Monday, December 29, 2008

Christmas at the DeVauxs

Olivia, Kaylee, and Maggie with their matching shirts.
We gave Jenny this awesome present!! It's a key chain with a pic of Micha on one side and then me on the other!! Now we can always be with her:) I told her that she better keep it on her key chain. Trish, I need you to make sure it stays on there!!
David and Ada watching Maddy play her Nintendo DS
Kaylee loved to take Olivia's pacifier!




Ada got Maddy a ring, necklace, and bracelet set. She loved it.
All the kids trying to take turns opening presents.

We headed down to my parents house after the Bailey's for Christmas dinner and more presents. We ate so much that day!! It was a beautiful day so thankfully the kids were able to play outside! 9 kids is a lot to handle! We really missed Trish and Gabby and of course Gabe, who is on his mission. Micha and I were able to talk to him that morning for a little bit and he was the same old Gabe who made fun of me for not cooking and spending too much money. I really enjoyed talking to him and we are excited that he will be home in 6 months! Christmas was a very busy but wonderful day. We feel very blessed to be able to spend the day with both of our families and make wonderful memories!! Now only 360 days until we do it all over again!!

Christmas with the Baileys

Let me start by telling about the Bailey's Christmas Tradition. Micha's dad give's all the kids and grandkids a sack full of candy and and different objects that he has hidden money in. So you have to go through every piece of candy, gum and object that is in that sack b/c it could be in anything!! This is everyone's favorite part of Christmas! After we opened presents Maddy yelled, "When do we get to look for money!!" Bill gets trickier every year! This year I couldn't find my last $5. I chewed every piece of gum and bit into every piece of candy and still couldn't find it!! It's a fun tradition that we all look forward to.This is an umbrella that Bill took the handle off and the little cap and put the money in there, this one took Micha quite a while to find:)
This is a piece of gum with the money inside. Bill told us that he melted the gum in the microwave, rolled it out and put the money inside and then shaped it back to its normal shape. Micha bit right into the money:)
This pic is blurry but this was one of mine, it's a peanut shell with money in it!!
This is a hilighter with the money inside.
Maddy found hers in the roll of Lifesavers.



Waffle House

Elder Murdock, Pam, Olivia, Micha, Madison, and Elder Guymon.
This year we told the Missionaries from our Church that we would take them to Waffle House for Christmas breakfast since we wouldn't be around the rest of the day and wanted to do something for them. Let me just say that I am not a big fan of Waffle House and only eat it occasionally, but Micha thinks it's the greatest place on earth. So we met the Missionaries and a another guy from our ward that didn't have any family in town and ate some greasy Waffle House. I think that is definitely a boy place, a lot of greasy food for cheap!!

Christmas Morning




This was one of the things Maddy really wanted for Christmas this year. She calls it a "Dintendo S" instead of a Nintendo DS. She was super excited when she opened it.
Olivia eating her present:)


Christmas was great this year. We spent Christmas morning at home this year for the first time since we've been married and it was wonderful. As all the kids get older I think its so much easier to be at home and do your own thing. Micha woke us all up at 6:00. Maddy was pretty hesitant to get up and just wanted to go back to sleep(definitely not a morning person) but once we showed her stocking to her she was ready to go!

Christmas Eve





We let the girls open one present on Christmas Eve. They opened the presents that they got each other. Madison got a Bath Time Baby and Olivia got a Rhyme Book. Maddy immediately went and took her hour long bath with the baby.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Garvan Woodland Gardens

If you look closely you can see a giant fish in the trees.
Maddy informed Jenny that she "stole her pose"
The upside down house
Inside the gingerbread house.
The gingerbread house. I think Jenny watches ANTM too much:)
Grandma with the grandkids.



Grandma found a granola bar in her purse so the kids were feeding it to the fish.



My mom is a big fan of Garvan Gardens in Hot Springs. She took Maddy there last year to see all the lights and wanted to take us again this year. It was such a beautiful day on Friday, 70 degrees, we decided it would be a perfect day to go. I wasn't prepared for our little outdoor extravaganza and wore my cute boots that aren't very walking friendly. I survived, my feet pretty much stay numb b/c of the torture I put them through daily. It was my first time going and it is a very beautiful place. They had beautiful trails, waterfalls, and decorations. The kids loved being able to run around and look at everything.

Just a little warning as you look through these pics, Maddy is quite the poser and rarely takes normal pictures. I guess I better stop watching Americas Next Top Model with her:)

The Torgersons Visit

Taking a bath together at "DeeDahs". Maggie and Olivia are quite fond of each other.
The three girls in their matching shirts. Just missing Gabby with her matching one!


We picked up Jenny and the kids from the airport on Wednesday. Maddy was so excited. We had one of those classic movie scenes in the airport. Maddy saw them walking and ran up arms wide open, Little David then sees her and starts running with his arms wide open. Maddy then passes Little David right up and goes straight to Jenny! It was pretty funny to watch, she quickly gave David a hug too.:)