Yount Reunion Pt. 2

Once again, Craig and Alisa opened Germantown Pizza to us for our gathering. We had an awesome meal together Christmas day, and spent the evening catching up with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins. Most of us were exhausted by 10 o'clock Christmas night, and made our way to various hotels in the area. GBS allowed us to use the gym, and a few of the guys closed out the evening playing basketball (which provided me with a couple of hours of total peace and quiet at the hotel!).
A few special memories:
1. Uncle John's devotional reminding us that time is short and our most powerful weapon against sin is the Word of God. He encouraged us to spend more time in personal Bible study and prayer, which would enable us to be strong in the face of temptation.
2. Uncle Joe's challenge to spend 5 minutes in daily prayer for the children of our families. What God could do through them if they surrender to His plan is an amazing thought.
3. Craig's testimony to a renewed sense of urgency in his own life regarding the time that he has and how he wants it to count for something greater than himself.
4. Dad, Eric, and Uncle Jeff shared comments regarding their personal ministries, and how God is working in their respective places.
On Saturday, we all met again at Grandma Yount's for a time of "close" fellowship (I believe her house is about 1200 sq. ft....thank God for sunshine that day!), and lots of food. After a few hours, we made our way down to the Creation Museum in Kentucky, to take part in their spectacular live nativity and garden of lights. It was incredible, and so much more fun with the huge group of family that came. Along the way we were able to see some friends and acquaintances from over the years...the Marshall's, Blackmon's, Coleman's, Hickman's, Stamper's...it was a great night for families!
Here are a few more pics...

Yount Reunion Pt. 1

I'm still amazed at the love of this family for family. Over 60 people, 26 of them under the age of 6, showing up to spend a quality two days together...investing part of themselves in the continuation of a heritage that is beyond what any of us can describe.
This kind of thing doesn't happen by accident. When a multitude of small children and large appetites are involved, dedication and hard work are mandatory. Hours on the road, money spent for lodging, cooking, baking, cleaning, and organizing...it's all part of it.
What's it worth? Ask Jeremy Yount, who along with his wife and two children under the age of three, found out only Christmas Eve that his work schedule would permit them to travel from Greenville, SC to Cincinnati for the celebration. They jumped out of bed this morning, packed the kids up, and were here by early evening. I'd say it's pretty important to them!
Here are some pics from our day...

Six Months and...YOU'RE OUT!

From the looks of my blog roll, it appears that some of my Blogger buddies have permanently deserted me! My guess is that they are all trolling around Facebook, and won't be coming back anytime soon. I get depressed every time I see the amount of time that has passed since many have posted, so I have made an "executive" decision. Any blogger that has not posted within the previous six month period will be removed from my blog list. That sounds like a very executive decision to me (hey...a woman has to be in control of something...even if it is just a blog!). I will be replacing those names with more frequent bloggers. Some I know well, others just have blogs that interest me and may interest my readers. So...if you lurk around Greg and Stephanie's blog and find that your name was removed from the list, please don't take offense...it just means that you are half-a-year late, and I'm tired of looking at old news! :)
Happy Christmas Eve!

Another December Mishap

On the final full academic day before Christmas vacation, Evan had the misfortune of stepping in a hole and badly spraining his ankle. When they carried him into my classroom, I could tell he was really hurting. As time progressed, his pain level increased, and he couldn't move his joint at all. I carried him...yes, he's almost as tall as me, so I grabbed him around the waist and lifted...not a pretty sight, but it worked, and we got him to the van. I took him to the E.R. and they took 2-1/2hours to take a couple of x-rays and tell us that he would be ok in a few weeks. With an ace wrap, air cast, and a set of crutches, he has been maneuvering around quite nicely, and with only minimal frustration.

Three days later, still swollen and now a little green and blue (doesn't show up in the pic, for whatever reason).

I'm hoping that all will heal well and that he won't suffer from this in the future. Evan is a very energetic, athletic boy, and he doesn't deal well with sitting around, especially during the first real snowfall of the season!

Happy 27th Birthday, Megan!

We celebrated Megan's birthday at Cracker Barrel, and had a great meal and nice time of relaxation...if that's what you want to call it. Lol! As you read through the post, you'll get a sense of how the evening progressed.
Although Allison has been doing very well in the potty training process, I usually keep a diaper on her. We are away from home most of the time, and accidents aren't really an option, so I play it safe. This particular day, I decided to allow her to wear her little panties while we went out on the town. She went to the restroom several times during the meal, and those potty times weren't always productive. Finally, we began to think she was looking at it as a way to get out of her high chair, and paid less attention to her when she asked. More on that later.

Livvy lookin' so cute...


Suzy too...


By the looks on these little faces...


...we should have known what was coming.


Papa enjoying a little "Suzanna time"...wish I had recorded her giggle. It was adorable!


Just had to show off my gift wrap...I absolutely love this stuff! Silver, hot pink, red, and black...this pic doesn't do it justice, but you get the idea!


Every girl needs a Butler Bag!


Oh yeah, and kitchen stuff...that might come in handy, too! This is to go with her Kitchen Aid that she received for Christmas...

Suzanna was spotted eating something under the table. After further investigation, we found that she had snuck between Greg and I, and taken the remainder of my pecan pie (probably 1/3 of a slice) off of my plate. She was having fun squishing it all over herself and the floor, and tasting a little here and there as well!


Will thought he'd like a little attention also, so he spit the contents of his last bottle all over my arm...do I see a hint of a smile on his little chubby cheeks?


...and while we were cleaning up that mess, Allison decided she really did have to go potty, and she wasn't going to wait on us to take her. Urine and pecan pie don't mix well...

Ugh!
So, we hope Megan will always remember her 27th birthday...we tried to make it one she'd never forget! Ha!