Starting with a Confession...

Firstly, I have a big confession to make...although I took the camera away with us for Christmas, I did not take ONE photo! Sad huh?! I will borrow Dad's camera stick and get some of his though.

But now, here's some of our "Christmas time"...first a trip to Kairakau with Uncle Nathan on the 23rd - Nath wanted to show the kids how he could fly...

Lachie following in Nathan's footsteps - although Mike's the keenest to have a go!Then the men taught the boy how to surf - he wants to learn all by himself though!

Away on the 24th to Makara - we had to take the cakes (which meant Mum and Dad had to take a lot of our gear!). Here's the birthday cake before we left - didn't travel too badly, but the Rimutaka's may have been a bit much...nothing I couldn't fix 1/2 and hour before the party though!

And I got to do the Christmas cake too - not as bright, but as Aunty Jayne said, Jesus is probably less subtle than her!And huge apologies again for the lack of fun family photos!

Back home and I've still not been good at capturing images. Although I did like these one's of the kids showing off Mike's deep digging!

To Nannie and Grand-da's for all the Christmas presents that didn't make it to Wellington..."who's ready?"

Still being made to wait...

And lots and lots of this, this week!

Eden loving her present...(we'll just forget she's JUST had surgery and isn't allowed water near her ears, opps)

Drying off...

I caught Mike having a turn with the kids wheelbarrow!

Still, he had a few helpers!

...And let the kids have a turn of their wheelbarrow again!

Keeping out of the hot hot sun...

And Lily surrounded by her year's collection of littlest pets...Well, that's it (the photo version anyway). Hope everyone's got exciting plans for tomorrow night - catch you next year (unless we'll be seeing you tomorrow that is!)

Dancing, Awards and Loud Music

Lily, all dressed up for night one of her first dance recital - filling up on lollies (a staple backstage apparently!)

All the preschoolers ready to go...actually, three of them have already started school and the other four start in term one next year, hopefully lots of little girls want to start next year!

The official photo shoot

This is night two when we all went as audience and sat right in the front row...you're not allowed to take photos or videos as it might distract the dancers - surely it's fine then without the flash...bit blurry though. I love this one of Stella (middle in pink)

Blurry Lily in the middle - these are during their ballet, 'own choreography'

Then Tuesday night was Lachie's academic prizegiving at school - you can only see a tiny bit of his head but this is receiving his Year 1 certificate from the CHB mayorLined up for applause...Then we did lots of other busy things, but had two nights off parties! Thursday was morning tea at playcentre followed by a 'fancy' Christmas lunch at kindy, which Lachie came to too as school had just broken up.

Last night we went to Hastings for a carols concert then they were supposed to be turning on the fiesta of lights - FEW technical difficulties but thankfully I didn't see anyone fall in the lake! So we'll have to go back another day when they've it all sorted out. Kids enjoying glowsticks and finger lights...

And if you're wondering why Lachie has a pink fringe...he was helping me mark out the deck yesterday with the pink animal marker spray that Mike bought instead of dazzle, Lachie was trying to make it go - he then got a lecture about how close that was to his eyes...but looks kinda cool!

-*-

School's over for a while, Lily had her last kindy day yesterday, Mike's having his last day at work today, Eden's all set for Monday, and Tuesday they can all do whatever they like as I'm having a big "cake day" - can't wait!

The Catch-up Before Christmas

We have had a crazy time of it lately - my excuse for not putting photos up for a while - (that and blogger's been a bit tricky), so here's a catch-up on some of the happenings...

Morning tea at the park with Eden's boy friends, followed by lunch with Lachie at school and the sports prizegiving in the afternoonGoing for a ride/walk to get the Playcentre Christmas tree Some bits I made for a 4th birthday cake (or cupcakes, it may turn out)At the Music Christmas party - Lily, Eden and Annalise angels (Lily dressed herself, tinsel and all!)Lachie dressed up for pirate day at school - just a couple of minutes before leaving for school he decided he wanted to dress up!Eden's just seen Santa at the Playcentre Christmas party - she already thinks he only rides a motorbike (from a picture we saw in town), this just confirmed it! Lachie had a few questions to ask...
Eden would have nothing to do with a photo with Santa though, she was happy to take a present off him though!

Then the kindy dress-up Christmas party

Lily all ready to go - made up the poses herself...really!!

The girls and I decided to have a shopping day, Lily found something Christmassy for Honey too!
More posing! And this morning was another rehersal for the dancing recital - if you can't pick Lily, look right in the middle (and then say, of course she'd be the smallest one!). (P.S. Didn't want to disturb them with the flash)

So more rehersals tomorrow and the first show tomorrow night and another on Monday night. Followed by another crazy week before Eden has her next operation and I put Aunty Jayne's birthday cake together just before we head away for Christmas...phew! Then we start building the deck! Luckily all the presents are bought, wrapped and very well hidden!!!