Christmas Day

Friday 25th December: Christmas Day! The boys appeared at 7.01am and checked in with us as agreed, so we could all enjoy them discovering their filled stockings. They were delighted with their gifts from Father Christmas, particularly Jonathan who got the car he made a late request for yesterday. The boys got a lovely note from Father Christmas, and went out the front door, faced north and shouted out thank you to Father Christmas as loudly as they could (our usual routine).
The boys spent the next couple of hours playing with their new cars while we showered, fed the lambs, collected the eggs and let the hens out, chatted to Shirley and Felicity on skype, and had a cup of tea. Then we unwrapped our new game for this year - the Great Moa Hunt - and everyone played it for the hour it took me to get lunch ready.
Christmas lunch was ready at 12 noon. We had a traditional English meal, even though it was now 30 degrees outside and very humid. We had roast turkey, roast potatoes, roasted vegetables, stuffing, chipolatas, cabbage, carrots and sweetcorn, and gravy. Pudding was a mixed English-Kiwi affair - a choice of Christmas pudding or Pavlova!
After lunch, Steve and I "impressed" our guests with some musical arrangements appropriate to the time of the year. I tried playing the piano, accompanied by Steve on the trombone, and we dragged ourselves through a few carols, with my Dad howling with laughter in the background and threatening to put the video of it on you-tube! Before too long we were distracted with a cup of tea and then the boys got busy being parcel delivery boys as we worked our way through the presents.
There was plenty of time to put together and play with toys before tea, which was sardines on toast followed by a choice (or a succession) of mince pies, cheesecake and chocolate mud cake.
After tea we put the air-conditioning on to cool down the boys rooms. It was still uncomfortably hot and humid.
Next we worked together to secure the lambs' enclosure and catch them to move back into the paddock, where they settled down quickly to eat as much grass as they could find. The boys played with their trucks and remote-controlled cars, doing donuts on the gravel drive.
Before long it was time for stories and bed for the boys, and opening a bottle of cool white wine and a box of chocolates for us.
I think the photos are self-explanatory - mostly because my wine is warming up while I type this!!!