December activities...

Cutest lil reindeer ever! :)

and the mommy reindeer

Last weekend we went to see the lights in the city with our friends Chris, Chelsea & Kip.  Unfortunately Jared had been sick all week and decided last minute to stay home and go to bed.  So I ventured out with the kids to the city. On the way we hit some Saturday night traffic (I also think the traffic had to do with Oprah having a dinner at the Botanical Gardens...who knows)

Jack was screaming his cute little face off pretty much the entire 40 minutes, so I authorized Liv to give him a candy cane.  As you can imagine...he loved it!  He sucked that thing to a point.

 He was so stick as (that is the New Zealand way of saying it).  I will take sticky over screaming in bumper to bumper traffic.

Liv, Rex, Lucy & Kip making a train.

We had a fun time walking around Martin's Place & seeing the huge tree as well as some fun window displays. We joked that Chris was out with his two wives and 5 kids. hahaha!

This nice fellow came by and asked us if the kids wanted a ride around the tree. At first he was just going to take the kids and then the paranoid mother in me said, hold on...what if he takes off with our kiddos.  I know, I know, I am crazy!  Rex is definitely my son because he asked if an adult was going to go to.  So we sent Chris on the ride....and they all came back safe & sound.

Lucy & Kip had fun acting like a train and chugging all over the place.

We walked by the very FIRST Gap in Australia.  We had a moment of silence for Jared since it was his previous employer...a great employer by the way.  It was closed so we will have to go back another time to check it out inside. (Kip is still the caboose behind Lucy)

Moving on...the other night I made a scrumptious artichoke (Ashley you would love it) pasta dish.  Rex wanted Maple syrup on it....which means we have been watching way too much of this movie......

I actually tried it too and it was really tasty...what isn't tasty with a little sugar on it. :)

December is filled with various activities.  We had a Christmas get together for some mums and preschoolers at my house.  We made crafts, ornaments, played a game and ate lots of good food.

Jack loves Sarah!

I put together a simple craft for the moms to make and take home.  While the moms were preoccupied with the craft these two little rascals were going to town with the glitter....

They dumped it and spread it all over the place.  Lucy and Cailyn are notorious for being mischievous.  I found glitter all over my house for days.  Jack's toys had glitter on them and so when he played with them he was covered in glitter.

At least 5 inches of glitter on their hands.

 The kids made little Santa hand prints.  This one was my favorite!  Santa is REALLY watching you!! 

Liv plunking around on the keyboard.  She made up a cute little Christmas song.

I love spending the night as a family putting up all of the Christmas decorations.  The tree is usually covered in blobs of ornaments all clustered together leaving the back of the tree bald.  I don't mind though.  One day I will have a tree that is nicely decorated and evenly spaced, but for now I kinda like looking at it and knowing that my kids made it the masterpiece that it is.

The kids watching a Christmas message.

                                                            It is such a beautiful time of year!

All the stockings are hung.  I brought these over from the US.  I actually have a Jack stocking that matches, but I didn't bring it.  I bought it a few years ago in case I had another little boy.

Jared's work had a fun Christmas party for the family this year.  Last year it was a fancy dinner/dancing party in the city for the adults, so it was fun to bring the fam along this year.  It was supposed to be at Watson's Bay but it was a rainy day so they moved it to the office.  We ate, the kids had fun activities to do and the best part....they had two masseuse's who gave 3 minute massages.  You could go back as many times as you wanted.  I think I was their #1 customer.  I went back 4 times!

Santa came and Rex had a little heart to heart with him.

There were even a couple Christmas fairies.

Lucy isn't so sure about Santa...Is he the real Santa???!!

Jack really loves the Christmas tree.  He likes to stare at the lights & after he has had a good stare he zeros in on the ornament or strand of lights he wants and he goes for it, usually knocking off half a dozen ornaments in the process. 

We made lots of Christmas Sugar cookies...

The kids frosted them..eating half of them as they went...

This isn't a Christmas picture, but it is a super cute picture.  I think all babies love the dishwasher.  I think I have a pic like this of all four of my babies.

He is pretty proud of himself.

He was so cute pressing his face against the sliding door.  Don't mind the filthy glass...it is on the outside...I hope. :)