Flick, Dave, Charlie and James Family Blog: Dave's 40th and the House Warming

Goodness me, it's all over. After weeks of planning and a huge effort by Flick, Mary, Andrew, Susan, Dave and others, Dave's 40th and the House Warming has come and gone. But what a day it was! Flick and the grannies prepared afternoon tea for about 80 and a spit roasted lamb and pig were consumed as part of dinner for another 80 in the evening. Hundreds of fairy lights twinkled over the verandah and garden as assorted fairy tale characters mingled to the music of Strauss and Tchaikovsky.

In addition to our parents who came over from NZ to attend and were roped into three days of set up and two of clean up), big thank yous also go to Steve, Grant, Linda, Ivana, Emma, Penny, Pam, Karen, Sophie and others who helped make it possible. And thanks of course to all of our friends and neighbours (old and new) for coming, dressing up and bringing an overwhelming assortment of presents.

Believe it or not, the boys managed to tire themselves out enough that they eventually went to sleep. Having forty other children to play with during the afternoon and earlier part of the evening probably helped. Luckily nobody went through a loose board in the verandah or anything like that.

Combining a 40th with a house warming meant we were always going to have a pretty big guest list, but we've resolved that for the next few years at least we'll be entertaining on a more personal scale.