CHRISTMAS DAY 2013

And what a wonderful day it was too...
I think the thing that I loved best of all, was that we were all together as a family.  It only happens every second year, and this year it was our turn to have all the kids at home....
It was different this year we celebrated Christmas in Brissie at Sarah and Colin's place.
It was also different because their was a child in the house this Christmas..
Oh the wonder and joy of paper, and opening presents...

We awoke pretty early and all climbed onto our bed where the kids all opened their Santa Sacks...
Our kids still like to get a surprise present in their Santa Stocking when they first wake up on Christmas morning....
The ruling was that it would stop once they had children of their own,  but somehow, that hasn't happened, as Sarah couldn't bear the thought of not finding something at the end of the bed in the morning when she woke up...
This is Willow's first Christmas really, in that she is now old enough to appreciate some of the specialness about gift giving at Christmas time....

She knows what it is all about... Checking her Santa stocking.

So cute to watch as she opens one of her presents and starts playing with it.

The boys opening their Santa sack presents...

A very special T Shirt... Poppy's Little Fishing Buddy shirt

It was a bit of a rush them to get us all ready and off to church by 8.30am...
We all had to have showers, so we raced around to leave on time and arrived 10 minutes early at 8.20am...

All dressed ready for Church

It was very quiet and their didn't seem to be too many cars there at all..
We thought it was a little strange, and then we found out why....
The Christmas service didn't actually start until 9am so we were very very early...
Still it allows us time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and to celebrate that..
Willow had a little play in the playground attached to the church...

Playing in the cubby house.. She loves to go in and out...

Playing with her Aunty Chloe

Christmas Day

Way too cute

Having lots of fun with Aunty Chloe

In and Out she goes....

 It was a beautiful service, mixed with a lot of new songs and traditional Christmas Carols, but most importantly it let us celebrate the birth of Jesus.... A Saviour to all of mankind...
The very reason for the season...

By the time we got home from church it was 10.30am and Willow really needed her sleep, so we decided to put her down for a sleep whilst we got the lunch ready and started cooking it... We would then open the presents as soon as she woke, so that she would be nice and fresh and happy, rather than irritable and grumpy.

The girls helped to get lunch ready and set the table, and by the time we had that almost ready, Willow woke and it was time to open the gifts.
Once again Penny was very much involved and very excited about the present giving....

Penny gets into the Spirit of Christmas

 This year, Chloe bought a Santa suit and made Steve dress in it before he was allowed to hand out our gifts.  This Santa did not seem to faze Willow at all.

Dressed as Santa

 One of the first presents handed out was this little chair for Willow.  She was hilarious as she opened it, and was then very keen to climb up on it and sit on it...

Willow scores her own little chair.

Opening presents

 Santa has lots of presents for Willow this year....

Santa gives Willow a helping hand.

Pete scores well....

Penny gets very excited ripping open all the paper.

More goodies for Willow.

She was very excited and one very spoilt little girl

 The kids all received scratchies from Grandparents this year, and they all had a ball scratching them looking for the bit of money...
They were hilarious to watch, especially the boys. 

Scratching their scratchies.

Colin got very excited by his win of $12

 Willow did score an extra present this year...
I picked up some togs on sale for her on Christmas Eve...
Bargain, they were down to $10 and all fully lined...
As I was paying for it, they showed me this little mushroom cubby that was reduced from $39 to $10.  Now whilst I would never have paid $39 for it,  I thought it was a bargain at $10, so I bought it.


It was an awesome present for Willow, she just LOVED it and we didn't even have it erected before she started playing in it. 

We had trouble erecting it as all she wanted to do was play in it.

She loves it.

Poppy spoilt her by buying a few different sizes in the "Poppy's little fishing Buddy" T Shirts.  She loves fishing for her little fishes in the bath... Hopefully he will make a seasoned fisherwoman of her yet.

Willow with her new fishing shirt....

Us girls all got spoilt getting perfume..
And really nice perfume at that...

Great perfume scores.

Steve received one of the last presents...
Chloe really spoilt him this year, with a little bit of help from Sarah and Colin...
Steve was sent on a wild goose chase to find his Christmas present this year....
There was a letter under the Christmas tree for him that read this....

 Poppy, your two daughters have bought you a gift,
I was not included so I was a little miffed
I've taken and hidden it and laid out a trail
The first clue you'll get if where you'll find mail.
Love Penny

Steve checking out the mailbox....

 Second Clue read:
Very good Poppy! You're well on your way
The next clue you'll find is
Where I keep the ducks at bay,
it isn't just anywhere this stand that I take.
It's on some wood and rails crossing a lake.
Love Penny

Heading off to find Clue No. 2

 The girls would not let Steve take off his Santa suit...
He had to wear it to the park to find Clue No 3..
We must have all looked a sight.
He found clue no 3 taped to the underside of the rail on the bridge crossing the lake....
This is what Clue No 3 read:
Wow, you're good at this, are you having fun?
The next clue you'll find is where I go for a run.
When the leash comes off, it's really the best
And it's located under where my parents take a rest.
Love Penny

Checking under all the park benches...

There were six park benches in the dog park, and the message was taped under the fourth one Steve looked under....
Clue No. 4 read:
OK, you're almost at the end of our little game
You'll find the end and the start are somewhat the same.
In the backyard, Sarah once bought me a house
Now your present is holed up in there like a mouse
Love Penny

Time to all head home again...

 We must have all looked a pretty sight wandering through the park in Santa suit and Santa hats, but it was a lot of fun. 

Family shots

Heading up the street,

 So out to the back yard we headed, and all Steve could see at first was his cleaner right next to the dog kennel, surely this wasn't it he thought..
Then he saw this hanging out the end of the dog kennel...

Finding his present....

 He got the biggest surprise...
Don't think he could beleive that the girls could spoil him so much...

Steve with his Skyrunners...

 By this stage it was after 2.30pm and we still hadn't had our lunch...
Time to sit down and enjoy a Christmas feast...

Sitting down for Christmas Lunch

 We did the paper plates this year....
Less work afterwards...

All enjoying a great lunch together...

After lunch it was time to give Willow another short nap..
short it was, she only slept for half an hour, but it was enough sleep to make her happy and let her enjoy an afternoon of fun.
We dressed her in her new togs, as Chloe and STeve were setting up her new pool so that she could have a bit of a swim...
Whilst they were busy blowing it up, Willow had a little tea party in her cubby...

She loves her new teaset she got for Christmas

 And she loves going in and out of her little tent...
She is so cute as she uses her teapot to pour little cups of tea..
She has grown so much in the last month, and learnt so many new things...
Such a exciting time in her life....
We then went outside to give Poppy a hand...

All ready for her swim.

 She wanted to get involved, and was wanting to climb all over it...

Helping Poppy blow up her pool.

 Meanwhile Colin gave Penny a little TLC, as she was a little overshadowed by Willow this Christmas

Penny cuddles with Colin...

 Finally the pool was up and feeling filled with Water....
WILLOW LOVED IT...

So many things to do it in. 

Loving the slide and balls..

She loves to bounce on the sides as well.

 It didn't take her long to become a pro at it...
Before the afternoon was over, she had managed to teach herself how to climb up the slide and slide down into the pool below. 

Summer Fun

 Of course, Steve and the girls had to try out Steve's new Skyrunners as well....

First attempts...

Even managed to run and jump in them

Only had one buster...

 It is not so easy to get up if you come off them..
You actually need a little assistance getting back up on your legs again.
Time for Sarah to have a go...

Needing some assistance to start

 Didn't take her long to get the hang of it either...

Sarah learning to walk in the Skyrunners...

 It was a great Christmas,
Very relaxed...
A lot of fun at home...
But most importantly we were all together as a family....
It might be a while before this all happens again...