Christmas in Clare

What's up, folks.

We're coming at you today with yet another installment of Yuletide Holiday Houghishness.  As we do every year, being the day after Christmas and everything, we once again loaded up the offspring into Kris' van and set off for my parents' house in Clare for our extended family Christmas with them and the Whites.  The other siblings couldn't be there this year, so it was a smaller affair compared to previous years, but we once again had Qdoba catering the event, so we made up for the lack of uncles and aunts with about 10 gallons of queso and guac.

Anyway, here's some pics and videos of our afternoon/evening in Clare, opening gifts and enjoying one last go-round of the Holiday season.

Enjoy. . .

Alayna tears into her big gift from Nana and Papa (the parents went with one main gift per grandkid this year, to keep it simple.)

The Cannonball

This is a shell-shaped velvet chair she's been wanting for her room - it's been on her Amazon list for a couple years now.

Abby starts on her gift. . .

And so it begins. . .

Abby has been wanting a bass, having really gotten into the cello this year and wanting to transfer those comparable skills to something outside of orchestra.

She found this one while browsing online, and after doing some research (of course) I determined that this was a pretty solid starter instrument.

I'm hoping she sticks with this and it's not just a passing phase she's going through.

Kris opens up her gift from the parents - one of those Shark 'Roomba' thingies that drives around your house vacuuming up shit.

(She's happy she doesn't have to clean up around the house now.)

Standard teenager look right here.

Lunchables for adults.  We Houghs are a classy folk.

Dad and I opening gifts on the couch.

Exchanging vinyl, another classic Hough Family tradition at Christmas.

Kris wields my knife to get into another gift.

Tuning Abby's bass.

The Whites arrive

Some investing book Dad had on his list.

Kris insisted on throwing in a pair of corny socks along with the usual gift cards we usually get our older nephews.  Blake didn't seem to mind, but Bradley wasn't as enthused.

Another classic.

After we had worked through our gifts, Dad and I took Abby downstairs to hook up Abby's bass up to an amp to try it out.  We wheeled out this old battle-scarred relic for the job:  this baby saw active service during my high school days in my band, Jeff's Left Front Pocket.  It's an old tube amp that Dad used to use when he was in high school - still works flawlessly.

It's gonna take her awhile to get used to the long neck I think, but she loves it.

Back upstairs, starting to dig into the catering.

Jill, Alayna, Kris, and dog.

Jax digs into some gifts.

Exchanging gifts with nieces and nephews.

Bradley and Cindy

Abby's weird.

Christmas carnage.

Kris and her Resting Bitch Face.

(Not sure what Dad has in his hands right here. . .)

Mucho calories.

A hell of a lot easier than whipping together a big, family dinner.

Jill grabs a snack.

This Christmas ale isn't bad, per se, but it's definitely not one of my usual favorites.  Still pissed I couldn't get my hands on some of my usual seasonal go-to's this year.  F***ing Covid. . .

Jill and Kris discuss AirBnB options for a hypothetical extended family vacation in the future.  We've talked about renting a giant cabin down in the Gatlinburg area, which would be a bitch to orchestrate but would ultimately be a hell of a good time.

Cindy entertained the girls in the basement with a pool once everyone was done eating and opening gifts.

Showing Abby how it's done. . .

Ladies playing pool.

While Cindy and the girls continued to play pool in the basement, Kris and I ran across town over to her mom's new apartment so I could assemble a new piece of furniture Kris had bought for her mom's kitchen.

Took about an hour, but it was pretty straight-forward.

After returning to Dad's, collecting our kids and saying our goodbyes, we got back onto the road and headed back to Midland.  Once home, I assembled Alayna's new chair - she was pretty excited to finally have it in her room.

Kris purchased this champagne 'advent' calendar (minus the advent story) from Aldi or Costco (I forget which one), and we decided tonight to finally start it.  Each little bottle - and there are like 6 or 8 little bottles in the box - is only like 8 or 10 oz, so it makes for pretty small glasses if you're splitting it with somene else.  Probably wouldn't buy it again, but it's nice to sample new types of champagne I guess.

At the end of the evening, unwinding and settling down to yet another Holiday movie.

- Brian