Ethan wasn't too sure about his swim ring to start with but Dad just jumped in and started throwing him around and Ethan decided it was fun!
In fact it was a bit difficult to convince him to get out in the end, they had a lovely time and the afternoon past very quickly.
What a great way to spend a summer afternoon...............
Aunty Carly is also happy in the kitchen and even better with her favourite nephew giving her a helping hand and loving it!
Ok, just a couple of drops of vanilla to add to the mix, I think they were mixing up a pancake mix that was then taken out to the Bar-B-Que for Uncle Russell to cook our breakfast..... Yum!
After breakfast Daddums and I went back over to the North shore and popped in to see "old Nana", while she was looking very frail, she was very happy to have visitors, expecially visitors with pineapple lumps to share. 
We stayed for about an hour and had a lovely chat. Not very meaningful discussion but she was very happy and looked pleased enough with her lot. It was really good to see her in such good spirits, and actually compared to some of the old dears in the home she is doing very well.
So once the stockings were found in Aunty carly's car in the garage we got to sit around and open the pressies. Mainly it was watching Ethan...
Then after a bit of gentle persuading Ethan donned the Santa hat and with Gargs help he played a very good Santa and handed out all the presents to the waiting adults.
As a fairly highpercentage of the parcels were for the boy playing Santa it took a while. But we got there. The the next tradition ... croissants and all the trimmings yum. Then Carly and Russell headed of for "lunch" with Russell's folks and Dee, Duds and Ethan headed off to Dudley family for lunch. Daddums and I chilled out, tidied up a bit, had a quiet read and relax and then did a bit of preparation for heading over to dale and Geoff's for a Belcher family catch up for the evening.
It was a lovely day and the kids made the most of Great Nana's swimming pool. Emily and Rosa and Georgia acted as the responsible big kids and looked after the little ones.
Emms is so grown up these days I hardly recognised her. Ethan had an absolute ball though he does look a bit chilly in this photo!
Emily and Rosa decided that shower caps were in order to stop their hair getting wet! Hardly glamourous but they did the trick. Priscilla was not quite so worried about her tresses, she's a no nonsense kinda girl!
Then for a bit of a warm up Ethan did a bit of jumping around on the trampoline with dad keeping an eye out. Ethan wasn't quite so sure when there was 3 or 4 other kids jumping as well, he's not that used to having everyone cramming on so was a bit shell shocked to start with. But he loved having all the cousins around had a ball!
What a lovely Christmas, it was great to catch up with all the brothers and sisters and children and grandchildren, gosh the family is ever increasing! What a fantastic thing is family. We did miss the ones that couldn't be there but enjoyed the ones that were.
In preparation for the arrival of the man in the red suit we had to hang the stockings in a place that he was likely to see them! It really makes it feel Christmassy when the stockings are up and even though Liv and Adam are half way round the world in India we put theirs up so we could feel as if they were with us in spirit if not in body.
Once the wee man was fast asleep the pressies started coming out! Of course we had to leave room for the ones from Santa. It's the first time that we have had Christmas at Carly's and it was quite nice being the Nana and Grandad and taking a wee bit of a back seat and letting the young ones do their thing. At the same time it's a bit strange not to be the one doing all the organising! 
It wasn't a huge affair, with about 10 children but it was pretty exciting all the same, and the main thing was there was a Santa sack with presents, and a table of good food.
Is there an Ethan Harris here? SURE IS! Pick the one with the straight finger again! Susan is doing a fantastic job, after organising the party she then turns her hand to being Santas helper!
And look Santa did hear what Ethan when he said he wanted a Lightening McQueen toy, and he duly got a Mater bubble maker, yay! And of course Garg is on hand to help with the tricky cellotape. Then it was a chance to play pin the smile on the Frog! He did pretty well as you can see.
Then it was a last chance to have a chat to Santa and tell him what a good boy he'd been! And probably get in a few last minute orders..... It was a lovely party and Ethan really enjoyed himself. This is the best time with children when they are sooooo excited about Christmas.
It's a bit tricky to get into all thjose small spaces, but this is a job Ethan loves to do. And obviously Garg is happy enough to stand and watch, and maybe give some instructions along the way. We still ride the bike to work everyday, rain, hail or WIND!!
Though the laden Christmas tree behind the circle created a lot of interest, the kids love to play pass the parcel and Ethan is no exception. Gotta watch that parcel going around!!
Who is ready for their present from Santa? Pick the boy with the straightest finger!
It's very special to be able to have a chat to Santa, a wee bit nervous but with a present to be had it's worth the nerves.
Then outside to test out the sidewalk chalk and maybe get into a bit of graffiti with Garg!
Then after much consideration Ethan decided that he could be brave enough to go and talk to Charlie the chicken and even managed a bit of a hug. It was a great day and the 65 children there all had a ball, kept Santa busy for a very long time handing out the presents, lucky for Ethan he was called about 5th!!!
Thought Liv and Adam might like to see the girls with a bit of Christmas in the background, it took a while and a few "stay!" s but we did it in the end.
They are both really well and enjoying life, Lissy is getting whiter by the month but still races around the yard like a mad thing! barking and carrying on while Ellie gallops along in front.
And here's one of Liss by herself, sitting on her pretty pink mat. She's such a girl!
As promised, here is the heavy laden branch on the Christmas tree that Ethan really enjoyed decorating, there's 3 balls, 2 snowmen, 3 gold stars, a yellow felt star, a pine cone, a silver bell and morethat i can't quite make out. 
It is so lovely to see the tree and see all the lower branches obviously decorated by one small boy! One of our best trees ever!!
He really got in to it, he was very patient while Nan put up the lights and then we got into the fun part. He just loved it and chose all his own decorations and needed the story behind each one! Mummy made this one, Aunty Vie did this, Carly and Nahoko made these stars!!! It was a very special time for both of us....
As it turns out (and I didn't realise at the time) Ethan had a special penchant for one particular spot on the Christmas tree and I later realised and took a photo of one little branch with about 10 different decorations on it - here he is in the act of putting yet another one on! See tomorrow's update for the photo....
Had to take a photo of the pair of us to prove we did it!
Ta Da!!! The finished article - now we just have to hang the santa lights and set up the train and we're done... So we popped down to the Club to see Garg and have a lemonade. Then it was off to the Warehouse to buy the hooks for the Santa lights and while we were there Ethan spotted a Christmas hat that has red flashing lights - at $1.99 it was a must have!
So time for a bit of macaroni cheese for dinner and wait till mummy and daddy come to pick me up and survey our handy work.
Here's Mummy and Daddy in front of the tree, they think it looks great and daddy has said I can do the one at home next weekend ... yay, I'm quite the expert.
The kids were pretty excited and seated themselves (with the teachers instructions) under a beautiful big tree! Ethan was very keen to show the kids how it is done - he was so proud to know what to do and even had his fire uniform on to prove it!
Of course being the man of the day Ethan got to go first and expertly hit the cones with the water ..... 
and over they went! Just like that....
Very soon the numbers had swelled to include several of the younger classes and even a few older ones..... Never mind with 3,000 litres of water on board there was plenty for all to have a turn!
In fact there was even enough for one small boy to have a second turn - a bit naughty of Nana but we wanted some front-on photos!
And he did so enjoy it. It's so neat to be able to spend time doing fun stuff with your grandchild! Every grandparent should be so lucky - and every grandchild as well!
I can't quite believe how many children ended up watching and having a turn - it's great to be able to go to your community and do this sort of thing. And the kids and teachers were so appreciative. A great day!
Of course no trip from the fire trucks is any good without a chance to climb on board and have a drive!! Doesn't he look the part!
Then a final fire safety talk, stop, drop and roll! And remember if you get caught in a fire get down on your knees and crawl to the door!
It was a fantastic day - and a bit of fun for all concerned.....
