And it begins...

Job number one for me today (24th) was shopping! We had planned for the men to have the kids this morning so Lucy could prepare food for a huge family celebration at her parent's home tonight and I could do shopping for our boys and Ali and Henri. Fortunately the house is just a few blocks from a major shopping district so I had my mission accomplished in about 90 minutes, and managed to carry it all back home already wrapped.

The boys went to St. Kilda beach and played around in the sand and surf. After lunch we went to visit a family that Jeff met while he lived here for university. Sally is married now with a little boy and girl, and looks just like she did when we were here 14 years ago. It was fabulous to meet her family and catch up. She had dug out all her photos of when she and Lucy travelled to Canada and stayed their first Christmas away with Jeff's mom and Murray. The photos were hilarious and spurred many memories and hilarious conversation while the kids played outside in their yard and we all did our best to eat all the amazing food/treats Sally had prepared.

Then off to Lucy's parent's place where Jeff and I stayed during our Melbourne time of our honeymoon. It was fabulous to see her family again and her nephew, Jack, now 14, that I met at just a few months old last trip. Lucy's sister and brother and their families were all there so there was even more food/drink, excitement and no lack of volume!! Our boys are the oldest other than Jack, all around 3yrs old. The boys had great fun trying cricket in the yard and knocking the ball over to the neighbor's yard. On our honeymoon, Lucy's parent's hosted a huge dinner for all the friends and tonight was a wonderful flashback of that. They are all so warm and welcoming of us, 'The Canadians', we are getting treated like royalty.

St. Kilda beach and the colorful huts

Wayne, Sally, Jeff and I, with little Sophie walking by :)

the Pains in Brighton Beach on Christmas Eve

The best chocolate cake!

yummy fresh fruit!

knocked it out of the park, and hit the bowler

we lost this ball, that is why I don't let them play ball in our backyard

We are now doing the parent preparations on Christmas Eve with the kids asleep in bed. The big dinner is here tomorrow with all of Mark's family and Lucy's parents. It is strange to have a warm Christmas, especially not having had a month of Christmas carols to get us in the mood. Lovely to wake up and eat breakfast outside on the deck and have the kids play in the sprinkler in yard though with the house windows doors open. The culture here is so much about time with family. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope your time with your friends and family is rich and rewarding.