Holiday Celebrations in Houston

Memories of our holiday weekend,

celebrating Christmas, New Years, and Mary Clare's Birthday with family.

We arrived on Saturday afternoon and the kids were immediately ready to open presents!

They each got their first Nutcracker to start a collection like NeNe's

Opening stocking gifts

Not sure what this was, but they look happy :)

Thomas got a rolling suitcase like the big kids.  He loves pulling suitcases around!

Mary Clare has an odd attachment to a lamp that my parents got her several years ago.  The lamp fell apart, and she used aluminum foil to put it back together.  It's really a fire hazard and we've ordered her not to use it, but she insists it stay unplugged on her nightstand.  NeNe came to the rescue with a new one!

One thing Ellie really wanted for Christmas was a gumball machine, and thanks a tip from a friend, my mom found one at Kohl's!  A real one that takes coins!

Here is the beloved wooden sword that has already been broken.  And disappeared.

Took some photos after Sunday Mass downtown.
Oh, I miss my Latin Mass!

SJ and the sword again.

And here's the birthday girl riding by!

Cupcakes with cousins

Cake with cousins

A new monkey bar enthusiast.  He can't make it very far yet.

Presents with cousins

More Playmobil!

And we capped off that evening with a Nativity Play.
Ellie was Mary, SJ was the Angel Gabriel, and MC was the backstage manager.

This is the rehearsal because my phone ran out of battery before the performance.

Love this one of MC trying to be a camel or sheep or something,
and Thomas about to knock over the new flat screen!  Ellie laughing.

Rehearsal done.  Maybe I'll get the video from Aunt Jill.

I also failed to get photos of the wonderful gifts from Grampatti and BopBop!  GP is always good at finding just what we really need.  We had a fabulous visit and look forward to the next holiday we can spend with our families.  We really have been blessed to spend so many years in the same city.  And now we're glad that 4 hours isn't too far to drive for special celebrations like this.