2 sleeps till Christmas

In our run up to Christmas this year it all feels a little different. 

Most days it is usually around 30c and our Christmas activities are based around water, either the beach, nearby lake or pool.  We really haven’t embraced the crafting we usually do at this time of year.

Christmas feels very material this year.  I am not sure why, maybe the lack of loved ones nearby to spend the season with, maybe it's not having lists of gifts I want to make for people as it costs too much to post them, maybe the lack of cold, wintery weather, maybe we notice the shops more here because we are closer to malls and big shops and maybe it’s the amount of junk mail we get in our mail box saying ooh ooh buy me for xmas!  I don’t know why but it does. 

The boys are really excited, Rowan wrote a letter to Santa at school asking for a Nintendo DS (again), so Reuben also wanted to write him a letter and asked for a furby (which he has been asking for since before we left the UK).  We have never done the letter to Santa before, so maybe that’s another reason.

We were going to go to a nearby church that had a nativity scene, but the boys didn’t want to.  So I asked them to tell me why we celebrated Christmas and if they could tell me then we wouldn’t have to go.  Rowan proudly told me the whole Christmas story, all he forgot was Jesus’s Dads name! 

I am not in any way complaining or unhappy, in fact we are loving it and even though it feels weird planning Christmas Day lunch when we know it’s going to be at least 30c it is great.

We have been finding loads of really fun free stuff to do near where we live.  We are a few minutes away from a lovely salt water lake that is next to the beach but sectioned off by a huge sand bank, it is shallow, warm and safe for the kids to play as they wish.  We can cycle there is 20 minutes along a boardwalk that runs through a nature reserve next to the beach.  We are feeling really fit and healthy, the boys would rather cycle to places than go in the car, so having only one car isn’t a problem.  We swim every day and are eating so many salads and fresh fruit it’s really great.

On Christmas Day we are having some friends around for a BBQ and pool session, it will be way too hot for a roast, so some salads and meat will do us just fine.  The kids will just want to be in the water and we can all relax by the pool with a drink.

Last week I dropped Rowan’s camera on the kitchen floor (which is stone tiles – blooming tiles I have broken quite a few things now!) and it broke, so now I am taking photos on my phone, but I am not sure how to get them off, so no photos today, but will work it out and get some on here soon.

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas full of joy and smiles xxxxxxxxx