Summer Sam’s Club Sampler

Every year, the Owens host a pool party to sample all the inflatables and pool toys for the Sam’s Club team. We have a wide range of ages in our family, so we’ve been invited the past few years to give feedback on the toys and price points to the team. Always a super fun time! 

Corbin was still in the final four of Splash Assassins, and a purge started at the time of the party, so he came, but reluctantly. He felt very exposed out at the pool, so he stayed “fire ready” with his water gun the whole time. In fact, when a little kid thought it was super cool and asked to try it out, Corbin genuinely hesitated and then agreed “ok but only for a minute”and then sat with his back to a wall anxiously waiting for Bethany to show up to kill him. 😂 

Ironically, a surprise second purge was announced later that night as soon as he left a party at Georgias for basketball. A kid followed Corbin to the stake center and waited until he was on the court and then swooped in and got him out. Corbin was crushed, but he took the L like a man. H is now throwing his support toward Bethany, since he tried to get her like 4 times but wasn’t able to. 

Esme and Amelia were so cute in their matching swimsuits!  This crocodile successfully held up 6 little kids, and later 4 young adults. A Top tier pool toy for sure! 

Soren and King Spence got a sweet obstacle course going in all the big inflatables for all the big kids. This lasted until Esme put waaaaay too much soap on the slip n slide portion and Ryan took an eye full of suds. 

This octopus won the oldest crowd over. Oliver, Soren, Ryan, Parker, and Logan made light work of creating a mechanical bull situation out of this and cleared the little kids out pretty quickly. We probably will not be invited back next year haha

And we had to give a moment of silence to the melon ball. Once upon another summer, this lil’ baby provided countless hours of mindless carefree fun for Quincy, Parker, Ryan, Baylee, Brightyn, ZVan, Elle, and Davey between the Owens and Saumi’s pools. Ryan was first to comment on the symbolic death of melon ball. It really was a notable metaphor. I think logan picked up on this and was quick to insist they make up a new game and I’m pretty sure that’s how Octobull was born. Long live the playful hearts of young adults. Thank you Owens for a great kickoff to summer! 

 

Happy Birthday Masza!

Our neighbor friend Masza turned 80 and her husband asked if she could be celebrated at our house, since it would be easier to accommodate a surprise gathering. He took care of everything and we literally did nothing but welcome guests. We had the Willardson, Levin, Gustin, Grow, Newton, Cooper, Stewart, Blake, Chandler, Lawrence, Blaylock, Evans, Sperry, Shefchik, Dragovich, Durbin, Garouette, Wynne, Minkler, and Johnson families stop by to celebrate our sweet friend. My mom counted over 60 people. Masza has so much love for everyone and there is so much love for Masza. She expresses her thoughts and feelings and warmly and freely. I think this is a gift for my children to see someone so openly vulnerable and affectionate in today’s world where my children are exposed to so much free sharing of opinions behind the security of a screen, but clammed up and socially closed off when it comes to face to face interaction. Masza will stop your car in the middle of the road if she wants to talk to you. She sometimes operates at a different pace than we have grown comfortable with but I think it’s a wonderful thing. Everything she has to say is always worthy of the time and attention. She is brilliant and kind and grateful and faithful and giggly and generous with paise and affection. I love her. Happy Birthday Masza! 

 

Sunday Dinner

 Sunday Dinner was one for the books. Aaron smoked 4 racks of ribs with my dad, and I made sides (salad, sweet potatoes, green beans, and artisan bread). 

Quincy’s friend Van is home from BYU came for a visit. Then Capra called and asked to join after work for family dinner. Then Ammon, Hyrum, and Neal walked through the door in a line with each holding something above their heads. As they stepped in side, they said “Meg, I brought cookies.” “Meg, I made s’more bars” and, “Meg, I have mangoes” 💀 it was hysterical. I love these funny kids. They’re like ducklings. Add Corbin to the mix and it’s too much. 

We ate. My parents came for dinner! In honor of Quincy, who would have loved this night so very much as a gifted gatherer of people, my mom brought her favorite “this corn is like an angel” elote.  They didn’t stay long but my mom said it took her back to my high school days when my dad was YSA bishop and every Sunday night was an eclectic gathering of 18-25 year olds. This dinner felt so normal to me and I think that’s why. It was a mirror image of my teen years. My folks went home and we played 3 rounds of code names with the whole crew. Corbin and Aaron had us laughing so hard. Capra and Van dried dishes and I beat alllll the dead horses with them and we made everyone’s flavored sodas around my counter while the fam and other friends watched the NBA game and hooped out front. 

Always a late night dog pile and daily debriefing when everyone leaves. The Willardsons sure can yap. Also, why does Corbin always somehow look like he is naked at the end of the day?  

The vertical jump has had “wearing megs bunny slippers” added to the mix 😂😂😂. Logan is hilarious and was cracking us up with his unseriousness and bunny hop attempts. 

Sloane and Esme did a “a hair swap” where I curled Esme and straightened Sloane. They were so cute and so proud of their funny idea. I loved the one on one time with each while painstakingly flattening out each curl or crimping each straight lock. They were also  my dinner helpers that night and o loved it. They’re both looking so grown up! Life is suddenly very heavy on the teen/ya boy side of the pendulum, but I think I’m going to love round two of teen girls when the pendulum swings back in a couple years. Either way, this is such an exciting time of life for all of them and it’s a treat to be a mama. 

I love having kids home for Sunday dinner. 

Last Day of School

Summer Break is here! I thought I’d do a “day in the life”post, because every day is so full of good right now, I know I’m going to miss it all so much someday soon. 

We celebrated the last day of school hard. Corbin did not have any finals to attend so he slept in. Soren skipped school. The twins performed their talent show numbers for the whole school. Sloane had parties in class. I dropped kids off and went to the temple and then stopped by my parents’ to visit for an hour.

Soren had an after school pool party at Dean S’s  

Soren, Sebastian, ?, Spencer O, Dean S, Emerson W, Hudson, Titus G, Divyansh, Arjun. 

Elder Cassel has been serving in the vicinity (B2, Sugar Creek, Metfield, Pea Ridge, and Anderson presently) for the past 6 months. He is being transferred down to Springdale, so he and his comp stopped by to say goodbye (for now). His comp, Elder Fulmer, will be in cave springs. Reese and Logan have them Crumbl cookies and I gave them both one last haircut. 

I took Corbin and Soren out to lunch at the Rolling Taco and Priatta Pizza food trucks. Soren’s food palate is very similar to mine. It’s amazing. He will eat tacos for days and also needs a dozen limes. 

I don’t get smokes for photos right now out of these two. It’s tragic. During lunch, Corbin got a Splash Assassins text notification of a “purge”. This means no immunity with goggles, and anyone can kill anyone, not just the target you are assigned. We drove right past a hair salon on our drive home. Corbin mentioned that one of the girls left in the game’s location said she was inside. 

I immediately pulled into the parking lot, Corbin grabbed his spray bottle and walked inside. He returned smiling 2 minutes later and said “there are now only 4 people left between me and victory, mom.” 

We came home to Ammon waiting at the house with cookies he and Tiffany made for me. Love! The three of them headed over to Lowe’s to try to get someone else out (they failed). 

I made a killer dinner home homemade french bread, roasted bacon wrapped green beans, and grilled pork tenderloin with a dipping sauce (mayo, sour cream, garlic, Worcestershire, stone ground mustard, pepper). 

Logan, Aaron, Ryan, and Soren hooped, Bear went to watch a movie with Max Minkler, and the little girls and I made banana muffins. 

Reese pulled out a photo album and too this cutie pic of Aaron and I. We also passed Aaron’s mission album around the table and everyone had black hands from the fire soot on it after 😂 

Littles and Aaron went to bed, Corbin went to Dad Ball at the Bella vista bldg, and I stayed up to watch a sci fi movie called Arrival with Reese, Logan, Ryan, and Soren. 

Summer will be so good to us. 

 

Elementary School Graduates!

Esme and Bear graduated from 4th Grade. The Willies are officially DONE with elementary school! We have had children at Cooper every year since 2010. I looked around at the crying parents and felt for a moment like I should be more sad that this chapter of our lives is closing, but I’m just not. I have loved having little kids, but I love the new phase too. We are ready to have one less school on our route. Bear and Esme will miss beloved teachers, who served our family well. Especially Mrs Tweedy, who taught all four of my daughters, Mrs Dean and Mrs Frazier, who gave Bear the best love a wiggly boy could ask for for 3 years. I pray there are more teachers just like these wonderful women who love my family so well.

Bear and Esme, you did it! On to middle school! 

 

Bear’s Piano Recital

 Bear had his 2nd piano recital. It was in the beautiful Cooper Mildred glass chapel in Bella Vista. He played a song called Church Bells. Good job, Bear! 

Things that are the best

 Corbin and Soren went on the Sugar Creek youth trip! They did baptisms in the Kansas City temple, toured the visitors center, did a tour of the Community of Christ temple, a forbidden middle-of-the-night Taco Bell run, and visited Liberty Jail. Having these Church History and historical sites near is the best! 

Reese and Logan got jobs at Crumbl together. Spending all day working with your new spouse? The best! They love it and I love it for them. They’re so SO cute. 

I’m teaching Reese how to cut hair. She did some practicing on Bear. 

Esme had big plans for summer. How cute is this? I love her drive, it’s the best!

Sloane has been really into crafts lately and made a mini paint set that works. Tiny things are the best! 

Quincy bought a basil plant for her Mission presidents for Parents Day last week. Missionaries are the best! 

Having Ryan home is the best. He goes everywhere with me and is the best dmv, grocery store, wherever buddy. It’s so nice to have a ride along. Between Corbin, Soren, Aaron, Logan, Ryan. And whatever boys Corbin has around that day, the driveway is a constant pickup game.

Corbin and Soren were on a youth trip this weekend (the best!) and Aaron and I took our Littles on a heart hike. It was muddy and we got a little lost and the 3 kids came up with a game where we all list things we love about each other. Peaceful moments (yes sometimes they are only a moment) are the best! 

Memorable Memorial Day

We woke up early Monday and I ran 4.25 miles with Jocelyn. When I got home the sun was out and  realized we had no plans. Ryan teased that I had two daughters fumble hard on relationships with lake/boat access lol. How could we let such a gorgeous day pass us by? Aaron took the boys to the driving range in the morning. I went to Walmart and picked up sodas, snackies, and lunch. Reese and Logan went to work. Ryan rounded up tubes from his storage unit and we hit up Loch Lomond.Aaron rented a pontoon boat and we had the best day! Reese and Brogan came after work (and brought cookies!) Corbin was sad at first to be on a family day vs at the redneck waterslide with 30 friends, but later was relieved because there was a “purge” during that time (no immunity for wearing goggles and floaties) and a few people got out in Splash Assassins. He is one of 9 players left in the game and the prize is $420. 

We were severely disappointed to be informed AFTER we paid and were physically loaded on the boat that the POA does not allow you to tow tubes with a rental. But we made the best of the day anyway. Water was refreshing. We swam and played king of the mountain with the tube, and fished off the back of the dock. 

It was also an excellent practice adventure for our family to see how everyone handled being on a boat. It took a lot of convincing to get Sloane on board, but she was so brave and after a decent panic attack, tears and an anxious vomit over the side of the boat, we were in business haha. And she actually ended up really loving it! 

 

It was just such a chill day. Karma came at me hard though. I gave myself a turn on the giant tube and was relaxed and floating/napping away when we were anchored on an inlet. Soren was a little ring leader and he, Logan, and Ryan quietly swam out and flipped me over. I got Ryan and Logan back but Soren retreated to the boat to lay out in the sun and dry off. 

30 minutes later, we were standing at the back of the boat and I just casually shoved Soren hard and he flew right off into the water for payback. It REALLY caught him off guard. He had it coming though. I hollered “don’t dish if you can’t take” and realized he was crying when he resurfaced. He had hit his toe on the boat trying to not fall in.  

I jumped in the lake to assess, and stubbed my own toe on his leg. He was fine. But MY toe swelled up

Immediately from contact with his concrete quadriceps! It swelled up immediately and was uncomfortable but I just kind of ignored and carried on. We got a P day call from Jamine Willardson, grilled hot dogs, and gave Aaron and Ryan fresh haircuts. Quincy as supposed to go a bathhouse for her last PDay before she is transferred to new area. Sadly, her comp decided adamantly that she’s not interested in the bath house and would rather go to a stuffed animal shop instead. Q was bummed but I was so impressed with the way she handled the news from her comp and said kindly “I’ll never ask you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. Let’s find another way to spend he day.”  I know she was SO disappointed to miss this amazing cultural experience in the one area it’s encouraged. But Quincy put a smile on and hopes there will be another chance in the next year. She is growing and building humility and patience. Beautiful. 

The toe was purpley black by bedtime. Gross. RIP toe. 

Who knew a single toe could hurt so bad? I had an x ray this morning and it’s broken. It’s buddy taped and I’m in a boot. Thumbs down for that, but it could be worse! We’re chillin. I’m glad I got a long run in that morning! No runs for a few weeks for me. I’ll be diligent with this boot so I can be out before our family trip!

Overall though, great strides for the Willy fam handling some unexpected events, proud of us. A lovely day. 

Mischief accomplished. Memories Made.