And now for some photos...

 To begin at the beginning or thereabouts - we made a gingerbread house...

 Some of us have more "skills" than others at what one would call a "tasteful" decorating touch... uncle Beej went with the "classic" look...

 You are meant to be able to tell that Granny put a number 5 on the house about the pink musk doorframe... Owen made the roof with a bombing plane and Rudolf on it - that's how Santa got to the house he said - in the plane... never mind the reindeer head is bigger than the plane...

 We took a road trip to Otaki beach one day when the sun was actually out: Granny went shoe shopping with me and then Fish and Chips for tea on the way home at Shannon... Uncle Beej was the "pre dinner entertainment" for the kids!

 Our new car arrived the week before Christmas, just in time to troop us all around in (if not a little uncomfortably!). Back seat was very squish for Papa, BJ and Anna...

And then it was Christmas!!!

 BJ and Lee start the gift unwrapping...

 Anna got Chocolates! LINDT - yummy... just finished that box today, a whole month after Christmas!

 Ginny got MANY Barbies: best one from Uncle Ben - Kitchen Barbie with mix master and toaster and an apron that is also apparently a dress - all she has on clothes wise, if you don't count the hot pink oven mit and pink high high heels!

 Stubby holder, with Dad true to label!

 Owie got his fishing rod! Thanks Papa - might try it out this weekend if the weather is good!

 Ginny was spoilt with Princesws puzzles from Granny and Pap that just get done over and over, every day!

 And on Christmas Day, they were pleased to see the boys pull out from the shed...

 their very own kitchen from Mum and Dad! I love their look of excitement above!

On Christmas Eve, Imogen went to one of her best friend's birthday parties and went on a bouncey castle for the first time happily, and actually really enjoyed it!

I made the cake for the party: Strawberry shortcake... not too bad an effort considering the STUPID mix master broke as I was making the butter cream. VERY ANNOYING! And always on Christmas eve when one doesn't have the time (or inclination) to brave the shops to find an alternate!

 The proof is in the pudding - Alexis enjoyed the cake, as did Ginny!

The finished Gingerbread house, complete with Whitechocolate Christmas tree forrest made by the kids round the edge! Was a very good effort this year by everyone!

Imogen was very protective of baby Jesus in the manger both the week before Christmas at the Children's play and over the Christmas eve/day weekend and New Years. Both the kids always fought for opportunity to snuff the candels too - lucky there are so many around at Christmas in St Lukes: this one below, the advent wreath with blue candels this year, and the altar candels.

 And of course - CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH! What a feast we had. Roast chicken, roast potatoes, roast sweet potato and beetroot salad, bbq asparagas: lots of yummy healthy things!

 Naturally followed by a 2 hour nap, before the ice cream cake came out for desert at about 3.30pm! We had a great afternoon of skyping then too - with Bec and Tim and Bella and Hamish and Nanna and Poppa too! Dinner was served (leftovers) around 7.30 because we adults felt we probably should feed the kids something seeing as it was past bed time already, but no one was really hungry... as a good lutheran Christmas should be!
The next day we headed off for an adventure to Taupo - a weeks holiday in a lovely house - photos below. On the way, a mandatory stop at the National Army Mueseum in WHY-OO-ROO (not spelt like that, but if I wrote the letters down you wouldn't know how to say it!). The kids (big and not so big) had a climb on the shooters before we went through the ranges and the dessert road.

 We had a beautiful house... most exciting thing: the fridge with ice and water dispenser built in. Kids loved it...

 We all relaxed a lot that week.... between taking the kids to entertaining spots:

 The park...




And then there was teh PRAWN PARK - so much fun that Owen and Pap took Kel and Bentschke another day so that they had an excuse to go again!!

Water shooter bikes to ride....

 Prawns to catch - 11 on our first visit - 13 for Kel and Bentschke with Owen and Papa...

 The chance to cook your own catch (note good side profile of still growing huge baby no 3).

 Eat and enjoy! Followed by a bush walk and geothermal foot soak...

We spent a day in Rotorua, visiting Rainbow springs with Giant Redwood trees...

 Ducks to watch (I love this photo of Imogen!!)...

 Kiwi's to see - and then an afternoon at Te Puia, so Granny, Papa and BJ could go to a cultural show, and see a gyser, mud pools and all sorts of weird geothermal things!
We had a great time holidaying and celebrating the gift of the birth of Christ. Just looking a a few of the photos (believe me there are 100's more!) warms my heart a month later!

Found these extra outtakes at the end of Granny's shots...

 The kids checking out the donkey as it comes down the isle at the kids presentation on Dec 18...

 My awesome husband being an awesome pastor.

 Kids waiting for their children's ministry christmas gifts...

 Family photo to update the blog!

And my personal favourite - Papa teaching O to prune. Owen loves to use the snippers and Papa is a force to be reconned with: nothing stood in his way of cleaning up the ENTIRE garden whilst here! Thanks Papa!! We are missing your weeding and mowing power, but trying to keep up!