Snapshots

Life around here never slows down. I wish it would. I cannot keep up and am lacking in energy. 

Esme is my kitchen buddy lately. She lives one on one time, but especially in the kitchen. We made a quadruple batch of banana muffins last night. 

Soren has been busy being creative. He made this bite dye shirt at school and a solar oven after school

the other day 




I trapped a live armadillo under this bin and the kids put Ammon in charge of sitting on the bin while I found a brick to keep it trapped until we can dispose of it. There is a video of the excitement that involves a lot of wild screaming and shaky footage from the littles, and the discovery of a possum in the live trap at the same time. This is cinema, folks. It’s a masterpiece. 

Sloane drew Sister Tracy Browning during General conference 


Our 4 little chickies are growing up. I fear we may have raised 4 roosters. Time will tell.


Sunday to Monday was an overnight college tour of KU and the KC Symphony with Gil Shanahan. Great learning experience for Quincy. I was a chaperone with Marcie B and Jerushia D. Quick trip, we had a great time.

While Q and I were away, The rest of the Willies went to the Hayes to watch conference and the big boys watched the PPV fight. Laura gave the little girls fancy nails 


I’ve been mothering hard lately. I had an afternoon last week that my body just could not keep up and at 5pm I hit a wall. Aaron picked up kids from lessons for me and I took a 30 minute Power Nap before we met up for pizza. I know it’s perfectly normal to get tired. That is not this. I am grateful for energy when I’ve got it. 

Round up was rock n roll theme. U2 tee and leather jacket for the win! 


Shes starting to look like a tween all of a sudden. 


Tommy’s Google slides are back in commission via Finn and it gives us life. 


Reese told me a few months ago I need to offer to every missionary who comes over to sit on the sofas and put their feet up for just a minute and make our house a place where the missionaries feel at home. She said “we are less likely to get homesick when we have a few places that offer the comfort of familiarity.” The constant feed of newness on a mission is emotionally exhausting for introverts, and Reese said her best respite is going to members homes, which doesn’t happen too often in her mission, but she knows it does in ours, so she’s determined to send them to all over to our house haha.  When I have leftovers from a really excellent dinner? I occasionally pack up a lunch to go and text the elders to swing by for takeout. We fed the elders dinner last week, and they asked for haircuts, so on pday I gave one of them (whom we affectionately call Elder Bradley’sTwin)  a haircut. A few days later during exchanges, Elder Handley brought his comp for the day over for a trim. Handley was watching the funeral service via zoom of the man to stepped in as a father figure during his late teen years after his father’s death. This was the man who introduced Handley to the church. He came inside and swept my entire kitchen while listening and I gave his comp a trim, and then excused himself to the sofa to have a minute watching the rest of the service. Reese is fb friends with Handley and was so happy to see this photo abd said “yes mom! That’s exactly what anyone grieving needs. A blanket and the Willardson sofa.” These guys are working hard in NWA and have a baptism this Saturday of a youth in my/Quincys Sunday school class! 

Quincy being Quincy and cheering on some faves at the fall choir concert. Corbin was also there to support but was off sitting with his buddies. 


5:45 seminary is taking a hard physical toll this year. This sweet guy cannot get enough rest or snacks in him. He is getting taller before my eyes. 

Besties! Auntie K took Sloane for a hike the other day. The break from siblings was needed and appreciated. On Saturday, jimmie took Esme and Sloane for a date to Cracker Barrel while the boys were at soccer and kasey, Q and I were deep in cinnamon roll production. I’m so blessed to have these two in my life. The influence they have on my children cannot be measured. 

Because Sunday.


Because Friday (I thought it would be funny for Q to come out of ignite to see Ms Lacee Bones in her car. It’s been an exhausting month, we all need to lighten up around here! 

I know she’s going through it when she starts putting in long hours on her cello. This photo captures high school Quincy well. 11pm on a school night, still in scrubs from work, laptop open to an IB English assignment, learning music for a chamber trip that weekend. The irony that she was laying into a Tchaikovsky death march amused us all. Quincy is typically an external processor of emotions, but when I see her locked in like this I know I’ve just gotta let her cook and she comes out when she’s done. However long that takes. 

Elder Bradleystwin sporting a fresh fade a la Mama Meg’s free salon 

Quincy popped a giant bow in her hair Sunday and it was so adorable I couldn’t handle it. More giant bows on everything please! 

Elder Heiner is off to Japan!

The triple threat put on a clown show this week. I wish I’d taken a video. They are so funny together. 

I love sisters. 

Friday Night Lights. 

Corbin has entered his fashion era and his vanity has no limits. I loved shopping with him for HOCO drip. We also got slacks and a coat for orchestra. Here, he is literally speaking to his reflections saying, “well well well Corbin, you look good, and you look good. As do you over here, good sir” 😂😂😂

I dragged my mama out with me to watch the BHS HOCO parade. One of my Sunday school students was on homecoming court and I wanted to go support her. She spotted Sloane along the parade route when they passed the middle school and she tossed her s flower from her bouquet. Sloane was delighted. 

Corbin started a book that he thought was going to be about football, and discovered halfway through that it was a spicy YA romance drama. “This is a sham!”  

A date night with my boys at the temple

Out cute neighbor Finley texted this pic of Quincy that she took at school. Great shot, Finley! 

Soren on a Sunday morning plus a peep at the incredible flowers Davey gave Quincy 

I don’t even know. But this is this. 



The Paris Olympics tee I got Corbin in france, and proudly haggled the price down for. We laughed so much that day, this tee is a souvenir of our shopping adventure at the Paris markets. 


Esme loves ramen more than anything right now. 



You guys. I don’t even know. 😂 he texted this to me when I was in France. Zero context. RIP Reese’s tiny jacket 💀💀💀

String Fest! This event is a massive gathering of all the string players in the school district. It is chaotic but a great welcome to the program for 6th graders joining the orchestra program. This year I got to help host as an SBO VP, watch as a parent of Quincy performing two pieces with combined chamber orchestras from BHS and BWHS, sit as a newbie parent with Soren, and help herd the masses of under class men like Corbin participating in the Suzuki play out.

Quincy played prelude music at our stake conference a few weeks ago

Soren went to modern mission with some buddies. 


Steezy Boys unleashed. I don’t know who’s driving but I probably yelled at them after seeing this photo. I think most of those boys have a healthy fear of me at this point. I always seem to be the one who busts them for their shenanigans. There may be a collective general dislike for me, but deep down I think they know I love them fiercely.

Monthly family dinners are now a thing and I hope my kids will have memories of cousin time, good food, and laughter 


We wished farewell to Benny, who is off to school in Rexburg. Quincy is really missing so many of her people right now who have launched into adulthood. They’re serving missions all over the world and thriving in college life. Shes so proud of them and also missing the social connection. She FaceTimes with Reese on pday, Elder Johnson emails her pretty regularly, and Will texts her from Provo. And even though she has many friends, she has definitely been missing some of her closest people a lot lately. She spent about 6 hours hanging out with Laura Hayes (she ministers to Laura, but I love that they are also genuine friends) and sorting through and packing up parts of Bennys room. It was cathartic for both of them. 

We love cross country season! Quincy got to see Parker, Brightyn, Ryan, Asher, Cruz, Peyton, Avery, Georgia, Tate and so many others. We whipped up a Bluey sign for Brizzle of course :) 




Sloane loves tri tip so much that she has a way of charming people into making it for her. Bishop and “Brigid” have a tight bond and only Sloane has permission to sneak as much as she wants right off the counter. He loves to spoil her so much, he probably slipped her a mtn dew, too. 😂  A few days later, Joe Saumweber dropped off a little bag of tri tip just for Sloanie. We love people who love our kids! 

Bear fell out of a hammock and split his head open on a rock. Quincy jumped into action for wound care, then set him up with ice. The other kids brought him baby bear and sang songs to him until he felt better. I love love! 



“Ma I gotta call a girl. Come in here and help me. No go. No stay. Ok wait…stay….but sit there in the corner and don’t say anything. Ok it’s ringing shhhh!!!!!”

Fall mantle. It’s a little thing but it sparks joy. I love autumn! 

This looks like torture but I assure you it was more painful for me than it was for her. Giving Quincy a perm is like bathing a cat. Good thing we like her. 


I need to catch up on my girls trip to France. But I’m outta time so this will gave to do for today as an update on the craziness around here. 

I think say multiple times a week/day/ok hour “I hope I’m doing this right.” I’m trying to be a more proactive parent rather than a reactive parent.  When my kids are grown I have no doubt they will say “my mom was crazy” but I hope they add “and she loved me more than life”