Quirky Sense of Humor

These photos crack me up.



Oh dear! 







We were in Lubbock, and Bri noticed this place: JUST BRAKES... but I guess they changed their minds???  Look at the picture below....





And also total car care, factory maintenance, shocks and struts, batteries....

The Hemonds

     Our good friends, the Hemonds, drove through town on their way to Utah.  We were so happy they were willing to stay with us.  Seeing Brinley and Kaitlyn back together just seemed so right.  Tanner and Parker are good friends with Jake and Josh.  Tanner looks enough like them to be the "third triplet."  Melissa and I had a wonderful time visiting at 100 miles a minute.  Brian and David talked church and sports.   We have missed them since they moved this past summer.

Brinley and Kaitlyn have always been good to include Aubrey at least a little bit in their activities.  Aubrey was soooo excited to see Kaitlyn again.

The girls slept in the playroom.  They were so cute catching up on school and Young Women's.

Jake (I think) and Parker

Josh (I think) and Tanner

Sick Baby Girl

     Well, we have avoided being sick for a long time now.  I can't even remember when someone in our family was sick last.  This week, Bryn became sick on Sunday and had to miss Monday.  She had a headache and a bit of a sore throat. On Monday, Aubrey went down hard.  She had a headache, fever and her stomach hurt.  Three days later, she finally is back at school.



I love that she fell asleep w/ her elbow in her (clean) emergency throw up bowl.  Fluffy, her stuffed animal
from Grandpa Vore is close by for extra comfort.

     It was pretty cute being home with her.  Although she didn't feel good, she was a little ray of sunshine throughout each day.  Sometimes with the chaos that comes when everyone is home, I don't notice and appreciate little things the way I should.
     Here are a few of her quotes:

-Lying on the floor in the Den with her blankets, running 101.9 fever, she smiled and said with much enthusiasm "laying here is like a dream come true!"

-The next day, not so happy during dinner, we were all having pizza.  She was not.  She had thrown up a couple of times, and Brian and I were trying to talk her into more applesauce and toast.  For at least thirty minutes, while the rest of us were eating, she threw herself on the kitchen floor and she screamed and cried "I WANT PIZZA!  YOU NEVER LET ME HAVE PIZZA!  I WANT PIIIIIZZZZZZAAAAA!"
It was pathetic, and we all just endured it because she was so pathetic.



-Doing her make-up work, even though she wasn't 100%, she was adorable.  Happy, pleasant, and wanting to get it done.  Some of my favorite phrases:

-She practically sang "Let's do a pattern!" as she was coloring one of her math papers.

-She did sing, to the tune of If Your Happy and You Know It,  "The first thing on your paper is your name.  The first thing on your paper is your name."

-"Oh, that is from High Hat."  High Hat is still around?  I remember Mr. High Hat from my kindergarten days.  Awesome! 

-"Mom, I wonder 'what's the mystery picture?'"  Who knew there was a mystery picture when they were working on letters.  Go Mrs. Sifuentez!  A glimpse into Aubrey's school day was so fun!

-Laying her head on the card table, "Oh, I'm getting tired."  She wouldn't stop and kept plugging along doing her several pages of makeup work.  I finally convinced her to take a break, and the poor girl had 101 fever.

-And lastly, this morning when she woke up feeling great, she exclaimed, "God answered my prayers!"

I love you Aubrey Joyce!  I hope you have a wonderful day at school today.  I am glad we had three days home together.

Happily doing her makeup work!

Thanksgiving Day

     We have a large amount of extended family in Odessa.  It makes for fun and well, rather large, family gatherings.  I think we had just about fifty family members at Thanksgiving this year.  We missed out on some of the Linde cousins coming due to Dani and family moving to Utah and Laurel spending it with her husband's side this year.  We also were bummed when the Trent and family did not get to come down from Austin due to illness.  All in all though, we had a FEAST.  It was wonderful to get to visit and just be with family most of the day on Thanksgiving. 



One of many cousin tables!



...

Clif and Jamie Linde, Kerry and Kim Vore

The Bird family



My Dad w/ Danielle and family



Brian and I

The Evans family

Steve and Laurel Vore (my parents), Ang and Chris Vore

Oh ya, it was yummy!

Tom, Brittney and Easton

Uncle Alan Pitt visiting with his sister.

Chris with his daughter Erin enjoying
and afternoon nap.

Ang brought some activities to keep the kids happy after the dinner.  Good idea!!

Gramp and Erin Meisje

Adam, Aileen and baby Easton

Christmas Letter...kinda!

Merry Christmas friends!  We hope you are doing well and having a wonderful Christmas season.  I didn't include a Christmas letter in our card this year so I thought I would just quickly write a bit here. 

We have been able to see Brian's family three times this past year: last Christmas, spring break, and a summer family reunion. Yea!  They are all out west and we aren't always so lucky to see them this often.  We are looking forward to being together again at a reunion this coming summer in Idaho.

We live by most of the Vore family but were still able to take a short trip to Mo Ranch for a family vacation with the group.  We also are adjusting to Grandma and Grandpa Vore moving to Lubbock to serve in the Lubbock Texas Temple presidency.  We miss having Gram as a piano teacher and having Grandpa sharing his photography talents.  We are lucky though because they are able to come home most weekends and still make many important family events.

Brinley is twelve and loving Young Women's at church.  She plays the piano beautifully and is as sweet influence on our home.  She enjoys most any sport and earned three 1st place trophies and one 2nd place trophy at the city gymnastics meet this year for level two....impressive!

Parker, ten, spent most of his spare time this fall practicing and playing football.  He played offensive and defensive tackle and was the kicker for the Reagan Texans.  He worked hard, played great, and really enjoyed being with his coaches and teammates.  Parker is doing well in school and continues to be a generous family member and friend.

Tanner turned eight this September.   We were so grateful that both sets of grandparents were able to be at the baptism.  He is participating in piano, Cub Scouts and gymnastics this year.  Tanner is very determined and when he sets his mind to a goal, he accomplishes it!

Aubrey will be six in January.  She is in Kindergarten and loving finally being at school with her older siblings.  She is learning to read and write, and we love the little notes she leaves around the house.  She keeps things exciting at home with her spunky personality.

I have been adjusting to having all the children gone during the day.  It has been fun to have a few hours to myself.  The first couple of months I just couldn't believe how quiet it was at home...crazy quiet!  During the day, I enjoy working out, eating out (counter productive?), straightening the house and vipping at the kids' school.  After school, we are SLAMMED with homework, piano, sports and more...so I need to store up my strength everyday for the craziness of the after school and evening routine.  I am currently serving in church as the CTR 7 teacher in Primary.

Brian is continuing to work in Physical Therapy doing home health.  We love the flexibility that gives him to be with the family more.  He was also called this spring to be the Bishop (pastor) of our ward/congregation and amazes me with the way he is able to calmly balance church, work and family.

We hope you had a wonderful year.  We are so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and the path he paved for us.  We love you and wish you a Merry Christmas!

Sincerely,
The Gwilliam Family

A Few Random Pictures

Tanner and I were at the Halloween store at the mall, and he tried on this hat.  Awesome!  (Uncle Scott, if Tanner had your hair instead of Grandpa's he could go for this look.)

Aub Daub



Don't Gobble 'til You Wobble. Yum! Bryn and I made a ton of these.  First for Parker's classmates to celebrate his birthday and then about fifty more for Thanksgiving place settings.



LOVE this!  Parker is really becoming quite the reader.  He and several other students in his class earned a party at his teacher's house because of reading and A.R. points.  He came home late from the party and still wanted to read.  This is how Brian and I found him.



 



BRACES Times Two!

Before....we will give you the true after in two years, ugh!

The kids were intrigued. 



Brinley and Parker both look older to me.  I think it is because we have such a culture of braces for teenagers in the U.S.



Thankful

Aubrey was up for lesson for Family Home Evening.  She LOVES to have every one's undivided attention, and she usually has a plan.  She will make up stories and activities and include some topics from her Primary lesson the day before.   I talked her into letting me make a suggestion on the lesson and luckily she went with the plan.  We ran to Britney's (3 blocks away, too bad we are both moving....) and borrowed some butcher paper.  Brinley and Aub went to town writing and coloring in the letters and after a cute lesson, by Aubrey, on being thankful, the poster fun began.

We found a spot right outside our laundry room door.  It was fun to have it at the perfect height for the kids. 

Aren't Aubrey's bubble letters cute? I love the backwards "J" too.

I think she was concentrating so much on the fancy letters that "Dab" just was what was written.  We all do love that guy.  Notice Tanner's name written several times.  He and Parker thought that was so awesome to do. 

And here we have a few of Parker's names shown. (Plus "Brain" and "Eirin")





Brinley often grabbed a couple of markers and made little groupings of blessings.  She also drew several little pictures. Notice in the top right corner "Mrs. G."  LOVE this one!   Parker put this one on the board.  Mrs. Gutierrez is Parker's 4th grade teacher and she is amazing!!  She has really helped him stretch himself and improve as a scholar.  She has also helped him push himself to read more and find the joy in reading.  I hope all of our children have the privilege of being in her class.  (Brinley had an wonderful year in her class two years ago.) 

 


 



Sunday Night Get Togethers

I have a love/hate relationship with our Sunday night gatherings.  

      Mostly love....but a little bit of hate.  Every Sunday night we gather at my parents house...all 20 plus.  (Here in lies my problem, TWENTY PLUS!  It tends to get a little loud and chaotic at times.)  The adults and teenagers generally gather in the den and visit. The other kids play in the playroom, outside, or play board games together in groups of cousins close to their age.  We all eat a lot of the yummy snacks my parents have on hand to spoil us.  (Well, who are we kidding, to spoil their grand kids.)  All in all, it's a pretty happening place.

     Sometimes friends from church or the neighborhood drop by.  Sometimes the "boys" miss it because they are at a Stake Priesthood meeting.  Sometimes the "girls" leave for thirty minutes and go on a walk.   Sometimes I go home early and leave Brian to fend for himself with the in-laws and the chaos of a million little cousins.  (He does not mind the craziness and almost always wants to stay longer than I do.  Thus, I leave early and we are both happy!)

     What I love? Being with family, my children knowing and loving their Vore cousins, a chance to visit with "the girls" (my mom, sister and sisters-in-law), watching my parents interact with their grandchildren, good food, a tradition that my children will look back on and love, being involved in my nieces' and nephews' lives, having my parents home for the weekend after serving in the temple all week.  So I guess mostly it is a love/love relationship.

Chris, Ang, Joseph and Parker.  Notice how closely they are sitting together.  The couch is usually pretty full and it is the comfiest place to sit.

Gram pulled our her latest find: "Bubber" and the kids were entertained forever! (Charity, Bryn, Lauron and Hudson.)

Charity, Benjamin, Bryn, Hud, Logan (Jordan), Holden, Tanner, Stevie, Aubrey, Braddock and Lauron

Gramp, Erin Meisje, Erin and Brian

Adam, Hud, Kerry and Grandpa (Adam and Kerry never sit on the crowded couch.  Smart boys!)

This was taken at our house last Sunday night.  (Well, Adam and Kerry had to sit on the couch in this picture b/c we had limited seating.)  Dad had to add a little love into the already full couch. (Kim...her expression says it all, Kerry, Grandpa, Adam and Britney)

Bryn's FHE Lesson

     Brinley had the lesson for Family Home Evening this week and as usual, she did a great job.  She shared a sweet article from The Friend magazine about a young girl who had some problems with her hips.  She had to be in a cast and then a brace for over two years. She had a positive attitude through the whole process and her parents were amazed because she never complained. It is short, and if you haven't read it yet, here is the link.
     Brinley then related the girl's positive attitude to our own lives.  What traits do we have that we like about ourselves?  She put every one's name on a lined notepad and after we wrote down a trait about ourselves, we passed the sheet around for other family members to write on.  (She had this activity in her G.T. class at school and really enjoyed it.) It took a little bit for the younger kids to "get" the activity, but what everyone actually wrote ended up being pretty cute.  I think the activity captured a little glimpse of our family in what was said and even who said what.

DAD
"He has a good family." from Dad
"He is awsome (sic)." Tanner
"Dad makes me laugh." Aubrey
"He is good with his hands." Parker
"Understands me." Mom

MOM
"Creative" from Mom
"Momma makes me feel hape (happy)." Aubrey
"I like your cooking." Bryn
"She is cool."  Tanner
"Takes care of her family." Dad
"She won't tell me her passcode. She is a good cook." Park
(He wants my phone passcode and I am holding strong.  He already takes random pictures at every chance he gets b/c you don't need the passcode to do that.  The turkey boy!)

BRINLEY (12 years old)
"I am good at sports." from Brinley
"Very kind to all people." Dad
"Let's me dance with her and listen to music with her." Aubrey
"You are a good big sister.  (kind and patient with your siblings.)" Mom
"She is coll (cool?)" Tanner
"She is intelligent." Parker

PARKER (10 years old)
Ummmmm, can't find his sheet?  I will have to ask him about it when he comes home from school!?  I must blog on b/c it is things like this that stop me for weeks!  On Sunday I was trying to add some new posts and pictures and it says I am out of storage???  So frustrating b/c again....I may never post a picture on this blog again.  How boring would that be!

*Update March 5, 2013...the little pink sheet we wrote these on turned up!  So here is Parker's official list.

"I am awsome!" Parker
"You are good at sports." Brinley
"Helpful outside." Dad
"He is good at football." Tanner
"Helps me with things." Aubrey
"I love when you give me hugs and neck rubs."

TANNER (8 years old)
"I like that I am good at sports." from Tanner
"You are good at remembering interesting facts." Mom
"Tanner plays with me even when he doesn't want to." Aub
"You are funny." Dad
"He is sharing." Parker
"You make me laugh." Brinley

AUBREY (5 1/2 years old)
"I make good friends." from Aubrey
"You love learning." Mom
"Prety" (sic) Parker
"You are good at art." Brinley
"Cute Smile." Dad
"Awsome" (sic) Tanner

Our Last Turkey Project

     Our kids have each had to do a family turkey project in Kindergarten.  They come home w/ a turkey drawing on a sheet and we are supposed to save "Tom the Turkey" by disguising him. Well, this is our final turkey project because we have our last little Kinderbear.
     At their school, they display all of the kids turkeys and they are AMAZING and really fun to look at.  We usually have so much going on with piano, homework, sports, church and four kids that we just try to get-er-done.  Honestly, the kindergartner is happy.  We are happy, and it's a fun little project.  Brinley disguised hers as Santa Claus.  Both boys went the football option and had him in a BYU jersey, helmet and cleats.  Aubrey chose a gymnast.  It was great because Brinley was available and willing to help Aubrey.  I got out a couple of bags of stuff (fabric, buttons, googly eyes etc....), and they went to town creating.