Christmas

Our second Christmas here in Australia. Last year we did fish & chip wrappers for stockings, this year we went out and bought some real stockings to fill with goodies.  Dad and all the kids got Didgeridoo's. Dad got up a bit early and put on his Santa Suit and pretended to be Santa.  The kids loved it, then they all took turns wearing the beard and ho-ho-ho'ing. 

Spencer and Santa

Liam with a little elf behind him.

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas!

Maeby checking out Santa to make sure its really Dad.  Will was hot as in that suit...remember it was the middle of summer and Santa in Australia wears Bermuda Shorts and rides a surf board.

The boys got some stick hands in their stockings, it didn't take long before it became a battle.

Lucky Santa!

Chirstmas Eve

Susan and Justin invited us to have Christmas Eve dinner at their house again this year.  They cooked lots of good food and had tons of treats for all of us.  They had lots of Christmas Party Poppers, they look like a giant piece of candy wrapped up all pretty.  One person holds one end while someone else holds the other and you pull till they pop apart with a bang.  Kind of like a wishbone, the person who ends up with the large side ends up with the gift inside.  Usually some sort of trinket and a paper crown.  They even got nice gifts for all of us. 

After Dinner we all went caroling to an aged care home where Susan works and takes care of people in need.

A Christmas cake and some party poppers.

Melanie's 6th Grade Graduation Dinner

Melanie and her friend Brooke at the 6th grade graduation dinner. 

Melanie receiving her graduation certificate. 

The school had a nice graduation dinner for all 6th graders and their parents. It was yummy!

 

Spencer's Swimming Class

The kids school gave all classes swimming lessons at the local pool. Mae had fun tagging along. 

 

Puffing Billy

 We went with our friends the Schwabe's and took a ride up through the mountains on the Puffing Billy, stopped at a little town up top called Gembrook and had a picnic and explored a bit, then headed back down.  It was a really fun day and an adventure for all.

"All Aboard!" Loading up at the train station.

The kids were allowed to sit up on the windows, lean against the railings and hang their legs outside.  It was really cool, but the Moms didn't like it too much, especially when crossing the bridges.

And yes, this nearly gave me a heart attack, but Will and the kids were happy as can be.  Needless to say, it was exciting for all of us, one way or the other.

The Schwabe family, our pals from Melbourne area on the bridge crossing the pond at (Gembrook I think).

Here we are on the same bridge.

Emily and Maeby sharing and taking the little stuffed animal for a walk.

Spencer, Liam and Melanie.

Kicking back at the Belgrave station.

We got pretty close up to a Kookaburra, we see them in Yarrawonga occasionally but never seem to get a photo.  Such a cool bird.

This was a really cool carved mural.

This amphitheatre was at the last train stop, cant remember what the town was called (might have been Gembrook) but this is where we walked around the lake and ate lunch.  The kids had a bunch of fun playing here too.

The boys were watching the ground fly by as we puffed up and down the mountain.  Thank goodness there were no branches sticking out.  That would have been fun.