One Christmas Book A Night Advent Calendar!

This year we started a new Advent Calendar tradition. I found 24 different Christmas books - noisy ones, serious ones, funny ones, big ones, small ones, flap opening ones and everything in-between. I wrapped them all individually in newspaper and put them in a basket between the Christmas tree and the armchair.


Each night the kids pick a book to un-wrap and read.




The books we have read so far are:
That's not my Santa - Fiona Watt
I'm not Santa - Jonathan Allen
The Christmas Tree - Julie Holland
Mr. Men 12 days of Christmas - Roger Hargreaves
I love Christmas - Anne Walker
Dear Santa - Rod Campbell
The Jolly Christmas Postman - Janet & Allan Ahlberg
Slinky Malinki's Christmas Crackers - Lynley Dodd
Grug and his first Christmas - Ted Prior
Willow at Christmas - Camilla Ashforth
Lulu's Christmas - Camilla Reid
Christmas Time - Alison Jay
Ladybird Noisy Noisy Christmas
Fair Dinkum Aussie Christmas
Father Christmas needs a wee! - Nicholas Allan
The Nativity
Fancy Nancy's Spendiferous Christmas - Jane O'Connor
How the Grinch stole Christmas - Dr. Suess
How Santa really works - Allan Snow
Where's Santa - Louis Shea


The other books are still wrapped and after a quick count Milla has worked out there are only 3 books left which means Santa must be coming REALLY soon!!

Christmas light hunting!

Last night we took Milla and Harris out to hunt for Christmas lights. There are a handful of AMAZING homes close by where we were able to get out of the car and walk around the displays (please excuse the terrible quality photos - my iPhone isn't the best camera at night)



We saw Santa sleigh, the elves making toys in a workshop, reindeer and one house had a snow machine going too!!


While we were walking around Santa himself arrived and had lollipops in his sack for all the kids!




The kids had a ball and didn't want to come home even though it was waaaaay past their bedtime.... needless to say we all got a sleep in this morning.

Butterfly Milla's party!

Just a few happy snaps from Milla's birthday party today for those who couldn't make it.


Afternoon tea was a yummy selection of treats such as coloured popcorn, smarties, marshmallow pops and fairy bread.








We had all kinds of butterflies fluttering around for decoration too





I had made bunting for the party but it was used in a more 'un-traditional' way... Anyone for a game of 'Butterfly Badminton'? With a bunting banner net, butterfly net bats and balloons for balls all the kids (big and small) had a play!



We had a few laughs with a butterfly Pinata too (I was a little freaked out about getting hit with the bat!)


Happy Birthday was sung to the birthday girl before she blew out the candle on her butterfly cake and she tells me that she had 'the best party ever!'


Happy Birthday Miss Milla, we love you LOTS!