The Silly Season

A mostly Christmas post… ‘tis the season!  

Christmas in Sydney

While Pau-Pau and Gung-Gung were visiting us, we spent a day in Sydney visiting our usual Christmas spots – QVB, Myer train and David Jones’ Christmas Cave. 

QVB

David Jones display windows

Riding the Santa's Express train (Myer)

Santa Photo 2013

Meeting the Big Guy in the Red Suit

The Official Santa Photo 2013

Christmas Parties

Dinner at Flying Fish (me)

HH Christmas Party (family)

The two E’s had a super fun Christmas party with a petting zoo, face-painting, carols (kind of) and a visit and gift from Santa.

Santa: Eden

Eden: (waiting patiently) IT’S MY TURN???

Me: Yes

Eden: Does a little dance.  YAY! (All the parents laughing)

Glamorous at the Star

We had a “date night” at Mr H’s Christmas Party (the first time I’ve gotten to go!) being held at The Star. I was excited for a chance to “frock-up” (frock = dress) and always enjoy an opportunity to get my dance on!   (I wish I had remembered to take a photo of my dress because I kind of loved it.)  Neither of us had been to The Star since the big re-model/ re-brand and wow!

There was food – lots of it, hors d'oeuvres and food stations (dumplings, pasta, satay chicken and rice, and ice cream).  There were lounge singers, DJ’s and entertainers in the main ballroom (Star Garden) and the outdoor beer garden too.

The two E’s had a semi-slumber party with Matthew and Ally with pizza and movies.  Thanks Auntie Lys for being so very brave with 4 kids under 4!

Family

We had an early Christmas celebration due to a few being away at Christmas but even better; most of the H cousins’ were together!

A week later we had a BBQ at the park to celebrate Cousin M’s 9^th birthday and all 7 were finally together!

We went to feed the ducks on the pond.  This is all the boys together.

I had a techie Christmas with a new Samsung Galaxy S4…
this is the first photo I took with it.  Amazing, huh?

All Dressed-Up

Here’s our house decorated for Christmas, inside and out this year!

Eloise "helping"

Christmas lights!

The staircase

Even our lighting was decorated, and our stockings
hung by the chimney with care...

Our (main) Christmas tree
We had smaller ones throughout the house too.

Holly the Elf returned to us too.  If you are looking for what she got up to during her time with us, check out this post.

And here’s my office decorated for Christmas.  I am on the Social Committee at work and brought the idea of a decorating contest within the business units, and we all really had fun with it.  There was a shortage of Christmas decorating supplies at our local shopping centre thanks to us… and packing tape!  We weren’t at all competitive (I’m being sarcastic).

Unfortunately we didn’t win… carollers beat us but there is always next year.

Christmas Fail

“Let’s make a gingerbread house, it will be fun!” said no one ever.  Okay, once upon it was fun… and then I moved to Australia where it’s so hot the 3M command strips melt off the walls, so why do (every few years) I think frosting will hold a gingerbread house together?  2013 was one of the years I forgot this and I sat there holding together our “Outback Shack” for 30 minutes, only to have it collapse when I let go.  Eventually with a little glue (yes, glue) it held together (minus the bits that actually made it an Outback Shack) for long enough for Eloise to decorate it.  Back to the gingerbread men next year!

Eloise's gingerbread house
What you can't see is that the back wall has caved in.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

We are staying digital so here's our card this year:

Christmas Eve
After a half day at work and last minute trips to the grocery store, we dined on our traditional Aussie Christmas Eve seafood extravaganza.  So much yummy seafood!  As night settled in, we visited some local Christmas lights.

Cookies and beer for Santa

And carrots for the reindeer

Christmas Day 
After opening presents, we had our traditional Christmas breakfast of mimosas and my French Toast soufflé.  The kids enjoyed playing with all their new toys and riding their new bikes until their cousins arrived for dinner.

Christmas bikes

Eden's favourite present: Robofish and shark
The perfect present for a mama that doesn't want fish

MissE: Fabulous Four

We had a rough couple of days in the lead up to Christmas, surprisingly.  We think she was reacting to most of her close friends last day at pre-school. 

We are busy with plans for her big 5^th birthday… she is a little “me” and has all sorts of ideas!  She is also inviting the world… thank goodness she doesn’t have her own Facebook or it would be Project X Part 2.

Iron Tiger belt presentation

She did it!  Eloise earned her yellow/ white belt.

Belt presentation

No rest for these Iron Tigers!

MrE: Terrible Two’s

Just in time for Christmas, the Terrible Two’s have hit our house in a BIG way with tantrums and selective hearing.  Without fail, there is a tantrum pre-dinner and cat-and-mouse game for diaper changes.  Potty training is going well during the day; he doesn’t like to wear diapers anymore.  Funny story (kind of), we were in a toy store and suddenly Eden is standing a small puddle saying “Uh-oh, I go wee”.  He somehow managed to pee on the floor, while wearing a diaper yet kept the diaper completely dry.  Or the time, he carried the potty into my room to show me that he went!

 

Eden is very cheeky… and has a lot to say these days!  Unfortunately with the talking, has come the "Why's?"  Yes, that again. 

We aren’t sure where he comes up with the things he says:

One morning, I helped him out of the car and put him on the side walk, then handed him Scout.  He said to me “Thank you mama” then “I’m all set!”

After washing his hair the night before, he was waking up, rubbed his head and said “Oh my hair is soft!”

And when he's not talking, he's singing.  He loves music and singing along to the radio in the car.

On the last day of 2013, Eden saw his first movie… and he was such a good boy.  He was very excited, picking out Smarties at the grocery store and carrying them himself.  He sat in a booster chair for most of the movie, and on my lap too.

MissE and Mr E Says the Darnedest Things

How to Get the Girls 101

I was helping Eloise with her hair one morning.

Eden: What’s that?

Me: Spray for jie-jie’s hair.  When I was done, I sprayed Eden’s hair.

Eden: HEY!

Eloise: Eden, if you smell nice for the girls, they will all come and sit around you!

Mr H: Dating advice, already?

Smells like…

MrE was sitting on my lap and did a poot, poot (fart).

Me: Did you just poot, poot?

Eden: Yes.  I smell like Daddy now.

 

Christmas Edition:

On day 13, Holly the Elf on the Shelf, was found entertaining Snow White and Cinderella at High Tea.

Eloise: Did Holly sneak into my room???

Mr H: No, I think the princesses came downstairs.

Eloise: NO!  Holly snuck into my room.  She is the only one that’s real.

Lady Gaga & the Muppet’s Christmas Spectacular

Eden: Oh my goodness!  What’s that?

Me: Lady Gaga

Eden: That one!  What IS it?

Me: Lady Gaga

Eden: Whoa… what he wearing?

Me

In early December, I marked my 9^th year Down Under!

I also enjoyed nearly 2 weeks off work.  I had a list of To Do's and checked 1-2 off the list.  Slow and steady, right?  Most of my holidays overlapped with Eloise and Eden's so it was nice to be able to take them to the park, etc like I used to.

Until next time…
Preview: Eloise's big 5th birthday!