the smell.

This tree, as big kid says, is sus.

A tree with markings (including "69") on its trunk stands in a grassy area.

Space-obsessed four year old last week:

“My head is full of questions, Dad. There are eight planets in our solar system. Four rocky planets, and four gas and ice planets. Do the gas planets have a rocky core?”

Space-obsessed four year old today:

“Daa-aad. What’s in Uranus?”

We always used the have a special meal to mark New Year’s Day, like Christmas and Easter Sunday, but yesterday, as big kid was away and I had to go and collect him, we ate leftover burgers, chips, rice, beans and salad.

I made a Snowman out of mashed potatoes, with sausage arms, carrot nose, onion mouth, cabbage scarf, roast potato hat and gravy eyes and buttons.

Will little kid eat it?

A snowman-shaped sculpture is made from mashed potatoes with a potato hat, carrot nose, gravy eyes, and meat for arms, served on a plate.

Big kid went home with his Auntie and cousins on Monday night, so later I will go and collect him. Hopefully traffic will be a lot less than usual today.