The weather outside was frightful, but that didn’t deter the Ishidas from embarking on a Christmas Light viewing on Peacock Lane last week. And when I say frighful, I mean torrential downpours and winds that threatened to suck the lights away like a scene out of The Wizard of Oz.

The upside? Very few people to navigate, a quick visit and we crossed one more activity off the advent calendar. In fact, it was pretty perfect.

Photos limited to what I could manage while balancing an umbrella on my shoulder.

Carolling Pirates

Tonight we begin the countdown to Santa. I have two kids who are way more excited to go to bed than usual but first we need to mix the reindeer food and set out the home-made gingerbread cookies and the not-homemade beer. The beer is there to make sure Santa knows he’s in a part-Aussie house. Besides, I think I’d be looking forward to a nice cold beer after many, many glasses of Milk.