Christmas Day

Synopsis

I have uploaded a heap of videos of Christmas Day and, further down (but earlier) Christmas Eve - the main objective being for Mum and Dad holidaying in Chengdu, China - or at least once they get home - to be able to "be there" with us opening Christmas presents. We had a video chat with them along with a great Engin 3.5c / min phone call to Chengdu, where unfortunately the People's Republic does not celebrate Christmas. We hope Christmas by Internet to Australia is the next best thing, Mum and Dad.

We went to church (3rd time after Novar Gardens and Warradale yesterday) at Good Shepherd Para Vista, our home congregation, which was a great service celebrating the arrival of Jesus Christ, our saviour. We returned home and had a lovely lunch (pictures below) followed by opening presents with Jordan and Ellie, Jordan's mum from Queensland (Kay) and Anisia too.

Christmas Lunch

No picture of the main course, which was a beautiful Chicken Medallions serving - but check out this desert: Raspberry Meringue thingies!

... meanwhile Joshua eyes one off with the raspberry sauce added ...



Opening Presents
with Ellie, Jordan, Jordan's Mum Kay, Anisia and our family

First, a still shot of Anisia, Ellie and I posing with our old "Christmas sacks" - a nice touch by Mum to get them to us for this Christmas. Thanks Mum. This photo is for you and Poppie.

Rikki Kristin Joshua + Simeon to EllieJordan (2m 21sec)

Rikki & Kristin to Kay, Mum and Dad to EllieJordan, RikkiKristin(2m 42sec)

Anisia to EllieJordan (1m 6sec)

Anisia 2nd present to EllieJordan (49sec)

Anisia to Joshua (1m 41sec)

Love Letters, Kay to Rikki (1m 5sec)

? to Kay, Nanna & Poppa Scholz to EllieJordan, RikkiKristin etc (1m 46sec)

Anisia to Rikki & Kristin (40sec)

This is a still-shot that Anisia takes in the above video: the happy family with "The Princess and the Dragon" - an expansion to Carcassonne. There are only two out there we do not have now: King and Scout, and one about Vikings or Raiders or something that is rare as hen's teeth to find. Thanks Anisia!

EllieJordan to Anisia 2, Nannie & Poppie to Joshua (with a kiss for Nannie and Poppie!) (1m 52sec)

Kay to Joshua, Debbie to Ellie(1m 17sec)

Nishan to Jordan (1m 34sec)

EllieJordan to Anisia (1m 9sec)

Kay? to Anisia, Kay to Jordan (1m)

Kay to Kristin, EllieJordan to RikkiKristin, Kay to Kristin 2 & 3 (2m 38sec)

Nanna and Poppa Scholz to Anisia, Kay to Anisia, Kay to Joshua, Debbie to Jordan(2m 26sec)

What's next? I hadn't realised until reviewing this video how often Joshua said "What's next!" Next is the last present-opening video, the 16th.

Kay to Anisia 3 & 4(1m 24sec)

Here are Joshua, Ellie and Jordan posing with the combined Villeroy and Boch Nativity Statues - these are wonderful, thanks Mum and Dad

Unfortunately Simeon was asleep when we opened Christmas presents, so he got his own special present-opening when Joshua was having an afternoon nap. Here he is enjoying a new book he got for Christmas from ?Anisia?

Carcassonne on Christmas Day

Perhaps the start of a new family tradition, a game of Carcassonne whilst digesting Christmas dinner. We gave Jordan's mum a baptism of fire, with the standard game plus the new Princess and the Dragon expansion. Anisia is smiling below because she had three farmers worth 52 points - sad thing was, she was on 4 points at the end of regular play. Kay stormed home (with a little help from her friends) for a rookie win

Christmas Cricket
We Lamberts do nothing by halves, and having no backyard worth talking about and a boy who likes to tonk the ball meant we had to go over to Gaza Oval to have a hit of cricket to run off Christmas lunch. Here I am showing Joshua why his little stumps won't fit in the wicket holes.

Yes, there we are on the turf wicket having a ball. Here's a delivery from Lillee to Josh, Marsh ready to take the catch. Simeon is fielding in his stroller at silly mid-on.

So, that's all for now with regard to Christmas Day. I hope you've enjoyed sharing the moments with us. If there are broken links or videos missing, I will get to them in due course... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year