December catch-up - Christmas in Houston

We went to Houston the weekend before Christmas to visit my family and had a great time. Everyone was there except my sister Tara, who lives in Ireland.
After I took this picture, I joined them in coloring, as did Lauren and Stephen. It was quite comical to see so many grown people coloring around the table.

Santa Claire-Bear


The night before Christmas Eve, the family put on a somewhat impromptu Christmas play. We all knew our character ahead of time, but we didn't have lines or rehearse beforehand. Stephen was a reporter interviewing the people involved in the "curious events" the night/days before the birth of Jesus. These were the characters:


Angels in training (Lauren and Emily, trained by my sister, Sarah)

King Herod (my dad)

The Census Taker (my mother)

The Hillbilly Inn Keeper (brother Andrew)

The Hillbilly Inn Keeper's Wife (sister-in-law, Amy)
Joseph and Mary

Reading a bedtime story with my dad

opening her "Ragully Ann" Christmas Eve morning

Claire had more fun playing with the wrapping paper

Emily, Sarah, Lauren and my mother making Christmas cookies.
Lauren decided that she liked making Christmas snakes better. She made a row with about six of them.