Aunt Kris and Uncle Eric Are THE BEST

I can't even believe for the second holiday in a row Brinley was able to spend it with family.  I am so grateful for Kris and Eric.  I never would have guessed that she would get to know her Gwilliam family more while serving a mission.  

I think Brinley reached out over Facebook messenger on a day or two before Christmas to see if she and her companion, and possibly her whole district, could come watch a movie at their house on Christmas day.  I absolutely LOVE that Brinley felt comfortable enough to do so.  That just goes to show how amazing Kris and Eric are.  They are fun and funny and just so welcoming.  Brinley knew they would welcome her with open arms if it worked with their Christmas day events....and it did!

Not only did they have all of the missionaries over, but they also put together a full blown nacho bar AND a movie style snack bar.  Then they sent them home with a box of cereal each.  How cute is that?!?  Pretty darn cute.  I really hope someone is taking care of their sweet Macy while she is serving in Indiana.  From Macy's mission emails, she seems pretty content.  I wish we could personally reciprocate, but I guess we will just have to pay it forward.

Here are a few pictures from their gathering.  

Plenty of room to social distance in their huge backyard shop...

Um, I want to be there and choose my movie snacks!!

Kris said it felt like they just had a taller Macy at their house for a little bit on Christmas day.  Seriously, love this family of our more than ever.  (Eric, Max, Jack, Henry, Kris and Sister Gwilliam)

Christmas Day 2020

Christmas morning.  I think Aubrey set her alarm for 8:00.  On Christmas Eve when we agreed upon that time, it sounded heavenly.  However, I could not sleep and tossed and turned too much, so sadly, I was already wide awake by the time she came into our room.

Only three stockings...sniff, sniff.  We sent Brinley and her companion stockings full of fun things.  It was weird only having three to set out though.

Waiting in the hall for Dad to give the okay...

Football, basketball and volleyball for our athletes.  Parker also had a Nike outfit and a new razor and magnet spinners. Tanner had a Nike outfit and a new portable phone charger.  Aubrey had a light projector and a BYU drink container.

The best part for me was Brinley was able to join us!  We knew she would be calling some time that day, but she called in the morning just as we were about to get started with gifts.  We were able to watch her open all of her gifts, and then she was able to watch a lot of our gift exchange.

Aub gave Tanner a case Dr. Pepper.  He was pleased.  He gave her a To Do notepad she was hoping to receive.  (Tanner gave me four large Hershey bars...yes!!  He gave Parker a DQ gift card, and Dad a big bag of Twix.)

Aub gave me a fun note pad and the cutest heart patterned pens.  She gave Dad root beer, and Parker chocolate milk mix and Airheads.

I asked Parker which gift he was most excited to give.  It was the LED color changing lights for Aubrey to put up in her room.  She was ecstatic to receive them.  He had purchased some for himself at the same time he bought hers.  He put his up in his room mid December and wrapped hers.  She was extremely covetous of his LED lights.  When he was at football practice, she would tip toe into his room to try them out.  She told me privately a couple of times how mad she was that Parker stole HER idea.  I tried to calm her a bit because I knew she would be kicking herself once she learned Parker had taken care of her too.  She was definitely pleased when she opened her own!

Parker gave me a rechargeable hand warmer gift.  My hands are always freezing, so that was thoughtful.  He gave Tanner a BYU basketball shirt, and Brian really cool, silver plated 49ers coasters.

Park looks so much like Tanner right here to me.

Gram and Gramp squeezed us in Christmas morning.  I think they woke up and went to Britney's at 7:00, then Kerry's, then our house around 8:45 and then Chris and Ang's around 9:30.  Whew!  We gave them the yearly Shutterfly photo calendar and they hooked the kids up w/ Cougar gear.  Go BYU.  They also do a really fun stocking for me, and Brian each year....and a second set of Apple Airpod Pros are in the mail.  They put one in the stocking last year which Bri kept, and I will use this pair.  We are spoiled for sure.

And our girl!! So fun that she was able to be a part of our Christmas morning.

Tanner didn't make it easy to give a thank you hug.  Nothing new there....love that kid.  I like how Brinley is in the background just a part of Christmas morning.

Parker and Bryn having a moment.

Brian spoiled us with the traditional egg dish along w/ biscuits, hash browns and OJ for breakfast.  He also made a yummy dinner for the fam as well.  We had a Gram and Gramp joins us for dinner and that was nice.

The dinner menu was ham, green bean casserole and funeral potatoes.  Delish.  We also enjoyed playing their new game the Chris Vore's gave them: "Guess Who" with Vore family members as the people.  (They had little pictures of each of us instead of the cartoon pictures the game comes with....so fun.)

We loved this cute collage from Grandma and Grandpa Gwilliam's house on Christmas morning.  We wish we lived closer and holidays especially tug at our heart.  They sent a package in the mail which always adds excitement to the household.  We opened on Christmas day.  Grandpa made pens for the boys.  (Yes...made pens!  He is a talented wood worker.)  He made beautiful wooden container w/ a lid for the girls...including me.  They also sent the boys gift cards, and Aubrey fuzzy socks and a notepad.  They also gave Brian and I  silver salad serving utensils.

Aren't these gorgeous?  The light colored wood is Aubrey's new container and the darker one he made for me.  The pen is a USA/eagle pen and has "God Bless America" engraved around the middle silver section.

We wrapped up Christmas night by heading up to the church to play volleyball with the Vores and the Kings.  After lounging around the house all day, it felt great to change locations and move our bodies.

Merry Christmas 2020!

Christmas Eve

We had our Christmas Eve family gathering.

I thought our three looked pretty good walking in to Kerry's house.

Tanner, Holden, Parker

Uncle Nate w/ his dog Tucker

Ella w/ baby Jesus

We asked Brinley, just before it started, to record a message. It was fun to feel like she was there for a few minutes. Here are a few pictures from the night.

The group.  Uncle Alan and Aunt Aileen Pitt left early.  It's weird to have such a small gathering.  Usually we have invited a few friends or coworkers or missionaries.  Trying to keep it smaller with Covid.  Lft-rt: Ty Hill, Stevie Pitcox, Chris, Auv, La, Dylan, Holden, Tanner, Bri, Joseph, Kate, Gram, The Martins, The Kings behind the Martins

Emily & David on the couch, Brian, King family: Tyler (friend), Danielle, Laurel, Ashley, Briana & David

Top picture we were photo bombed by Trump and the bottom one by Uncle Kerry.  And if you look at any of our pictures over the years, this is as dressed up as Tanner gets!  

Gram and Grandpa

Jake Davidson, Charity Vore, Aubrey Gwilliam, Chris Vore (far back), Dylan Hill, Holden Vore, Tanner Gwilliam

We had snacks and visited.  Then we gathered for the talent portion of the evening.  It is a tradition to share talents as our gifts to each other.

Angelique Vore, Britney & Ella Bird, Beth Poyner, Quetta Pitcox

Erin Gwilliam (me)

Often each family will have a group talent or a representative. Aubrey has come through for us in the past couple of years with a dance or a skit w/ Lauron. This year I read a poem which captures 2020 so well. I changed a couple of lines up but it's copied from a YouTube video by Matthew West

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the place

Every smile was hidden by a mask on each face

To see Christmas morning, they hardly could wait

All gathered together in groups no more than 8

And making quite sure that every single germ was dead

There was no scent of Christmas, only Lysol instead

But oh my my, oh well well, Does it really even matter?

We’ve all lost our sense of smell

Amazon brought all our boxes to town

We got out the Clorox and wiped them all down

Mom glued to her laptop, online shopping in a trance

While the kids were rehearsing their next Tik Tok dance

Then we all took a vote, who was naughty, who was nice

But the results were disputed because some voted twice

With each sugar cookie, my weight it did mount

So I yelled to the scale, I demand a recount

Less money for spending but oh what the heck

Maybe next year they’ll send us a stimulus check

The children finally nestled snug in their beds

As nightmares of virtual learning danced in their heads

And mothers and father exhausted a plenty

Bowed their heads and gave thanks we survived 2020

Then down through the chimney w/ all of the loot, 

Came Jolly old Santa ...in a hazmat suit

With a HO HO Ho he said, I’ll see you later

You may be in short supply so I brought you some toilet paper

Yes he quickly appeared and then quickly he went

Santa Claus the ever fun event

Now on Kings, Pitts, Birds, Gwilliams, Vores and Martins too

This last part of the story is for me and for you

To a world that’s in darkness, may we all be a light

A Covid Christmas to All and to All a Good Night

Lauron Vore sang O Holy Night and it was gorgeous.  Danielle King brought her boyfriend Tyler and they did a cute rendition of You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.

The Chris Vore group strayed from their usual musical talents and performed a balancing trick.

Jake & Charity, Joseph & Kate, Chris and Ang

Kate Martin sang Rudolph.  She is the cutest.  

The Birds performed Jingle Bell Rock with some really cute actions...plus the boys were both rocks.  Brit and the girls would sing Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle bell and the boys would peak their heads up from their Comfies and say ROCK.  Pretty cute.

Brit, Ella, Char, Braddock and Hudson

We had our traditional handstand contest.  Charity, Danielle, Tyler, Joseph, Kerry and Nate were in it.  Danielle won! (again....seems to be a King most years.)  We have an adult and a kid version.  Hudson was the only kid who wanted to participate this year.  We are kind of low on kids in the Vore fam...they have all grown up into teens and young adults.  Anyway, he won by default.

Back to our shortage on little kids...we had to ask for everyone 16 and younger to come.  Tanner conveniently had to go to the bathroom, but Holden, La and Aubrey were good to participate.  And Dylan, who is 21, came as well.  David King read the story of the birth from Luke 2 while the kids walked in dressed in costumes.

Grandpa told the group to take off their masks and not to breathe.  I think some of the kids probably did hold their breath  Left-rt: Aubrey, Charlotte, Holden (Joseph), Kate (Mary), Hudson (star), Dylan, Lauron, Isaiah, Ella and Braddock

Merry Christmas 2020.  We are very blessed.

Sibling Gift Exchange

Every year we do a sibling gift exchange and it is usually at Britney's.  We have a dinner, games and do a white elephant exchange.  Brit always plans a yummy spread which we contribute to, and she is super creative with the games.  It's a lot of fun.  I'm glad our guys (Brian, Grandpa, Chris and Joseph) made it home just in time.

This year we had Cafe Rio chicken burritos with all sorts of delicious toppings.  We skipped the gift exchange.  I was relieved because honestly we are broke!  Brian's work is seasonal, and he doesn't get many hours in the winter.  It was nice to have an extra $100 to spend on other things.

Here are a few pictures from our fun get together:

Quetta and Kerry

Brit and Adam

Brian and Erin

Laurel and Steve

Nate and Beth

Kate and Joseph 

This gift exchange started as siblings many years ago.  Then Gram and Grandpa were like, "What?! We want to come!"  Which we thought was a great idea.  Occasionally a random child or two will join in.  This year Kate and Joseph flew in right before it started so Ang was hoping they could come.  They are a lot of fun, and it worked out great to have them. 

Chris and Ang

Brit planned twelve "Minute to Win It" games to go with the song The Twelve Days of Christmas.

We had to toss things into the pear tree and stack turtle doves (Turtle and Dove candies.)  We had to build 7 origami swans and act out Christmas carols.  We had a great time and of course the girls won.  (Well, we say the girls won....so that is where the "of course" comes in.)

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Beth's swan needed a little love.  The girls finished first.  However, the boys were mocking our swans, and pointing out how perfect and superior their swans turned out.

The charades game was probably my favorite.  The boys went first which benefited the girls team.  It was so hilarious to watch the guys madly acting out each song.  Chris got stuck on Deck the Halls.  We learned to skip when needed and it definitely benefited us.

Grandpa had already purchased his gift for the gift exchange so he brought it and did a drawing.  Kate and Joseph were the winners!  Baby Yoda (or Grogu) found his forever home.

Until next year....