It's Christmas already

With most of us heading interstate or overseas in the next week or so it was time to celebrate our extended family Christmas this weekend...with all the usual trimmings: tree, kitsch decorations, lots of presents, Secret Santa time, seafood, Majella, silly games...and HEADBANDS!..

Opening presents was SUPER exciting this year..Ollie wanted CASH (for a skateboard purchase) and was very satisfied with what he scored!

By now Abi had scored her second headband of the day (while enjoying a reminisce about some of the highlights of the past year!)....

 The boys were ecstatic about their present all the way from the London branch.

 And Ella was very pleased with her haul too.

 and Claire...

 and Angus....

By now Abi had on her third headband of the day - CUTE choice from the London Branch!

 While Angus called on some help to get started on his miniature lego guitar......

Please take note of Abi's fairy wings - they are an absolute work of art (from the Maxie studios!!) lucky girl....

Joshy took on the job of keeping our Majella glasses full. Ironically, Majella Coonawarra Sparkling Shiraz was featured in the Sunday Food & Wine section of the paper today (a top drop for Christmas the reviewer reckons!) with a little story about the visiting Chinese wine judge awarding her International Judge's trophy to our fave Majella and summing it up as "one wine of the whole set (in the competition) that I could safely give to every single person in China and they would like it".  Of course they would like it!!

 Abi in her fourth headband (and the first of her three new tutus)......

We enjoyed a very relaxed lunch outside on the verandah - delicious salads (seafood, chicken and pulled pork with plum and rhubarb relish)  and all very laid back.

Abi's favourite headband of the day was back on by now ..well done London branch......

The mellow mood continued after lunch. Ella discovered Claire is an ace hair braider....

while Angus and Granny K tried to get Ella's new play wig and headstand to behave itself.

Ella  has tried to convince Claire to come for a visit first thing in the morning on the next school day. 

Rod had some quizzes planned for the kids, which they completed with a very competitive spirit.

 and the usual Christmas scavenger hunt in the bush at the back of the house.

It was a lovely day together..great excitement, shared fun - lots of good memories.

Epilogue:
Ella's BIG Christmas present arrived this afternoon - home delivered by tow-truck...her very own set of monkey bars, handcrafted by her Daddy - 4 and a half metres long no less and around two and a half metres off the ground..WOWIE!
 

 She swings out to the third bar already!

 This girl has serious upper body strength and callouses to be proud of.

It has Abi's seal of approval too!

 And yes that is another headband!