Christmas Preparation Fun

As you will see from the photo's below, no wonder William is so excited about Christmas. He has been to loads of Christmas parties and seen Santa from afar - he won't get very close at all! He points out all of the deocrations in the shops and he loves his dancing Santa we bought him. Santa dances up out of a chimney and sings Santa Claus is coming to town - the first time he saw it William danced for nearly an hour and wants us to join in too.

I think my highlight has been William seeing Santa come around on the fire engine at my Mum's place, just like he used to when I was a little girl - you hear the siren coming towards your street and all the kids rush out to see Santa and to get a bag of lollies.

He has been taking his chocolate frog from his Advent Calendar each night and he has decorated his bed with a Christmas stocking and a paper chain with Christmas decorations that Grandma and Grandpa sent him. He also has another Advent Calendar in his bedroom from Grandma and Grandpa.

Earlier in the week we caught the tram into town to the see the Crown Christmas Spectacular at the Casino - it is a singing moving animated Christmas Show - we watched it twice and William wants to see it again. We then went to Santa Land where William rode on the Santa Express and wrote a letter to Santa. He looked at all the "Christmas" as he calls it and then fell fast asleep on the tram ride home.

We will be sprinkling out the Magic Reindeer Food on the lawn tonight and leaving out milk and a biscuit for Santa.

William really has had a fun time in the lead up to Christmas and I'm sure he will be a very excited little boy tomorrow. Merry Christmas to you all and check back soon for William's Christmas Day adventures.

My Freddo Frog Advent Calendar - it's nearly Christmas

Magic Reindeer Food - it says "Sprinkle this on your lawn at night, The moon will make it shine so bright, When Santa's reindeer fly and roam, this will lead them to your home".

I made this Gingerbread house with Mummy - it kept falling apart but seems to be Ok now!!

Santa gave me some lollies!

Santa came around on a fire engine to Nana's house, just like when Mummy was a little girl!

Riding on the Santa Express

Writing a letter to Santa

Mummy and me on our day out in town to see the Christmas

Concentrating on the Toy brochure, because I have been a good boy!!!

This is a Christmas Tree I made a Child Care

Range Rover Club Christmas Party with a visit from Santa, who gave me a book

Gymbaroo Christmas Tree

Mother's Group Christmas Party at Lysterfield Lake with my friends.

Putting my Gymbaroo ornament on the tree

Mummy and I put the Angel on the Christmas Tree

Family Day Care Christmas Party at Chesterfield Park with my best friend Daniel

Ocean Grove & Our New Camper Trailer

We spent last weekend in Ocean Grove about 1 hour and 30 mins from home past Geelong. We took delivery of our new off-road camper trailer the week before and wanted to take it for a trial run before our Christmas holidays.

William loves it and did not want to go home, it may have had something to do with the fish we caught - edible ones were a Trevally and 2 King George Whiting caught by Paul. Paul caught a load more but they were either too small or not edible.

I, however, caught the biggest fish of the weekend, a 35cm Trevally, and for once I have featured in the pictures below. Please allow me to brag for a little bit as Paul was Not Happy Jan!!!!! We ate it for dinner on Sunday night when we got home. When I hooked the fish, Paul asked me if I wanted him to reel it in - not likely - it was too much fun and the rod was fully bent over to it's max - Whoo Hoo!!

Paul's thinking is that the King George Whiting costs more per kilo, so he still wins!!!!! What do you think Tony?

William also made friends with a little girl called Izzy in the next camp site and it was so cute when they walked off hand in hand to play!

Chateau King

Masterchef Kitchen

Sleeping quarters

William's (oh sorry), Paul's King George Whiting - see how little it is.

My 35cm Trevally - see how big it is!

Our fishing vessel

NSW Holiday

A week after William's birthday we headed North with the Kayak strapped to the roof of the car driving into torrential rain towards Albury. We had to stop overnight as every highway North to NSW was closed due to flooding. We set off the next morning - Oh No, the roads are still closed so we headed inland towards Dubbo. A stopover in Dubbo and a trip to the Open Plains Zoo was a good choice to break the journey before another 8 hours drive back out to the coast over a few flooded roads. We spent 4 nights at Hawks Nest before heading further north to Tuncurry. Four nights at Tuncurry fishing, swimming and relaxing at a great Caravan Park - William loved the toddler pool and spent lots of time in it each day until his lips went blue and it was time to go back to the cabin for a warm shower.

Hawks Nest - our first top. Waiting for the fish to bite - No they didn't at least none we can eat!

Dubbo Zoo, stopover inland due to torrential rain, rock slides and road closures! (not one of my better shots, but you get the idea)

White Rhino's

Mummy loves the look!

Water fun at the Caravan Park with my new friend, Madison at Tuncurry.

I ready Daddy - hurry up!

Getting ready to take the Kayak out for the first time

Mummy - I think I really need a hair cut

It's a bit early to teach me how to shave Daddy!!
William, Belinda and Cooper. On our way home we stopped in Sydney (it was raining again) to see Belinda, Lawrence and Cooper for Breakfast. Paul and I met these guys over 5 years ago on Bokissa Island in Vanuatu. They are also followers of our blog - HELLO!!!

William's 3rd Birthday

William's 3rd birthday party was a fishing theme, we cut out and coloured in the fish invitations, and stuck a wobbly eye on them. William helped me to bake fish, star and gingerbread men biscuits, as well as cupcakes, and then finally the ultimate fish birthday cake. It was a very hot day, so Paul put a tarp up from the back veranda to create more shade. it was the wettest October in 35 years, but we had a glorious day. We hung fish mobiles around the back yard and from the tarp, with fish pictures stuck on the windows and around the BBQ which are now stuck on the bathroom walls.

William's cousin Melissa did the face painting, and we hired a climbing castle and roller coaster and borrowed a jumping castle.

Howard, Julie and Susan

Aunties, Gail, Sharon and Linda and cousin Keegan

Some of the Mum's group crowd

Cousins, James and Cameron

Esther and Antony having fun

Princess and the Puppy with icypoles!

The new playdoe - called "Moon Dough" it feels like fairy floss but isn't sticky, and the best thing is it never drys out - playing with Olympia

Some of the great presents William got

And a scooter from Mummy & Daddy

And a truck from Daniel