Christmas 2010 Holidays

After a tough year we were really looking forward to our holiday and family Christmas in New Zealand.  We were off to a good start with Flick and Dave enduring a bout of suspected food poisoning in the week before Christmas.  In fact at least one member of the family was unwell for pretty much the entire three weeks - such is life with small kids.

We started at Flick's parents' place in Wellington and were there through till Christmas, heading North to Waikanae on Boxing Day to hang out at Dave's parents' beach house.  We also made the pilgrimage to Te Kuiti and the farm at Troopers Road to introduce James to his Great Grandmother and give the boys a taste of a real working farm.  Then it was back to Waikanae for New Year's and a couple more nights with Susan and Ken followed by half a week back in Sydney prior to Dave's return to work.

Weather-wise we had the best NZ summer weather we've had for years (a vast improvement from the equivalent period some years before when the mercury didn't breach 18 degrees and was often a lot lower!)  We had real beach weather at Waikanae and the boys had a wonderful time mucking about in the creek and shallows and building sand castles.

In addition to hanging out with our folks; some of their folks, siblings and their offspring (our cousins); our siblings and their offspring (our nieces and nephews or the boys' cousins, depending on one's perspective); we caught up with good mates including Janet & Paige plus Matt & Ella, Toby & Diane plus Celia & Dominic, Deanne (unfortunately missing Dan) plus Anika & baby James, Muzz & Wens plus Adam, Amelia & Ben (and their fantastic toy room!), and Amy & Robert plus Emily.

Charlie and James had a ball at Christmas, with their reactions and interactions making it all worthwhile.  Santa came to 51 and the base of the tree was overflowing with presents.  We popped in at Esko's and brunched at Ali's with Rachael & Laura and Dave's folks.  In the afternoon we had more presents and a big cook up in Susan's new kitchen with the Stevens, (Great) Granny Horner and Randalls.

Charlie meets Santa

Buzz with cousins Rachael & Laura

Tarzan Charlie at Waikanae

Waikanae Beach

At the farm with Uncle Bill

Nana

Christmas Stockings

Xmas brunch at Ali's

Xmas dinner at 51 with the Randalls

Rose, Great Granny, Granny Susan and James

Cousin Maddie