A Very Merry Christmas

 Olivia and I at the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs.

 My mom makes these yummy Christmas Bread Wreaths every year and we LOVE them. It's not a DeVaux Christmas without them!!

 My family is obsessed with red meat!!  Everyone(except me) LOVES a good steak!  2 years ago, Dad bought a beef tenderloin that everyone still talks about. So, he bought another one this year and Micha prepared and cooked it again.  It turned out wonderful, even I tried a little piece and enjoyed it!

 Uncle Gabe

 Gabe, Marji, and Me.

 Maddy was Santa at the DeVaux get together.

 This was about 10 minutes after opening presents! She was exhausted!

Madison made Magic Reindeer Food at school so she was sprinkling it in the front yard.  "Sprinkle on the lawn at night. The moonlight makes it sparkle bright.  As Santa's reindeer fly and roam, this will guide them to your home."

 Maddy getting Santa's treats ready

 Santa came!!  PS, that cardboard house was a hit!! I recommend it highly!! Plus once you are tired of looking at it and the kids get bored with it(as they do with all toys), In the trash it goes! Livy has been playing it it and Madison has been coloring it.  Madison's big gift was a bike. If you ask what she got, she says, "I got a bike with 2 wheels, one in the front and one in the back."

 Micha sent me on a scavenger hunt where I found earrings and a ring! I was very surprised and happy, they are beautiful!!

 Uncle Aaron got the grandkids hoodies.

 The Baileys have a Christmas tradition where Bill gives us each a sack filled with candy and other little doodads, and he hides money in different things.  This year was one of the tougher years!! I looked for about 10 minutes and couldn't find ANY money. I was about convinced that there wasn't any in there when I finally bit into a tootsie roll and found my money!!  1 down, 7 to go!!  Long story short, there were about 75 mini tootsie rolls and all 8 bills were hidden in these stinkin' tootsie rolls!!  Usually Bill hides the money in different types of items, so it took us a while to figure out they were ALL in tootsie rolls! Good thing I like that candy! We LOVE this tradition and look forward to it every year!! 

 I was hard at work.  I get a little competitive and try to finish first, it's like a game and I like to WIN!  I started slow but ended up in Third Place(and that's b/c the others got a head start!)

 This is a pic of the money covered in tootsie roll.

 These were all of my bills after I found them.

I thought I would go ahead a blog while Micha and the girls are entertained with all their new toys and while I still have a little steam left in me!  This was a WONDERFUL Christmas!  We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house and ate so much good food.  I missed being with my family last year for Christmas, so it was great to be there this year.  We got home and put the girls to bed so Santa could come and deliver.  Madison came in our room at 12:15 and asked if it was time!! Hah, nice try Maddy!!  We said no, so she climbed in bed with us. An hour later, Olivia comes in.  An hour later, I kick Winston out of the bed and I sleep at the foot of the bed until 7:15 when Maddy wakes us all up.  We opened presents, played a little and then headed to the Bailey's house.  We ate lunch, opened presents and the sacks, and relaxed for a while before returning home.  We came home with two extra nephews, the girls played with all their new toys, Micha played with his new video game with the nephews, and I cleaned! Moondough is fun, but I can't handle it on my floor, plus I will sleep so much better with a clean house! And after last night's visitors in my bed, I need a good nights sleep!!! I hope everyone had a Merry and Joyous Christmas!