Christmas and Boxing Day 2017

 Love when Christmas comes around. With the family home it is so much fun and joy to celebrate this special occasion. We had our usual Christmas Eve service with the children participating. They enjoy their parts as shepherds, angels, inn keeper or having speaking parts. Christmas morning is fun watching the kids open their gifts from Mum and Dad and Santa. Their faces tell the story.

Great excitement when the cousins come and it is time to exchange gifts.

Lots of surprises

Kayaks for all

 

Later in the afternoon it was off to the Dam to try them out.

 Getting beached on the sand bar

 

 Young and old having a go

 

 Or just relaxing and watching the kids enjoy themselves

 

On Boxing Day the Altus Family headed down to Kingston to Merry & Glen's house. It was Helen & Simon's turn to host the family Christmas get together.

 

 The 3 cousins who all turned 10 over the Summer break. Their annual photo shoot

 

 Water slide fun

 

 Feeding some of the masses

 

A game of cricket in the back yard supervised by Steve

Thanks Helen & Simon for a wonderful day. Lets do it again next year! 

Birthdays

 Oops I have got a little behind in our activities.
Laura, the Excell children and Ma ma did our annual birthday trek to Sydney for Alara and Leyla's birthdays. We had a wonderful time with them. Going out for a birthday Dinner with Ruth, Bill, Lucho, Morgs and Jill. La then had a pool party the next day with all of her friends. Lots of fun.

The girls opening their stash of gifts

That evening we went out for Dinner

 

 Leyla blowing out her candles on her beautiful cake. Thanks Aunty Laura.

 

Next day was La's turn. Off to the Aquatic Centre for her pool party.

 Great fun had by all the kids.

 

On our way home from Sydney we stopped over in Echuca for another birthday

 

Lexie celebrated her 11th Birthday with a magnificent birthday cake creation!

Thanks for all the fun


A few days after we arrived home from our Sydney trip, Ma ma went back to Echuca to watch the Concert put on by the Dance School

Our beautiful dance troupe. Well done Julz, Lexie, Mitch and Zetty. It was fun and I enjoyed it.

 

29th October

Uncle Bing celebrated his 59th Birthday with a lovely tea and cake at Laura & Steve's. Everyone loves a cake even the biggest of kids. The boys helped Uncle Bing to blow out his candles.         Happy Birthday Bing.

 It can't go unnoticed that Lou and Steve celebrate their wedding anniversary on the same day.        

12 years married. Congratulations Lou & Steve. May you have many more. 

 

Happy 59th Birthday Uncle Bing

School Holidays

During the last school holidays, Lexie and Mitchell came to the farm for a visit. It was a great time for the cousins to catch up and spend time together. We had a few action packed days with plenty of adventures and playtime.

Mama took the kids up to visit the Kaniva Puppet Shop on one of the days. They had lots of fun and laughs as they put on their Puppet Show.

 

 

 

After spending quite a bit of time in the Puppet Shop we went and had afternoon tea

 

The Kaniva Sheep are always a hit with the children. So it was stop and see if they could ride them. 

A couple of days later Mama took the troupe down to the Naracoorte Caves. We had a look at the Stick Tomato Cave, Alexandra Cave and then the top tour walk. 

 A photo opportunity with the prehistoric mammal

 

 In the Wonambi Fossil Centre

 

It was a great time spent looking through the beautiful caves and the surrounding area.

 

On Sunday we had to take the kids to Donald to meet Mum, Dad, Zettie, Pop and Nanny. It was fun having them come to stay. We had afternoon tea at the Trains before we all set off back to our respective home. Thanks for coming Lexie and Mitchell. 

Another photo opportunity with the Grandies.

Echuca Visit

We had a visit to the Echuca Heinrich's not long ago. It had been a while since our last visit. We were lucky enough to watch Lexie's last soccer game for the season, go out for lunch, enjoy the beautiful sunshine and just spend time together having fun. Was great to watch the kids and to see that their skills had improved over the season.   

 Lexie and her team mates

 

 Her medal for participating

 

 Mitch kicking the ball around with Pa and his Dad

 

And Mitch was lucky enough to get an extra medal

Jack and Pa's Birthdays

 September 1 is a special day in our family. Pa and Jack celebrate their birthdays together. Pa reached the so called retirement age of 65 and Jack is 9. Happy Birthday to you. We went to the Chinese Restaurant to help them celebrate. Jake (Jack's friend) was there to help celebrate.

All the kids tucking in to a delicious Chinese meal at Jake's family restaurant

 

 Happy Birthday to you 

 

 Jack & Pa blowing out the candles with some help from Davy

 

Everyone else gets a turn

July Holidays

Relle and the girls made their annual July Hols trip to the farm to catch up with the family. It was a special time these holidays because they were able to meet the newest member of the ever growing Altus Family,'Maddison Hope'. And our family love babies so Maddie was in for a lot of cuddles and loving.

Making themselves at home at Aunty Cath's at Kingston

 La having one of many cuddles with Maddie

 

 Just too cute

 

While here the children spent lots of time together having sleep overs, playtime, picnics and generally having lots of fun together. Relle and the girls spent a couple of days with Honor, Flynn, Greta and Luke so she will have more on her blog site.  The weekend before they went back home we ventured out to Steve & Lou's farm for some fun on the motor bikes. We left Leyla, Lucy and Rory at home to have a girls day with Aunty Kara. Simon, Jacquie, Ben & Erin joined in on the fun as well.

 

 Speedster Davy on the controls of the bike. Oh boy does he love to go fast!!!!!!

 

 Aunty Relle even got into the act. Brought back some memories

 

 Under the watchful eye of Uncle Steve

 

 Cooking lunch