Ginger's dad and his wife Kathleen live outside the town of Hempstead, TX, about 45 minutes or so northwest of Houston. Because of some logistical issues surrounding the desire to deliver a baby blanket in person, we actually made a detour to a western suburb of Houston and then drove back up north and then northwest to Hempstead. We arrived in the mid-afternoon, and the babies were VERY excited to be freed from their carseats.
For the first time ever, Ginger's dad O.D. put up Christmas lights to honor the presence of the triplets during the holiday!
This photo shows Jade with the triplets, along with O.D. and Kathleen. Grandpa Mitchell (Papa) is getting ready to read the children The Night Before Christmas.
The kids know and really like this story, and so were eager participants. Kathleen recorded the entire story so that we have a video of the experience!
This is the beginning of opening presents. Shown are Kathleen (Ginger's older sister) along with Jade, Grace, and our nephews Andrew & David.
The kids got a lot of really neat presents. Joel got an automatic car which flips over when it encounters vertical surfaces, and Kathleen (Ginger's sister) made the girls beaded bracelets. There were also many other gifts. Ginger and I grateful for the generosity which was shown to us!
Shown are Jade, Ella, Joel, Papa and Kathleen.
The next day, the kids got to play outside some more. Ginger and I took them for a walk around the neighborhood, during which they had fun playing on a trailer by the side of the road.
O.D.'s neighbor across the street is a sheriff. The children got to explore a few law enforcement vehicles. Of the three, Ella was the only one who wanted to sit atop the motorcycle.
Joel and Ella look on as Papa demonstrates the lights on the police car (lights not shown :o)
Along with the experiences shown in photos, we also did several other very enjoyable activities while in Hempstead. On Friday evening, after the triplets were put to bed, the rest of us gathered together by the light of candles and the Christmas tree while I read aloud Luke 2 from the New Testament. Ginger then said a family prayer.
The next day, O.D. and I worked together to make fruit cake using a recipe provided to me by my father. I had brought down most of the non-perishable ingredients from Minnesota with the intention of doing this. We ended up with about 10 fruit cakes. For all you uninformed and judgemental readers out there... you don't know what you're talking about. Until you've had my fruit cake, keep your whining and condescending comments to yourself. My fruit cakes are real, and they are SPECTACULAR!!! ;)
Little Kathleen took the time to make snowmen ornaments using modeling putty. They have buttons, faces, twigs for arms, and cute black top-hats. We still have the ornaments out where the kids can see them, and they often ask to hold them after their meals (which we carefully supervise). The girls also got stylish finger- and toe-nail polish from their aunt!
The kids had a nice time playing in the fenced back yard and observing the various birds of prey circling overhead (there were a LOT of buzzards out and about!) Joel supervised and "operated" the garden hose to water lots of plants!
Mid-day on Christmas Eve, we departed Hempstead to go to the southern part of Houston (Clear Lake) to Ginger's aunt & uncle's house...
We are thankful for O.D. and Kathleen's invitation to come see them and spend this time w/them in their home. The children had a wonderful time!
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