Say What?

Since today is the official beginning of the Christmas season, we've pulled out the Christmas movies starting with ELF. It's our favorite. We've been repeating lines from the movie all day today.
1. I'm in love, I'm in love, and I don't care who knows it!
2. You sit on a throne of LIES
3. I love smiling. Smiling's my favorite.
Any more good lines?

Happy Thanksgiving

My sister left Knoxville on Tuesday, and then Wednesday came Big Mama, Aunt Polly (accompanied by Birdie), and Uncle Justin and Aunt Christi (accompanied by Prissy). Our house was a used car lot/dog kennel for about 2 days. All we did was eat and sleep. And then repeated those two activities about every 3 hours.

Jon's plate BEFORE...

AFTER...

We REALLY missed Poppy this Thanksgiving. It's his FAVORITE holiday! We thought about you all day, and we're really thankful for you. We love you!

Jack, wearing his hat all the way from the desert.

Picture Perfect

We had the kids pictures taken all together while they were here. Sandra Ryan came over and took them for us. She is so good. Let me emphasize that just a little bit more. She's SOOOO incredibly patient and creative when taken family pictures. This is the second time she has taken our family pictures. Here's just a sample of the 100+ pictures.

What Happens When...

You accidently throw a disposable diaper into the washer?

Answer: It swells up like a balloon and weighs about 7 pounds. Thank the Lord it didn't burst.

New Camera Obsession

Remember that cool thing I told you my friend Shanle showed me about my camera? Well, I just think it's the coolest, so here are a few snapshots.

Early Christmas Anyone?

We had Christmas early with my sister and her kids. Actually, they walked in the door and about 30 minutes later, it was time to open presents. The girls LOVE to cook, so we got them aprons. We also bought them dresses for their Bitty Babies to match their Christmas dresses. George got a new talking Woody doll from Toy Story. Jack got a basket with his name on it. It was filled with great cooking stuff...he loves to cook too. He also got an orange and white striped shirt. He was FIRED UP to get a new Tennessee shirt. :) It's been a few years since the kids have opened presents together, so it was a real treat.

Company in K-Town

My sister and her three kids are coming to visit tomorrow. Yippie!!!

I LOVE those kids!

Chicken Sandwich, clap, clap....clap-clap

We went to the UT basketball game tonight with our friends Shay and Shanle. Someone in the choir generously gave us 5 tickets to the game tonight. This was our first UT basketball game. Jack was fired up. So, we found our seats and he spotted the only cotton candy vendor in the whole arena as seen in picture #1. He actually found him from that far away. Picture #2 is the cotton candy vendor zoomed in really close so the rest of us without 20/20 vision can see him.

We were playing UT Martin and the game was expected to be a total blowout. So a few minutes into the game, the announcer said if UT reaches 90 points, you can redeem your ticket for a free chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-a. The boys in the row behind us REALLY wanted that chicken sandwich, so they hollered the chicken sandwich, clap clap thing a bunch of times. Come on now boys. They're $2.55. But anyway, Jack repeated everything they said. And luckily, it was all G-rated. We did get our chicken sandwich and some cotton candy. Oh, and it was FREEZING!!! Jack was so bundled up, he couldn't even buckle his seatbelt. Bless his heart.

Shanle also helped me find some really cool effects on my camera during the game. I suppose if I read the instruction manual, I would know these really cool things too.

Oh My, It's Cold

Snow flurries before Christmas??? That's all I have to say.

Happy Early Turkey Day

Didn't we get crafty today? Thanks to the idea from my sister.

Next project...indian hats.

Weekend with the Reichs

Sorry for the blogging delay y'all. The cold weather has officially frozen my fingers from typing. Anyway, here are just a few pictures from our weekend with the Reichs. We had SOOO much fun. Oh so much fun! We hiked through the woods, drove through Cades Cove, ate tacos (a Tyner & Reich family tradition), went to church, and on and on and on. Come back any time!!!

Dad, this picture is for you. Sorry it's blurry. I think I was laughing too hard! They can run a 5K holding a log just like those guys on your team.

Happy Belated Veterans Day

I got this email from my dad yesterday and thought I'd share...

My friends: Veteran's Day has more meaning to me this year than ever before. I have a new appreciation for our veteran's who have served, and are currently serving overseas - especially those in a combat zone. Likewise, I have a new appreciation for the families of those veterans and the constant question they deal with daily as to whether their spouse, dad, mom, son, or daughter is safe on any given day. Many thoughts passed through my mind on this Veteran's Day. I would like to share them with you as they will not be the same next year, or years to come as I will have returned home - Lord willing. They announced a special ceremony to be held this afternoon at 1600 at our flag pole, in honor of Veteran's Day. After sending a special message to my team yesterday thanking them for their sacrifices of leaving family, convenience, comfort, and safety, and granting them Veteran's Day off, we tried to relax today amidst a mass casualty training exercise. I really wanted my team to have the day off completely free of work, worries, etc. Then, around 1400, a bomb exploded near our camp, completely unexpected. They announced on thel oud speaker our first real battle station. How ironic, on Veteran's Day. So much for a relaxing, worry-free day. This evening as we were standing in formation for the ceremony, shivering as the temperature was quickly dropping, we stood at attention in front of coalition flags at half-mast for the combat deaths that occurred this week, along with a POW-MIA flag raised by a retired, Vietnam veteran Marine serving now with a private company. Standing with a salute as the final words were sung, "... and the home of the brave" I heard the eery call to prayer from the mosque on the neighboring base. "Thank God for our religious freedom" went through my mind. Helicopters suddenly flew overhead in combat formation as if it was planned for the ceremony, though we knew it wasn't. It is an honor to serve you all and our country here in Afghanistan. It is an honor to help fight those who have brought, and continue to plan to bring destruction and death "to the Western infidels." It is especially gratifying to help those care givers who treat the wounded. Rest well, there are very strong and capable American men and women here in Afghanistan, committed and unwavering to protecting our country. I join you in honoring the warriors of our country, past and present.