The Copacabana posts continue. I was up there for 2 weeks and so have many cute photos to share.

Evie and Audrey received a paddling pool from Nan and TD for Christmas. We put it out in the backyard a few times while we were up at Copa and the kids loved it.

They actually liked it much better than the beach. The water was warmer than the ocean (we always put a couple of buckets hot water in), it was just the right depth for splashing, and there were no scary waves to knock you over.



More photos (slideshow) on Flickr.

Last year, we had lots of fun dressing up on New Year's Eve so we decided to make it a tradition. This year, I decided to go with a Pirate theme as I figured I might be able to use some of the props we bought for last year (we had a Copacabana fiesta theme last year). Of course, I then wasn't able to find any of the props that I'd bought last year. Good intentions and all...

The best costume prize this year goes to Elliot. Clare made him an awesome Parrot costume.

The funniest costume prize goes to Adam and Chris. They dressed up in some awesome Pirate costumes that were more 80s glam rock than loot, pillage and plunder.

Here is Evie dressed up as Pirate. She wasn't too sure what to do with her dagger. She ended up trying to eat it.

"Hrm, what is this new thing I've never seen before? I wonder what it tastes like."

We had a BBQ, we played salad bowl (Goldy says "my hat is so much more awesome than this game") and we celebrated the beginning of 2012 with bubbles and sparklers in the backyard. NYE 2011 was officially a good night.




More photos (slideshow) on Flickr.

I've already blogged about Christmas Day but I'm just going to post a few more highlights.

Here is our traditional and delicious Christmas day breakfast. We have eggs, smoked salmon and caviar (yum!) with a glass of champagne.

Evie enjoyed Christmas breakfast too. Obviously minus the smoked salmon, caviar and champagne. So just eggs on toast really but it still marks the first time she's joined in on our tradition.

Don't the girls look cute in their Santa hats.

And my perfect Christmas Day includes a swim in the ocean. Andrew and I escaped to the beach for a quick swim while Evie hung out with Nan and TD. It was low tide and there was sand bar which made it great for boogie boarding. Leo had a ball.


More photos (slideshow) on Flickr.

And I'm still catching up on Christmas posts.

This year was a Christmas at Copacabana year. Complete with Santa on a fire engine.

Santa and his RFS helpers drove around the streets of Copacabana, Christmas music blaring, scattering lollies for children who wait by the roadside. The kids loved it (although this uptight mumma with a sleeping baby thought they could have done a few less circuits. Isn't it funny how I expect the whole world to be quiet so my baby can nap.)


This year we left home made biscuits out for Santa (which was an improvement on the tiny teddies of the last Copa Christmas). Leo decided that milk is the drink of choice for reindeers so they got an enormous bowl filled with milk and some carrots.

We had our traditional ham orientated Christmas Eve dinner. We had the tastiest Christmas ham this year. It was 8kg, heavier than both Audrey and Evie. Richie made some awesome toasties for dinner.
More photos (slideshow) on Flickr.

Last weekend was also Evie's first experience of the ocean. As we drove down the hill into Copa I said "Look bubba! the ocean!". I'm sure she would have been really excited if she was awake. And if she could see it. Bit hard when you're in rear facing car seat. She did have a nice nap one afternoon in the sunshine listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach.

It was a bit too cold for swimming but that didn't stop the boys. Even the enormous waves didn't stop the boys. I've never seen surf so big at Copa. The waves were 3 - 4m and were crashing right up the beach. There were lots of surfers out enjoying the conditions. There were heaps of spectators too. People videoing and taking photos from the safety of the shoreline.

The boys weren't hiding from the surf though. They had heaps of fun splashing around in the waves that crashed on the shore. Leo even found getting dunked fun. He had his feet knocked out from under him by one massive wave. Richie waded in and picked him up. Leo was spluttering and covered in sand but was still happy. "Did you see THAT!" he said. We found sand in some very unusual places during bathtime that evening.

This is a great sequence of photos captured by Andrew. Annie watching the boys play in the surf. Annie running away from a monster wave. Annie realising that she should check that the boys hadn't been washed out to sea. Phew! still there.

More photos (slideshow) on Flickr.