It would be fair to say that Santa visited our house. We walked into the lounge room on Christmas morning and there were a thousand presents under the tree. (They were there the previous night as well, but that kind of ruins the story).
Bayli got a lot of little things, of course-- clothes and blocks and toys and books and whatever-- but her two favorite toys were the biggest. Opa and Grand-mama (Kel's parents) gave her a swing that we've hooked up on the deck and she sits 
there for hours smiling and singing. And Nan and Pop (Scott's parents) gave her a walk behind type thing that will one day turn into a bike type thing. She get's behind that and takes off at a run. (In the pic the thing is actually in bike mode.) The fact the the walker thing takes off a little bit quicker on our timber floor is a minor concern.
In the giving department Scott has spent the last couple of months trying to edit together the three videos taken on our wedding into one sensible, interesting movie. He finished burning those just after lunch on Christmas day-- we gave out empty DVD cases in the morning-- only to discover that the sound and video were not lined up correctly. Argh. During the same period, Kelly was making cards and calendars (with Bayli on them, of course) and photo books and all sorts of other things. Needless to say they all went down a treat.
We've also done a bit of work on the yard over the last few days. I don't know if it's been mentioned previously but we finished the retaining wall in the small front yard bit a little while ago. Today the wall was completely finished (so, OK, obviously it wasn't actually finished before) when we added another small, single-sleeper-height section and some rocks. After that we got some plants in-- just in time for the rain. We also filled in some holes under the fence in the bottom yard to help keep Pip in when we eventually move her down there and built her a digging box. It has been a very busy couple of days. We have to thank Marty and Sharon for all the work they did. And Les helped with the main part of the wall (though, now that I think of it I'm sure that was mentioned in an earlier post).
I may be able to organise some pictures of that, if anyone is interested (though of course, that would involve someone 'Commenting' so I won't be holding my breath). (Sharon -- friend not relation -- is excused as she commented recently. Thank you Sharon)
Scott's work is going OK. It isn't great but seeing it's only four hours a day...
A couple of kids cancelled Holiday care (well, their parents cancelled, but you know what I mean) so the next couple of weeks are going to be fairly quiet for Kel-- just three days a week with only one kid on a couple of them-- but hopefully it should pick up a bit next year once word starts to get around a bit more.
Pip has been escaping a bit during the night-- well, not any ore because we lock her on the deck. Every night she would find a way out and Scott would hear her barking out on the street at about 5am and go out to get her. Thankfully, sinnce she got a smack on the nose from one of the neighbour's dogs (at least we think that's what the yelp was, though we didn't actually see it) she comes back pretty much straight away, no matter how much fun she seems to be having-- normally with the very dogs who we think smacked her on the nose. Anyway, she would get out, Scott would collect her and fill the escape hole. And the next morning the process would be repeated.
But Scott got up one morning top discover that not only had Pip escaped and gone to play with the dogs next door but she had taken her soccer ball with her. The three dogs next door were running up and down the inside of their fence (they can't get out) barking like three very excited dogs and Pip was out on the footpath, running up and down the outside of the fence (she can't get in) like one very excited dog with a soccer ball.
Scott brought an early end to the game, but we think it's fair to say that Pip was leading her first away game by a healthy margin.
That's all for now-- dinner is ready.
We hope Christmas brought everyone everything they wanted and that 2009 brings you everything you need.
there for hours smiling and singing. And Nan and Pop (Scott's parents) gave her a walk behind type thing that will one day turn into a bike type thing. She get's behind that and takes off at a run. (In the pic the thing is actually in bike mode.) The fact the the walker thing takes off a little bit quicker on our timber floor is a minor concern.In the giving department Scott has spent the last couple of months trying to edit together the three videos taken on our wedding into one sensible, interesting movie. He finished burning those just after lunch on Christmas day-- we gave out empty DVD cases in the morning-- only to discover that the sound and video were not lined up correctly. Argh. During the same period, Kelly was making cards and calendars (with Bayli on them, of course) and photo books and all sorts of other things. Needless to say they all went down a treat.
We've also done a bit of work on the yard over the last few days. I don't know if it's been mentioned previously but we finished the retaining wall in the small front yard bit a little while ago. Today the wall was completely finished (so, OK, obviously it wasn't actually finished before) when we added another small, single-sleeper-height section and some rocks. After that we got some plants in-- just in time for the rain. We also filled in some holes under the fence in the bottom yard to help keep Pip in when we eventually move her down there and built her a digging box. It has been a very busy couple of days. We have to thank Marty and Sharon for all the work they did. And Les helped with the main part of the wall (though, now that I think of it I'm sure that was mentioned in an earlier post).
I may be able to organise some pictures of that, if anyone is interested (though of course, that would involve someone 'Commenting' so I won't be holding my breath). (Sharon -- friend not relation -- is excused as she commented recently. Thank you Sharon)
Scott's work is going OK. It isn't great but seeing it's only four hours a day...
A couple of kids cancelled Holiday care (well, their parents cancelled, but you know what I mean) so the next couple of weeks are going to be fairly quiet for Kel-- just three days a week with only one kid on a couple of them-- but hopefully it should pick up a bit next year once word starts to get around a bit more.
Pip has been escaping a bit during the night-- well, not any ore because we lock her on the deck. Every night she would find a way out and Scott would hear her barking out on the street at about 5am and go out to get her. Thankfully, sinnce she got a smack on the nose from one of the neighbour's dogs (at least we think that's what the yelp was, though we didn't actually see it) she comes back pretty much straight away, no matter how much fun she seems to be having-- normally with the very dogs who we think smacked her on the nose. Anyway, she would get out, Scott would collect her and fill the escape hole. And the next morning the process would be repeated.
But Scott got up one morning top discover that not only had Pip escaped and gone to play with the dogs next door but she had taken her soccer ball with her. The three dogs next door were running up and down the inside of their fence (they can't get out) barking like three very excited dogs and Pip was out on the footpath, running up and down the outside of the fence (she can't get in) like one very excited dog with a soccer ball.
Scott brought an early end to the game, but we think it's fair to say that Pip was leading her first away game by a healthy margin.
That's all for now-- dinner is ready.
We hope Christmas brought everyone everything they wanted and that 2009 brings you everything you need.
