I have a huge sense of accomplishment right now, in a Christmassy sense (though not so much in a domestic sense as a nigglingly high pile of ironing insists on catching the corner of my eye right now as well). Today the kids and I decorated the most enormous Christmas tree. It misses the ceiling by only 15cm or so. Managing the tree with the three kids and a manic cat (definitely the anti-Christmas) was quite a feat. Fortunately I was able to dispatch the kids to fetch the bricks from the end of the garden to stabilise the bucket, and fortunately Peter reminded me about putting actual water into the bucket when he came home at suppertime.

It is a beautiful tree. The kids and I drove down to Durban yesterday afternoon to pick it out. I was intending to buy a medium-sized one, but those were all sold out, and only the giants and the babies were left. Somehow we managed to squeeze the four of us, a giant tree, and a baby tree (for my parents) into the car.

Earlier in the day, the kids had had a rather loud and jolly ice-fight just outside the kitchen (closest they'll get to a white Christmas), as the four of us also tackled the defrosting of a fridge and freezer not very big at the best of times and much reduced in capacity by ice. Defrosting is always a treat for them. They enjoy chiselling off great chunks of ice. This exercise is accompanied by loud whoops of excitement as the bergs come crashing down from the walls and roof of the freezer.

Then, while we were doing grocery shopping after the ice fight, I had a call to say that the kids' cousins were going to head up to Kloof to visit (they flew in to Durban from Cape Town with their mom and dad on Sunday). As soon as we were back from the tree-buying they arrived, and the kids were immensely surprised as I hadn't let on they were coming. They hit it off right away, though it's been a year since we were in Cape Town. The five kids spent the afternoon swarming all over the garden - riding bikes, climbing the jungle gym, swimming and trampoling. Later Peter came back and we had supper together while the kids watched a movie. It was very sweet to see five little Davies-McKenzie-Moodleys sitting in a long row on the couch. The cousins are four and two, and of course our kids are seven, five, and two (and a half - according to Daniel), so they are of compatible ages.

Peter and I just spent the evening wrapping presents. Well, technically, I wrapped and Peter googled and printed out some gift tags. I can't wait for the kids to open their presents. I hope they love them as much as we do. I have discovered a new Christmas drink. Perfect for Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere. I think I may call this Ice Nog. It certainly has plenty of nog, but no egg. Instead, milk and choc-fudge ice-cream. All whirred up together in the blender. Fudge Pedro, perhaps.