Shore family, Christmas 2014

Merry Christmas! December 2014

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Well now... Christmas has well and truly snuck up on us this year, for many reasons. We'll tackle this in reverse chronological order, to try and share some of the confusion and excitement that has seen us so delayed in our normal seasonal communique.

December arrived in a flurry of boxes and a ute hired from Bunnings. In mid-December (a week before the end of school, and a week after Malcolm returned from an extended bout of travel) we moved house. Not far - only one suburb over - but a much quieter street and a much bigger backyard. Still renting, and the plan is still to return to NZ at the end of next year, but we hope to reduce one of the major frustrations we have experienced while we've been here so far. If it wasn't so sad, it would be funny how excited we both are at the idea that there's enough garden to justify a compost heap.

Should you be passing through (or addressing an envelope), we are now to be found at 8 Wilton St, Blackburn North, VIC 3130.

Before and after photos of the backyard (for the photo on the left - that is the entire width of the back deck, wedged in by the house on the right and the back brick wall of the next house on the left):

backyard - Middleborough Road

And finally, we're nearly ready for Christmas.

Malcolm spent nearly all of November in airports and other countries, with trips to the UK (work - a conference) and NZ (also work - delivering a training course).

The girls' calisthenics concert was a success, with both of them in the same team looking particularly cute.

calisthenics - March calisthenics - November

In May we visited Canberra, and the scariest slide I've every been on (that huge acorn in the background - you have to climb to the height of a 3 storey building, then you slide down a very enclosed spiral space).

In February Elizbaeth started calisthenics. Emma has been learning the piano for a year now.

In January we went back to Geelong for another turn on the ferris wheel. Can you tell the girls enjoyed it?

In December last year we took the girls to some watch the local short-form cricket at the MCG, and discovered a secluded, quiet vineyard in Gippsland where they rent out their cottage to people who want to hunt for trolls.