Showering Brinley with Love

January 31, 2026

With just six weeks to go until baby Cal arrives, we were able to gather in Draper to celebrate Brinley—I'm so glad I was able to fly in for the weekend. I'm really grateful to the Gwilliam girls, Denise, Megan, Lindsey, Sarah (the younger), and Aubrey, for hosting. We had a lot of fun planning and preparing for the shower together. We had cute decorations, tons of good food and lots of friends and family. The party was a success,

The Gwilliam ladies: Lindsey, Megan, Sarah, Kristen and her granddaughter Leila

Aubrey's roommate, Hannah, and good friend, Charlotte, came to Draper for the big party. It was fun for me to meet Hannah and see Aubrey enjoying time with her friends. They were all three great to help out.

Charlotte redid the chalkboard sign three or four times. Silly girl.

Brinley was looking beautiful for the big day. 

Here are several more pictures from the shower.

W/ Denise

Denise and Megan were so kind to head up the shower. Denise opened her home, and she came up with some beautiful decorations. The fun part about the balloon arch is that she found it on FB Marketplace for free! Then, when she went to pick it up from the lady, she found out they had a mutual friend, and the lady lent her all of her other baby shower decorations. So fun!!!

W/ Lindsey

Denise

Megan

Aub and me

Bryn w/ Charity (Vore) Davidson

It was fun to feel some Odessa/Vore love at the shower! My niece Charity came. Also, my nephew Joseph's wife, Kate Vore, with her little four month old baby, attended.  Our good friends, Emily and Kate Martin, were able to attend as well. I love all of these ladies.

Kate & Wells

Emily and Kate

There was a great turnout, and I think Brinley felt very loved. 

She received so many beautiful and thoughtful gifts too. 

One of Derek's aunts made this amazing quilt, and his mother knitted (crocheted?) Hobbes from the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip.

Some of Bryn's in-laws. 

Derek and his dad swung by at the end to load up the gifts, and it was a good thing they brought Derek’s truck—there were so many!

I'm so thankful for all of the friends and family who are helping this cute couple celebrate the upcoming birth of Calvin Thayne. The six week countdown is on. I can't wait to meet baby Cal and see Brinley and Derek as parents.

A Little Lubbock Getaway

January 16-18, 2026

A quick weekend trip to Lubbock turned into the perfect family getaway. Everyone purchased tickets to the BYU-Texas Tech basketball game, and Brian and I found a nice three bedroom Airbnb to rent. Parker had just started his internship in Carlsbad, NM and was not 100% sure he would be able to make it. I'm so glad it worked out. It made it feel more like a vacation.

We trickled in on Friday night. Brian and I got there pretty early in the evening and settled into our cute house, grabbed dinner and then picked up a few breakfast supplies and snacks from the grocery store. Tanner and fam met u,p with one of Erin's best friends for dinner, and Parker arrive until after 9:00 pm.

Saturday morning, Brian, Parker and I went to the temple.  We haven't had many opportunities to go with our Parker Bryce. I loved that he wanted to go, and I loved being there together. 

Kaide's sendoff: "Have fun singing at the temple."

Tanner, Erin and Kaide went to an indoor playground. Kaide was a fan, but Tanner and Erin were a little disappointed. We met up for lunch at Chuy's and then headed to Main Event in Lubbock for some glow- in-the-dark mini golf.

Erin Noel, Kaide, Tanner & Papa

I had to bow out early from this fun family game because the lights were giving me an awful headache. I wasn't expecting that reaction. Maybe I'm just getting more sensitive with age.

After mini-golf, for the first. time. ever. in our marriage, Brian wanted to go to the mall. I was stunned. Seriously. He was on the search for more comfortable shoes to wear to work. I was more than happy to made that detour. I found a casual pair of tennis shoes and got an hour massage while he and Parker shopped. Sweet! 

Later that evening, we were excited to go to the big game. Tech was our only loss in football this year, and we were pretty sure we could beat them in basketball. We also have the number one recruit: AJ Dybantsa. Kaide went to the BYU-Tech football game a few months earlier and has been talking about how "B.I.U. did not win the big game. Texas Tech won the big game" ever since. 

We needed redemption.

Because Brian and I bought our tickets a few days after the boys did, we were sitting a couple of sections away from each other. My nephew Adam and two of his boys were a few more sections over. But we were all united in the nose bleeds! I walked a few laps during halftime and never returned to our seats. I stood and watched from a much closer section until some seats opened up and Brian joined me.

My nephew Adam with two of his boys: Lincoln & Christian

The best part of this picture is I used ChatGPT to add a baseball hat on my head. I was looking rough because after our early morning temple trip, I never had time to get properly ready for the day.

Me and my man

Tan Man

Sadly, "B.I.U." did not win this big game either, (71-84), and Kaide will probably be shaking his head and telling the sad news to anyone who will listen.

On to happier topics. Our Airbnb was newly remodeled and decorated so beautifully. We actually didn't have a ton of time there, but it was pretty comfortable with one small issue. Tanner & Erin had the master suite, but the heater was out. It was a freezing weekend in Lubbock and their room and bathroom was icy cold. Darn it. 

I think Erin and I were especially impressed with the remodel. These pictures don't quite do it justice--it honestly looked like something straight out of a magazine.

When we were home, we squeezed in some games with Kaide (nobody else would humor me). We played some UNO, follow the leader, and a few really fun games of hide-and-seek throughout the whole house. He also asked, "should we have Family Home Evening?" on Sunday morning. Of course we should, and we did. We sang Primary songs. Erin whipped out a quick lesson on the Creation, and we all joined in a final round of hide and seek.

Hiding!

I don't have great pictures from the weekend, but we had fun being all together. (Missing Bryn, Derek & Aub Daub, of course.)

I'm glad Uncle Parker enjoyed the family time--and lots snuggles with his favorite little guy too.

Even though we lost the big game, it was just the kind of weekend I needed!

Book Club

January 2026

I joined a book club in the fall, which is mainly made up of women from my ward. I have felt a little conflicted about the whole experience. We meet monthly, and out of the four books we've read, I hated one of them (Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers) , enjoyed two (this month's selection and The Rent Collector by Camron Wright), and the other, When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, was just okay. 

Also, it's taken us a bit to get into our groove. Our ages span from about 25 to almost 80. There is always an over talker or two. I tend to worry about that dynamic much more than I should. 

I do appreciate how it is set up. We vote on the next three books and rotate who is hosting and who brings food. I must say, the food served each month has been what's kept me hanging on! It's been impressive.

This month's book has been my favorite so far. We read The Residence, Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Brower. The gathering was at my house. I made this fancy invitation, and the ladies who volunteered for the food delivered. They brought individual charcuterie boards in a fancy wrap, chicken salad on crackers, chocolate covered cherries, sausages, a layered cake, delicious drink options, and more. Also, my friend Debbie arranged for two of the young women in the ward to serve us refreshments throughout the evening...fancy! 

I am glad I didn't quit early on because it is growing on me. I have only been able to attend two of the four gatherings, but I've read all of the books. It's fun to be able to visit with my friends about the books we are reading even before the gathering. There are usually about twelve ladies who are able to make it.  The friendships are becoming deeper, and it's fun to feel the unity. 

The refreshment crew plus two cute servers: Michelle and Amelia Anderson, Liz C., Debbie Carlston and Diana Roach

Talent Show Flashback

January 2026

I was looking through some old videos and found this gem from our 2014 Christmas Eve talent show. We did a silly version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. The kids are so cute!

 *Our talent*

(After sending this out to the fam via email, Brinley privately messaged me and mentioned the cringe factor.😂 I didn't openly concur! So we can't sing....we are still a pretty cute little family.💕)

Wrapping up the Holidays

December 27, 2025-January 6, 2026

We enjoyed having our big kids home for several days after Christmas. Planned family activities petered off, and we settled into normal, everyday life. Parker and Tanner golfed some and hung out in the evenings, and Aubrey spent more time with Charlotte, "girl" Parker (Huse), and Maci. We also enjoyed some Taco Villa lunches, Sunday nights, and celebrating Aubrey's 19th birthday.

Aubrey and Parker 

I'm going to miss all of the family time when the kids leave. I'm glad Parker will only be a couple of hours away at an internship in Carlsbad, NM. He's hoping to come home on weekends. Also, I'm looking forward to a little weekend trip to Lubbock to go to the temple, shop, and got to the BYU/Tech basketball game.

We played some football and watched some football.

BYU Pop-Tarts Bowl 

BYU 25 Georgia Tech 21

Brian had to work, but I watched it. I thought these three college students would be more into it, but I guess sleep won out.

Aubrey, Charlotte & Parker

That evening, when Bri got home from work, Aubrey and Parker did a crazy workout together during one of the bowl games. I think they called it "Murph" and it included a one mile run, 300 squats, 200 pushups, 100 shoulder presses, and then another one mile run. It was impressive. (Brit and I work out together three times a week, and we are very proud that we have worked our way up to 10-20 pushups spread throughout our 30 minute workout. Also, I'm pretty sure running a mile would kill me off.)

We were so glad Benja joined us one Sunday for dinner and FHE before he headed back to BYU.

Me, Tan, Kaide, Erin Noel, Benja, Park, Aubrey

And of course we played some crazy games of Duck, Duck, Goose for the activity.

We also enjoyed playing my new card game, Survivor.

Sunday nights over the holidays are fun because the big cousins are home. It changes things up. Lauron and her boyfriend were in town before Christmas, and the Sunday after Christmas, Jake and Charity stopped by. It was fun to hear about all of the new happenings in their lives. (Charity and Jake are buying a house. Charity's adventures as a nurse. Lauron's plans for cosmetology, etc.)

Hud and Aub were happy to be back together. They are good friends even though they are over three years apart.

Aub 19, Hud 15 1/2

The older cousins started showing off their strength by doing squats while holding the younger cousins, and it reminded me of this Sunday night picture from 2017! Benja and Parker were pressing Tanner and Hudson.

The cousins then moved to the garage to see how much they could max on bench press. A lot of nights, we all just kind of hang out and talk. I love it when there is a little more action.

In preparation for his move to New Mexico, Parker cooked one billion eggs and made breakfast burritos.

He also stopped by to say goodbye to Gram and Grandpa.

It was fun to celebrate Aubrey's birthday before she headed back to school. I always double-shop for her at Christmas, and it's ready to go when her birthday rolls around on January 9th.

We took her b-day fruit pizza 8 houses over so we could share in the fun with Grandpa Vore.

The next night, we headed to Mamacitas for a dinner celebration.

Then everybody was off to school...including Erin to nursing school at Texas Tech, and Kaide to his first day Pre-K!