August 24-30th

It's been a good week.  I worked out at home more so I had more time to "work."  I am calling it work right now, but I don't think I can really call it that.  I'm definitely not bringing in any money.  I've been learning a ton and I go back and forth with "I Know I can ROCK this selling platform" to "I think I should just get a job at Target."  

With being a little more focused on this course, I feel these flowers are a pretty accurate representation of the state of our home.  The piles of stuff are definitely piling up.

My brother in law is helping me apply for a license to change our lawn care business over to my new business name: Scatter Sunshine Co.   I do love that name.  It took me awhile to settle on it, and Tanner and Aubrey were invested in helping me narrow it down.  My business name makes me happy!  I want to offer products that bring sunshine and happiness to my customers.  I want them to have great gifts to give.  I want to offer them at a good price point for them.  I can do this.  I KNOW I CAN!!!

A few home school pictures from the week because that has been going on over here.  I love this picture.  I came home and Parker was scooted up right next to Tanner helping him figure out some math.

Both boys love having classes at home.  They get their social time in with friends during their athletics period during and after school.  You can see Tanner is living the good life: half dressed, lounging on the couch, empty pizza boxes close by....

Harper has come over a few times, and they have joined in their class while hanging out on the couch.  Honestly, every time I walk through both Parker and Tanner almost always have their phone out too.  Their class is going but so is Tic Toc.  I haven't said much.  I am not going to hover/micro manage all day.  Brian and I are just trying to feel this school from home thing out.  We (I) might need to intervine.

Tanner's phone....ugh.

Our niece, Megan had her first baby last week.  Grace June Bell.  We are so excited for them.

And we have to include the surreal Covid picture.  Griffin is showing off his brand new baby, through the window, to her Grandpa Bruce and Uncle Kyle.  Megan was allowed to have two guests and so luckily Denise was able to be there for the birth and hold little Grace.

Brinley with Sister Maycock and a sweet family from one of the wards they cover.  She can call twice a week right now due to Covid rules.  She doesn't always do that but she did this past week.  On Monday, I drove over to Gram and Grandpa's so they could say hello and hear about her experiences.  On Friday, everyone was home so that was kind of fun.  Aub and the boys popped in and out on the conversation.  (Tanner just listened some from afar actually.)  Park, Dad and Bryn were getting distracted with the filters.  Bryn said they play with them some when the district signs on for evening prayers.

Aub saved up money from lawn mowing and babysitting to get her nails done.  I was about to start making dinner, and Britney had invited us to join them in swimming.  Both sounded much more exciting to me than taking Aubrey to get her nails done.  But, I took ten deep breaths and bit my tongue and took her.  I realized this was important to her especially with school starting on Monday.  I scooped up scripture study materials and was able to enjoy doing that while Aubrey got fancy nails.

We had some extremely sad news this week.  Our dear friends, the Hills, lost their husband/father.  Morgan was Brinley's best friend all through her Young Women years.  We love that girl so much.  We learned on Friday morning that her father, Chris, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday night.  My heart is breaking for Morgan and Susan.  Aubrey cried and cried and ended up with a huge migraine.  We feel so sad for our friends.

On Friday, my parents, Aubrey and I slipped over to give them hugs and offer love.  My dad is Morgan's seminary teacher.  Aubrey made Morgan a pretty anklet, and she made cards for Susan and Morgan.  I baked bread for Morgan because that girl loves bread.  I couldn't think of anything else to do but I hope she felt the love through that gesture.  My parents brought over drinks, cups, plates, napkins, bread, lunch meat, cheese etc... so they would have plenty to share with friends and family stopping by.

On Saturday morning, a few friends organized a cabinet painting party for the Hills.  There was so much love in the house as we painted kitchen cabinets and cleaned and vacuumed.  

They were in the middle of this kitchen cabinet remodel when Chris passed away.  Susan was worrying about family coming in to a mess.  It was so nice to offer help in a way we felt would be appreciated.  I loved seeing all of these friends uniting in service.

Aubrey, Shauna S, Lauron, Ang, Kate M, Megan V

Chris and Laurel K.  

Sister CJ King and Morgan (not pictured: me and Emily M.)

We wrapped up our week with church at church.  We are back to having our whole ward meet there every week if they want.  We are still social distancing in the pews and after church, but I'm glad we get to go in person.  

 

August 16-23ish

 We may have created a monster.

Tanner has been working hard mowing lawns this summer.  I helped him open a bank account a couple of weeks ago, and he also got Venmo.  He keeps sending me requests through Venmo to pay him money...a million dollars, a penny, twenty bucks...he's open.

Tanner has also given me a little bit of a bad time about not blogging. "What about our children reading it and all that stuff?"  He has mentioned it a couple of times.  It has surprised me and made my heart happy.  I really do want to blog, but this darn elbow is not cooperating.  I also realize because I am not thinking of blogging everyday, I take far fewer pictures.  I need to work on that.

This was late Sunday night.  They lights were out and I was getting a massage in before bed.  Tanner came to snuggle.  I'll take it!

The boys and most of Aubrey's friends have started back to school, and she is bored.  She is rearranging her room, organizing her closet, reading and working out.  One day last week she did a couple of craft makeovers and made yummy homemade pizza for dinner.

I purchased the coasters at Hobby Lobby on clearance.  They were all like the third picture (strawberries/pink/green).  She used scrapbook paper and Mod Podge and vinyl to make them her own.  Also, the wooden chest was red and in the donate pile.  I am glad she's found some projects to keep busy. 

We've made it through the first couple of weeks of school.  The boys end up with a lot of free time.  They are on their phones a lot watching Tic Toc and snap chatting (Parker only).  They also play a lot of Xbox and watch a lot of basketball.  It drives me a little crazy.  Covid has definitely messed up our screen time rules.  However, they are happy.  I am glad they aren't at school all day trying to block out awful language, inappropriate jokes, pornography, drugs and all the other things prevalent at their high school.  

Parker's home school area.  He has a desk in his room, but he prefers the couch and the ping pong table.  It may be a long year on the neatness of our home end of things.

The first week of school was pretty slow, and we payed Parker to paint the door trim and the trim in his bathroom.  He likes to be busy, and he did a fabulous job.

And a shout out to the birthday boy!  He's 52.  Brinley can call home twice a week due to Covid mission rules.  She surprised Brian, and it was his best birthday present I think!  The other kids did cute things to help him celebrate.  Aubrey created a hot air balloon card and gave him some root beer.  Tanner gave him Coke Zero.  We don't really buy soda around here so it's fun to have as a treat.  Parker gave him a card with the offer to take him out for breakfast.  We love our guy.  He's a funny and wonderful dad.

Here is a throwback picture that Jeff posted in the Gwilliam family text.  Bruce and Brian after their missions.  Aren't they so handsome?...especially the one of the right!

Aunt Kris wins for picture of the week!  She was able to get the two Sister Gwilliams together.  Macy is in the home MTC and heading to Indiana in a few weeks.  (She is hoping to make it to Argentina eventually if borders open up, and it is safe.)  They live in Meridian, Idaho which is in the mission Brinley is serving in.  On Macy's p-day, she and Kris headed over and surprised Brinley at the end of her proselyting day.  They gave her hugs and a gift basket.  I can't wait to talk to Brinley today and hear the rest of the story.

Parker and I did our traditional Sunday night walk last night.  I LOVE that he will walk and talk with me.  He will tell me some about what is going on with his friends or about football plays.  (Those plays go over my head!  I thought they mostly just lined up against each other and went for it.  Football has it's own language and those players have a lot of things to remember.  Who knew?  Probably everyone but me.)   

As a family, we also managed not to kill each other during FHE.  After spending all day together each Sunday, it can be rough.  There can be a lot of bickering and nit picking.  Last night Brian and I passed in the laundry room and fist bumped for surviving another Family Home Evening.  We are creating memories and a strong foundation.  The kids are practicing people skills: participating happily even when they don't like the activity, practicing being good sports when they don't win.  It can definitely be a roller coaster. It's worth it even if the teens don't always appreciate it....right?

Late night games...we still aren't in the school routine.  It was after midnight when the Gwilliam household finally headed to bed on Sunday night.  Until next week...

Imperfection

I've gone a week without blogging.  My elbow is feeling better because I'm babying it.  However, it's making me sad not to blog just a little.  I turned the blog to private, and I am going to jot down just a few things from the week.  Seeing if I don't have the pressure to make it perfect, maybe I can at least capture a few things... 

School started.  The boys are pretty happy lounging on the den couch  (Tanner) and living room couch (Parker) and doing school virtually.  They both get to go up the school to do their sports and see their friends.  It works.  Aub starts Liahona (home school) at the end of the month.

I am learning to live with the piles again. Homeschooling is messy.  Trying to get them to put everything away everyday.

First Day pictures!  Not our usual...

Seminary started too.  Grateful for an amazing teacher....Grandpa Vore!

Aubrey was a little sad when the boys started back and her friends started back.  She was a little lost.  Since then she has hung out with Lauron, done some crafts and sent out a text about being willing to babysit.  She has two new jobs and is really excited.

She designed this, and I helped her print the vinyl and use the heat press.

We received these from a mission email.  Sure love our Sister Gwilliam.  Brian missed the Monday phone call because he was at work, and she didn't call on Friday this week.  (They can call twice a week  right now due to Covid.)  He was a sad dad.  He doesn't know this but she is calling today for his birthday!  Also, I loved his little twist on this quote: "No other success can compensate for failure to call home."  He's whitty.

I have been making/selling Mojo masks.  Also, I have really been enjoying my new online e-commerce class.  It's interesting and hard.  I have so much to learn.  I am not sleeping well because so much information is in my brain.  Tanner and Aubrey have been super interested too.  They want to get products out there and start making money!

Wrapping Up

I think my blogging days are over.  At least for awhile.  My right arm has been killing me the past few weeks.  Maybe tennis elbow?  I don't know.  I've been trying to guess what caused it...painting lots of dice and typing too much?  Pinched nerve in my neck?  I just know typing these few lines is making it flare, and I need to save the use of my arm for important daily things like: scratching backs, cleaning the kitchen, making dinner, driving.  You know...life things.  Also, I like sleeping at night.  If I do too much during the day, I get no rest at night because it is aching.

So....here is a quick wrap up of were we are right now.  Brinley is off on her mission!  It's been five days and so far she is loving it.  She has been happy and relieved with how busy they have been.  She is loving meeting the missionaries in her district, reaching out to members and doing service at the Bishop's Storehouse. We spoke with her after she had been out two days, and she was radiating happiness through the phone.  

The boys start school in two days.  Seminary will be over Zoom at 7:00 am and school will be over Zoom the rest of the day.  They will head up during 3rd period and after school for football (Parker) and basketball (Tanner) workouts.  I am really hoping their workout schedules and their A/B days line up so Parker will be able to take Tanner each day.  Otherwise, my day will be very disjointed. 

Park testing out his  mask with his helmet.  He was just messing around.  This is not the plan.   I am really hoping for him that football happens this year.  He has worked his tail off for years.  It's his Senior year and he is set to start both ways.  The season start date is pushed back but keeping our fingers crossed.

Tanner sprained is ankle in practice last week.  He is diligently icing it and doing little exercises.  Hopefully he will be back to full speed soon.

Aubrey is trying out the Liahona Preparatory Academy this year.  It is a church based school out of Utah and is in person and online.  She, of course, will be online.  

I am glad to get her out of public schools here.  They are rough.  For example, she has seen more than one student cuffed and arrested right in front of her for drugs.  When she was in 6th grade, she came home sad because a girl she knew would watch porn on her phone during their lunch break.  The bad language is out of control.  

Liahona will be a breath of fresh air.  One of the books in her curriculum this year is Insights from a Prophets Life: Russel M. Nelson.   Now we are talking!!!  I am glad she will be in a calm, positive environment. 

One last sister picture.  This was taken the day before Brinley flew out.

Brian is busy working full time and taking classes at the community college on the side.  He doesn't like his job at TruGreen at all and is hoping to be able to move into the safety field soon.

Last week I started an e-commerce course, and I want to go full speed in learning/applying.  I would like to start selling online, and this course breaks it down into doable steps.  I am excited to have a personal focus and to have something I am looking forward to doing.  This is another reason I will probably not be blogging.  

There you have it...one last Gwilliam update for awhile.  Here is to hoping 2020 wraps up a little more calmly than it started!

Mask Life

Masks.  They are everywhere.  I hate getting into my car, and I having all of these plastic baggies with everyone's mask and name floating around.  I come into the house, and the cloth ones are randomly set down somewhere.  Gross.  

I am coming up with plans and purchasing more masks and coming up with more plans.  Brian has to wear one everyday to work.  The boys have to wear them to workout everyday and will soon have to wear them at school.  Aubrey and I have to wear them to the gym.

I just wanted to share a few mask photos to document this unique time in our lives.  (PLEASE tell me it's a unique time in our lives because I really don't want this to be the new normal.)

How cute is this?  Our disposable ones pop off on one side too often.  Brian pulled out the sewing machine and reinforced the elastic so perfectly new masks wouldn't be wasted.

It was our week for church!  We are masked up.  Our ward is divided into two weeks to keep it under fifty people.  We had less than thirty today.  (Two sets of missionaries, two bishopric members and their wives, the organist and her family and a handful of other people.)

I keep debating about ordering masks and personalizing for a little side gig so I have all sorts of random mask pictures on my phone.

I've made mask signs for a few people.

I'm sure my children are going to die of some disease.  It probably won't be Covid.  I think it will be mask/germ related.  This is Aubrey's mask ON THE FLOOR AT THE GYM.  Parker absently picks up and puts on any mask he sees at home.  Tanner hung up a used mask on our clean mask holder today.  We ran to the store yesterday and Aubrey's friend borrowed a mask.  When we got home, Aubrey hung it back up on our mask holder.  Why???  Please put it in the dirty clothes.  I feel like I have had these mask hygiene talks with all of the kids multiple times but apparently only certain kids at certain times.  I hope we get it all worked out before we kill ourselves off.

We picked up lunch bags at the store so our reusable masks could breathe if they were in the car. (I had a petri dish going in the plastic bags probably.)  These are stapled together so they will be touching/ breathing on each other....honestly I don't know what to do.  I just know we need a mask stash in our car at all times so we are able to run into a store or go to church or lend one to a friend or even a neighbor.  (Yup, that happened today...our neighbor couldn't find her keys and needed a ride to church and a mask if possible.)

And two last pictures:  Aubrey making good use of her lamp to hold her mask.  Her “Bless This Mess” sign is perfect for how I feel about our mask life.  Parker's random rear-view mirror station.  I love that there is a Christmas ornament, a pair of medical scissors (something to do with cutting fishing line) and a mask.  He had one cloth mask in a cup holder and another cloth mask tossed on the back seat.  I hope we survive ourselves.