Christmas 2011 started out in South Carolina with Julian, Diane, Maria, Keith, Veronica, Kennon, and Meghan.

Prospero thinks the tree is "neat." ("Neat" is one of his favorite words, lately.)
Mithy thinks it might eat parrots.

We make tamales on Christmas Eve, as did my mother, and my Aunt Ruth, and my great grandmother Maria Candelaria.

The kitchen ends up smelling like tamale heaven.

Between meals, the cats spend Christmas Day lazing on our bed. In other words, Christmas is pretty much like any other day for them.

Kennon checks out the stockings.

Veronica found a magic wand in her stocking, and after that we had a hard time getting her interested in anything else.

Who cares about beach toys, when you have a magic wand?

Best present ever!

Yeah, yeah. Socks. Great.

Okay. Yeah. The pirate ship is kind of neat. But have you seen my wand?

Kennon trying on his new shirt from Cyndi.

Meghan with loot.

The following week, Julian, Diane, Maria, Keith, and Veronica went to Ohio to have a belated Christmas with Shauna, Brian, Evan, Cynthia, and Noelle.

Evan at his Cooperider grandparents' home, transporting the tree in the Gator.

Evan.

Noelle and Veronica at Cyndi's house.

Noelle was so nice letting her baby cousin play with all of her new toys.

Brian with Noelle's dog, Jude.