Day 5/47  A little bit of a Christmas theme today, and I am kind of breaking the rules a little as I'm sharing two lots of photos!

This year, my wonderful and talented Mum has spent many hours making Hayden and Austin the most beautiful patchwork train Advent Calendar.  I had been hearing all about it, so I think I was just as excited as the boys when it arrived in the mail, full of little goodies too of course!  Hayden has loved taking the little 'surprise' out a carriage each day, and Austin is all very taken by it too, giving it a little tug on the bottom every now and then.  He also loves being picked up to have a look at it.  As well as this Advent Calendar, Granma also spoilt the boys with a chocolate  store-bought Advent Calendar.  Hayden is definitely winning out on that one this year as he gets to eat Austin's chocolates too.  Somehow I don't think he'll be quite so lucky come next year!






Even though we have now lived in Christchurch for eight years, it is only less than a month ago that I heard about the amazing Christmas Grotto in Spreydon.  (You can find out more information about it here.)  I decided that I definitely wanted to take the boys to see it, so that was our little adventure this afternoon.  And it didn't disappoint!  The displays were all just fantastic.  Hayden's favourites were the trains and the present wrapping machine, and Austin was pretty much just mesmerised by it all!  It was quite dark in there and there were just so many people, so not really an easy place to take any photographs, but I did manage to sneak in one to share!  But if you live in Christchurch, and you haven't been before, then I definitely recommend you go and have a look.  We will be going back next year again too!