Christmas

Hannah: This is Christmas Eve with Daddy.  A picture of us with Daddy and the tree.  We helped put all the lights on.

Hannah:  This is us at Carols by Candlelight at the Beach.  This is the girls with our reindeer antlers and  finger lights (thanks Gran for all of the fun things for Christmas caroling!)

Hannah:  This is Daddy's flip-flops, which he could wear on Christmas Eve because its summer here in Sydney!  What a weird outfit for Christmas Eve.

Hannah:  This is me and Abbey standing with the Christmas Carol band.

Hannah:  This is Mommy and Abbey with their reindeer ears and they are snuggling.

Hannah: Here are our stockings that Santa filled with awesome stuff.  These are our Christmas cards, lots of them came from America and Canada (and lots from my school friends in Australia).

 Sand Angles and Sand Snowman!

This time its Abbey who was busy, busy, busy, and Hannah who was lazy, lazy, lazy.

More Sand Snowmen!  Jacki's looks a little more like an actual snowman and less like the phallic symbol mine resembled.

Our plans for Christmas Eve BBQ on the beach were dashed when we discovered it was raining just as we were walking out of the house with all the fixings on our way to the beach :(  We still had a great meal though, complete with Christmas crackers (the American's won't know what those are but the Zarutsky clan in Canada will).

Christmas morning chaos!  Thank you so much to all of our family who sent money for all of us to get exactly what we wanted for Christmas.  The girls got, among other things, a play kitchen (#1 gift!), amazing doll house with an elevator, lots of baby stuff for Abbey (the highchair was obviously a big hit), arts and crafts galore, beach toys, new clothes, etc, etc, etc.

So much for Christmas Day at the beach, it rained every second of the day.  Once again our dinner plans were foiled by the weather but we had a fun day just sitting around the house playing with our new toys.

Another perfect Girls' Friday

This time at Chinaman's Beach, down the road from Balmoral. Imagine living in one of those houses on the hill?! If you have a spare 10 mil, I can probably find one for you :)

One thing I don't like about Australia

Bats! The pictures might make it look they were far away but they were not. There were hundreds of them swarming around us in the sky and hanging upside down in the trees everywhere. Yuck!! Those black specs you see in the sky are them flying overhead.

First Cricket Game

I have no idea what's going on as the rules to this game are inexplicable, but it's warm and fun and there's lots of beer so it's all good.

Last Week of School

Hannah:  On my last day of school, I had a very good day.  First I scooted to the bus, and mommy took me.  And she also picked me up from the bus at the end of school.

Hannah:  My special certificate that I got at my graduation (they call it Presentation Day here in Australia).  Mommy and Daddy both came and after I went to McDonalds with Daddy.  Daddy and I came home after and put my flowers that Mommy got me in a vase and Daddy stayed home from work the rest of the day.

Hannah: After my last day of school, we had a girls day (see previous blog post with pictures of lunch).   After lunch we went to Luna Park.

First Girls Day

Finally, Hannah is finished with school and we get to have Girl Fridays. Cheers from our new favorite restaurant, Ribs and Burgers.

A Typical Day at the Beach

Hannah is busy, busy, busy and Abbey is lazy, lazy, lazy. One perfect beach companion for each me and Pete (I'll let you work out which is which).

Christmas Tree Shopping Australia Style

Weird to be going to buy a Christmas tree in sunny 80 degree weather. $115 for a tree so small it fits inside our tiny car with all 4 of us in here too! The Australian sticker shock continues :)

Thank you!

Thanks to all our family who sent money for the kids to get exactly what they wanted for their birthdays. Abbey is a proud mama riding around with her baby in the Co-pilot seat. And Hannah is like a blur on her scooter. It's so nice to be able to come down to the beach like this after dinner and cruise around!