This is a season full of wonder, expectation and fun. With this final week of 2011, many families are taking time away from work and school to enjoy some down time — and pets are a part of that, too!

This week, we feature an assortment of furry and feathered members of the family. From a trio of Beagles and a clowder of cats to two canine pals who enjoy a good game of tug-of-war, you'll get a glimpse inside the daily lives of fellow pet lovers.

One pet had a monumental birthday this past week: Monet the cockatiel turned nearly a quarter of a century old on December 23! This is special, as this species has a lifespan of about 15-20 years, with a small number of birds living to 30 years of age.

Monet and her housemate, Little Houdini, celebrated her hatch day with a bowl of popcorn — their favorite!

In continuing our ongoing Friday Pet Photos feature, we invite you to email a photo of your companion animal to ppsa2mi@gmail.com, any time during the week.

Participating in this fun feature is easy — simply include your companion animal's name, age and city or township of residence in your email. Be sure that your photos are 1200 pixels wide and in .jpg format.

We put the week's photos into a slideshow, publish it and promote it each Friday here in the Pets section. Check out past slideshows here.

Lorrie Shaw is lead pets blogger for AnnArbor.com. Follow her pet and writing adventures on Twitter. She welcomes your contact via email.