Deck the Embassy

 What a great way to celebrate the last day of school!  I picked up the boys from their last day and we headed to the Embassy's Christmas party.

 Hope liked Santa but wouldn't sit in his lap.  Neither would Spencer.

 A great kid party with a bounce house...

 balloon animals...

 and lots of kid food.  They call cotton candy fairy floss and the bread with the sprinkles is very popular around here.  I think they call it fairy bread.

 We entered the cookie contest but didn't win.

 And what would a party be without a floor show?  These girls entertained many with their dance moves.  They hear music and they have to dance.

 Santa's sleigh pulled by eight boomers.

 Good times!

The Graduate: Part 2

It seems that only six months ago we were going to Spencer's fifth grade graduation, and here we are again. We are on the southern hemisphere schedule for school, which means the boys have finished another school year and Spencer is a graduate of sixth grade.  Graduation morning started with a breakfast for all the families.

 Spencer is the blur in front during the processional.

 The boys go to an Anglican school, and attend chapel once a week.  They say there is a lot of candle lighting that goes on, and there were some candles at graduation.

 Passing the candles to the year 5's.

 Spencer's teacher, Mrs. Johnston.

 Spencer getting his certificate.

 All of 6J.

 Didn't want his picture taken during the recessional.

 Spencer will always remember sixth grade as the shortest year of his life.  He only went four months of sixth grade and now he's off to seventh.

Because James has a summer birthday, switching to the southern hemisphere schedule meant James had to go into year 3, even though he had just finished a complete year of third grade in Virginia.  James will remember third grade as the longest year of his life.  James had a great year with Mrs. Blumenthal as his teacher.  If anybody is excited to go into year 4, it's James.  

Very weird, but let summer vacation begin!!

It's Christmas Time?

 Today our suburb held a Christmas festival. It is very hard to wrap my head around the fact that Christmas is only a few weeks away when it can be 90 degrees outside.

 The girls loved all the animals they could hold, pet, drop, etc.

 There were guinea pigs, chicks, and the very popular bunny.

 Face Painting

 And hand painting

 The boys loved playing with the cricket stuff set up.

 And Santa himself made an appearance.  I really think they should give the Aussie Santa a break.  Does he really need to wear a coat, boots and hat when it is this hot?

 Faith said she wanted a cuddle-uppet.  Santa looked at her and said, "That must be new."

 The kids loved using the firemen's water hose.

Lots of fun, but I don't know if it got us feeling any more Christmas spirit.  This is just too weird.