Christmas in Australia

So we arrived in Kalgoorlie 6 days before Christmas, and it was 40 degrees Celsius, so about 104 degrees Fahrenheit!  So needless to say, I had a really hard time wrapping my head around the fact that Christmas was coming up. 

Kalgoorlie is a pretty small town, but it does have a Target and a Kmart, but neither place had any Christmas trees left!  So not only was it hot, but we were also treeless!  It was so hard to feel Christmasy!  We did our best though! 

So on Christmas eve, I went to the Target, my first time driving any where in this town, on the other side of the road!  I was so nervous, but I made it there and I didn't get lost and I didn't crash!  I did get in on the passengers side a few times though and wonder where the steering wheel was!  But I was able to pick up Christmas for everyone in one day at two stores.  It was awesome!  I should do it that way every year, so much less stress! 

This was also our first Christmas on our own.  We tried some things that was found on Pinterest.  Some were a hit, others not so much!  Anyways, on to the photos, that's all anyone wants to see anyways, right??

Here is Will on Christmas eve with a Grinch mustache from drinking the "Grinch Punch"

 So like I said we didn't have a tree, so we cut a branch off of a tree in our back yard and hung it from a nail.  How pitiful is that?  The kids still had fun decorating it! 

 For some reason, Will's shirt is off. 

 Then we made cookies for Santa.  It's always tricky cooking in another country.  Grams, millilitres, Celsius and so on.  I don't think they turned out how they were supposed to!  But the kids still ate them!  And so did Santa! ;)

 Here is the final product of the tree and the girls right before bed after we did the nativity scene.  Lily had been practicing being the angel all month.  It was a pretty weak nativity scene, that is why there are no pictures. 

 Christmas morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The kids looking through their stockings. 

 Lily opening her brand new....

 Bike!!  Without training wheels!  Oh yeah! Will thinks he's going to ride it!

 Ava opening her brand new...

 Scooter and skateboard!!!

 Will opening her brand new....

 Whatever that thing is! 

 Looks pretty fun!

 After that we made Santa pancakes. 

 Thank you, Grandma Rappleye for the awesome shoes!  They have been well used already. 

 I love that we had a Christmas that the kids got something super awesome to do outside and we could right away because there wasn't 3 feet of snow on the ground! 

 Will went bananas for the bubbles in his stocking!  It was so fun to see him get so excited about them! 

 Later that day, a very generous family in our new branch had us over for a pool party and dinner.  A couple other families from the branch were there too.  It was fun to get to know people and spend Christmas with others.  I made Jello pretzel salad to share and I forgot how stereotypical Utah mormon that is.  They all couldn't help making comments about actual authentic jello made by a Utah mormon.  Once again no pictures, but the kids had tons of fun swimming and playing with toys.  I also had a good time making friends. 

Later that week, we made a gingerbread house.  Lily was the only one who made it to the end of the construction.  It was fun! 

It was sad to be away from family, and I do have to admit when I saw the funeral potatoes in the background of my skype call with my parents I felt very homesick, but it was fun to do something different and to do something on our own.  It was a very merry, very warm Christmas! 

Merry Christmas!